" Did I catch a cold?" He said internally.
[You don't even have a nose to catch a cold ]
" Yeah, you're are right... then maybe someone is talking about me " Ossa said as he believed that was the only reason.
[ And what gave you that idea ]
"You know... I don't know. I guess that is the plausible thing to think as I don't have a nose," Ossa said, remembering a memory he never knew he had—the saying that when you sneeze without a cold, then someone somewhere is talking about you.
Ossa's intelligence grew with each mana core he consumed, bits of memories of when he had flesh and blood resurfacing in his mind.
[ ... ]
" So what are my gains after the battle " He inquired as he had arrived a few minutes ago, Bel still asleep on the Omega, who had her eyes opened, stealing glances at the skeleton in the corner.
[ You killed 271 mid-tier normal giant wasps, 40 tier-three normal giant wasps, and 3 tier-one normal giant wasps ]
[ You've absorbed all of the cores from your kills, increasing your mana pool and increasing your rank from a tier two mystic to a tier five mystic ]
" I still don't feel any different " Ossa said as he observed his skeletal frame.
[ As said earlier, only your regeneration speed increases ]
" So by how much has it increased "He inquired, curious as he could not see or feel the changes of such a huge rank up.
[ Your regeneration now only takes 900 milliseconds ]
" Huh, 900 millipedes... What's that " Ossa inquired as he did not understand the term milliseconds.
He was but a skeleton with little bits of memories of his past life, it was to be expected.
[ Basically, it's extremely fast ]
"Oh, okay..." He paused, feeling a bit dumb. He internally wished he was smarter, as he could hear mockery in the system's tone.
"Is that all? What about my evolution?" He quickly changed the topic.
[ After your contractor wakes up, you are eligible for an evolution from a basic skeleton soldier to a skeleton knight ]
" Finally, I will be one step closer to becoming a vessel for Master Francesco" His eyes lit up in excitement.
Despite killing so many, he could only evolve once, as most of what he killed were mid-tier normal magical creatures and he required a hundred peak-tier normal magical creatures to evolve into a skeleton knight.
Two mid-tier life forces are equivalent to a peak-tier life force.
Two-tier three life forces are equivalent to a mid-tier life force.
Let's see after he killed about 271 mid-tiers, 40 tier three's, and 3 tier one, he accumulated a total of 145 peak tier life forces enough for an evolution.
I'm not only the goddess of life but also good at Maths.
OK, let's continue.
Ossa, happy at the prospect of becoming stronger, moved closer to Bel, sending chills down the spine of the omega on which Bel lay.
"Bel!!! Bel!!" Ossa internally called out, shaking the sleeping girl.
"Mmm!!" Bel unconsciously swatted away the bony hands shaking her.
"Hey, Bel!! Wake up!" Eager to evolve, he shook her again, this time more aggressively.
"Hmm, let me sleep," Bel swatted his hand away once again, her eyes still closed.
"Hey?!"
[ Stop bothering the contractor, the amount of life force she is assimilating is too much for her, she would be asleep for much longer. Be patient ]
"Huh, but you told me to get to her as soon as possible, if it's not for my evolution then for what?" Ossa, confused, asked the system.
[ True, but I don't need to explain myself to you ]
The system said, using Francesco's voice as it was the only way to shut Ossa up.
The system had sensed the presence of Joe and knew others like him would be arriving. As part of her instruction to not let Ossa meet humans until after his first evolution, the system thus made up a reason for him to leave.
" Sorry, " Ossa apologized as the necromancer imprint kicked in.
" Then I guess, I have to go back to my hunt," He said, getting up from Bel's side.
The omega, breathed in a sigh of relief as it noticed the skeleton leaving its den.
[ Quest available ]
" Quest, it's been long since I received one, what might it be " Ossa inquired.
[ Hunt with the shadow wolves to promote your relationship with them ]
" Relationship? How will that make me stronger " His thirst for strength blinded his other beliefs, believing whatever would not make him stronger was not worth it.
[ Will you do it or not ]
"I will, just thinking out loud," Ossa quickly agreed, as the usual monotone voice of the system once again became expressive, sounding a bit annoyed.
"Whatever Mors wishes is the wish of Master Francesco," Ossa tried to convince himself to accept the quest as he still believed it was a waste of time, but in respect of his Master, Francesco, he had to do it.
" Where are they " Under the starlit night sky, Ossa looked around the clearing where the Alphal den was, looking for the shadow wolves.
" Mors, can you please help me out " He requested the system, as he could not find them.
Including the former alpha, most of the shadow wolves had already gone out for a hunt as they were nocturnal.
[ Searching vicinity for shadow wolves ]
[ ... ]
[ Shadow wolves found, 200 meters from the host ]
" Thanks, please, which direction " He asked searching around for the usual dark green glow.
[ Behind host, ]
He turned around, a pillar of dark green light in the area he ought to go.
" Got it, thanks Mors " He started running towards the pillar, a forest of trees and beasts between him and his destination.
He was moving further into the central region as that was the usual hunting ground of the shadow wolves.
Their assassination skills made them a force to reckon with, making even the weakest of them a deadly predator to the less perceptive.
Even though the pack consisted of some normal magical creatures, they all hunted in the central region, as they moved as a pack.
Hoo screech!! Hoo screech!!
A strange, distinctive sound reverberated through the forest, freezing Ossa in his steps, as his instincts kicked in, warning him of an impending danger.