Building the Strongest Undead Empire from Scratch

Alex slowly lifted her hood, letting her long, flowing white hair cascade over her shoulders, revealing a face of breathtaking beauty.

"You're... Alex?!"

The man was stunned, never expecting to see her in City of Glory.

"Follow me."

He opened the church doors, gesturing for Alex to enter.

Inside, only a handful of people were present, all wearing the same strange black masks. It seemed this church wasn't usually open to the public.

He led Alex down to the basement, which was surprisingly spacious and well-organized, with numbered rooms lining the halls.

They entered room 013. The man closed the door and gestured for Alex to sit down before removing his mask.

A rather ordinary face came into view.

"Samson, it is you."

Alex spoke, not showing much surprise. She had already confirmed his identity when he brought her here.

She hadn't expected to meet Samson again in a human city. It seemed he was now a freelancer, successfully integrated into human society.

"Never thought I'd see you here. So even someone as powerful as you chose to become a Freelancer and join the Mage Guild?"

Samson's gaze was complex as he looked at Alex, a hint of melancholy in his expression. He couldn't imagine her being here in a mage robe if she were still a Lord.

"Didn't you check the system?" Alex asked, puzzled.

"After joining this organization, we're not allowed to use the system. The goal is to fully integrate into human society."

Hearing this, Samson threw caution to the wind and opened his system dashboard. When he saw that her name was still green, ranked first on the leaderboard, shock washed over him, followed by a wry smile.

"You mentioned rules. Does your organization know about the system?" Alex keenly picked up on the crucial information in his words.

Samson didn't hide anything. He knew Alex's character, and there were no conflicts of interest between them. Besides those former allies, Alex was the one he had interacted with the most. Seeing her here brought back a sense of familiarity.

"Before I tell you about my organization, I have some shocking news. There was a batch of Lords before us, and among them, the Freelancers have the highest survival rate."

Samson observed Alex, but her expression remained unchanged. That's when he noticed the gleaming golden badge on her chest.

Four-star Magus, a symbol of King level!

"Wow, that mage robe..."

"Honorary mage robe. Is there a problem?" Alex looked at him questioningly. Why did he keep staring at her chest? Didn't he know it was ungentlemanly to ogle a lady like that?

"No, nothing. Please, continue."

Samson averted his gaze, a wave of melancholy washing over him. He thought he had progressed quickly enough during this time, but Alex was still so ridiculously OP.

"The organization I joined is called the Liberty Church. It's a vast organization spanning all seven continents. The church's goal is to gather Freelancers, provide support, and integrate them into human society, while also strengthening ourselves. It's a good choice for Freelancers like us.

As you might have guessed, Church bishop consists of Freelancers from the previous batch. They've lost their systems and fully integrated into human society. But for some reason, their strength is capped at King level. That's why the Liberty Church can't become a major faction."

Liberty Church, spanning all seven continents?

It made sense. It was only natural for these Lords-turned-Freelancers to seek each other out for support among humans.

This way, the Hundred Kingdoms War wouldn't affect them, or perhaps their bishops had anticipated this event long ago.

But could King level lifespans reach a thousand years? Why was there such a huge gap between the upper limits of Lords and Freelancers?

These questions plagued Alex. She felt that the Liberty Church was the key to obtaining more information.

"I never imagined the Liberty Church would be so widespread. You don't have the ability to travel between continents, do you? How do you communicate?" Alex asked a crucial question, touching upon the organization's secrets.

To her surprise, Samson didn't hesitate to answer. "Through dreams. We can't physically travel between continents, but we can connect and exchange information through dreams. We even sell information unrelated to humans to other races for profit."

Samson explained, suspecting that a powerful archbishop possessed this ability, which was also the key to holding their organization together.

"I see. So this church is your gathering place in City of Glory?"

Alex understood. It seemed this Liberty Church was quite something, essentially an intelligence organization.

"That's right. We have members in the royal cities of every human kingdom, allowing us to obtain information as quickly as possible."

Speaking of this, Samson felt fortunate to have chosen this organization. As a lone Freelancer, integrating into human society would be troublesome. Although the Liberty Church mainly gathered Freelancers, they didn't accept just anyone.

"It seems this church is doing quite well, despite being a bit lacking in strength," Alex remarked casually.

"Yes, we're different from you. This might be the best ending for us Freelancers."

Samson didn't know if his choice back then was the right one, but at least he wouldn't witness too much bloodshed here.

"By the way, have you seen any of my former allies? How are they... doing?"

Alex thought for a moment and shook her head. She could barely remember them, only vaguely recalling that they were all Elemental Lords with decent potential.

Samson seemed a bit disappointed. Alex, on the other hand, asked curiously, "Why did you choose to become a Freelancer? You could have been in the top ten on the leaderboard and even established your own kingdom."

"I abandoned them. Perhaps it was a sign of my cowardice and weakness. I couldn't stomach this world, witnessing death time and time again." Samson sighed.

"Enough about me. What about you? How have you been?"

"Me?" Alex paused, then said frankly, "Just the same old, same old. Following the system's path, climbing the ladder. In the end, we're all just pitiful souls trying to survive in this game world."

Samson seemed to resonate with her words, nodding in agreement.

Their encounter was like two people from the same hometown bumping into each other in a foreign land. They chatted for a bit, catching up, but soon it would be time to go their separate ways.

"What brings you to City of Glory?" Samson asked, curious. It was a risky move for a Lord, potentially fatal if discovered. Of course, he didn't know about Alex's special mage robe.

"I don't know enough about this world. I have to step out of my castle, see the world for what it is. Understanding the world is one thing, but developing my forces and strengthening myself is the ultimate goal."

Alex didn't hide anything. Samson was sincere with her, so she would reciprocate.

"I see. Your vision is as far-reaching as ever. I'm afraid most Lords wouldn't even dare to think of such a thing."

"Does your church happen to have a map of the Eldoria continent?" Alex suddenly asked.

"No, we're just a branch. Such important information wouldn't be entrusted to us."

Samson shook his head. Alex picked up on a crucial detail. The Liberty Church here wasn't even the headquarters for the entire continent?

"There's more than one branch on a continent?"

"Of course. Freelancers are scattered all over the planet. Gathering them is a hassle. As far as I know, there are three Liberty Church branches in Eldoria alone.

I've heard the headquarters is in a border city on the Eldoria continent called Tomb City, but we've never been there. I assume those materials are kept at the headquarters."

Samson explained, oblivious to Alex's thoughtful expression.

"You've never been to the headquarters? Aren't you worried they might have ulterior motives for gathering you all?"

Alex realized Samson had reached Monarch level. Logically, he should be considered a leader, he should have visited the headquarters at least once, right?

Could they really manage all the branch members and keep them united solely through dreams?

It seemed a bit far-fetched.

"I'm not sure, but at least for now, the church has been helping everyone."

Samson had no doubts about the church, in fact, he held a high level of trust in it.

"Well, it's getting late. It was great seeing you again, and thank you for broadening my horizons. I must continue my journey now."

Alex stood up, pulling up her hood, ready to leave. Samson nodded in response and stepped forward to open the door for her.

As they walked side by side, Alex turned to Samson.

"Samson, how about joining my empire?"

The sudden question caught Samson off guard. He looked at Alex, but her face was hidden in the shadows of her hood.

Should he join Alex for greater opportunities or maintain the status quo and integrate into this world?

For a moment, Samson was torn. Before, he might have joined Alex without hesitation, but now, he hesitated.

He suddenly thought of his past choices, Ivy's death, the betrayal of his allies. He knew he couldn't stomach constant killing. Perhaps, this was his best ending.

With that thought, Samson felt at peace.

"I'm sorry, Alex."

He didn't offer further explanation, unaware that Alex, with her high-level soul magic, could clearly sense his emotional turmoil.

"It's alright. Everyone has their own aspirations. It's your choice."

"Then, until we meet again."

"Farewell."

Alex left the Liberty Church with Samson watching her disappear into the bustling street.

Samson sighed and returned to the church, only to be met with wary gazes from the other members.

"Who was that mage?"

"You're getting too close to mages. You'll get us all killed!"

Facing their accusations, Samson apologized and assured them that nothing like that would happen, but he didn't reveal anything about Alex.

Meanwhile, Alex strolled aimlessly through the streets, taking in the human society and its civilization.

However, her mind wasn't fully focused on her surroundings. She was deep in thought.

What she didn't tell Samson was that they might meet again very soon.

The Liberty Church possessed a wealth of information and was a King level force. How could Alex let them be?

Control or destruction, in this world, everyone was looking out for themselves.

But Samson's refusal meant he would gradually fade from her sight.

"Perhaps he hasn't fully grasped reality yet."

Alex shook her head, pushing away the jumbled thoughts. She had already decided on her next destination.

Tomb City, on the border of the Starfallen Empire.

"As I thought, this place isn't for me."

The busy commoners rushed about, their faces devoid of joy. Everyone was struggling to survive, prepared to face death at any moment.

This feeling was less pronounced in City of Glory, but it was most evident in these border cities.

Although humans were strong, they weren't the rulers of this continent. And the strength lay with the Mage Guild and the Holy Court, not the entire human race.

Who knew if the founders of those two forces were Lords themselves?

As dusk approached, the gates of the royal city began to close. Although it wouldn't be difficult for her to leave with her status, she didn't want to attract unnecessary attention.

"Excuse me, a room, please."

Alex addressed the innkeeper.

He was a scrawny old man, balding slightly, and seemed awestruck by Alex's presence.

"Of course, esteemed Mage, please come in!"

He hurried from behind the counter to the door, ushering Alex inside.

"You're not a mage from Hurricane City, are you? His Majesty's new decree states that all mages are entitled to free food and accommodation in the royal city, but you need to apply for a voucher from the relevant department."

"I'm from Yellowrock City. I'm new here and wasn't aware of this. I'll pay as usual."

Alex wasn't interested in this. It was a way to keep tabs on all mages entering the royal city.

"That wouldn't be right. I can't accept your money. Please, stay as you are. You can get a voucher tomorrow."

Although the innkeeper couldn't see Alex's face or recognize her badge, he could tell from her youthful voice that she was an exceptionally young and talented mage.

"Very well, then."