Skeleton Master - Chapter 102: Imp Extermination
Sung Min-woo and the spirits were hounding the imp.
"This bastard…!"
For a magic monster, it dodged with impressive agility, darting this way and that.
But the coordinated assault of the four spirits was better than expected. With Sung Min-woo going all out too, the magic monster's physical limits were exposed.
That created an opening, and Sung Min-woo swung his leg at the imp's back.
Can't dodge that one.
Even Mu-hyuk, charging from afar, was certain of it—until the imp vanished.
Ah…!
It had used Blink.
Few monsters wielded Blink magic. It wasn't something users could learn easily either, so facing one for the first time was always a headache.
A brainless user might just charge blindly at its reappearance and die. A smarter one would calculate the Blink range and preposition allies there.
It wasted manpower, but Mu-hyuk could substitute skeletons.
He scattered Enhanced Bone 1 and 2 along with the Bone Swords in all directions.
Enhanced Bone 1, standby.
Bone Sword 11, move back. To the right. Standby.
Enhanced Bone 2, standby.
Bone Sword 4, move left. Standby.
Blink's range was 15 meters.
He positioned his summons 15 meters from the imp's center. Mu-hyuk held position in one spot, waiting, when a message appeared.
Skeleton Warrior Summon skill level has increased.
Skeleton Archer Summon skill level has increased.
Two skills had leveled up simultaneously.
Summons 16 sword-proficient skeletons. Higher levels increase summon count and MP cost per 10 seconds.
Current MP cost per 10s: 3 per unit
Summons 8 bow-proficient skeletons. Higher levels increase summon count and MP cost per 10 seconds.
Current MP cost per 10s: 3 per unit
Now he could summon a total of 29, including the mages.
The problem was his MP regeneration per minute couldn't keep up.
He had to unsummon three or four Bone Swords to prevent MP depletion.
Which meant higher summon levels were pointless without a fix.
There was only one solution: the Grokion set items.
He knew they were in the Yabbe Mountains. Monster levels there ranged from 60 to 80 minimum.
To hunt safely and loot them, he'd need level 70 even with Sung Min-woo—Mu-hyuk was at 69, just one level shy. He could scout right after clearing the dungeon.
But for now, focus on the clear.
"This bastard!"
Sung Min-woo and the spirits chased the imp.
Mu-hyuk focused on their skirmish.
Kaboom!
Right on cue, the imp Blinked.
His Vision Secure skill pinpointed it instantly: right at Enhanced Bone 2's position.
Enhanced Bone 2, attack!
The rest of the Bone Swords repositioned 15 meters from the imp—just in case.
"Skeleton Archer Summon."
He ordered continuous fire from the archers.
Twang! Twang-twong!
Then he kicked off the ground, activating Wind Step.
50 MP consumed.
It had used Blink once, so cooldown would delay another. Time to end it.
With warriors, archers, and Wind Step draining MP fast, he pulled an MP potion from inventory as backup.
Glug.
MP surged.
Potion back in inventory, he zeroed in.
Whoosh.
Not far—there in a flash.
Clang!
Just before his swing, bone arrows hit a transparent barrier and dropped.
A shield?
Mu-hyuk slashed past, blade scraping with heavy feedback up his arm.
As expected, the shield protected it. No disappointment—he twisted toward it relentlessly.
Keep at it till it breaks.
Zigzagging left-right against potential spells, he closed in.
Slash.
Clang-clang-clang!
Sparks flew; recoil twisted his body.
Hup…!
He veered, circling wide.
Archers, continuous fire.
Monitoring as he commanded.
Clang!
A few bone arrows struck the barrier. But one curved sharply, grazing the imp's head unimpeded and falling.
Mu-hyuk's eyes gleamed.
Top's open!
Closing in, he kicked off.
Whoosh.
Leaping over its head, he slammed his sword down.
Sliced it!
Perfect feedback. As predicted, success—a long gash across the imp's face.
Enhanced Bone 2's nearby sword pierced its chest—the shield dropped from Mu-hyuk's prior damage.
Mu-hyuk canceled Wind Step, stowed his sword. Out came Hallucination Poison, coated on an arrow, nocked.
Powerful Arrow Shot.
It sank into the imp's shoulder.
Good.
The imp's gaze blurred, flailing in illusion. It wouldn't break till 10% HP lost.
All standby.
Sung Min-woo arrived.
"Hallucination Poison?"
"Yeah. Group up and finish it. Mages don't have much HP."
"Okay."
Skeletons and spirits.
Mu-hyuk and Sung Min-woo.
All surrounded the imp.
"Hit it lightly till the 10% drops—illusion holds."
"Got it."
Sung Min-woo and Mu-hyuk struck first.
Thud, thump-thump.
Of course, with Slow Poison, Hemorrhage Tear, and Weakness Paralysis applied.
Then to the summons:
"All attack!"
Archer bone arrows flew first.
Twang! Twang-twong!
Warriors and Mu-hyuk swung; Sung Min-woo closed with skills.
The four spirits unleashed their signature spells.
Mages unsummoned for MP—respawn later.
Regrettable, but enough.
It's a mage anyway.
Slash, slice.
Damage popped with each hit—low defense confirmed.
Kee, kiiiaaak!
Snapped from illusion fast—low HP too.
Sure enough.
Kill before Blink.
Sword thrust again.
Real handfeel this time.
-446 damage
The imp spread its palm.
Whoooosh.
Gale-force wind hurled nearby skeletons, spirits, Mu-hyuk, and Sung Min-woo back.
Buying time for Blink, no doubt.
Couldn't allow it.
Archers, attack!
Bone arrow struck pre-Blink.
Kiiak!
Blink canceled.
Now!
Mu-hyuk closed, unleashing attacks.
Experience gained.
Mage confirmed—quick kill. The imp crumpled, graying out on the ground.
This one work?
Just in case, Corpse Dissection.
Corpse Dissection initiated.
Progress…
Corpse Dissection complete.
◈ Traits: Knowledge, Wisdom
Unlike Sword Imp or Shield Imp, dissection worked on this one.
And it dropped a gem too.
"Jackpot?"
Perfect grinding spot for Mu-hyuk.
◈ Increases magic attack power by 0.1.
Exp, gems, and mage-upgrade bones.
*
They'd fought plenty of imps by now.
Initial battles gauged its HP and defense; knowing Blink made it routine.
"Easier than Shield Imps?"
Shield Imps took over 30 minutes each.
Imps: 5 minutes, 10 tops. Fast kills, open plains for clear sight—no frustration. Ideal.
"Ahh, nice breeze."
"Sky's so blue."
Map favored the imp, but the duo enjoyed it more.
"Oh, two this time?"
Definitely tougher than one.
He knew from prior fights.
No slacking.
Tension up, they split left-right.
"One each."
"Yeah, help after yours drops."
Nodding, he eyed the right imp—then both cast simultaneously.
Whoooosh.
One storm, one flame.
Merging into a firestorm.
Hup!
Hastily ordered mages.
Cast time the issue.
Thankfully, four spirits countered first, clashing—but losing ground.
Just before overrun, five mages unleashed.
Firestorm matched, stalemate.
Soon exploded, shockwave blasting.
"Mages, unsummon."
Preventing MP drain, Mu-hyuk ducked low.
Whoooosh!
Braving wind, advanced.
Approaching imp, commands nonstop.
Enhanced Bones 1 and 2, charge.
All archers, continuous.
All swords, forward.
Bone Sword 3, standby.
Bone Sword 5, standby.
Enhanced Bones pressured; archers peppered.
14 Bone Swords ringed 15m radius around imp—encirclement.
Then, sword from inventory coated in Hallucination Poison.
Hallucination Poison applied.
Wind Step activated.
Wind Step
World slowed; he sped through.
Shockwave no barrier. At imp's side, he leaped high, targeting crown beyond shield reach.
Slash.
Wounded imp flailed in hallucination.
Shockwave ended.
Continuous fire.
Bone arrows riddled it.
Solid HP chunk gone.
Then Slow Poison, Hemorrhage Tear, Weakness Paralysis—all stacked.
Weakened, slowed, DoT ticking relentlessly.
Kee, kiiiaaak!
Hallucination broke soon.
All attack.
Commands with wild sword swings.
Several landed true.
-224 damage
-223 damage
-225 damage
-450 damage (Critical!)
Over 1,100 damage from Mu-hyuk alone in seconds.
Pook. Pook.
Arrows embedded; Enhanced Bones 1 and 2 stabbed deep.
Then—the imp reached out, wind howling.
"Hup!"
Same as before. No counter.
Shield or ducking—still blown back.
Only hope: archer arrows. Not always reliable.
This time, failure. Arrow inbound, but Blink—escaped encirclement.
Flash.
Between Bone Swords 7 and 8.
Bone Sword 7, up.
Bone Sword 8, down.
7 and 8, charge!
They closed—but shield up.
Clang!
Futile.
"Haa."
This'll drag. About to Wind Step—
Experience gained.
The imp collapsed suddenly.
"Ah…."
DoTs from bleeds and poison finished it.