The Boneforge's red glow pulsed softly in the late evening haze, smoke rising through its exhaust vents like the breath of a sleeping dragon. The newly minted Forgemaster Skeleton worked in rhythmic, clanking precision—unfazed by heat, time, or exhaustion.
Iden stood nearby, arms crossed, watching its progress closely.
He had one goal: arm every summon under his command.
Each of his skeletons had a purpose. And now, each would have tools and gear that amplified it.
Iden issued the instructions one by one:
Bladeguard Warrior: A heavier plated bone armor with reinforced joints to reduce stagger on impact. Upgraded Bonefang Blade with durability core.
Woodcutter Skeleton: Enhanced axe designed to cleave through thicker trees faster; steel-edged bone blade for secondary defense.
Scout Skeleton: Lightweight limb bindings for silence, bone-shard daggers, and a sensory helm with amber lenses for sharper detection.
Miner Skeleton: Bone-bolted pickaxe with Beast-Iron tips. Back harness for ore transport.
Builder Skeleton: Compact tool belt and a reinforced chestplate for structural collisions.
Forgemaster Skeleton (self): Fire-resistant plating, joint insulators, and multi-grip gauntlets to handle heated objects longer.
System Prompt:Equipment Design Queued: [6]Estimated Completion: 8 hours (with Forgemaster Efficiency)Bonus: Forgemaster's Ingrained Memory trait will reduce future crafting times of same type by 25%
Iden smirked. "That's the start of a real army."
Just as the forging began, the Miner Skeleton returned from its longest solo excavation yet, hauling a bundle of high-grade ores wrapped in beast hide.
Miner Skeleton Level Up: Level 4 → Level 5Trait Unlocked: Ore-SenseEffect: Automatically locates rare material veins within a 20-meter radiusBonus Efficiency: +30% mining speed, reduced tool durability loss
Iden reviewed the skeleton's report. It had unearthed:
Dense Iron Chunks x4
Cracked Mana Crystal x1
Fossilized Beast Bone x2
Iden's hands trembled slightly as he held the Mana Crystal—a resource potentially tied to spell-bound items or advanced mage-class summons.
New Material Analyzed: Cracked Mana CrystalUse: Crafting, enchantment, energy gearUnlock Potential: Mage Skeleton Evolution (pending further materials)
"That's one step closer to unlocking another class," Iden murmured.
Back at the shelter's center, Rael watched the Forge glow steadily as smoke drifted into the moonlit sky. The camp looked alive, like a working village of bone and shadow.
She walked past each skeleton silently, placing a hand over their skulls, her Radiant Veil passively healing minor stress fractures from overuse.
"Brother," she said quietly, "you're turning death into life."
With every upgrade, the fortress became more than a shelter—it was a hub. A staging ground. The beginning of a dominion forged in bone, fire, and resolve.
Other players might gather weapons. Others might seek allies.
But Iden was building something far greater.
A living engine of summoned labor, combat, and evolution.
And the sound of hammers in the night? That was just the beginning.