"So, this is a warning to leave?" Layton’s voice was firm, his words brimming with the bravado only a seasoned adventurer could muster.

"He… he he he he he he he… He already warned us! Maybe we shouldn’t bother him anymore!" Miruku's voice wavered, her nervous laughter spilling out in a torrent. Her wide, darting eyes betrayed her growing desperation—if she didn’t speak now, there might be no escape from whatever lay ahead.

Karen crossed her arms, her tone resolute. "But we’re here to retake the castle."

"Exactly! It’s just knocking on a door—what’s there to fear?" Layton banged his shield with a metallic clang, the sound echoing through the corridor.

Ariana nodded sagely, her calm demeanor soothing yet unyielding. "From another perspective, this only proves they’re too cowardly to confront us directly. They resort to tricks to scare us. If they truly wanted to kill us, they would’ve already faced us head-on."

"I agree with the Holy Maiden’s perspective," Anyi said, his voice measured but firm. Yet, he couldn’t help thinking to himself: Ah, grow up.

Just as Ariana suggested, ghosts were largely powerless in direct combat. At worst, they possessed objects, causing nuisances that ranged from unnerving to downright bizarre. A flowerpot crashing from above, a phantom knock on a door, or, most terrifying of all, a toilet unleashing an otherworldly spray.

Then, from the hallway ahead, a low rumble resonated, sending a shiver through the group.

"Princess Karen," Anyi murmured, his tone grave.

"Ah?" Karen turned her gaze toward the source of the noise, her steps faltering.

A figure emerged, seemingly materializing from thin air. Karen froze, startled not by its sudden appearance but by its nature. Her voice steadied as she analyzed the situation. "It’s a monster made of bones. Let’s just go past it!" Though her words were brave, the earlier scare from the ghost still lingered, a phantom weight pressing against her chest.

"Finally, something tangible!" Layton’s excitement was palpable. "This is where we shine!" He brandished his weapon, stepping forward with vigor.

Turning the corner, the group was greeted by the unsettling sight of undead monstrosities.

[Unlocked New Bestiary: Skeleton Soldier

Strength: 2 Agility: 3 Endurance: ∞

Durability: 3 Prana: 0 Intelligence: 0

Technique: 0]

Several skeletons stumbled forward, their movements sluggish but deliberate. Blue flames burned in their hollow eye sockets, their once-proud armor now rusted and riddled with holes. Through the gaps, discolored bones jutted out like grim relics of a forgotten past.

The skeletal warriors raised battered weapons—spears, swords, remnants of a noble army—and charged unsteadily. Karen’s sharp eyes caught the familiar heraldry on their shields and armor. These soldiers had once belonged to her kingdom, protectors of this very castle. Sympathy welled within her as she realized who—or what—they had become.

That sympathy burned into determination. This is why we must lay them to rest.

Karen pressed her palms together in silent prayer. "Rest now," she whispered, her voice imbued with quiet resolve. Then, her eyes snapped open, ablaze with purpose. She dashed forward, fist cocked back.

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"Bang!"

Her punch connected with the lead skeleton’s chest, shattering bones and armor alike. The impact sent the creature flying backward, crashing into its comrades. A clattering symphony of bones and metal filled the hall as multiple skeletons collapsed in a heap.

"Yeah!!" Ariana clapped, her enthusiasm lighting up the dim hallway.

Layton leaned toward Anyi, whispering conspiratorially. "Tougher than slimes, but far easier than goblins."

"Is that so?" Anyi gestured toward the hallway ahead.

Layton followed his gaze and stiffened. The skeletons Karen had just felled were stirring again. Bones rolled and clicked together, reassembling in eerie defiance. Moments later, the soldiers rose once more, as if unscathed by the assault.

Karen watched in quiet disbelief. "Strange…" she murmured, stepping forward again. With precise, powerful strikes, she dismantled the skeletons once more. Armor shattered, bones splintered, and yet, as if guided by some unholy magic, they reassembled themselves and shakily stood again.

"Undead with infinite endurance…" Anyi said grimly. "As long as they’re not destroyed outright, they’ll just keep coming back."

Ariana crouched low, her voice barely above a whisper as she glanced across at Anyi, who mirrored her posture on the other side. "Anyi, don’t you think it’s a bit… unseemly to just watch this?"

"Not at all," Anyi replied, his tone as casual as if discussing the weather.

Before Ariana could retort, Layton straightened with a confident grin. "Let me show you how it’s done!"

He hefted the massive bone shield, nearly as tall as himself, and strode toward the skeleton soldiers. With a quick, practiced motion, he gently pulled Karen back, shielding her behind him.

Then, planting his feet firmly, Layton braced the shield with both hands and pushed with all his strength.

"Boom!!"

The skeleton soldiers exploded in a cloud of powdered bone, their remains scattering like sand in the wind. Not a fragment large enough to reassemble remained.

Finally, they stayed down.

[Experience +1]

Layton blinked, his triumphant grin faltering. "???"

"One experience point? Just one?" He muttered in disbelief.

"Haha! Princess Karen! See? That’s how it’s done! You just need a little practice!" He laughed boisterously, his shield now a symbol of victory.

Karen’s expression remained flat. "So that’s how you deal with them? Impressive."

Before she could add more, Layton charged ahead, his enthusiasm undeterred. "Let’s finish them all off in one go!"

Karen’s eyes narrowed, a spark of urgency flickering. "Let me try!!" She surged forward, unwilling to let Layton take down all the skeleton soldiers before she could unravel their mystery.

From behind, Ariana chuckled softly, shaking her head. "We might as well sit this one out. If we intervene, Karen won’t get her chance to fight."

The skeleton soldiers were, after all, Class 1 monsters—the lowest tier in the hierarchy. Anyi’s group, even at their weakest, far outleveled them. With their party’s lowest level being 12, these foes were little more than practice targets.

The strength of monsters had always been predetermined, even before the advent of the system that now defined this world. Classified by their inherent power and role within the hierarchy, monsters were grouped into Classes: 1, 2, 3, and beyond. The higher the class, the stronger and more dangerous the creature.

Dungeons and missions, by contrast, followed a different ranking system: 3S, 2S, S, A, B, and so on, their difficulty determined by the combined threat level of the monsters within. A Slime Forest might be rated F-class, while the climactic Holy War against the Demon Lord loomed as a 3S-class dungeon.

"Swish——!"

A sudden, sharp sound of something cutting through the air shattered the momentary calm.

‘Barrier!’

In perfect synchrony, Anyi and Ariana’s hands glowed with white light. A radiant golden shield formed alongside a translucent slime-like sword, together creating a shimmering barrier that sealed the hallway.

"Clang."

A metallic impact resounded as something struck the barrier and fell to the ground. As the light dimmed and the barrier faded, Ariana rose to inspect the object. Her sharp eyes caught the glint of metal.

"This is… an arrow?"

"Swish——!"

Another whistling sound cut through the air. Without hesitation, Ariana pressed herself against the wall, evading the projectile and retaliating with a glowing Holy Judge spell. The spell streaked into the dark hallway with a resounding impact.

"Bang!"

The resulting light briefly illuminated the corridor, revealing their attackers.

[Unlocked New Bestiary: Skeleton Archer

Strength: 3 Agility: 4 Endurance: ∞

Durability: 1 Prana: 0 Intelligence: 0

Technique: 0]

Skeleton soldiers, this time equipped with crossbows, spears, swords, and shields, emerged from the shadows. Their glowing blue eyes flickered as they advanced with an eerie, mechanical precision. The numbers were staggering—a small army of skeletal warriors, prepared for battle.

"Anyi!" Ariana turned her head and called.

"I know,"