Chapter 72: Gravefang Beast

Chapter 72: Chapter 72: Gravefang Beast

He selected the option.

The system displayed a silhouette.

At first, Ragnar could not determine what kind of creature it was.

It had the body of a large four-legged predator, but its proportions were unusual. Its front legs were thicker than its rear legs, and a row of long, jagged spines extended from its shoulders all the way down its back.

Its skull was elongated.

Two enormous fangs protruded from its upper jaw, curving downward like blades.

But the strangest feature was its chest.

Instead of normal ribs, several thick bones had grown outward from its torso, forming something resembling natural armor.

Ragnar stared at it.

"What the hell is that?"

The description appeared beneath the image.

[Gravefang Beast]

[Race: Undead Beast]

[Quantity: 5]

[Cost: 5 Soul Points]

[Description: A predatory undead beast formed from the remains of powerful creatures and concentrated death energy. Its body possesses extraordinary physical strength and durability compared to ordinary undead beasts.]

[Abilities:]

[Gravefang: Its bite can crush bone and pierce thick armor.]

[Death Howl: Releases a roar infused with death energy that can disrupt the concentration and courage of living creatures.]

[Undead Regeneration: Can slowly restore damaged flesh and bones using surrounding death energy.]

Ragnar stared at the description for several seconds.

"...Now that’s interesting."

The Gravefang Beast was completely different from the ordinary undead wolves.

It was not simply a stronger version of an existing monster.

It had its own abilities.

Ragnar imagined five of these monsters hunting through the forest together.

Five Gravefang Beasts would not need to attack an entire adventurer party head-on. They could remain hidden among the trees, wait until someone became separated, and then strike.

Ragnar’s grin became wider.

"These things were practically made for this place."

Ragnar thought carefully.

The second floor was much larger than the first, and he needed to establish defenses across multiple areas. If he spent everything on one type of monster, other areas would remain empty.

He opened the undead beast list again. The Undead Bear caught his attention.

[Undead Bear]

[Quantity: 5]

[Cost: 3 Soul Points]

[Description: A resurrected bear possessing tremendous physical strength and durability. Its body retains much of its original power while gaining the traits of an undead creature.]

Ragnar imagined one of these monsters charging through the forest.

Then he saw another option.

[Undead Dire Wolf]

[Quantity: 5]

[Cost: 3 Soul Points]

[Description: A larger and stronger relative of the Undead Wolf. Possesses greater speed, physical strength, tracking ability, and hunting instincts.]

Ragnar continued staring at the Gravefang Beast option while the various undead monsters remained displayed on the Shop interface. The more he thought about it, the more he realized that the Gravefang Beast was exactly the kind of monster he needed for the Death Floor.

The ordinary undead wolves could patrol the forest, the stronger Dire Wolves could hunt adventurers who became separated from their groups, and the Gravefang Beasts could serve as the true predators of the forest.

They were strong enough to threaten experienced adventurers, yet they were still relatively cheap compared to the more powerful monsters he had seen in the Shop.

Ragnar looked at his Soul Points.

[Current Soul Points: 24]

Ragnar looked at the forest stretching into the distance.

"Fifteen should be enough for now."

He paused.

Then he nodded.

"Yeah. Fifteen."

If five Gravefang Beasts cost five Soul Points, then fifteen would cost fifteen Soul Points.

Ragnar pointed at the Gravefang Beast option.

"Fifteen."

The system immediately responded.

[Gravefang Beast]

[Quantity: 5]

[Cost: 5 Soul Points]

[Purchase Quantity: 15]

[Total Cost: 15 Soul Points]

[Would you like to purchase?]

[Yes / No]

Ragnar nodded.

"Yes."

The moment he confirmed his choice, fifteen Soul Points vanished from his reserves.

[15 Soul Points have been consumed.]

[Remaining Soul Points: 9]

[Thirty seconds until the purchased undead beasts are summoned.]

Ragnar smiled.

"Perfect."

He still had nine Soul Points remaining.

He had already decided what to do with them.

His gaze returned to the Mini Boss section of the Shop. There were several choices available, but Ragnar did not waste much time browsing. He had specifically been looking for something that could serve as the guardian of this dead forest area.

Ragnar selected it.

A large silhouette appeared before him.

At first, he could only make out the shape of a massive quadruped. Its body was enormous, with broad shoulders and thick limbs that looked powerful enough to crush a human beneath a single stomp. Two enormous horns curved backward from its skull, while several jagged protrusions extended from its spine.

As the image became clearer, Ragnar’s expression slowly changed.

The creature looked like a gigantic undead stag, but it was far more monstrous than any natural animal.

Its skull was completely exposed, and two enormous black horns grew from either side of its head. Unlike ordinary antlers, the horns were thick and twisted, resembling the branches of an ancient dead tree. Smaller spikes grew from them in irregular patterns, giving the creature a crown-like appearance.

Most of its body was covered in dark, decayed flesh, while large sections had already rotted away and exposed the pale bones underneath. Its four legs were thick and muscular, ending in enormous split hooves surrounded by sharp bone protrusions.

Its neck was covered in long, black fur that continued down its back like a mane.

A long skeletal tail extended behind it, ending in several jagged bones that resembled blades.

But the most disturbing feature was its chest.

Several ribs had been torn apart, leaving a large opening in the center of its torso.

There was no heart, or organs.

Instead, a dark purple flame burned inside its empty rib cage.

The flame slowly pulsed.

With every pulse, black mist leaked from the creature’s body and crawled across the ground.

Ragnar stared at the monster.

"...That’s a mini boss?"

The system displayed its information.

[Level 20]

[Gravehorn Reaper]

[Race: Undead Beast]

[Classification: Mini Boss]

[Required Soul Points: 9]

[Description: A powerful undead beast created from the remains of a mighty horned creature and concentrated death energy. The Gravehorn Reaper possesses tremendous physical strength, exceptional durability, and a powerful connection to the Death Floor.]

Ragnar’s eyes narrowed as he continued reading.