He gently waved his hand, his tone tinged with humility. "This Skill is still in its infancy. It's perhaps a bit premature to consider its future development direction."

After a moment of contemplation, Fang Zhou turned to face Lu Renjia, who stood a short distance away. By this point, Lu Renjia had composed himself, and his expression had returned to normal.

Fang Zhou inquired, "Senior Brother Lu Renjia, if you have enough energy for another battle, I'd like to conduct another experiment."

Upon hearing this, Lu Renjia couldn't help but grip the Apprentice's Greatsword tighter, a troubled expression clouding his face. He replied, "I'm in good shape right now, it's true. But Fang Zhou, you witnessed my fight against that Mutated Skeleton firsthand. My strength was no match for it. If we were to fight again, I'm afraid the result would be no different."

Fang Zhou smiled and reassured him, "Senior Brother Lu, don't worry. Controlling that Mutated Skeleton is a considerable mental burden for me, and I can't maintain that state for long. This time, I want to test one of the ordinary Skeletons I summoned. I want to see how much the combat power of these ordinary Skeletons is enhanced by the Crowned with Death skill, without the powerful buff from the Berserker Mark, the Marvel gifted by General Ning Feihu's Heroic Spirit."

Hearing this, Lu Renjia finally breathed a sigh of relief. He nodded, adopting a ready stance, and said to Fang Zhou, "Alright, Fang Zhou. I'm ready whenever you are."

Fang Zhou nodded, then lightly waved his Magic Staff, canceling the Berserker Mark's buff on Olaf. With his fluid motion, an invisible wave quietly spread out. Olaf's figure blurred and faded as he was unsummoned, awaiting his next rebirth.

Without pausing, Fang Zhou cast the Crowned with Death skill again, arbitrarily assigning the powerful force that had previously enhanced Olaf to a common Skeleton. This Skeleton's frame was thin and frail, almost negligible. However, under the enhancement of the Crowned with Death skill, its body rapidly expanded.

CRACK, CRACK...

The sound of bone growth was unnaturally clear in the silence. It didn't stop until the Skeleton stood still, a majestic existence nearly two meters tall. Although its presence was far less imposing than the previously crowned Olaf, when compared to the other Skeletons around it, the formidable power it now possessed was obvious.

But Fang Zhou's casting wasn't finished. He continued to wave the Magic Staff in his hand, each sweep bestowing another buff on the Crowned Skeleton. First came the Skeleton Blade skill, causing the bones in the Skeleton's right arm to mutate. The end of the arm bone began to grow, gradually forming a strangely shaped Greatsword. The blade, formed of pure bone, radiated a cold and deadly aura.

Next, the Brutal Aura and Iron Wall Aura enveloped its body one after another. Each new aura elevated the Skeleton's power to a higher level. Its bones seemed to be coated with a layer of dark glaze, emitting a deep and mysterious luster. On its Skeleton Greatsword, three lethal forces intertwined: Physical Armor Piercing, Corrosive Poison, and Death Energy. They flickered in and out of existence, drifting like ghosts, yet ever prepared to unleash a deadly strike.

When the last of the magic settled, the Crowned Skeleton stood proudly. Its imposing aura rivaled that of the Apprentice Upper Rank Warrior, Lu Renjia, who stood opposite it.

Lu Renjia naturally recognized the challenge before him. He swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing. He gripped his Apprentice's Greatsword so tightly that the patterns on the hilt nearly dented under his fingers. A powerful wave of self-doubt washed over him.

Just a moment ago, I was soundly defeated by that Double Axe Mutated Skeleton. Fang Zhou explained that it was a Skeleton strengthened by the Marvel from General Ning Feihu's Heroic Spirit. Its combat prowess was awe-inspiring. But now, this Greatsword-wielding Skeleton was transformed from an ordinary Apprentice Middle Rank Skeleton by Fang Zhou's magic, right before my very eyes. Could it be that I can't even handle a single enhanced Skeleton like this?

As Lu Renjia's mind reeled with self-doubt, Fang Zhou gently raised his Magic Staff. Its tip flickered with a faint light as he pointed it at the newly crowned Greatsword Crowned Skeleton and issued the command to attack.

With a sharp crack, a baleful blue light flared in the Greatsword Crowned Skeleton's empty eye sockets, and it charged straight for Lu Renjia.

Lu Renjia took a deep breath, trying to banish all distracting thoughts. He tightened his grip on his Apprentice's Greatsword and adopted a fully defensive posture. This time, there was not a hint of arrogance in him; he would not meet offense with offense. Instead, he decided to start on the defensive, to gauge the Great Sword Skeleton's capabilities before planning his next move.

As their blades met for the first time, Lu Renjia felt a heavy impact but soon breathed a sigh of relief. He perceived that the Great Sword Skeleton's strength and Agility Attribute were not much inferior to the Mutated Skeleton, Olaf. However, its combat experience and Combat Techniques were a complete blank slate. Not to mention, it lacked special Skills like Olaf's Frenzy Golden Body or Taunt, which had made Olaf so difficult to deal with. This Skeleton before him fought relying solely on its raw physical attributes.

Understanding this, Lu Renjia gradually regained his confidence. Although the Skeleton's power was not to be underestimated, its lack of practical experience and technique gave him an opening to counterattack.

Lu Renjia observed that whenever the Great Sword Skeleton swung its weapon, its movements were powerful but clumsy, a far cry from Olaf's fierce and precise attacks. This allowed Lu Renjia to dodge with ease and even find opportunities to strike back. He used his own Apprentice's Greatsword to skillfully redirect the creature's attacks. Sometimes, he would even deliberately create an opening to bait the Great Sword Skeleton, only to quickly sidestep and let its attack hit nothing but air.

As time went on, Lu Renjia's movements became increasingly fluid, and he gained a deeper understanding of the Great Sword Skeleton's capabilities. The rhythm of the battle fell entirely under his control.

Seizing a flaw in the Greatsword Crowned Skeleton's form, Lu Renjia charged like an unleashed beast, rushing toward it with unstoppable momentum. At the same time, he let out a deafening Battle Cry. Although the Greatsword Crowned Skeleton was lifeless, it flinched for a fraction of a second at the powerful sound wave.

Lu Renjia used that moment to accelerate, appearing before the Skeleton in the blink of an eye. He swung his Apprentice's Greatsword in a wide horizontal sweep. The Skeleton reacted on pure instinct, raising its Skeleton Greatsword to Block. The two swords clashed with a sharp ring of metal.

Lu Renjia felt an immense force rebounding from the impact, but he didn't retreat. Gritting his teeth, he forced his blade against the skeleton's. The Skeleton's Block was surprisingly strong. Realizing it would be difficult to gain an advantage through brute strength alone, he swiftly changed tactics. He employed a series of rapid Brutal Strikes, attempting to break through the Skeleton's defense.

Each strike carried all of Lu Renjia's strength. His blade moved like the wind, leaving a series of shallow cuts on the Skeleton's bones. However, the Skeleton felt no pain. These attacks did not make it flinch or retreat in the slightest.

The battle reached a fever pitch. Lu Renjia knew he couldn't afford this endless war of attrition. He began to focus more on using the hilt and crossguard of his Apprentice's Greatsword to Block, minimizing direct blade contact while looking for opportunities to counterattack. The Skeleton's attacks were fierce, but with his superb blocking skill, Lu Renjia neutralized its offensive time and time again.

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