Crackle!
As droplets of grease fell into the flames, the enticing aroma of roasted meat wafted through the air, making one's mouth water in anticipation!
Link hummed a cheerful tune, clearly in high spirits.
Just moments ago, he had rummaged through the bodies of Gerard and Norton and discovered a staggering 700 gold coins!
This unexpected windfall filled Link with immense joy!
Although most of this money was essentially the "protection fee" his spendthrift father had given to those two scoundrels, it didn't matter. With these 700 gold coins, Link could finally upgrade his "Intermediate Burial Ground" to an "Advanced Burial Ground." Not only would he be able to achieve a triple jump in level, but he could also summon the ultimate undead creature from the advanced burial ground—the Bone King!
Moreover, based on his previous experiences, Link was confident that once the "Advanced Burial Ground" was established, he would be able to summon more than one Bone King!
Having tasted the sweetness of power, Link, who was usually lazy, now felt an insatiable desire for more!
Meanwhile, Ron sat dazed by the campfire, staring at the nearly cooked tiger meat, utterly devoid of any appetite!
Even now, he felt as if he were lost in a fog!
Not long ago, Link had commanded an unfathomable army of the undead to relentlessly slay the "Magic Pattern Blacklight Tiger"!
The grandeur of that battle, the fearless skeleton soldiers charging forward, and the desperate cries of the tiger in its final moments were all deeply etched in Ron's mind, making it impossible for him to forget for a lifetime!
Now, as he looked at the campfire and the lifeless tiger carcass, Ron could hardly believe that this fearsome creature, once at the top of the food chain as a level 9 beast, had been reduced to mere food for someone else!
"Master, how on earth did you do it?"
Finally, Ron could no longer contain his curiosity and asked Link.
"What do you mean, how did I do it?"
Link remained lazily sprawled on the grass, not even bothering to lift his head.
"I mean, how could you summon so many creatures at once?"
Ron pressed on, "As far as I know, in our Roland Continent, even a level 9 apprentice summoner would exhaust all their magic power by summoning just two creatures at the same time, yet you…"
"Alright, stop asking! If you keep asking, I might just have to keep my secrets to myself!"
Link waved his hand impatiently, cutting off Ron's incessant questioning!
But his words only piqued Ron's curiosity even more!
"Secrets? What secrets?" Ron pressed.
"Idiot!"
Link scolded, sitting up from the ground, exasperated, "Can't you see? I'm the world's one and only top-tier summoner genius!"
Pfft!
Ron spat out a mouthful of blood, utterly taken aback by Link's audacity to proclaim such nonsense so brazenly!
How shameless could one possibly be?
"Master…" Ron opened his mouth, seemingly wanting to ask more.
But at that moment, Link had already stood up and walked over to the campfire, grabbing a long strip of meat from beneath the roasting tiger carcass!
"Come on, come on! You've been through quite a scare today, so consider this tender meat a reward for you. I've heard it not only strengthens the body but also bolsters courage. You must eat it all!"
"I don't want it!" Ron trembled in fear, the taste of that previous pig's tail still fresh in his memory!
Did Link really think he was a fool?
"Rascal! How dare you refuse my good intentions?"
Link glared, then grabbed Ron's chin and forcefully shoved the long strip of meat toward his mouth!
"Eat it!"
"No! No!"
"Come on…"
...
That night, while pretending to sleep, Link once again entered his realm of the undead!
"Master, why are you back so soon?"
The Big-Eyed Demon sensed Link's presence and fluttered over, its eyes sparkling with eagerness, "Did you defeat a formidable enemy? Are you satisfied with the power of the undead army?"
"Absolutely, I'm more than satisfied!"
Link couldn't help but laugh heartily. After a moment, he got straight to the point of his visit!
"Big-Eyed Demon, I've managed to gather 500 more gold coins. This time, I want to upgrade the 'Intermediate Burial Ground' directly to the 'Advanced Burial Ground'!"
"What? You got that so quickly?"
The Big-Eyed Demon's eyes widened in astonishment, genuinely impressed, "Master, you're incredible! In just three days, you've built the most elite 'Sanctuary of the Dead' in a completely barren realm of the undead!"
At this point, the Big-Eyed Demon sincerely praised, "At this rate, it won't be long before you reclaim your divine status!"
"Divine status? What divine status?" Link furrowed his brow at the mention.
"Uh, well…"
The Big-Eyed Demon hesitated, realizing it had misspoken, and quickly changed the subject, "Master, I'll upgrade the 'Intermediate Burial Ground' to the 'Advanced Burial Ground' right away. Please wait a moment!"
Without waiting for Link's response, it snapped its fingers and summoned all 700 gold coins Link had in his possession!