Waves of Lizardman Knights
Mu-hyuk extinguished the light upon discovering the entrance.
Darkness lurked in the surroundings.
He stepped into a place of even deeper blackness.
You have discovered a level 30 general dungeon.
Inside the dungeon, experience gain (50%) and item acquisition rate (20%) are increased.
He had already recovered all his MP while wandering the area in search of this place, so he could summon skeletons right away—but he held off.
He needed to conserve as much as possible.
MP was precious.
And for good measure, he switched video recording to on.
Even if not right now, when the dungeon eventually became known, releasing this footage for pay would net a tidy side income.
He advanced slowly.
This dungeon was wider on both sides than a unique one.
Even though multiple monsters appearing could be dangerous, he felt no hesitation.
He couldn't afford to. After all, Mu-hyuk had nine summons at his command.
That was more than enough to block the path.
Whatever came, anyway.
He knew the dungeon's location, but not what monsters lurked inside.
Most users kept that part under wraps.
They only shared that they'd cleared a certain dungeon or obtained a specific item—nothing more.
Even so, his steps brimmed with confidence.
Had he finally passed the dungeon's entrance?
Something loomed in the distance.
It looked fairly large...
As he closed in, its shape sharpened.
An orc?
Up close, it wielded a greatsword.
Not a level 27 lizardman.
A Lizardman Knight…!
A level 30 monster.
So it did have some difficulty.
Right from the start, no less.
"Summon."
Nine skeletons appeared.
He first ordered the Bone Swords to charge.
Kiririk!
The Bone Bows to attack.
Bone arrows sliced through the air.
Bone arrows streak past the charging Bone Sword's skull and slam into the Lizardman Knight's chest.
But this great warrior wasn't about to take such an obvious attack.
It swung its greatsword, deflecting the three incoming bone arrows.
Its level was lower than the steel ants.
But it was intelligent.
And as a humanoid monster, it was tricky.
Bone Sword 1, 2, 3: defend.
Bone Sword 4, 5, 6: behind 1, 2, 3.
Bone Sword 4, 5, 6: attack in place.
Bone Bow 1, 2, 3: rapid fire.
As he issued commands, Mu-hyuk transformed his staff into a bow and nocked an arrow.
His accuracy was still low, but consistent practice was sharpening his instincts.
Now, out of ten shots, more than five would hit the monster's body.
Possible only because the target wasn't some tiny bullseye.
Your arrow embeds in its chest.
-120 HP
With the bone bows' rapid fire and the Bone Swords' assaults piling on, even a Lizardman Knight would be disoriented.
What...?
Same level as Mu-hyuk, but his stats were superior.
His attack power was outstanding too.
One arrow shaved off 120 HP.
The skeletons' damage wasn't low either.
Sword attack power averaged 28.
Strength stat at least 10.
Total around 60 damage per hit.
Even accounting for the Lizardman Knight's defense, about 30 got through.
Nine skeletons meant at least 270 combined.
More than twice as fast as Mu-hyuk solo.
Kuruk, kururuk...!
Thanks to that, the Lizardman Knight's body was soon coated in silver.
Bleeding endlessly.
Only then did it hit him.
Ah, I'm level 30 now.
And nine summons, unlike before.
Archers too.
A chuckle escaped him.
To think it felt this easy.
His thoughts stopped there.
Mu-hyuk kicked off the ground.
Transformed the bow back to staff, then pressed the skull on his helmet.
Click.
A blade extended from the staff's tip.
Thrusting it right up to the Lizardman Knight.
The blade sinks deep into its abdomen.
-238 HP
A clear finisher.
Thud.
He used Corpse Dissection on the fallen Lizardman Knight.
Performing Corpse Dissection.
Progress: 10%...
Corpse Dissection complete.
Lizardman bones, huh.
A smile tugged at his lips. He loved the properties bones carried.
Properties: Strength, Vitality
The smile faded quickly.
The Lizardman Knight had been easy, but this was just the dungeon's start.
*
Next came two Lizardman Knights.
Easy win.
Then three.
Won that too, but when four appeared, Mu-hyuk furrowed his brow.
Increasing one by one?
Time to get serious.
He stood at the front with the Bone Swords, facing them down.
Level 30 Mu-hyuk.
Stats far superior. Lizardman Knights were no match.
Especially with skeleton support.
Even four of them.
"Hoo."
Victory again.
Dissected the four corpses.
Performing Corpse Dissection.
Progress: 5%. Progress: 15%...
Corpse Dissection complete.
Five was manageable.
But more?
That could get tough.
It was a general dungeon, after all.
Unlikely to ramp up that hard.
Difficulty scaled to party size, so five was probably the limit.
Anything more would be excessive.
Let's see a bit further.
A few minutes later.
A shape appeared ahead.
One...?
A smile crept onto Mu-hyuk's face.
Pattern grasped.
Built up to four, then reset to one.
Common in general dungeons.
A few repeats, and clear.
Bone Sword, Bone Bow: auto-attack.
Skeletons charged.
Kirik, kiririk!
One Lizardman Knight was no match for the summons alone, so he watched the fight unfold.
This was the necromancer's appeal.
Just issue mental commands.
And observe.
What was the world's best spectacle? Fire-watching, fight-watching.
VR brawl right before his eyes, plus exp on victory. Couldn't get better.
Kiririk!
The fight ended quickly.
Skeletons victorious.
Checked exp gain, then reverse-summoned.
Refilled MP, pressed on.
Two, three, four.
Then back to one.
Repeating, as expected.
*
Ten cycles in before he knew it.
Exp at 85%.
15% more for level up.
Hmm, better finish before that.
This was the last fourth wave of the tenth cycle.
Four Lizardman Knights appeared. Mu-hyuk teamed with skeletons to take them down.
Smooth as before.
Reverse-summoned, rested to top off MP, then advanced.
Ahead.
Dot-like monster shapes.
Back to one.
So he thought as he closed in.
"Hm?"
Not one.
Five...!
And the center one had two extra-large heads compared to the others. Body 1.5 times bigger.
The four regular Lizardman Knights flanking it looked like kids.
Instinct screamed.
Final wave.
Threat? Felt it.
Tension too.
But that's what made the game fun.
"Hoo..."
Nocked an arrow, waited.
Until in range.
Bone Bows, attack.
Mu-hyuk loosed.
Arrows blocked by their greatswords.
Bone Bows, rapid fire.
Mu-hyuk kicked off.
Wind Step closes the gap at terrifying speed.
Aimed for the gap as they swung greatswords to block arrows.
Skull staff body smashed the leftmost orc greatswordsman's side.
Dull thud, it staggered. Then the two-headed giant Lizardman Knight approached.
Mu-hyuk retreated swiftly.
Arrows whizzed over his head toward the giant, but it ignored them, pursuing Mu-hyuk.
Bone Swords, charge.
As the command went out, the giant swung its greatsword.
Mu-hyuk raised his skull staff to block. Impact minimal—pain sensitivity low.
But he clearly felt his body lift into the air.
HP -65
Stamina drained too.
That meant insane destructive power.
Insane.
Yet the giant pressed on, unsatisfied.
Then six charging Bone Swords collided with it.
"Hoo."
Mu-hyuk landed and slipped past the giant Lizardman Knight.
It's strong.
So it's the last.
Time to clear the nuisances first.
They'll hold.
He glanced at the Bone Swords, then refocused on the regular Lizardman Knight.
One closed in, swinging its greatsword.
Ducked, thrust staff.
Blade pierced chest.
It twitched from the critical as a bone arrow hit its eye.
Critical hit triggers.
Additional damage (30).
Consecutive critical bonus—equal to his level.
Rare enough to savor the thrill.
Another critical here doubles it.
Three in a row was rare.
But he tried.
Jumped, aimed for the other eye.
Kruaaaah!
It thrashed, missing clean.
Mu-hyuk scowled, twisted midair, thrust staff body forward.
To block another approaching Lizardman Knight's greatsword.
Clang!
Body shoved back.
Hit the wall.
Fine.
No more rear worries.
He eyed the four closing in.
The one-eyed one raged fiercest.
Just take that eye...
One shot.
Staff raised against the wary foes.
Transform.
Bow in an instant.
Nocked, fired.
Close range boosted accuracy.
Sudden attack slowed the wounded one's reaction.
Arrow in good eye.
Kruaaaah!
Both eyes gone.
Blind, in agony, it flailed wildly with its greatsword.
Sliced a nearby Lizardman Knight's side.
Krur?
As the other three recoiled in shock.
Wind Step closes the gap.
Now's the chance.
Mu-hyuk's staff swung wildly.
High attack power and strength poured damage straight in, HP plummeting.
Circled the berserk one, keeping perfect distance from others.
Anticipated moves, blocked early.
Possible because Lizardman Knights' agility was relatively low.
-118 HP
-115 HP
-121 HP
One down.
"Hoo."
Glanced at the giant Lizardman Knight. One Bone Sword reverse-summoned.
Five left holding, but getting pushed back hard.
Precarious.
Bone Bows, rapid fire on nearest.
Assigned one Bone Bow to the giant.
Still not safe.
Pulled Slow Poison from inventory.