Chương 1268: Chapter 59: Shattered Bone Steps, Blood-Colored Skeletons Emerge

"Roar!" A low, guttural vibration erupted from the Shura Secret Bone, sounding less like a scream and more like a tectonic shift. The eight skeletons, previously paralyzed in absolute terror, felt a crimson flash ignite within their hollow sockets. They rose in unison, stepping forward to kneel with a rhythmic, clattering reverence—a silent, macabre homage to their newly ascended sovereign.

The Shura Secret Bone extended a pale, skeletal hand, its blood-red fingertips—sharp as needles and dripping with a phantom, metaphysical gore—pressing firmly against the forehead of the nearest thrall. Crack! The frontal bone splintered under the pressure. The kneeling skeleton convulsed violently, the red light in its eyes flickering wildly with the agony of a soul being forcibly rewritten. Reyn watched the display, his brow furrowed in deep calculation.

If the Shura Secret Bone had intended to simply destroy them, a single crushing blow would have sufficed; this ritualistic, painful transformation clearly served a much deeper, more strategic purpose. Moments later, the frantic trembling ceased. As the Shura Secret Bone withdrew its finger, the fractured skull pulsed with an eerie, malevolent radiance. The bone didn't just mend; it fused into a hardened, blood-stained plate of armor that shimmered with a dark luster.

The skeleton stood, positioning itself behind its master, radiating an aura of absolute, unshakable fealty. Reyn blinked, a sense of surrealism washing over him. This artifact... it was building an army.

"The Shura Secret Bone has only just attained a flicker of sentience," Reyn mused, stroking his chin as his eyes narrowed with suspicion.

"How could it possess such innate tactical instinct? There must be a hidden legacy buried within these ancient remains that even I haven't fully grasped." Once the remaining seven had been similarly branded and subjugated, the Shura Secret Bone returned to Reyn's side. It bowed its head low, projecting a wave of profound gratitude and terrifying subservience through their established mental link. Reyn nodded, satisfied with the result.

Through the blood-refinement process, he could feel the creature's every primitive impulse. There would be no betrayal, no backstabbing; its will was now an extension of his own. Suddenly, a primitive, urgent request rippled through the connection. The Shura Secret Bone was asking for permission to act on its own initiative. Reyn hesitated for a heartbeat, weighing the risks, before sending a mental command of affirmation.

The creature's excitement was palpable, a dark, cold hunger that suggested this next move was essential for its evolution. With Reyn's blessing, the Shura Secret Bone unleashed a muffled, thunderous roar. The sound didn't travel through the air; it vibrated through the very bedrock, a seismic shockwave that tore through the subterranean silence like a physical blow. Rumble! The ground heaved and groaned. One by one, then by the hundreds, skeletons clawed their way out of the packed dirt.

Thousands of white frames emerged, forming a literal tide of bone that stretched toward the dark horizon of the hall. Faced with the Shura Secret Bone's overwhelming, kingly presence, this skeletal legion collapsed into a state of shivering worship, incapable of even the thought of resistance. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. The Shura Secret Bone growled again, a signal of command.

Its eight chosen subordinates lunged into the helpless mass of bones with predatory, blurring speed. Crunch! Snap! Shatter! The eight elites moved like reapers in a field of dry wheat. They didn't just kill; they pulverized the heads of the kneeling masses, snatching the flickering orbs of dark soul-light and devouring them whole. With every soul consumed, the red glow in their eyes intensified into a burning furnace.

The blood-colored armor on their foreheads began to spread, creeping across their ribs and limbs like a parasitic, crimson stain. When the slaughter finally ended, eight entirely blood-red skeletons stood amidst the white debris, letting out a collective roar that shook the very foundations of the palace. Their aura had transformed into something truly savage and powerful. With a final command, the Shura Secret Bone recalled its generals.

The remaining white skeletons, spared from the harvest, vanished back into the earth as if fleeing a nightmare. Reyn stared at the crimson squad, his heart hammering. This wasn't just a tool.

"My sister's description was incomplete," he whispered.

"This isn't just a refined bone. This is a King among the dead, a monarch of the grave."

"Though its strength has ascended, I feel its soul. Within the Shura Secret Bone's consciousness, there is only gratitude, proximity, and reverence. Not a trace of treachery exists."

"Since it is so, I can strike with full force to aid its evolution. In time, it shall become the most formidable weapon in my arsenal." In the space of a single breath, Reyn's thoughts settled into a cold, sharp resolve. He looked at the Shura Secret Bone, his gaze now burning with dark expectation. After empowering its eight subordinates, the Shura Secret Bone's eye sockets flared with a crimson radiance. It unhinged its jaw and let out a thunderous roar.

A frigid, colossal, and savage battle intent erupted from its frame, surging like a tidal wave toward the shadowed depths of the Bone Palace. The roar died down. Silence hung heavy for a moment before a muffled, tyrannical growl echoed from the abyss of the Great Hall. It carried the crushing weight of a true monarch. Though the sound was faint, the sheer pressure turned Reyn's face deathly pale. He stumbled back several steps, his eyes wide with genuine shock.

"Nascent Soul stage!" he hissed, the words catching in his throat. The eight Sanguine Skeletons fared worse. The red light in their eyes flickered violently. Their bones ground together with sickening cracks as they collapsed, wailing in terror. They knelt, paralyzed by an overwhelming aura of dread and submission. Before the Bone Palace, the Shura Secret Bone stood its ground. Despite the unfathomable power of the hidden entity, it showed no fear.

Instead, it unleashed another roar—a jagged, provocative challenge that ripped through the stagnant air. This time, the depths of the palace remained eerily silent. No response came. The Shura Secret Bone roared several more times, testing the silence. Once certain the mysterious presence would not answer, it turned with a huff. With a low guttural command, it led the eight Sanguine Skeletons toward the Ninety-nine Bone Steps. Clack. Clack. Clack.

The Shura Secret Bone ascended first, followed by its trembling guard. As soon as its foot touched the first tier, the Ninety-nine Bone Steps fractured. Sanguine skeletons began crawling out from the rifts, their eye sockets glowing with malevolent red light. They sensed the Shura Secret Bone's aura and trembled with instinctive awe, yet they did not retreat. Instead, they slowly encircled the group, letting out low, predatory growls.