Not far from the crypt, while still inside the forest, a second smaller clearing had emerged with a few small hills. This was pretty much perfect. The two could wait on the hills in the clearing while I attracted the skeletons. If the forces from the skeletons were too much for us, I would yell out to stay put while trying to either deal with the skeletons, or outrun them. Generally speaking, monsters didn't leave their region unless they were drawn out, or there was an event. Because of this, we didn't have to worry about being attacked by other monsters when walking further from the Crypt.
Regardless of what trouble the undead may have prepared with their patrols, I should be able to handle it alone. If Mary and Devin can simply stay safe, for at least this unfamiliar practice run, we shouldn't have any issues.
The Nile River water can be used to attract undead. Some adventures, who actually know what to use it for, choose to douse their clothes with the water. However, if you ever want to change the object which the undead are attracted to, it would be nearly impossible with the water not only drenching your clothes but also pressing against your skin. The much safer and more practical way to use it is to make a dry torch, basically a stick with a towel on the end. Then soak the towel with the water.
This way, if you need to redirect the undead to another adventurer, you can pass the stick like a baton in a relay. If you need to ditch the water, tossing the stick will be effective. The only draw back is that the undead that reach the stick will be a lot stronger the next time you face off against them.
Upon confirming that I'd bring the undead to this area. I made my water torch and left the couple to get familiar with the area. As I reapproached the clearing with the crypt I couldn't help but ponder the area again. To start, the creatures with the wings and Oni masks were not something that was here when I was last here. I had also not seen them in raids, although considering I didn't return to town for the last few, it was possible they had been involved.
It almost makes me wonder if the crypt can level up or gain strength. As much as this world resembled a video game, there was no leveling up system. You didn't gain strength through slaying monsters. You only gained strength from physical training, mental training, and improving your gear. I'm not sure whether I'd call magic mental or physical though. When I refer to mental training I'm more closely correlating it with improving one's strategies. Experience, of course, also played a major role in one's strength.
If these regions that were home to monsters were allowed to level up similar to a video game, wouldn't humanity eventually be wiped out? We'd either slay all the creatures and clear the region, or one failure would mean the monsters would be even stronger the next time we faced off. I, and hopefully the town, was aware that they improved their strategies with each raid. However, their strength was always the same.
The skeletons marched in uniform around the perimeter of the clearing. Three, five, three, five... they seemed to have a pattern to the number of skeletons in each group. The groups of three seemed to have some rings, bracelets, and other jewelry on them as well.
As much as my mind said this was similar to enhancing the cheese in a mouse trap, I still saw no advantage for the crypt if I attacked the three skeletons versus the five. Experience had told me that it'd be safer to avoid the schemes altogether and draw the group of five closer.
When a group of five circled the perimeter and eventually came closer to myself, I doused the towel and waited. Before the group had even come to the edge of the perimeter that was closest to me, they broke into a sprint in my direction.
I began heading towards the outpost, when I could see three more skeletons trampling through the forest, also sprinting in my direction.
Oh! So they were patrolling in groups of six, with three in the clearing and three in the forest! It's such a simple tactic, when an adventurer group attacks the three skeletons, the group of three that is patrolling from the shadows can react from behind. I was so confused by the stone creatures, I forgot to explore all the simple tactics.
I must have some bad luck. While the group of three that passed in the clearing were out of range of my Nile River water, the group that was shadowing them must've still been in range. So instead of the worst case of me fighting six, I had somehow turned it into eight...
This might be too much for the couple. At best, they could probably handle two skeletons. While I could easily handle more than six with the help of the Nile River water, separating them cleanly for the couple would be too difficult with this many.
With the torch in one hand, I withdrew one of my short swords with the other. I ran towards the group of skeletons that had originated in the forest. Luckily two of them had stumbled in their attempt to be the first to the water.
Waving the torch in front of me like a matador would wave his cape, I waited until the skeleton lunged for the torch. I then pulled the torch behind my side, while striking down hard with my shortsword. The skeleton's skull and neck were quickly separated.
The remainder of the skeleton seemed to burst apart and compile neatly into a mound of bones. The other two skeletons from the forest seemed completely unphased and continued to clumsily sprint towards me. I dealt with both of them in a similar fashion as the first, all while keeping an eye on the pack of five that were heading towards me.
Five should be a perfect number for this training. I sheathed my sword and began trekking back to the opening where Mary and Devin should be waiting for me.
If you lived in a world with monsters, magic, and a very large tower, what would you really do?
Would you become the knight on a quest to conquer the tower and thus save the world?
Would you build a harem of women you'd never get in your old world?
Or, would you become a twisted blacksmith and hope to consume the world before it consumes you?
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