CHAPTER 105: CHAPTER 105 : REALM OF SHADOWS (4)

Chapter 105 : Realm of Shadows (4)

The battle between Axton and the Shadow Warden would have been a tough one—if Axton wasn’t the utterly broken character that he was.

Relying solely on his ice element and the overwhelming power shared through his dragon, Axton made short work of the so-called guardian of the Realm of Shadows.

The fight that should have shaken the underworld instead ended quietly, almost effortlessly.

The Shadow Warden crumbled into a heap of bones, its body turning to ash as Axton stood calmly amidst the fading mist.

He looked down at the new bone core lying among the remains.

Axton wasn’t about to waste it.

The last time he had fought the skeletal horde, he’d received lower-grade bone cores—but now, he wanted more.

Instead of settling for the common variant, he chose to upgrade them, using the Grade 5 Bone Cores, a higher-tier version that promised stronger summons and greater potential.

Of course, with higher quality came steeper requirements.

To create an undead from Grade 5 Bone Cores, he needed 1,000 cores. Only then could he manifest a creature strong enough to serve as an Undead General instead of a mere commander.

A slow smirk crept across his lips as the system notified him of his current progress.

[Grade 5 Bone Cores: 33 / 1000]

"Looks like I’ve got work to do," Axton muttered, cracking his neck.

After slaying the Shadow Warden, the Realm of Shadows seemed to awaken with fury.

A dark mist rolled across the barren plains, and soon, a sea of skeletons emerged from the depths—hundreds, then thousands of them. Their bones rattled, weapons raised, empty sockets burning with faint blue flames.

It was as if the entire realm itself was rebelling against him.

But to Axton, this was perfect.

"More experience," he said with a grin.

He raised his hand, summoning a freezing storm that swept through the skeletal army. With each swing of his weapon and each burst of ice energy, the undead shattered into fragments, their cores scattering across the ground like glittering jewels.

He moved like a predator among prey—fluid, calm, and merciless. Every wave of his hand brought destruction; every second earned him another few bone cores.

Hours passed.

Bones cracked, ice shattered, and silence fell again.

Axton finally stood at the center of a massive field of destruction. All around him lay the shattered remains of the skeleton army, littering the dark soil.

The last bone core pulsed faintly in his hand.

[Grade 5 Bone Cores: 1000 / 1000]

A familiar ding echoed in his mind.

[You have acquired 1000 Bone Cores.]

[Undead General is now available.]

[Do you wish to proceed?]

[Yes / No]

"Yes," Axton said without hesitation.

The moment he gave his answer, the bone cores began to glow. A strange, low hum filled the air, and the ground beneath his feet trembled.

Then... he smelled smoke.

Not ordinary smoke—black, acrid, and heavy.

Axton narrowed his eyes and immediately stepped back, raising his guard. The smoke grew thicker, swallowing the battlefield in seconds until visibility dropped to zero.

It wasn’t just mist—this was deliberate.

Something was coming.

Axton’s instincts screamed a warning.

He couldn’t see, but he could feel it—an ominous presence lurking within the veil. Then came a sound that made his skin prickle.

A low, sinister laugh.

It echoed through the haze, bouncing from every direction.

Axton’s grip tightened on his weapon. His eyes darted across the darkness, but no matter how hard he looked, there was nothing to see.

’To cut off my vision... smart move,’ Axton thought.

He exhaled slowly, calming his mind. The enemy was using the smoke as cover to strike unseen.

’Fine then,’ he thought, his lips curving slightly. ’Let’s see whose surprise works better.’

The thick smoke churned as a shadowy figure finally emerged. It glided forward, searching the area where it had sensed Axton last.

But when it reached that spot—there was nothing.

Just an empty space.

The figure’s glowing eyes widened in surprise. It waved a hand, dispersing the black smoke with a burst of necrotic energy.

The battlefield cleared, revealing nothing but the desolate ruins of bones and shattered ice.

No Axton.

The figure stood still for a moment, then slammed its staff into the ground, sending a ripple of energy across the terrain.

Still nothing.

[Undead Mage]

[Grade: 5]

[Level: 34]

[Magic Power: 3000]

[Defense: 1500]

[HP: 2225 / 2225]

[Skills: Undead Summon, Hell’s Incense of Death, Dark Bomb]

The creature’s skeletal jaw clenched as it scanned its surroundings. Its hollow sockets glowed with brighter light, as if burning with frustration.

Then, without warning, it began to attack.

"Dark Bomb!"

A wave of black energy erupted from its staff, tearing through the area in front of it. Bones flew into the air. The shockwave dug trenches into the soil, leaving streaks of corruption wherever it passed.

But the Mage wasn’t done.

It swung its staff wildly, casting spells in every direction—north, south, east, west—each attack stronger than the last.

It was attacking blindly, relying entirely on luck to hit its hidden opponent.

The earth trembled. The atmosphere grew colder, thicker with each burst of energy. Yet despite its violent rampage... it hit nothing.

Because Axton wasn’t there.

He was right behind it.

[Skill Activated: Non Entity]

Axton’s presence had completely vanished.

His body had become ethereal, intangible. He didn’t exist in the physical plane—not as matter, not as energy.

No one could see him. No one could touch him.

He was a ghost.

Standing silently behind the Undead Mage, he observed the creature’s frenzy. Every strike, every blast of energy—it was meaningless.

"It’s powerful," Axton muttered under his breath, his voice inaudible to the living. "But without accuracy... it’s just wasting mana."

Axton was not wrong in his assessment. The Undead Mage was indeed just wasting mana.

Taking a deep breath, Axton decided to go on the offensive, clenching his fist tightly. He had seen the Undead Mage’s status profile and felt confident in what he was about to do.

He was going to attack the Undead Mage with his bare hands.