Lioness Health: 30%

  The lioness' health made him sweat. Rue glared at Gilbert's back. At least the man is doing his job now. Well, Benedict did most of it. They had encountered only two Kobolds, both of which were taken down easily with arrows and the condensed water of Rino.

  Pax had noted it was strange that they only encountered one patrol. Something that was answered by five more Kobold corpses they found.

  “That Benedict kid must've been hiding his skill earlier,” Alquin said.

  “I told you he's creepy! I can feel it!” Gilbert exclaimed.

  Rue so far did not have to do anything, and he’s grateful to let his magic vein recover. It was still nerve-wracking as he still did not trust this forest.

  “Hold,” Alquin whispered, holding a fist up.

  In an instant, everyone went down on one knee. Rue made out quite a loud rustling sound behind him. Alquin cursed softly as he spared a scowl at the backline.

  Someone messed up.

  “Fuck, they're coming here” Alquin said. He peeked over the foliage, his body tensed.

  “Who was that?” Gilbert scowled, trying to look back.

  “It's not important now, is it?” Rue couldn't help but hiss at him.

  The blue-haired man wanted to sound off a protest, but ultimately shut his mouth.

  “How many Al?” Paxwell asked, and he crouched up beside Rue, trying to peer forward.

  Emily had also crept up beside him. She unslung her bow and nocked an arrow.

  “It's that Kobold Bone Warrior. Level 10. And there are three of them, along with eight normal Kobolds. They must've rattled good.”

  “That Benedict kid must've drawn a lot of attention,” Gilbert grumbled. This time, Rue actually agreed with him. He had expected Benedict to just scout and go back to them.

  Rue was able to get a peek at this bone warrior. They're not any taller than normal Kobolds, but they wore armour of tied bones around their shoulder extending to their stomach area. On their left shoulder is a small skeletal shield tied. What was that they held on their other hand? They wield a skeletal sword? Those things looked like overgrown fangs with sword handles.

  As for their features, their colouring is pure white, unlike the red of normal Kobolds. Those bone armour blended in with their skin; if Rue did not get a look at them, he would not be able to tell.

  The Kobolds' Bone Warrior is positioned behind the eight Kobolds, overseeing them while the Kobolds carefully make their way toward them.

  Paxwell and the others had encountered one of them, but they did not take their chance against the bone warrior. But now it's necessary to take them down.

  “Well, what's the plan?” Rue asked Paxwell. He is the designated leader through silent agreement.

  “We kill the normal Kobold and swarm the Bones three.”

  “I got one of them, with a mana arrow to the head,” Emily whispered.

  “Yes, I can do the same. That makes six more.” Paxwell said.

  “My spell is not strong enough to do that,” Rino said, his only spell is the water slicer. True, unless he can aim at the throat, it's not going to be a one-hit kill.

  “Rue and I can,” Clerence said. “But they are not going to die instantly. Our fireball will render them useless at least.”

  “I uh. Only have healing spell,” Eve added quietly.

  “And that makes four left. Good enough,” Alquin said. “Let's start, Gilbert and I will take two each.”

  Mana glowed in the archer's fingertip, and blue ambiance seeped into their nocked arrow. Ten seconds passed, and they both gave a nod to the group.

  In a snap, Paxwell and Emily stood, letting their arrow fly.

  Rue did not bother to watch; he cast a fireball toward the first Kobold he saw. His spell flew, hitting the Kobold straight in its chest. The Kobold fell with fire eating its body.

  Two figures rush out of the foliage where they're hiding. Gilbert and Alquin meet the living Kobolds. Steel clanged, they got into combat,

  Rue also rushed in, but he did not draw his sword; instead, he summoned Ice Sword. A thin sword of ice appeared in his hand.

  The Kobold Bone Warrior is just ten paces behind the normal Kobolds. They’re closing in on Gilbert and Alquin fast. One Kobold taken down as two normal arrows thud deep against its chest, Alquin planted his axe deep into the Kobold chest and used his shield to keep the other one at bay. Gilbert, on the other hand, backed away as two spears jabbed in tandem at him.

  Rue noticed the position has become a mess. As Gilbert backed away, Alquin's flank would be exposed; furthermore, he would face three Bone warriors who almost reached him.

  In a split second, two decisions invade his mind: to help Gilbert or delay the Kobold Bone Warrior by himself. Gilbert should be fine as a whole team of support behind him, Alquin is the one in danger…

  Rue ran forward, passing Alquin and the Kobold he was facing.

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  “Wait! Are you insane?”

  He wished he could turn and did a quick stab at the Kobold Alquin against, but the Bone Warrior swung its long bone toward him. Rue brought his sword up, catching the strike. His muscle trembled, and the Ice Sword cracked from only one strike. Their strength difference couldn’t be more obvious.

  Then two more long bones came at him from both his left and right.

  I can’t dodge. Rue realised.

  The world turned slow for him. Death in front of him. A great, intense need to chastise himself for almost dying again echoed inside of him. But, Rue put himself in this position knowing he had a trump card.

  The Bones connected.

  A sound of loud clacking shattered the forest.

  Through his vision, he saw the three Kobolds' eyes widen. His Ice sword turned into nebula coloured ice. His skin took in the astral obsidian ice. Rue could feel his heart stop, but his senses stiffened. He felt dead, but he’s anything but so.

  Pain flickered on both sides. And the pain, they did not echo like a normal pain would; they’re just there, frozen within him. Thankfully, he can manage this much pain.

  Rue broke engagement with the Kobold in front of him. Both beside him still have their sword in mid-air, a chance.

  He swung his sword to the right, hoping to catch it off guard. But, the Kobold's hand moved, and its left hand caught Rue's black obsidian blade. His sword hit its bone rectangular shield that was attached to its left shoulder.

  He messed up; he should’ve aimed at the left one, that one wouldn’t be able to catch his strike. The two Kobolds who were off guard stepped back, regaining their composure. The middle one strikes again toward Rue.

  Rue warded off its bone, his sword knocked back as he was still losing in terms of strength. The Kobold formed a fist with its left, and punched Rue’s face. His cheek flared, the Kobold drew his arm back, it cried and stumbled backward.

  Ignoring the pain, Rue lurched forward, his sword snapped in front of him – straight toward the Kobold’s throat. In the last moment, the Kobold's eyes widened, it turned its head – about to avoid Rue’s sword, and it would.

  Then, behind the Kobold appeared a dark-skinned man with that familiar wavy hair. Two hands pushed the back of the Kobold's head.

  His black ice sword impaled the Kobold Bone Warrior's neck, piercing its throat – and carried through even to his handguard.

  (You Have Slain Kobold Bone Warrior. Lvl 10)

  (Level Up. General Lvl 6 → 7)

  (Level Up. Frost Apprentice Lvl 6 → 7)

  “Boy, you almost impaled me.” Benedict grinned. He peeked over the dead Kobold's face at Rue.

  How did you get there?, Rue wanted to say, but he couldn’t say it out loud.

  Benedict grabbed the dead kobold's head that was still stuck by Rue’s sword. He dropped it to the ground and picked up its long bone. “I know this belongs to you, but let me borrow it,” He said as he faced the Bone Warrior on the left. Benedict held the Longbone in one hand and a long knife in the other. “You take care of the right one. Think you can last?”

  Rue looked over his Mana, and his Magic Vein especially. He knew that he was in danger. But, still, he gave a nod. Rue turned to face the other Bonewarrior, back to back with Benedict.

  “Good, good. Don’t lose, I don’t want to be backstabbed by it.” Benedict back left him, and he launched at his respective opponent.

  Rue waited for the Kobold in front of him to make a move. The monster stared silently at Rue, then it raised its sword at him, before diving for a low slash, aimed to bowel him. Rue thrust his dark obsidian sword to the ground, stabbing deep inside the earth. The Bone carried forth, smashing against his dark obsidian sword.

  The black sword cracked. Borrowing the dead Kobold's move, Rue clenched his hand into a fist and slammed the Kobold straight to its chest. The Kobold guffawed, and blood splurted from its mouth.

  The Kobold opened its jaw wide and chomped down on Rue’s shoulder. Pain blazed as teeth cracked his dark ice. They stayed there like a needle stuck inside of him. This is one of the weaknesses of this skill; the pain gained during the skill stays with you as long as he uses it.

  Rue screamed. With his left hand, he summoned another Sword of black ice. It appeared linear to the Kobold's head. He stabbed forward in a sideways grip. The Kobold, seeing this coming, let Rue’s shoulder go; it jumped back carrying its long bone.

  It growled at Rue, with bone in its hesitant grip.

  If it does not want to come to him, then Rue will force it. He extended his hand, and a swirl of blue flame appeared. Rue raised his eyebrow. His flame has taken in the Frost property somehow.

  The Kobold, seeing this, did not stay idle; it instantly jabbed with its long bone. Rue cursed and stumbled back, the bone closing in on him. His hand still aimed at the Kobold with the spell ready to launch. Rue let it fly; it hit the Kobold straight to its face, knocking it back. But instead of a burst of fire, it appeared like an explosion of snow, the kobolds splattered with blue frozen bits surrounding its body. It shivered, falling on its knees.

  The Longbone dropped. The Kobold's body began to churned; it hugged itself as the extreme cold made it unable to move its body. Rue did not know what it was feeling right now. But he did not care.

  Lifting his black sword, he was about to bring it down. But suddenly, his sword turned into normal ice. Power left Rue as he fell on one knee. The pain on both of his sides suddenly rose to life. Rue screamed as they crawled at him like a snake waddling inside of him.

  “The hell?” He gritted out. Rue grasped his sword on his hip. Still on his knees, he tried to stand, but his body betrayed him.

  The Kobold is in the same condition. But, the Bone Warrior eventually was able to find its footing. It stabbed the longbone into the earth and shakily rose. Rue made out a snarling smile with that jaw. It think it's already won.

  As it stood on noddy legs. It tried to lift its sword that was stabbed deep into the ground, but was powerless to do so. Then it decided to take a step toward Rue, opening its jaw as it knelt, reaching for his neck.

  Rue cursed his body; he tried with everything he had, but nothing responded. The pain kept him from standing.

  The Kobold’s breath against his skin.

  In a blur of motion, a leg shot out, whipping the kobold straight to the ground.

  Rue looked up to see Paxwell standing over him. He shook Rue’s shoulders. “Kid! Are you okay?”

  He gave a weak nod.

  “Just wait, all right? We will get you healed and a mana potion.” Paxwell removed an arrow, about to stab down at the Kobold.

  Rue's heart clenched. “W-“ His voice is gone. Wait, that’s my kill. He wanted to say.

  “Pax! That’s the boy kill,” Alquin said. The man drew a ragged breath, blood smeared against his long beard. “Let him have it.”

  “The hell are you talking about? He can barely stand”

  “Then we help him,” a jovial voice came. Someone lifted Rue by his shoulder. Benedict smiled at him, carrying him to the dying Kobold. Pax held down the Kobold with his knee.

  “This is so unnecessary,” Paxwell commented.

  “Someone put this bone sword in his right hand, please,” Benedict called out.

  Eve, who’s completely uninjured, opened Rue’s palm and put the longbone on it. Rue gripped it, feeling the coarse weapon. He nodded his thanks to both of them.

  “See? He wanted the kill!” Benedict said.

  Eve, with both of her hands, guided Rue's right hand. The Longbone is now against the Kobold’s throat.

  “There, now just push it,” Eve said as she let go of both of her hands.

  Rue felt the Kobold’s throat depart. Pax had cut the throat so Rue could just shove the Longblade in.

  (You Have Slain Kobold Bone Warrior. Lvl 10)

  (Level Up. General Lvl 7 → 8)

  (Level Up. Frost Apprentice Lvl 7 → 9)

  (Skill Option Gained)

  “Thank you all of you,” Rue managed to say as his consciousness faded.

  “Don’t sleep, kid!” Pax lightly slapped Rue’s face with both of his hands. “We can’t afford to have anyone knocked out now, especially so close to the camp.”

  Fuck, But Rue’s eyelid is so heavy, not even his pain can kept him awake.

  “Ehm, Pardon me,” Eve coughed, she removed a blue vial from her robe pocket. “Stay awake, Rue, if I’m right, the reason you fainted last time is because your mana is near zero.”