Chapter 287 158: Physical Skeleton (2)

Once the Physical Skeleton recovered, Li Ziyu had the Skeleton Undead resume their attack. This time, the Physical Skeleton withstood over a hundred strikes before collapsing.

After it rose a fourth time, the Skeleton Undead's renewed attacks seemed to have no effect. Even after more than two hundred blows, the Physical Skeleton remained stock-still, and the faint, earthy-yellow glow on its body faded until it vanished completely.

'Has it stopped working?'

'Hmm, looks like I need to up the ante.' Li Ziyu summoned two more Skeleton Undead to continue the assault on the Physical Skeleton.

Under the combined assault of four Skeleton Undead, the earthy-yellow glow on the Physical Skeleton's body reappeared, flickering constantly. Yet, even the four of them couldn't manage to break it apart.

Li Ziyu watched with fascination, adding two more Skeleton Undead to the fray every few moments. Eventually, a full eight Skeleton Undead surrounded the Physical Skeleton, relentlessly pummeling it. But it just stood there as if nothing were happening—passively, without resisting or moving, letting them do as they pleased.

Only when the earthy-yellow glow vanished once more, and the eight Skeleton Undead no longer had any evolutionary effect on the Physical Skeleton, did Li Ziyu wave his hand to make them disperse.

After enduring the continuous pounding from eight Skeleton Undead, the Physical Skeleton had changed slightly. Li Ziyu had a normal Skeleton Undead stand beside it for comparison. The Physical Skeleton's height had increased a bit to around 175cm. Its bones were also thicker than those of the regular Skeleton Undead and appeared much sturdier.

'Its bone density has increased too?'

The Physical Skeleton's transformation piqued Li Ziyu's interest, and he decided to continue the experiment. The attacks from eight Skeleton Undead could no longer stimulate its evolution, and he couldn't add any more. The space was limited; eight of the Undead already had it completely surrounded, so any more wouldn't be able to land a blow.

'It needs a more powerful attack. Hmm, I'll send in the Skeleton Warriors.'

Skeleton Warriors were a bit stronger in combat than Skeleton Undead, so he estimated they could still be of some use.

The process was much the same as before. Under the Skeleton Warriors' assault, the Physical Skeleton remained perfectly stable, not once getting knocked apart. It easily withstood their attacks and continued to evolve steadily.

By the time the Skeleton Warriors' attacks also became ineffective, the Physical Skeleton had grown to 180cm, and its bones had thickened considerably.

'Interesting, very interesting.'

Li Ziyu was getting really into it. The Skeleton Undead and Skeleton Warriors were no longer useful. It was time for the Skeleton Beasts to take the stage, starting with the Skeleton Desert Wolves.

He didn't send the Giant Tusked Boars in first because he was a bit worried. The Sharp Clawed Burst Bear's ability was essentially a Fury Rune, and he feared the Giant Tusked Boars would be just as reckless. If they shattered the Physical Skeleton, it would be a real shame.

To his surprise, however, the Desert Wolves didn't dare attack the Physical Skeleton. There seemed to be something about it that struck fear into them.

In the end, only Li Ziyu's direct command could compel the Skeleton Desert Wolves to attack.

The Skeleton Desert Wolves' attacks differed from those of the Skeleton Undead. Instead of impacts, they used their teeth, gnawing relentlessly at the Physical Skeleton's bones.

Under the assault of their teeth, the earthy-yellow glow pulsed and spread until it finally faded away.

Li Ziyu had the Desert Wolves stand down and stared at the Physical Skeleton in astonishment. This time, its growth was different. It hadn't grown any taller; instead, its bones had grown significantly thicker and harder.

'Whoa, it can adapt to different kinds of attacks? Different Types of attacks will promote its evolution in different ways. Well, I'll be. This is getting even more interesting.'

Li Ziyu was hooked. He just had to see how far the Physical Skeleton could evolve.

After the Desert Wolves came the Giant Tusked Boars. Thanks to the previous evolutions, the Physical Skeleton's defenses had already been enhanced. The Giant Tusked Boars' attacks were similar to those of the Skeleton Undead, but they showed none of the Desert Wolves' hesitation. The moment Li Ziyu gave the order, they accelerated and slammed into it.

This time, the Physical Skeleton didn't just stand there motionless. Instead, it raised its arms, meeting the Giant Tusked Boar's Charge with its Shield and blocking the impact.

Under the Giant Tusked Boar's Charge, the Physical Skeleton grew once more. Its height reached 190cm, and the Shields on its arms grew significantly larger as well. Originally, they were like a single Shield split into two semicircles, and when brought together, they were about the size of a small Bone Shield.

Now, when it brought the Shields on its arms together, they formed an oval Shield large enough to cover its entire upper body.

After enduring this baptism by fire, the Physical Skeleton was finally starting to look the part, but it still wasn't enough. Li Ziyu had the Archers take the field. Short Bowmen and Longbowmen took turns firing while the Physical Skeleton raised its Shield to defend.

Skeleton Archers were a proper Combat Sequence, and their arrows packed a serious punch. At first, the Physical Skeleton struggled to defend. Under the rapid-fire volleys of the Short Bowmen, bone fragments flew from its Shield, nearly shattering it. The miraculous thing, however, was that not only did the Physical Skeleton itself have a self-repair ability, but its Bone Shield did as well.

Even when the Shield was riddled with pits and cracks by the Skeleton Short Bowmen, it would be restored to pristine condition after just a few minutes. It also became thicker. Li Ziyu took a look; the repaired Shield was now about a finger's width in thickness.

Li Ziyu ordered them to continue firing. By the time the Physical Skeleton had become immune to the attacks of two Short Bowmen and two Longbowmen, its appearance had changed completely.

The Shield was now nearly 15cm thick, but the changes to its skeleton were even more dramatic. Its clavicles had thickened and fused with its cervical vertebrae into solid sheets of bone. Its sternum had thickened into the shape of a Bone Plate. The radius and ulna of its forearms had merged, becoming even thicker than the humerus of its upper arm, looking as if it were wearing bone bracers. Its height, however, remained unchanged.