Chapter 138 - Zephyr
[Name: Edw#&!]
Type: Skeleton
Health: 800/800
Mana: 178
Strength: 7
Agility: 1
Constitution: 7
Dexterity: 4
~Skills:~
[Adept Throwing lvl. 4] -Show info-
[Swordsmanship lvl. -1] -Show info-
[Hoarding lvl. 7] -Show info-
[Mental Fortitude lvl. 6] -Show info-
[Transmission Lvl. 4] -Show info-
[Minor Explosion Resistance lvl. 0] -Show info-
[Assessment lvl. 1] -Show info-
[Assimilation lvl. 5] -Show info-
[Thought Manifestation lvl. 1] -Show info-
[Language lvl. 1] -Show info-
[Mana Manipulation lvl. 5] -Show info-
[System Link lvl. 2] -Show info-
[Eloquence lvl. 3] -Show info-
[Sixth Sense lvl. 0] -Show info-
[Crystallize lvl. 1] -Show info-
Ed opened up his status. He nodded as he scanned past his attributes and felt like nodding even more after seeing the system link skill.
‘Perfect!’ Ed didn’t loiter and immediately passed down his orders.
‘Spar with one another until I return. Brutus, please use a sword’ Ed transmitted the latter part because skeletons were susceptible to blunt force. If Brutus fought using a mace then chances were he could kill- erm, destroy his sparring partner.
Brutus’ brutish aura didn’t even get a chance to come out as his enthusiasm was instantly doused. That was Ed’s final sight as he entered the boundless white space.
The ground then shook and a majestic white temple appeared. Ed hurriedly made his way in.
‘It’s time to make some liches’ Or at least try.
There were two ways he could think to try this. One was fusing the bones with mana crystals. This sounded like a good way but there was no guarantee it could work. It might also make the bones brittle since mana crystals were similar to diamonds in his past life. This was a disadvantage but since he was making mages it was acceptable.
The second was to try and create a core out of a mana crystal and then attach it to the skeleton. The issue with this one was that he had no idea how to do it. His own mana core seemed to just naturally float there. Did the system have an automatic function that might make something similar possible?
If it wasn’t the case then this route would be a clear failure.
‘I could try inserting the crystal into their skull though’ This would theoretically fix it but apart from turning his skeletons into a magical rattle, collecting mana would also be blocked by the skull. Mana would enter only through the sockets, mouth, nose, etc. which meant their magical capabilities would be affected.
‘Engineering is quite troublesome…’ Ed thought as he entered the storeroom to pick out materials.
That’s when he realized that the only truly troublesome thing was his storeroom.
‘System, can you add a sort feature?’ Ed questioned expecting to pay an adequate price.
[Acquiring ‘Smart piling’ requires ten skeleton consciousnesses. Offer? Y/N]
A prompt appeared which was within Ed’s expectations. He was really starting to get the hang of things inside of his own mind.
‘Smart piling… better than nothing, yes’ Ed decisively answered. ρꪖꪕᦔꪖꪕꪫꪣꫀꪶ
[Taking offerings…]
[Acquiring ‘Smart piling’…]
After the system’s second message appeared, Ed was forcefully removed from the storeroom. It felt like a ghost had taken hold of him and firmly dragged him out. Nonetheless, he didn’t utter a single sarcastic remark or a word of complaint, he instead watched as the items inside of the storeroom began to fly around.
It was like some sort of garbage tornado was whirling past. No! more like some sort lazy cleaning fairy was tidying things up! Yes, that was it, that was what Ed thought as he saw armor, weapons, crystals, being tossed into separate piles.
‘This is truly smart piling!’ Ed admired from outside the door as he watched the short spectacle.
There was still little space inside of the storeroom but at least there was order. He could now go directly to the arm pile to grab arms, leg pile for legs, and etc!
‘Thank you system!’ Ed dreaded the thought of cleaning. It was only natural, he was a lazy 18-year-old college student after all. Which was why he couldn’t help but thank the system, what a miracle worker!
‘Alright, that’s enough jokes’ Ed scooted his way past the many piles and grabbed whatever he needed. On the way out, he formed a new arm of light and grabbed a couple of crystals.
With clear excitement in his steps, Ed walked out of the storeroom and walked towards the forge on the opposite side of the white hall. Once inside, he tossed everything into the holding box.
[Compatible materials detected, start the combination process? Y/N]
Once everything went in, the combination message appeared. Ed didn’t plan on saying no.
‘Yes’ He replied. The main reason was that the forge had been expanded. There was no need for him to stop the automatic process since there was still plenty of space for him to experiment.
That being the case, he may as well keep the assembly process going.
Since the system was linked up to him, it knew to leave him some space while it melted the antimony and bones.
Ed manually tossed some bones into the fire. Not only that, but he also threw in a crystal. If they were compatible, a prompt was bound to appear.
He watched as the ethereal white flame turned the solid materials into liquids with great patience. In no time at all, thanks to the upgrades, a prompt showed up just as expected.
[Compatible materials detected, combine? Y/N]
Ed nodded and the system took it as a response. A dazzling green blob flew up into the air above the raging white flame and converged with a melted hand. The green blob writhed and moved all around the liquid white hand.
When the process finally came to a stop, there was a floating clouded green hand. The crystal’s property was kept resulting in the clouded color, it wasn’t sufficiently translucent.
‘Not bad’ Ed thought as he observed it. There was a mystical element to it likely a result of the mana inside it.
He then grabbed hold of the cold hand and placed it aside.
‘System, please assemble the rest. Remember to keep it proportional.’ Ed planned on testing the skeleton out in the real world first. There were two things that he needed to keep in mind when doing so.
‘The skeleton needs to be sufficiently smart’ If it wasn’t, it wouldn’t be able to control the wind element that made up its body. Ed was also apprehensive of the fact that it might not be able to perform anymore magic once the crystal depleted its energy.
‘That would throw a wrench on things’ It wouldn’t do to rely on the system space to refill them as it wasn’t always readily available.
Ed didn’t loiter and started erasing the memories of some consciousnesses. Less than half an hour passed while he was distracted doing this but a complete crystal skeleton set was ready to be assembled. It was the wind edition!
Ed then quickly shook his head, if such a toy set existed he would be creeped out beyond belief! Imagine walking in and seeing a little boy assembling a human skeleton.
‘After the things I’ve gone through it isn’t actually that creepy…’ Ed grumbled before promptly exiting the space with sets of skeletons bones.
‘Pioneer, help me out’ Ed transmitted his thoughts to Pioneer as soon as his vision showed him the dungeon. Pioneer stopped his spar with Settler. It seemed Pioneer was on the losing side based on the various scratches his body showcased.
Still, there were some signs of envy towards this loser. It was because he got to work with Ed! What a privilege! Prairie seemed particularly annoyed as it lashed out against its opponent.
Ed didn’t pay it much attention and with the help of Pioneer, he managed to prepare five skeletons. He quickly inserted consciousnesses into them and through the usual slow process, they all stood up. That included the crystal one.
‘I am Ed, welcome.’ Ed transmitted and the five shuddered before quickly kneeling. They maintained that posture until Ed sent them a message.
‘You four, mimick the other skeletons. Grab a weapon and spar.’ Ed instructed them quickly to get rid of them. He didn’t care much for them, his focus was on the crystal skeleton.
‘Your name is Zephyr1.’ Just like he had named Pioneer for being the first of its kind, Zephyr also had that privilege.
Zephyr who had been kneeling on one leg soon dropped to both of its knees. It was clearly showing its gratitude. But that wasn’t what Ed wanted it to show. It was something else.
‘Zephyr, cast a spell’ Ed commanded to the kneeling Zephyr. It however only tilted its head with evident confusion.
That was when Ed realized the matter would be more troublesome than he previously anticipated.
‘Feel the mana around you. It is of the wind element. That mana also courses through your bones. Gather it together’ Ed transmitted to Zephyr who was still kneeling.
It then seemed to come to a realization and its body started to glow green. Ed’s sockets sparkled with nothingness at the sight.
‘This is it!’ He thought inwardly as Zephyr started to glow.
‘This is it?’ But it soon turned into a question as Zephyr dumbly stood there like a nightlight.
He expected the air to gather around Zephyr or something similar but the green skeleton only glowed a faint green light. It seemed he would need to guide it more strictly. He now knew why there were only a few shamans.