The dust of time was blown away, and the scenes of the past replayed vividly in Raine’s consciousness. This exceptionally strong Bear Goblin had torn through the defense line with two accomplices, surging into the area like a raging tide. It had watched its first accomplice get pierced through the throat by a stubborn wounded soldier wielding a Broken Sword, the sheer fury leaving its eyes bloodshot.
Just as it hoisted its War Axe high, preparing to cleave the wounded soldier in two, a streak of blue lightning howled in from the flank. It was a giant wolf, its fur resembling a pristine azure ice field. The giant wolf’s master had already fallen in a corner, his blood staining the Chest Armor engraved with blue war patterns. Its eyes burning with the flames of vengeance, the loyal, now-masterless mount kicked off the ground with its powerful hind legs, tackling the Bear Goblin with crushing momentum.
"HOWL!" Amidst the deafening roar, the giant wolf opened its maw, sinking its razor-sharp fangs viciously into the Bear Goblin’s skull. CRACK! The ear-piercing sound of shattering bone rang clear even over the chaotic battlefield. The fangs instantly punctured the hard skull, sending blood and brain matter spraying from the fissures. The dying Bear Goblin, however, erupted with a final burst of ferocity. Its bulging, muscular arms locked in a death grip around the wolf’s torso, its claws tearing frantically. Fur was ripped, and muscles were shredded. Accompanied by the sickening crunch of snapping bones, the beast and the monster ultimately perished together in a tangled heap, collapsing heavily onto the blood-soaked earth.
Raine’s gaze locked onto the crown of the Elite Undead’s skull like a hawk—the exact location of its easily overlooked weakness. "Sodden, Kaelin! Find a way to throw it off balance, even if just for a moment!" Raine stowed his bow and drew his sword, lowering his center of gravity like a coiled spring ready to strike.
Sodden and Kaelin both froze in surprise. Why would Raine abandon his specialty in ranged support to engage in close combat? Their opponent was an incredibly tough nut to crack. Even Kaelin’s swift and fierce Combat Techniques had only managed to sever a tiny fragment of its bone. What could he possibly accomplish with a mere Short Sword? Though riddled with doubt, the unwavering trust forged through their many battles together prompted them to obey without hesitation.
The very moment the stiffness from her previous Combat Technique faded, Kaelin let out a sharp cry, her Longsword tracing a silver arc through the air. Her footwork shifted abruptly as she launched a whirlwind assault on the Elite Undead’s lower body. Her blade struck the pale leg bones again and again, sending showers of sparks flying. Sodden transitioned from defense to offense as well, his War Axe hacking furiously at the knee joint of the same skeletal leg in a relentless staccato of dull thuds.
The Elite Undead grew increasingly enraged. It swung its Bone Claws repeatedly to force the duo back, but whenever it attempted to pursue, it was thwarted by a precisely aimed Colorful Ball from Winnie. Under their concentrated barrage, the fractures in its leg bone spiderwebbed outward until, finally—CRACK! Following a sharp snap, its massive body instantly lost its balance. The sudden kneel sent its enormous head pitching forward, leaving it completely exposed in Raine’s line of sight.
Seizing the opportunity, Raine kicked off the ground with both legs, shooting forward like an arrow released from a bowstring. Mid-sprint, all the muscles in his body surged with explosive power. The force traveled from his ankles to his core, then channeled through his arms and wrists. He condensed the complete essence of his newly achieved Enlightenment in Combat Techniques into the very tip of his blade, causing the steel to hum violently.
"Wind-Seeking Piercing!" As Raine chanted the name in his heart, the razor-sharp blade seemed to transform into a bolt of silver lightning. A blinding, icy glare flashed as the weapon thrust viciously into the faintly glowing, fractured skull. BANG! The blade sank in entirely without resistance. Immediately after, the terrifying Penetration Power contained within the steel erupted. Like an invisible shockwave, it detonated right inside the undead’s skull. The fierce, ethereal blue light in its eyes flashed with a hint of sudden terror before extinguishing completely.
CLATTER—! The scattered bones collapsed to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust before the group. The chamber fell into dead silence, leaving only the soft glow of the Magic Halo and the utterly astonished faces of Kaelin, Sodden, and Winnie as they exchanged looks.
They had seen it as clear as day: Raine had just executed one of the Sword Combat Techniques. The Penetration Power that instantly gathered at the tip of his blade far exceeded any ordinary thrust. Its sheer might was nothing short of terrifying. The formidable opponent that had taken the combined efforts of the three of them to just barely hold at bay had been dismantled by Raine in a single strike? Among them, no one was more profoundly shaken than Kaelin. She had executed a Combat Technique of her own moments prior, and she knew firsthand just how incredibly tough the Elite Undead’s bones were—so resilient that her Curved Slash had failed to inflict severe damage. Yet Raine had driven a seemingly ordinary Short Sword straight through its hardest point—the skull. The vast disparity in their feats sent shockwaves surging through her heart.
Thinking back to their first encounter in the forest, she had merely regarded Raine as a frail guide who happened to know the terrain. But since then, his near-flawless precision in Archery, his ruthless decisiveness when slaying the Razor Beast, his fearless bravery against two Bear Goblins in the dead of night, and now, this breathtakingly brilliant sword strike... This dark-haired young man, who was about her age, was constantly shattering the upper limits of her expectations. After all, even though her family’s resources had been stifled by her uncle’s suppression—preventing her from officially crossing the threshold into becoming a Professional—her parents were bona fide Professionals. Her father had even secretly hired a renowned Sword Master from within their clan to mentor her. She had always believed her Swordsmanship was exceptional among her peers, but now, standing before Raine, she felt nothing but a deep sense of inadequacy. Yet, amidst her shame, an indescribable sense of security quietly welled up within her. To be able to fight alongside such a formidable companion was undoubtedly the greatest stroke of luck she had experienced since leaving home.
Under everyone’s gaze, however, the focal point of their awe did not look entirely relaxed. Raine was panting softly, and the arm holding his sword trembled slightly. He finally understood exactly how Kaelin felt every time she unleashed a Curved Slash. For an Apprentice Level Adventurer who had yet to officially step into the realm of Professionals, actively executing such an offensive Combat Technique placed an immense burden on the body. Fortunately, the nature of Wind-Seeking Piercing relied on pinpoint penetration rather than wide-scale explosive power. Its Physical toll seemed a bit lighter than Kaelin’s Curved Slash. At the very least, it hadn’t left him with that momentary stiffness. Instead, his muscles merely shuddered uncontrollably, as if they had been overstretched.
The group rested on the spot for a short while. Once Raine’s breathing steadied, they resumed their exploration. As they walked, Raine carefully observed their surroundings. A large number of shattered bones were scattered about. The fracture marks were completely fresh, and among them were the remains of the giant wolf. It was likely that after the Elite Bear Goblin Skeleton awakened, it was still fueled by the hatred for its living nemesis and proceeded to wipe out all the other Undead in the vicinity. Furthermore, numerous overturned stone cabinets and tables littered the area. Combined with the scenes he had witnessed in his vision, it wasn’t hard to deduce that this place had once served as both a warehouse and a makeshift triage area for wounded soldiers.
As they advanced further, the group spotted a squad of Dogman Skeletons lurking in the Shadow. However, against their prepared group, the small-statured Undead were swiftly and easily dispatched. After successively taking down a few Dogman Skeletons, Raine noticed that the Hunting Chapter in his mind hadn’t issued any new recording prompts. After a brief moment of thought, he understood why. The Bear Goblin Skeleton from before had been categorized as a Skeleton Beast. It seemed that any Undead awakened from the remains of Magical Beasts, regardless of their form, fell under this umbrella. As for the elite individual, despite being far more formidable, it was still fundamentally a Skeleton Beast. Naturally, it hadn’t triggered a new entry either.
The group searched meticulously and soon reached the end of the area. However, aside from the scattered bone fragments and empty stone cabinets, they found no trace of Kaelin’s ancestor. Worse still, the area dead-ended at a solid rock wall; there were no other exits to be found. This undoubtedly meant they were still trapped inside this subterranean fortress, and their only way out remained tightly blocked by thousands of Undead. Kaelin stood with her back to the group, staring blankly at the cold stone wall as her shoulders slumped slightly. The endless running over the past few days, the agonizing cycle of hope igniting only to be extinguished, and the gnawing worry for her father’s safety—all of it felt like heavy shackles pressing down on her, leaving her struggling to breathe. Was there... really no way out?
Just then, a sturdy hand gently patted her shoulder armor. Kaelin turned her head instinctively, meeting Raine’s calm, dark eyes. "It’s not time to lose heart just yet," he said, his voice carrying a strange, soothing Power. "We haven’t reached a dead end."