"This skill..." Xarion gawked at the description, reading it over and over, expecting something to change. A skill like this couldn't actually exist. Yet, despite his rereading, the text remained the same, and a childish grin spread across Xarion's usually stoic face.
Why was Xarion so happy? It was obvious to anyone who understood the true value of skills.
There was no such thing as too many cards to hold up one's sleeve, skills were like cards in this sense. With each new ability, he'd be able to perform more and more impossible feats effortlessly, skyrocketing in power.
Skills were notoriously difficult to acquire, with the only guaranteed method being through ranking up, which awarded a new skill at each rank. There were other ways to gain additional skills, but they were neither easy nor safe, typically involving extraordinary luck and tremendous risk. Artifacts capable of bestowing skills did appear occasionally within dungeons, but Xarion had never seen anything that allowed a user to gain new skills so easily.
Normally, everyone began with two: one Active and one Passive. The only exception he knew of was himself, who had started his second life with two of each for reasons still unclear. Until now, one of them had been more of a burden than a boon. But with the activation of the Labyrinth and the summoning of his first unit, that dormant skill had finally revealed its worth.
How many types of undead existed? Xarion inwardly pondered, recalling the final battle against the Undead Labyrinth in the past... dozens at least, possibly more. The realization struck him with unreal clarity, he could potentially copy dozens of different skills. And thanks to his evenly distributed attributes, he could wield each one with competent proficiency.
A skill that allowed the user to collect other skills had never been heard of before. Anyone who possessed it would be nearly unstoppable, perhaps even more powerful than Xarion himself had been in life. The implications made him want to dive back into the Abyss immediately, to upgrade his Spawner and summon even more types of undead units. But wait... didn't this ability all but force him down that path? Was someone manipulating him into unlocking and absorbing undead abilities?
After some consideration, Xarion shook the paranoia from his mind. Whether or not he was falling into someone's plan didn't matter. In his eyes, one truth remained absolute: with enough strength, no scheme could hold power over him. He activated the skill and targeted the kneeling skeleton.
[Skill Activated:
Available Skills to Copy:
- Ashes to Ashes
- Bone Crusher]
He hadn't reviewed the skeleton's status too carefully before, so he reread the unit's abilities. After only a moment of thought, he made his choice.
[Skill Copied: Bone Crusher]
To him, the choice was obvious. Ashes to Ashes was a useless skill, for him at least. Its main drawback was that the user needed to die to trigger the effect, which Xarion had no intention of doing. And even if he did, his final move certainly wouldn't be some choking puff of smoke. That skill only made sense for swarming units like skeletons.
Bone Crusher, in contrast, filled a serious gap in Xarion's arsenal: offensive Active abilities. While Hero's Eyes bordered on being a cheat, it didn't deal damage. Having a single-target physical attack would be immensely helpful, especially in situations like those he'd recently endured. If he'd possessed Bone Crusher then, he might have avoided that near-death experience. Even better, the skill scaled with Strength, meaning it would grow stronger alongside him.
Satisfied with his decision, Xarion opened his personal status screen to examine the result.
[Name: Xarion Diamoriel
Faction: Undead
Race: Netherborn
Rank: Aspirant
Level: 8
Experience: 4%]
[Attributes
Strength: 8
Vitality: 8
Defense: 8
Agility: 8
Dexterity: 8
Intelligence: 8
Will: 8
Charisma: 8
Perception: 8
Magic: 8
Total: 80]
[Skills
Passive: Hero's Journey, Bound to the Labyrinth
Active: Hero's Eyes, Master of the Undead, Bone Crusher]
Pleased with his gains, Xarion turned his attention back to the Spawner. On their own, skeletons were weak, but their usefulness in numbers was undeniable. Even their deaths would have utility thanks to their passive skill.
Reopening the Spawner status, Xarion noticed a few updates.
[Skeletal Spawner
Rank: Aspirant
Units Capable of Spawning:
Aspirant:
- Skeleton
Upgrade the building to unlock more unit types.
Upgrade Requirements: 3 Acolyte Energy Cores
Spawner Passive Available
Hero Recruitment Available]
His curiosity piqued, he selected the Spawner Passive option.
[Purchase a passive skill all troops in the Skeletal category will receive.
Cost: 1,000 Acolyte Death Essence]
"Too expensive," Xarion muttered under his breath. He only had 14 Aspirant Death Essence remaining. As tempting as a global passive bonus was, he couldn't afford it yet. He dismissed the tab and turned his attention to the final option.
[Hero Recruitment:
A hero troop can be summoned with a randomized ego. The hero will be of the type of the Spawner it's summoned from. Only one hero can exist per Spawner.
Heroes will grow over time. They can be resurrected if lost for a cost and penalty.
Summon Skeletal Hero?]
Xarion read through the description carefully, then cross-checked his own skill to confirm something.
[Active – Master of the Undead
Grants the ability to copy one skill from each unique undead troop born within the same Labyrinth. Hero units are considered separate from regular troops. Each unit can only be copied from once.
Cooldown: 1 minute
Cost: 1% Stamina]
He was right. His new favorite skill treated heroes as distinct from regular units, meaning he could get another skill just by summoning this hero. He didn't know all the details behind how heroes worked yet, but he was eager to find out. Thankfully, summoning one didn't cost anything.
"I'll take the free skill," Xarion said with a smirk, pressing the summon button.
The crypt-like structure before him began to shake violently.
The door of the crypt slowly creaked open, and something far larger than a common skeleton emerged from the shadows. Towering in stature, the figure was encased in bulky and durable armor crafted entirely from interlocking bone plates. In its hands, it wielded a massive greatsword and a towering kite shield made of the same grim material. Draped over its shoulders was a torn and weathered grey cape, the fabric fluttering weakly in the stale labyrinth air. As the figure stepped into full view, it became clear that no helmet covered its face. Instead, its skeletal visage was fully exposed, illuminated by a pair of glowing golden lights nestled in its hollow eye sockets, giving the illusion of pupils and presence.
"So you are to be my new lord, liege, and master?" the figure asked, its voice deep and resonant, carrying an imposing authority.
Xarion eyed the skeletal warrior cautiously. "That's right," he answered plainly.
The skeletal figure gave a low, almost amused chuckle. "Forgive me," he said, his tone condescending yet strangely respectful, "I don't often look down on others, but..." he paused for dramatic effect, resting the flat of his blade against his shoulder, "I would be going against my creed to bend the knee without first testing your honor."
Without waiting for a response, the armored warrior stepped into a combat stance, his greatsword angled forward and shield raised defensively. "Come! Show me if you are worthy to command the great Ravon!" he shouted, charging forward, laughter erupting from his hollow chest like the cry of a battle-maddened knight.
Xarion couldn't help but smile at the theatrical attitude. The skeleton's rebellious spirit was unexpected. He had assumed the Hero unit would behave just like the earlier summoned skeleton, silent, obedient, and servile. Yet this Ravon had a strong personality and wasn't afraid to challenge authority. It startled him, but in a good way. The undead knight's actions felt less like defiance and more like a trial, a test of worth.
As Ravon lunged forward, Xarion shifted his weight and narrowly dodged to the side, avoiding the brunt of the charge. "If it's a test of honor you want, I'm happy to oblige," he said, voice calm yet sharp. "But I hope you can survive the consequences."
Ravon barked out a booming laugh. "Fear not! I can take quite the beating. Now come at me, show me your strength!" he roared, bracing behind his shield.
Xarion dashed forward with increasing speed, his lean frame darting like a shadow across the stone floor. At the last second, he launched a heavy kick aimed directly at Ravon's shield. A loud bang echoed through the crypt as bone met bone. Ravon was pushed back several inches but maintained his footing, still in his stance.
"Ouch," Xarion muttered, shaking out his leg, "you weren't kidding. You really can take a hit."
The impact told Xarion everything he needed to know. Ravon was no brute. He was a knight, one of the old kinds, a breed thought extinct after the Emergence changed the world's rules. Honor, discipline, and valor were rare in the world now. Power had replaced morality. But this warrior reminded Xarion of a man he once knew, a real knight who had earned Xarion's respect. That man had died without ever calling in the favor Xarion owed him. And now, in an eerie twist of fate, another knight clad in armor made of bones stood before him.
"I'm not impressed," Ravon jeered, slashing his greatsword through the air. "Surely you can do better than that!"
"You haven't seen anything yet!" Xarion shouted back, dodging and countering with a quick strike that was deflected.
"Only a coward dodges. Are you afraid of earning badges of honor?" Ravon asked with mocking disdain as he slammed into Xarion with his shield, sending him skidding across the stone floor.
"If by badges you mean wounds, then yes, I'm not fond of collecting them," Xarion replied with a smirk, leaping into the air and delivering a precise axe kick toward Ravon's head.
Ravon raised his shield and blocked the blow, the ground cracking beneath his feet from the force. "Hmph! Perhaps after I give you a few more, you'll come to appreciate their value!" he bellowed.
The duel raged on with neither side gaining a clear upper hand. Xarion's agility and sharp instincts allowed him to avoid most of Ravon's attacks, but the knight's armor and endurance made him nearly impervious to counterstrikes. The only observer was the lone regular skeleton nearby, watching in utter stillness as its master danced with the armored juggernaut. Xarion noted how Ravon, unlike living warriors, showed no signs of tiring. His stamina, like all undead, was endless.
It was time to try something different.
Xarion dashed forward again, this time tightening his fists with intent. "Let's see how you handle this!" he shouted.
Ravon laughed. "Your attacks are no better than insect bites to me!"
But this time, Xarion wasn't striking with brute strength alone. As his fist connected with the shield, he activated the Bone Crusher skill. A thunderous crack rang out, and the shield splintered into dozens of fragments.
The shockwave sent dust spiraling into the air. Ravon looked down at the shattered remains of his shield, paused, then threw his head back in laughter, the sound echoing off the walls. "Hahahaha! Excellent! It seems I underestimated you after all!"
The skeletal knight took a knee, sword planted before him in a knightly gesture. "Ravon Aegismort, at your service. I hereby pledge my shield and soul to my new liege. As long as I remain standing, my shield shall cover your back, without fail!"
Xarion blinked, taken slightly off guard by the sudden shift from challenge to reverence. Before he could respond, a glowing panel of status information appeared before his eyes, showcasing the stats of his new hero unit.