Chapter 236 - 236: Killing Yaska, Intermediate Skeleton Camp
Yaska heard the commotion behind and glanced back slightly, only to find Anina approaching it at a distance of less than a hundred meters, causing its soul to almost jump out of its body.
As the distance rapidly closed, a fierce determination overcame Yaska, prompting it to stop and turn around to face the oncoming threat.
Was it seriously going to be chased around like this? Yaska was no ordinary underling under the command of the Skeleton King!
Lifting its staff, Yaska chanted a brief incantation, conjuring forth a dozen or so Soul Fireballs. These orbs emitted scorching waves of heat as they formed a line, hurtling towards Anina.
Yet, Anina made no effort to evade, charging straight ahead.
A gleam of satisfaction appeared in Yaska1 s eyes. Was Anina underestimating it?
After all, Yaska was a capable Skeleton Mage Commander. The power of the Soul Fireballs it unleashed was several times stronger than that of an ordinary skeleton mage. And there were more than a dozen of them!
The exploding Soul Fireballs sent billowing clouds of sand and dust into the air.
However, before Yaska could fully revel in its presumed victory, a figure abruptly emerged from the dust storm. Anina strode out, unscathed, and poised for action.
This time, Anina wasn’t giving Yaska another chance to counterattack.
With a single hand, Anina grasped her greatsword and hurled it like a dart. In the span of half a breath, the blade punctured Yaska’s skull with pinpoint precision, pinning it to the gravel below.
Within the severed skull, the fire of its soul instantly dissipated into nothingness.
“Ding- Your subordinate hero, Anina, has slain the Green Elite-Tier Skeleton Commander, Yaska.”
Standing atop the dune, Ji Chen received the system notification and nodded in satisfaction.
To his surprise, this Skeleton Commander was actually of the Green Elite-Tier. According to the standard progression, it should yield a Green Heroic Soul Essence, allowing the Crown of the Ocean to acquire a Green-tier hero.
The value of a Green-tier hero far exceeded that of a White-tier hero.
If both are combat-type heroes, the difference in combat power between them is at least five times. A Green-tier hero could easily take on five white-tier heroes without any issue.
On the battlefield, with Yaska’s command lost, the remaining tens of thousands of skeleton monsters plunged into disarray.
While their instinct for slaughter propelled them to continue their attack, they resembled scattered grains of sand, possessing numbers but lacking menace.
What followed was a massacre devoid of any visible bloodshed.
Two hours later, as the final skeleton creature fell, the unexpected battle concluded.
“Ding- You have achieved a victory brimming with glory. Your level has increased (31—>32).”
Ji Chen stood with his hands behind his back, leisurely descending from the sand dune. He arrived at the fractured skull of Yaska and picked up a Green Heroic Soul Essence.
Ji Chen was no stranger to this. Previously, when he had defeated Stain, the Malevolent Wind invading the New Moon Islands, he had obtained a similar essence from it.
However, back then, dealing with that behemoth had been a formidable challenge for the Crown of the Ocean. It required the deployment of almost all available resources to secure the kill.
Ji Chen couldn’t help but sigh.
Despite merely two months passing between the two incidents, the resolution process had become remarkably simplified.
Presently, it only took a single charge from a Half-Orc, a protective cover from the Elemental Sea Pixies, and a straightforward assault by Anina to secure the victory.
However, considering the formidable abilities demonstrated by figures like Malevolent Wind and Yaska, along with the potency of this Skeleton Legion, it was clear that the Skeleton King possessed extraordinary strength.
It was likely at least a Purple-Rare Tier monster commander, capable of suppressing these Green Elite-Tier entities.
But now, the question remained: Where was the Skeleton King!?
Staring at Yaska, who was already beyond any further death, Ji Chen felt a twinge of regret.
If he had known, he would have spared its life momentarily, extracting the location of the Skeleton King before delivering the final blow.
Now, surrounded by an endless desert, Ji Chen found himself speechless.
After a deep sigh, he walked back to the dune.
At this moment, the army was cleaning up the battlefield.
The unexpected encounter resulted in considerable casualties. After tallying the numbers, over forty Naga Berserkers had perished, and more than a hundred Half-Orc Warriors lay fallen.
The Naga Berserkers and Half-Orc Warriors constituted the vanguard and the front line in this skirmish, thus they sustained the most damage and impact, incurring the greatest losses.
Particularly for the Half-Orc Warriors, when they stormed the enemy ranks to flush out Yaska, they faced heavy resistance, and most of their losses occurred during that phase.
Losing one-tenth of the Half-Orc warriors and Naga Berserkers in just one battle could be considered a significant blow to their morale.
In the subsequent encounters, which promised to be even more intense, the casualties would undoubtedly mount.
However, the Dragon Blood Mur Iocs, Elemental Sea Pixies, and Murloc Rangers who occupied the rear positions had suffered minimal losses.
At present, Daro stood with the remaining Half-Orc Warriors before the fallen comrades, engaged in prayer.
After considering for a moment, Ji Chen walked over.
Seeing Ji Chen approach, Daro and the Half-Orc Warriors all saluted in unison.
“My Lord!”
Ji Chen waved his hand casually and observed the rows of Half-Orc Warrior bodies laid out together. He couldn’t help but feel a tinge of regret.
These were warriors who fought for him, yet now, they lay in this desolate desert.
As if sensing the remorse in his eyes, Darc’s expression turned solemn, and he pounded his chest with his right hand.
“Lord, please don’t feel sorrow or regret for them.”
“Falling in battle on the battlefield, in combat against the enemy, is an honor for Half-Orcs.”
Moreover, we fight for you. Even in death, it is the supreme honor..”