Undead Mage: I Have a Skeleton Clone-Chapter 413 - 309: The Whole World as His Enemy, Terrifying Combat Power!

The light in the forest was exceedingly dim. Looking up, one could see countless ancient, withered branches intertwined, forming a natural dome that blocked most of the sunlight. The tree trunks were staggeringly thick, requiring at least four or five adults to link hands around them. The bark, etched with the marks of time, was overgrown with moss and lichens, adding to the ancient, time-worn atmosphere.

Above, the canopy was so dense with branches and leaves that it completely obscured the sky. Only a few weak beams of light managed to penetrate the gaps, casting mottled shadows on the ground below. A thick layer of moss covered the forest floor. Each of Fang Zhou’s footsteps produced a muffled sound, as if he were walking on a giant sponge. Scattered among the moss were various strangely shaped fungi and vines, which exuded a faint, peculiar aroma that added a mysterious aura to the forest.

Fang Zhou took a shallow breath of the moist air, and after confirming it contained no poisonous gases, he finally relaxed, ready to face the coming challenge.

He waved the Undead Magic Ball and cast the [Skeleton Blade] skill. Ghostly light flickered, and fifty Skeleton Warriors were instantly equipped with sharp weapons. Fully armed, they resembled a well-trained army. Escorted by his numerous minions, Fang Zhou began to advance deeper into the forest. Although Gugu the Pearl Bird served as his "sky eye" high above, helping him gauge the general density of demons, he still decided to proceed with the utmost caution.

Twenty melee skeletons cleared the path ahead. With bone swords in hand, they vigilantly swept away obstacles and meticulously checked every inch of ground to ensure there were no ambushes. The remaining thirty skeletons were divided into three groups, positioned to Fang Zhou’s left, right, and rear, ensuring no enemy could launch a surprise attack from any direction. Like a true Undead Commander, Fang Zhou walked among his Skeleton Warriors, the comprehensive protection making him feel secure. Seeing the skeletons’ perfectly synchronized movements, he felt a sense of satisfaction, and a gratified smile touched his lips.

This damned sense of security!

The party advanced slowly in the direction Fang Zhou had designated—the location where Gugu the Pearl Bird had just spotted a demon. Thirty meters, twenty meters, fifteen meters... Under the cover of the Undead Sky Screen, Fang Zhou suddenly gestured for the team to halt, preventing them from getting too close and alerting the demon to their presence.

Peering through the gaps between the trees, Fang Zhou watched the crimson figure from a distance. A Corrosive Poison Snake Monster of the upper Apprentice tier was coiled beside a large tree. Its upper body was held erect while its tail was wrapped tightly around the trunk, poised as if ready to strike at any moment. The Corrosive Poison Snake Monster’s sense of smell and Perception were extremely keen; it seemed to have already sensed that something was amiss. Its narrow pupils, set within deep black eyes, flickered with a cold light as it scanned its surroundings.

The creature’s upper body bore some resemblance to a human’s, but its shoulders were exceptionally broad with well-developed muscles, making it appear exceptionally strong. Its skin was a sickly red, covered in disgusting pustules that looked as if they might burst at any moment and release toxic fluid. Two sharp fangs protruded from the corners of its mouth, and a thin, forked tongue flickered in and out, tasting the air. Its lower body was a thick snake tail, entirely encased in dense, deep brown scales. This allowed the Corrosive Poison Snake Monster to move freely through the complex jungle terrain with incredible speed.

The Corrosive Poison Snake Monster species was renowned for its extremely keen intuition and superior Perception. They could predict an enemy’s position and movements by sensing the faintest changes in temperature emitted by surrounding creatures. This special ability made them highly efficient and nearly invincible in both hunting and combat. However, as Undead Creatures, the skeletons had no life signs and therefore produced no body heat. Furthermore, Fang Zhou and his Skeleton Legion were completely concealed within the inconspicuous Undead Sky Screen. This prevented the Corrosive Poison Snake Monster from accurately pinpointing Fang Zhou’s party. Even so, the creature’s racial Talent and intuition still made it uneasy. It knew something was nearby.

It should just be an ordinary demon...

Fang Zhou gazed at the Corrosive Poison Snake Monster, assessing the situation as he continued to advance while beginning to cast a spell. The instant he moved, the creature’s keen pupils caught the subtle motion. The muscles of its upright torso tensed, and it brought the twin blades it held to a ready position before its chest, its body coiling slightly, poised to respond to the imminent threat.

Acting on Fang Zhou’s mental command, the skeletons had already split into two groups and were rapidly flanking the creature. Although the Corrosive Poison Snake Monster couldn’t sense the skeletons’ temperature, the slight sounds of their movement could not escape its extraordinary Perception. Its deep black eyes darted around, finally locking onto the sources of the disturbance from several directions. The moment it realized the sheer number of enemies, the creature was shocked and instinctively turned to flee.

However, Fang Zhou gave it no such chance. With a gentle wave of the crystal ball in his hand, Skeleton Shackles erupted from the ground beneath the monster, trapping it firmly. The pale bones not only blocked the Corrosive Poison Snake Monster’s escape route but also extinguished its hope for survival. Its body trembled violently as it tried to break free from the cold restraints, but it quickly realized the struggle was hopeless.

"Skeleton Flying Spear!"

Fang Zhou’s voice echoed through the air. At his command, a giant white bone spear materialized from the sky and shot straight toward the Corrosive Poison Snake Monster. The spear, originally aimed at its head, struck its abdomen instead due to the creature’s swift dodge. The monster let out a piercing wail, but it did not die. Its powerful body continued to struggle in agony, trying to break free of the binding Skeleton Shackles. 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

It didn’t instantly kill it?

Seeing his attack had failed to kill the monster outright, Fang Zhou frowned in thought. Evidently, the Corrosive Poison Snake Monster’s racial Combat Power Coefficient was far higher than that of cannon fodder like Little Inferior Demons or Skeletons. At the very least, its combat strength was comparable to higher-level demons like the Horned Demon and Dog Demon.

Though trapped and heavily injured, the distant Corrosive Poison Snake Monster showed no panic. Instead, it calmly began hacking at the Skeleton Shackles with its twin blades. It understood that panicking would only hasten its death. Despite the agonizing pain from the magical attack, it could feel it still had some fight left in it.

Under the monster’s furious slashing, the Skeleton Shackles, manifested from the Power of Death, soon gave way and shattered. However, Fang Zhou’s loyal undead had not wasted their master’s efforts and had already closed into attack range. A dozen skeletons, having flanked it from both sides, unhesitatingly rushed the Corrosive Poison Snake Monster, preparing to strike.

Normally, with their meager combat power, the skeletons would not have dealt much damage. However, Fang Zhou’s skeletons were enhanced by skills like Domination Skeleton, Brutal Aura, and Skeleton Blade, making them undoubtedly stronger than their peers. The Corrosive Poison Snake Monster was knocked back a few steps by the skeletons’ impact. Before it could react, several skeletons closed in, surrounding it tightly and unleashing a new round of ferocious attacks.