Beside the small lake, a thick tension hung between the two groups.
Thoren looked at the gathering with no change in his expression, while Harold wore a smirk.
"Although I don't know how important the bluish flower is, I can't let these bastards ride over me," he thought, his gaze moving from one person to another.
For Harold, the moment was satisfying. He had prepared to fight a life-or-death battle for the Blueheart Lotus, but who would have expected that it would be nothing more than a mere Necromancer?
As long as they could bring enough Blueheart Lotus to the town, he would have the chance to buy a much better weapon. His broadsword already showed signs of cracking.
Of the available missions, the Blueheart Lotus was the easiest. They only needed to defeat a few Level 3 beasts to harvest it.
Harold was already a Level 3 warrior, while the others were Level 2. With their party's combined strength, he did not believe they wouldn't be able to take down a few Level 3 beasts.
"I said, get lost!" Harold shouted impatiently and closed the distance between them.
He unsheathed his sword, eyes blazing with killing intent.
"Do you think you're the only one with temper?!" Thoren sneered.
"Make me," Harold retorted with equal confidence.
"Then I will."
Furious, Harold rushed forward to close the distance, his broadsword raised high. He only needed a single slash to end his life. As for the few skeletons, how could they stop his attack?
He had taken only a few steps when four Rabbit Skeletons charged at him, baring their fangs.
Their hollow eyes glowed with burning intensity.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Harold was stunned by the Rabbit Skeletons' assault but did not overthink it and swung his sword.
With his blade clashing against the skeletons, two were crushed to pieces while the other two suffered shattered bones.
Their movement became sluggish, the burning intensity of their attack waning.
Seeing this, Harold sneered.
"Trash!"
Bang!
With a single strike, he crushed the last two Rabbit Skeletons.
"Now, prepare to—"
Whoosh!
Before he could finish his sentence, Thoren summoned twenty Rabbit Skeletons and commanded to join the battle.
Harold and his party stared in disbelief at the sudden appearance of twenty more Rabbit Skeletons.
They had been waiting for Harold to end the battle so they could harvest the Blueheart Lotus.
But now...
"How could this be…" Harold stammered, taking a step back. His face filled with disbelief.
However, Thoren did not give them a chance as the twenty Rabbit Skeletons pounced on him.
"Everyone, kill this evil necromancer!" Harold shouted and rushed forward.
With Vanguard occupation and C-Rank talent—Titan Guard. He believed they stood a chance of defeating a Necromancer with mere skeletons.
[Bastion Charge]
The Bastion Charge increased his attack by 10% when he charged into the enemy.
Behind him, Cyril also rushed toward the twenty Rabbit Skeletons, as a warrior with a D-rank talent—Endless Warrior.
Behind them, the two hunters with E-rank talents joined the battle as well.
Only a female healer remained behind, ready to provide healing if needed.
She stared at the skeletons in shock and disbelief etched on her face.
With Harold leading the charge, his sword struck down one Rabbit Skeleton after another.
Beside him, Cyril, wielding a short spear, destroyed the skeletons with ease.
Thoren stood behind with no change in his expression as he watched four skeletons fall.
Before the four could kill half of the Rabbit Skeletons, he summoned another twenty skeletons.
This time they were Level 2 Savage Rat Skeletons.
With rat skeletons joining the mix, the smirk playing on Harold's and Cyril's lips vanished.
But Thoren was not done; he summoned three more skeletons.
Venomfang Serpent Skeletons.
Looking at the various skeletons, a cold shiver ran down Harold and his party spine.
This was the first time they had ever seen such a massive army of undead controlled by a Necromancer.
Heck, they had never even heard of it before.
The most they've heard was a Necromancer controlling four undead at the same time.
But now…
Unbothered by their thoughts, Thoren was determined to make sure none of them left.
Quickly, he controlled the three Venomfang Serpent Skeletons to flank Harold's party on both sides.
"Don't let him pin us to the center," Harold screamed, his heart pounding like a war drum.
Cyril and the two hunters were trying their best, but the Savage Rats were more difficult to kill than the Rabbit Skeletons.
Ahhh!
Suddenly, a mournful scream came from behind. Instantly, Harold and his party turned their heads.
Lying on the ground was the girl with the throat bitten by another Venomfang Serpent Skeleton.
Shock and fear filled their faces.
Everyone had been caught in the deadly battle that they failed to protect the weakest person in their party.
"Devil…" Harold screamed, but panic on his face only deepened.
No matter how they attacked the skeletons, they kept coming. Kill one, and another would replace it, trying to bite them.
Ahhh!
One of the hunters failed to react quickly and was struck by the Venomfang Serpent Skeleton's tail.
He crashed heavily to the ground, blood spraying from his mouth.
"P-Please… don't…"
Ahhh!
Before he could plead for his life, three Savage Rat Skeletons bit into his neck.
With two people dead, tension gripped their hearts like a vice.
[Momentum Strike]
Cyril struck one of the Venomfang Serpents with his ace skill, breaking a few bones in its head.
"What?!"
He widened his eyes in shock.
Before he could react, the serpent pounced on him. It bit off his left arm and threw it to the side.
Ahhh! Ahhh!
He screamed, staring at his severed arm. Fear and panic etched on his face.
He wanted to escape but found that they had been surrounded.
Ahhhh!
Beside him, his teammate—the hunter—fell under the endless onslaught of the skeletons.
"You're a demon…" Cyril screamed. His eyes were bloodshot, filled with fear and unwillingness.
With only one hand, he struggled to escape when a deadly bone tail struck his chest, piercing it.
He fell to the ground, eyes wide open.
As for Harold, he struggled under the attack of the skeletons. His second skill, [Iron Wall Stance], had kept him alive for a time, but against the relentless assault, he was overwhelmed and killed.
His chest ribcage was torn apart and his organs ripped to pieces. With a C-Rank talent, he had believed he would have a bright future and a chance to clear the Abyss's first floor.
But who would have expected that he would be killed by a mere necromancer.
******
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