Ten contribution points were deducted. Moments later, Fang Zhou received a "Charge" Skill Book through his personal terminal.
"Detectable Skill Materials found. You can consume 10 Soul Power for a quick start."
"Begin learning?"
Fang Zhou immediately confirmed, "Start learning!"
With 10 Soul Power consumed, the Soul Fire of Fang Zhou's Skeleton Clone flared wildly.
Even as a Skeleton, he could now run freely under the Blood Moon.
Femur, hip bone, kneecap, tibia... his entire skeletal frame worked in concert. He had successfully mastered the running method with the fastest explosive speed.
"Successfully learned the skill 'Charge'!"
[Charge (Apprentice, Beginner): Move quickly in one direction, dealing collision damage to all enemies in your path. The distance, speed, and power are determined by your Agility Attribute and Skill Proficiency.]
This is exactly the flexible Displacement Skill my Skeleton Clone needs most!
With the Charge skill in his arsenal, Fang Zhou's mind, already sharpened by basic tactical training, immediately envisioned several ways to use it. For example, he could aim his Bone Long Spear and charge at an enemy, using Brutal Strike just before impact to deal massive damage. Another example would be using Charge to directly evade the pursuit of a high-agility enemy.
Less thinking, more doing. Fang Zhou lay down on his bed, closed his eyes, and focused his attention on the Skeleton Clone.
...
「Burial Wilderness.」
A robust-looking Skeleton, dragging a Bone Long Spear, walked lightly toward the deeper parts of the wasteland. At his current level, hunting the weak newborn Skeletons provided Fang Zhou with virtually no Skeleton Essence.
This was easy to understand. This was the outermost area of the Burial Wilderness. The newborn Skeletons active here were at the very bottom of the hierarchy, even within the Skeleton Race, which was considered the trashiest among all Undead Species.
When Fang Zhou was weak, every Skeleton here was his equal in strength, if not stronger. Their bones were also more robust and solid than his own. The Skeleton Essence absorbed from such Skeletons naturally allowed Fang Zhou's skeletal body to strengthen rapidly. On the attribute panel, this manifested as an increase in his attribute values.
Now that Fang Zhou's Four-dimensional Attributes had been enhanced, his own bones had become more robust and solid than those of these Skeletons. Naturally, the Skeleton Essence absorbed from their bones was no longer sufficient to strengthen him quickly. On the attribute panel, this manifested as a decrease in attribute gains.
Starting from the edge of the Burial Wilderness and moving deeper, the glow of the Blood Moon intensified, and the aura of death grew thicker. Consequently, more powerful Undead could be nurtured here.
Soon, Fang Zhou stopped.
A Skeleton much taller than the newborn ones had appeared in his field of view. A Skeleton's perception range was determined by the strength of its Soul Fire, and in this respect, Fang Zhou's Skeleton Clone was far more powerful than an ordinary one. Therefore, while Fang Zhou had already spotted this Skeleton, it remained completely oblivious, still lost in basking under the Blood Moon's glow.
He crouched, snuck forward, and circled around to its back. Fang Zhou skillfully played the part of an ambusher.
After closing within ten meters of the Skeleton, Fang Zhou straightened up and decisively activated the Charge skill.
Raise spear, charge, thrust!
In an instant, the Skeleton Clone burst forward with extreme speed, the sharp tip of its spear aimed directly at the other Skeleton's fragile skull. This Skeleton's instinctive reaction speed was clearly much faster than its newborn counterparts from the outer region. However, Fang Zhou's charge was too fast. It only had time to turn its head before the Bone Long Spear pierced straight through its skull.
Its claws flailed twice in vain as it tried to pull out the spear embedded in its head.
It's still not dead? Fang Zhou was somewhat surprised. The resilience of this Skeleton's Soul Fire was far greater than the fragile, easily shattered Soul Fires of the newborn ones.
He gripped the Bone Long Spear tightly, gave it a sharp twist and yank, and the Skeleton's flickering Soul Fire was finally extinguished completely.
Blue smoke rose as the body collapsed into a pile of bones.
Fang Zhou eagerly rubbed his bony palms together and activated the Skeleton Armament skill. A current of heat, far more potent than any before, surged into his body and lasted for a full ten seconds.
Strength +0.1, Soul Power +0.3.
Awesome!
Fang Zhou had directly gained a 0.1 attribute increase and 0.3 Soul Power from this single Skeleton. Based on his estimation, the Skeleton that had just turned to ash must have been on the verge of advancing to the Apprentice Middle Rank to provide such a high return.
Compared to his previous snail-like pace, this was the normal speed for killing monsters and leveling up. It was foreseeable that his Skeleton Clone was about to enter a period of explosive growth and would likely reach the Apprentice Upper Rank soon. This also meant that Fang Zhou's main body would receive a greater feedback of Four-dimensional Attributes, and he could accumulate Soul Power much faster to deduce more Skeleton Series skills.
He had gained so much just by venturing a little deeper into the Burial Wilderness. At this moment, the entire Burial Wilderness had transformed in his eyes into a vast treasure trove, waiting for him to excavate and harvest.
CRACK.
CRACK.
Soon, Fang Zhou spotted his second prey. It was a pair of Skeletons, tangled together in a fight, gnawing at each other.
His Soul Fire flickered. What luck.
Skeletons were low-tier Apprentice-level Undead with no self-awareness. Slaughter and consumption were their only instincts. Therefore, in the Burial Wilderness, whenever two or more Skeletons met, a battle was inevitable—and it was always the most brutal kind, usually ending with only one survivor growing stronger. This single factor was enough to doom the vast majority of Skeletons.
And Fang Zhou had just stumbled upon such a battle in progress.
He wasn't in a hurry to intervene, choosing instead to observe the fighting style of the native Skeletons from the sidelines. Compared to the newborns, these two had sharper fangs and claws, making their bites and pounces naturally more powerful.
In their merciless struggle, they soon fought each other to a standstill. One had its skull half-shattered, while the other had all its limbs torn off. A victor was about to be decided.
Seeing his chance, Fang Zhou decisively jumped in. He raised his Bone Long Spear, adjusted his angle, and thrust.
"Brutal Strike!"
SWISH!
With a sharp whistle, Fang Zhou's spear thrust shattered the two helpless Skeletons into a pile of broken bones—a classic case of a bystander profiting from the conflict.
Skeleton Armament activated!
Physique +0.1, Spirit +0.1, Soul Power +0.4.
The immense wave of satisfaction sent a shiver through every bone in Fang Zhou's body. Immediately, his burning Soul Fire blazed even more fiercely.
Kill! Kill! Kill! I will turn all these feeble Skeletons into fuel for my evolution!
An hour went by.
Clone: Skeleton
Tier: Apprentice (Middle Rank)
Attributes: Strength 6, Physique 4, Agility 3, Spirit 3
Equipment: Bone Long Spear (Gray, Inferior)
Skills: Skeleton Armament (Instinct), Brutal Strike (Master), Charge (Beginner)
Soul Power: 12