Potential Threat

Looking at the dried corpse on the ground that remained baring its teeth at her even though it was being restrained, Serea asked the system:

“System, why are there zombies here?”

Ding. Zombies are basic units of the undead, the result of corpses being infected by the power of death.

From this, it can be inferred that there is a source releasing the power of death nearby; there is a 70% probability that someone is casting undead magic, a 20% probability that it occurred naturally, and a 10% unknown probability.

“Uh… Do you have a way to locate the source that’s releasing this power of death?”

Ding. Host is the Darkness Sovereign, the ruler of the undead. Currently, the spirit controlling the zombies is very weak. The host may attempt to seize control.

“Just like how I control Little Black and the others, right? Understood.”

Getting the answer from the system, Serea turned her gaze to the zombie on the ground.

“Submit to me!”

Serea tried to establish a mental connection with the zombie. Coincidentally, she still had two vacant slots for undead minions.

“Ah!”

The zombie howled in pain, and during the process of establishing the mental connection, Serea encountered some resistance, but it was very weak and quickly vanished.

After seizing control of the zombie with ease, it stopped rampaging.

Mental communication!

“Where are you going?”

“Ardis… the ancient tomb of Ardis, the master is… summoning!”

Disjointed voices rang in her mind, and piecing together the information revealed by the zombie, Serea realized there was a crisis.

“Where is the ancient tomb?”

“My king’s tomb is… farther… much farther away…”

After giving the answer, the zombie raised a hand and pointed in the direction of the Blood Spring, and this mention of “deeper” must mean deeper into the jungle toward the Blood Spring.

“We can’t get the exact location, only the general direction…”

Serea pondered this, but just then, the zombie suddenly went berserk.

“Master… danger!”

This time the sound was not transmitted mentally; in its urgency, the zombie actually spoke to Serea.

“?”

But before Serea could press for more, the light faded from the zombie’s eyes, and Serea could sense a powerful mental tempest erupting within its mind.

She hurriedly withdrew from the mental link. The zombie then collapsed to the ground. After issuing a warning to its ‘master’, it died completely.

Ding.

Detected fluctuations in the power of death. Analysis: 65% probability a powerful member of the undead race, 30% probability an undead mage, 5% unknown.

“An undead, or perhaps an undead mage?”

Having confirmed the source of the power, Serea looked in the direction of the Blood Spring. In that deeper place, a threat had silently emerged.

“Ahhh!”

While Serea was thinking, several more zombies broke through the damaged wall of vines and approached.

“Hmph, how could I let a tiger sleep peacefully beneath my bed?!”

At Serea’s command, the Skeleton Warriors charged forward and dealt with the zombies.

“Please give your command, my queen.”

Sensing her queen’s fighting spirit, Little Black proactively spoke up.

“Little Black, advance in this direction deeper into the jungle. Report to me on what you find along the way, and be certain to find that source of threat. But remember the principles of an assassin—do your utmost not to be discovered by the enemy.”

“Yes.”

Little Black acknowledged and melted into the shadows. As an tireless member of the undead, he charged directly into the jungle after receiving the order.

“My queen, those zombies are…”

“It’s a powerful undead, or an undead mage who is controlling them.”

As Serea spoke, she looked at the corpses of the zombies littered about.

“But to resurrect so many zombies, that one’s power must be extraordinary. So until we find it, we must be extremely cautious.”

“Yes, I’ll have the patrols strengthened.”

Lola also understood the gravity of the situation. She put aside her joy at evolving into a blood elf—now, their full attention was with the enemy.

And when the news spread that a powerful undead or undead mage had appeared in the jungle, the elves all looked at each other, knowing what that meant—a full-scale undead calamity might be coming!

Thus, everyone fell silent. But at this moment, a voice out of place broke in.

“It’s the master of the undead. Uh…he’s run off again!”

It was a female voice. Hearing it, Serea turned to see Dolusam approaching, leading a young elven girl.

But at the first sight of the elven girl, Serea’s eyes widened.

Silver hair and dark golden eyes—a blood elf!

Seeing her younger sister Dorulu so focused only on the queen’s undead, Dolusam admonished:

“Stop worrying about your undead master for now. Worry about yourself!”

“I’m fine, see? I look great now, don’t I?”

“That’s not the point…”

Dolusam pulled Dorulu over, but Dorulu was still looking in Little Black’s direction.

“A blood elf!”

“The royal power!”

Seeing Dorulu’s current appearance, both Lola and Doruka exclaimed in surprise.

“Uh, why…why are you all staring at me like that…”

Dorulu was rather confused, and upon noticing Lola had silver hair too, seemed to find a kindred spirit.

“Queen Lola, your hair is also…”

Before she could finish, Dolusam pulled her behind him, worried about his sister offending the queen. Dolusam gave a small bow to Serea and said,

“My queen, I apologize for my sister’s rudeness.”

“It’s fine, but what I’d like to know more about is her situation.”

Serea pointed to the silver-haired elf girl, then received her information.

Character: Dorulu Darkmoon (Blood Elf, Apprentice Battle Mage, Gold Elite)

Level: 11

Status: Good

Spirit: A

Strength: B

Agility: B

Endurance: C

Constitution: D

Charisma: A+

Luck: EX

Skills: Flame Pierce (Tier 1), hemolytic Shield (Tier 1), weapon Blood Blessing (Tier 1), Bloodthirst (Tier 1)

Profile: A blood elf born of a jungle elf, baptized by the Blood Spring (Purified). Cannot pass on bloodline and needs the power of the Blood Spring (Purified) to maintain blood elf form.

An ordinary blood elf—or one might say, an exceptionally gifted elf.

“At this point, I must thank you, my queen, for allowing Lord Little Black to rescue my sister.”

“It was just a matter of convenience, don’t worry about it.”

Serea guessed that Little Black had rescued her on a whim, but it was good that she was saved; if this blood elf was strengthened a bit, she would become a formidable force.

“But there is one more thing: please can my queen check, is there anything wrong with my sister? I have been treating her wounds with the Spring of Life, but after using that red spring water today, she suddenly changed like this…”

“What’s wrong with it? She looks pretty; you’re making a fuss, big brother.”

Dorulu pouted, unhappy with her brother’s fussing over nothing.

(To be continued…)

————-= Clacky’s Corner ————-=

【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep