Bro, I'm not an Undead!

(A/N: Bonus Chapter).

With a loud thud noise, the opening behind Skullius closed and he was only too happy to see the face of Bassbion looking constipated as she really didn't make a move on him.

Well, she wanted to, but she could only watch this burnt up bastard walk away free.

Skullius appeared in a narrow corridor that had small lights overhead, like micro lanterns, their illumination so weak that if Skullius relied on sight alone, he might not have noticed that there was a steady downslope as the path went on.

Fuuuu...

Skullius breathed out.

And then, he slumped to the ground.

'Gaaaaaaaaaaah! That was insane! And fun!' he screamed in his mind as a wave of both relief and apprehension blew from him. 'I did it! I can't believe I actually did it! Though with some minor inconveniences at the end there but I did it!'

A wide smile etched itself on Skullius as he replayed everything he had done. The battle he had fought.

This wasn't one of those times he simply needed to kill.

He couldn't even do that as the opponent had been way beyond his capability to kill, though strangely not having an Aura or Genuine Incarnation to show for their absurd strength.

If they had such, the ending might have been different, especially considering the latter.

Skullius had noticed this detail and thanked flesh for it!

This was probably something to do with how Bassbion was a Spirit, but the Discount Human didn't know much about that in general and thought he'd research more after exiting this place.

Hopefully he would.

His skeletal hand which he had yet to heal, with the deadly red glowing cracks over it as a consequence of [Jaggered Merger], rose to scratch the tiny Ferex over his head who vigilantly looked ahead.

'I'm sorry I couldn't protect you that time, bro. But I'm working on fixing that,' Skullius sent a mental message to the Hound.

The little thing raised its head, its sockets producing a dull light of what Skullius mistook for innocence.

Given how short his fight with Bassbion had been, he hadn't actually noticed that Ferex had recovered after the horrendous blow to his body rather quickly.

In fact, the Hound had finished repairing himself with [Lanterns of the Pure] right before Skullius used his Distorted Gravity for the first time, as the damage he had received merely took longer than normal to heal given how the remnants of the mana he had been blasted with kept eating away at his Unliving Thread.

Front that point though, he had been free to intervene and help his master but... he didn't.

Through their link, Ferex had felt it.

His master's switch and shift in drive.

The Discount Human had been having a breakthrough, which to Ferex wasn't a surprise as he knew why, for only he had been with Skullius for the past few days and thus knew why this man was suddenly starting to breaking free from his constant fears and limitations.

From the moment Skullius decided to take more risks, it had been a limited habit that he practised only when it was safe to do so.

Like in Harifrast when he opened up a shed for healing people under the pretence of genuine kindness.

That had been his whole theme.

But, Skullius had taken it up a notch since... the stout mountain.

He took the risk and gambling a step further and walked into a field of dangerous elements he couldn't fully understand, at first taking it safe when he discovered the existence of how powerful these concepts were.

After losing his core though, Skullius had turned even bolder and determined, taking Tulnas' idea of gambling for the better result even further, as after discovering that his mana core as a Discount  Human had been garbage, he had the conviction to make a better one...

By walking further into the nest of powerful and deadly concepts, all of which punished him from time to time yet through hacks from his Fulgurant Bone Penetrator form, he found himself surviving, Skullius had started to get used to living on the edge even if it was for a limited amount of time.

Now that the Discount Human had been thrusted into another life or death scenario, something in his mind had just clicked, switching him to his attitude on the stout mountain where he'd either go bigger or go home... to Somanda's prison.

This was why the Limitless Null Demon Hound didn't interfere.

To not distract his master.

Now that he had been discovered twice while covering himself with the Pseudo-Spirit Walker's Hide, Ferex had lost a bit of confidence.

His master had experienced a mental awakening while Red Rage was busy powering himself up.

Yet he, was yet to prove how unique he was.

Fortunately, he wasn't sulking as he knew his weaknesses.

His body had limited functions even if he could go full blown werewolf. There was only so much he could do, especially when he was discovered by a powerful opponent. His defence was weak and his current use or Unliving Thread left much to be desired.

But he was working on it.

He wouldn't be a generic wolf Summon that was only good for rides for long. He was going to mix it up soon and given the fact that this and the previous battles could barely count as 'hard battles' for him, he didn't need to RESET, losing all this insight and his skills.

Growth was to be expected.

At this point, Skullius himself was starting to understand his shift in mind-set and he greatly appreciated it. This experience was going to stick to him. In fact, he was already prancing with a skip in his step. He finished his apologies to Ferex who obviously didn't feel that he needed them and sighed.

He held Demion's Dance and found the sword to emit a light, thick aura around it as soon as he paid his attention to it with his blind white eyes that swiftly returned once he shut off [Crude World Projection].

As the coil of energy wrapped around the weapon, Skullius felt a tight ribbon of energy grasp around his <HEART> and his soul. It seemed with his usage of the real [Swindling Death Dance], even though it still said incomplete, something akin to a bond was established between him and the sword.

'Hmm. I didn't think you had as much value as you do now. But then I guess it's fitting,' Skullius said before swishing the sword around. It felt a bit more natural to wield now that he had learned [Basic Sword Mastery].

The charred Discount Human faced ahead as he took a step, ever vigilant towards what he could find.

His armoured body strutted through the darkness with his senses stretching up and about to take in the surroundings.

As for this armour he wore...

~~~

[Stacked Series of the VergeRider]

<Unique>

An armour made by a famous traverser of the Null Verse who crafted this piece in order to cater for the varying degrees of battle and diverse levels of power needed for said battles. A fitting armour for those that wish to stay at the boundary of life and death.

-Defense-

---

-Durability-

---

-Special Effects-

•Can repair itself from damage through the use of Null Life.

•Adjusts to the body of the user.

•Can change the signature of its presence.

---

[First Set: Casual VergeRider]

A more casual set within the series that morphs into the likeness of whatever clothing that the user has seen or wishes to wear, as long as it is only casual. Not much is offered in the way of defence, as this set mainly supports disguises.

Defense: 1000; Durability; 3000

---

[Second Set: Diehard VergeRider]

A sleek combat armour that allows for better mobility with improved defence granted to the user through the compressed plating while also being stylish at the same. It is more suited for assassination, as it is equipped with traits that assist with the appropriate line of murder.

Defense: 23,000; Durability; 30,000

[Skill: Zero Face]

A mask is afforded to the Diehard VergeRider which blocks magical probing and makes being perceived without the aid of powerful appraisal nigh impossible for enemies up to a certain level. Can be equipped twice a day, with each use lasting two hours.

[Skill: Instant Clipper]

A hidden blade can be called upon from anywhere on the armour. It has a 30% chance of inflicting the <Heemos Poisoning> effect on the target.

--

-Caution-

The last two sets require Null Life Essence to call upon.

---

[Third Set: Demented VergeRider]

Requires 10,000 Null Life Essence

....

---

[Fourth Set: Boundless VergeRider]

Requires 20,000 Null Life Essence

...

~~~

This armour was something else.

Skullius currently was using the Diehard VergeRider as he didn't have enough Null Life Essence to call for the last two sets.

Unfortunately, this armour wasn't exactly suitable for confrontations with powerhouses but it had been all that he had at the moment.

Skullius forged ahead down the lengthy corridor that didn't have anything in particular other than the arrays on the walls that seemed designed to respond to anything at all that could occur within the Temple.

Luckily this duty seemed to be left for the guardians in the Ground of Communion, otherwise the nasty patch of dark red he had left in the place would have gotten him screwed.

'I really wonder how this is a Temple. It's way too creepy. Or is it different for females who enter this place,' Skullius said, clearly not appreciative of the silence or the sombre atmosphere.

As he trudged on, his Refinery once again growing at a slower rate, he came across a circular opening where the corridor passed through, continuing on the other end.

'Hmmm?' Skullius voiced in his mind.

This circular space while not very big, was not empty.

---

-Sponsored by Ammo Zilla-

The last one will be coming up soon.