"Master, the combat prowess of the Skeleton Legion is truly formidable. Against a five-thousand-strong human army, they would undoubtedly emerge victorious with ease."
Unbeknownst to him, Bruno had lumbered over, his massive frame casting a shadow beside Jack.
Jack let out a quiet sigh. "But even with such a powerful force at my command, what use is it?"
"Uh…" Bruno detected the frustration in his voice and shook his skull slightly. "The Aleta Canyon is a vast chasm on the continent of Oxas. To the north lies the boundless Arctic Plains, home to formidable orc tribes. South of the canyon is the Michelle Empire, while the eastern reaches of the continent are ruled by the Blue Moon Empire, along with several other nations."
Jack frowned in confusion. "And why are you telling me all this?"
Bruno swayed his massive head slightly. "I merely wish to remind you that once you leave this place, you will undoubtedly stir a storm across Oxas. With your abilities, you'll become a coveted asset to the ruling elites of every nation."
"Tch, give me a break. I can't even find a way out of here, so what's the point of thinking about all that?" Jack scoffed.
Bruno, however, leaned in closer, his hollow, pitch-black eye sockets gleaming with an eerie light. In a hushed voice, he said, "But what if I told you… I have a way to get you out?"
"You—what did you just say? You can get me out of here?" Jack's eyes widened, his mouth half-open in shock. It seemed too good to be true. He had been trapped here for over twenty days with no clue how to escape.
Bruno gave a solemn nod.
Jack curled his lip in disbelief. "If you had a way to get me out, why would you have waited until now?"
Toby and Cons perched on his shoulders, their expressions equally doubtful. "Yeah! That skeleton dragon must be lying."
Bruno, however, spoke softly. "Actually, I only figured it out recently. But think about it—who exactly trapped us here?"
"What kind of question is that? Obviously, some god-level being with immense power," Toby snorted. That was the most obvious thing in the world. Did this bonehead dragon have a screw loose?
"But why did they trap us here?" Bruno pressed on.
"Now that's an even dumber question. Who can fathom the thoughts of a god? Their minds are a complete mess." Toby rolled his eyes, dismissing it outright.
Bruno shook his head and murmured, "The answer is quite simple. He doesn't want us to leave. But if that's the case, why didn't he just kill us outright? That would have been far more efficient. Instead, he keeps sending wave after wave of magical beasts to attack us, forcing us to fight back. And those beasts… they grow stronger with each encounter, as if they are endless."
Toby frowned, sensing the gravity of Bruno's words. "Wait… what are you implying?"
Bruno's voice dropped to a whisper. "He doesn't want us dead—he's merely toying with us."
Jack, Toby, and Cons fell silent.
Indeed, if this so-called god had wanted them dead, he could have done it in the blink of an eye. Yet he chose instead to send monsters that matched their strength, increasing in difficulty as time went on. It did resemble a game—like a cat playing with its prey.
Jack's mind raced, piecing together the puzzle. He had defeated the so-called "Beast God" in a game, only to be thrown into this world of Oxas. Since then, he had been trapped in this canyon, repeatedly attacked by monsters. The god seemed determined to break him completely—otherwise, he would never let him leave.
A chill ran down Jack's spine. If he wanted to escape, he would have to play his cards carefully.
Bruno observed his expression and whispered, "Master, I have a plan that might just get us out."
Jack's eyes lit up. "Oh? Let's hear it."
"If you're on the verge of death, he'll lose interest in you. And once he does… we'll have our chance to escape."
"You—you bonehead dragon! You're telling our boss to die?! I'll tear you apart!" Toby shrieked, leaping onto Bruno and flailing his tiny claws.
Jack, however, caught a glimmer of something in his eyes. A slow smile spread across his face. "Bruno's idea… might just work."
…
"Boss! Boss! We're doomed! A whole horde of magical beasts is charging our way! This time we're really finished! It's thirty Earth Drakes—thirty! Ninth-tier magical beasts! We're dead! My dear wife, farewell!"
"Cough, cough… Ninth-tier beasts? I—I'll fight them to the death!"
Jack lay sprawled atop a massive boulder, his face ashen, looking no different from a man on death's door. His feeble fingers grasped at his sword, and he struggled to rise, only for his body to give out, sending him tumbling to the ground.
"Master! Master, what's wrong?!"
Bruno, stricken with panic, lowered his massive head and gently lifted Jack's tattered clothes with his sharp teeth, placing him back onto the rock. Then, turning to Toby, he roared, "You damned furball, check on him! If anything happens to him, I—I'll bite you to death!"
Toby and Cons scurried over, frantically prodding and inspecting Jack. After a long moment, Cons hesitated before muttering, "It seems… the boss is sick."
"Sick? What does that mean?" Bruno furrowed his bony brow, confused. "Is that… like giving birth? We skeleton dragons don't do that. But why does Master look so strange?"
"Sick, not giving birth, you brainless bag of bones!" Toby snapped. "It means dizziness, fever, nausea—all bad stuff caused by the dark virus."
"What do we do?!" Bruno asked in distress.
"No idea!" Toby and Cons were equally lost.
As they whispered anxiously, the Earth Drakes loomed ever closer, their thundering footsteps sending tremors through the ground.
"I—I'll fight them! Skeleton Legion, charge! Attack!"
Jack, seemingly summoning his last ounce of strength, let out a hoarse cry before coughing up blood and collapsing unconscious. The thousand skeleton soldiers under his command, bereft of orders, remained motionless like statues.
…
"What?! That brat actually got sick?! Damn it! I haven't had my fun yet! How could he just drop like that? Boring. Ugh, whatever… I'll go find another plaything later."
High above the canyon, a ghostly white figure materialized in the sky, muttering in displeasure. Moments later, the figure vanished, and with it, the thirty Earth Drakes disappeared into thin air. The eerie silence that followed was suffocating, as if the entire canyon held its breath.
Jack lay motionless on the cold stone, his face deathly pale, his breathing weak. Toby and Cons hovered beside him, glancing around anxiously, while Bruno remained on high alert, watching the sky warily for any sign of the god's return.
"Boss, don't you dare die on us now!" Toby smacked Jack's face repeatedly, panic creeping into his voice.
Cons nudged him gently. "Stop hitting him. The more convincing his act, the better. If that god suspects anything, we're finished."
Toby pulled back reluctantly, grumbling, "But… what if he really dies?"
"Shut up!" Bruno growled, his enormous skull hovering over Jack, the sound of grinding bone echoing through the air. For the first time, his voice carried an unmistakable urgency. "Master, whether you can hear me or not, hold on! You heard what that bastard said—we finally have a chance to escape this wretched place."
The air in Aleta Canyon seemed a little brighter than before.
"Boss… did we really make it out? Oh, my dear God, you are a thousand times more lovable than Maria! Though, my wife is still prettier."
"Less talking, more running! Before that god changes his mind and drags us back!"
"Oh! Got it, got it! Boss, you're even craftier than that so-called God of Light!"