Chapter 6: A Heavy Blow and the Dungeon Escape

With a heavy strike against a skeleton’s skull, the creature’s frame disintegrated, leaving behind a white mote of light. Xiao Yang stared in surprise, as he had never encountered such a thing before.

He picked it up. It was a skill.

[Heavy Strike
Quality: White
Type: Skill
Effect: Delivers an attack dealing double damage.
Description: Strike down with force. Yes, just like you’re thinking—strike down with all your might!]

This skill was intriguing. It was the first time Xiao Yang had seen a skill drop from these skeletons. He chose to learn it immediately and practiced in the dim corridor.

It was a peculiar sensation; the moment the thought crossed his mind, he could trigger the Heavy Strike. There was no casting time, no cooldown—to describe it accurately, it was exactly as the skill description stated: strike down with force!

In the empty corridor, Xiao Yang swung his worn wilderness hatchet, bringing it down in a fierce arc that whistled through the air.

Although it was only a white-tier skill, it was quite useful. Xiao Yang was satisfied, though he noted he had to be careful. While the skill had no cooldown or casting time, it consumed stamina. Furthermore, striking an object caused recoil and a moment of stiffness, meaning it couldn't be used indiscriminately in combat; timing was essential.

After using the skill several times, Xiao Yang felt his stamina waning. He moved a few steps forward, sat down in a corner, and placed the Light-Dispelling Lantern in front of him, as this position allowed its effects to function more efficiently. These peculiar items were far more than just a simple string of numbers on a display.

He was nearly finished exploring this area. After hacking through another batch of skeletons, Xiao Yang was close to leveling up; he was almost at level three.

This "God’s Game" was truly a grind. Xiao Yang had been struggling in this skeletal dungeon for six or seven days, and he hadn't even reached level five. In a typical online game, that would be unthinkable—you’d have leveled up to an immortal deity just by idling.

Bathed in the warm glow of the Light-Dispelling Lantern, Xiao Yang’s stamina quickly recovered. He climbed up from the corner, and at that moment, Bonehead appeared from somewhere, scurrying over and holding its tiny hands high.

Xiao Yang saw a faint golden shimmer—it was two or three gold coins.

"For me?" Xiao Yang asked. Bonehead nodded.

These coins weren't equipment; it seemed Bonehead had specifically sought them out for Xiao Yang because it had seen him collecting them before. Not wanting to disappoint the little creature, Xiao Yang took the coins and patted its small skull, smiling in encouragement.

"What a good kid, such a good kid!"

Bonehead seemed a bit shy; it lowered its head and vanished back into the shadows.

This small episode greatly improved Xiao Yang’s spirits. Humans are social creatures, after all. He had wondered before if he would have been better off choosing the rusted hatchet and the sickly-sweet cake during his first "pick one of three" selection. But he quickly dismissed those thoughts. If he hadn't had this cute little companion in these dim, dreary dungeons, he probably would have started talking to himself out of sheer madness.

With that, only the final part of the western zone remained. Xiao Yang hung the lantern back on his belt and prepared to delve deeper into the dungeon.

...

Xiao Yang now felt a sense of dread. In the very last unexplored section of the west, he encountered something unsettling: a straight, downward-sloping ramp, with candles lining the edges that suddenly flared to life all at once.

The setup reminded him of things he preferred not to dwell upon.

A creaking sound echoed, and the iron door behind him slammed shut on its own.

It didn't end there. The ceiling slowly opened, and a massive spherical object began to descend. Xiao Yang instinctively cast an appraisal spell, but other than a name and a brief description, he learned nothing.

[Bone Ball
Description: It is a ball.]

Yes, it was a ball—a sphere constructed from a massive pile of skeletons. The skeletons used to build it were not yet dead; individual souls flickered within the mass of bones. The skeletons reached out from the ball, grasping blindly like tentacles.

The sight was stomach-turning, but Xiao Yang had no time to ponder it. Run! He had to run! He was on a ramp, and the Bone Ball was, well, a ball—which meant it would roll.

There was no time for hesitation. He ran for his life!

Behind him, the screeching sound of bone grinding against stone was harsh and chaotic. The end of the ramp was in sight, and soon, a solid stone wall loomed ahead.

He didn't even need to look back; Xiao Yang knew that if he were crushed by that ball, he would surely die!

"Damn it! Who taught this thing how to set up a ramp trap?"

Faster! He had to think of something! He was going to die!

Suddenly, he saw a glimmer of hope: a tattered chandelier hanging by a frayed rope.

Perhaps if he could break that rope, the falling chandelier could save him. But he couldn't possibly strike the rope with precision while sprinting for his life.

In this desperate moment, he couldn't afford to hold back. Xiao Yang screamed at the top of his lungs.

"Bonehead!"

In this situation, only the little skeleton with the "Petty Thief" title could pull this off.

Bonehead did not let him down. It materialized from the darkness, and amidst a series of clicks, it threw its small, ragged knife with lethal accuracy. The blade struck the web of decaying ropes on the ceiling, and the path to survival opened.

With a piercing screech of metal, the old chandelier dropped. Behind Xiao Yang, the Bone Ball was closing in, ready to grind him into dust. Xiao Yang leaped high, grabbed the swinging lamp, and vaulted into the air.

The added weight made the metal groan, but the rusted chain holding the old lamp held firm.

Xiao Yang was saved, but Bonehead had been left behind. It seemed the little guy needed time to hide again after emerging from the shadows. After throwing the knife, Bonehead stood frozen.

It didn't seem to matter much, as Bonehead was a summon; it could be re-summoned after a short cooldown. But the little creature was about to be crushed by the terrifying Bone Ball.

Just then, a figure flashed by, and a large hand reached out abruptly.