SSS Talent: My Undead Evolve Without Limits

Malric stared at Eliza in genuine silence.

This was the first time he had ever seen her this flustered. Ever since he woke up in this body, Eliza had always been calm, composed, and unshakable. Seeing her this terrified meant the situation was far worse than he thought.

"Eliza. Speak clearly. I don’t understand anything." Malric frowned deeply. "Is this some sort of criminal syndicate?"

Eliza let out a heavy sigh. She took a deep breath to steady herself.

"No, Young Master. Quite the opposite. The organization is actually beloved by many commoners, and even a number of nobles."

"Then where exactly is the problem?"

"The problem is their leader, Young Master. The Black Empress... and her goals."

Malric tilted his head. "And who exactly is this Black Empress? Why does she go by that title?"

Eliza gripped the fabric of her skirt tightly.

"That is exactly the problem, Young Master. Her goal is to become the Empress, taking the throne from the current Emperor."

Malric’s eyes widened in sheer disbelief.

"What?...an invader? That makes no sense."

"How could someone like her exist inside the Empire, let alone build her power with the support of the nobles? How could the Emperor and the Grand Duchies allow an invader to gain influence within their own borders?"

Eliza shook her head quickly.

"Because she is not an invader, Young Master. She is the first daughter of the late Emperor and the current Emperor’s half-sister."

Malrik froze. Eliza’s unexpected revelation had caught him completely off guard. "What? The Emperor’s half-sister?"

"Yes." Eliza nodded slowly. "It started ten years ago when the previous Emperor passed away. The war for the succession began, and the current Emperor quickly secured the loyalty of the late Emperor’s court. He eliminated all his opposition...including his own siblings."

So here we are again. The same tired cliché of siblings killing one another over the succession.

I was starting to think the novelists had been exaggerating all those stories about nobles and young masters turning on their own siblings.

Not every family was like the Vesperions, where blood stood above ambition, power, and all else.

This was a world ruled by the strong. The weak were not sheltered from the cruel laws of nature; they were consumed by them.

Those without the strength to protect themselves were destined to become prey for those strong enough to devour them.

Malrik leaned forward. The political situation was far more dangerous than he had anticipated.

"Did she not have any allies? What about the Duchies? What about the Temple of Lumiel? What was their stance? Did they support the Emperor as well?"

"The Five Dukes declared neutrality," Eliza explained. "They stated it was a private matter of the Imperial Family. As for the Temple, they have always claimed to be a neutral force with no ties to political conflicts."

Eliza took another breath, her expression grim.

"She knew remaining in the Empire would mean certain death, so she fled the capital. After that, she vanished without a trace."

"No one heard from her again until four years ago, when she suddenly reappeared at the head of a massive organization known as the Faceless, with Saints and even Supremes under her command."

"From that day on, she was known as the Black Empress."

Malric narrowed his eyes. "Then why hasn’t the Emperor killed her? Or why hasn’t she killed him? How have the two of them gone four years without plunging the Empire into war?"

"Because she chose the perfect time to reappear, Young Master."

Malrik frowned. "How so?"

"The Empire was already locked in a brutal war against the Morveth along the borders. If the Emperor had moved against her then, it would have sparked a civil war."

Malrik’s expression darkened. "And with the Empire already fighting the Morveth..."

"It would have left the Empire vulnerable from within and without."

Eliza lowered her voice slightly.

"Since then, she has been slowly building her strength. She pulls powerful noble houses to her side. Her organization even contributes to the war efforts at the borders, making it incredibly difficult to get rid of her now. Her forces almost rival the Emperor’s own."

Malric absorbed the information. The picture was finally becoming clear.

"So both sides are being careful."

"Exactly, Young Master. A full-scale war right now would be catastrophic for everyone. They settle for small skirmishes in the shadows."

Malric leaned back against the headboard. The sheer scale of the mess he was in was suffocating. He rubbed his face in utter exhaustion.

Damn it...I lose consciousness for two days, only to wake up right in the middle of a power struggle between two forces powerful enough to burn the entire Empire to ashes.

He dropped his hand and looked at Eliza seriously. "What about the Five Duchies? Over these four years, has either side received any support from the Dukes?"

Eliza shook her head apologetically.

"I’m sorry, Young Master, but I have no knowledge of that. The support of the Dukes is among the most sensitive and closely guarded matters in the Empire."

She looked at him with utmost seriousness.

"Each Duchy possesses enough power to shift the balance of this war, and both sides have been working relentlessly to win their favor and bring them into the conflict."

She paused for a brief moment, her eyes reflecting the grim reality of the situation.

"So far, the Duchies have remained neutral... But once the war on the borders comes to an end, that neutrality will not last for long."

Eliza’s words left the room silent for a moment as Malrik leaned back, quietly piecing it all together.

"I see..."

Now, he completely understood why Eliza had been so terrified. He finally realized why she had begged him never to use the ’Black Reaper’ identity again.

If anyone discovered that the Black Reaper—the rumored new enforcer of the Faceless—was actually the seventh son of Duke Vesperion... the consequences would be apocalyptic.

The Emperor wouldn’t see it as a mere misunderstanding. He would see it as a direct declaration of war.

It would mean the Vesperion Duchy had officially abandoned its neutrality and allied itself with the Black Empress.

Malric rubbed his temples, feeling a massive headache coming on.

"Damn it... how did things escalate this much?"

All I wanted was to finish that damn trial and get a few Soul Stones.

How the hell did things get this complicated?

He let out a long, exhausted breath.

It seems I have to say goodbye to the Black Reaper identity forever.

He closed his eyes for a moment, organizing his chaotic thoughts.

I need to increase my strength much faster now if I want to live a quiet life and survive this war between those crazy siblings.

He shifted slightly against the pillows, ignoring the dull pain in his chest.

I just hope Shay sends those soul stones quickly.

Pushing the political nightmare to the back of his mind, Malrik decided to focus on what he could actually control.

The Blackthorn Forest had been an absolute bloodbath, and he had been at the center of it all.

At the very least, my level should have reached the maximum for the Awakened rank by now.

Let’s see what level I’ve reached.

Malric mentally summoned his status screen. But what appeared before his eyes was completely shocking.

Instead of the familiar, translucent blue window he was used to, a completely new screen materialized in the air. It was a radiant, golden hue, with words burning in a pale, ethereal light. He had never seen anything like it before.

Malric blinked, staring blankly at the floating text.

[You have achieved a great feat.]

[A newly awakened mage, bearing the remnant of an ancient, forgotten lineage, ventured into a blighted forest where countless cursed creatures far beyond his station dwelled.]

[He entered alone. He left alone. Between his first step and his last, the dead became his blades.]

[Driven to madness, a cornered tyrant sacrificed his own kin to kill him. Yet, even the sacrifice of an entire army was not enough to bring him down.]

[In a final act of absolute despair, the tyrant sacrificed himself, seeking to drag everything into oblivion.]

[The inferno consumed them all. From the ashes, the mage emerged alone, exactly as he had entered.]

[An unprecedented achievement has been recorded at the Awakened rank.]

[Final appraisal: Legendary.]

[Continue... for some of the Arbiters have set their eyes upon you.]

Malric sat completely frozen, his eyes glued to the glowing text.

He had no idea what was happening.

What the hell is going on here?

A golden screen?

He had never seen, nor even heard of such a thing existing within the System. Every awakened he knew, including himself, only ever had the standard blue interface.

Malric carefully read through the lines again, his gaze pausing on the second one.

An ancient, forgotten lineage?

Malric thought, his brow furrowing slightly.

Is it talking about Lokris?

Then his eyes drifted to the next lines, and a cold chill ran down his spine.

The Arbiters? Who exactly are the Arbiters?

Before he could process the ominous warning, the golden words slowly dissolved. Then, a new line of text materialized in the center of the screen, causing his heart to completely stop.

[Your achievement demands a monumental reward.]

[Please choose your reward]

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