UPGRADE: SKELETON APPRENTICE (D)

[You have successfully upgraded the "Skeleton Trainee Summoning" skill]

[Skeleton Trainee Skill (E) has been upgraded to Skeleton Apprentice (D)!]

-----

A clanging of metals pierced Alab's ears as he slumber under the shade of the slender trees.

Before him was [Skeleton Apprentice] clad in a murky fog, encircling its body analogous to skin.

The crimson in his eye sockets flared up bearing witness to its fiercer aura. Its denser bones clutched the hilt of the [Common Sword] liberated from rust and dented blade.

Rubbing his drowsy eyes, Alab stood up, looking at the murky skeletal body before him who emerged taller than him by 10 cm. Scrolling through his [Status Window], Alab glanced at his upgraded skill.

[Skeleton Apprentice Summoning (D)

Description: You have upgraded the skeleton trainee into a fiercer and more powerful Skeleton Apprentice. It contains 10× the power of the usual Skeleton Apprentice due to the buff brought by the upgrade. It can be resummoned endlessly with sufficient mana. Summons the Skeleton Apprentice.

MP Cost: 49

Cooldown: None

Skeleton Apprentice (D)

Description: A skeleton that moves and lifts a sword.

Level: 13 (Same level as the summoner)

HP: 13,000 / 13,000 (10 × Constitution value × level)

MP: 2,600 / 2,600 (10 × Intelligence value × level)

< Attributes >

Strength: 5 (×10 buff from upgrade)

Dexterity: 7 (×10)

Constitution: 10 (×10)

Intelligence: 2 (×10)

Skill/s:

Death Slash (D)

Description: Slash with the little power of death.

Effects:

+ 100 physical damage

MP Cost: 49

Cooldown: 20 minutes ----> None ]

Drastic growth in its effects spurs a fluctuation of emotions in Alab. Had it been the past him, he would have jumped from delight, but Alab had long relinquished his emotions.

Even faced with unprecedented growth, he kept his deadpan expression as the spur of emotions died out, identical to a fire being submerged in a sea of water.

Looking at the effect, Alab verified that the skills upgraded by his [Conversion] were stronger than skills at the same level. To be exact, it was 10× sharper.

His summoning had also gained a skill and its stats had inflated by the buff.

However, where the good news is, bad news tends to flock.

The [Skeleton Apprentice] had been unable to display its might for an hour now. Its alluring charm was omitted along with its growth.

No slimes had appeared to harass him, his sharper aura brought horror down their cores. The confident slimes now quivered in fear before the [Skeleton Apprentice].

At this moment, as they lunged deeper into the hunting ground, a clanging noise pierced their ears. Alab shortly recalled the skeleton as he dashed to the scene.

Wild voices jabbed his ears as mockeries were thrown one after the other. Hoarse voices resounded.

"Why would a weak human venture into this hunting ground like a lone wolf? KRIKRIKRI"

"He must be discarded by his members, brother. KRIKRIKRI"

"Should we kill him? He is a bottom ranker too! KRIKRIKRI"

"We should not kill him! Kriks is Ranked 980 and I ranked 978, it is too risky, if we are to kill him, then we might become bottom rankers in the entrance examination. It is too risky, KRIKRI"

"KRIKRIKRI, then we should ensure that he would not get strong in the remaining days, right? KRIKRIKRI"

"KRIKRIKRI, you are so intelligent, brother! KRIKRIKRI"

Five human-like figures of small frames coated in dark green tissue, pointy ears, and wide sallow eyes, threatened a young boy with their wire-enclosed bats.

Their sharp teeth dripped with sallow drools as they glared at the young boy who whimpered on the ground.

The 10-12 years old boy hugged a wooden sword, his eyes quivered at the sight of the foreign species.

His tanned skin paired with crimson eyes shivered as the species fondled his sleek face up to his coaly hair dripped to his neck and bangs in his forehead.

"Are they goblins?", Alab muttered as his eyes fell on the green species. They were the typical goblins in video games back on Earth, even their lecherous demeanor could be felt from a distance apart.

A goblin called "brother" brushed the hair of the young boy, unveiling his concealed pointy ears. At this sight, the goblins cackled.

"KRIKRI, a dark elf, huh", the goblins disparaged the young boy, throwing ridicule to their species.

The young boy could only wail as the nimble goblins lifted their bats in the air, slamming them toward his gorgeous face.

Smug goblins threw their bats one after another, blood splattered on the verdant soil, tainting it red.

"Do you know what we, goblins, hate so much? KRIKRIKRI, its good face", shrieked the brother goblin as he slammed his bats downward.

*splat*

The young boy fell limped as he staggered to stand. Satisfied, the goblins plunged a bat for the last time before they left the crippled young elf on the ground.

Bones stuck out from his feet, deeming him incapable of any combat.

"Brother...", the young dark elf muttered before his body regenerated in surprise. The goblins had already left the area, certain that the dark elf would be crippled by now.

They didn't expect that the young elf would have a regeneration skill.

Tucking his wooden sword to his waist, the young dark elf dived deeper into the deepest part of the hunting ground in solitude as if nothing had happened.

His bare feet stomped the ground as he rushed, worried about the goblins' return.

Unbeknownst to him, a young boy jumped from tree to tree, trailing meters behind the dark elf. He nimbly climbed trees as his tiny figure sought concealment from the slender trees.

The noon came with the dark elf panting for air, his body limped to the ground from a restless sprint.

Vigil of his surroundings, the dark elf untucked the wooden sword from his waist, confident that no one was around the area.

With a sloppy swordsmanship, he brandished his sword downwards, his inept footwork made him stumbled to the ground, yet to complete a set of sword swings.

*thud*

Behind the trees, Alab gazed at the dark elf who continually tripped and pulled himself out of the slammed grass, directly swinging the sword after.

"More", the dark elf refused to give up.

With the scene becoming repetitive and tedious, Alab departed the area as he headed to the deepest part of the hunting ground.

As his figure vanished to the transiting infertile grounds, the gentle voice of the dark elf dimmed, obscured by a violent wind.

"More. I need to swing more", the dark elf mumbled.

*swoosh*

Gust of wind tingled his skin as a stretch of infertile ground burned his sight. Stream of acid swelled from the abrasive soil as Alab roamed on the edge of the region, his nose tightened as he shut the pungent smell emitting from the soil.

Alab couldn't cross the area. Summoning Misery, Alab rode on its back as it levitated in the air.

The deepest part of the dungeon was enveloped by acid.

Alab traveled through the air overlooking the expanse. There were no trees or living creatures in the area. Alab dived to the center of the area where a bluish core was at.

It glimmered under the ray of the sun, emitting a spectacular ambiance.

Alab glanced at the core with the information flooding in his sight.

[Slime Practice Dungeon Core (E)

Description: The heart of the slime practice dungeon. Once the core has been removed from its post, the dungeon will be destroyed.

Effects:

- Merge with 4 more Slime Practice Dungeon Cores to Summon a Slime.]

Having read the description, Alab took his time grasping its effects. If every dungeon had its core, then Alab felt that collecting cores to summon a creature was not a bad thing at all. Everyone would be inclined to cores collection to command higher-grade monsters.

Unlike others, Alab found a special use for these cores. He could upgrade items and these cores were not an exception.

Given sufficient items, he could create an army of upgraded and buffed monsters.

Alab didn't take further action in a rush. The core was rather exposed making it dubious.

"Skeleton Apprentice"

As his words fell, a skeleton dressed in murky fog descended from the sky, prompting an upheaval in the silent region as acids splashed into the surrounding.

Before its body could fully erode, a torrent spurred in the acid as a minuscule golden core erupted from the ground, sucking in the scattered acids within the region.

The acids enclosed the marble-sized core forming a slime that grew larger and larger as it absorbed more acids.

In no time, a gigantic slime emerged wrapping the [Slime Practice Dungeon Core] with its slimy body.

*snort*

Carried by the griffin who snorted at the [Gigantic Slime (C)] below it, enraged by the inferior monster who dared bare its fangs against its legendary mane, Alab ignored the furious griffin as he glanced at the slime. Its information was then unfolded by the system.

[Gigantic Slime (C)

Description: The boss monster of the slime practice dungeon. Outraged by the massacre to its keen.

Level: 30

HP: 2,010,000 / 2,010,000

(1000 × Constitution value × level)

MP: 720,000 / 720,000

(1000 × Intelligence value × level)

< Attributes >

Strength: 48

Dexterity: 29

Constitution: 67

Intelligence: 24

Skills: (Hidden) ]

*spat*

A boss monster of inflated HP commenced the battle. Spats of acids came hurling towards the [Skeleton Apprentice].

With no words needed, the skeletal body eroded under the hail of acid.

[Your summon has received 500 damage]

[Your summon has received 500 damage]

[Your summon has received 500 damage]

....

...

[Your summon "Skeleton Apprentice" has died]