Jack Williams had come to a profound realization of the paramount importance of aerial supremacy and commanding heights. His skeletal soldiers, rigorously trained and steadily increasing in number, were formidable in combat. Yet, when faced with a dozen griffins, they were utterly powerless, their ranks scattered in disarray under the relentless assault.
Clutching his single-handed sword tightly, Jack lunged toward Bruno, leaping onto its back in a single bound. His voice thundered with fury as he roared, "Bruno, charge! Tear those mangy lions apart!" His blade pointed straight at the griffins arrogantly dominating the skies.
With a deafening roar, Bruno surged into the air, ascending dozens of meters in an instant before launching a sweeping assault on the griffin swarm.
The sight of Jack and Bruno charging forth with murderous intent sent a flicker of fear through the griffins' eyes. Though they were adept at both aerial and terrestrial combat, they were merely Rank-Five magical beasts—how could they possibly rival a bone dragon? A few immediately attempted to flee, but soon, realizing that Bruno's strength was greatly diminished, their hesitation vanished. Letting out sharp cries, they wheeled around and dove toward their adversaries.
Jack raised his sword high and brought it slashing down in a diagonal arc at an incoming griffin.
Ordinarily, the griffin could have easily evaded the strike, but its high-speed flight left it with no room to maneuver. A sharp pain tore through its right wing, and with a shrill screech, it tumbled violently toward the ground.
A griffin's greatest assets were its razor-sharp talons and its ability to soar through the skies, but its defenses were lacking elsewhere—how could it possibly withstand the sheer force of Jack's strike? Especially when the sword in his hand was no ordinary weapon, but an ancient blade unearthed from a forgotten tomb, honed to unparalleled sharpness over the ages.
Yet, the resilience of the griffin's wings took Jack by surprise. His mighty slash had left only a white mark, not even drawing blood.
Fortunately, the skeletal soldiers under his command were far from ordinary undead minions. Enraged by the onslaught of the griffins, they emitted a menacing rustling sound from their bony skulls. Seeing a griffin plummet from the sky, they seized the opportunity for vengeance.
With a resounding clatter, over twenty skeletal warriors surged forward.
The moment the griffin's body slammed into the earth, it left a deep crater in its wake. Staggering, it tried to take flight once more.
But how could Dragon One and Dragon Two allow it to escape? The two skeletal captains lunged, gripping its talons with brute force and wrenching the unfortunate beast back down just as it managed to rise two meters into the air.
Despite weighing three to four hundred pounds, the griffin was no match for the sheer strength of the black-armored skeletal warriors. Though they couldn't fully subdue the massive creature, they held it down just long enough for the rest of the skeletal horde to arrive—swords flashing as they hacked at their fallen prey.
A piercing shriek echoed through the battlefield as the griffin was struck dozens of times in rapid succession. In desperation, it flapped its powerful wings, sending several skeletons sprawling. Even Dragon One and Dragon Two barely avoided being shredded by its talons.
The battle grew ever more dire. Over twenty skeletal warriors struggled to bring down a single griffin—an unsettling reality that filled Jack with deep unease.
Against hordes of Gale Direwolves, he had fought with unwavering confidence, knowing that through sheer effort and relentless combat, victory was inevitable. But these flying beasts... he had no assurance at all.
"Master, be careful! They're attacking again!"
Bruno's warning jolted Jack to attention. In an instant, the bone dragon veered aside, narrowly evading the claws of four griffins diving toward them.
Cold sweat beaded on Jack's forehead. His grip on the sword tightened, his palm slick with perspiration.
"Master, I remember you once used a spell called 'Death Coil'—why aren't you using magic against them?" Bruno reminded him.
Jack slapped his forehead in realization. "Damn it! How could I forget that?!"
Consumed by days of intense physical and tactical training with his skeletal soldiers, he had pushed "Death Coil" to the back of his mind—forgetting that it was his ultimate lifesaving technique.
"Right! I still have this trick up my sleeve—why should I fear these mangy beasts?!"
With a triumphant shout, Jack extended his left hand, pointing at a griffin swooping in from the side. Instantly, several dark arrows imbued with deathly energy shot forth.
The griffin had expected a sword strike but was caught off guard by the sudden appearance of the sinister black projectiles. Sensing danger, it hesitated—yet its pride refused to acknowledge the threat. How could a noble Rank-Five magical beast fear the attack of a mere human?
With a defiant screech, it lashed out with its talons, aiming to crush the incoming dark arrows.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The moment its claws made contact, explosions erupted. The griffin's talons were instantly obliterated, blood spraying through the air as agonized wails tore through the battlefield.
Boom! Boom!
The beast crashed into the ground, leaving a massive crater six meters deep, dust and debris billowing into the sky.
"Master, your power is incredible!" Bruno couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.
Jack smirked slightly, his expression inscrutable. He knew that while his mastery of "Death Coil" had improved, it was still not enough to eradicate the griffins completely. The key was to cripple their wings, forcing them to the ground where his skeletal army could overpower them.
Meanwhile, on the battlefield below, Dragon One and Dragon Two, along with their skeletal warriors, had finally slain the fallen griffin at the cost of seven or eight of their own. Their victory sent ripples of fury through the remaining griffins, yet amidst their rage lurked an undeniable hint of fear.
Dragon Three, Dragon Four, and Dragon Five swiftly rallied the remaining skeletons into a tight, circular formation. Though still incapable of winning in aerial combat, they could now fend off the griffins' relentless assaults with coordinated strikes, making it difficult for the enemy to inflict further casualties.
With fifty skeletal warriors tying down seven or eight griffins, and Dragon One and Dragon Two slaughtering any that fell to the ground, the tide of battle shifted. Jack, now fully engaged in the skies, wielded "Death Coil" with increasing proficiency. One by one, griffins were struck down, their wings torn apart by the deathly energy, sending them plummeting to their doom—only to be met with the merciless blades of the skeletal army.
The clash raged for over two hours. By the time Jack's magical reserves were nearly depleted, the battlefield lay strewn with the bodies of more than fifty griffins.
Exhausted, he panted heavily, giving Bruno a light pat on the head as he signaled for a descent. As they landed, he declared, "I need to develop an aerial force. Archers. Javelin throwers. I won't let this happen again."
This battle had made one thing painfully clear—the sky was a battlefield he could not afford to ignore. Without "Death Coil," they would have suffered total annihilation. Strengthening his skeletal army with diverse combat units was no longer an option—it was a necessity.
"Boss! That was insane! You just took down forty-five griffins in one go! That's incredible!"
The little mole, Toby, scurried up, flashing a sly grin as he showered Jack with flattery.
Jack flicked the tiny creature on the forehead. "I'm exhausted, and you're standing here watching the show? Keep it up, and I'll turn you into braised mole stew!"
"Noooo! Anything but that!" Toby wailed in mock horror.