Chapter 332 Skeletons

Words : 1018 Updated : Oct 11th, 2025

[Another Day] Strax stared at Scarlet with a raised eyebrow, trying to process what he had just heard. Her amused expression, with an almost demonic smile, only increased his suspicion. "So... repeat that, please." He crossed his arms, his tone filled with disbelief. Scarlet kept her mischievous smile, clearly enjoying his reaction. "The skeletons are ready," she said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Strax blinked a few times, trying to absorb the information. "What do you mean?" The initial plan stated that creating the skeletons would take at least one or two months, a deadline Scarlet herself had set. Now, suddenly, they were ready? Scarlet scratched her cheek, slightly averting her gaze—a rare hint that she might have done something... questionable. "Well..." She dragged the word, stalling. "After you mentioned that you only had two phoenix feathers, I kind of realized that the best approach would be to concentrate all resources on just two skeletons instead of trying to produce an army right away."@@@@ She shrugged, as if that were a minor detail. "So, I told our dwarf to focus entirely on these first two. And considering you were gone for two weeks, they ended up being ready faster than expected." Strax stared at her for a long moment before sighing heavily, massaging his temples. "You could have talked to me, you know? I was already worried about the deadline—I plan to head to the Human Kingdom soon." Scarlet's smile widened, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Well... since they're ready, I guess all that's left is to see what they can do," he said, resigned. Scarlet chuckled softly, stepping forward. "Oh, darling, you're going to love what I've prepared for you..." [Hours Later] The cutting wind howled around the mountain as Strax stared at the steep climb before him, his expression filled with irritation. He took a deep breath and shot a deadly glare at Scarlet, who, unlike him, seemed to be enjoying the situation. "Explain to me again why, exactly, we're climbing this damn mountain instead of just flying to the top?" Scarlet smiled, crossing her arms. "Because Baskev is a paranoid old man who thinks that anyone capable of flying up to his forge must be an enemy. So he created an artifact that nullifies any flight attempts within a five-kilometer radius. If we try to fly, we'll be yanked back to the ground like stones." Strax huffed, kicking a loose rock that tumbled down the slope. "I already hate this guy, and I haven't even met him." "Everyone hates Baskev before meeting him. Then, after meeting him, they hate him even more," she said with a playful laugh. "But he's one of the best blacksmiths alive, and if you want those skeletons perfect for your homunculi, you'll have to deal with it." Strax grumbled but started the climb. The mountain was treacherous, filled with loose rocks and slippery surfaces. The howling wind made each step feel like a challenge. Even with his enhanced strength, he could feel his muscles working with every pull upward. After an hour of climbing, Strax looked up and saw they were still far from the top. Baskev gave a satisfied nod. "Done. Now they're yours. Just don't come crying if you use them wrong and end up blowing something up." Strax grabbed the skeletons, inspecting them once more, pleased with the result. Then, he turned to Scarlet. "Can we leave now?" She smirked mischievously. "Of course. Except... we still have to climb down the mountain. Unless you have some brilliant idea to bypass the anti-flight artifact." Strax closed his eyes for a moment, resisting the urge to blow up the entire damn mountain. With a long sigh, he simply started walking toward the exit. "If this grumpy old bastard ever makes me climb another mountain like this, I swear I'll come back just to throw him into one of his own damn forges." Baskev laughed. "Good luck with that, kid. Now get out of my forge before I change my mind and charge you more! Come back next month to pick up the other two." Scarlet burst into laughter, thoroughly enjoying Strax's frustration as he grumbled about ungrateful mountains, stubborn dwarves, and annoying magical artifacts. "What an unbearable old man," Strax muttered, pointing at the skeletons and activating his command. "Inventory." Nothing happened. He blinked, frowning. Tried again. Same result. "Oh, for fuck's sake..." He gritted his teeth, feeling his patience wear thin. "What the hell is this now?" Scarlet raised an eyebrow and tried to lift one of the skeletons, but the moment she grabbed it, she felt an absurd resistance. Even as a Cultivator at the Emperor Stage, she struggled. "How the hell are these so heavy?" She questioned, narrowing her eyes at Baskev. The dwarf let out a snorting laugh, crossing his arms. "Runes. Everything has a price, right? These skeletons are powered by mana, so until they're properly activated, they become... let's say, incredibly stable and dense." Strax rubbed his face with both hands, his patience already at its limit. "Fuck this," he muttered before simply grabbing the skeletons and dragging them out of the workshop. The effort was immense, but he refused to back down. "Now, disable this damn anti-flight artifact," Strax ordered, his eyes glowing with latent danger. "Or I'll destroy this entire mountain." Baskev opened his mouth to retort, but before he could utter a single word, a colossal pressure filled the air. The atmosphere grew heavy. The ground trembled. And then, before them, a gigantic dragon rose up. Its crimson scales gleamed under the light, razor-sharp claws dug into the earth, and burning eyes like molten embers locked onto the petrified dwarf. Baskev felt a chill crawl up his spine as he stared at the titanic creature before him. He swallowed hard. "What in the hells..." He turned to Scarlet, eyes wide in shock. "Why the fuck didn't you tell me he was a dragon?!"

Chapter 332 Skeletons

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