Chapter 26: Harun's Crystal Ball

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【You have obtained the C-rank skill book "Summon Advanced Skeleton."】

After merging the three skill books, the result remained a C-rank skill, albeit one that allowed for the selection of the skeleton type with each summon.

The casting time, mana cost, and cooldown were identical to Su Mubai's original "Summon Skeleton Warrior" skill, with no changes whatsoever. Relatively speaking, the fusion had not strengthened the skill, but rather weakened it slightly, as he could previously summon three advanced skeletons within 30 seconds, whereas now he could only summon one.

The only advantage was that it occupied only a single skill slot.

Su Mubai did not care about this; with his SS-rank "Death Summon," his skill cooldown was a mere two seconds.

With a thought, he chose to learn it.

【Notification: You have learned the new skill "Summon Advanced Skeleton." The original skill "Summon Skeleton Warrior" in your skill bar will be overwritten.】

"Oh no!"

Su Mubai’s expression changed upon hearing the system chime.

"Summon Skeleton Warrior" was overwritten? Was the Cataclysm trait still there?

Before he could open the skill menu to check, the system notification continued.

【Detected: This skill contains unknown entries that exceed limitations. Complete overwrite failed; unknown entries have been retained.】

【Summon Advanced Skeleton】: (C) Level 1, Active Skill. Summons a Skeleton Warrior/Skeleton Archer/Skeleton Mage to fight for you.
Casting time: 3 seconds. Cooldown: 30 seconds. Mana cost: 300.

【Cataclysm Trait】:
1. Skeleton Warrior maximum HP increased to 500%, attack power increased by 100%.
2. Not activated.
3. Not activated.
(Advanced Skeleton stats are boosted by the player's Spirit attribute.)

"Phew, thankfully it was retained."

Looking at the skill description, Su Mubai let out a long sigh of relief. As expected of a talent that transcends limitations, even the system could not fully overwrite it.

The other two inactive Cataclysm traits likely corresponded to the Skeleton Archer and Skeleton Mage. To activate them, he would have to use "Cataclysm" on the "Summon Advanced Skeleton" skill itself.

Having overwritten the original skill, it meant Su Mubai could once again benefit from a "freebie." He selected the brand-new skill and let his thoughts drift.

【Cataclysm】!
【Target: Summon Advanced Skeleton】
【Notification: Please select the rank for promotion: Tier 1/Tier 2/Tier 3.】 (Click to view details)

The World Game seemed to be constantly undergoing improvements; there was now a "View Details" option after using "Cataclysm."

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Option 1: Promote to B-rank skill "Summon Advanced Skeleton," no cost.
Option 2: Sublimate to A-rank skill "Summon Elite Skeleton," cost: 10,000 gold coins.
Option 3: Cataclysm to S-rank skill "Summon Skeleton Legion," cost: 1,000 years of lifespan.

"Tier 1."

There was really no choice to be made. Su Mubai had neither ten thousand gold coins nor a thousand years of lifespan.

What cures anxiety? Only a freebie!

【Your C-rank skill "Summon Advanced Skeleton" has successfully been promoted to B-rank.】

The name remained the same, and the skeletons summoned were still those three types, but the quantity increased from one per summon to three. The cost also rose to 1,000 mana points. Even if a low-level necromancer learned this skill, they wouldn't be able to use it many times. After all, not everyone possessed mana reserves as vast as Su Mubai's.

After the original skill was overwritten, all skill points were refunded. Su Mubai immediately invested all 8 skill points into "Summon Advanced Skeleton." The skill was instantly boosted to Level 9, and a "MAX" icon appeared on it, indicating that the skill could only be leveled up to 9.

In the World Game, players earn one skill point every time they level up. However, skills of different ranks require different amounts of skill points to upgrade, and their maximum levels differ as well. According to Su Mubai’s observations, skills below A-rank only required 1 point per upgrade. A-rank required two points, and S-rank required five.

After the skill "Death Drain Feedback" was promoted to SS-rank, the required points increased from 5 to 10. As for even higher SSS-rank skills, Su Mubai was not yet sure, but he estimated that an upgrade would cost at least 20 points.

With such high costs for skill upgrades, there must be other ways to obtain skill points besides leveling up. Su Mubai’s "Cataclysm" talent could retain the original skill level, which also saved him a significant amount of skill points.

There were two more skill books dropped by Reggie. "Thunder Strike" was a skill for warrior-type classes, which Su Mubai could not learn. However, the other one, "Deadly Aura," offered him a significant boost.

【You have learned the new skill "Deadly Aura."】

The skill book turned into a stream of light and flew into Su Mubai’s forehead. A pale gray halo immediately appeared beneath his feet. With a thought, the halo faded from sight, though its effects remained.

This was a passive aura skill, identical in effect to the one Reggie had used, capable of increasing the attributes of friendly undead creatures by 20%. Glancing at the description, Su Mubai activated his talent.

【Cataclysm】!
【Target: Deadly Aura】
【Notification: Please select the rank for promotion: Tier 1/Tier 2/Tier 3.】 (Click to view details)

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"Tier 1."

Without needing to check, Su Mubai knew he couldn't afford the others and decisively chose the promotion.

【Your B-rank skill "Deadly Aura" has successfully been promoted to A-rank skill "Advanced Deadly Aura."】

【Advanced Deadly Aura】: (A), Passive Skill.
All friendly undead creatures receive a 30% increase to all attributes.
Range: 500 meters.

The attribute boost only increased by 10%, but the range jumped directly from 100 meters to 500 meters. This already exceeded the maximum distance Su Mubai could control his summons. Combined with the buffs from his professional Cataclysm traits, this range expanded to an exaggerated 1,000 meters!

*Hum~*

Su Mubai waved his magic staff, and a three-meter-tall, pale gray vortex appeared beside him. His mana instantly dropped by 1,000, and six skeletons stepped out one after another.

The appearance of all six was identical to those summoned by Reggie, and their aura was even a step higher! However, Su Mubai was in no rush to check the skeletons' stats. Once he swapped his equipment, the panel stats for all three types of skeletons would increase significantly; checking them now was pointless.

What he needed to do now was fill his summoning capacity. Since the Cataclysm trait was incomplete, the Skeleton Warriors were significantly more powerful, but Su Mubai couldn't just summon Skeleton Warriors. After all, due to unit volume collision, too many Skeleton Warriors would prevent them from exerting their full combat potential against a boss. In the end, Su Mubai decided on a 4:3:3 ratio.

Next, the only items left from Reggie’s loot were some materials and the crystal ball that Su Mubai was most concerned about.

【You have obtained Dark Gold-grade material: Death-Qi Bone ×10.】
【You have obtained Dark Gold-grade material: Soul Remnant ×10.】

Su Mubai did not rush to promote these two materials, tossing them directly into his backpack instead. His attention was entirely focused on the final crystal ball. Faintly, Su Mubai seemed to see a shadow within the sphere.

【You have obtained the quest item "Haruns' Crystal Ball."】

The moment he touched the crystal ball, a system chime rang in Su Mubai's ears.

【Notification: ...】