Without the electric zombie lord suppressing them, the ordinary zombies, who had been restless moments ago, finally calmed down. Each found a spot to settle, tilting their heads back to soak in the moonlight from the blood-red twin moons above.
Hiding behind a pile of rocks at a distance, Ander took the opportunity to count his forces carefully. However, when he reached 2,200 or so, he felt dizzy and lost track. Frustrated, he gave up recounting.
Even without a precise tally, Ander estimated there were probably 400 or 500 more beyond what he'd counted. Adding everything together... that was a staggering number.
If the zombie lord led this horde to attack the skeletal graveyard, Ander's newly constructed stone pillar fence wouldn't stand a chance. The thousands of skeletons within the graveyard—weaklings, every one of them—would be utterly doomed.
After comparing the forces on both sides and estimating the distance between the graveyard and the zombie den, Ander made up his mind: **the zombie lord had to go.**
There was that old saying: *One cannot allow… uh, allow…*
Ander scratched his head, unable to remember the latter half of the proverb. But he got the gist.
Now the question was how to take down this lightning-wielding zombie lord.
Electricity was a subset of air-based magic, and countering it was tricky. Earth-based spells could provide substantial defense, but where was Ander supposed to find someone who knew earth-based magic? He'd have to come up with another plan.
And then there were the four black-skinned zombie guards. Dealing with them wouldn't be easy either.
Ander continued scratching his smooth, bony skull.
"How about digging another pit?"
The thought popped into his head instinctively—he really had a knack for digging traps.
"...No, that won't work. The zombie lord's level is too high. If it unleashes an undead shockwave, my minions would be too scared to attack. And those damn lightning bolts of his pack a serious punch."
Ander quickly dismissed the idea. The zombie lord's ranged attacks meant he'd need a pit at least 100 meters deep to make it effective. If he had time to dig a hole that big, he'd be better off focusing on strengthening his followers instead.
Take today, for example. After just one afternoon, several of his zero-level skeleton mages had already leveled up.
"Alright, let's call it a day and rest!"
Ander quietly stood, signaling Magellan to follow him back to their temporary camp.
Perhaps… the best approach was to trim the branches before chopping down the tree.
He didn't believe for a second that once the weaker zombies were cleared out, the zombie lord could still pose much of a threat.
Back at camp, Ander didn't rest idly. He led the unused giant-axe skeletons from earlier out to roam the surrounding area, cutting down any undead they encountered. It was a good way to keep them busy.
While he was in the middle of this productive spree, Ander suddenly felt a flicker in his soul fire. It was little Kristina, her timid voice coming through their link.
"Mr. Ander, the people you asked me to find earlier… they're here now. Could you please come? I… I…"
The girl stammered a bit but didn't explain clearly. Ander, thinking she might be in danger, got a little worried. Without hesitation, he activated the teleportation array through their life bond and entered the material plane.
When Ander arrived in Kristina's room, he found her clutching a candle, standing nervously behind the door. Seeing Ander appear, her expression immediately relaxed.
Ander scanned the room but found no one else inside. He quickly realized what had happened—poor Kristina must have been frightened.
So, even this brave little girl, determined to recover her grandfather's belongings, had her moments of fear.
Ander chuckled internally but said nothing aloud.
"Mr. Ander, here's the cloak you asked for."
Kristina pointed outside, indicating the visitors were just beyond the door. She then grabbed a brand-new black cloak draped over the back of a chair and handed it to Ander.
Oddly enough, Kristina didn't seem afraid of Ander in his skeletal form. In fact, she relied on him, showing a surprising level of trust and obedience toward his requests.
Could it be that my bones are just that dazzlingly translucent? More handsome than your average skeleton?
As he quickly donned the cloak and pulled up the hood to cover his skull, Ander couldn't help but indulge in some self-congratulatory thoughts.
Once properly dressed, he stepped back into the shadows, blending into the darkness. Only then did he signal for Kristina to open the door.
The creaking wooden door swung open, causing the candle in Kristina's hand to flicker. In the dim, wavering light, Ander caught sight of two cloaked figures standing outside.
The first was a burly man with a greatsword strapped across his back and a shiny round shield on his right arm. His bulging muscles and fiery red beard made him look like a raging bull, leaving no doubt he was a swordsman.
Behind him stood a slender woman. From her posture and the faint green hue of her hair under the hood, Ander guessed she was a low-level mage. However, with the swordsman blocking the light, he couldn't see much more.
Hmm… just a dark-element magic apprentice. Useless. And a fourth-level skeleton mage? Also useless.
While Ander was sizing up the visitors, the two were also scrutinizing him and Kristina. The swordsman turned to the woman behind him and said something that made Ander furious:
"A low-level skeleton mage? Not worth anything."
You son of a—! A skeleton lord like me commands thousands of undead! I'll have you know my little brother could squash you like a bug!
"Kristina, don't waste time with this clown. Get his boss out here. What's he got to be cocky about? He's just some hired help!"
Fuming, Ander relayed his thoughts to Kristina through their mental link.
I'm giving them a golden opportunity here, and they're looking down on me? Wait until I help Kristina secure first place—they'll be begging to take me seriously then!
"Swordsman, please have your superior step forward. Your judgment doesn't carry much weight," Kristina said, her tone calm and composed despite her anger.
"Forgive him. As you said, his judgment doesn't mean much... Now, dear girl, why have you sought out the Augin family through the Thieves' Guild?"
The woman behind the swordsman finally spoke after a moment of silence. Gently pushing past the brawny man, she stepped into the room. When she lowered her hood, her elegant, delicate face was revealed in the candlelight.
Oh, so a soft "sorry" makes it all better?
Don't think being pretty gives you a free pass. At best, you're just a decorative vase.
No brains… oh, and not much else either.
Still seething, Ander glanced at the green-haired woman and wrote her off entirely.