CHAPTER 54: AGAISNT SKELETAL LORD IV

The Skeleton Lord’s scythe screeched against the stone floor as it advanced, each step rattling through the cavern like a war drum. The miasma spilling from its frame thickened, curling through the air like oily smoke.

Rhys tightened his grip on Aether Vein, his fused aura blazing with water’s flowing strength, light’s purity, and shadow’s consuming edge. "Let’s put an end to you."

The Lord swung first — a wide, cleaving arc of black death energy. Rhys moved instantly.

[Ghost Edge Step] blurred him past the slash, the aftershock shattering the stone where he had stood.

Rhys retaliated. [Arc Surge Slash] burst from his blade, a streak of pure mana cutting through the fog and smashing against the Lord’s ribcage. The boss barely flinched, its bony frame cracking but holding firm.

The scythe came down again, faster this time. Puddle’s instincts flared.

[Light Shield] shimmered around them — the blow landed with a deafening clang, but the barrier dulled its force. Rhys twisted inside the Lord’s guard and swept low.

[Abyssal Grasp] erupted beneath the Lord, spectral black hands locking around its legs. Bone cracked as the grip tightened, slowing its movements.

Rhys took the opening.

[Whirlwind Slash] + [Water Blade] — his sword spun in a cyclone of steel and slicing water, carving deep into the Lord’s side. Shards of bone and tatters of rotting cloth sprayed into the air.

The Lord roared, its blue eye-flames flaring violently. Dark energy spiraled upward.

Necrotic runes burst across the floor — [Bone Legion Summon].

Dozens of skeletons clawed their way from the stone, surging forward.

Rhys smirked. "Bad move."

[Gleaming Halo] ignited around him — a spinning crown of radiant fire that scorched every undead within reach. Bones burst into white ash, collapsing into heaps.

The survivors tried to push through, but Rhys unleashed [Light Bullets] in a rapid barrage — golden spheres punched through skulls, scattering the mob before they could regroup.

One skeleton knight remained — until [Aqua Lance] ripped through the air, a spear of compressed water so sharp it punched clean through the knight’s chest, leaving a gaping hole before detonating in a spray that soaked the Lord itself.

"Soaked," Rhys thought, eyes flashing. That meant the Lord’s defenses were down.

He pressed the advantage.

[Shadow Tendrils] lashed from the ground, coiling around the Lord’s arms, wrenching its scythe off-line. The boss struggled, its movements slowed even further.

Rhys’s sword glowed — [Steamburst Edge] — fire and water combined into a scalding vapor slash that seared straight into the Soaked bone. Cracks spread across the Lord’s torso like a spiderweb.

The Lord howled in fury, the cavern shaking. With a violent burst, it shattered the shadows binding it, lunging forward with its scythe raised high.

Rhys didn’t retreat. His aura flared.

[Beastarmament: Elemental Overdrive] — all three elements surged into Aether Vein at once. The blade blazed in blue, black, and white light, the power distorting the very air around it.

The Lord’s scythe descended in a killing blow. Rhys leapt into it, both weapons colliding in a shockwave of light and shadow that shattered the stone floor beneath them.

Then Rhys twisted his blade, forcing the scythe wide, and brought Aether Vein down in a single, merciless strike.

The explosion of light and darkness engulfed the Lord completely, the force hurling bone fragments across the chamber. The blue flames in its skull guttered and died in a final, shuddering gasp.

When the dust cleared, the Skeleton Lord’s remains lay scattered across the ruined throne room. Its scythe clattered to the floor beside Rhys’s boots.

[ Boss Defeated: Skeleton Lord (Unique) ]

[ + 480,000 EXP ]

[ Bonus: Unique Boss Slayer – +15% EXP & drop rate for Unique bosses ]

[ Party Share Applied – Puddle receives shared EXP ]

[ Stored EXP will be applied after Rank Advancement ]

[Loot Acquired]

1. Deathbone Scythe (Unique – Weapon)

Attack Power: 1,850

Durability: 1,500 / 1,500

Special Effect 1: +20% Physical and Dark-element damage against Holy and Life attributed beings.

Special Effect 2: +10% Life Steal on melee hits every 11 seconds.

Active Skill – Bone Reaper: Wide cleaving strike that ignores 30% physical defense; applies [Bleed] for 5s that deals 2% of maximum health damage.

Cooldown: 2 min

Requirement: Level 90+, Strength 350, Agility 300

2. Ring of Eternal Bone (Epic – Accessory)

Effect 1: +28% Magic Resistance

Effect 2: +30% Damage to Holy attribute beings

Passive: Grants immunity to Mid-tier(Rare and Epic) curse effects

3. Blackened Soul Core (Boss Material)

Used for crafting high-tier necrotic or dark-element weapons & armor

Can also be offered to an Ancient Altar for unique skill awakening

[ Additional Drop: 12x Skeleton Lord’s Bone Shard (Rare Material) ]

[ Additional Drop: 420 Gold Coins ]

[Unique Skill Unlocked – Death’s Command] (Skeleton Lord Inheritance)

Type: Active – Summoning / Necromancy

Description: Allows the summoning of 3 Skeletal Champions from available corpses.

-Champion’s class will depend on the body used to summon the champion.

Champion Stats: Champion retains the Corpse skills and stats based on user’s level and Intelligence.

Duration: unlimited or until destroyed or called back.

Mana Cost: 1200 for each Champion

Cooldown: 1 hour

Attacjed Skill : Shadow Grave : Allow storage of Skeletal Champions.

Special Effect: Champions gain +25% damage against enemies marked by Predator’s Archive.

[Notification: You have acquired a Unique Boss Skill!]

The knowledge of commanding the dead flows into your mind. You can feel the faint echoes of the Skeleton Lord’s will lingering in the spell — but it now answers only to you.

-Its an Achievement Skill and don’t take the Skill slots of User. ]

Aether Vein dissolved into light as Puddle body formed once again.

Puddle bounced twice, its body shimmering in the afterglow of victory.

"Kyuu~"

Rhys smirked, sheathing his own blade. "Yeah... that’s one more nightmare off the list. And a damn good haul."

"And we even have the perfect body to use it on," Rhys said, glancing at the remains of the Skeleton Lord. He pointed toward the shattered ribcage and blackened skull.

"Skeletal Champion Creation," he commanded, activating the newly learned skill.

[ Unique Skill cannot be used on target ]

Rhys blinked, then let out a short laugh.

"Well... whatever. If it was usable, then it would’ve been a broken skill," he muttered. "Guess it makes sense. Two holders of the same unique skill existing at once would be impossible... and without his skill, the Lord was just another weak bag of bones."