As the New Year festivities approached, both students and faculty were granted a week's reprieve from their scholarly pursuits.
For Long Su, the prospect of idling within the confines of the university held little appeal.
His calling lay in the untamed wilderness of the new world, where each encounter with mystical beasts promised growth and power.
Seizing the opportunity, Long Su swiftly made his way to the bustling train station, bound once more for the realm that had become his proving ground.
———-------
Long Su found himself traversing the heart of the forest, his faithful skeletal minions marching in perfect unison behind him.
As fate would have it, he stumbled upon a fierce battle unfolding between silver-furred monkeys and their long-fanged adversaries.
The sheer number of combatants—thousands of creatures —painted a grim scene of fallen bodies scattered across the landscape.
To most, the sight would have prompted a hasty retreat. But for Long Su, the spectacle only signaled an abundance of magic stones and a chance to elevate his soldiers' levels.
With steely determination, he issued a decisive command to his trusted lieutenant.
"General Zhang, i give you 5 thousands of skeletons militias and a thousand skeleton soldiers you leads them and eradicate these beasts."
"As your orders, your Highness."
As the undead army surged forward at his command, Long Su stayed in his place with hundreds of armed skeletons soldiers to protect himself from anything bad that may happen.
Not to mention the 3 thousands of skeletons soldiers waiting in the seed world
The lord must protect himself all the time
———————
Unknown to Long Su, who stood not far away watching the passionate combat of his skeletal army fighting
A mysterious figure clad in black observed his every move.
The clamor of battle had drawn the attention of nearby hunting parties, one of which was rapidly closing in on Long Su's position.
"Big brother, there's a situation ahead!"
"How many adversaries lie ahead?" inquired the man they called 'Big Brother,' his voice muffled by the bottle of spirits he casually indulged in.
Why he ask this question because the only situation he need to konw is the hunter group and if they can get something from them
"Lonely man, a lord specializing in the undead skeleton units," replied the keen-eyed assassin, a hint of admiration creeping into his voice.
"His command over at least a thousand skeletal soldiers is an impressive feat. Even now, his skeleton are fighting the fierce Silver Monkey horde and a small group of other Monkey monsters"
The interest of 'Big Brother' was piqued, a sly grin forming on his lips.
"A Skeleton Lord, you say?"
The assassin relayed his observations in greater detail, revealing the full extent of Long Su's prowess.
Weighing the risks and potential rewards, 'Big Brother' turned to his second-in-command for counsel.
"What say you, second brother? Can we triumph over such an adversary?"
The second-in-command, donning a lightweight robe emblematic of mage , paused to consider the odds.
"Let us first see the situation. Even a Skeleton Lord of weak force and stature can prove a challenging foe."
"gage if victory seems certain kill him in surprise move; otherwise, aid him in quelling the monkey onslaught. Regardless, we shall claim a portion of the spoils!"
With a decisive clap of his hands, 'Big Brother' rallied his team to action, setting their course toward Long Su's position.
As they advanced, a blend of anticipation and caution hung heavy in the air, the prospect of either conflict or cooperation driving them ever onward.
As the seven members of the hunting party edged evern closer, the cacophony of combat reverberated through the air, growing louder with each step.
Upon their arrival, they bore witness to the fierce confrontation unfolding before them.
Long Su, encircled by his skeletal minions, found himself locked in a heated battle against the imposing Silver Skin Monkey King.
The enraged king, having narrowly evaded Zhang Han's relentless pursuit, erupted with a torrent of magical energy.
Unleashing its fury, it closed in on Long Su.
Yet, the skeletal warriors surrounding their leader would not relent, refusing to offer the king a single opportunity to strike.
In a critical moment, Zhang Han's shadow loomed behind the beleaguered king, delivering a decisive blow that pierced the skull and vanquished the mighty adversary.
The Silver Skin Monkey King fell lifeless to the ground.
The hunting party, entranced by the spectacle, eyed the fallen king's remains with a mix of awe and greed.
Their attention shifted to the chaotic scene that still raged around Long Su, skeletal warriors numbering forty or fifty still fiercely engaged in battle.
Turning to the second-in-command with a sly grin, 'Big Brother' sought counsel in the face of these unfolding events.
"What is your assessment, second brother? How shall we proceed?"
As the echoes of combat persisted, their gazes fixed upon the tumultuous conflict.
"The Lord's power lies solely in his skeletal minions," the second brother mused, keenly assessing the unfolding battle.
"With his forces engaged in the fray, it's possible we might exploit this vulnerability."
"Then seize the opportunity!" 'Big Brother' commanded.
At his word, the hunting party fanned out, the stealthy assassins flanking Long Su with calculated precision.
The archer and second brother both of them moved to higher ground area
Long Su, who was full focused on the battlefield and the area around him, had already detected their approach.
A prickle of unease ran through him as he recognized the encroaching threat.
"Brother, we offer our aid!" 'Big Brother' called out, his smile betraying a duplicitous charm.
With a flourish, he unfurled a scroll, summoning a magnificent spiritual horse.
This otherworldly horse, trained in the arts of war, possessed the strength of a beginner-level soldier.
Boasting both explosive speed and unwavering endurance, such beasts were favored by knights far and wide.
Indeed, a knight's mount often dictated their efficacy in battle.
A mounted knight was a force to be reckoned with—a vastly different entity from their unmounted counterpart.
'Big Brother,' now donning a full suit of armor and brandishing a lance infused with an aura of combat, fixed his gaze upon the motionless Silver Skin Monkey King.
"Don't come anymore. I don't need your help." Long Su, his brow furrowed, shouted his refusal.
Because he knows that many people die in the forest every year.
As for whether they are killed by monsters or killed by these robbing hunting groups, who can really tell?
Human nature itself is dark, and in such a place without order, this darkness will be amplified unconsciously.
"Hahahaha, my friend, there's no need for such formality," 'Big Brother' bellowed, his voice tinged with forced camaraderie. "It is our duty to lend aid to those in need!"
Armored figure and steed charged forth, enveloped in an aura of dark energy.
The lance, transformed into a serpentine specter, struck with uncanny precision.
Long Su's skeletal guardians, unable to react in time, were decimated by the fearsome assault.
Long Su, awash in disbelief, cursed the knight's apparent treachery.
Were it not for Zhang Han's swift intervention, he would have surely met his demise beneath the deadly lance.
A resounding crash signaled the impact of the bone shield Long Su had hastily conjured, its surface marred by a spiderweb of cracks—another attack was very close to kill him
In the ensuing chaos, a cloaked assassin emerged from the shadows, daggers glinting with venomous intent as they slashed wildly at Long Su.
"How dare you?!" Zhang Han cried, his sword arcing through the air to intercept the attacker.
The assassin, agile and nimble, deftly evaded the blade, melting once more into the darkness.
Scarcely had Long Su regained his bearings when the onslaught resumed, a storm of arrows raining down upon him.
The reverberating impact of the projectiles echoed through the air as they found their mark, splintering the skeletal shield he had conjured for protection.
Undeterred, Long Su persisted, summoning forth a new bone shield even as a fresh volley of arrows rained from the sky.
Yet he knew that his survival hinged not on his resilience alone.
In a display of tactical brilliance, Zhang Han called forth a contingent of spectral warriors from the seed world.
As one, they raised their iron shields in a defiant barrier around Long Su, the air punctuated by the rhythmic thud of arrows embedding themselves in the fortified wall.
With the newfound breathing room, Long Su fortified his defenses further, conjuring a suit of skeletal armor to complement his shields.
Each successive magical assault unleashed by their foes now met with the impenetrable shell of bone and arcane energies.
Amidst the chaos, a torrent of blazing light cut through the fray, illuminating the visage of a distant mage.
Brandishing a staff imbued with fearsome power, they rained destruction upon Long Su's skeletal guardians.
It was the voice of the treacherous knight, booming with sadistic glee, that rose above the clamor. "You're finished, boy!" he taunted, each strike cleaving ever closer to the heart of Long Su's defenses.