Eternal Art Online

"Super, my ass!"

With a furious roar, Lusk kicked the still-stammering Ragnar straight into the fifth floor, then charged in himself without a second of hesitation.

Kiriya followed closely behind, gripping his longsword tightly, face grim with determination.

Yuna and Violet entered side by side, while Ziven brought up the rear—if a monster ambush happened the moment they entered, he was the most likely to get wiped first.

The moment they stepped onto the fifth floor, a bitter wind howled through the air. The temperature dropped sharply, so cold it bit into their bones.

Yuna and Violet instinctively gasped as they crossed the threshold.

Yuna pulled her robe tighter around herself, while Violet folded her arms in front of her chest to ward off the chill, making her already impressive figure all the more pronounced.

Everyone's eyes shot forward, and a collective gasp followed.

A tall, gaunt figure stood atop the stone steps. His ashen hair whipped in the air like ghostly flames, and a long purple cloak fluttered behind his gleaming golden armor.

In his hand, he held a longsword. Though a skeleton, this was no ordinary undead.

In the hollow sockets of his eyes burned a terrifying, regal light—the cold arrogance of one who ruled over all.

His gaze swept over them as if they were nothing more than ants. Worthless. Insignificant.

[Skeleton King] (Golden Relic Tier BOSS)

Level: ???

Attack: ???

Defense: ???

HP: ???

Note: Ten thousand years ago, a once-mighty king fell here. His unwillingness to accept defeat and his boundless rage brought him back from the grave. Now, he leads an army from hell itself, seeking to bring the entire continent to its knees.

For a brief moment, the air stood still.

"Oh my god…" Ragnar's eyes bulged as his voice cracked. "A golden relic-tier boss?! We are so screwed!"

Lusk, however, gripped his great sword tightly, his voice low but burning with fighting spirit. "Stay calm! If we take him down, this could be the day we get rich!"

Ziven let out a regretful sigh. "If only I could equip the Oblivion set now… maybe we'd have a shot."

Yuna's eyes sparkled as she gaped in awe. "A golden-tier BOSS… Kiriya, we've hit the jackpot~"

Kiriya steadied his breathing and adjusted his grip on his sword. "When do we strike?"

That simple question snapped everyone back to their senses. And at that very moment, the Skeleton King's eyes suddenly lit up, unleashing a blinding flash of ghostly light. It pierced the darkness like twin blades, icy and soul-chilling.

The warhorse beneath him, now reduced to bare bone, was still clad in remnants of its armor. It let out an eerie shriek, then stomped the ground with a thunderous crack before charging forward at lightning speed!

FWOOOSH—!

A streak of frost flashed across the room. The Skeleton King raised his sword high, its edge glowing with an ominous aura. The freezing energy radiating from it alone made it clear—this was no ordinary weapon.

"Watch out!"

Lusk shouted, but it was already too late. Ragnar, at the front of the group, instinctively raised his battle axe to block, but the Skeleton King's strike crashed into him with a metallic shriek.

CLANG!

BOOM!

Ragnar was flung like a ragdoll, smashing hard against the rocky wall. His HP bar dropped by more than half in an instant!

Everyone's expression changed.

Even with Ragnar's tank stats and perfect timing, that strike had still cost him over a thousand HP. What would've happened if he had taken the full hit without blocking?

"Scatter!" Yuna commanded sharply. "Use frost spells to slow him—he's too damn fast!"

As the highest-level player in the Scarlet Emperor warzone, her orders were absolute.

The group immediately spread out in formation. Amidst the chaos, Kiriya's sharp eyes caught it—the Skeleton King's gaze was now locked on Violet.

In that instant, Kiriya didn't hesitate. He slashed his sword forward, sending a wave of light toward the boss.

Blade Wave!

A shimmering arc shot through the air and struck the Skeleton King square in the back.

"542!"

A solid number appeared above the boss's head.

Violet's face was pale, fear still lingering in her eyes, but she managed a grateful smile in Kiriya's direction.

He didn't have time to return it—the Skeleton King had already turned, letting out a deafening roar as he charged straight toward him, blade raised high and bloodlust surging.

Lusk burst forth from the flank, sword raised high, and roared, "Whirlwind Slash!"

A flash of violet light burst through the air as his massive broadsword drove mercilessly into the bony hindquarters of the skeletal warhorse!

The Skeleton King's HP bar jumped twice—"234" and "185" appeared in quick succession.

Considering the boss's formidable defense, the damage was already quite impressive. Lusk had poured everything into that strike.

"Whirlwind Slash" was a multi-hit skill, capable of delivering up to five consecutive attacks. But at the current player level and equipment state, managing two was already pushing the limit.

Landing the hit, Lusk wisely didn't linger—he instantly retreated, sword flashing, feet a blur. His speed was astonishing.

But the Skeleton King, seemingly insulted by the blow, let out an enraged howl and wheeled his mount around, thundering toward Lusk like a divine storm of vengeance.

"Someone help me!" Lusk cried out in panic, his voice nearly cracking.

But his salvation didn't come from a teammate's sword—it came from Yuna's Frost Arrow.

The spell streaked through the air like a shard of moonlight, instantly slowing the Skeleton King's charge. The pressure on Lusk lifted immediately.

Meanwhile, Kiriya had already stepped into the heart of the battle. Without hesitation, he raised his longsword and lunged toward the Skeleton King's flank.

His strike, Armor Breaker, carried a brutal edge of momentum and steel, crashing down with a roar.

A sharp metallic crack echoed as the blade tore into the boss's side, leaving a glowing fissure across its ribs.

Among all the damage-dealing players present, Kiriya was the cornerstone of their offense. While Yuna's fireball spells barely chipped away 400 HP per cast, Kiriya's Armor Breaker could easily deal nearly a thousand, making him the lynchpin of the entire fight.

The panic of the early clash had subsided. The party had found its rhythm.

Yuna, Ziven, and Kiriya formed a rotating triangle formation, carefully controlling the Skeleton King's aggro, while Lusk and Ragnar circled the edges, waiting for an opening to deliver skills like Earth Splitter or Whirlwind Slash, then darting away in desperate retreat.

They knew—if the Skeleton King's cursed blade so much as grazed them, it could be certain death.

Time ticked forward under pressure and steel. And everything was going smoothly.

After thirty grueling minutes, the Skeleton King's HP had been worn down to a sliver. Just one more clean strike might be enough to bring him down.

Ragnar let out an excited roar, dragging his battleaxe as he charged. One thunderous swing landed, and he bolted away again, his fleeing figure drawing a soft giggle from Violet nearby.

Kiriya had almost drained his entire supply of mana potions, and his energy and stamina were near exhaustion. Even Yuna had to ask Lusk to resupply her—her mana consumption as a mage was even higher than Kiriya's.

Staring at the once-terrifying Skeleton King—now sluggish and barely holding form—Kiriya felt a flare of battle-born pride rise in his chest.

No matter how mighty the boss, under perfect tactics and coordination, even gods can bleed.

Lusk licked his lips, eyes gleaming. "We're about to down the first Gold-tier boss in all of EAO! That alone should etch our names into the game's legend!"

Ragnar, ever the jester, muttered, "Or maybe... our names are what end up carved on the Skeleton King's gravestone."

Lusk shot him a look. "Damn it, can't you say something lucky for once?"

Ragnar grinned and shouted dramatically, "Long live the Skeleton King! Eternal glory, unmatched through the ages!"

Kiriya's brow twitched. Damn it. Why does that sound like a flag…?

And then, the nightmare unfolded.

The nearly-defeated Skeleton King suddenly froze in place, raising his longsword high to the ceiling. An ancient, guttural incantation rolled through the chamber like thunder.

The ground trembled violently. Stone spikes cracked and fell. The entire fifth floor of the Nether Hollow shook as if on the verge of collapse!

"Ding~!"

System Alert: Beware! The Skeleton King is casting a skill—Call of the Legion!

——

A deafening rumble of hooves filled the air. Before them, the stone wall shimmered and shattered into a void, from which an army of skeletal cavalry surged forth—grim riders wielding spectral halberds, charging like a tide of death incarnate.

Within seconds, a hundred undead knights had descended upon the battlefield.

Ragnar, standing at the front, didn't flinch. He roared and swung his axe with all his might—Earth Splitter—sending the first wave of riders flying.

But it wasn't enough.

The second wave crashed over him like a tsunami of bone and steel. In the blink of an eye, Ragnar was buried under them.

A flash of white light—Ragnar had fallen, forced to respawn at the city.

Lusk turned, about to retreat, when a black shadow flashed by.

The Skeleton King, now surging with dark power, stormed forward. His blade descended with terrifying force and precision, striking Lusk square in the chest.

"Schlak!"

Blood sprayed.

"3458!"—a brutal number floated above his head.

Lusk had no time to react. His HP vanished in an instant, his body collapsing in a burst of white light, potions scattering all around.