Harkinne's journal was essentially a treasure map specifying coordinates. It served as a guide that vaguely hinted at the location and history of the Sealed Cave of Death, with clues that made sense only after the fact.
"It was here."
While the journal would inform other users of the history of The Lord, it was meaningless to Lokan. He already knew the entire history of the Sealed Cave of Death and the main scenario that would follow. For that reason, instead of following the journal's various superficial hints, he went straight to the cave.
It was a surprisingly ordinary cave: small, not very deep, and seemingly devoid of monsters. The only unusual feature was a skeleton leaning against the dead end at the far side.
"It's been a while, Skull Goblin."
This was Harkinne, the investigator who had led Lokan here. It was strange that he had just disappeared, but when Lokan considered the type of power the man had temporarily sealed, he could only nod in acknowledgment.
Lokan proceeded without hesitation. This was the confidence of someone who already knew what lay ahead and what was required.
"Let's finish it quickly, my children."
Clang! Clang! Clang!
As he stepped further inside, bones rose in response to the footsteps of a living being. The equipment that had been stacked on top of them also became functional.
[Elite Skeleton Soldier] [Lv 95]
It was a Skeleton Soldier with a familiar appearance that stood up. The only difference was that this one possessed specs that couldn't be compared to the ones in the Cemetery Under the Moon.
However, the current Lokan was also vastly different from that time. Even though this was a Level 95 Elite Skeleton Soldier, its actual combat power was comparable to the bandits he recently fought, or perhaps slightly more difficult. It lacked the physical stiffness of the injured bandits, but its level and abilities were similar.
"This is enough to speed things up."
Of course, the attack was sharper and the defense was more solid. This was because the Elite Skeleton Soldiers were the former soldiers of an ancient kingdom. It was only natural that trained soldiers would be superior to high-ability bandits.
But in the face of overwhelming strength, they were just a slight nuisance.
Crack!
The bones were broken with a single strike, rendering anything else meaningless. Adding two, three, or more to their numbers did not change the result. Since archers or wizards were non-existent here, Lokan moved forward faster than he did in the Bandit Den.
"The seal is finally broken!"
Thirty minutes later, a deafening voice resonated. The dungeon boss appeared.
[Forgotten Skull General] [Lv 100]
"Okay, now it's your turn to wake up!"
As soon as he spotted the boss, Lokan launched a Leaf Attack. This was not intended as a damage strike, but rather to stick close to the general.
"You insolent fool!"
The Skeleton General shouted while blocking Lokan's axe. However, even though the surprise attack was blocked, Lokan felt joy internally.
'The summoning of soldiers was blocked.'
If a certain distance was maintained, the general would typically use a pattern to summon his subordinates. The true power of the Forgotten Skeleton General was revealed when he commanded a large number of soldiers. His Aura of Death elevated the Elite Skeleton Soldiers to the level of the former bandit Vice-Bosses. Even if the general couldn't use a combination skill, this was quite dangerous.
"Do not break the formation, sir."
Once engaged in close combat, the Skeleton General didn't use as much power as Lokan expected. Not being able to use the Aura of Death was one problem, but the unusual nature of his weapon was another. His long sword, made by connecting fragmented bones like a spine, was characterized by its ability to elongate like a whip and sway like a snake, making it difficult for an opponent to predict. However, Lokan was stuck so close that the weapon couldn't utilize that function.
Since he couldn't take advantage of his Aura of Death or his unique weapon, it was only natural that his power was limited.
Kaga River!
But danger still remained. Although the sword bounced off Lokan's axe, the weapon, called the Whip Sword, still flickered like a tongue and aimed for Lokan's weak spots. Lokan had to work hard with his footwork, hitting the tip of the sword or applying pressure to keep it from extending.
One more thing: he had to be prepared for the general's combination skills. He had one prepared for when an opponent was in close proximity.
'The time is coming…'
"Bite it!"
'Now!'
And finally, the first combination skill exploded. In order to "bite" Lokan, Shikigami (familiars) emerged from the general's body with their mouths open.
In a normal melee, one couldn't help but panic, but it was a different story if you knew it was coming. Lokan quickly used Blink and Stealth in succession. Losing their mark, the Shikigami did not come out but went back inside the general. Normally, Lokan would have countered with a Shoulder Charge, but there was a more effective way, so there was no reason to.
"Dash!"
The Skeleton General didn't realize that even though the distance had widened, he still couldn't summon Skeleton Soldiers or use his Death Aura. Lokan approached again without giving him time to react.
"You are trying to stop the general of a noble empire, you foolish—"
"Are you still talking about the empire after its collapse?"
If it hadn't been destroyed long ago, there would be no way for Lokan to be his opponent. Lokan delivered a heavy blow to the general, who was speaking boastfully, and lowered his posture. He quickly stepped on the ground and shifted his weight.
"Shoulder Charge!"
But his gaze was fixed on the Whip Sword. The moment he deflected the sword and fired, he jumped again, timing it perfectly. And he slammed the general with his iron shoulder.
Whoops!
The general's combination skill, Phantom Steed, was essentially a ghost horse. Normally, you'd have to pass through it to hit it directly, but when there are passengers, the story changes. The skill forces the ghost to solidify and take shape to maintain the rider's state. That was exactly what Lokan was aiming for. Because of this, he was able to smash the general's head with his shoulder.
"Wagh!"
As a result, the life force he cut out was considerable, but the general endured it better than expected. This was due to Lokan's impressive strength, stamina, and constitution.
"Great! No!"
Of course, the Skeleton General who was sent flying was also not safe. It was fortunate that his neck was not broken, but he rolled across the floor so loudly that the summoning of the Phantom Steed was canceled.
"Gulp, oh, it makes things a little smoother, but it's hard work."
On the other hand, Lokan took an intermediate potion from his inventory and drank it. The reason users were inherently superior to monsters was because they could use potions.
"I will kill you!"
The Skeleton General stood up with a roar, shaking, but Lokan was not afraid. The troublesome Phantom Steed was gone, and it would be a while before the cooldowns of all the general's combination skills returned.
From now on, it was Lokan's time.
"Leaf Attack!"
The strategy was the same as the first: keep the pressure on. However, the force behind the axe was not the same as before. Previously, he was restrained because he didn't know when the combination skill would explode, but now he didn't have to worry and could swing with all his might.
[Critical!]
When he hit three times, one or two of them landed as critical hits. The Skeleton General's stylish armor was turned to rags, and his bones began to crack.
"I can't believe it, the resurrection of the empire…"
[You have leveled up.]
As Lokan drove his attack home with grim determination, the Skeleton General was soon destroyed, his major bones smashed.
[The Skeleton General is destroyed, revealing the essence of his death.]
[Hurry up! The Essence of Death has the power to cause death. If you do not retrieve it quickly, death will occur endlessly around you.]
What emerged from the destroyed Skeleton General's remains was a dark blue jewel. It was the 'Essence of Death'. Returning this would allow Lokan to complete the main scenario quest.
However, if it was not quickly retrieved, the Elite Skeleton Soldiers summoned by the general would begin to stand up one by one. They were weak compared to the general but still ranged from levels 95-99. After struggling with the boss battle, this was a dangerous situation for an average player.
"Good!"
However, it was a welcome sight for Lokan. It was a well-known fact that the Undead series offered generous experience points in exchange for a poor item drop rate.
Therefore, he had no reason to immediately retrieve the Essence of Death. The Essence of Death, which could be retrieved at any time, was left as it was, and his planned infinite hunt began.