The black Ogre, who had been seated on a sturdy wooden throne like a king, stood up.
“Alright,” he muttered softly as he rose to his feet.
That simple action drew the attention of every living being on the battlefield, all of whom turned to focus on the black Ogre. Even those who were in the midst of blocking skeleton soldiers’ swords or crushing their skulls with the hilts of short swords were partly paying attention to him. Such was the influence of their overlord’s movements.
Numerous gazes converged, directing their trust toward him, and the expressions on his subordinates’ faces showed anticipation of what he would do next, ready to respond to any command. The black Ogre, aware of it all and understanding it well, slowly stepped onto the battlefield.
“I’m ending this. Everyone, fall back.”
His command was quiet. It was not loud enough to be heard on a battlefield filled with the clashing of swords, tens of meters away. Yet, every living being on the battlefield responded immediately. They deflected or sidestepped the skeletons’ swords and retreated to where their comrades were resting on the higher ground. They turned their backs on the skeletons they had been fighting moments before and withdrew from the battlefield with weary expressions.
Many skeletons, rattling and clattering with their characteristic noise, pursued them, intent on slashing their unprotected backs. But all those skeletons were engulfed in white flames that suddenly erupted in their path, reducing them to black smoke and vanishing them from this world in seconds, leaving only a handful of ashes behind.
When the skeletons at the front were incinerated, the sight of their ashes halted the rest. However, it was not fear nor dread that stopped them. Skeletons, being artificial constructs, lacked both fear of death and the self-preservation imperative. Even if faced with dozens of dreaded Dragons, said to be the Wise Serpents of this world, skeletons would charge forward without hesitation, either driven by their primal instincts or the will of their master.
So, why had these skeletons, which should never have stopped, come to a halt? The reason was simple: the black Ogre who had moved forward, separating the skeletons from the ashes of their fellows, was now approaching them.
The skeletons, their hollow eye sockets filled with void, focused on the black Ogre and began to clatter their jawbones rapidly.
Clatter, clatter, clatter.
Rattle, rattle, rattle.
Clatter, clatter, clatter.
Yellow sparks accompanied the high-pitched grating sounds emanating from the rapid collision of their white teeth. This peculiar behavior seemed to be a form of communication among the skeletons. As they moved to encircle the black Ogre, their actions were surprisingly coordinated. The front line was formed by soldier-type and knight-type skeletons equipped with shields and swords, creating a wall. Behind them stood skeletons armed with long weapons, such as lances and halberds. Although there were no mage or archer-type skeletons present this time, the formation was still disciplined, focusing entirely on their sole enemy. This coordinated effort was a direct result of the skeletons adhering to their programmed command: “Eliminate the nearest and most dangerous enemy.”
Moments ago, the black Ogre had been seated on a throne, merely observing the battlefield. Now he stood among the skeletons, suddenly the closest and most threatening presence. Thus, the skeletons concentrated all their efforts on annihilating him.
“Ten seconds should be enough. One…” he murmured, his voice barely audible.
As if it had been a trigger, the skeletons that surrounded the black Ogre began to move. The soldier and knight skeletons with sturdy shields clattered their bones and began to fill the gaps with their frames.
In typical one-versus-many combat, even if it’s one against a thousand, only a limited number of attackers can strike simultaneously. If they’re too close, large-scale magical attacks can harm allies more than enemies, making such tactics impractical unless absolutely necessary. This holds true for melee weapons like swords and axes as well. A small mistake could result in accidentally killing an ally from behind.
In this case, the attackers were skeletons. They felt no pain, had plenty of gaps between their bones and armor, and were undeterred by being crushed or pierced by their comrades. They would continue to move, relentlessly aiming to kill until they were annihilated.
Rattle, rattle, rattle.
Clatter, clatter, clatter.
Rattle, rattle, rattle.
With their jawbones moving and teeth clashing, producing sounds and sparks, the skeletons closed in on the black Ogre, each wielding a variety of weapons—short swords, scramasaxes, kopises, badelaire, falchions—all brought down at a speed unimaginable based on their skeletal appearances alone. The skeletons wielding longer weapons at the back thrust them forward, aiming through the gaps between the frontline skeletons. The coordinated attacks, numbering in the dozens, seemed poised to pierce the black Ogre at the center of the swarm. The living beings watching from the sidelines held their breath.
In the next moment, an overwhelming storm of destruction shattered all expectations. A black whirlwind, glistening with red and silver, annihilated the surrounding skeletons with a single sweep—not only killing them instantly but also clearing all enemies within a five-meter radius.
Skeletons caught in the black whirlwind were reduced to scattered bones, their weapons disintegrated, and their movements ceased. An instantaneously-formed clearing emerged. Standing majestically at the center, holding a crimson spear in his silver arm, was the black Ogre.
The greater skeleton waiting outside could see, but its vision hadn’t fully adjusted to the darkness, making it difficult to track fast-moving objects. It clicked its jawbones together upon seeing such a formidable living being appear right in front of it.
“Five…”
Just before a blade could cleave through his skull, the black Ogre’s silver arm moved in a small arc to backhand strike the side of the sword. The clash of steel and silver produced a high-pitched metallic scream, sending shards of steel flying like shrapnel. Even a thick greatsword couldn’t withstand the force of an arm forged by the gods, especially when struck at the weaker side. The greater skeleton, momentarily stunned at the destruction of its beloved sword, quickly attempted to retaliate. This skeleton, once a renowned magic knight with a faint remnant of willpower, only realized its legs had been severed at the shins when it fell forward.
The black Ogre had shattered the greatsword and severed the greater skeleton’s legs with the crimson spear simultaneously.
“Ga-ta—” The greater skeleton clattered its teeth, a sound that echoed its confusion and realization of its fate as it saw the black Ogre begin its final attack.
“Six…”
The silver hand, sharp and swift like a comet, extended straight toward the skeleton’s chest. Silver claws, razor-sharp and aligned perfectly, pierced through the skeleton’s breastbone in an instant.
“Ta-ta-ta.”
The greater skeleton, retaining a sliver of its former consciousness, welcomed the piercing silver strike with a sense of relief and joy. It had been bound by resentment, a product of witnessing its master be slain by a sworn enemy before being tortured and transformed into an undead abomination. Now, it finally embraced its restful end.