Undead Mage: I Have a Skeleton Clone-Chapter 417 - 311: Vengeful Mark, Signature Corpse Explosion Skill?

Although the powerful healing effect of the Totem Pillar continued to work, several Centaur Warriors still could not withstand the onslaught and fell dead under the skeletons’ subsequent attacks.

Fang Zhou saw the bodies of a few Centaur Warriors and shook his head with some regret.

Unfortunately, he had not yet developed the signature Corpse Explosion Skill of an Undead Mage in fantasy games. Otherwise, on such a chaotic group battlefield, these corpses would be the perfect medium for casting.

Without even pausing to lower the Undead Magic Ball in his hand, he waved it continuously, unleashing wave after wave of Death Ripple.

All the Centaur Warriors and Centaur Champions around the squad were seamlessly attacked, and several more bodies fell. Even the Centaur Priest at the very back was hit by the splashing Death Ripple, suffering some injuries.

Although the priest tried to use the power of the Totem Pillar to mend its wounds, the frequency and intensity of Fang Zhou’s attacks had already surpassed its healing limits.

In just a few breaths, the Centaurs perished like ants, their screams swallowed by a series of loud bangs. The clearing was left with nothing but the shattered remains of the Centaurs and the lone Centaur Priest, still standing in its original spot.

The priest’s face was filled with horror, its eyes gleaming with despair. Its grievous injuries left it unable to cast any more effective spells.

A stream of notifications for increased points flashed like dazzling starlight on Fang Zhou’s personal terminal. This sudden, bountiful harvest made Fang Zhou ecstatic.

At the same time, the Centaur Priest’s eyes, which should have been wise and calm, now seemed to burn with two blazing flames, filled with irreconcilable hatred. However, even with the endless fury in its heart, its fear of such a powerful foe made a hint of dread flash in its eyes.

Faced with the terrifyingly mighty Fang Zhou and dozens of skeletons rapidly closing in, the Centaur Priest’s courage began to waver. It understood that continuing to fight would only lead to certain death.

So, it made its decision. Waving its Magic Staff, it cast an acceleration spell on itself, preparing to seize any opportunity to escape the perilous battlefield.

However, Fang Zhou gave it no chance.

A cruel smile played on his lips as he swiftly raised the Undead Magic Ball under his control and aimed it forward. A set of Skeleton Shackles extended in mid-air, accurately winding around the Centaur Priest and buying precious time for the rapidly approaching skeletons.

Once surrounded by these undead creatures, the Centaur Priest would have no chance of escape.

The Centaur Priest was evidently aware of this. Its Magic Staff continuously released a series of glowing green Magic Balls. Like a barrage of artillery shells, these projectiles instantly blasted the Skeleton Shackles before it into fragments.

But by then, the surrounding skeletons had already formed a tight encirclement. They closed in from all directions, creating an impenetrable barrier.

Frantic, the Centaur Priest raised its Magic Staff and aimed at the two nearest undead creatures, attempting to blast open an escape route with a powerful spell and struggle out of the deadly trap.

Yet, Fang Zhou’s actions were faster.

Unhurriedly, he launched another Skeleton Flying Spear, which struck the Centaur Priest with precision. The priest let out a muffled groan, having barely blocked the blow by using its last life-saving marvel. However, the sudden interruption to its Spiritual Power prevented it from completing the spell. Instead, it suffered severe internal injuries from the energy backlash.

When it came to skill interruption, Fang Zhou was a pro.

Since their master had stalled for so long, the skeletons had naturally all arrived on the battlefield. They brandished their rusted bone weapons and swarmed the Centaur Priest. Their bones rattled in the air as if playing a symphony of death.

Each attack, whether a sword slash or a bony collision, was weakened by the Centaur Priest’s defensive spells. But when these attacks converged, even the powerful Centaur Priest began to falter. Its body swayed under the continuous barrage.

Outside the encirclement, more than twenty skeletons were unable to squeeze into the front lines. They could only stand ready at the rear, their gazes fixed keenly on their comrades pummeling the enemy.

From the periphery, Fang Zhou saw that victory was assured. He stood calmly, his heart at ease. Occasionally, he would raise the Undead Magic Ball and release a Skeleton Flying Spear, precisely striking the Centaur Priest to interrupt its counterattack. Then, he would quickly shift his attention to any critically wounded skeletons, casting Resurrection of the Dead to heal them.

Fang Zhou’s Resurrection of the Dead skill had already reached the Perfection level. The Spiritual Power consumption for this skill was almost negligible. The Spiritual Power needed to heal a critically wounded, near-death skeleton was far less than that required to summon a new one.

Therefore, in this protracted battle, Fang Zhou consciously managed the casualties in his Skeleton Army, minimizing unnecessary losses and ensuring all his forces were used with maximum efficiency.

"No! Damn it!"

The Centaur Priest’s voice was hoarse and desperate. After struggling for several minutes under the skeletons’ siege, it finally collapsed lifelessly under a fatal Skeleton Flying Spear from Fang Zhou.

In the last moment of its life, its eyes, filled with hatred and malice, remained locked on Fang Zhou. Waving its Magic Staff, it threw a curse at him. "Vengeful Mark!"

The Skeleton Shield orbiting Fang Zhou did not react at all. Although he felt an inexplicable chill spread throughout his body, the sensation quickly vanished. Fang Zhou’s expression turned grim. He circulated his Spiritual Power to inspect himself carefully but found no anomalies. Yet he knew that the Centaur Priest’s dying act was no mere bluff; there might be some side effects that had yet to manifest.

However... A cold smile touched Fang Zhou’s lips as he gathered his Skeleton Army.

He would face any threat that came his way. If more Centaur demons wished to come and die, he would be waiting.

Fang Zhou looked down at his personal terminal. With the fall of the Centaur Priest, the screen showed his score had increased by another precious 4 points.

He surveyed his surroundings, where the corpses strewn across the ground testified to the intense battle that had just concluded. However, Fang Zhou was long accustomed to such scenes. Since he had his Awakening as an Undead Mage, such sights had become a part of his life.

The stench of blood and death permeated the air. To him, these were just nodes on the path to power, each fallen enemy a stepping stone on his journey forward. He relished the feeling of dominating the battlefield, the thrill of commanding the Undead Army at will. At the same time, he knew he could not allow himself to be mesmerized by this power.

Looking down at the Centaur Priest’s corpse at his feet, a trace of doubt arose in Fang Zhou’s mind.

Based on these recent battles, this simulation battlefield for the new recruit tournament was clearly more realistic than what he encountered in his usual training. This realism wasn’t just in the detailed environment, but more so in the intelligence of the demons. That last Centaur squad, from the elite Magic Professional Centaur Priest to the brave Centaur Champions, had behaved with extreme realism. Their tactical choices and battlefield reactions, in particular, showed a wealth of combat experience. Clearly, the Longxia Federation’s military had made significant advancements in its simulation battlefield technology.

...

The dense forest was now silent. Only the lingering scent of blood in the air served as a reminder of the fierce battle that had just taken place.

As far as the eye could see, there was no one but Fang Zhou.

He sat down by the thick roots of an ancient oak tree, patiently waiting for his Spiritual Power to recover.