Nero strode through the dark, damp corridors of the cave. Each step of his bony feet resounded with a dull clatter, like hammering on stone. The echo bounced off the wet walls and returned like a mockery, stretching into infinity. The silence was almost tangible—dense, heavy—broken only by the monotonous dripping of water and the distant crack of cracking bones. It smelled musty, rotten, and something reminiscent of iron.
Though at first the unfamiliar weight of his new body had crushed him, he now felt himself beginning to become familiar with it. The bones were thicker, harder, more solid than before. They stirred up mixed feelings within him—on the one hand, they were the only protection he had; on the other, they reminded him of how far he had strayed from his former human form.
"It's not so bad..." he thought, looking at his improvised weapon: a huge orc bone that had become a crude club in his hand. "I'm a barbarian. Strong, resilient. And if I evolve... maybe I'll truly be something. A great lord surrounded by beautiful women, with an army waiting for my command."
He smiled to himself, letting his imagination take over. He pictured himself surrounded by a harem of beauties and an army of obedient undead. The image was more comical than realistic, but it helped him come to terms with the absurdity of his new existence.
"Maybe this is better than my old life," he mused. "Here, I can become who I always wanted to be."
Suddenly, at the end of one of the tunnels, something moved in the shadows. Another skeleton emerged from the darkness. He was immediately different from Nero—his bones were more massive, almost black, as if imbued with dark energy.
Nero froze, feeling a strange shiver run through his body, even though he had no nerves.
"Interesting..." he muttered. "A stronger type? A different race? Or maybe just a different set of skills?"
The black skeleton didn't react. He stood there as if Nero were invisible to him. "Maybe it's just a mindless corpse... it'll probably only attack if I provoke it," he thought.
"Okay, the risk is built into the contract," he added in a low voice and raised his club.
The blow landed violently, splitting his opponent's skull like a bursting pumpkin. The crack echoed for a long time until the black skeleton finally collapsed to the ground, crumbling into a jumble of bones.
Nero stared at what he had done for a moment.
"That... was almost too easy," he said. To his own surprise, he felt a strange sense of satisfaction. "Ha! And who said monsters don't have emotions?"
Without hesitation, he knelt beside the corpse and ripped off its right arm.
"So, System. Should I tear off my own arm, or are you going to perform some abracadabra and attach a new one?"
[Required action: Remove the damaged limb and manually attach the new one. The "Bone Synthesizer" skill or the archetypal "Bone Fusion" skill has not been unlocked.]
"Great. So, skeleton surgery."
Without further ado, Nero ripped off the damaged arm. To his surprise, it went smoothly—like removing a block from a Jenga tower.
"Sigh... no pain. Well, the lack of nerves has its advantages."
He attached the new limb and immediately felt it respond to his will. He clenched his fist and laughed as a blue window appeared in his field of vision:
[Equipped: "Right Arm of Deodrim the Obese" (+3 STR, +2 DEX, +1 INT)]
Nero's jaw dropped open.
"What the... System, are you telling me I can collect parts like in a Lego game and become stronger? That's a bit... sick, but damn practical."
[A Host can gain bonuses by replacing limbs or other bones. Warning: Replacing the skull is not recommended. The skull is the core of the Host's consciousness.]
"Heh, so my head is some kind of mana crystal? Right... And this Deodrim guy... who was that anyway?"
[Deodrim the Obese was an orc scholar. His "Researcher" class relied on intelligence. The result was prolonged exposure to magical energy on his body, leaving traces in his bones.]
"An orc scholar... and also obese?" Okay, but where does the strength bonus come from?
[Orcs, as a race, are physically stronger than humans. As an intelligent orc, Deodrim had developed both mental and physical abilities.]
"That suits me!" Nero smiled, actually making his jaw creak. "I wonder what will happen if I attach my other arm..."
He did so. And once again, he felt a surge of strength. The system confirmed:
[================================]
[Status: Nero]
Level: 2
Class: Barbarian (02/100)
Race: Hybrid Skeleton (04/100)
HP: 96/96
MP: 11/11
Strength: 22 (+6)
Endurance: 10
Dexterity: 12 (+4)
Intelligence: 16 (+1)
Wisdom: 14
Charisma: 1.12
Luck: 10
Skills: (Quick Punch), (Battle Cry)
[=============================]
"
Nero glanced at the new stats and snorted with laughter.
"A hybrid skeleton? What am I, Frankenstein? And yet... I feel stronger. Maybe it really is better than being human."
The system added emotionlessly:
[The Host has achieved a unique evolution. Regular skeletons don't have enough intelligence to undergo such changes on their own.]
"Well, that's great. Training is out of the question, or I'll break my bones, so that leaves hunting and collecting. Like collecting figurines, only from limbs..."
The corridor stretched on. The darkness seemed to thicken, and the air grew heavier with each step. Drops of falling water sounded like a clock ticking. Nero clenched his newly acquired fists and moved forward, ready to find his next opponent.