Although Zhao Lun didn't have any particular expectations for the eerie, gloomy cave in the memories of the Skeleton Mage, he soon realized that facing the massive axe-wielding skeleton in front of him was far more terrifying. He would rather deal with the creepy, dilapidated cave than this intimidating skeleton with a giant axe.
Perhaps it was because of the influence of the Skeleton Mage's memories, or maybe Zhao Lun was just naturally rough around the edges, but when the giant axe came swinging toward him, he didn't panic at all. Aside from the initial shock, he managed to remain calm and reacted with surprising speed. In fact, compared to his previous inexperience, Zhao Lun's battle tactics and style were impressively seasoned.
Without hesitation, Zhao Lun swiftly stepped back two paces, narrowly avoiding the deadly swing of the giant axe. He then raised his staff, facing the Skeleton once more as it hoisted its giant axe high. Zhao Lun quickly began chanting the incantation for his first true spell, "Blind."
"Faster, faster, I need to finish this chant before it attacks again!"
He poured all his focus into the incantation, and just as the giant axe came crashing down again, Zhao Lun completed the spell. Fortunately, the "Blind" spell had an effect on this giant axe skeleton, unlike the last time when he aimed it at a stone.
The cave was already pitch-black, and without the faint glow from Zhao Lun's soul flame and eye fire, the giant axe skeleton would have had trouble even seeing. Now, with the spell taking effect, darkness enveloped the area, and the giant axe skeleton froze for a moment.
"Lie down, obediently!" Zhao Lun seized the opportunity. He gripped his staff like a sword and charged forward, aiming directly at the soul flame inside the giant axe skeleton's skull. With all his might, he stabbed downward.
"Boom!"
In the next instant, Zhao Lun was struck by the giant axe, sending him crashing into the cave wall. His already fragile skeleton frame shattered further upon impact.
"Hahaha... That's awesome!" Whether it was due to a head injury or sheer excitement, Zhao Lun rolled on the ground a few times before finally stabilizing his shattered frame. He then burst into laughter, enthusiastically clapping his remaining bone hand against the ground, reveling in the rush.
His joy was not without reason. Even though he had taken a hit from the giant axe, with much of his skeleton shattered, as long as his soul flame remained intact, all was well. Even if only his skull remained, restoration would just be a matter of time.
The giant axe skeleton, however, wasn't so fortunate. Its soul flame was shattered by Zhao Lun's attack, and with a loud crash, it collapsed to the ground. Zhao Lun laughed even harder at the sight.
"Right, right! Can't waste this, can't waste it. I haven't absorbed any soul flames yet... I wonder if absorbing this one will bring me to level 1."
Amid his laughter, Zhao Lun spotted the shattered soul flame pieces in the giant axe skeleton's skull. His pale eye fire flared with excitement. Without a second thought, he hurriedly crawled toward the broken skull and, with his remaining skeletal hand, began greedily collecting the soul fragments. One by one, he consumed them, transferring them into his own soul flame with the technique he had learned from the Skeleton Mage's memories.
The moment the fragments were absorbed into his own soul flame, Zhao Lun felt a warm, soothing sensation fill his soul. It was as if a gentle, comforting energy flowed through him, invigorating him like never before.
As the lowest-ranking undead in the Underworld, skeletons usually had no hope of achieving greatness. There were many reasons for this, but the most obvious were their innate limitations and lack of methods for growth.
As for innate factors, skeletons were born far weaker than even common undead. Take the Black Knight, for example, an undead character commonly found in knight novels. They were born with level 5 strength, and with luck, they could evolve into a high-level undead like the Wraith Knight.
But skeletons? Out of a hundred thousand, only one might make it to level 5, and even fewer would surpass that. Zhao Lun would soon learn just how vast this gap was, though at the moment, he was still enthusiastic about his status as a Skeleton Mage.
However, Zhao Lun did have one advantage over other skeletons—his developed intellect. With this edge, Zhao Lun was already lightyears ahead of the average skeleton. If he played his cards carefully, reaching level 5 would be just a matter of time. Beyond that, whether he could keep progressing depended on his own efforts and whether the gods were favorable toward him.
Right now, though, Zhao Lun didn't think much about those long-term goals. The boost from the soul flame had reinvigorated him, dispelling the sluggishness he had felt after using "Blind." His excitement was through the roof. After defeating his first skeleton, Zhao Lun felt an overwhelming sense of accomplishment. It was the kind of exhilaration one might feel after winning a huge prize or achieving something impossible.
Unfortunately, there was no one around to share his joy—no humans, not even another skeleton. But maybe that was for the best. If another skeleton had been nearby, Zhao Lun might not have been celebrating but rather lamenting his fate.
Soon, Zhao Lun found something to do. He climbed over the remains of his shattered skeleton, carefully collecting the scattered bones and starting to piece them back together. It felt like a game of skeleton jigsaw puzzle, and the satisfaction was genuine.
Despite their intimidating appearance, skeletons were surprisingly cost-effective and practical. They didn't get sick, didn't need sleep, and didn't have to worry about their bodies breaking down. Even if they did fall apart, they could easily be put back together. With enough skill, you could have a new skeleton in no time—both cheap and practical.
That said, Zhao Lun's craftsmanship was far from perfect. It took him more than an hour to put himself back together. He couldn't blame himself too much—the blow from the giant axe had damaged him severely, especially his pelvis. But after some effort, he finally managed to reassemble his skeleton, satisfied with his work. He stood up and walked around, admiring his creation. Once again, he felt an immense sense of pride in having become a Skeleton Mage.