SKELETON APPRENTICE VS. OWL BEARS

[Owl Bear (C)

Level: 30

Description: A cross between an owl and a bear. It was notoriously aggressive and ferocious. A nocturnal carnivore monster that preyed on delicate meats.

HP: 189,000 / 189,000 (100 × Constitution value × level)

MP: 135,000 / 135,000 (100 × Intelligence value × level)

< Attributes >

Strength: 54

Dexterity: 20

Constitution: 63

Intelligence: 45

Skills: (Hidden)]

Red blood gushed out of the punctured eye of the [Owl Bear], painting the ground with a red tinge. The cold and spoiled stench of blood pervaded the air. It tingled the nostrils of Alab and made him cover his nose.

[Your summon "Skeleton Apprentice" has died]

The erratic whacking of paws in the air caused the bony [Skeleton Apprentice] to shatter into parts. Apparently, the astray smack had stricken the hollow tree right at its breast height of 1.4 meters.

Fortunately, Alab ducked in time and avoided the same fate as the skeleton.

He hastened his feet to maneuver away from the area. The owl bear was frantic and the 10 meters range around it was dangerous.

It rubbed its punctured eyes with its left paw whilst its right paw whacked through the air aimlessly. Its disheveled bristly fur soon was dyed red with the highly viscous blood.

In an attempt to cease the bleeding, it rubbed its eyes further until the mere rub turned violent with enrage, scratching the punctured eyes in madness. The [Owl Bear] had grown disoriented. Its damage kept on piling up.

The profound hearing became rusty, clogged by rage. Had it retained its composure, it could pinpoint its attacker with relative ease.

However, it had a low intelligence in the first place. Complex and strategic plans were out of its scope.

Of course, Alab didn't let go of this chance. He sent another [Skeleton Apprentice] that nimbly evaded the erratic paws. It found openings and right away slashed its neck.

[You have dealt 190 damage]

(100 from Death Slash + 90 base damage)

The damage was trivial yet it spurred further madness to soar in the owl head of the monster. It grew ferocious and scratched its eyes further.

Still, Alab couldn't help but mull over the skill of the [Skeleton Apprentice]. Usually, attack skills had a multiplier on their base damage. For instance, [Thunderwind Slash (A)] of Anastasia could amplify her base damage by 50 times along with its other valuable effects.

In pure contrast, the skill [Death Slash (D)] had a constant 100 additional physical damage. It fell short in comparison.

He couldn't think further as another smack came hurling toward the [Skeleton Apprentice]. It nimbly turned its skeletal body to the side, taking momentum to inch into the monster's neck. The [Owl Bear] was yet to retract its paw when a clanging of metals pervaded the air.

The skeleton lacerated deeper into its neck.

It hastily pulled back before the monster could swish its paws around it.

*HOOT!*

The monster was growing impatient at the passing of time. It couldn't catch its prey despite its protracted reach. It even evaded its attacks powered by skills with ease.

The [Owl Bear] just couldn't do anything without its twilight vision and profound hearing.

It was akin to helpless infuriated hens in front of a healthy elephant.

The [Owl Bear] fell heavily to the ground, lifeless.

The battle lasted for only half an hour which was enough for the monster to die from hemorrhage. Its punctured eyes were now dappled with claw marks whilst its lacerated neck gushed out with blood.

The monster died, helpless.

Typically, it could kill Alab with relative ease. But, without its augmented senses, the disoriented monster was impaled over time eventually fell limp to the ground and then died.

[You have killed a level 30 Owl Bear (C)!]

[Exp: 10% ---> 32%]

[You have received a Copper Coin ×50]

In the entire process, the skeleton was not left unscathed. In fact, it had died 5 times which proved the monstrosity of the [Owl Bear].

Alab had lingered away from the battle whilst staying in command. When the battle ended, Alab pulled himself out of his hiding spot and then took the mana crystal that dropped from the corpse.

He then placed it in his inventory after inspecting its details.

The moment he was about to return to a discreet hollowed tree, a wild tremor in the ground alerted his senses. The littered rocks jumped feebly with the air stench of spoiled blood growing turbulent each second.

Gradually, Alab witnessed the source of the tremor.

Rummaging through the tangled trees, a pack of [Owl Bears] frantically ran exactly in his direction. It seemed that the wild cries of the [Owl Bear] that Alab just killed had reached meters or even farther away into the depths of the dungeon.

Alab didn't have that much time as he immediately commanded the skeleton apprentice to intercept the pack.

It ran with utmost obedience, dashing toward the monsters. Flicking the highly vicious blood off its broad sword, the skeleton apprentice cried with excitement.

Passion for battle had long been engraved in its heart if it even had one. The wild clanging of its jaw met the erratic hoots of the owlbears.

At last, the skeleton apprentice slammed its foot to the ground, brandishing its broad sword downward. The broad sword grew fiercer, coated with dark mist that frantically quivered, reflecting the thrill to fight 5 Owl Bears.

*humm!*

The broad sword punctured the eye of the owlbears on the forefront. But it didn't let itself be outdone. The blinded owl bear whacked its paw which dismembered the skeleton, its parts flinging to the ground.

[Your summon "Skeleton Apprentice" has died]

*ROAR!*

The Owl Bear brimmed with madness.

"Skeleton Summoning"

Alab knew that he could no longer hide from this pack of monsters. They had already seen him and their enhanced senses were difficult to run from.

The skeleton might be a lone wolf in contrast to the harmonized goblins. It couldn't deal extensive damage unlike Anastasia nor was it intelligent and cunning like Han Seo Yeon. But, its strength lay in its incapability to feel fatigued and die.

The skeleton was consistent and immortal.

[Your summon "Skeleton Apprentice" has died]

With a brisk usage of mana, the skeleton apprentice woke from death. A new [Skeleton Apprentice] emerged from the ground, kicking the littered bones of its previous selves as it darted toward the oncoming owlbears.

It had already disrupted the senses of the leader owl bear, leaving 4 more monsters.

Alab took this time to pull back and find a hiding spot. He peered through the bloody battle. The rotten scent filled the air that wafted through his nose. It grew stronger and stronger with each blood tinting the ground red.

[Your summon "Skeleton Apprentice" has died]

The skeleton died once more.

"Skeleton Summoning"

Right away, it dashed forward with ethereal excitement.

Alab wasn't certain of his triumph. It was evident that the monsters were growing adept and accustomed to the skeleton apprentice's limited attack patterns. Alab believed that it was only a matter of time before they could overturn the battle, breaking the standstill.

'Think, think, Alab...'

Alab squeezed his brain for whatever efficient method he could come up with. He needed a decisive attack that could end this battle all at once.

If not, even the least trivial means to disrupt this standstill could work.

At this moment, Alab filtered out his squeezed-out means and came up with the most efficient method.

He glanced at his remaining mana.

[MP: 910 / 21,120]

Alab was only 80 mana away from his next upgrade!

Immediately, Alab ran to another hollow tree that was farther from the fight ahead.

Steeling his composure, Alab took a breath as he sat in a lotus position. This way, he could replenish his mana at a faster rate. He shortly closed his eyes, calming the turbulent waves of thoughts in his mind.

He gave the skeleton its command to stall for time without dying.

The skeleton apprentice halted piercing eye after eye as it drifted to another side, seemingly running away from the pack. It made sure to attack at times to taunt and keep the monsters' aggro to itself.

But Alab knew that this method wouldn't last that long. The monsters would grow tired eventually and bare their beaks toward his way.

He had to replenish his mana the sooner the better!

Every 7 seconds, Alab could restore a single mana. It would take him 10 minutes at most to restore that 80 mana.

The tremor grew fiercer along with the wild hoots and upheaval of ravaged trees. The rotten aroma was drifting away from the area with the southern cold breeze.

The crescent moon cast a silver glow that dimly lit the overcast dungeon. The surrounding erupted with the chaos of horrifying cries of both monsters and participants.

Amidst all these, Alab remained still.

*CLANG!*

[Your summon "Skeleton Apprentice" has died]

His summoned skeleton had gradually died.

However, the notification didn't cease there.

[Your converted points have increased!]

[D-grade points +1]

[Available Converted Points:

- D (×100) ]

"Upgrade the Skeleton Apprentice Skill"

[Initializing upgrade...]

[You have successfully upgraded the "Skeleton Apprentice Summoning (D)" skill!]

[Ding! Your skill has been promoted to C-rank]

[Generating the upgraded skill...]

[Upgraded skill: Skeleton Soldier (C)]

[The Skeleton Soldier wishes for a name]

[Name your summon: ]