Fighting the Flamehoof!?

They possessed formidable abilities, especially the last one, but only the Rank D monster had it. The other specimens, besides having lower stats, couldn't boast the same capability.

Their attacks were based on dealing high burn damage, but for Jeremy, it wasn't a problem. His skeletons were too strong—the enemy beasts wouldn't even have time to realize what was happening.

"The Flamehoofs are magnificent. I'd love to ride one... should I use an Undead slot or an Aberration slot?" Jeremy wondered as he watched the wolves growl at him.

"Or maybe I should just save a few for the future."

The Flamehoofs were wolf-like creatures, about two meters tall and three meters long. Their coats, seemingly smooth, were a bright red, as if made of living flames. The heat they radiated and the dark stains across their bodies made them look soaked in blood.

The enemy beasts numbered ten: nine Rank E at level 15 and one Rank D at level 30, likely the pack leader. It wasn't uncommon for monsters in this part of the forest to war among themselves. Constantly alert against outside attacks but still in need of rest, that's why they had gathered near the lake.

Judging by the bloodstains on their bodies, they must have just come out of a recent fight.

After a few furious glares and threatening growls, the two sides charged into battle.

"Okay," said Jeremy, completely unfazed. "Let the games begin. Winner is whoever racks up the most kills."

A sharp gleam crossed his eyes as he watched the beasts' desperate struggle against his summons.

Drae'mon, the skeleton made entirely of bone, moved with lethal precision, dancing between enemies. Every movement was measured, every attack calculated to strike a vital point. The wolves couldn't even touch him.

On the other side was Leo'sol, a completely different kind of skeleton. He didn't care about dodging or elegant moves. He leapt forward, landing with the Stomp skill and paralyzing the nearest wolf.

Then, without hesitation, he opened his jaws and bit off the creature's entire head, chewing with a sickening crunch. His clawed arm pierced the wolf's belly, ripping it apart in one single tear.

The other wolves tried to seize the moment to attack, but Leo'sol made no effort to dodge.

Or so it seemed.

At the last moment, he lifted the corpse of the freshly slain Flamehoof, using it as a shield against their blows.

The enemy beasts were in a panic. Only ten seconds had passed since the fight began, but they faced two unstoppable opponents: a killer skeleton that couldn't be touched and always hit weak spots, and a monster interested only in devouring their heads.

At first, Jeremy didn't get why. Then—

"Son of a..." he cursed. "The Cores are inside their heads! That's why you keep eating them! You can't do that, I need the money, I'm broke!"

He pretended to be upset, though honestly, he didn't care that much... until he remembered a crucial detail.

But it was already too late.

"Hey, Leo'sol, wait!" he shouted, alarmed. "I need their heads intact for the mission!"

He turned to Drae'mon, hands in his hair. "And you! Stop filling them with holes! Damn it, you guys are so heartless… can't you think about me for once?! How am I supposed to get rich if you destroy everything?!"

Now he was genuinely frustrated. Unfortunately, he had realized his mistake too late. Only one beast remained, frozen, its legs trembling with fear. It wanted to run, but couldn't find the courage to turn away.

Jeremy, however, showed no mercy.

The two skeletons finished it off in a matter of seconds.

"That was quick," the boy commented with a smile. "Just imagine when I have more skeletons under my command... I'll be unstoppable."

He looked around at the battlefield. "Now all that's left is collecting the loot… if there's anything left. And also—"

His eyes landed on the last fallen beast.

"I've always been curious about this DNA thing... How did Drae'mon manage to acquire the traits and abilities of two beasts? And yet he's still not considered an Aberration... Could it be thanks to his blessing?"

After collecting some Cores and all the corpses—he did have infinite storage, after all—he decided to summon a new undead from the last beast slain.

After all, it had been killed by both his skeletons, so it should have their DNA… if they even had one.

"Creation."

Mana poured into the carcass. Jeremy stepped back, not wanting to be covered in shredded flesh again. He still needed to bathe.

A few seconds later, a skeletal creature with a lupine shape emerged from the corpse.

It was as large as the living Flamehoof, except—

"Ah, right, it's a skeleton…" Jeremy sighed, disappointed. "No flaming fur, no majesty, just... a pile of bones."

He snorted. "Let's check its status and see what we've got..."

Name: /

Potential: Apex

Level: 15

Skills: Son of the Flame, Flameblast, Flame Dash, Fire Immolation, Death Explosion

"Hm," Jeremy shook his head, "First experiment failed... maybe my undead don't have DNA, or maybe it's something else."

And so Jeremy obtained his first normal undead—well, almost. His new summon still had Apex potential, like Jeremy.

Which meant it was stronger than all its living kin. On top of that, its infinite stamina and enhanced skills made it far superior to anything it could've been in life.

"Good," Jeremy said confidently. "I'll make you not only my temporary mount but also my portable cannon."

And so he dumped all its stat points into Intelligence.

"Now," Jeremy said, gazing at the lake, "Time for a bath."

And so—

Splash

"Ahhh," a delightful sensation spread across his face. "This is amazing… feels like it's been forever since my last bath..." a naive smile forming on his lips.

Then realization struck—

"Shit, I forgot to take off my gear," Jeremy muttered, facepalming.

---

After soaking for about ten minutes, he decided that was enough and got out. Satisfaction covered his face.

Then, looking at his Firehoof skeleton—whom he simply renamed Mount—he decided to craft something. Using wood from nearby trees and the sharp claws of his skeletons, he made a kind of... saddle?

"The famous Wooden Saddle," he said with an ironic smile.

It looked like a plank of wood with bent sides. It didn't look comfortable.

But still—

He placed it on the skeletal wolf, Mount, and sat atop it.

"Seems to have an experimental ergonomic design."

"In the sense that I have to experiment to find the least painful position," he laughed as he shifted side to side.

"Now," he continued, "Let's march!!"

And so, riding his skeleton Mount, he sped through the forest.

Or at least, that was the idea—what he imagined.

"..."

A mix of embarrassment and ridiculousness covered his face. "Sometimes I'm just a damn idiot."

His Mount was as slow as a snail. Of course—it had all its attribute points in Intelligence.

So he decided to dismount and continue on foot, cursing himself.

He planned to capture a live Flamehoof and have it killed by a different type of monster to see if their DNA could be combined.

---

Meanwhile, two figures moved silently through the trees, the rustle of dry leaves beneath their steps the only sound in the unnatural stillness of the forest.

"Hey… doesn't this seem strange to you?" asked a young woman, her voice light but alert.

She walked a step behind her companion, each of her movements deliberate and precise.

The other woman, whose demeanor was more naïve, nodded slowly.

"Yeah. It's like all the Flamehoof just vanished."

"No," the first one shook her head, her eyes scanning the shadows between the trees.

"They didn't run. There's too much blood. Something slaughtered them."

She stopped, crouching down to inspect the ground more closely.

Now that she thought about it… it wasn't just the blood.

The soil was scorched, blackened in multiple places.

Trees reduced to smoldering stumps.

Rocks cracked as if struck by a violent wave of heat.

"And then there's this."

She pointed at the scorch marks scattered around.

"Looks like Flamehoof fire… but aimed inward."

The other woman clenched her jaw, her eyes taking in the devastation.

"You're right… it's like they were fighting each other."

"Judging by this destruction," the first added, gripping the hilt of her sword tightly,

"Whatever did this… it wasn't just a Rank D Flamehoof. Something stronger."

A tense silence fell between them.

Whatever had happened here…

…wasn't the work of an ordinary monster.