The Skeleton Sea

Whoosh...

The towering bone spire, brimming with malevolent energy, left a deep impression on all who witnessed it. In the moment of Allen's dazedness, a chilling black light suddenly flashed before his eyes. He barely managed to dodge, but a sharp crossbow bolt whistled toward him once more, spinning like a top. With each rotation, its speed doubled, creating a deafening sonic boom that tore through the air.

The furious Skeleton King locked onto Allen's soul waves, launching a savage counterattack in a frenzy.

Seven freshly summoned skeleton guards surrounded him, struggling to block the onslaught of zombie warriors and skeletal knights. If they could hold on for just a few more breaths, reinforcements would soon arrive in full force. At that moment, Allen believed there would be no escape for him and his companions.

"Am I really going to die here?"

As the crossbow bolt approached, its speed increasing with each rotation, Allen's pupils contracted. The black magic pen danced through the air, sketching out a complex and profound rune. Yet, before the final stroke could be completed, the sharp bolt was already upon him. With a sharp "whoosh," his hair fluttered back, and the cold, menacing arrowhead hovered close, the sting of impending death pressing against his skin. The force of the bolt's murderous aura and immense pressure caused a deep indentation in his forehead.

Ding...

In that critical moment, a small skeleton suddenly darted from behind, shooting a skeletal arrow. Though its strength was insignificant, the skeleton's precision, sense of timing, and speed were far beyond the average marksman. The arrow deflected, narrowly missing Allen's head as it grazed his scalp.

"Eh…?"

The Skeleton King let out a surprised cry. Furious, it immediately consumed vast amounts of magic to cast a chain of soul-piercing arrows, expecting to pierce Allen's skull with a single shot. However, at the last moment, a tiny skeleton had sabotaged its plan. In a fit of rage, the Skeleton King roared, locking onto the soul waves of both Allen and the small skeleton, preparing to destroy them both.

Just as it was about to act, a sudden and intense sense of danger surged through the air.

Roar...

Having narrowly escaped death, Allen retaliated with everything he had, his magical power surging as though he were an ancient and terrifying demon king. Every muscle, every strand of hair on his body radiated an overwhelming force, building endlessly like an unstoppable tidal wave, choking the very air around him. A terrifying fear, one that could not be resisted, swept through the bones and souls of every skeleton, purging and obliterating their very consciousness.

Fear Storm!

Faced with the mighty Sixth-tier Skeleton King, Allen gritted his teeth, throwing all the remaining premium crystals he had left in the Dark Ring. Using the power of the Soul Summoning Banner, he launched a vicious soul attack. In an instant, the surrounding skeletal guards fell one by one, clutching their heads in agony, their bodies crumbling into lifeless white bones, devoid of any soul. Even the mighty Skeleton King was left momentarily stunned, its mind blank.

Shaking its disoriented head, the King opened its eyes only to see a sharp pen tip looming in front of it. In that instant, it couldn't react in time.

Thud...

The cold, black magic pen pierced the Skeleton King's skull without hesitation!

What is the sharpest weapon in the world?

It is not a blade or a sword, but a pen that can inscribe the very essence of magic, record the rise and fall of civilizations, and bear the supreme will of an ancient Lich King.

Ten steps, one kill!

Allen's power surged like an unstoppable torrent, his magic and physical strength equally formidable. Having inherited the soul imprint, magic crystals, and soul crystals of the Lich King, he not only gained an understanding of the very origins of magic but also underwent a significant physical transformation. His speed and power were so intense that even the most seasoned swordsmen could barely keep up.

"Ah... you forced me! Let us die together!" The Skeleton King screamed in agony, frantically channeling all of its magic. From its spatial ring, it retrieved a crystalline skull. In an instant, a suffocating aura erupted, and from within the skull, tens of thousands of vengeful spirits surged out. They howled in fury, cursing, and rushed toward Allen, desperate to devour his blood and soul.

The Thousand Ghost Soul Devour!

With its last breath, the Skeleton King performed its ultimate attack, willing to endure the painful backlash from the vengeful souls in order to destroy Allen first. The pain from the black magic pen's wound in its head only seemed to fuel its madness as it laughed maniacally.

"Fool! You think you can still escape this fate?"

Faced with the oncoming tide of vengeful spirits, Allen stood unmoved, his mind and body resonating with the magic crystals and soul crystals. With one hand pressed to the Skeleton King's skull, he activated the Great Devouring Technique, pulling in the spirits and souls of the fallen.

The spirits, full of resentment, were normally something any ordinary person would flee from, but to Allen, the Lich King, they were nothing but rare nourishment. With each soul he consumed, his power increased exponentially.

"Ah… How is this possible? It can't be..." The Skeleton King's eyes widened in disbelief as it watched Allen swallow the vengeful souls like an endless ocean. It knew better than anyone the incredible strength of these spirits, each one sealed in the crystal skull over the course of a century. "Who are you... Who are you really? If you kill me, the great Bone Demon Ancestor will never forgive you!"

"Enough with the nonsense. The Bone Demon Ancestor can go to hell!"

Allen's expression was cold as he unleashed his full power, devouring every last trace of the vengeful spirits and purging their malevolent energy. The final line of defense within the Skeleton King's mind was shattered as Allen completely consumed its soul, causing his power to surge even further. From a Magic Apprentice Tier Four to Tier Seven, he ascended rapidly, his magic and soul energy multiplying exponentially.

Such powerful souls!

Feeling the massive surge of energy within him, Allen let out a roar. Compared to the energy from the Twelfth-tier Dark Knight he had previously devoured, the power he absorbed from the Skeleton King and the tens of thousands of vengeful spirits was even greater. Each soul had once been a creature of at least Third-tier strength.

The rapid absorption of this energy not only propelled him to the peak of the Magic Apprentice Tier Seven but also further fused his consciousness with the Lich King's soul imprint, unlocking even more memories and insights. Even with his eyes closed, he could now sense every movement within a radius of several miles. His magic and soul crystals became more refined, and even the slightest flex of his muscles could trigger a deafening sonic boom!

While still unable to cast high-tier magic spells or fully merge with the Lich King's soul imprint, his understanding of magic's origins and his enhanced physical prowess made him far stronger than any other Magic Apprentice, even those who had trained for centuries.

"It is an honor for you to offer your soul and memories to the great Lich King!"

Looking down at the dying Skeleton King, Allen smiled coldly, suddenly gathering his power, ready to seize its memories. However, just as he was about to act, a powerful sense of danger erupted.

Boom...

The Skeleton King's skull shattered into pieces, its vast memories vanishing in an instant. The power of a single thought was terrifying beyond measure. A cold, ancient presence seemed to awaken from the deep recesses of the cosmos, piercing through Allen's very being and laying bare all of his secrets. The icy energy coursed through his body, making its way into the Soul Summoning Banner. With a soft hiss, a faint wisp of blue smoke rose, and the chilling aura faded away. A gust of wind passed by, and the already damaged banner cracked further.

"Is this the so-called power of the Bone Demon Ancestor?"

Once the icy presence had vanished, Allen exhaled in relief. Even though his power had skyrocketed with his advancement to Magic Apprentice Tier Seven, the thought that a single fragment of the Bone Demon Ancestor's will could overwhelm him made him realize how much further he needed to go. Only by reaching the semi-divine realm could he truly stand his ground in this savage world.

The sudden appearance of the Bone Spire, the mighty Skeleton King, the terrifying Bone Demon Ancestor, and the skull sealing tens of thousands of souls...

Allen picked up the crystalline skull, examining it closely. His instincts told him that this strange skull held the key to everything, though he couldn't find any immediate secrets. All he knew was that it contained a peculiar space capable of absorbing or collecting the souls of enemies.

"Illusory Sands, Great Devouring Technique..."

After placing the odd skull into the Dark Ring, Allen sat cross-legged, slowly sifting through the immense memories of the Lich King. With every breakthrough, his consciousness fused more deeply with the soul imprint, unlocking more memories. As he observed the fallen skeletons of the battlefield, a new spell suddenly emerged in his mind. Leaping to his feet, his magic pen danced through the air, drawing an intricate, arcane symbol.

As the final stroke was completed, a cold wind swept across the battlefield, carrying with it a whisper, almost like the murmur of a high-tier sorcerer or an ancient summoning from the distant past. With the wind's passing, the skeletal guards began to rise, one by one, dragging their bodies toward Allen. Kneeling in devotion, their numbers quickly multiplied.

The Great Soul Summoning Technique