The deathly aura in the inner layer of the Graveyard of Bones was much thicker than that in the outer layer. It wasn’t surprising to John Shepherd that level 9 skeletons could be born here.

What thrilled him, however, was that this was not an ordinary skeleton—it was a Skeleton Soldier with a class template!

Just like how players could change their class by completing quests after reaching level 10—becoming apprentice mages, apprentice warriors, or apprentice assassins—humanoid monsters like skeletons could also gain class templates. (Beast monsters had their own corresponding attribute templates.)

The difference between having a class template and not having one was massive.

Ordinary skeletons had a growth rate of only 0.5.

Furthermore, when leveling up, that 0.5 attribute increase was randomly assigned to one of the four major attributes, adding an element of uncertainty.

In contrast, Skeleton Soldiers had a growth rate of at least 2 points, and their attribute increases were fixed!

In other words, a Skeleton Soldier with a class template could gain more power in one level than an ordinary skeleton could gain from leveling up all the way from level 1 to 9!

When players first descended into the game, this level 9 Skeleton Soldier would have been considered an elite monster.

……

“A level 9 Skeleton Soldier…”

In the inner layer of the Graveyard of Bones, John’s green eyes flickered as he gazed at the much sturdier skeleton not far away, wielding a bone sword and shield.

He didn’t know when this Skeleton Soldier had acquired its class template.

If it had only gained the template recently, John’s superior attributes might still allow him to kill it and absorb its bones to further enhance his own strength.

However, if it had obtained the class template from the very beginning...

From level 1 to level 9, this Skeleton Soldier would have received at least 16 points of attribute growth! Combined with the fixed attribute growth from its class, its power could far surpass John’s!

“I can’t be careless.”

With that thought, John considered retreating.

Thanks to his Corruption talent, he knew that killing a few more strong skeletons in the inner layer of the graveyard would allow his attributes to grow quickly again.

When that happened, he could return to deal with this Skeleton Soldier.

However.

Just as he was about to leave, the Skeleton Soldier suddenly turned around, its green soul fire blazing as it locked its gaze on John.

The Skeleton Soldier had spotted him!

In the next moment.

Before John could react, the Skeleton Soldier charged toward him at incredible speed, sword and shield in hand!

Retreat was no longer an option.

The Skeleton Soldier was faster than John, and if he turned to flee, it would only be a matter of time before it caught up.

So...

He had no choice but to fight!

Gritting his teeth, John gripped a femur in his right hand and grabbed a broken skull from the ground with his left, rushing headlong toward the incoming Skeleton Soldier.

Ten meters!
Five meters!
Three meters!

When they were just three meters apart, John hurled the broken skull at the Skeleton Soldier’s head while swinging the femur at its spine!

Clang!

The broken skull had no effect.

Not only did it miss the Skeleton Soldier’s head, but it was also easily sliced in half by the bone sword, scattering into countless pieces.

Even John’s swing at the Skeleton Soldier’s spine was blocked by its bone shield.

However.

The biggest difference between John and the Skeleton Soldier wasn’t attributes or even the class template—it was intelligence!

John had once been human.

Even though he had been reborn as a skeleton, he still retained his human memories and intelligence. His opponent, on the other hand, despite having superior attributes and a class template, was only fighting by instinct!

When the broken skull and femur attacks were blocked, John swiftly sidestepped and delivered a clean kick to the Skeleton Soldier’s leg bone!

Crunch!

With a crisp sound, the Skeleton Soldier’s leg bone was knocked off by John’s kick!

Losing a leg bone, the Skeleton Soldier fell to the ground, struggling to get up. At that moment, John raised the femur in his hand and, with all his strength, smashed it down on the Skeleton Soldier’s head!

Thud!
Thud!
Thud!

The dull sound of bone striking bone echoed across the wasteland.

When the femur in John’s hand finally snapped, he grabbed the remaining half and stabbed the jagged end into the Skeleton Soldier’s eye socket, twisting it with force—

The soul fire shattered.

At the same time, the Skeleton Soldier’s body, which had been struggling to rise, collapsed, its bones scattering across the ground.

“You have killed a ‘Skeleton Soldier.’”

“You have gained 100 experience points.”

When the system prompt appeared on his status panel, John finally breathed a sigh of relief and discarded the broken femur in his hand.

Although the fight had been brief, it had been incredibly dangerous.

Even from the brief exchange, John could tell that the Skeleton Soldier’s Strength, Speed, and Agility were all superior to his own. Add in the bone sword that could easily crush skulls...

One hit would have been enough to end John’s life instead of the Skeleton Soldier’s.

But fortunately.

He had won.

Now it was time to reap the rewards!

With practiced ease, John crouched down and placed his skeletal hand over the far sturdier bones of the Skeleton Soldier.

Corruption activated!

In the next moment!

A strong flow of energy surged from the pile of bones, rapidly strengthening John’s skeletal body.

Simultaneously.

A series of system prompts appeared on his status panel.

After two full minutes, the energy flow ceased.

As the Skeleton Soldier’s bones crumbled into ash, John opened his status panel to check the spoils of his battle.

• "You have absorbed the essence of the bones, and your body has become stronger."
• "Your Strength has increased by 0.5."
• "Your Agility has increased by 0.3."
• "Your Constitution has increased by 0.4."
• "Your Spirit has increased by 0.1."
• "You have acquired the ‘Basic Class Template - Skeleton Soldier’ transition information."