[Skills]: Skeleton King (Black Iron, Instinct), Corpse Armor (Black Iron, Instinct), Brutal Strike (Black Iron, Skilled), Heroic Charge (Black Iron, Skilled), High-Level Weapon Specialization (Black Iron, Mastery), Block (Apprentice, Perfection), Battle Cry (Apprentice, Perfection), Unknown Skills (Being Analyzed)

[Apostles]: 2

[Servants]: 41

Before learning so many universal skills for Black Iron Combat Professionals, the Skeleton Clone controlled by Fang Zhou had sparred with the [Berserker Heroic Spirit] Olaf.

Although that battle had ended in a tie, Fang Zhou knew better. He held an innate advantage because his body had mutated and evolved from absorbing the essence of two undead creatures—Skeleton Warriors and Zombies. This granted him a combat power coefficient that was a notch higher than Olaf's.

However, if they were on equal footing without these external advantages, the Skeleton Clone was clearly inferior to Olaf in terms of skills and combat techniques.

But as Fang Zhou's corpse transformation process became more complete and he continued to learn High-Level Weapon Specialization, the Skeleton Clone's strength was quietly undergoing a metamorphosis.

If they were to face Olaf again, Fang Zhou had reason to believe the Skeleton Clone would no longer be at a disadvantage and might even have the upper hand.

After some thought, I'll hold off on letting the Skeleton Clone spar with Olaf for now. After all, there are still several universal Black Iron Combat Professional skills that it hasn't learned yet because I haven't accumulated enough Soul Power. Its potential hasn't been fully unleashed, and its combat power is far from its true peak. I'll just be patient for a little while longer. Once the Skeleton Clone reaches its complete form for this stage, I'll have it spar with Olaf to see just how much its strength has grown.

Regaining his composure, Fang Zhou selected a Skeleton Archer with the most vigorous Soul Fire from the prey hunted by Tidamia.

He slowly extended his hand, gathering a deep, dark energy in his palm.

This was the precursor to the [Skeleton Monarch] skill.

With a gentle wave of his hand, the energy spread out like ripples, instantly enveloping the Skeleton Archer. Its bones trembled under the baptism of power, but soon, a new will was injected into its body.

From then on, it was no longer a lone spirit but another servant under Fang Zhou's command.

After several days of continuous hunting, the Skeleton Clone's Power Attribute had nearly reached 50.

By Fang Zhou's estimation, the moment its Power Attribute broke through the 50-point mark would be when it advanced to Middle-Rank Black Iron. At that time, the Skeleton Clone's strength would see another massive increase. He would also be able to explore deeper into the Corpse Hills.

After fighting continuously under the Blood Moon for several hours, Fang Zhou's soul fatigue had reached its limit. After absorbing the spoils his skeleton underlings had worked so hard to hunt, Fang Zhou checked his Soul Power reserve and found it had finally exceeded 200 points.

A surge of excitement coursed through him. His hard work was finally paying off.

After [High-Level Weapon Specialization], he could finally have the Skeleton Clone learn another universal skill for Black Iron Combat Professionals.

Fang Zhou lightly swung the heavy Corpse Long Spear in his hand and stroked his jawbone. He began to seriously consider which skill to choose next.

I have several options: Battle Qi Slash, Vortex Strike, Battle Qi Shield, Vengeful Stance, and Trample. Each one has its own unique charm and power. However, while these skills are strong, they don't have any basic prerequisites. They stand alone from my existing skill system and don't offer much synergy. Until I can master them to the Instinct level, they won't provide useful Skill Materials for my main body. In other words, as good as these skills are, they aren't what I need right now.

So, Fang Zhou turned his attention to the remaining three skills.

That leaves Block and Counterattack, Victory Battle Cry, and Horror Roar. Each one holds extraordinary power and potential. Block and Counterattack is an advanced version of Block. It not only enhances defense but also turns a passive defense into an active offense at critical moments, allowing me to deliver a fatal blow. It truly embodies the wisdom of balancing offense and defense.

Victory Battle Cry and Horror Roar, on the other hand, are the two branches of the Battle Cry skill. The former is more of an enhancement buff for allies. It can motivate friendly units within a certain range, increasing their attack power and speed and turning every comrade into a force to be reckoned with. The latter leans toward intimidation and control. It can weaken the enemy's fighting spirit, even plunging them into deep fear and robbing them of their will to fight, creating excellent openings for my side.

From my experience, if I choose to learn one of these three skills, building upon the Battle Cry and Block skills the Skeleton Clone has already mastered, it wouldn't just greatly enhance the clone's combat abilities. More importantly, these skills would provide a wealth of Skill Materials for my main body, helping me perfect and upgrade my own skill system. So, which one should I choose?

Fang Zhou didn't hesitate long before decisively choosing [Block and Counterattack].

The Black Iron-rank Block and Counterattack was a major upgrade over the Apprentice-rank Block skill. It not only significantly increased the frequency and probability of blocking, but the degree of damage reduction after a successful block was also greatly increased.

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