Although Zhao Lun was eagerly anticipating the Energy Fire brewing in the Bone Conversion Pool, he was unable to wait long enough to see it take shape.
Just as he had decided to send Ollis out to hunt a new batch of skeletons and gather bones, something unexpected occurred with the Skeleton Archers who had been out for a long time.
"What happened to the five Skeleton Archers on Route 1? Why did they all die simultaneously at the same time?" Zhao Lun muttered, scratching his bald chin as he sensed through the altar the location where the five Skeleton Archers had last been. His earlier fatigue from constructing the Bone Conversion Pool seemed to dissipate slightly in the face of this new development.
However, after assessing his current mental state, Zhao Lun hesitated: "Should I go? I'm still exhausted and not in the best condition for a fight. Maybe I should wait a few days to recover fully?"
After a brief internal struggle, Zhao Lun sighed and muttered to himself, "I've been cursed since birth. There's no escaping it. The journey is half a day long, and I can recover enough to command my troops during that time. Besides, any delay may only reduce my advantage, so I can't afford to wait."
Making up his mind, Zhao Lun waved off his hesitation and quickly summoned Ollis. Ignoring Ollis' reluctance, he gave him a direct order to stay behind and protect the skeletons while Zhao Lun led his small force to investigate what had happened to the five Skeleton Archers.
This was Zhao Lun's first battle, and although his forces weren't vast, they were formidable enough. The team consisted of fewer than twenty elite skeletons, including fifty Skeleton Archers, fifty Bone Shield Skeletons, and fifty Pike Skeletons. All in all, it amounted to fewer than two hundred skeletons, which Zhao Lun arranged in the combat formation he had developed. The unit marched towards the destination along the so-called Route 1, leaving a reluctant Ollis and over six hundred skeletons behind.
Zhao Lun had considered letting Ollis lead the charge and remain behind himself, but ultimately, he abandoned that thought. Ollis was still an unpredictable ace, and he wasn't yet experienced enough to gauge situations properly. Zhao Lun couldn't afford to lose him in a risky operation. Furthermore, in case of danger, Zhao Lun felt he was more agile and capable of handling the situation himself. If Ollis encountered something too powerful, Zhao Lun could already predict that he would fight until the very end—something that could lead to disaster.
Determined, Zhao Lun, seeking to recover his mental state, ordered his skeletal subordinates to fashion a simple stretcher out of bones. He then seated himself upon it, commanding them to carry him towards the target location.
As they traveled, Zhao Lun noticed a subtle but noticeable difference in the ground underfoot. The further he moved from the Altar of the Domain, the thinner the bones on the ground became. Once they were about three miles away from the altar, the ground's layer of bones showed a stark contrast—a good ten centimeters thinner than the bones closer to his domain.
"Could this be the work of the Bone Conversion Pool?" Zhao Lun wondered aloud, though no answer came. Despite his curiosity, he continued onward, determined to reach his destination.
The journey passed quickly. In just over two hours, Zhao Lun had recovered some of his strength, but he wasn't fully restored yet. Still, he was confident that, with a little more time, he would be ready to engage in combat by the time they reached their goal.
"I wonder what's ahead—mutated skeletons? Or perhaps a tribe of mutated skeletons led by a powerful leader?" Zhao Lun mused as he lay on his stretcher, mind racing with possible scenarios. He was preparing for any unexpected event.
Little did he know, however, that what awaited him was beyond anything he had anticipated.
"What's this? Everyone, prepare for battle! Defensive formations!"
Zhao Lun suddenly sat up, panic flashing across his face as he issued the order.
It turned out that, although this was Zhao Lun's first time leading such a large group into battle, he had taken adequate precautions. Along the way, he had deployed a scouting unit, composed of ten Skeleton Archers split into three squads. These scouts were positioned ahead of Zhao Lun's main force to patrol and clear the way. However, just moments ago, one of the scout units had been wiped out, and it was the closest unit to Zhao Lun's main force—only three minutes away. This meant they had encountered an almost unavoidable ambush.
Sure enough, as Zhao Lun's skeletons entered their defensive stance, a new enemy appeared in front of them—an enemy Zhao Lun was hoping to avoid.
It wasn't the mutated skeleton he had expected, but a full-fledged Undead Army.
The opposing force numbered roughly the same as Zhao Lun's—over two hundred skeletons—but their leader was far more formidable than anything Zhao Lun had prepared for. A massive, mutated Giant Axe Skeleton was at the front of the enemy ranks, wielding an enormous axe that looked capable of splitting anything in its path.
Without wasting a moment, Zhao Lun sent out a quick Sense to assess the leader's abilities.
Species: Low-Level Undead (Mutated Giant Axe Skeleton) Elite
Level: 4 (Black Iron)
Talent: White
Seeing the profile of the enemy leader, Zhao Lun couldn't help but let out a bitter laugh. "I knew it! It had to be one of these guys! Damn it! If only they had come a little later…"
Zhao Lun's situation was becoming grim. Though his magic reserves were full, his mental state was far from ideal, and his ability to chant spells was severely hindered by fatigue. He still had a squad of elite skeletons at his disposal, but could they really take down such a powerful foe? Zhao Lun wasn't sure at all.
"Kill them!"
The enemy leader wasted no time. As soon as he spotted Zhao Lun, the Mutated Giant Axe Skeleton, seemingly fueled by rage, swung his massive axe with a killing intent that sent shivers down Zhao Lun's spine.
"Boom!"
With that signal, the enemy force of over two hundred skeletons erupted into action, surging forward like a ravenous beast. Their claws and weapons were aimed directly at Zhao Lun's small force, which stood motionless, seemingly awaiting slaughter.