Skill Extraction: Exploring Dungeons-Chapter 598 - 589: Black Monarch’s Palace

"Damn it, why are these monsters so tough?"

After so many rounds of bombing, the skeletons stubbornly climbed back up, all becoming deformed.

Yet they were still alive, still able to move and attack.

Meanwhile, those black-armored knights kept inexplicably chasing Kreya’s ghost riders in circles.

For some reason, from the very beginning, the target of these black-armored knights had been Kreya, ignoring the others attacking them.

And most of the ghost riders around Kreya had transformed into remote spear throwers, running around the base of the wall pursued by these black-armored knights.

Pedi and the steel-armored fighters seized the chance to massacre the enemy’s long-distance archers.

Now the only problem was how to deal with those giant skeletons.

Kane’s walls had already blocked their attacks, but as they got closer, they would inevitably smash the walls once more.

Although Kane’s origin skills, with the help of the platinum scepter, had no distance limit, the farther away, the greater the cost of creating items.

Kane had already taken a magic potion and rested for a while, restoring quite a bit of magic power in his body.

The consumption of magic power is exponentially increased when creating items from afar, but if made close by and launched afterward, it is the most cost-effective, with much less expenditure.

Kane decided to experiment with mechanical works he had designed before but never used.

Several small planes were created around Kane as magic power surged.

They carried a large bomb underneath, took off from Kane’s side, and flew toward those few enormous, conspicuous giant skeletons.

And then the large bombs directly landed on the foreheads of these giant skeletons.

Accompanied by several loud explosions.

The upper bodies of the giant skeletons were completely engulfed by the fireworks generated from the explosions.

Then Kane watched them kneel down directly.

"What the hell, they look so big but are actually so fragile."

If I had known earlier, I would have just sent a few missiles over to precisely eliminate them.

This felt somehow less formidable than those earlier rushing skeleton soldiers.

Honestly, Kane thought those skeleton soldiers burning with black flames might be the strongest, fast in speed, agile in attack, and exceptionally tough.

The most crucial aspect is their large numbers.

Kane hadn’t realized these skeleton soldiers were actually the toughest.

With the downfall of the giant skeletons, the greatest threat vanished.

Kane slowly lowered the walls, then directly dismantled them.

And let the resistance fighters gradually wear down the remaining living skeletons.

Meanwhile, letting Moon’s Child and others engage in real combat for a while, with Kane mentoring them nearby, even having leisure to teach them about Moon’s Child’s attacks, movements, and targets.

Kreya, at this moment, also completely wiped out the black-armored knights chasing her, joined Pedi and the steel-armored fighters in wiping out the remaining skeleton soldiers.

Who would have thought that charging at the forefront were these skeleton soldiers, and those surviving were still these skeleton soldiers.

Kane just realized now that these skeleton soldiers were indeed the hardest to deal with.

Perhaps these skeleton soldiers were the most unique and powerful forces under the Black Monarch.

They possessed extremely high physical resistance, not to mention significant magic resistance, enveloped in death-representing black flames, touching them meant almost certain death for ordinary people.

Even if eliminated, if not thoroughly, they would merge with other surviving skeletons to continue fighting.

In countless numbers.

Whether it was Kane, Moon’s Child, or Pedi, their efficiency in killing was not very high.

The best was Kreya because whenever her attacks contained even a hint of black and white flames, these skeletons would instantly crumble.

In any case, it was clear Kreya had a strong suppressive effect on the death abilities of the Black Monarch.

That’s why those black-armored knights kept pursuing Kreya, knowing even with their slow brains, Kreya posed a huge threat.

Kane observed the ground littered with remnants and fragments.

This dungeon did not have the effect of disappearing after death; it’s the first time seeing such a scene, admittedly quite shocking.

Kane took the transparent magic stone hanging around his neck, now filled with silver energy, harvesting another newly filled silver magic stone.

A moment later, Kreya also came over.

Handing the silver magic stone from her neck to Kane, then retrieving the previously filled silver magic stone from her space equipment.

Adding Kane’s remaining five stones, the magic stones in hand totaled eight once more.

The energy from these skeletons was extremely limited; Kane had almost annihilated the entire army, yet only two magic stones were fully charged.

Not even any surplus; Kane spent considerable effort in wiping out this Black Monarch’s army.

This army was the toughest mob-type monsters Kane had ever faced, the first time making him feel his hot weapon clearing abilities weren’t as strong as before.

Kreya then asked, "Should we proceed cautiously now, or just charge ahead and take down the Black Monarch while we can?"

"How do the palace guards compare in number to this army?" Kane asked.

"Only half as many."

Upon hearing Kreya’s words, Kane began pondering.

This wave of battle only depleted his magic power to its brink, considering the distance now, reaching the palace where the Black Monarch resided should just allow his magic power to be fully restored.

It’s important to understand that the recovery potion they’re using now is becoming increasingly potent, mainly because Meizike’s potion-making skills are continuously improving.

Previously, due to the attack on the Red King, Kane had used up all his stored Magic Tears. During this time, he only managed to regain one, but that one is more than enough.

Now with the Red King’s Authority of Creation, Kane’s Origin Skills have fully unleashed power far beyond his usual capabilities.

This power does not manifest in obvious strength, but rather in the reduction of magic used for creation and the expansion of the manufacturing range’s limits.

Kane even feels that the current effect of his Origin Skills is stronger than the upgraded Origin Skills at the gold level.

Unfortunately, such an effect can only be temporarily experienced in this Dungeon, and once outside, the attributes of the Platinum Scepter’s head will disappear.

After all, Kane can be said to have now grasped some authority over this Dungeon, giving himself an outrageous buff isn’t a problem.

Not to mention, his Origin Skills fit so perfectly with this authority.

Moreover, considering he just received the scepter head a week ago, give him more time, and he’ll truly master some authority over this Dungeon.

He could already feel that the Authority of Creation indeed suppresses other authorities.

The previous assumptions were entirely correct, and now Kreya’s black and white flame can visibly suppress the Death Rule comprehended by the Black Monarch.

With the dual suppression plus authority, and now that it’s confirmed the Black Monarch is seriously injured.

There’s no need to wait anymore; if the Black Monarch senses the threat of his death and calls the other monarchs, it will become tricky.

It’s hard not to believe such a possibility exists, considering Kane and his group are outsiders, invaders in a sense.

After pondering for a while, Kane said to Kreya, "Let’s charge now, and end the Black Monarch today once and for all to prevent more unexpected occurrences later."

Seeing Kane make the decision, Kreya nodded in agreement.

Then turned around and shouted to the soldiers behind them.

"All forces advance; we must swiftly and decisively take the Black Monarch’s head today and liberate this land."

What followed was the cheer of the rebels; the people of this area have suffered long under the Black Monarch.

Even if they have to sacrifice their lives to eliminate the Black Monarch today, they won’t hesitate.

Plus, their current casualties are actually quite minimal, thanks to Kane’s Origin Skills, which have had an incredibly outrageous effect in this battle.

Everyone mounted their horses and followed Kreya toward the center of the land where the Black Monarch’s main base was located.

To ensure the strategy afterward was guaranteed, Kane even began weaving through the ranks of the resistance, teaching them how to aim with rocket launchers.

And instructed them to gather toward him whenever they had rocket launchers appear in their hands.

As they get closer to the Black Monarch’s palace, the surrounding environment starts to change dramatically.

The closer they get, the eerier it becomes, and the light cast from the sky can’t prevent this chilling cold.

It was a bone-chilling cold.

So familiar, Kane felt his memories of the atmosphere here surging wildly.

Yes, that’s right.

Kane remembered, the first Dungeon he entered, the atmosphere in that Giant Wood Forest was identical to here.

Thinking back to the appearance of those Plant People, they indeed resembled being tainted by the Authority of Death.

With this in mind, Kane couldn’t help but frown, pondering quietly to himself.

He glanced at the Plant People scouting in the distance, then retracted his thoughts.

It was then that Kane began to seriously observe his surroundings.

It seems every monarch likes to recklessly shape their core areas, matching the environment to their authority.

The Red King did so, and the Black Monarch is no different.

This place has become a complete Dead Land, with various trees altered by the aura of death, transformed into ghost-like shapes burning with bluish-white ghostly fire.

It no longer resembles anything living—calling them tree ghosts wouldn’t be wrong at all.

Despite being the Authority of Death, it’s used as if they were Undead.

This also indirectly indicates that the first rule the Black Monarch might have comprehended from the Authority of Death is reviving the dead, creating Undead.

Thinking back to those people in the Village of the Dead, ever since the Black Monarch got severely injured, the additional curses made those people revived like Undead.

The out-of-control rule the Black Monarch lost after his serious injury might be the Undead’s rule of resurrection.

As these thoughts flowed, the air around grew increasingly cold and biting, as if the warm, golden sunlight was blocked by an invisible barrier.

Inside the barrier was only the cold, biting wind and aura.

The environment had completely transitioned into an eerie cold, and the eeriness under the sunlight made everything feel distorted, as if the world’s rules were warped here.

As the distance closed, Kane seemed to see a palace in the far distance.

Finally, in the distance, he saw the Black Monarch’s palace, getting a clear view of its entirety.

The palace’s taste compared to the Red King’s was simply indescribable, making Kane less optimistic about the Black Monarch’s full picture.

That palace’s exterior took on the form of a gigantic beast’s skeleton, resembling a sea beast of such enormous scale that it obscured the sky.

The entire palace was constructed around the giant sea beast’s skeleton, with various colossal bones connected to form the outer walls.

And filled with a kind of gray-black mudstone to seal the gaps.

The whole palace looked like a giant sea beast with its skeleton exposed, though this sea beast’s massive skull stood atop the palace.

Becoming the most iconic decoration of the palace.

And Kane and his group’s target was within this very palace.