This was it. Lukas decided with a decisive look in his eyes.
He needed to get out of here quickly.
Lukas focused. The moment Matt entered the range of Gravity Pressure, the world around him seemed to sink downward. Perhaps it was the sudden surge of danger Lukas felt, or something else entirely, but Matt's feet were driven six inches into the ground, his charge coming to an abrupt halt for a brief instant.
A brief instant… but that was all Lukas needed.
The moment enough distance formed between them, Traceless Steps would do the rest. Even if Matt continued chasing, he wouldn't be able to find Lukas's trail, as traceless steps would be masking his scent, erasing any clues.
As Lukas pushed forward, Meteor Momentum continued to accelerate his speed. Soon his entire body was wrapped in a suffocating sense of tension, the pressure at that speed, the sheer wind threatening to tear at his muscles. Fortunately, the exoskeleton covering his body absorbed much of the strain.
Jumping from one tree to another, Lukas rapidly widened the distance.
…
Matt's face had turned cold, like a statue carved from ice.
Once Lukas moved far enough away, the effect of Gravity Pressure faded. Matt could move normally again. He considered giving chase, but the thief had already taken the head. The rest of the Verdant Monarch's body still lay behind him, and if something happened to it…
Matt didn't even want to imagine the consequences.
With a frustrated sigh, he turned back and began heading toward the clearing where they had fought the Verdant Monarch.
Meanwhile, far away in the forest, Fusion of Life and Death deactivated.
The bones slowly detached from Lukas frame. They floated apart before snapping back together one by one. Joints interlocked with eerie precision until a complete skeleton stood upright once again.
Tommy's skeletal fingers reached out, grabbing the skull floating nearby and placing it perfectly between his shoulders.
Lukas watched the scene with slight awe. It looked as if every bone possessed a mind of its own, working together in perfect harmony.
Still, admiration could wait.
Without hesitation, Lukas threw the severed head of the Verdant Monarch toward Tommy.
"Start assimilating."
Tommy's hand suddenly warped, turning into something like a black hole. The skull vanished instantly as flesh and blood splattered to the ground.
Lukas watched the process with bated breath, silently praying.
Please… let it succeed.
If he failed to obtain the passive from this skull, there was no guarantee he would ever get another Verdant Monarch skull before the beast horde arrived.
Today he had only succeeded because of a perfect combination of luck and timing. Next time, fortune might not favor him.
Just as that thought crossed his mind, space rippled before his eyes and a blue notification window appeared.
[Your Skeleton Tommy has assimilated the skull of Rank 1 Epic-grade Verdant Monarch]
[You have learned Epic-grade Passive: Parasitic Regrowth]
[Parasitic Regrowth – Epic Passive]
[Description: Slowly replenishes vitality while in contact with the ground. By absorbing dead organic matter, even severe injuries may heal, with a chance to regenerate lost limbs.]
Lukas nearly jumped with excitement when he read the final line.
This was exactly what he wanted.
The first effect was almost useless to him. Because of undead traits, he never felt fatigue anyway. What he truly needed was a reliable way to heal, and Parasitic Regrowth fit that requirement perfectly.
Now that the passive was secured, it was time to return to the safe zone.
The longer he stayed in the forest, the more dangerous things would become.
Just as he was about to dismiss Tommy, Lukas suddenly paused.
Right… the evolution conditions should have been met.
With the Verdant Monarch skull, Tommy had now assimilated bones from three Epic-grade creatures.
The thought had barely formed when the window before him changed again.
[Your Skeleton Astral Bone Vanguard is ready to evolve]
[Would you like to start the process?]
[Yes / No]
Lukas immediately pressed No.
He was still in hostile territory. The moment he chose Yes, Tommy would enter a dormant evolution state, leaving him temporarily powerless.
If he encountered a strong enemy during that time, he would be completely helpless.
The evolution could wait until he was safely behind the walls of the settlement.
With that decision made, Lukas glanced at the sky.
There were still a few hours of daylight left.
With Meteor Momentum, he might be able to cover nearly three hundred kilometers before nightfall.
If it had been the old Lukas, he would have laughed at such a thought.
But now, things were different.
After dismissing Tommy, Lukas burst forward once again, his figure cutting through the Ironwood Forest like a blazing arrow.
Time passed.
He ran without stopping.
With his endless stamina, there was no need for rest.
Thankfully, perhaps due to luck or fate, he encountered no unexpected obstacles along the way.
By the time the Ironwood Forest was bathed in the silver glow of moonlight, Lukas finally saw the towering walls of Roaring Dragon Settlement on the horizon.
He was allowed entry after flashing his settlement pass to the guards.
Unfortunately, he also spotted that bastard Old Ken, currently intimidating a newcomer with his usual sadistic grin.
Lukas snorted coldly.
Just wait, you bastard… one day I'll settle that score.
Without wasting another second, he headed straight for the Whitewood Inn.
Compared to before, the settlement felt noticeably more tense. After news of the incoming beast horde spread, many awakened who had been scattered across the wilderness had begun returning one after another.
Once inside the inn, Lukas noticed Eva wasn't around and quietly sighed in relief.
If she had been here, he would've been forced to waste time exchanging greetings.
As for where she had gone…
That was the least of his concerns right now.