Tombstones stood towering all around, marking a cemetery nobody usually visited, surrounded by overgrown weeds.
At this moment, surrounding the merchant convoy from all directions, were countless white skeletons wielding weapons, slowly closing in.
"Why is the convoy passing through the cemetery?"
A villager also hitching a ride questioned loudly.
"It’s usually fine; not sure why so many skeleton monsters showed up today!"
"Are you stupid? Haven’t you heard there’s always been a roaming horde of skeletons in this area?"
"Forget that! Is there anyone who can fight? There are weapons here; hurry over and help!"
The skeletons gradually approached, and the person in charge of the convoy shouted loudly. The accompanying security personnel quickly picked up swords, but they were just adult males recruited from villages and small towns, showing timid expressions when facing the skeleton horde.
Shami surveyed the surroundings.
There were over two hundred skeleton soldiers, most of them holding weapons like long swords, wooden sticks, hammers, shovels, nunchucks, bones... of all kinds.
From the conversations around him, he learned this was a skeleton force of the demon race that the Hero had forgotten and not completely destroyed.
Indeed, when he checked the Demons Atlas earlier, the icon for the common monster [Skeleton] had not faded, indicating this monster was still alive.
"Everyone, come over here! I am Oka Lina, the Hero from Yili Village; I’ll protect you from here on!"
Lina, the white-haired one, drew her long sword. As soon as she finished speaking, nearly twenty people from the convoy immediately took shelter behind her.
"These people are using white hair as a meat shield without any courtesy!"
Shami picked up a handy scythe and went to Lina’s side.
"Shami, please stand at the very back."
Lina glanced back at Shami.
"Sorry, I didn’t know we’d encounter danger. But I will protect you and won’t let you get hurt at all."
What is this inexplicable sense of security, a beneficial buff that the Hero naturally carries?
Shami tossed the scythe aside and chuckled. He almost forgot that white hair is a level 72 swordmaster.
"Indeed, these minor demon lackeys; can’t you just use some AOE skill to deal with them?"
Lina focused her gaze, holding the sword with both hands.
"It’s true there is that kind of skill, but there might not be time to cast it. So, dealing with this crowd might still require cutting them down one by one."
Shami hurriedly picked up the scythe again.
The skeleton horde surged forward, and Lina had no time to explain, raising her sword to advance, with sword light shining everywhere.
"Protect the cargo! It’s just a pile of bones!"
"Slash the skeletons!"
Seeing the silver-haired girl attracting most of the skeletons, the convoy leader quickly cleared out people still hiding behind the vehicles, and everyone picked up weapons to deal with the scattered skeleton soldiers nearing the convoy.
Shami looked towards Lina trapped among the skeletons. Although they couldn’t harm her, she seemed unable to handle such a large number of skeletons quickly.
So, during this time, Shami went behind the convoy, flipping open the Demons Atlas to gather more information about this monster.
[Name: Undead Skeleton (Non-greyed)]
[Race: Demon Race · Ordinary Monster]
[Characteristics: A weak demon tainted by the aura of death; wherever there’s death, there’s a possibility of undead skeletons appearing. After reviving, they don’t possess the original owner’s memories or abilities, just ordinary skeletons. Not strong in combat, but extremely resilient; even if a hand is chopped off by the Hero, they can use it as a weapon. Under the horde tactics, lone adventurers who aren’t high-level or lack AOE damage should weigh their strength carefully before taking on the challenge.]
[Common Assigned Roles: Gate guards; patrol team members; cannon fodder, etc.]
[Resurrection Method: ...]
[How to Distinguish Gender: ...]
Reading further, Shami found this monster’s weakness.
[Weakness: Undead skeletons are controlled by demonic Qi inside the skull; breaking the skull and releasing the Qi will turn them back into ordinary skeletons. So, it’s recommended for the Demon King to equip each undead skeleton with a helmet. To cover this fundamental weakness, severing the connection between the skeleton body and skull at the neck with a sharp weapon causes temporary death, but gluing them back reanimates them.
Therefore, skeleton soldiers among the Human Race are generally considered to have weaknesses at the head and neck. Note, even if the skull is briefly opened, it can be repaired if promptly closed.]
I see, hitting the head is indeed an eternal truth in every game.
Also, what a tenacious weakness setting these skeletons have! They seem unable to die at all, even having turned into bones!
Shami put away the Demons Atlas, just about to shout, then closed his mouth the next moment.
As a Demon King, what sense does it make to expose the weaknesses of his subordinates?
However, white hair doesn’t need him to say; she already knew where to hit the skeletons, aiming her sword at their skulls and spines.
At this rate, victory was only a matter of time.
Shami didn’t have any objections to this.
After all, it’s a monster easier to produce than Slime, with two creation methods: using bones of the dead, infused with demonic Qi; or, utilizing demon race witchcraft for spontaneous summoning.
And for now, the skeletons of unknown origin in front of him failed to evoke any sense of protection.
Covered in unclean rotting flesh, emitting a foul smell of decay, some skulls still had a few teeth attached...
It was rather those spontaneously summoned clean undead skeletons that suited him better.
At this time, Shami noticed a skeleton standing three meters in front of him.
This skeleton was a bit different, with a smaller frame, and every bone was very clean, without any remains, perhaps even too clean? Almost reflective.
It didn’t look disgusting.
Shami readied the scythe beside him.
But even so, it was just a slightly better-looking skeleton than the ordinary ones.
If it approached, he would deal with it without hesitation. He was perfectly capable of that now.
But the skeleton showed no intention to attack, instead, it found some dirty clothing on the side.
Shami could see clearly, it was a pair of black long socks.
Saw the skeleton use its bony hands to slowly pull the sock over its bony leg, then tie a knot at the thigh to keep it from slipping.
Meanwhile, the skeleton stroked the sock-wearing right thigh bone with both hands, stepping forward suggestively and looked at Shami.
Seeing no reaction from Shami, it switched through several suggestive poses.
"A Skeleton Knight! It must be controlling the horde, watch out, Hero maiden!"
A shout came from afar, a skeleton clad in tattered armor charging at Lina atop a Bone Horse.
The skeleton with the socked leg in front of Shami hurriedly picked up a long sword from the ground and ran back.