Endless Evolution As A Skeleton In A Game-Like World

There was a reason no one ever looked down on those who died in the tutorial or in the towers.

Neither the tutorial nor the towers were fair. They never were.

While some people barely encountered monsters, doing the bare minimum to pass, some experienced what some players had come to call Hell-level difficulty.

Situations that made no sense, battles that were so unfair that they were unreasonable.

[Threat detected! Goblins, Level 5 x 50!]

Bang!

The goblin drove its hammer into Ark’s skull, causing him to stagger as his head rang lile a bell. Being a skeleton did not mean he did not feel pain, it was definitely different from how a human felt pain, but it was definitely there.

His vision doubled, and his legs shook as another goblin slammed into him, tacking him to the floor and forcing them into a roll.

Three goblins were on him, racing him like piranhas as his body rolled across the floor. Ark tasted dirt, and his bones groaned as he bounced on a rock before slamming into a tree.

Thankfully, the impact had created some separation.

Ark’s vision blurred as he raised his head, red dust flowing out of the cracks on his body.

He had never been more grateful to have no flesh. If he had been anything else, by now he would be a bleeding pile of flesh—

”Olivia!” His eyes suddenly brightened as he rushed up to his feet. If he was in this state, then...

He tried to locate her, but he had been pained far away from the camp. Did she manage to escape? She was a harpy so she could always fly—

[Olivia is bleeding. Her health will continually be depleted over time]

Ark felt a cold pit settle at the bottom of his stomach. No... not like this.

Although she had ridiculed him countless times, Ark did not think it was something deserving of such a horrid death.

And knowing how goblins were, they would not kill her immediately, they would take their time, enjoy her first...

Around him, the goblins stood up and shook off the dust from their bodies, their red eyes gleaming with malicious intent.

One of them brought its crude dagger to its lips and licked it as it stared at Ark’s tattered body.

It was likely imagining how Ark would taste in a pot of bone soup.

Ark staggered to his feet.

He had to get to his party, he had to break through the ten goblins in front of him no matter what.

He took in a breath.

His mana was low, his body had weakened from the Life essence that was leaking, but there was one trump card he had not explored.

[Exp: 60/100]

He may be weak now, but four more goblins... that was all he needed to pull off an upset.

Ark raised his magic staff and slammed it into the floor, snapping it. Now the end of the staff was now sharp, the best sort of spear he could make on such short notice.

The goblins would have ravaged him in the ten seconds it would take to cast, and thankfully...

Ark summoned his weapon from his inventory, the rusty crowbar appearing in his hands. With the grace and fluidity of a circus his performer, or seasoned warrior... he twirled the crowbar and staff, alternating them between both hands and sending a wave of wings rushing past him. Then he took his stance.

... he had aced combat class.

”Come. I’ll make you my bitch.”

The goblins were far too happy to oblige.

”OZOGUAH!”

The first goblin screamed as it charged forward, its dagger tightly gripped in its hand. The moment it got to Ark, it leaped into the air, bringing the dagger down.

It knew that when it came to physical strength, Ark was far weaker than it. Goblins had a base strength stat of four, while he was at one.

But...

Ark smiled. Seasoned fighters knew how to turn a bad situation into their favor.

He dashed to the side, his tattered garment billowing in the air as he evaded the attack. At the same time, he swung the crowbar, catching the goblin in the hand and knocking the dagger away with ease.

Then just as the goblin’s feet touched the floor, Ark drove his spear right into its gut—

Skhhhh!

But the goblin caught it. Ark tried to wrestle the staff free, but it felt like trying to fight an iron vice. The other goblins didn’t even bother to join in. They chuckled by the sidelines, clearly enjoying themselves.

”Ubujakaa buvata!” the goblin jeered in its language while motioning at its nether regions, earning a laugh from its friend when suddenly—

Crackle—!

Ark summoned a spark of fire and the goblin panicked. Its grip on the staff loosened and it staggered back, shielding its face. But it had all been a facade. Ark could not cast that fast.