"At last, the Excellence rank… took long enough."
Looking at his status screen, Zhao Lun couldn't help but smile.
And really, how could he not be pleased? The term "Excellence" on the screen wasn't just two words—it represented a massive, almost unimaginable breakthrough. Now, Zhao Lun could instantly cast Level-0 spells, a terrifying ability in itself. The earlier fight with the bronze skeleton had proved it: in less than a single second, he had unleashed four Level-0 spells in succession—three curses and one attack. Such a devastating combination far outstripped even Level-1 spells.
On top of that, he could now chant almost any Level-1 spell in just one to two seconds. His combat power had skyrocketed; even if Oris and Phyllis attacked him together, he was confident he could run circles around them.
But…
If he hadn't just run into that inexplicable bronze skeleton—its status page almost entirely filled with question marks—his smile would have been even brighter. But right now, he just couldn't feel truly at ease.
That bronze skeleton's overwhelming strength had filled him with a boundless sense of danger, pushing his already taut nerves to the limit.
Yes, that skeleton hadn't seemed hostile—perhaps it was even friendly—but Zhao Lun's unease didn't come from it alone. What chilled him was the warning its arrival had brought: the Land of White Bones was not as simple as he'd imagined. With his current strength, forget dominating the place—he wasn't even sure he could keep himself alive.
Clearly, his power was still far from enough. He had to get stronger—much stronger.
"Master… it's done…" Oris's voice pulled him from his thoughts, the loyal servant sounding excited after completing his task.
"Oh? Done? Mm, well done!" Zhao Lun snapped out of it, stood up, and paced a few steps, tossing Oris some casual praise. The simple-minded Oris lit up with joy, almost dizzy with happiness.
Seeing that familiar, eager-to-please expression, Zhao Lun suddenly jolted, smacked his skull, and ordered, "Oris, take a hundred skeleton archers and hunt down more skeletons. And make sure to bring the bones back for me! Go, quickly!"
"Yes, sir!" Poor Oris didn't realize he'd just been sent away—he accepted the command with excitement and trotted off cheerfully.
Watching Oris leave with such light steps, Zhao Lun felt a faint twinge of envy. To be that simple… truly, a life without a single worry.
"Unfortunately, I'm not that lucky—and not suited for such a life," he muttered.
Shaking his head, he glanced at the staff in his hand, hesitated for a moment, then gripped it tightly and walked slowly toward the territory's altar. There, he gently placed it in the exact center.
"This staff… I can't use it anymore."
It wasn't just because the bronze skeleton had once seized it from him. Zhao Lun knew, deep down, that a staff wasn't the weapon best suited to him. If he had to choose, a one-handed sword or a dagger would fit him far better.
Yes, the staff reduced his casting time by roughly one-third, but in sudden close combat it was a liability. While it was true that once a mage was caught in melee, death was almost certain, Zhao Lun's personality was such that—as long as his head hadn't been chopped off—he would fight on with full confidence in victory.
Of course, this choice was reckless. Without the staff, his combat power dropped by more than half. His ability to instantly cast Level-0 spells relied entirely on it; without it, he'd need 0.5 to 1 second to cast even a Level-0 spell—and for a mage, that time was critical.
"I refuse to believe I can't reach instant-cast without the staff."
Zhao Lun's confidence was stubborn, but this was also a form of training. If he could reach instant-cast Level-0 spells without the staff—matching his staff-assisted combat power—then when he took it up again, perhaps he could even instantly cast Level-1 spells. And then… just what level would his power reach?
Leaving the altar, Zhao Lun walked into the crowd of skeletons under his command, took a greatsword from a skeleton warrior, gave it a few test swings, and found it surprisingly comfortable in his hands. On impulse, he called a Level-3 Greatsword Skeleton to attack him—apparently intending to spar.
The thick-skinned fool had already tossed aside his earlier tension.
Level-3 skeletons had no intelligence—only obedience. They were pure combat puppets. Receiving the order, the Greatsword Skeleton lunged without hesitation, bringing its blade down in a vicious chop toward Zhao Lun.
"Whoa—sneak attack!"
Caught without mental preparation, Zhao Lun swung up his sword to block. He had expected to be embarrassed—after all, while he was a Level-4 Skeleton Mage, he was certain his raw strength was nowhere near a Level-3 Greatsword Skeleton's.
But to his surprise, he stopped the blow with ease.
"What's going on? When did I get this strong?" He couldn't make sense of it—unless… "Could it be that during this mutation… my bones were strengthened?"
He'd guessed right. The grueling two to three hours of enduring pain hadn't been for nothing. With enough energy fueling the transformation, Zhao Lun hadn't just mutated—he'd also reinforced his bones. Now, his raw strength was nearly equal to that of a standard Level-4 Giant Axe Skeleton. Blocking that strike had been almost effortless.
He didn't dwell on it in the middle of battle. After catching the attack, Zhao Lun pressed forward, his greatsword sweeping again and again. With his vastly superior strength, he subdued the Level-3 Greatsword Skeleton in just a few moves.
Flushed with confidence, he then called over Greatsword No. 1 to spar. But he'd overestimated himself—Greatsword No. 1 was an elite-grade warrior. Even at only Level-3, its strength matched his, and it had a special move: the Cross Slash. Without even using that technique, it toyed with him, battering him until he couldn't lift his head.
But Greatsword No. 1's luck soon turned. Just as it was pummeling Zhao Lun, Phyllis returned from patrol. Seeing the scene, she flew into a rage—how dare anyone lay a hand on her master?
From a distance, she charged with her spear, slammed Greatsword No. 1 to the ground in one thrust, and would have finished it off if Zhao Lun hadn't reacted in time to stop her.