Clerk led Bones up the stairs, where there were people already browsing the displayed items. He noted all the people on the 2nd floor were adventurers. He understood why, when he saw the items displayed. They were all enchanted items and who else, but adventurers, were in need of them the most.

“Sir, this way please. All the masks displayed have simple self-repair enchantment on them. If you'd like a mask with a different or a specific enchant, we could order one for you.”

“No no, this will satisfy my needs. Thank you.”

“Then, if you need any more help, feel free to ask for me.“

Bones nodded and kept observing masks in front of him. It came down to his preferences. He didn't like the overly decorative masks or masks with ornaments on them. He just needed a mask nice enough to get the job done. He stopped at one mask, staring at it for a moment before picking it up and motioning to the clerk that he was finished.

“Would that be all sir?”

“Yes, that would be all.”

Mask cost a bit more than the garments he bought, at 8 gold, which made him broke again. With a bit over 3 gold left, he wouldn't be able to buy a book, Monster Compendium. That was alright, it won't be the monsters he was going to be fighting soon, by the looks of it.

He noticed the same people following him from the moment he exited the clothing shop. He had an idea or two of who they might be. You could practically smell the western district on them.

Seems someone somewhat capable noticed. Not smart enough, if this is the kind of riff-raff he sends after me…

Back in the square, Bones went straight to the contract board outside the guild and read through contracts one by one. In the end, he took two off the board and went inside to register them under his name at the reception desk.

First quest read "Subjugation of the goblin tribes" and it was a repeatable quest. It could be taken solo or in a group and it was possible to join the group at any time. Quest was aimed at level 5+ adventures looking to gain experience and level skills. Goblins were documented at level 3 and up to level 9, in the newbie zone, with variants being over level 10. There were occasional level 10 and up to level 15 monsters deeper in the forest but monsters were mostly regulated by the scouts patrolling and kept to low levels for newbies to gain experience.

Second quest was also a repeatable subjugation quest involving hunting Steel-Tusk boars and collecting their tusks. With everything ready, Bones moved out.

He passed the main street on his way to the gates, which was as always, crowded with people and clamor. At the gates he saw more well geared adventurers, possibly bronze rankers. He guessed it had to do with an undead army marching northeast. He heard pieces of information here and there and he saw a formal notice was issued earlier that morning for all bronze rankers to join a subjugation to rid of the undead plague that's been corrupting their kingdom.

Having nothing to do with him, he left the city, following the road past the caravans and people waiting in line to enter. Once he was out of sight, he turned to the forest and disappeared. His entourage, following his footsteps.

After accepting the quests, he was issued with a copy of a map and had the receptionist mark an estimated area where his targets would be. Only problem was, that estimated area was fucking huge.

Why not just circle the whole damn forest?

Moving through the forest, he encountered more than one group of monsters. None presenting any challenge and giving barely any experience. All his nightly run-ins with thugs gave him plenty of race and class experience. He was a level 9 in both and close to level up, but he would need to find higher level monsters or...more people with a higher level.

Now then, how should I deal with them? I need one alive for interrogation. From what Identify told me, two are rogues and one is a scout. All three level 9, daggers vs bow, a scout it is then.

After he ambushed a solitary monster, he hid high in a tree and waited. Two minutes later, three figures appeared, talking in hushed voices.

“We should’ve caught up by now, where in blazes is he?”

“Hush, let the man do his job.”

The two men talking were rogues and the one tracking Bones was a scout.

“Guys? The tracks end here.” sad the scout.

“What?”

“He finished the monster instantly, circled the body and...tracks end here.”

“Man you really suck at tracking haha.”

“No stupid! SHIT! WE’VE BEEN HAD GUYS!!!”

Bones was surprised he was noticed, he didn’t leave many clues, but now that he did, he was forced to move quickly. He jumped from the tree aiming the spear straight at the scout's head. Scout, however, felt it coming and moved to the side instantly, dodging a spear that would otherwise penetrate his head. Two rogues lifted their heads up and saw their target falling down. One of them got ballsy and made a rash decision by charging Bones as he was nearing the ground, thinking he lost his thrown weapon when he failed to kill the scout. Scout read the situation and yelled at the rogue to stop but it was too late. He was already in motion, focusing on the target in front of him. As he got ready to intercept Bones, he reflexively deflected the bone spear with his dagger. Instead of piercing his heart, the spear Bones secretly threw struck his shoulder, making him recoil and interrupt his charge. Rogue looked at the man in front of him as he landed, with an expression of shock. Moments later, shock turned to despair as he knew he messed up as he saw the man lower his stance and dash towards him, moving to his injured side and stabbing him between the ribs, puncturing his lungs. Rogue collapsed, holding his side and gasping for air.

The other rogue moved the moment he saw his companion get stabbed. He was fast and before Bones managed to properly react, he was slashing at his head. The dagger nicked his forehead, removing the hood from his head and revealing the back of the white skull. The scene must’ve had an impact on a scout because he rushed his shot and Bones sensed it coming. He ducked as the arrow flew overhead, grazing his scalp and flying into the rogue, who managed to deflect the arrow by crossing his daggers in front of him. The impact, pushing him back just enough to make a distance for Bones to use his newly acquired skill.

Combat experience gained

ding

Level up!

Congratulation, class Bonemancer is now lvl 10

You have learned a new skill: Bone Nova

Skill: Bone Nova [basic] - Unleashes short projectiles made of bones in a spiral around you, causing bleeding with the chance to cripple targets. Number of projectiles limited to 5.

Increased damage per skill level and +1 projectile per 5 skill levels

Cost: 10 mana per projectile

Bones jumped up from his kneeling position and immediately activated the skill. Five short projectiles made of bones bursted outwards in a spiral. One hit a rogue in front of him in the chest, other three missed and one headed towards the scout who managed to sidestep the projectile, but not the follow up bone spear that lodged itself in his throat. Bones watched the scout grab hold of his spear with his hands, pleading expression on his face. He then reached for his belt where he took out the healing potion, uncorked the lid and drank its contents. Bones let him, he needed one alive, the other rogue though?

*swish*

Gurgling sound was coming from the rogue as Bones sliced his throat open. He collapsed and bled out a few seconds later. Turning his attention to the collapsed scout, he extended his hand and dismissed his spear. He walked over and knelt in front of the scout who was looking back with justified fear in his eyes. He waited for the wound to heal itself. Once it looked like it would close up, Bones summoned both spears and shoved them through the scout’s kneecaps. The man started screaming but Bones held his hand over his mouth.

“I know, shhh, I know it’s painful. All will be over soon. I’m going to move my hand now and you’re going to tell me who and why. Do you understand? Nod if you do.”

The man had barely responded with the nod. When Bones removed his hand, he heard everything he needed to hear.

“Please, I’ve told you everything! Pleeease, don’t kill…”

Roy, Rogue lvl 9, dead

Troy, Rogue lvl 9, dead

Thomas, Scout lvl 9, dead

Combat experience gained

Combat experience gained

Level up!

Congratulation, you are now lvl 10

+1 STR, +2 VIT, +2 INT

You have learned a new skill: Calcium Carbonate

What he learned surprised him greatly. Unexpected, truly unexpected!

“Seems I should go back to the city as soon as I’m finished with the quests.”

Racing against the time and with new purpose, Bones skimmed through the notifications. New skill had a weird name, but he didn’t have the right to judge. It was a passive skill reinforcing his bones, making them sturdier by increasing the density of bones and giving him resistance to physical, bleed and poison damage, which he didn’t see the point of as he was a skeleton and already had the immunity to those ailments. The odd thing he noticed about the skill was that the passive skill didn't seem upgradeable! Apart from providing resistances, the skill improved by 1% per point in VIT attribute. He knew that blunt attacks, apart from elemental damage, did the most damage to him. Any resistance that reduced the damage received was a welcome one!

Within an hour, Bones reached the marked location. He climbed a tree and used branches to move around so as to not alert any goblins or any other monster he might stumble upon. He saw his first goblin tribe in the distance and understood why the quest was labeled as repeatable. There were dozens of goblins, spread throughout the village. He supposed it could be called a village. Village was surrounded by a wooden fence and had a single wide entrance. There was a large fire pit in the middle, surrounded by the makeshift tents, decorated in skulls and all sorts of ornaments. Lots of them, human skulls too. Behind a fire pit was an altar of some kind and a totem pole. Place of prayer perhaps to whomever they prayed too? Half of the goblins were asleep while the other half were just middling about from what he could see.

Quest didn’t specify how many goblins he should kill, only that the goblin chiefs were the main targets. He didn’t plan on leaving any alive anyway. He saw his target, the goblin chief, in front of the biggest tent. With him were two goblins, well equipped with spears. Goblin chief was the only one wearing what looked like adventurers' equipment, on him. Big two-handed club was by his side. His target was actually a level higher than himself, at level 11, a variant goblin. Bones didn’t waste time and just ran through the entrance, sending a spear flying at the chief. The chief saw it coming and promptly deflected the spear away with the wide swing of his club. Bones didn’t mind, the spear was just a distraction so he could get closer. His sudden assault made every goblin freeze up for the moment before they all jumped up and took arms.

They were short, clumsy and not as fast as him. Bones reached the firepit and smashed his spear right into the ground in front of it, sending both shrapnel and fiery embers towards the chief and his minions but more importantly, towards the tents. Shrapnel scraped a few goblins and tents caught fire. Goblin chief roared and charged at Bones who didn’t stand idle. While the chief was charging straight through the fire pit, Bones was moving backwards and into the group of goblins that were surrounding him. Once they were near enough, he started spamming Bone Nova. Chief recoiled as the sudden spike impaled him, followed by another. He avoided more by rolling over to the side and behind the wall of goblins that were getting impaled. After his 4th Bone Nova, Bones had to stop. He started to feel the strain on his bones which meant his mana was getting below 10%. All that was left around him were goblin bodies. Those that didn’t die, scurried away. Chief and his two minions were the only ones left. The moment he stopped his attack, they attacked. Spear vs spear and his ranged bone spear won. It wasn’t even a fight as they died trying to reach Bones. The chief, now truly the only one left, was glaring at Bones. Hatred visible in his beady eyes, but also the signs of resignation. He dropped his mace and Bones dropped his head.

Turning around and seeing nobody else in the village, he left. The fire, still burning tents to the ground.

One goblin tribe should suffice for now.

Looking at the map, he started running southeast, towards his next marked location. A few hours later, he was looking at the giant boar, grazing his back against a tree. It reminded him of the first adventurer party he encountered. Didn’t end well…

It was getting dark, dusk approaching. Bones was rushing back to the city. He finished the quests sooner than expected. Steel-Tusk boars weren’t far from each other and within a few hours, he had x20 tusks collected from ten boars. Why was he in such a rush? Because he had a meeting to attend to. One set up by Thomas, the scout and the one that sent them after him.