As Alec departed the Spring in the Forest, the Stitched Abomination followed close behind him.
The Abomination had undergone a noticeable transformation. Its once plump body was now adorned with numerous fragments of leather and iron armor, each piece bearing a face painted in blood.
This was Alec's ingenious method. These blood-painted faces were composed entirely of arcane runes, and though they appeared crude, to the lingering spirits, they seemed as real as any living visage, possessing an undeniable allure for the fragmented souls.
It was through this technique that the Stitched Abomination's Core Soul could be cleansed of its confusion, allowing it to comprehend its current state.
Of course, this wasn't the sole reason for the Abomination's change. The true catalyst for its return to its original combat prowess lay in the Soul-bind Threads woven into its back.
As Alec, with the memories of a Lich Lord, knew, the Stitched Abomination's greatest challenge was that its composite body still retained fragments of its original consciousness. Painting faces could only draw away a portion of these lingering spirits. The real solution was to truly integrate the flesh, and for that, Soul-bind Threads were essential.
To this end, Alec had invested considerable effort, personally instructing the three Warlocks on how to craft the Soul-bind Threads and then preparing the Stitched Abomination's body.
Under these circumstances, the Stitched Abomination finally regained its original 9-star combat ranking. Simultaneously, the Three Warlocks had marked Alec, ensuring he would be safe from any undead attacks originating from Carbuth for three days.
With three days of reprieve, Alec felt a considerable ease. Now, he began his search for the Princess's whereabouts.
He had spent three full years in this region, gaining an extensive understanding of the Arthelian region's terrain.
Though he didn't know the specifics of the past battle, Alec knew precisely where large armies could conceal themselves near Carbuth, and which locations were closest to where Princess Ilyss had been attacked.
Leaving the Spring in the Forest, Alec didn't hesitate, heading directly towards that direction. Behind him, the Stitched Abomination followed at a slow pace, seemingly savoring something.
After approximately three hours of travel, Alec suddenly halted.
The Stitched Abomination walked up beside him, opening its mouth to emit a peculiar shriek.
When it came to Undead Speech, Alec found himself utterly helpless. This was a matter of vocal cords, something even the most powerful Necromancer couldn't overcome. They could only communicate through mental exchanges. As for vocal communication? If the sound was too soft, it was incomprehensible. If it was too loud, it became a Banshee's Wail, a destructive area-of-effect spell.
At the Abomination's cry, Alec's gaze swept across their surroundings. Beneath the Stitched Abomination's sonic assault, he noticed something unusual about a nearby forest.
At this moment, Alec grew tense. In a game, he wouldn't have to worry excessively, as the system wouldn't pit him against an insurmountable foe.
But in this world, Alec absolutely refused to believe that fate, like a game system, would consider a player's level.
Currently, Alec possessed no combat prowess whatsoever, and the slightest rustle of leaves made him anxious.
At that moment, he also caught a faint scent of sulfur, a telltale sign of demonic presence. From the intensity of the odor, it seemed the number of demons nearby wasn't large, nor were they powerful units like Abysswalkers.
Compared to Alec, the Stitched Abomination was far better suited for combat. Sensing something amiss, the twin scimitars on its arms sprang forth, and its body hunched low, its eyes scanning the surroundings, searching for the enemy.
Standing behind the Stitched Abomination, Alec murmured, "It's a demon. My mana senses no fluctuations, so it's not a Soulspawn.
No mental influence, so not a Temptress-class. The scent is too faint for a Horned Brute or an Abysswalker. No scorching aura, so not a Flame Lord or a Hellsteed. Therefore, what's nearby must be something like a Hellhound."
As he spoke, Alec's eyes lit up, as if he'd just realized something. "Graul, the Gatewarden, possesses the ability to control Hellhounds. His own strength isn't particularly high, likely between 7 and 8 stars, and his melee combat is weak.
However, he can summon a certain number of Hellhounds in a short period, with each Hellhound's strength around 5 stars, and they persist for approximately ten minutes."
The Stitched Abomination didn't question why Alec knew such detailed information. Instead, it turned its gaze towards the suspicious area.
At that moment, a man roughly Alec's height appeared. He was entirely cloaked in black robes, with only his eyes glowing red.
Beside him crouched a large black dog. Aside from a leather collar around its neck, there was nothing outwardly remarkable about it.
But at the sight of this combination, Alec immediately recalled a similar pair at the entrance to the Demonhold, a duo that had repeatedly decimated a team of forty 5-star players.
Even after all these years, Alec hadn't forgotten. The moment the black-robed man raised his hand, Alec roared,
"Oh, let me guess, you're about to say 'All who open the gate must perish!' Right? Or maybe 'The hellhounds are my brothers!' Same garbage lines every time. Who the hell wrote your dialogue? Die in a fire, seriously."
As Alec bellowed, Graul, on the opposite side, froze. The Stitched Abomination naturally wouldn't miss such an opportunity. It raised its hand, and a chain wrapped around Graul, preparing to drag him forward.
Graul, as the first boss of the Demonhold Amiria dungeon, naturally had a few tricks up his sleeve. The moment the chain coiled around him, the black dog beside him sprang up.
Initially, the dog was only the size of a normal canine, but the instant it leaped, it grew to a man's height, and its single head transformed into three, each gaping maw emitting a faint white smoke.
As soon as the black dog transformed, Alec moved behind the Stitched Abomination, raising his hands level and instructing the Abomination, "Control."
At that instant, Alec's Undead Command ability activated. Besides boosting the combat prowess of the corresponding undead, Alec could also, based on his skill level, control certain undead bodies for a period of time, the duration depending on the undead's own combat ranking.
Given the significant level difference between Alec and the Stitched Abomination, he could only control the Abomination for a maximum of thirty seconds.