by Jackson Bale
Also,---it---helped---that---the---forest---is---literally---filled---with---higher-level---monsters.
Unfortunately,---the---three---skills---I---obtained---were---not---too---useful.---[Skeletal---Archer]---is---what---it---is.---A---weak---undead---with---a---bow---and---bone---arrows.---The---skeletal---flyer---was---an---interesting---one---as---it---was---a---spiked---ball---with---some---kind---of---soft---bone---wings.---It,---unfortunately,---broke---most---of---the---time---on---impacts.---Even---the---[Hardened---Skeleton]---skill,---which---supposedly---makes---the---bones---of---my---undead---denser,---did---little---to---keep---my---skeletons---from---breaking.
Regardless,---I’m---level---94,---and---with---luck,---I---will---get---to---one---hundred.---I---can---only---wonder---what---class---I---am---going---to---obtain.
“You---are---smiling---weirdly---again.”
I---groan---over---my---loss---of---concentration.---It's---been---happening---far---more---often---than---I---would---like.
“Just---imagining---what---I---will---get---at---level---100,”---I---say.
She---gives---me---a---smile---and---nods,---“Same.---I---can't---wait---either.”
I---suppress---the---rolls---of---my---eyes---as---I---remember---her---level---when---I---recently---checked.
Janie
Level---101---[Priestess]
She---beat---me.---Somehow,---she---beat---me.---I---should---probably---tell---her,---but---I---think---I---will---let---her---find---out---on---her---own.---It---should---be---a---nice---surprise.
“Well,---levels---can---wait.---I---have---a---boss---to---kill.---So---I---need---you---two---to---get---back.”
The---two---girls---quickly---comply---and---walk---back---to---stand---next---to---my---[captains].
I---take---a---sigh---and---begin---walking---towards---the---boss---in---the---distance,---Berosus---beginning---to---follow.---His---steps---impacting---the---ground---with---enough---force---to---shake---the---trees---and---cause---leaves---to---fall.---The---rumbles---even---make---distant---birds---fly---from---their---perches.
I---feel---powerful...
I---feel---deadly...
“I---feel---like---an---idiot,”---I---whisper---under---my---breath---as---I---gauge---Berosus---travel---speed---and---the---distance---between---it---and---the---Boss.
93---minutes---before---I---am---in---range.---This---is---going---to---be---a---very---long---walk…
_______________________________________________________________
Over---an---hour---of---walking---passes---by---before---the---thumping---begins---to---be---felt---by---the---boss.
The---boss---awakens---from---its---slumber---as---its---body---wiggles---and---eyes---open.---The---monster,---to---its---surprise,---finds---another---monster---of---similar---size---slowly---heading---towards---it.
And---this---monster,---unlike---the---trees---around---it,---is---taken---as---a---dangerous---threat.
The---monster---moves---its---lower---body,---root---extracting---back---into---its---core---before---it---begins---to---stand.---The---thousands---of---arm-sized---needles---on---its---body---begin---to---swerve---towards---the---enemy,---powerful---venom---already---dripping---from---the---tips.
The---monster---expands---its---inner---body,---filling---with---air---before---compressing---and---vibrating.
_________________________________________________________________
“Shit”---the---words---escape---my---lips---as---I---run---behind---a---thick---tree---right---before---the---needles---fall.---I---hear---the---impacts---as---needles---penetrate---into---the---tree---I---am---hiding---behind---as---well---as---watch---them---fall---like---a---storm---of---arrows.
The---needles---fall---for---a---good---half-minute---before---they---finally---stop.
I---move---and---take---a---quick---look---around---me.---Thousands---of---needles---litter---the---ground.---They---poke---into---the---ground---like---spikes.
I---turn---and---look---around---the---tree,---finding---Berosus---still---walking,---his---body---littered---by---an---enormous---number---of---needles.---They---had---penetrated---his---skin---and---dug---into---his---flesh.---Poison---can---be---seen---oozing---out---from---the---wounds---in---bulk.
A---smile---grazes---my---lips---as---my---minion---walks---unhindered.---Poison---is---an---effective---weapon---against---anything---living,---but---the---undead---do---not---care.---They---don't---need---muscles---to---move.---They---only---need---mana---and---a---relatively---undamaged---skeletal---system.
I---take---a---look---at---the---boss---and---activate---my---[Advanced---Analyze]---skill.
Ericius,---Guardian---of---the---Third---Floor---Level---167
Ericius---is---the---guardian---and---third---line---of---defense---against---those---who---wish---to---get---deeper---into---the---dungeon.---This---monster---was---created---to---combat---fast-moving---and---numerous---enemies---while---having---several---ways---to---poison---enemies.---The---poison---of---this---monster---causes---hallucinations,---internal---bleeding,---loss---of---muscle---control,---paralysis,---extreme---pain,---organ---failure,---cellular---degradation,---explosive---diarrhea,---and---a---mild---increase---in---high---blood---pressure.
Greater---Flame---Resistance
Poison---Immunity
Deaf
That---poison---could---be---pretty---useful.---I---wonder---if---I---can---enchant---it---into---a---weapon.---What---do---you---mean---deaf?
My---thoughts---are---stopped---as---I---get---back---behind---the---tree---as---another---volley---of---thousands---of---quills---falls---from---the---sky.
“It's---kinda---nice.---Like---raindrops---hitting---the---ground.”
Moments---pass---and---the---attack---stops---after---a---minute.---I---turn---to---look---and---find---Berosus,---covered---in---a---coat---of---quills,---but---still---moving---forward.
I---look---to---Ericius---and---can't---help---but---smile---at---the---seemingly---confused---expression---of---the---boss.
But---it---doesn't---last---long---as---the---boss---bends---forward---and---I---find---that---the---crystal---horn---on---its---head---has---a---small---opening.---It---points---the---crystal---at---Berosus---and---I---can't---help---but---worry---what---it's---going---to---do.
The---boss---expands---a---moment---before---it---contracts.
“BOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMM,”
The---sound---of---a---gunshot---goes---off.---My---eyes---are---barely---able---to---even---see---the---projectile---move---before---slamming---into---Berosus---and---exploding---into---a---massive---cloud---of---green---smoke.
Oh…---its---a---fog.
The---fog---covers---Berosus---completely.---My---eyes---swerve---to---the---floor.---The---dirt---is---boiling---around---Berosus.
Shit…---it's---a---corrosive---fog.
The---fog---clears---slowly---and---my---fears---become---unwarranted---as---Berosus---is---mostly---uninjured.---All---of---his---skin---is---gone---but---the---bones---seem---to---be---rather---resilient.
BBBOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMM
BBBOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMM
BBBBOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMM
But---it---doesn't---seem---like---the---Boss---knows---that---considering---it---keeps---shooting---every---five---seconds.---By---the---third---shot,---my---eyes---adjust---enough---to---see---what---is---shot.---A---pellet---of---liquid---is---shot---which---breaks---on---impact,---reacts---to---the---air,---and---then---becomes---a---fast-spreading---gas.---A---powerful---and---deadly---effective---weapon---if---you---ask---me.
The---attacks---continue---and---Berosus---gives---no---shits.---Even---the---impacts---which---would---sever---a---human---body---cant---even---slow---him---down.---Over---ten---tons---of---mostly---bone---mass---is---not---an---easy---amount---to---overcome.
Thankfully,---Berosus---finally---gets---in---range.---It---raises---one---of---its---tentacles---and---slams---down---with---an---intense---impact.
BBBBBBBBBBOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
A---literal---explosion---goes---off---as---the---entire---area---becomes---filled---with---a---mile---width---green---fog---that---begins---dissolving---everything---it---touches.
I---swallow,---thankful---at---the---fact---that---I---am---outside---of---the---range.
It---takes---a---good---minute---for---the---fog---to---die---down.---Berosus---no---longer---has---meat,---all---of---it---had---fallen---off.
But---he---still---stands---in---his---boney---greatness.
Congratulations!---You---have---defeated---Ericius
For---being---the---first---[Hero]---to---kill---this---boss,---experience---gain---has---increased.
For---single-handedly---killing---the---boss,---experience---gain---has---increased.
You---have---Slain---Ericius.
Potential---of---Ericius---Absorbed
Level---up---x8
You---are---now---a---level---102---[Necromancer]
YEEEESSSSSSSS
[Necromancer]---class---has---exceeded---Level---100.
Class---Upgrade---Available.
So---do---I---get---a---choice---of---whi-
Would---you---like---to---Upgrade---class---[Necromancer]?
Ok…---I---guess---I---don't---get---a---choice.---Fine.---It's---probably---going---to---be---something---epic.
“Yes,”---I---say,---my---eyes---looking---forward---in---extreme---anticipation.
Scanning---class---[Necromancer].
Checking---skill---database.
Error…
Error…
Cannot---find---class---upgrade---for---[Necromancer]...
Activating---Advanced---Class---Finder…
Advanced---Class---Finder---activated.
Scanning---all---skills---of---target---entity---Thoric---Elum.
…
…
Scan---complete.---Compatible---class---found.
Congratulations.
Your---class---of---[Necromancer]---has---Upgraded---to---class---[Necromancer]
“...---Really?---REALLY!!!!”
Chapter---sixty---Four:---A---[Necromancers]---guide---to---cooking.
Adding---Bonus---Stats.
+200---Mana
+20---intelligence
+1---mana---regen
+100---Vitality
“Stupid---fucking---system.---I---already---have---the---goddamn---class!”
Scanning---current---skills…
Generating---new---skills…
Multiple---generated---skills---duplication---error…
Attempting---to---find---workaround…
Workaround---found...
“Stop---fucking---ignoring---me..”
Two---new---skills---have---been---gained.
One---skill---has---been---upgraded.
Several---skills---have---been---removed---due---to---redundancy.
“I’m---going---to---destroy---you...”
The---following---skills---have---been---removed---due---to---redundancy.
-[Create---Skeletal---Archer]
-[Create---Skeletal---Flyer]
-[Create---Skeletal---Guardian]
-[Create---Skeletal---Warrior]
-[Skeletal---Renewal]
-[Bone---Telekinesis]
Skills---have---been---absorbed---into---the---new---skill---[Skeleton---Creation]
“I---will---rip---your---body---into---fucking---shreds...”
The---following---skill---has---been---upgraded:
[Minor---Undead---Modification]---->---[Undead---Modification]
“And---if---you---don't---have---a---body,---I---will---fucking---make---one!”
You---have---gained---the---following---new---skill:---[Corpse---Explosion]
“When---I---do,---I---will---shove---your---sorry---artificial---ass---into---it…”
Level---up---x---3---[Noble]
[Converging---Mana]---upgrades---to---[Mana---Font]
“And---then---I---will---bend---you---over…”
Level---up---x---6---[Hero]
“And---shove---my---massi------wait,---that's---a---unique---skill?---That's---pretty---good.”
[Skeletal---Creation]---Unique
Some---enjoy---playing---with---the---flesh,---but---not---you.---You---prefer---to---dig---deep---into---the---bones---and---create---what---you---desire---from---it.
-All---skeletal---creations---are---available---to---you.
-Level---depends---on---the---quality---and---quantity---of---bones---used.
What---creations?
Current---Skeletal---Creation---list:---2631
[Create---Bone---Dragon]
3712---Minimum---Mana
[Create---Bone---knight]
1111---Minimum---Mana
[Create---Bone---Worm]
1913---Minimum---Mana
[Create---Bone---Dreadnought]
3119---Minimum---Mana
[Create---Bone---Guardian]
1200---Minimum---Mana
[Create---Skeletal---Guardian]
412---Minimum---Mana
And---the---list---continues---on---and---on,---giving---me---a---minimum---cost---but---no---maximum.---I---also---note---the---difference---in---Skeleton---and---Bone---creations.---Bone---creations---seem---to---be---a---stronger---version---of---regular---undead,---but---also---costly---to---create.---This---actually---looks---pretty---powerful---if---I---actually---have---the---mana---and---resources---to---create---it.
[Mana---Font]---Rare
Your---existence---alone---constantly---attracts---mana.---All---of---your---spells---cost---20%---less.
Frowning,---I---activate---my---[Advanced---Mana---Sense]---and---quickly---notice---mana---seemingly---flowing---around---me,---towards---my---feet---and---up---my---body.---A---very---interesting---phenomenon.---Useful---too---considering---its---percentile---nature.
[Corpse---Explosion]---[Rare]
Target---a---corpse.---The---corpse---will---degrade---its---body---and---create---a---mana---bomb---at---its---location.
-Explosive---strength---varies---with---corpse---type---and---level.
-Cost---varies---with---corpse---level
-Self-controlled---undead---cost---90%---less
Hmmm,---that---could---be---pretty---useful---actually.---Well,---depending---on---how---strong---the---explosion---is---normally.
[Undead---Modification]---[Rare]
Not---all---are---happy---with---the---mindless---undead---they---create.---Sometimes,---they---want---to---give---some---significant---modifications,---even---going---so---far---as---minor---sentience.
Ooooh,---minor---sentience?---So---I---can---make---them---think?---Actually---think?---Though---I---should---first---see---what---modifications---I---can---do---to---the---body---first.
Standing---up---from---my---crouching---position,---I---wipe---my---face---and---begin---to---imagine---giant---[Bone---Worms]---burrowing---underground---before---popping---up---and---then---exploding---into---a---maelstrom---of---destruction.