My strength is 2 to the power of my level

Even though Mordred booked it, Ares managed to land a second blow.

As the Necromancer retreated, Ares's feet, against his will, turned towards Mordred Blackwood, automatically following.

This ticked Ares off.

With his 21 attack, he only needed four hits to finish off the 80 HP Bone-Eroding Scorpion.

And the jerk ran!

Ares didn't know what Mordred Blackwood was so scared of. He just knew the Necromancer was messing with his freedom.

He wanted to chuck his bone sword at the fleeing figure.

Ares was forced to follow, almost out of combat range.

Then, the Bone-Eroding Scorpion, like a creepy ex, followed too.

The flames in Ares's sockets flickered. A plan formed. He resisted the pull, turning and slashing at the scorpion.

The scorpion's HP plummeted.

One more hit!

The scorpion chased a few steps, then, realizing it was out of its comfort zone, turned to go back.

As it turned, its HP started regenerating.

Ares wasn't about to let those precious Evolution Points slip away. He fought the pull again, lunging forward for one final strike.

The scorpion's HP hit zero. It swayed, then crashed to the ground.

Ares relaxed, letting the controlling force pull him back to Mordred Blackwood, blending in with the other skeletons.

Mordred Blackwood, glancing back, was surprised to see the Bone-Eroding Scorpion dead. He'd just caught the moment its body dissolved into smoke.

Lucky for him he hadn't looked back sooner, or he'd have seen Ares resisting his control to attack the scorpion.

Mordred Blackwood quickly checked Ares's status. Seeing his HP bar full, he breathed a sigh of relief.

Then, his excitement intensified.

He'd hit the jackpot.

A level 8 Bone-Eroding Scorpion, with poison attacks, no less! Unbeatable at its level.

And his mutant level 5 skeleton had soloed it!

"Yes! My revenge is at hand!"

Mordred Blackwood watched his own experience bar, rapidly filling thanks to Ares's over-leveled kills.

"I'm so lucky… James, even if you hit level 10 first, I'll catch up soon!"

"Just you wait, tomorrow, tomorrow at the latest…"

Mordred Blackwood rambled, directing Ares and the skeleton soldiers back to the previous area.

The crocodiles had respawned.

Despite knowing Ares could solo a Bone-Eroding Scorpion, Mordred Blackwood remained cautious, not letting him near them.

He even took a detour, clearing monsters from a different direction.

Ares didn't care. Level 7 or 8 monsters, it made no difference.

Four hits, dead.

And he had infinite HP. He was immortal.

But Mordred Blackwood was a liability. Too many restrictions!

So, Ares started kiting.

He'd leave the crocodiles with a sliver of health, herding them towards Mordred Blackwood.

Mordred Blackwood, blissfully unaware, trusted his summons completely. In the game, they were absolutely loyal, obeying every command, even suicide. He never considered that he couldn't control Ares's *thoughts*.

He left his back exposed.

And the little level 5 skeleton, followed by a pack of almost-dead crocodiles, surrounded him.

Mordred Blackwood didn't react until the first bite. After a few more, he shrieked and cast a firewall skill.

The AoE attack took out three of the low-HP crocodiles.

Four, outside the range, survived.

But he was at half health.

And out of mana.

Now, he could only fling pathetic little fire sparks from his staff or use it as a melee weapon.

Dealing one or two points of damage per hit.

But the crocodiles still had 17 or 18 HP each.

"Attack them! Attack!" Mordred Blackwood yelled at Ares, waving his staff, trying to control him.

But his control wasn't working.

The flames in Ares's sockets flickered wildly, but he didn't move, even as the crocodiles bit him.

"What's going on? Lag?"

Mordred Blackwood couldn't control Ares, and his squishy body couldn't take the hits. He was dying.

His eyes filled with hatred.

"Fuck it! Piece of junk! Die here!"

Mordred Blackwood ran.

Bleeding from his wounds, he was like a walking buffet.

The remaining crocodiles, even those outside aggro range, were drawn to him.

Mordred Blackwood almost wet himself, frantically clicking something in the air.

His figure turned translucent, then vanished just as the crocodiles reached him.

The other nine skeleton soldiers vanished too.

Even with plenty of time left on their duration, their master logging off meant they couldn't exist in this space. They returned to the summoning dimension.

As long as their timers didn't run out, or their HP didn't hit zero, they wouldn't dissipate.

They'd reappear when Mordred Blackwood logged back in.

Assuming their timers hadn't run out.

The timers didn't stop just because Mordred Blackwood logged off.

Even if they dissipated, it didn't matter much. They'd respawn as level 6 skeleton soldiers.

Only death would reset them.

Except for Ares.

From the moment he realized he was different, Ares knew that if his timer ran out, he was dead. Gone.

That's why he'd exploited Mordred Blackwood's misunderstanding, gaining Evolution Points while also fighting for his continued existence.

The moment Mordred Blackwood vanished, Ares felt a lightness, a release.

He swung his bone sword, dispatching the remaining crocodiles, then turned towards the spot where Mordred Blackwood had disappeared.

"Logged off?"

Ares didn't know what "logged off" meant, but he knew, instinctively, that as long as Mordred Blackwood didn't reappear, he was free!

The flames in his sockets danced. He turned and charged into the Bone-Eroding Scorpion nest.

Now or never!

Unburdened by mortality or fatigue, Ares swung his bone sword with a frenzy, harvesting scorpion lives.

In ten minutes, he had 100 Evolution Points.

[Evolve Level 3 Bone Sword?]

[Yes!]

Golden light flashed. The bone sword was now mostly gold, only a fifth remaining gray.

Next upgrade: 1000 Evolution Points!

Ares set his sights on the level 10 monster zone.

"Are you ready to die, level 10 monsters?"