Fully Armed, Grasp of Bones!

Under Lin Mu's command, the ninety Steel Skeletons surged forward like a flood of iron-gray water released from a sluice gate, rumbling as they swept deep into the cave.

"Clang, clang, clang..."

The uniform metallic clatter echoed through the narrow tunnel, shaking loose gravel from the rock walls until it pattered down.

Before long, several dark figures flickered at the corner ahead.

Five massive [Corrosion Rats] appeared, their fur greasy and reeking of pungent acid, baring sharp fangs.

Close behind them, two millstone-sized [Cave Spiders] followed, their eight compound eyes gleaming with eerie green malice, viscous venom dripping from their opening and closing mouthparts.

These monsters, ranging from LV.5 to LV.6, would be enough to throw any low-level adventurer squad into chaos in a novice dungeon, even costing them dearly.

Yet, when their proud claws and venomous fangs struck the metallic sheen of the Steel Skeletons' bones, "Clink, clink, clink!"

only a series of fine sparks burst forth, leaving shallow white scratches so faint they were nearly negligible.

"-1 HP!"

"-2 HP!"

Paltry damage numbers floated up from the skeletons' heads like mockery.

In contrast, the Steel Skeletons' attacks were brutally straightforward.

Several skeletons stepped forward, their steel blades whistling through the air as they chopped down without any flourish.

"Thud!"

"Squeal—!"

Each blow easily tore through the monsters' flesh, leaving horrifying wounds deep enough to see bone.

Almost one strike per kill!

Inside the cave, only the dying wails of the monsters and the "crack" of shattering bones remained.

Lin Mu's experience bar skyrocketed at a visible pace.

[Necromancer Lin Mu has leveled up to LV.5!]

In less than half an hour, after clearing several waves of similar monsters, the familiar prompt sounded in his mind.

Lin Mu didn't hesitate.

He allocated his 5 new free attribute points: 3 into Intelligence, 2 into Constitution.

His maximum HP and MP rose once more.

Then, he eagerly equipped the LV.5 gear from his backpack that had been waiting impatiently—

[Rapid Healing Ring], [Silent Black Stone Necklace], [Fire Lizard Guardian Breastplate], [Swift Wind Boots]!

In an instant, a surge of power far beyond before flooded his entire body like a warm current!

99 HP recovery per second—he was practically an unkillable cockroach!

A terrifying perception range of +92 meters—any movement within nearly a hundred meters was impossible to hide!

+99% fire resistance let him virtually ignore the vast majority of fire damage at this stage!

A 95% movement speed boost made him feel as light as a swallow, with wind beneath his feet!

"Nice!"

Lin Mu reveled in the surging power within his body.

Then he took out the official reward skill book—[Grasp of Bones].

[Ding! Learn skill "Grasp of Bones"?]

"Learn!"

[Grasp of Bones] (Level 1): Consumes 25 mana, summons a skeletal hand at a designated location, which grips and then explodes, dealing 30 physical damage within a 2-meter radius.

Talent [Description Tamperer] activated!

A more detailed description appeared before his eyes.

[Grasp of Bones] (Level 1): Consumes 25 mana, uses the power of death to condense aged bones at a designated location, forming a skeletal hand that bursts from the ground, quickly grips enemies within range, then explodes, dealing 30 physical damage to enemies within a 2-meter radius.

"Change '2-meter radius' to '9-meter radius'!"

The skill description blurred, then reshaped itself.

Lin Mu casually added the newly obtained skill point to [Grasp of Bones].

[Grasp of Bones] (Level 2): Consumes 27 mana, summons a skeletal hand at a designated location, which grips and then explodes, dealing 35 physical damage within a 9.2-meter radius.

Then he opened his class panel.

[Name: Lin Mu]

[Class: Necromancer]

[Level: LV.5, Experience: 38/800]

[Health: 200/200]

[Mana: 280/280]

[Strength: 2]

[Agility: 9] (Boots +5)

[Intelligence: 28]

[Constitution: 20] (Breastplate +3, Necklace +2)

[Free Attribute Points: 0]

[Skill Points: 0]

[Equipment: Withered Wood Staff, Fire Lizard Guardian Breastplate, Swift Wind Boots, Rapid Healing Ring, Silent Black Stone Necklace]

Lin Mu couldn't wait to test the power of his new skill.

He continued deeper for a short while.

Not far ahead.

Three LV.6 [Cave Ogres] were swinging thick wooden clubs and charging with roars.

Their bodies were massive.

Their skin a filthy gray-green.

Exuding a nauseating stench of rot.

Lin Mu raised a finger and pointed.

"[Grasp of Bones]!"

As mana surged.

"Boom!"

The ground exploded open.

A massive claw composed of countless pale bones.

Burst forth from the earth with overwhelming force!

This skeletal hand was several meters in size, its five fingers hideous, radiating a dense aura of death.

The moment it appeared, it had already enveloped the three [Cave Ogres] and a large area around them!

"Urgh?!"

The ogres, caught off guard by the sudden change, let out panicked roars.

The next second.

The giant skeletal hand clenched violently!

"Bam—!"

A dull, explosive crack echoed through the cavern.

Countless bone shards scattered in all directions.

Three [Cave Ogres] let out miserable screams.

Damage numbers, neither high nor low, floated up from each of them.

Although a single hit wasn't fatal to these thick-skinned ogres, the terrifying attack range made Lin Mu's eyes light up!

"Not bad! If I tweak it a few more times and raise the damage of this [Grasp of Bones], it'll perfectly patch up my lack of area-of-effect output!"

Lin Mu thought to himself.

The Steel Skeleton horde handled the frontline push and tanking.

[Bone Tooth] took care of precise, high-threat eliminations.

Add in the large-scale [Grasp of Bones] for crowd control, along with his own insane recovery, freakish perception range, and terrifying elemental resistance—

his tactical system had become flawless!

Next, with the aid of his 92-meter perception range, Lin Mu could always predict the distribution of monsters in the passages ahead.

He could even clearly distinguish the intensity of different monsters' auras.

He commanded his skeleton army, striking with precision.

Every skirmish

ended in an overwhelming, crushing victory.

Experience points soared.

As he delved deeper, the cave environment grew darker and eerier.

Strange black rocks began to appear on the cavern walls.

They were sharp-edged, their surfaces covered in twisted patterns, exuding a faint negative energy.

In Lin Mu's perception, there seemed to be faint whispers, seeping out from those black rocks in thin strands.

The sound was filled with despair and malice, constantly battering his mind.

It wasn't until he reached the edge of a massive underground lake that the whispers temporarily faded.

The foul-smelling lake water was a strange, murky green.

The surface was littered with the remains of unknown creatures.

A grotesquely bloated and twisted monster was crouched by the lake, gnawing on a rotting corpse.

[Mutated Ghoul Elite] (LV.8, Elite)

[HP: 1200]

[Traits: Venom Spit, Rapid Movement, Putrid Aura]