Eternal Rest

The clerk guided Bones upstairs, where a small crowd of individuals perused the enchanted items on display. Bones quickly noticed that all the patrons on the second floor appeared to be adventurers. The reason became clear as he examined the items showcased—enchanted goods. In a town boasting an academy, adventurers were undoubtedly the primary clientele seeking such wares.

"Sir, this way, please. All the masks displayed here come with a simple self-repair enchantment, and I can vouch for their durability. If you desire a different color or a specific enchantment, we can place an order for you."

"No, no, this will meet all my needs. Thank you."

"Then, if you require further assistance, don't hesitate to ask for me."

Bones nodded, continuing to survey the masks before him. Ultimately, it boiled down to his preferences. He dismissed the overly decorative masks or those adorned with excessive ornaments. He simply needed a functional mask that looked decent. After one last perusal of the rack, he halted at a particular mask, gazing at it for a moment before removing it and signaling to the clerk that he had made his choice.

"Would that be all, sir?"

"Yes, that would be all."

The mask cost a bit more than the garments he bought, leaning towards the expensive side, which left him broke again. With a bit over three gold leftover, Bones couldn't afford the Monster Compendium book. Gold was the least of his worries, though. From the looks of it, he wouldn't be facing monsters anytime soon.

Bones noticed the same people following him from the moment he departed the clothing shop. He had a couple of ideas about who they might be. You could practically smell the Western District on them!

“Seems like someone somewhat capable noticed my nighttime activities. Not smart enough if this is the kind of riff-raff he sends after me…”

Back in the square, Bones went straight to the contract board outside the guild and meticulously read through each contract. Once done, he selected two from the board and headed inside to register them under his name at the reception desk.

The first contract on Bones' list was titled "The Subjugation of the Goblin Tribes," a repeatable quest suitable for solo or group endeavors. Adventurers of level five and above were encouraged to take part, aiming to gain valuable experience and skill levels. Goblins in the newbie zone ranged from level three to nine, with some variants surpassing level ten. While deeper into the forest, occasional monsters over level ten existed, but they were generally regulated by guild scouts to provide a balanced challenge for newcomers.

The second quest involved the repeatable subjugation of Steel-Tusk Boars, focusing on hunting and collecting their tusks.

Ready for action, Bones made his way through the bustling main street towards the gates. The entrance was packed with well-equipped adventurers, presumably bronze rankers. It seemed the recent undead threat northeast had prompted a formal notice for all bronze rankers to join forces in a subjugation mission against the encroaching undead plague.

Leaving the town gates and the lively crowd behind, Bones continued on the road past caravans and waiting individuals. However, once out of sight, he skillfully changed directions, heading toward the forest and seamlessly disappearing into the shadows, his pursuers still trailing behind.

After accepting the quests, Bones received a map of the training grounds from the receptionist, marked with an estimated area where his targets could be found. The only issue was that the designated area was vast, leaving Bones to wonder why they didn't just suggest circling the entire forest instead.

Moving through the forest, Bones encountered several groups of monsters, but none posed a real challenge and offered minimal experience. His numerous run-ins with the thugs had significantly boosted his experience in both race and class, bringing him close to leveling up again. However, the creatures in the training grounds were no longer sufficient for his progression. To advance further, he needed to face higher-level monsters or, as a grim alternative, consider dealing with other humans.

Contemplating how to handle his pursuers, Bones recognized the necessity of capturing one for interrogation. The Identify skill unveiled that two of them were rogues, while the third was a scout, all at level nine. Considering their skills, he opted to target the scout. After swiftly dispatching a lone monster, Bones climbed a nearby tree, patiently awaiting the arrival of the trio. Two minutes later, three figures emerged, engaged in hushed conversation.

“We should've caught up by now, where in blazes is he?”

“Hush, let the man do his job.”

The two conversing men were rogues, and the one tracking Bones was a scout.

“Uh, guys? The tracks end here,” the scout reported, furrowing his eyebrows.

“What?”

“He finished the monster instantly, circled the body and - tracks end here!” The scout explained, but the two rogues had doubts.

“Man, you really suck at tracking, haha,” one of them mocked.

“No, stupid! Shit! He got us!!!”

Bones hadn't anticipated being discovered so quickly. While he hadn't left many clues, the ones he did were enough. Forced to act swiftly, he leaped from the tree and, mid-air, aimed a Bone Spear straight at the scout's head. The scout, sensing the impending attack, dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding a spear that would have otherwise penetrated his head.

The two rogues looked up, spotting their target descending. Thinking that Bones had lost his weapon in the throw and failed to kill the scout, one of them made a rash decision to charge at Bones just as he neared the ground. The scout, quick-thinking, yelled at the rogue to stop, but he was a step too late. The charging rogue, fully focused on Bones, raised his two daggers in defense, barely deflecting the incoming Bone Spear. Instead of piercing the heart, the spear struck his shoulder, causing him to stagger and interrupt his charge.

Injured and staggered, the rogue could only watch as Bones landed in front of him, lowering his stance and dashing forward. Realizing his mistake, the rogue knew he messed up. Hindered by the shoulder wound, he was late to react. Bones swiftly moved to the rogue's injured side, stabbing him between the ribs and puncturing his lungs. Gasping for air, the rogue collapsed, clutching his side.

The other rogue, witnessing his companion's predicament, moved quickly. With swift, precise movements, he slashed at Bones' head, catching him off guard. The dagger nicked Bones' forehead, removing his hood and exposing the stark whiteness of his skull. The scene had an impact on the scout, who rushed a fully charged shot. Sensing the impending attack from behind, Bones instinctively ducked, narrowly avoiding the arrow that grazed his scalp before finding its unintended target in the rogue. The force of the impact propelled the rogue backward, creating sufficient distance for Bones to deploy a newfound skill, a consequence of his recent level-up achieved after dispatching the first rogue.

Combat experience gained

ding

Level up!

Congratulation, class Bonemancer is now lvl 10

You have learned a new skill: Bone Nova

Skill: Bone Nova [basic] - Unleashes short projectiles made of bones in a spiral around you, causing bleeding with the chance to cripple targets. Number of projectiles limited to 5.

Increased damage per skill level and +1 projectile per 5 skill levels

Cost: 10 mana per projectile

From a kneeling position, Bones propelled himself upward and immediately activated the skill. Five short bone projectiles burst outward in a spiraling pattern. One projectile struck the rogue in the chest, while the others missed their intended targets. Simultaneously, Bones launched a Bone Spear towards the scout. Although the scout adeptly dodged the initial bone projectile, he failed to evade the subsequent Bone Spear, which lodged itself in his throat.

Turning around, Bones observed the scout's pleading expression as he extracted the spear and frantically reached for a healing potion from his belt. Understanding the need to keep one of them alive, Bones allowed the scout to administer the potion. However, the fate of the other rogue was sealed with a swift, fatal slash to the throat.

With the immediate threat neutralized, Bones redirected his attention to the now collapsed scout. Approaching him, Bones knelt and met the fear-stricken gaze of the wounded man. As the healing potion took effect, Bones summoned two spears, surprising the scout. Displaying the weapons, Bones then thrust them through the scout's kneecaps, eliciting a scream that echoed through the forest.

Retrieving another healing potion from the scout's belt, Bones dismissed the spears and poured the potion onto the wounds. Once the scout's cries subsided, Bones proceeded with a torturous interrogation. Annoyed by the man's screams, Bones placed his hand over the scout's mouth. Bones spoke in a hushed tone, trying to comfort the wounded scout. "I know it's painful. All will be over soon. I'm going to move my hand now, and you're going to tell me who and why, or we're back to using healing potions to heal your wounds—do you understand? Nod if you do."

Reluctantly, the scout responded with a teary nod. As Bones removed his hand, he listened to the desperate pleas of the captive. Bones regarded the scout's desperate plea with an emotionless gaze. "Your life depends on the truth you provide," he uttered coldly. Despite the scout's fear for his life, he confessed everything in the hope that cooperation might spare him. However, Bones remained resolute, determined not to leave any witnesses behind.

Roy, Rogue lvl 9, dead

Troy, Rogue lvl 9, dead

Thomas, Scout lvl 9, dead

Combat experience gained

Combat experience gained

Level up!

Congratulation, you are now lvl 10

+1 STR, +2 VIT, +2 INT

You have learned a new skill: Calcium Carbonate

The newfound information surprised Bones, sparking a sense of urgency. "Seems I should go back to the city as soon as I'm finished with the quests." Racing against time and armed with a new purpose, Bones quickly skimmed through the notifications. One particularly odd skill caught his attention. While its name was peculiar, he refrained from passing judgment. The passive skill reinforced his bones, increasing their density and granting resistance to physical, bleed, and poison damage. Despite the seeming redundancy for a skeleton immune to these ailments, he observed an unusual aspect—this passive skill didn't appear to be upgradeable. However, it did improve by 1% per point in the VIT attribute. Considering his vulnerability to blunt attacks, any resistance that mitigated damage was a valuable asset.

Within an hour, Bones reached the marked location on his map. He climbed a tree, skillfully using branches to move around silently, avoiding any potential alert to goblins or other monsters in the vicinity. Observing the first goblin tribe from a safe distance, he quickly grasped why the quest was deemed repeatable.

The poorly constructed camp sprawled with numerous goblins, enclosed by a rudimentary wooden fence with a single wide entrance. A large fire pit occupied the center, surrounded by makeshift tents adorned with skulls and various ornaments, including human skulls. Behind the fire pit stood an altar and a totem pole, possibly a place of prayer for the goblins. Half of the goblins were in slumber, while the others idled about aimlessly.

The quest didn’t specify the number of goblins to be eliminated, focusing on the Goblin Chiefs as the primary targets. However, Bones had no intention of sparing any of them. Spotting his target emerging from the largest tent with two well-equipped minions, he couldn't help but feel exhilarated. The Goblin Chief, donning what seemed like adventurers' gear and wielding a hefty two-handed club, held a level advantage over Bones, adding anticipation to the impending clash.

Without hesitation, Bones charged into the camp, launching a Bone Spear at the chief. Anticipating the attack, the chief deftly deflected the spear with a wide swing of his club. Bones knew he wouldn't take down the chief on the first attempt; the spear served as a distraction to close the distance. As he approached, the goblins momentarily froze before rallying to arms.

Bones forcefully thrust his spear into the ground, causing fiery embers and shrapnel to scatter towards the chief and his minions. The embers ignited the tents, adding chaos to the battlefield. The enraged Goblin Chief charged at Bones, who strategically retreated into the group of goblins. Surrounded on all sides, Bones unleashed quick bursts of Bone Nova, impaling the chief and several goblins.

After the fifth Bone Nova, Bones had to cease the onslaught, feeling the strain on his bones and the dwindling control over mana. His mana dropped dangerously low, below ten percent. The few surviving goblins scattered, leaving only the Goblin Chief and his two minions. Exhausted, Bones faced the minions as they launched their attack. Despite their efforts, the encounter between the spear-wielding goblins and Bones' ranged bone spears ended swiftly, with the minions offering little resistance. The Goblin Chief, now the sole survivor, glared at Bones with visible hatred and signs of resignation. He dropped his mace, and in response, Bones dropped the chief's head.

With a few goblins managing to escape, the subjugation of the goblin tribe was considered a success. The burning tents and the scent of charred corpses created a grim atmosphere, likely to attract beasts. Unperturbed, Bones didn't linger, swiftly consulting the map for his next quest location and moving on. One goblin tribe was sufficient for the time being.

An hour later, Bones found himself watching a colossal boar rub its back against a tree, prompting memories of the first ill-fated encounter with an adventurer party. As he completed the task of gathering twenty tusks from ten Steel-tusk boars, the sky had shifted into the evening's embrace. With Westbrook a few hours away and no time to waste, Bones hastened back. A meeting awaited him – one set up by Thomas, the scout he had dispatched earlier and the orchestrator of the pursuit against him.