Deep within his elixir field, his spiritual energy thickened, edging toward the threshold of Wandering Immortal Realm Level Nine. The giant skeleton bellowed again, frustration sharpening its cry to a storm-blast.

Abandoning pursuit, it stabbed the rusted sword into the floor. Both skeletal hands formed eldritch seals, and the surrounding marked aura boiled like water in a cauldron.

From the black energy, the shattered remains of earlier foes re-knit themselves into dozens of skeleton soldiers, each hefting a bone spear that launched toward Jared in a white barrage.

“Perfect…” Jared muttered, eyes gleaming. Instead of retreating, surged forward, driving the movement technique from the Swordmaster’s Scripture to its limit, sliding between incoming spears as if the world itself slowed around him.

The Dragonslayer Sword rose above his head. Golden light tangled with black energy, knitting into a blade of radiance taller than a man, an attack forged from the tomb of swords’ sword intent and the fury of newly refined marked aura.

“Break!”

The light fell, a lightning bolt cleaving night. Spears turned to powder on contact, and the charging skeleton soldiers dissolved into drifting ash.