a mercenary cursed, promptly having his throat slashed by an unseen specter, his blood forming rivulets on the ground. Despite the growing ghost casualties, the necromancers had amassed them over time, unburdened by logistics. The mercenaries, limited by resources, couldn’t increase their numbers indefinitely, whereas ghosts were mere expendables for the necromancers.

As more mercenaries fell to the spectral assault, it was clear these warriors were seasoned. Their current struggle wasn’t due to a lack of skill but the unprecedented nature of their foes—immaterial ghosts attacking unpredictably. Adapting to their tactics took time, leading to initial heavy losses.

Gradually, mercenaries adjusted, launching a counteroffensive. Soon, they annihilated all ghosts, though at the cost of over twenty elite fighters. The necromancers, meanwhile, were taken aback by the mercenaries’ surprising resilience and strength.

The most unexpected aspect for the necromancers was the mercenaries’ use of magical weapons. Given by Brutols, these scrolls turned the tide, their absence would have left the mercenaries defenseless. With the scrolls, Brutols’ counterattack exceeded expectations.

The necromancers, arrogant and self-assured, were unprepared for failure. They had no contingency plans, typically scattering and sacrificing comrades as scapegoats to escape. Now summoning a second wave—skeletal warriors—they marched the bone clatter of thousands through pre-dug tunnels. Brutols, surveying from the tavern’s second floor, furrowed his brow. While skeletons were low-level undead, their sheer numbers posed a serious threat.

In overwhelming numbers, even ants can topple an elephant. Brutols feared the relentless waves of foes, but his worry dissipated as the mercenaries unleashed group attack spells from the scrolls he’d supplied. The skeletons fell like programmed targets, incinerated or frozen en masse.

If experience points were a tangible reward, the mercenaries would have leveled up significantly. They found grim satisfaction in survival, not in hypothetical game mechanics. Yet survival was no trivial task, as these enhanced skeletons, driven by vengeful spirits, proved more formidable than usual summonses.

However, Brutols’ mercenaries fought for their lives, compelled to exert maximum effort. Their accumulated experience and familiarity with the undead kept them steadfast, ensuring they held their ground even against empowered skeletal foes.

Chapter 6: The Resurrection of the Dead and Internal Unrest (2)

“Damn it, why are these mercenaries so tough? And weren’t there supposed to be only three opponents? How did it become so many?” The leader of the necromancers, a lich, cursed. As the name suggests, liches are far from benevolent beings. They have complete

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