The Arcane Conflux Nexus pulsed with a steady blue glow.
Iden stood before the nearly completed structure—bones twisted into elegant spirals, socketed with glowing Mystic Essence. The mana it released was like a heartbeat in the air, feeding the two newly summoned Mage Skeletons standing in meditation beside it.
Time until Wave 2: 3 hoursObjective: Ready the Mage-Class skeletons for support and offensive fire.
Inside the mana field of the Nexus, the skeletons began absorbing arcane data faster. Iden had programmed a rigorous training cycle through system scheduling:
Cast Bonebolt at increasingly distant, moving targets
Learn Arcane Pull from Nexus influence
Channel energy from residual enemy cores
Mage Skeleton A – LV1 → LV3Mage Skeleton B – LV1 → LV2
Their bones subtly reshaped with glowing nodes on their phalanges—faster casting response time. Tiny glyphs appeared on their ribcages: the first signs of spell library growth.
Iden kept his system HUD open, noting their skill progression:
🔸 Mage A unlocked: "Arcane Pull" – draws small enemies 2 meters closer🔸 Mage B enhanced Bonebolt's speed and size🔸 Passive Ability Unlocked: "Mana Memory" – Learn from nearby elemental phenomena
"Good," he muttered. "They'll be ready for live combat in Wave 2."
Just then, Nyra arrived in a blur of mist, her shadowform collapsing as she knelt near the tower.
"Six," she said, panting.
Iden looked at her. "Six what?"
She smirked.
"Mini-dungeons. Six of them. All within 10 kilometers of the Bastion."
1 Large cave-like ruin near the south ridge2 Medium overgrown ruins west of the river bend2 Small graveyard-like sunken pits northeast1 Tower to the far east—7 stages, one per floor, sealed with magic
System Alert: Quest Received
[Quest: The Six-Seal Challenge]
Type: Time-Limited Raid QuestObjective: Clear all six mini-dungeons within 4 Days
Breakdown:– Small Dungeons: Minor loot, XP, and 1 key each– Medium Dungeons: Mid-tier blueprints, resource chests, elite mobs– Large Dungeon: Dungeon boss, rare materials, skill scrolls– Tower: 7 floors, with scaling enemy waves and puzzle mechanisms
Requirement: All six must be completed to unlock the final raid cache
Rewards:– 1000 Raid Points– Unique Summon Evolution Token– Legendary Blueprint
Bonus Condition: Complete within 3 days for a hidden reward
Iden gathered Rael and Nyra beneath the Nexus. A 3D terrain projection shimmered before them—mapping out each dungeon site using Nyra's scouting beacons.
"We split the work," Iden decided. "But never go solo."
Rael nodded. "I'll stick near the mages. They're fragile for now."
Nyra added, "We can hit a small one tonight—right after Wave 2."
Iden's thoughts aligned with the mission's pacing.
"Three hours. Survive Wave 2. Then we raid."
Builders finished reinforcing trap zones
Forgemaster created new mage-class staves using the Arcane Bone Mold
Flamehide-wrapped cloaks added minor resistance to projectiles
Mage Skeleton A equipped: Staff of PulseflowMage Skeleton B equipped: Wand of Echo Shards
And finally—
Conflux Nexus: Fully OnlineRadius: 30 metersEffect: +15% Magic Damage / +10% Mana Recovery to all mages, allies, and linked castersSpecial Effect: Enables elemental evolution of Mage-class at LV10
With all systems aligned, skeletons posted, and traps reset, Iden ascended once more to the watchtower.
He looked down upon the Bastion—the bone-encased heart of his dominion. Mage Skeletons glowed faintly behind him. Rael prepared her pulse for support. Nyra vanished again into mist, making last-minute trap checks.
Wave 2 will begin shortly...
And this time, Iden wouldn't just defend.
He'd train, evolve, and launch the first coordinated skeleton assault into the first of six deadly dungeons.