How to Raise Your Skeletons

Chapter 124: Aranballon vs. the Giant Magic Dragon (1)

Aranballon’s spartoi numbered around 300. Compared to the thousand drakes summoned by the Giant Magic Dragon, they were vastly outnumbered. But their quality was on another level. The soldiers’ swords were razor-sharp, and the relentless barrage of crossbow bolts was devastating.

—Swish! Whoosh!

Bolts tore through the air, slicing into the drakes, eliciting screeches of pain.

—Boom! Boom!

Blood splattered as drakes collapsed to the ground one by one. I shook my head.

That’s…

I remembered that feeling all too well. Seeing those terrifying bolts from a third-person perspective brought back unpleasant memories.

“Screeeee!“

“Kreeeee!”

But the drakes also posed a significant threat.

—Thud-thud-thud!

They grouped up into packs, puffing red-hot air as they charged. The bolts pierced their scales, yet they pressed forward, smashing swords with their teeth and ramming their massive heads into the soldiers.

“Whew,” I exhaled as I watched the battle unfold.

Indeed, these weren’t the low-level drakes I had once hunted in an elven village. These were elite drakes summoned directly by the Giant Magic Dragon. They were bound to be anything but ordinary.

—Crash!

The two armies clashed. The spartoi and drakes fought like mortal enemies, biting, slashing, and tearing into each other.

“Fwoo,” Vladimir whistled. “This looks like a fantasy war come to life. So, team leader, who are we rooting for?”

The air was thick with the stench of blood.

“More importantly, are we just going to sit here and watch?”

“Hold on.” I raised my hand, still fixated on the two titanic dragons ahead.

—Whoosh!

Aranballon and the Giant Magic Dragon glared at each other, brimming with malice and killing intent. Even just standing there, the sheer force of their presence caused violent gusts of wind, and a suffocating pressure filled the air.

“Let’s observe for now and see who has the upper hand.”

Judging from their momentum alone, Aranballon seemed slightly superior. But with combatants of this caliber, nothing was certain until the fight began. A single misstep or poor judgment could determine the outcome.

“Of course, just watching won’t solve anything.” I clenched my fists. “We need to balance the scales so they wear each other down as much as possible.”

If one side won overwhelmingly, the plan to reap the rewards from their battle would shatter like broken glass.

As I narrowed my eyes to focus on the unfolding fight…

—Kaboom!

The two titans finally collided. The Giant Magic Dragon charged headfirst, causing the spartoi to flinch and the advancing drakes to hesitate.

“Whoa…” Olena grimaced. “Just one collision and it feels like the world’s getting torn apart.”

—Rumble!

Aranballon retaliated, swiping at the Giant Magic Dragon’s body with its sharp claws.

—Slash!

Blood spurted into the air like a fountain.

“Gahaha! Burn, intruder!”

Red magic circles materialized all around them in midair.

—Fwoom! Fwoosh!

Fiery beams of light shot out, exploding upon impact. The resulting shockwaves kicked up a storm of dust and debris.

Damn.

I wondered what would’ve happened if I had been caught between them; surely I’d have been obliterated without a trace.

“Hmph.”

But the Giant Magic Dragon wasn’t reduced to dust. It emerged from the haze, its massive form intact.

“Is that all you’ve got?”

The shadowy figure moved through the dust, its voice brimming with disdain.

“You’re strong, I’ll give you that. But this is it? This is the best your greed could muster?”

The Giant Magic Dragon bared its teeth, unfazed by the attack.

Even surviving that assault was impressive, but to act so nonchalantly afterward? Now I couldn’t predict how this fight would unfold.

“Hm. You’re formidable, I’ll admit.” Aranballon chuckled. “But given your current state, those words sound hollow.”

Its piercing yellow eyes locked onto the Giant Magic Dragon’s battered and scorched body. Blood oozed from deep gashes, and its scales were charred and peeling.

“Look at you. What have you done? Summoned some lowly drakes? Rammed your head blindly? Your actions don’t match your words. How pitiful.”

“Not at all. You see, strong attacks take preparation.”n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

—Vwooooom!

A massive black magic circle appeared in the sky—far larger than Aranballon’s previous spell.

“My specialty is gravity. Taste the crushing weight of your folly, you greedy worm!”

The Giant Magic Dragon soared into the air, its colossal mass bearing an overwhelming force. Its claws glowed ominously, embodying the very concept of mass.

“Hmm?”

Aranballon narrowed its eyes.

“You won’t fall for simple taunts, I see.”

Fangs gleamed with deadly intent.

“But do you think weight alone can harm me? How laughable. Gravity only matters when there’s a vast difference. It won’t work on me.”

The Dragon of Greed stood its ground without dodging, eyes gleaming as it braced for impact.

—KABOOM!

The resulting clash ripped through the air, sending shockwaves that crushed nearby drakes and cleaved spartoi in half. The sheer power was terrifying.

“Ugh!”

“Damn it, get down! Stay low and brace yourselves!”

“I’ll reinforce the shield!”

Even at a safe distance, we weren’t spared. Their every collision sent waves that seemed to rattle our very intestines.

Holy crap.

I couldn’t help but have admiration after witnessing such power—not for the dragons but for Eldrin and Demir. They had managed to seal such a being. I could only wonder how they did it.

—Crash! Boom!

The battle raged on.

“Fire and water? You’re neither a flame dragon nor a water dragon. Just a muddled mess of greed.”

The ground quaked.

“Your body is heavy, but your mouth runs endlessly. That’s all you can do, it seems.”

And the floor rumbled.

“Yet you can’t seem to do a thing under my gravity. Are you even breathing under all that pressure?”

“I’d be more worried about your blood loss. You’re strong because of your gravity, I’ll admit, but you’re too slow.”

The exchange of taunts was sharp, each move calculated and precise.

“…”

I kept watching, analyzing their movements and energy. In my mind, I simulated their fight thousands of times, gauging their strengths and weaknesses. And the conclusion I reached was…

Aranballon holds a slight advantage.

The Giant Magic Dragon’s attacks were powerful but lacked precision. In contrast, Aranballon’s attacks were weaker but far more accurate. As the battle dragged on, wounds would fester, and fatigue would accumulate. The already slow Giant Magic Dragon would only grow slower.

That means…

For now, aiding the Giant Magic Dragon was the logical choice.

“Everyone, get ready,” I addressed my team. “We’re taking down the spartoi.”

“You’ve made your decision?”

“Yes. Getting too close to those dragons would be suicide. Let’s focus on what we can do.”

I glanced to the left. Drakes and spartoi were still locked in combat. More than half the drakes lay dead, and the soldiers had been whittled down to half their original numbers. The balance was perfect.

But now…

It was time to disrupt that balance.

“Sunny.”

“Yes, my lord!”

—Whoosh!

Sunny drew their spear, stepping forward.

“Eldrin.”

“Yes, Master.”

“Coordinate and take them out, just like we practiced.”

“Understood.”

“Of course.”

I left the skeletons to them.

“Let’s get to work!”

“Yeah, it’s better to do something than just watch. Mentally, at least.”

“Let’s move.”

The team drew their weapons and charged forward.

—Thud!

I transformed my weapon into a spear and followed suit. Thanks to the drakes shielding us from the crossbow bolts, closing the distance was much easier.

“Krrrk!”

A drake snapped its jaws at me, but I rolled under its attack and kept running.

Sorry, but I’ll deal with you later.

My current target was the spartoi.

“Huff, huff!”

Breathing steadily, I dashed forward. Whether it was thanks to training or the weapon’s effect, my body felt lighter, almost as if I were flying. Soon enough, I spotted a soldier reloading its crossbow. Our eyes met, and it scrambled for its sword. I lunged with the spear, thrusting upward.

—Shink!

The spear pierced under its jaw, shattering its skull. The power of a godslayer-rank weapon was no joke. Its supposedly durable teeth were no match.

Not bad.

The sensation in my hands was satisfying. I wasn’t used to close combat as a necromancer, but this was exhilarating. I continued my assault, switching weapons as needed. When surrounded, I transformed the spear into a shield to deflect blows. Once I closed the distance, I shifted to a sword.

“Impressive, my friend.” The sight made even the Spear of Judgment let out a whistle. “You fight like no other—a warrior switching weapons mid-battle.”

“It’s called All Techniques.”

“All Techniques? Master of all, huh?”

“Something like that. Now focus!”

—Clang!

I deflected a sword strike with my shield and spun around, transforming it into a spear in a split second and thrusting it into the soldier’s heart.

—Crack!

Though its heart got impaled, the soldier kept fighting, fearless and unfeeling, like a skeleton.

However, that didn’t stop me. I transformed the spear embedded in it as it was.

—Fwoosh!

The Sealed Spirit of the Seven Elements easily escaped and reformed into a shield.

—Clang!

As its massive strength struck the shield, it transformed again. This time, the weapon turned into a sword and pierced through its throat.

“Die, you bastard.” I kicked it down, finally stopping its relentless attacks. “Huff, huff.”

“Are you okay?”

Myoi Hana’s healing light enveloped me, easing my wounds and fatigue.

[‘Bonehead 7’ used the skill ‘Intermediate Healing’ (Lv.2).]

Boney 7 joined her, running through the battlefield while working as a team. Remarkably, Boney 4 stayed by the team to guard them from any external threats.

Good call, Eldrin.

Her instructions had been spot on.

“Thanks, I’m fine now. You can go help the others.”

“Got it!”

She ran off, and I surveyed the battlefield. The skirmish was nearing its end. Our intervention had shifted the tide. The spartoi were almost wiped out, and the remaining few were being overwhelmed by the drakes.

The Giant Magic Dragon is quick-witted.

Interestingly, the drakes had stopped attacking us. The dragon understood that we were allies of convenience.

The enemy of my enemy is my friend.

—Thud-thud-thud!

The remaining drakes bypassed us without even looking, charging straight for Aranballon.

It knows.

No matter how much it despised me, the situation was dire enough to prioritize survival.

Now then.

I flexed my sore arms.

It’s time to side with Aranballon again.

The scales had tipped, so it was time to restore balance once more. I planted my feet firmly and prepared for the next move.