Chapter 290 - 159: Power Speed 2

Li Ziyu really wanted to ask the Power Skeleton if it was messing with him.

The Power Skeleton noticed something was off with its master. The gaze directed its way held a hint of danger. After a moment of thought, it seemed to conclude that its message hadn’t been clear. It shook its head, looked around, and set its sights on the bone table Li Ziyu used for meals. Picking up its Hammer, it walked over.

Li Ziyu didn’t stop it, just quietly watched its performance. He saw the Power Skeleton arrive in front of the bone table, grip the Hammer with both hands, raise it high, and smash it down with a WHOOSH.

The Hammer struck the tabletop, letting out a piercing, grating sound. The table was completely unscathed; instead, the recoil sent the Hammer flying from the Skeleton’s hands.

Li Ziyu’s eye twitched.

’Are you fucking kidding me?’

The Power Skeleton turned, grabbed the Hammer, and began smashing it down again and again. Every so often, a pulse of orange-yellow light would radiate from the Hammer’s head, just like the light that appeared when the Physical Skeleton was attacked.

Li Ziyu now understood. Smashing things with the Hammer was the Power Skeleton’s form of "training." Through this repeated hammering, its Power would continuously increase.

At first, the recoil from the immense force sent the Hammer flying with each strike. But as it continued, the force of its blows grew even greater, yet the Power Skeleton was now able to hold the Hammer firmly in its grasp.

The Power Skeleton’s bones were also continuously evolving. Unlike the Physical Skeleton’s evolution, the evolution of its bones was meant to withstand greater force. In terms of external defense, it was inferior to the Physical Skeleton.

The Power Skeleton only ended its "training" after it had hammered the table into splinters. Its Hammer was still the same, but its bones seemed tougher.

Its rate of growth couldn’t compare to the Physical Skeleton’s, but it wasn’t slow by any means. After all, it had only been a few moments.

The Power Skeleton turned its head and began looking for a new target to smash, and Li Ziyu’s eyes went wide.

"Stop, stop, stop!" Li Ziyu said, quickly reaching out to block the Power Skeleton. "No more smashing! There’s nothing in here for you to break. Go stand aside!"

’Are you kidding me? This is my main tower! If it keeps smashing things, I’m the one who’ll suffer the losses.’

The Power Skeleton was obedient enough. It put away its Hammer and dutifully walked over to the Physical Skeleton’s side. It looked up at the Physical Skeleton, which in turn raised a large hand and patted its head.

The Power Skeleton was not having it. It raised its Hammer and swung it at the hand.

This action, however, made Li Ziyu’s eyes light up. ’If I have the Power Skeleton strike the Physical Skeleton, wouldn’t they both be able to evolve at the same time?’

’Could this be considered a bug exploit?’

Li Ziyu let out a mischievous chuckle and immediately decided to run an experiment. He had the Power Skeleton attack the Physical Skeleton, while the Physical Skeleton was to defend.

It seemed like a great idea, but reality wasn’t nearly as kind as his imagination. With one swing of the Hammer, the Physical Skeleton’s earthy yellow halo and the Power Skeleton’s orange-yellow halo flashed simultaneously—and then canceled each other out. It was completely useless. Nothing happened.

’Hmm... so they cancel each other out. The bug exploit failed.’

With his idea for simultaneous evolution shattered, Li Ziyu felt a pang of disappointment.

He waved his hand, had the two Tattooed Skeletons stand in line, and began summoning the third: the Speed Skeleton.

The newly summoned Speed Skeleton looked just as normal as its two "older brothers"—a standard Skeleton Undead. Its Weapon was a Sword. Actually, not one Sword, but four, mounted on its forearms and lower legs. When not in use, the Swords lay flat against its bones; you wouldn’t even notice they were Weapons if you didn’t look closely. When needed, they would pop out, and could even fold and change direction according to its will in battle.

The Physical Skeleton’s Soul Fire was tinged with earthy yellow, the Power Skeleton’s with orange-yellow, and the Speed Skeleton’s with fiery red.

Its method for growth was also simple: just run. The faster and longer it ran, the faster it grew. Simple enough, but Li Ziyu couldn’t help but wonder, ’This guy isn’t going to turn into The Flash, is it? Did I just summon a super Hero?’

Unlike the Physical and Power Skeletons, the Speed Skeleton was hyperactive, as if it had ADHD. Even when told to stand still, it would fidget, shaking its arms and legs, unable to stay still for a single moment.

The last one left was the Plague Skeleton. Li Ziyu thought it over again and again, but he still didn’t have the guts to summon it. He felt this one was even more dangerous than the Dark Skeleton. If he messed up and lost control, causing a pandemic to spread, he’d be in a world of suffering. For him, it would be a literal cycle of death and undeath.

To be on the safe side, he decided not to summon the Plague Skeleton.

He checked the time on the system panel; it wouldn’t be long until dawn. He had spent the entire night just summoning Tattooed Skeletons. Li Ziyu sighed and sent the three new recruits over to the caves to find the Dark Skeleton and the Frenzied Skeleton and help them hunt Demonized Creatures.

After the three Tattooed Skeletons departed, Li Ziyu activated Hibernation Mode.

...

The fact that the hunting party that left the city had been killed by the Undead was impossible to hide. Any news related to the Undead was a hot topic in Komeilan City; if an incident had even the slightest connection to them, it was guaranteed to become the talk of the town.

White Hair Pulan knew he couldn’t keep it under wraps, so he didn’t issue any special orders, simply letting the news run its course. It quickly spread throughout Komeilan City until it was common knowledge.

But, just as White Hair Pulan had predicted, the deaths didn’t stop the Demonized Creatures. Or rather, they simply didn’t care; they still wanted to go out and hunt the Undead.

Dying while on a hunt? So what? It was a common occurrence they were long used to. Demonized Creatures were belligerent by nature; dying in battle wasn’t something to be feared. They had long been prepared for such a fate.