Chapter 16: Rise of the Undead Legion

Sniff. Sniff.

A scrawny, hairless wild dog slunk from bush to bush. He was terrified and famished. Their dominance in this territory was waning, and their numbers were dwindling by the day, all because of the green demon.

The wild dog recalled when it all began, one day a new prey wandered into their territory, a hairless, green, hideous monkey. At first, the green monkey was smart enough to understand his weakness and swiftly went into hiding. But one day, the green monkey bolstered his courage and assaulted their pack, eliminating a few of their members.

At first, the other wild dogs didn't care much about it, since only a few dogs were eliminated and their numbers were vast. However, to their surprise, the green monkey continued to hone his proficiency and hunt them one by one. Each time he inched closer and closer to their den.

The wild dogs realized that he was dangerous and must be dealt with, but every time they attempted to hunt him, he hunted them back and if he found himself at a disadvantage, he would simply vanish, retreating to his unknown lair.

But that all changed a week ago. The green monkey became larger, stronger, and more confident than ever before. He launched a full-scale assault on the wild dog pack, targeting their dens and hunting grounds with an unprecedented level of savagery. The wild dogs were compelled to flee to their main den, their numbers rapidly shrinking as the green monkey continued to strike without mercy.

Now, the green monkey was no more; he transformed into a demon in their eyes, especially when he acquired a pack of his own. Horrifying, wild dog-like creatures with no flesh on them. No matter how much the wild dogs bit them and infected them with their usual venom, these monsters seemed impervious to pain and relentlessly continued to hunt the wild dogs.

Sniff. Sniff….Growl!

The wild dog froze in his tracks, smelling something; he cautiously crawled under the foliage. There, concealed beneath the dense leaves, the wild dog spotted a substantial piece of meat just lying there on the forest floor.

The wild dog's eyes widened in surprise and hunger. He knew that finding sustenance had become increasingly difficult in recent times, and the sight of such a large piece of meat was a rare and welcome discovery.

The wild dog cautiously approached the meat, hoping to take a bite, but when he was a few feet away from the meat, he suddenly detected movement out of the corner of his eye. He promptly recognized that the meat was a trap, but it was too late for him.

GROWL!

A four-legged skeletal creature lunged at him, seizing his neck with its powerful jaws.

"Yelp!" The wild dog emitted a yelp of pain and fear as the bone creature's jaws clamped down on his neck. Panic surged through the wild dog as he fought for his life, his breaths coming in short gasps as he desperately tried to break free, but the grip was too strong.

The bone creature's fangs dug deep into his neck, as it slammed him repeatedly on the ground, each blow sending shockwaves of pain radiating through the wild dog's body. Until life slipped away from him, and his eyes glazed over in death.

The bone creature, however, didn't loosen its grip even though its prey perished; instead, it began dragging it to the side where a hulking green figure was standing in the shadow of a tree.

The figure was the green demon, the very creature that had caused the wild dogs so much suffering and loss. He watched with cold, calculating eyes as the bone creature dragged the lifeless body of the wild dog towards him, his lips curling into a satisfied smirk.

"Well done," the figure said, patting the head of the bone creature as it dropped the corpse of the wild dog before his feet.

The green demon shifted his gaze to the corpse; he slowly extended his right hand and spoke in a deep voice, resembling a king commanding his knight to rise.

"Rise!" 

As the green demon uttered his command, a strange dark-green energy began to emanate from his outstretched hand, suffusing the lifeless body of the wild dog with an eerie glow. The forest seemed to hold its breath as the air crackled with anticipation, and then, with a sudden surge of power, the wild dog's body stirred.

At first, it was just a slight twitch, a tremor that ran through its limbs. But then, the skin began to rip and melt away as dark-green flames consumed it. What remained was a hollowed shell, a skeleton bowing in submission waiting for its lord's commands.

The green demon's eyes gleamed with satisfaction as he beheld the skeletal form that had risen from the ashes of the fallen wild dog. With a curt nod of approval, he turned his gaze upon the army of reanimated skeletons standing in grim formation behind him.

Five human skeletons, summoned from the deepest recesses of oblivion, their bones bleached a stark white and brittle. Five hulking skeletons of fallen direwolves, their massive jaws agape in anticipation of the carnage to come. And lastly, with the newest addition, ten skeletons of slain Rot Eaters brought back to life through the dark art of necromancy.

The green demon raised his hand, and a sudden gust of wind whipped through the forest, carrying with it the scent of death and decay. The army of undead creatures stirred, their bones rattling ominously as they prepared to do their master's bidding.

"All preparations are complete," Azrakar, the Orc Dread Lord, muttered with grim satisfaction, his eyes glowing with a malevolent power as he surveyed the assembled army of undead at his command.

For the past week, Azrakar had been honing his newfound abilities. With his fully matured form, the Berserker aspect was a perfect fit for him.

Azrakar had managed to take down a direwolf single-handedly in brutal combat. Using only the two Berserker skills - Rage and Berserker's Fury - his augmented physical strength and the deadly tail-blade proved to be a devastating combination.

Azrakar was exhilarated by this achievement. In his eyes, it was his first true victory, relying solely on his own prowess and not on dishonored tactics like using a trap. That direwolf now stood amongst the skeletal minions in his growing army.

However, the necromancy skills presented a challenge. "Rise" and "Summon Skeleton" were undeniably powerful abilities, but they were agonizingly slow, taking a precious five to ten seconds to reanimate or summon a new skeleton. Furthermore, Azrakar had to concentrate intensely to channel the skill, or it would fail entirely. This rendered these skills unusable during the heat of combat.

Nexus explained that typically necromancers don't fight in the front line as they were spellcasters, remaining at the backlines while their undead servants did the fighting.

Azrakar, however, wasn't your typical necromancer. No, he was a Dread Lord, a potent amalgamation of Berserker, Necromancer, and Leader. His place was at the forefront of the battle, fighting alongside his minions as one.

The Leader skills were demonstrably effective and effortless to use. Nexus explained that the Leader class was a supportive one, ideal for him since the skills would bolster himself, his allies, and his undead summons.

This was especially crucial for his summons, as in their early stages, all of his skeletons were undeniably feeble on their own. During Azrakar's testing, a Rot Eater skeleton would lose a one-on-one fight with a living Rot Eater eight times out of ten. 

However, that was irrelevant. The undead never fought alone. They triumphed through sheer numbers, and their inability to feel fatigue or emotions, and as long as Azrakar had enough mana, they would perpetually rise again.

…

Now, armed with his legion of Undead Skeletons and his newfound powers, Azrakar stood mere feet from the lair of the Sabertooth, a potent sense of anticipation coiling within him like a serpent poised to strike. The dark energy coursing through his veins fueled his resolve, driving him forward with a singular purpose: To slay the Beast!

He vividly recalled the last time the Sabertooth ambushed him. Losing an eye that day was a meager price to pay for barely escaping the icy grip of death.

"Today, the hunter becomes the hunted," Azrakar declared, raising his hand to signal for five Rot Eater skeletons to approach.

"Charge!" Azrakar commanded, and the five Rot Eater skeletons surged into the lair, their bones clattering ominously on the stone floor. The Sabertooth, a colossal creature with gleaming fangs and a ferocious demeanor, emerged from the shadows, its eyes locking onto the intruders with a blend of surprise and fury.

However, Instead of a direct charge, the Rot Eaters deployed a cunning tactic. They avoided him, circling around the lair, baiting him to come.

The Sabertooth, driven by its primal instincts, pursued the skeletons relentlessly. It roared in frustration, its massive jaws snapping at the air as it tried to land a killing blow. But the skeletons were always just out of reach, their bony forms slipping through the beast's grasp.

As the chase continued, the Sabertooth was led toward the side of the lair where thick bushes and plants provided cover. The skeletons slowed their pace, drawing the beast closer to the hidden trap. Azrakar's heart raced as he prepared to spring his surprise.

"NOW!" Azrakar shouted, his voice echoing through the forest.

At Azrakar's command, three massive direwolf skeletons erupted out from the thicket, their jaws open wide, revealing rows of sharp, bone-white teeth. The Sabertooth, caught off guard by the sudden appearance of these new foes, skidded to a halt, its eyes widening in surprise.

Before it could react, one direwolf skeleton clamped its razor-sharp jaws onto the Sabertooth's hind leg, while another raked its claws across the beast's underbelly, leaving a trail of glistening viscera.

"ROAR!" The Sabertooth, trapped in the clutches of the direwolf skeletons, let out a tormented bellow that reverberated through the forest. But its cry was cut short as the last skeleton slammed its skull into the beast, silencing it.

"Charge!" Azrakar bellowed again, unleashing a surge of energy that propelled his remaining skeletal minions forward. With a thunderous clatter, the undead horde obeyed, encircling the Sabertooth from all sides. Their skeletal frames moved with unnatural agility, their hollow eye sockets fixed on their prey.

The Sabertooth, now besieged on all fronts by Azrakar's relentless legion, fought with a ferocity fueled by desperation. It lashed out with claws and fangs, tearing down several of the Rot Eater skeletons in a whirlwind of teeth and bone. Yet, with each fallen warrior, they would rise again within moments.

As the battle raged on, Azrakar stood silently watching from the side, keeping an eye on his mana pool. His eyes flickering between the fray and his own dwindling mana reserves. He knew that his undead minions relied on his magic to remain animated, and if his mana were to deplete, they would fall lifeless once again.

The Sabertooth, despite its mounting injuries, fought with unwavering ferocity, each swipe of its claws and each gnashing of its teeth exacting a toll on the skeletons.

"The time has come," Azrakar muttered when his mana dipped below a quarter of its capacity. He ceased healing his minions and swiftly charged at the beast.

[Skill activated: Rage]

"UGAAH!" A primal roar erupted from Azrakar's throat, echoing through the forest and instilling terror in the heart of the Sabertooth.

Azrakar's body underwent a metamorphosis as he unleashed the power of his Berserker skill. His muscles rippled, his skin flushed crimson, and his eyes flared with a fierce, primal intensity. He towered over the battlefield, standing at an imposing three meters tall.

THUD! THUD!

The clash of titans was imminent. Azrakar, wielding his bare fists as formidable weapons, delivered a powerful blow to the beast's jaws, sending it reeling backward with a guttural snarl of agony. The Sabertooth, now facing the unbridled fury of Azrakar's rage, retaliated with tooth and claw.

ROAR!

Azrakar roared in defiance, meeting the Sabertooth's incoming claws with his fists. The two forces collided, and Azrakar's raw strength proved superior. His fist obliterated the beast's claws, shattering them like brittle glass. The force of the impact sent shockwaves rippling through the air, echoing through the forest like a primal roar.

The Sabertooth, stunned by the sheer brutality of Azrakar's attack, stumbled backward, its eyes wide with shock and pain. It attempted to regain its footing, but Azrakar was relentless, his fury propelling him forward with unstoppable momentum.

"COME HERE!" With a primal roar of his own, Azrakar lunged forward and seized the beast's neck with his left hand, his right hand firmly gripping its underbelly.

"I am AZRAKAR!...The ORC!...The WARRIOR!" His voice boomed through the forest, a declaration of his dominance as he held the Sabertooth high above the ground. The beast, once a symbol of terror, was now nothing more than a vanquished foe in the grasp of the mighty Orc Dread Lord.

The Sabertooth struggled weakly, its eyes filled with fear and confusion. It had never encountered a foe as powerful as Azrakar, and its primal instincts were overwhelmed by the sheer force of the Orc's rage.

"....The DREAD LORD!" With a swift and powerful motion, Azrakar slammed the Sabertooth down onto his knee, crushing its spine and extinguishing its life in an instant.

[You Have killed: Forest Sabertooth]

[6500XP]

[Level up]

A triumphant roar erupted from Azrakar's throat as he stood victorious over the fallen Sabertooth. His chest heaved with exertion, his muscles still buzzing with the residual energy of battle. Around him, his minions bowed before him in reverence.