Last night’s experiments with Lower Undead Creation revealed that I could use my will to control the type of undead I generated. For example, I could create variations like the Black Skeleton Butcher, with its battle axe and thick black bones; the Black Skeleton Lancer, which wielded a short spear and attacked at high speed; the Black Skeleton Archer, capable of precise long-range shots; and the Black Skeleton Mage, which could cast spells up to the second tier. These were all derivatives of the Black Skeleton Knight. I could also generate regular white skeletons by using less mana.
Then I could create other types of undead like “zombies,” which are moving corpses, and “ghosts,” which are weak spiritual entities. I did briefly try eating a ghost, but it was incorporeal; my attempts to grab it were futile, my hand passing right through it, and trying to consume it felt like swallowing air. It was more like breathing than eating.
Clearly, I couldn’t currently consume incorporeal monsters. I could easily obliterate them with mana-infused attacks, but eating them was another matter. I wasn’t ready to give up just yet, though.
It seems that in this world, fulfilling certain conditions would allow me to consume ghosts. I resolved to find and devour something that had the ability. If I could eat a ghost, I’d have the chance to gain useful abilities like Material Transference. Plus, I was curious about how incorporeal monsters might taste.
So, to help my new trainees quickly gain a lot of experience, I mostly generated zombies and regular skeletons that matched their levels. Meanwhile, the Black Skeleton variants served as sparring partners for Ogrekichi and Dhami, as well as training supervisors for the kobolds and elves. True, they couldn’t speak and communicated only through rattling noises, but they still managed to convey instructions through gestures and body language.
Even with such rough communication, things progressed smoothly. The strengthening of our forces was proceeding remarkably well.
Of course, there were issues with the undead. Their various inherent traits—especially Sunlight Weakness—proved to be significant hindrances. Dhami didn’t have any problems because she had a God’s Blessing as a variant, but others weren’t so fortunate.
Undead of the Black Skeleton Knight class could endure sunlight for about fifteen minutes, though they would emit smoke from their bodies the whole time, and their overall strength was significantly diminished, to the point where even kobolds could defeat them. This rendered them ineffective as combat units.
Of course, lesser undead like zombies and ghosts were purified under sunlight within seconds. Zombies left behind decaying corpses, which could be used to spread disease in enemy territories, fill holes to create makeshift pathways, or feed Hobfu, who loved rotting flesh. But ghosts left nothing behind and were entirely useless in daylight.
Undead were also easily purified by holy water or holy light and were highly vulnerable to fire, a common means of attack.
In all, the usefulness of the undead during the day was highly limited.
So, while I had initially planned to rely on them for daytime battles, I was forced to reconsider. For the time being, I set aside the problem and continued with the rigorous training of the elves and kobolds.
The elves, already at an elite level, naturally improved their skills and strength by sparring one-on-one with Black Skeleton Knights and Black Skeleton Butchers. Repeated practical training would further hone their abilities, making instruction relatively easy.
Therefore, I focused my efforts primarily on training the kobolds, who had physical abilities on par with, or even surpassing, those of the hobgoblins, but our group's current composition looked like this:
Half Lords: 3
Ogres: 2
Dhampir: 1
Hobgoblins: 10
Hobgoblin Mages: 5
Hobgoblin Clerics: 2
Young Goblins: 30
Elderly Goblins: 8
Elves: 10 males, 7 females
Humans: 5 females
Foot Soldier Kobold: 1
Young Kobolds: 32
Elderly Kobolds: 3
Total: 119 individuals
Then there were our pets, who added to the count:
Triple-Horned Horses: 5
Hind Bears: 3
Alpha Dark Wolf: 1
Dark Wolves: 8
Total: 136 individuals
Within such a large group, the kobolds held a relatively low position, so they were often treated as errand runners and received less food as a result. As for the food, it consisted mainly of game that the hunters brought back. We also had plenty of fruit and mountain vegetables, which ensured that the dishes prepared by the chef sisters and the other goblins responsible for cooking were tasty and nutritionally balanced—though I don’t actually know if goblins and ogres need nutritionally balanced meals in the first place.
Everyone has enough to eat, at the very least. However, after intense exercise, every creature wants to eat their fill. Their low status meant kobolds could only eat about half as much as they needed, which in turn prevented them from building up their bodies properly.
Gear was another major factor. In the harsh, untamed wilderness, having powerful equipment directly correlates to chances of survival. Sharp fangs and claws, poison, and impenetrable hides are just a few examples. For humanoid monsters like kobolds, having weapons makes things significantly easier. Even weak humans can kill powerful monsters with the right weapons. Naturally, the better the weapon, the better the results.
Unfortunately, the rules I set said that weaker individuals would receive inferior weapons. This made them easier targets for enemies, drastically reducing their chances of survival. Changing this rule might seem like a good idea, but giving superior weapons to the weak would only lead to wasted resources and possibly even pose more danger to those without the ability to handle such gear.
It’s essential for everyone to be aware of their own capabilities at all times. The inferior weapon rule would remain unchanged, meaning the only way to get more powerful equipment was to train hard and improve their base strength and skills.
Some kobolds were already nearing level 100, as it happened, and if they managed to achieve Existence Evolution, they could secure better positions within the group. I also had high hopes for the younger, fast-growing kobolds. As a species, kobolds excel at speed, so I decided to focus their training on enhancing this natural advantage.