Several things happened over the next month. Sam found out that his Domain was growing, meaning more of the Castle was becoming ‘alive’ thanks to his power. Dani could create strange plant monsters that could move around on their own. Several of Jane’s soldiers became powerful, due to hunting dangerous criminals or Beasts. Even Clara had her Spiders everywhere. One of them even became Level 4, growing to a size similar to the tank!

Andrew increased the power of his Spells, while John focused on breeding his Beetles and Leveling Up Cammie. David, Chance, and Spot focused on their strategies, becoming better at leading their forces. Lucy could now hit the bullseye without using her Luck bar, and an available doctor assisted Sarah to learn some things about helping people who are hurt.

Rebecca was not really practicing her powers, but instead focused on things a mom or wife would do. She fixed food for her family, helped Andrew relax, and was more of a cheerleader. Jeremy had come by more often but soon had to stop since he was having a problem with a massive Undead snake they found.

Sammy was focused on his Dungeon, and even created a third entrance, separating the Rats and Slimes. The other several Dungeons were coming along, but they had to be controlled by a powerful and intelligent Undead. The Amigos gained a following ever since they started the Constructor’s Guild. They taught others how to build or craft, increasing the amount of labor at their disposal.

The Undead Clan had managed to pretty much take over three more Regions, meaning Andrew now had eight. There were still some slight skirmishes here and there, but there was nothing the Elites couldn’t handle. Plus, the Mimics began being created randomly amongst the newly raised.

These Mimics were sent on a journey like Nemo and Buster, pretty much raking in the GP for Andrew. They may not have had the Necromancer Job, but they could at least lead other Skeletons around. It wouldn’t take long for Andrew to Rank Up as a Noble.

The Undead Beasts that made up the courier system Andrew put in place were actually earning GP for successful Quests. It was weird since they weren’t supposed to be rewarded. It seems the System was changing, giving anybody who completes Quests GP. Now, more people were interested in helping out around the place.

Several Heroes popped up, helping defend their local Area, but the best place to find Heroes was where Renzo and Damian stayed. They had eventually grown so big that they had to split up, but that mattered little.

Renzo taught his civilians how to protect themselves, opening a dojo and letting the three sisters help run it. On the other end of the spectrum, Damian taught some of his people how to kill or assassinate someone. Not like a ninja, but like a hitman. Once these people passed training, they were actually given jobs as bodyguards for travelers or important people.

Renzo was currently practicing his kenjutsu when an alert appeared. He had long ago reached Level 4, so he was already more physical than before, but this was to alert him and others that he had reached Level 5!

“Wow! The powerful Electromancer has had another of his amazing students obtain an Ability! This amazing Sensei has made another great contribution to the Undead Clan!”

“Hmph. It’s about time. Reese and Brandon have already reached this Level.”

His body began to brighten, just like last time, and the time before that. However, he noticed that his body had finally returned to the world! He was no longer a Phantom!

He was now a Celestial Being!

His skin was slightly yellow, but that was fine. He now had a tattoo of a Lung Dragon coiled around his back and a glittering yellow kimono that looked to be made of gold. His sword glistened with static and Renzo could tell he had reached a new Level of strength without needing to even test it.

He compared his change to Brandon’s and Reese’s but was slightly disappointed. It was true that once becoming Level 5 was like reaching the limit of normal humans, but becoming Human was not really what he wanted. Sure, it made combat easy, but he would still have Humanity’s weakness as well.

Or so he thought.

He was now able to phase in and out of his corporeal state! That was something those two could never do!

Reese had become a Risen, the essential stage of a Skeleton trying to return to life. At this point, Reese could satisfy his dream of having a girlfriend now! He retained his previous features, but a scar was still visible over his eye and it was pure white, while the other was pure red.

Brandon was now a Demonic Torturer. He didn’t really torture anyone, but he did cause fear wherever he went. His two horns had become three, almost like a crown. Instead of using a pillar, the Amigos fashioned a massive column out of the heaviest material they could find. Sure, he had trouble lifting it for the first day, but he only needed one day to get used to it and swing it around as easily as a child would swing a little stick.

The weirdest part was he was now normal sized! He had become smaller, but he actually became much stronger!

That was when another alert for Damian appeared.

“Hmm, I guess we did come to around the same time. Let’s go check it out.”

This may be a bit off topic, but Sammy had already reached Level 6, but no one noticed he was a Risen because he wasn’t. He had become a Lich Commander! He couldn’t actually raise the dead, but he learned valuable orders. One order was to use their nearest fallen ally as a weapon, piece them back together again, and use their body to fix themselves.

Or vice versa.

This allowed for his Units to heal themselves or each other! No one paid attention, but this was revolutionary! This was a literal game changer!

Oh well.

When Renzo moved, he was like lightning itself. It took a matter of milliseconds to appear over the place Damian lived. When Renzo saw Damian, he could definitely…not tell any difference.

Damian was always a stoic and stone cold man, much like his Job. Come to think of it, Renzo was also like his Job. But that was for another time. Damian had become an Elemental! This was entirely different from some measly Spirit or Specter! He could instantly use the power of ice to completely decimate any enemy nearby. He could even lure in his enemies real close before turning into ice. If they touched him at this point, they would freeze and shatter into ice particles.

“So…fight me.”

The Ice Elemental looked at the Celestial Being before him before replying in a nonchalant manner.

“Alright.”

That day, a section of nearby land had become a massive frozen hole in the ground. It was big enough to fill several football fields! After that day, special Beasts were found here, and the BOSS of the Area was known as Ebenezer the Ice Vulture. Most people would just call him Scrooge.

To the northwest, at an empty aerospace facility, a man with bony bat wings protruding from his back looked on as his best friend was about to Level Up as well.

“Heh, why do we have to be last? Oh well. Come on, hurry up and have your last Shadowling take that Skill.”

The Shadowling in question then quickly killed the BOSS creature that had been found yesterday, but they had to wait for it to return in order for Kuvali to Level Up. All it needed was to get a Skill for that to happen.

Another alert appeared, but most people stopped paying attention since an alert was usually happening every fifteen minutes now. Too many people were being awesome.

The off white man without a face didn’t have some amazing transformation, he just had the rest of the color drain from his body into the massive black orb that stayed behind him all the time. Kuvali could split it up or make it into arms or even faces and such. He still had no facial features, but he was now completely white.

Even though the change wasn’t visually climactic, the feeling in the room dropped. Everything seemed to grow cold and the air darkened. He wasn’t the Cursed One or something like that, he was now the Darkness Incarnate. The blackness behind Kuvali morphed and changed, turning into hands and opening up like wings on his back. He flapped a couple of times before being lifted into the air. He flew for a bit before coming back down to watch Chris Level Up.

Chris was waiting for Kuvali because he wanted to make sure Kuvali could help him out if anything went wrong. The last time he had Leveled Up, a lightning bolt had come down and nearly killed him. Thankfully, Kuvali nearly spent his life to shield Chris from the blow.

One of his Blood Minions, creatures created from the blood of all the animals and such he killed, finished off another BOSS. Being who they were, it was no problem for either of the two to find a BOSS and kill it off. However, they needed to increase their Units, not waste the kills on themselves.

The small chains that bound his wings began to tighten, forcing Chris into a fetal position from the pain. But it wasn’t just from the chains, his entire body was changing. The chains and shackles began to glow, signifying something was happening. His previously lanky and weak looking body began to fill out, straining against the constraints. Something began to sprout from his ugly looking wings, they were feathers!

Dark feathers that seemed to shine like obsidian glass!

Wherever the feathers touched the chains or shackles, the blue light flickered before cracks could be seen in them. The wings not only grew more feathers, but they started to enlarge! In fact, it was as if his entire body was about to explode! Finally, the chains gave out!

KRACK!

The chains turned to dust and a powerful Awakened Hellish Angel appeared! Chris flapped his now freed wings and joined Kuvali in the skies! But, the dark skies had yet to clear! Soon, the clouds buckled and clapped, flashes could be seen somewhere among the clouds!

All at once, a gigantic red streak stretched across the sky, arching its way towards Chris! It was a large lightning bolt that was so wide it looked like a road! A road straight to retribution! To judgment!

To death!

Without missing a beat, Chris and Kuvali readied their attacks. Chris reached into his Inventory and pulled out a huge object. It was a completely metal sphere taller than he was! Before the bolt reached him, Chris tossed the heavy paperweight at it and activated Firecracker!

BOOM!

But it wasn’t over! The lightning was still coming! Now it was Kuvali’s turn. He ushered his darkness to shield the strike, but to no avail! This was probably a hundred times stronger than the last strike!

Even with that, the lightning was only about halfway gone! But Chris still had a few tricks.

Well…just one.

He used Power along with his Blood Magic to make a gauntlet. He punched forward with all his might, bringing the lightning down to ten percent of its original strength! But that was still ten times the previous strike! Would Chris survive?!

Now, this took a while to explain, but it all happened in merely a blink of an eye! Kuvali had used his Quick Skill and helped himself and Chris reach a speed to fight against the strike. Unfortunately, now it was up to his defense if he survived!

KRRRRRAAOOHGHAW!*

In the air, two smoking figures had fallen to the ground!

“Ugh, thanks, bro.”

“No problem, my friend.”

They had survived! And only several more days until the government strikes!

*(lol, that lightning sfx)