“Ah! Shit!” Jay’s voice echoed through the cavern system.

[-10 HP]

A wolf had its jaw clenched on Jay’s leg as it tried to drag him off into the darkness, away from the safety of his skeletons into a branching cave.

The wolf’s head was as large as a pumpkin, the beast itself was as tall as the level 2 feeble creatures and as long as a stink-rat, with a series of large, jagged nodules running down it’s back; It’s size was similar to the stink-rat Molodus. It’s sheen-black fur camouflaged it from the light.

The surprise attack would’ve worked, however the wolf quickly let go as it took poison damage by the Molodus coat – ever loyal to its owner.

Jay kicked the wolf’s head as a feeble creature jumped over him and plunged it’s dagger into the wolf’s cheek – missing the wolf’s pure-white eye which was the bone dagger’s true target. Another feeble creature soon followed up the attack and it pierced one bone dagger into its throat while the other dagger slashed a tendon in the wolf’s front leg – yet no blood came out after either of these attacks.

At this the wolf whimpered from the pain as it bit down onto a feeble creature’s arm, cracking it and tearing some of the cartilage in the elbow along with some green matter.

Jay grabbed his leg and stopped the bleeding as he watched the fight between the 2 feeble creatures and the wolf – Muffin still guarding Jay’s back while holding the lamp.

After stopping the bleeding, Jay analyzed the wolf.

<[Silt Wolf – Level 5]>

[HP] 40/40_.

<[Skills]>

[Solidify] – The wolf causes its hide to turn as hard as stone, 90% immunity to all attacks excluding blunt based damage types. 10 second cooldown.

[Corundum Claws] – Ignore armour. 5 bleed damage/2 seconds. Can stack (4) times.

[Corundum Teeth] – Ignore armour. 10 crush damage. Chance to cripple for (10) seconds.

<[Description]>

Silt wolves consume top-soil, pebbles and small stones which form its body and help it to grow – along with organic matter that help to form its various semi-organic organs. These wolves are prized for their large, cobalt-blue, shiny skulls which often become ornaments in esteemed mansions, while more rarely are made into armour due to the nature of their semi-organic bones being as light as leather, yet as tough as bronze.

Jay grinned widely at the description “Looks like I’ll be replacing the rat skulls with much tougher wolf skulls. It’s about time the bones had an upgrade”.

The wolf continued to fight a losing battle against the 2 feeble creatures which were stabbing and slashing it’s torso to no end – along with the occasional throat slash.

At one point, it attempted to retreat back into the darkness, but the skeletons simply chased after it, their shade-vision stopping it from hiding.

The wolf had no choice but to fight for it’s life; It managed to do more damage to the feeble creature it attacked before, chomping down on the same spot it bit previously and doing more damage – the skeletons arm fell off as the wolf’s jaw snapped down, it’s radius and ulna split in half, one bone dagger dropping to the ground.

The silt wolf didn’t escape unharmed from this attack however, as the skeletons’ other dagger found purchase in it’s right eye, the dagger finally finding its target.

It whelped in pain, it was already half health at this point and fading fast as it activated it’s [Solidify] ability and chomped at the skull of the feeble creature.

The feeble creatures rat skull, which was small by comparison, was caved in. The skeleton was executed swiftly.

The wolf seemed to learn the trick and went to snap for the skull of the other feeble creature, yet was only met with another dagger in it’s cheek.

Jay didn’t panic, but acted diligently as his necrotic ring shifted and bones flew around him. He re-summoned the level 2 skeleton and sent it off to fight the wolf, while grabbing the lamp from Muffin and sending it off too.

[Chimera Research 4%]

The wolf was invigorated for a moment as it entered a 1v1 situation – yet it quickly lost it’s will as it was now fighting three opponents. The resurrected feeble creature quickly picked up the 2 daggers from the ground as it sprung at the wolf, seemingly forgetting that it had just been executed as there was no hesitation or any sign of fear.

Jay realised this would be a real challenge to any solo adventurer, they would probably have to smash the lamp and exit the dungeon by now, yet he had 3 bone guards which made things easy.

He decided to try his new ability – [Unstable Teeth]

Grabbing a tooth from his inventory, he channelled his mana into it. When the tooth began to look like it couldn’t take anymore, he sent it darting at the wolf.

~BANG!~

[7 Damage]

An explosion rattled throughout the cave and echoed back a few times.

Assessing the damage, Jay was pleased as the wolf was finished off by one more attack from a minion.

[Feeble Creature Level Up]

[200 Exp]

Jay smiled at Muffin before looking back at the silt wolf “Seems like I’ll be needing more teeth” said Jay as he peered at the fist-sized crater left by the attack, satisfied with the results. “Decent amount of exp too, though I guess I am solo so i don’t have to share any” he folded his arms behind his back, stretching his chest.

“Ok, time for the loot… and to figure out why it didn’t bleed.”

Jay peered at the cuts on the wolf’s body “Seems like it doesn’t have any blood at all” he gazed as he pulled the hide apart at the cut, before both his eyebrows raised in surprise at what he saw. The wolf was hollow inside. “What…” he paused for a moment. “Well, hopefully it has bones.”

Jay unsummoned one of the Don’s, grabbing all the bones including the remains from the Don’s previously executed body, and stored them in his ring.

He gave the lamp back to Muffin as he cast “Raise” on the wolf and retreated back to the crevasse.

A familiar muffled explosion accompanied by rocks and pebbles skipping on each other resounded.

Jay went back to the skeleton and was extremely satisfied with what he found, a toothy grin appearing on his face “You magnificent beast” he said as he gazed at his skeleton.

It’s glowing green eyes peered out from the cobalt-blue wolf skull. It’s thick jaw bones threatened to crush any rocks nearby, and were complemented with extra dark-green matter forming sinew and make-shift muscle. Every bone in its structure was cobalt-blue and seemed to be glazed over with syrup, creating a sleek shine in the light. Jay analysed it.

<[Feeble Creature Level 2]>

Type – Undead

Damage – 2

HP – 35/35

MP – 3/3

<[Skills]>

[Corondum Bite] 6 pierce damage

[Corondum Claws] bleed – 5 flat damage over 3 seconds (Can stack 2 times)

[Scrimshaw Level 1 – Can use bone to create basic objects]

[Undeath] – Immune to cold, poison, hunger, stress, fear, pain.

[Shade Vision] – Can still see clearly in the absence of light.

<[Description]>

An abomination, it’s existence spits in the face of life and death. Avoid it if possible. Execute with extreme prejudice.

“Oh cool, seems like it does extra damage now that it has a wolf skull” Jay figured out something he thought was quite interesting “So different bones can affect the final creation… It still has the same posture and height as before, so I guess it’s level determines that.” Then he noticed a few other things too “Slightly more health, and the description says to avoid it if possible.. Huh, well I guess they should be scared.” smiled Jay as he looked at his exotic-looking skeleton.

Shrugging, he analysed what was left of the wolf – [Ferritic Plates]x3

“Hope these are valuable”. He thought as he scratched and knocked on one of the metallic plates “These must be what the bumps along the wolf’s back were.”

Stashing the plates in his inventory, he continued to move through the dungeon with his new cobalt-blue skeleton taking the lead.