Skeleton Graveyard

"Scholar! I was just about to contact you."

The Shield Guard's voice came through, carrying its usual roughness and a trace of suppressed excitement. "Like we discussed, I got my hands on a [Hardwood Tower Shield].

It's a bit heavy, but it'll definitely hold up better against those walking bone piles.

The two spearmen sharpened their weapons too, and each brought a bottle of cheap hemostatic powder. Now we're just waiting on your lighting tactic!"

"I've prepared some Light Spell scrolls. They should be enough,"

Su Ran said. "Skeleton monsters generally fear light or rely on darkvision, so strong light will interfere with their movements.

It might even weaken the negative energy in their bone joints. We'll follow the plan and advance steadily, one step at a time."

"Got it! Follow the light and fortify our position with every step!"

The Shield Guard chuckled. "Honestly, that sounds reliable. Much better than those random parties that yell about charging straight in. So, same time and place tomorrow?"

"All right, see you tomorrow."

After ending the call, Su Ran checked his preparations: five Light Spell scrolls, two Lesser Healing Spell scrolls, an Oak Staff, and some odds and ends and his remaining money in his personal space.

[Skeleton Graveyard (Easy)] was indeed known on the forum's list of recommended low-level dungeons for its relatively generous rewards,

especially the chance of getting crude weapons that dealt extra damage to undead or glimmer-quality bone materials,

which were worth a lot more than the worthless rat teeth from Dark Rat Nest.

On the other hand, the skeleton soldiers inside attacked more fiercely, and the environment was more oppressive, testing an ordinary party's coordination and courage.

The next day, Su Ran arrived on time at the designated meeting area in the dungeon wilderness.

From a distance, he spotted the Shield Guard's figure, a size burlier than the average person. He carried a thick, heavy hardwood shield on his back, nearly as tall as he was and edged with iron. It certainly looked highly defensive.

The two spearmen from last time stood beside him. The three were talking in low voices, obvious anticipation on their faces, looking almost ready to roll up their sleeves and get to work.

"Scholar! Over here!" The sharp-eyed Shield Guard waved him over.

Su Ran hurried over.

"You're finally here!"

The Shield Guard thumped the leather armor strapped over his chest, producing a dull thud. "We can hardly wait! The forum says that, with good luck, one run of [Skeleton Graveyard (Easy)] can equal two runs of the Rat's Nest!

Those bone piles are afraid of light, and with your trick, isn't this a sure win?"

One of the spearmen nodded, a light in his eyes. "Yeah, Scholar. Thanks to you for last time in the rat nest. If this run goes smoothly too, maybe I can save enough to buy a better spear."

The other spearman said nothing, but his grip on his spear tightened. He was clearly just as eager.

Su Ran could sense the mixture of nervousness and excitement in them.

For professionals like them, struggling at the bottom, a dungeon with generous rewards that they seemed to have found a way to counter

was undoubtedly a spark of hope in the darkness, enough to set their hearts racing.

"Don't get careless."

Su Ran's tone was calm as he cautioned them. "The Light Spell can interfere with them, but it can't stop them completely. Skeletons attack directly, and they're quite strong.

Shield Guard, you'll still be under the most pressure. You two, thrust more decisively and aim for their joints."

"Don't worry!" The Shield Guard patted the huge shield beside him. "This time, I guarantee those bone sticks will smash themselves to pieces against it! Shall we get going?"

Su Ran glanced at the distant dungeon entrance light gate, [Skeleton Graveyard (Easy)], shrouded in a faint gray-black mist, with the dim outlines of ruined tombstones visible within.

"Let's go." He nodded.

The four-person party, carrying their respective equipment and scrolls, along with their hopes and plans for the new adventure, headed toward the entrance wreathed in gray mist.

As they stepped through the entrance light gate of [Skeleton Graveyard (Easy)], a cold, damp air instantly replaced the dryness of the wilderness.

The light abruptly dimmed. A layer of unbroken gray mist covered the sky, and only the sparse moss on the ground, emitting a sickly phosphorescent glow, provided a little illumination.

The air was filled with the musty smell of earth and a faint, dry scent like bone powder.

Underfoot was soft, slippery mud mixed with small stones and unidentifiable fragments of bone. Crooked, broken tombstones lay scattered all around, most heavily weathered, their inscriptions blurred.

In the distance, the faint outlines of more ruined tombs disappeared into thicker gray mist, their precise boundaries impossible to make out.

"Hold formation, and watch your step."

Su Ran spoke in a low voice. The shieldguard immediately stepped forward and planted his enormous Hardwood Tower Shield in front of him. The two spearmen took positions on either side, their spears angled forward.

Su Ran stood under the protection of the three, a Light Spell scroll ready in his hand.

They had only taken a few steps when the soil on two low burial mounds ahead shifted.

Clack... clack...

Two skeleton soldiers, carrying rusted short swords and with eerie green soul flames flickering in their eye sockets, slowly crawled out of the earth.

Their movements were somewhat stiff, their bones scraping together with a grating sound as they staggered toward the party.

"Here they come!" the Shield Guard growled, adjusting the angle of his shield slightly.

"Deal with them first!" Su Ran said.

The outcome of the fight was hardly in doubt.

The Shield Guard blocked the first skeleton's slash. The impact made the skeleton stumble, and the Spearman on the right seized the chance to thrust into a gap between its neck bones.

He twisted hard, sending the skeleton's skull flying along with several cervical vertebrae. Its soul flame went out, and its frame fell apart.

The Spearman on the left sparred briefly with the other skeleton. Under the Shield Guard's cover, he likewise drove his spear through its ribs, disrupting the connection to the soul flame at its core.

They dealt with them easily. The two skeletons dropped nothing but a few meager pinches of bone powder and two copper coins.

The party continued deeper. The mood eased slightly, but no one let down their guard. Soon, as they passed a half-collapsed tomb, the earth churned up around them in four directions at once.

Clack clack clack...

Four skeleton soldiers burst out at the same time, one of them even carrying a battered bone shield.

"Four of them! Work together!"

The shieldguard shouted, swinging his shield from side to side as he tried to draw more aggro. The two spearmen tensed, their backs to the shieldguard as they dealt with the enemies on either side.

The fight was a little fiercer than the last. The shield-bearing skeleton gave a spearman some trouble, sparks flying as his spear tip struck its bone shield.

But the Shield Guard seized the right moment and smashed the bone shield aside with a fierce shield bash. The Spearman immediately followed up with a strike, finishing it off.

The other three were also smashed to pieces one by one through their orderly teamwork.

Once again, there was only bone powder and a few copper coins, though the shield-bearing skeleton dropped an additional small bone fragment.

"Looks like it really does come in waves, just like the guide said, with the number doubling each time."

Su Ran frowned, a guess forming in his mind. "The next wave might be eight. Get ready, and don't hold back on the scrolls."

Sure enough, as they approached a relatively open area with a broken stone pillar standing in its center, a sudden change occurred.

Eight burial mounds around them burst open almost simultaneously, sending dirt flying. Eight skeleton soldiers emerged!

This time, their weapons were somewhat different. Besides rusted swords and bone shields, there were even two rusty woodcutting axes, and their eerie green soul flames seemed to flicker a little more fiercely.