Chapter Eight: The Fierce Seven-Winged Little Skeleton

The next day.

Han Shuo was still half asleep, not fully awake, when suddenly the small door to the storeroom swung open with a bang. Jack, the chubby boy, rushed in and shook Han Shuo vigorously. Once Han Shuo was roused, Jack exclaimed excitedly, "Bryan, hurry up, something amazing is happening!"

Han Shuo, bleary-eyed and grumpy, had just been dreaming about sending his little skeleton to fight the witch Lisa, but he hadn't finished the dream before Jack woke him up. He complained, "What’s so urgent this early in the morning?"

Jack’s tiny, bean-like eyes sparkled with excitement as he laughed, "Bryan, that little witch Lisa somehow summoned a really strange little skeleton, and it’s not obeying her at all. It’s been making a racket in her room since dawn.

Then the little skeleton ran off to the Light Magic Academy, and Lisa is chasing after it like mad. Oh! I swear, in all my time at the Necromancy Academy, I’ve never seen a skeleton run so fast. It has seven bone spikes on its back, almost like wings!"

At first, Han Shuo felt secretly pleased hearing this, but as Jack finished, Han Shuo’s expression changed. He suddenly glanced at the small bucket, and saw that the water inside, once colorful, had turned pitch-black at some point. The seven bone spikes and the little skeleton had vanished completely.

This can't be! He’d just used the magical artifact forging method on it yesterday, and in his dream, he vaguely recalled giving it the order to teach Lisa a lesson. But wasn’t the forging process supposed to take thirty-six days? How could this happen? Could it be because he substituted the bone spikes for the "Yin Demon," causing the magical energy to be insufficient?

Thinking of this, Han Shuo felt a chill in his heart. He sprang up from his bed, ignoring his usual morning task of polishing the stone statue, and dragged Jack along as he hurried towards the Light Magic Academy.

As they ran, Han Shuo grew increasingly anxious. He wasn’t a pure necromancy student and couldn’t be as indifferent to summoned creatures as others, who cared nothing for their lives. The little skeleton had been helping Han Shuo with chores lately, saving him a great deal of effort. Over time, Han Shuo had developed a fondness for the creature and naturally didn’t want anything bad to happen to it.

It wasn’t just Han Shuo and Jack. Several other necromancy students, faces odd and intrigued, were also rushing towards the Light Magic Academy, chattering noisily along the way.

"So strange, such a tiny skeleton, and it’s even black with seven bone spikes on its back. How did Lisa summon that?" Amy said, speeding along.

"Yes, and what’s even stranger is how fast it runs. Oh heavens, could it be that Lisa’s spiritual power is stronger than ours, so her summoned skeleton warrior is different from ours?" Athena was equally astonished, hurrying alongside Amy and shouting excitedly.

Bella, a novice mage nearby, frowned slightly at Athena’s words and snorted, "I’m also a novice mage, but I’ve never summoned such a bizarre skeleton. What’s even odder is that it doesn’t obey its summoner. That’s completely against the norm."

...

As Han Shuo and Jack ran, Han Shuo listened to the conversations around him, gathering from the necromancy students that his little skeleton, forged through the magical artifact method, was anything but ordinary.

Growing increasingly anxious, Han Shuo tried to contact the little skeleton with his spiritual power. The connection was still there, but perhaps because of the forging process, the skeleton wasn’t receiving his commands and continued dashing about far away.

The Light Magic Academy was unlike the Necromancy Academy, which had fewer students; the Light Magic Academy was a major division of Babylon Magic Academy, filled with outstanding students. Moreover, the light magic students had always despised the dark arts, perhaps because light and dark magic were opposing forces. Especially necromancy students, who were even more disliked, since light magic countered their spells.

Many light magic spells inflicted great damage upon the dark creatures summoned by necromancers; it was fair to call light magic the nemesis of necromancy. After returning to the necromancy division, Han Shuo had learned much about this, and the common knowledge made him even more worried for his little skeleton.

Dragging Jack, Han Shuo sprinted swiftly, his thin frame moving faster than many other necromancy students, startling those trailing behind. They wondered when this fool had become so energetic after going mad.

By the time Han Shuo, still dragging Jack, reached the Light Magic Academy, Jack was exhausted, collapsing onto the ground and gasping for breath, complaining, "Bryan, you run so fast! I’m about to die from being dragged along, and you don’t even have a drop of sweat!"

But Han Shuo’s attention was entirely focused on the Light Magic Academy’s central plaza and the wild little skeleton, ignoring Jack’s complaints.

In the heart of the Light Magic Academy, on the magical plaza, a small skeleton, ink-black from head to toe, with seven bone spikes protruding from its back and wielding a gleaming, dagger-like bone blade, darted about frantically.

The black skeleton’s bones, refined by Han Shuo, shimmered with a faint glow, and the seven bone spikes on its back seemed perfectly integrated, as if they naturally belonged there. As it ran, its small leg bones stretched like springs, and the bone spikes fluttered, not enough to make it fly but appearing to aid its speed, making it incredibly swift. The little witch Lisa, chasing behind, couldn’t hit it with any of her necromancy spells.

The plaza was crowded with light magic students and decorated with enormous, intricately carved stone pillars. The little skeleton weaved nimbly among the students and pillars, its movements eerily agile, leaving Lisa utterly helpless.

Han Shuo watched, stunned by the skeleton’s newfound speed and agility, then hurriedly tried to command it to return to his storeroom. Unfortunately, the skeleton didn’t seem to receive Han Shuo’s command and continued darting among the pillars and students, causing the light magic students to shout and scatter in panic.

Chaos reigned across the plaza.

"Lisa, your necromancy division is getting out of hand, bringing these filthy dark creatures into our Light Magic Academy. Are you still upset about losing to me last time, trying to show off your skeleton warrior?" Irene, a novice light mage, challenged Lisa coldly.

Irene was seventeen, with short, pale blue hair and a lovely fringe across her forehead. Her sky-blue eyes sparkled like sapphires, and she wore a pristine light magic robe adorned with a diamond-shaped blue gemstone at the chest, radiating a soft blue light that matched her eyes, making her even more beautiful.

She was indeed a little beauty. Han Shuo glanced at Irene, secretly comparing her to Lisa, and found Irene was in no way inferior. Her figure was already developing, her chest fuller than Lisa’s.

"Irene, mind your own business. Don’t think I’ll fear you just because you’re from the Camplin family." Lisa paused her chase, snorting coldly at Irene.

"Hmph, filthy dark creatures have no place in the sacred Light Magic Academy. If you can’t retrieve it, allow me to help!" Irene, face radiant with sanctity, raised her hands and slowly chanted, "Blade of Light, transform into a sword to purify evil, sever this wretched existence — Light Sword Slash!"

A sword formed entirely of dazzling light appeared as Irene finished her incantation and, under her direction, shot towards the little skeleton.

Han Shuo’s skeleton, which had been dodging erratically, stopped when Lisa paused. As Irene’s Light Sword struck, it didn’t react in time and was pierced directly in the chest.

The ink-black skeleton flashed with a faint ghostly glow as the sword struck, then the sword vanished. A wisp of black smoke rose from the skeleton’s chest, but it merely wobbled, then steadied itself, looking around with the glowing bone dagger as if searching for its attacker.

"Wow, that dark creature was hit by holy light magic and didn’t fall apart!"

"Yes, so strange! Light magic is supposed to be the nemesis of dark creatures; its bones should have turned to ash under the holy light. What’s going on?"

"Ah... Could it be that necromancy has discovered a way to make dark creatures immune to light magic? Impossible! If so, necromancy’s creations would be unstoppable!"

...

Han Shuo looked around and saw the light magic students’ faces filled with shock, all staring in disbelief at the little skeleton.

Necromancy’s dark creatures, when struck by light magic, not only suffered normal damage but additional harm. Higher-level undead would rot, while skeleton warriors, as low-level creatures, should instantly turn to dust.

But Han Shuo’s little skeleton, forged with the magical artifact method, defied all magical conventions, proving an extraordinary fact to both light and necromancy students.

Exclamations echoed from the crowd, even Lisa was stunned, overwhelmed by the skeleton’s resilience.

But while everyone was astonished, the little skeleton finally found its attacker after searching around. Its five bony fingers clutched the bone dagger and charged at Irene, bone spikes fluttering furiously. With a speed unbefitting a skeleton warrior, it reached Irene, bone blade raised, and stabbed at her in panic.

Irene paled, seeing the skeleton rush at her so quickly. Knowing she couldn’t recite another spell in time, she threw herself to the left. A ripping sound followed, and Irene cried out in alarm.

The skeleton missed Irene, but instead tore her magical robe, from her right shoulder down to her soft chest, exposing her delicate white skin. The bone dagger now held a small piece of her white undergarment, and the skeleton stood there bewildered, not pressing the attack.

Damn, well done! If she dares to hit you with Light Sword Slash, rip all her clothes off! Han Shuo felt a rush of satisfaction and secretly wished for more.

With that thought, Han Shuo suddenly felt his spiritual power focus sharply. The little skeleton straightened its leg bones, stood tall, and its bone dagger flashed coldly as it rushed at Irene again, who was now flustered and embarrassed, clutching her exposed body. Clearly, it intended to carry out Han Shuo’s command—to tear all her clothes.

Ha, now it’s finally following orders. What a lecherous skeleton!