Eternal Rest

I had a feeling the big guy would be around that level. His physical attributes seemed far superior to the rest, and his spearmanship was a notch higher. However, he was out of stamina and injured. I should be able to take him on!

Bones started running toward his opponents. His speed increased with each step, and he summoned bombs, one in each hand. When he was close enough, he hurled the bombs ahead, making them collide mid-air and explode just before the two warriors. The cloud of smoke obscured their view, causing the leader to instinctively step back while the other warrior looked on in confusion. From the smoke, Skully and Bones emerged, flanking the weaker of the two, the confused Lizardman. By the time the leader regained his bearings, the warrior was down and dealt with.

The leader bellowed in rage, and Bones felt a chill as he turned to see the Lizardman's bloodshot eyes. The Lizardman lunged at Bones, who quickly stepped back while Skully moved to intercept. The clash, however, was not an equal exchange. With a simple sweep of his spear, the leader effortlessly removed the obstacle in his path and continued his charge after Bones.

What happened? Dammit, I thought he was tired! Where did all this sudden strength come from?

Bones felt a twinge of panic, realizing he wasn't a match for the Lizardman alone. Skully had failed to intercept the attack. The poisonous substance should've taken effect by now, but the brute chasing after him seemed unfazed. On the contrary, the leader displayed even greater mobility than when he had fought the Snapdragon.

He couldn't be immune, could he? No, he’s probably just highly resistant! But still…

The warrior was slightly faster than Skully and significantly faster than Bones. The only advantage Bones had was that the leader didn’t know how to fight a mage. Bones used every trick he had at his disposal to keep the enraged elite away, but he was losing ground. The leader fought as if possessed, which, truthfully, wasn't far off. The bellow at the start of combat had been a War Cry, temporarily increasing the Lizardman's physical attributes. The downside was that its duration was short, leaving the warrior vulnerable and out of stamina afterward. The bomb did have an effect, but Bones didn’t know that and used Skully as a shield while desperately trying to get away.

The leader had long since dropped his spear, now chasing on all fours like a true lizard. When the War Cry’s effects finally ended, he abruptly stopped, gasping for air. Bones wasn't sure what had happened and feared it was a trap, but after a few seconds, he realized the leader was done for. Grinning, he bravely stepped forward, a lance in his hand and Skully at his side.

The Lizardman was breathing heavily, drool dripping from his jaw as he wheezed loudly. His body shook as he mustered the last of his strength to stand. Skully pierced his inner thigh while Bones thrust the spear over Skully's shoulder, driving it into the Lizardman’s chest.

The leader staggered backward, wildly swinging his arms in a desperate attempt to fight back. Though there was still some fight left in him, his body had reached its limit before the War Cry, and now…

Bones watched as the leader slipped and dropped to one knee. He tried to stand up again but slipped once more, this time falling face-first onto the ground. The leader remained lying there, all his strength and willpower drained away.

"Skully, relieve the leader of his pain," Bones ordered.

Skully obliged, stepping forward and thrusting his spear. The leader died a warrior's death, but Bones had no intention of granting him peace in the afterlife.

"Take off his chest protector and pauldrons, and grab the spear," Bones commanded.

The equipment seemed of good quality, but Bones thought, I'm not storing dirty equipment in my inventory! His body, however, is a different story.

Skully gathered the equipment, and Bones stored the leader's body. A brief moment of heaviness washed over him, but it was gone as quickly as it came. To Bones, the Lizardman was just a specimen he needed to improve his golem. He would need to find someone later to skin the body and carve out the flesh, but the bones—those were essential.

As they walked back in the direction of the tribe, Bones glanced at the bone shin protectors in Skully's hands. He paused, taking them off Skully's hands. The more he examined them, the more an idea began to form in his mind.

I haven't considered shaping bones into equipment. Could I do it too? With some effort, I'm sure I could make protectors like these. I could customize items to suit Skully and any future golems I create! It would save me the time and effort of searching for suitable equipment. I could even make gear for myself. Do I want to, though? Hm…

Bones took another look at the protectors before handing them back to Skully. I don't think so. They look so… primal.

Bones continued walking, and within an hour, they were back in the familiar dense forest, surrounded by water. Bones gave the equipment Skully carried a quick wash before storing it, leaving only the spear, which he handed to Skully. There was a bit more than an hour until daylight, and Bones wanted to survey the area before dawn.

The Lizardfolk tribes were spaced about two to four kilometers apart, and conflict was inevitable when hunting small game or gathering herbs and berries. Early in the morning, a dense fog rose, shrouding the swamp. Bones watched from a distance as the Lizardmen left the safety of their hamlet, forming small groups before splitting off. Two groups of three Lizardmen each went in search of fruit and edible plants, while a larger group set out to hunt. Bones followed the hunting party for a while but soon lost interest; none of the hunters matched the leader's level.

He wandered aimlessly around their territory, searching for solid ground and something of interest. He was tired of getting his feet wet. While exploring, he stumbled upon a burial ground in a pit on a large mound. Scattered around were numerous bones, both large and small. Bones recognized remains belonging to small mammals, Lizardfolk, and even humans. As he stood there, he felt something resonate within him—Bone Manipulation.

Concentrating on this sensation, Bones focused on manipulating the bones around him. Gradually, they lifted into the air, and he strained to keep them aloft until hundreds of bones hovered around him. Unsatisfied with just that, he began shaping them. No matter the size, each bone was straightened, and its edges sharpened to a point. After a minute of intense channeling, the bones fell to the ground, and Bones collapsed to his knees. Channeling Bone Manipulation had drained his mana, and for a brief moment, Bones felt his body disconnect from his core. It was a dangerous endeavor, but not without merit. Two dings echoed in his mind, and Bones fell backward, placing his hands behind his head as a pillow and crossing his legs.

Ding. Ding.

Bone Manipulation had leveled up!

Bone Shaping had leveled up!

Advanced Bone Manipulation was now level fourteen, and Bone Shaping had reached level eighteen. It wouldn’t be long before Shaping advanced a tier. Comparing what happened just now, Bones realized that his previous methods had been an inefficient way to raise his skill levels. He had thought shaping bones into small sculptures would be a steady path to progress, but without more effort and greater challenges, his skills would stall rather than advance.

“There are way too many things I need to change, Skully. I thought I was on the right path!”

I'll start with you first. You will be my spear!

Bones pulled himself into a sitting position and took out a booklet and a pen. Flipping through the pages until he reached a blank one, he began jotting down notes.

Note:

Free points into VIT! (probably)

Improve golem constructs! Change the shape of bones and reinforce Skully's legs and forearms! Sharpen the tail. Leave room for engravings!

Shape bones into protective equipment. Plated parts? Something akin to Bone Armor?

Put more effort into shaping practice. More strain equals more experience!

Stop rushing into melee!

Use Soul Magic more often!

As the list grew, Bones found himself wearing an unusual expression—almost a smile. He seemed oddly pleased with having so much to work on. Once he finished, he turned to Skully. The golem stood motionless, as still as a tree. Bones had almost forgotten he was there.

"How about we head back and see what's happening on the front?" he said.

He slowly stood up and patted himself down, dusting the dirt off his robe. It was a two-hour walk back to his "hiding" place, and Bones took his time. By the time he returned, it was midday. Instead of climbing up to his hideout, he passed by it and continued deeper into the forest. The soldiers were still busy fortifying their new camp, and Bones wondered what their actual plan was, given the amount of effort they were putting into the defenses.

No matter the effort, the gold rankers will breach the camp's gates in seconds, so why bother? Is it to stall for time? An extra obstacle before they enter the kingdom?

What do I know… I thought I had gained some understanding of how things work, but it seems it's beyond me. I can't seem to properly grasp the mentality of the gold rankers and those above them. They see the world differently, or perhaps it's just me? Maybe I'm just way behind.

Bones' sudden train of thought left him feeling dispirited. As more gold rankers became involved in the battles of mid-rankers, he started losing perspective, and thoughts of leaving the war began to occupy his mind. That was why he'd ventured deeper into the swamps.

I'll stay a bit longer. There are a few things I want to test, and then I'll be on my way. There's only so much I can accomplish at my level.

For the next few days, Bones continued practicing bone manipulation and shaping, just as he had been, but progress was frustratingly slow. On the third day, the blare of trumpets jolted him out of his practice. Something was happening. Bones quickly jumped down from the tree and propelled himself toward the clearing, making sure to tie a red band around his arm before getting too close. The camp was on high alert, with everyone rushing to equip themselves and get into formation.

Opposite the camp, Aphitonian soldiers stood in ranks at the edge of the forest, their numbers seemingly endless. In the center of the line, the soldiers parted as a figure approached on a mount. The figure wore dark vestments with gold edging and embroidered decorative patterns, along with matching leggings and leather boots that looked both comfortable and easy to move in.

The man had half of his head shaved, with long, dark, braided hair falling over his right eye. His visible left eye was a striking emerald green, and wisps of different elements floated around him. In his hand, he held a silver rod—clearly a battlestaff—with an intricate web of lines engraved along the shaft.

A significant portion of the soldiers, including some gold rankers, stepped out of the camp and took up offensive stances. Bones could hear the murmurs around him.

"Shit! Is that General Zidall?"

"It's the main army!"

So this is General Zidall, Bones thought, realizing the significance of the man before him—the general of the Aphitonian army, and clearly a person of great repute.

Leaving the cover of the forest, Bones joined the soldiers and adventurers outside the camp. Now standing at the front, he got a proper look at the general. The man was young but carried himself with a strong posture and an air of confidence, much like Prince Tristan. The mount he rode only added to his domineering presence.

The mount was a monstrous hyaenidae beast, taller than Bones, known as the Spotted Grizzlestride. Its fur was a beige color, with a spotted, muscular, broad-chested body, and a short, rounded head. A prominent white mane of long hair grew along its back, ending in a hairy tuft at the tip of its short tail. Its snarling face dripped with saliva, adding to its menacing appearance.

The general spun his battlestaff once, and the Grizzlestride suddenly sprang forward. Bones sensed the unease rippling through the frontline soldiers as the beast charged toward them, but they held their ground, readying their weapons to meet its onslaught. Just before reaching them, however, the Grizzlestride leaped over the frontline and landed inside the camp. At the same moment, the general leaped high off his mount, boosted by wind magic, and soared into the air, surveying the battlefield from above. The sun behind him blinded those who dared to look up, and then he dived, descending straight into the midst of the frontline troops gathered outside the camp.

[Tremor]

He landed with a powerful smash of his battlestaff, sending shockwaves through the ground. The earth trembled, causing soldiers around him to lose their balance as tremors radiated outward from the point of impact.

[Ice Nova]

Instantly, the ground beneath his feet, along with the grass and the soldiers' boots nearby, froze solid. Soldiers further away slipped on the newly formed ice and crashed to the ground.

[Spark]

An electric current surged through the frozen area, electrocuting anyone in contact with the icy ground. Soldiers clad in metal plate armor bore the brunt of the shock, and many fell dead where they stood. Even the gold rankers, though not killed, were momentarily stunned, unable to react.

The devastation unleashed by the third-tier Elementalist in mere seconds left everyone in shock—Bones included. He was just outside the spell's area of effect but could feel the immense amount of mana that powered the combination of spells. More than anything, he was awestruck by the general's power, control, and mastery over his magic.