Chapter 354 - 128: Lifebound Profound Corpse! Success

Chapter 354: Chapter 128: Lifebound Profound Corpse! Success

The Holy Light Energy immediately clashed violently with the residual Negative Energy, producing a series of SIZZLE SIZZLE SIZZLE sounds as faint wisps of white smoke rose from the wound.

The Long-Horned Giant grimaced in pain, but he stubbornly endured it without a sound. He just stared at the wound on his left shoulder, where the ghastly gray color was gradually fading, and panted heavily.

"Sir..." He swallowed hard, his voice dry with fear. "This bag of bones... what’s its deal?"

Lynch didn’t answer.

He stood up and looked at the Skeleton Mage, which was still standing there quietly.

The Soul Fire in its eye sockets was as calm as still water, its flickering frequency barely changing. It was as if the Death Ray that had nearly claimed the Giant’s life was nothing worth mentioning—just a casual, routine action.

Lynch suddenly understood why the Undead Calamity was always the one to be collectively ganged up on and exterminated throughout the history of the Pan-Continent.

’This thing is just absurdly overpowered.’

"Alright, take your comrade and get some rest," Lynch instructed the other Giants. "That’s enough sparring for today. You’ve all worked hard, so everyone gets extra food tonight. The Long-Horned Giant’s double meat portion still stands. On top of that, I’ll compensate him with a ten-day supply of top-grade meat rations. Consider it worker’s comp."

The four Giants let out a sigh of relief. They hastily helped up the Long-Horned Giant, thanking Lynch profusely.

But as they helped their companion out, they couldn’t stop themselves from stealing frequent glances at the Skeleton Mage, their eyes filled with unconcealable wariness and fear.

Lynch suppressed a laugh.

’A moment ago they were calling it "little bones," and now they don’t even dare to look it in the eye.’

Before being helped out of the backyard, the Long-Horned Giant glanced back at the Skeleton Mage, then looked at Lynch. His lips moved as if he wanted to say something.

In the end, he just managed to mumble out, "Sir... next sparring session, can I request not to fight this one?"

Lynch couldn’t hold it in and laughed.

"Sure. I’ll get you a different opponent next time."

As if granted a royal pardon, the Giants immediately scurried out the side gate and vanished.

The backyard fell quiet once more.

Lynch turned around and sized up the Skeleton Mage again. Looking at its bones, which had a faint bluish-gray tint, a word suddenly popped into his mind.

"Bone Ash," Lynch said. "From now on, that’s your name."

The Skeleton Mage’s Soul Fire seemed to freeze for an instant, as if it were processing its new name.

Then, Lynch tested Bone Ash’s other skills and discovered that, besides Death Ray, it also had a Negative Energy Shield skill.

’Damn, two spells, one for offense and one for defense, and both are extremely pure. It really is a standard mobile turret.’

’If this thing gets to Tier Four or Tier Five, a single Death Ray on the battlefield could instantly reap a huge swath of enemies.’

After Lynch was done with Bone Ash, he turned to look at Bone Valor, who had been standing quietly to the side all along. For a moment, Lynch suddenly felt a little guilty.

He raised his hand and gently patted its thick scapula twice.

"Ah, Bone Valor~" he sighed. "You know, you’ll always be... my most important general... You’ve worked hard."

Bone Valor’s Soul Fire flickered twice, seemingly pleased by its master’s praise.

...

Just as Lynch was engrossed in getting stronger and the Moonlight Well in Lakefront Town was nearing completion.

「Hundreds of miles away.」

「Orlando City.」

「North Wind Legion Headquarters.」

「Late at night.」

The legion’s conference hall was still brightly lit.

Seven or eight people were gathered around a massive rectangular oak table, upon which were spread dozens of urgent military reports, troop deployment charts, and similar documents.

The atmosphere in the conference room was as heavy as the dark clouds that gather before a storm.

Seated at the head of the table was the Commander of the North Wind Legion, Jais Valenstein.

He appeared to be in his early fifties. His temples were streaked with white, and his features were sharp and distinct. He wore a crisp, unwrinkled, dark blue general’s formal uniform, the three gold stripes on his epaulets glittering in the candlelight.

To his right was the North Wind Legion’s Chief Magic Consultant, a Tier Seven Peak Frost Mage—Edmund Frost.

Aside from them, the rest of the people seated at the table were staff officers of the North Wind Legion.

At the moment, the group of staff officers seemed to be in the middle of a heated debate.

"Lorraine Province is completely finished!" a staff officer said, his hoarse voice rising as he forcefully jabbed a finger at an area on the map that had been colored deep red. "Last month, the Blue Scarves’ [Black Snake Battle Group] gathered several other smaller battle groups and conquered the provincial capital, Parma. Of the three thousand defenders, less than four hundred escaped. Now, aside from a few isolated forts in the northern mountains, there’s no organized resistance left in the entire Lorraine Province!"

"Sardinia Province isn’t looking good either," another staff officer chimed in, tracing an alarming arc on the map with his finger. "The [Bloody Cross Order] and the [Iron Fang Battle Group] are advancing on two fronts, continuously pressuring the border along the Vire River Corridor."

"The Grey Stone Pass, defended by the Iron Wall Battle Group, has been attacked seventeen times in the past half-month, four of which were assaults involving over a thousand men. Commander Leonard reports that casualties have exceeded thirty percent. The defensive line is faltering in multiple places and is in dire need of reinforcements."

"What about Valencia?" someone asked.

"Valencia..." The intelligence officer gave a bitter smile. "Although our legion is stationed there, bandits, routed soldiers, and all sorts of opportunistic gangs are sweeping through like a plague of locusts. According to incomplete statistics, over twenty thousand people fled north last month alone..."