As Bones stood amidst the scattered corpses of goblins, he took a moment to wipe the blood off his sword, all the while scrolling through the notifications flooding his vision. With each goblin camp he cleared, the challenges seemed to intensify, pushing him to hone his combat skills further.
Utilizing Bone Spears and Bone Nova as support, he experimented with various weapons during battles, hoping to gain proficiency in basic weapon mastery. Feeling a deficiency in close combat, he sought to rectify it by diversifying his weapon usage. His ultimate goal? To acquire mastery in five different weapon types, unlocking a coveted weapon combat mastery that would enhance his effectiveness across all weapon categories. With his Bone Spear in mind, he hoped this mastery would extend to its usage as well.
"Status," he muttered, eager to assess his progress.
Status
Attributes
Name: Bones
Race: Undead Skeleton lvl 11
Class: Bonemancer lvl 13
Profession: ???
Hp - 250
Mp - 380
Sta - ∞
STR: 15
AGI: 5
END: 5
VIT: 25
INT: 38
WIS: 5
Free points:
As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the forest floor, Bones wrapped up his goblin hunt for the day. With the fading light signaling the onset of night, he turned his attention to his next target. Consulting his quest marker, he noted the approximate hour's journey ahead to reach the designated area.
These spiders weren’t your average prey; towering at Bones' waist, they possessed nocturnal prowess, keen sight in the dark, and venomous bites, all at a formidable level thirteen. Their sturdy carapaces made them formidable opponents, using their chelicerae to ensnare prey and inject lethal venom. Despite the daunting challenge, Bones saw them as perfect training targets—or so he thought.
As the night wore on, Bones found himself in a harrowing struggle against the swift and numerous spiders. His encounters were fraught with danger, and he begrudgingly acknowledged the errors in his approach. The spiders proved relentless, their agility and numbers testing his limits. Were it not for his immunity to poison and lack of flesh for them to sink their fangs into, he might not have survived the night.
Despite the adversity, Bones emerged from the ordeal with newfound combat proficiency and a slew of rewards: a level in his class, a stash of spider silk, and a vial of poisonous salve ripe for future use. With both subjugation quests completed, he found a tranquil spot devoid of corpses and settled into meditation.
As he contemplated the events of the night, a sense of unease lingered. The corpses he left behind would undoubtedly attract attention. Would there be an investigation? Bones couldn't shake the feeling that the arrogant mage from earlier might have connections that could lead back to him. He could only hope that no one with tracking abilities would come snooping around…
Back at the Adventurer's Guild, a troubling report from a guild scout sent ripples of concern through the ranks. Another adventurer's party had met a grim fate, their bodies discovered plundered and discarded. While deaths among adventurers were not unheard of, the frequency of such incidents—two entire parties within a single week—raised alarm bells. Compounding the mystery was the fact that the bodies had been looted, a behavior atypical of monsters in the regulated newbie zones overseen by the guild.
In response to the escalating situation, inquiries were swiftly launched, culminating in the issuance of a new contract by dawn. The task: investigate the killings, apprehend the perpetrator, and deliver justice to the guild, whether dead or alive. It was only a matter of time before someone with the necessary tracking abilities would be hot on the trail of the culprit.
Among those tasked with the investigation was Horus, a seasoned level seventeen scout adventurer under the employ of Boss Vol. Armed with both Magic Perception and tracking prowess, he stood amidst the clearing where the deadly skirmish had transpired, meticulously scouring the area for clues. Though he was not the first to arrive, the tracks left by previous investigators did not escape his keen eye.
As Horus analyzed the scene, he detected faint traces of lingering mana, with one particularly potent signature suggesting the employment of arcane magic. Intrigued by this anomaly, he pondered its significance. Could this be the handiwork of the culprit he sought, or was there another player in this deadly game? With a sense of determination, Horus followed the faint trail of mana, his resolve unwavering as he pursued the elusive truth lurking in the shadows.
"My mana regeneration can't keep up with my fighting style. Should I invest points in wisdom? I enjoy the sensation of power, though. Perhaps I could temporarily allocate fewer points to INT, but no, let's not lose focus. Then again…"
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
Bones spent his morning meditating on a dilemma. In battles, he tended to utilize his skills in quick succession, often depleting his mana reserves. He could either bolster his mana pool with intelligence or enhance his mana regeneration with wisdom. Increasing intelligence would also amplify his damage output, whereas wisdom would accelerate his casting speed.
"Burst damage or sustained damage? I'll make the decision after the next level," he resolved.
Standing up, Bones dismissed his status screen. After spending the night dispatching dozens of arachnids, his class reached level fourteen. Depending on the skill he would acquire at the next level, he resolved to invest in either intelligence or wisdom.
He retrieved the map from his inventory and marked the new location—outside the newbie zone, yet one he was already familiar with. Before returning to town, there was one last thing he wished to confirm—the remnants of his tower!
Toward the end of the day, just before nightfall, Bones arrived at the familiar field. The memory of the night the skeleton army marched remained vivid in his mind. "Southeast, toward the capital, huh?" he mused, stepping out from the cover of the forest and onto the open field. Surveying his surroundings, he noted that the clearing appeared larger than he recalled, and not a single trace of his tower could be seen.
Making his way toward the center, Bones couldn't help but imagine how the field might have looked, adorned with colorful flowers, were it not for the hundreds of holes from which the skeletons had emerged. As he halted before the visible remnants of the ritual still lingering on the ground, he sensed two figures entering the clearing, heading his way. Turning to face them, Bones regarded the newcomers with a curious gaze.
Judging from their attire, they appeared to be scouts from the guild. Perhaps on patrol, though this area seemed far from their usual route.
"You there! What are you doing out here?" one of them shouted as they approached.
tsk No manners. "Just taking a stroll, as you can see," Bones replied coolly.
"Hm? Are you being smart with me? What’s with that look? Remove the mask so we can see who you are!" the same scout demanded, closing the distance.
"Amazing! Trouble seems to follow me wherever I go!" Bones commented with a smirk, choosing not to respond directly.
"Relax, Brine. He meant no offense, sir. We just want to ask you some questions, if that's alright?" interjected the other scout, sounding more reasonable. Both were clad in leather with hooded scarves covering their faces, and she seemed to be the more level-headed of the two.
Bones nodded after a brief consideration.
"Do you know what happened here? And..." she hesitated before continuing, "have you seen anyone suspicious? There’s a killer on the loose attacking adventurers!"
Bones stiffened at the mention of a killer on the loose, gasping in surprise. What? Is there someone else besides me attacking poor adventurers?
Seeing his reaction, she quickly added, "You do know something! Any information you can provide would be helpful!"
"Hm, yes, I might have some information," Bones replied, glancing toward the holes in the ground not far from where they stood.
"I presume the holes there could've been made by the skeletons we’ve been hearing about in the Guild? I don’t know anything about the killings, though. Could there be a connection between the two?" Bones speculated, gesturing towards the area where the holes were dug.
Both scouts tensed up at the mention of the skeletons and followed Bones' gaze. In the distance, they spotted hundreds of patches where grass was absent, revealing soil dug out in various spots. The female scout walked over and surveyed the field full of holes.
"This... Wasn't this area already searched through? What was the patrol doing?" she vented her frustration. "Our superiors won't be pleased to hear about such an oversight!"
It truly seemed like this was the location from which the undead army emerged. She redirected her attention to Bones, curious about his presence here and noting the absence of an adventurer's badge on him.
"Are you... an adventurer?" she inquired, just to be certain.
"No. I'm a contractor with the Guild," Bones replied calmly.
A contractor? She couldn't identify Bones, and the mask... He must be some wealthy troublemaker hiding his identity. Nevertheless, they had obtained the information they sought.
"Brine, are those the remains of the ritual behind him?" she asked, gesturing toward Bones.
Brine followed her gaze past Bones and noticed he was standing in front of what remained of a formation drawn on the ground.
"This - The circle on the ground, the formation. This is the site of a ritual! This must be the place the necromancer used to summon his army! We need to report this to the guild right away!” Brine shouted back.
Bones observed the two scouts converse. The woman appeared both roused and livid, while her colleague simply nodded, occasionally glancing in Bones' direction. They didn’t linger for much longer. The woman sketched what remained of the formation in her notebook and documented everything else they found, including Bones' contractor ID. When they were finished, they departed, though the man couldn't resist shooting Bones a disdainful glare.
What a peculiar pair. They didn't strike him as students from the academy. Perhaps locals working for the guild? It didn't matter. They were finally gone. Bones continued his search for the remnants of the tower when he felt a slight tug. Turning toward the sensation, he walked over, feeling the tug grow stronger until he was certain he stood where it was most intense.
"It’s underground! Am I going to have to dig up the entrance?" he pondered aloud.
Circling the area, Bones searched for an entrance or tunnel but found none. With a resigned sigh, he muttered, “I guess I’m going to have to dig one up!”
He started digging where the feeling was strongest, using his Bone Spear to loosen the earth. It was impractical, but after several hours, his spear finally pierced through the ground, revealing a way down.
Meanwhile, hidden among the trees in the distance, Horus watched as Bones dug. Confused about his target's actions, he remained cautious, observing from afar. As time passed, he lost sight of Bones while occupied with the system.
“What? Where did he go, damn it?” Horus emerged from his hiding spot, rushing toward the field where Bones had been digging. However, as he drew closer, he couldn't locate the hole.
Bones had indeed made a small, inconspicuous entrance, difficult to spot from a distance. Horus searched frantically, convinced it must be nearby.
As Horus searched outside, Bones explored the cavern below, sensing the layout. He discovered the remains of his tower, now in ruins. Nostalgia tugged at him briefly, but he pushed it aside. He was different now, on a new path.
While examining the walls, Bones found markings that felt familiar. Before he could investigate further, a figure dropped through the entrance he had made.
“What mannerless twat are you to intrude upon my abode?” Bones quipped, sensing trouble.
“Watch your mouth, peasant! You've caused quite a stir,” Horus retorted, clearly intent on silencing Bones for good.
“Think you're capable of that, Horus?” Bones challenged.
Horus frowned, surprised that someone beneath him could identify him. He couldn't identify Bones, but the mask matched the description of his target.
“First Thomas, then Norris, both silenced by you. Who sent you after Vol? Trevak?” Horus pressed.
“They came after me, not the other way around!” Bones revealed.
“Do you take me for a fool?” Horus snapped.
“Frankly? Yes,” Bones replied, touching the markings on the wall. They lit up, shaking the cavern. Horus lost his balance, and when he looked up, Bones had vanished.
“God damn it, not again!” Horus cursed.
Bones didn’t actually vanish into thin air, despite appearances. Upon touching the markings, he immediately received a system prompt inviting him to enter the dungeon. Aware of his slim chances against Horus, he wasted no time in accepting the offer, swiftly finding himself transported to an entirely unfamiliar location.