Swordsman's Regression: Reawakened as a Necromancer-Chapter 77: Draconian Stalkers

Percival was thinking.

He spent almost ten minutes doing the mental chore, strategizing his course of movement.

In the ninth minute, his plan solidified.

Here in the vertical labyrinth of the Mangrove Battlefield, a single concentrated force was prey. The Draconian Stalkers hunted on a hive-link; find one, and the entire zone would converge like piranhas to blood.

So, the strategy was simple.

"Divide," he commanded the minions behind him. "Form six groups of six."

The Skeletons obeyed, forming six different teams. Percival then gave them their orders.

"We’re spreading out. You move to different corners on the map. Doing so, the Draconian Stalkers will be drawn to you. Kill as many as you can."

"Go. Now."

The Skeleton Soldiers turned and vanished, sprinting along the colossal roots and leaping across chasms, fanning out toward the distant edges of the zone.

But Percival had kept one team with himself.

The Draconian Stalkers would inevitably find him, and he was going to need help to handle their numbers when they attack.

"Let’s go."

They began the grueling journey, navigating the maze of endless, towering roots that created platforms, tunnels, and sheer drops.

It was mostly silent, except for the squelch of their boots in patches of eternal damp and the clanging of their armor of the thick roots.

But Percival knew this silence was artificial.

He kept his senses sharp. His eyes open.

Click-clack. Tsk-tsk-tsk-tsk.

Percival’s ears perked.

That sound.

As much as he remembered, it was the chittering, tribal song of the Draconian Stalkers.

It was coming from the high canopy, and then answered from multiple directions.

He quickly checked his Summon Map. The icons of his far-flung teams flashed orange. Team 1 was showing a steady drop in HP:

⸢89%... 82%...⸥

But they were also inflicting damage. The icons flashed orange for the other teams as well. The Draconians were in full flow now.

Percival only hoped his Skeletons could hold strong especially with their new upgraded armor..

Click-CLACK!

A sudden spike of energy shot up his spine. Danger was close!

Thwip!

Percival jerked his head aside. Rapid.

The dart grazed his pauldron and buried itself in the skull of the Skeleton Skirmisher beside him.

The skeleton didn’t stagger; it simply reached up, plucked the dart from its own brow bone, and dropped it.

With no flesh to poison, Skeletons were basically invincible to the venom darts.

Click-CLACK!

Percival narrowed his eyes, tracing the sound.

He found it.

It was right above. A patch of "moss" on an overhanging root twenty meters up shifted, revealing a sleek, scaled form.

Click-CLACK! Click-CLACK! Click-CLACK!

The chittering erupted into a piercing, multisource shriek.

Shadows detached from the wood. A dozen figures dropped, landing on the ground and the giant roots.

Draconian Stalkers.

Percival and his Skeletons took a step back as they observed the creatures.

Such terrifying things. They drew two distinct memories from the Necromancer. One from the former timeline, watching these beasts slaughter unprepared Awakeners.

And the other from his life back on Earth, and the movie, Predator.

Draconians were built like that.

Bloodforsaken nightmares of efficient biology.

Not a single fat, only muscle—lean, corded muscle was what they were built with, sheathed in lichen-and-bark colored scales that was perfect for camouflage.

Their faces were elongated, with slitted yellow eyes burning with cold intelligence. They wielded blackwood spears, their tips hardened in fire and smeared with a paralytic paste.

⸢Threat: Draconian Stalkers (×8)⸥

⸢Level: 55 - 58⸥

⸢Main Skills: Chameleon Skin: Active camouflage blending into moss/bark⸥

⸢Venom Strike: Weapons coated in paralytic neurotoxin⸥

⸢Pack Link: Instant shared awareness of target location⸥

Percival prepared for attack, but then, another one descended.

It landed before Percival, shattering a giant root with its bare leg.

Percival stepped back.

This one had a head taller than the rest of its kin, and its scaled skin was darker, scarier. It hissed at Percival, hungry for battle.

Undeniably, it was the leader of this pack.

Percival narrowed his eyes. ’Doesn’t matter anyway.’

He pointed his sword at them. "Attack!"

His six Skeleton Soldiers closed ranks,

They spun their swords, those with Blazeforged ignited the weapon with ⸢Soulfire⸥, the others brandished theirs at the Stalkers with killing intent.

The Stalkers moved as well.

Rather than running, they jumped. It was like they were catapulted.

With sonic speed, they shot up the roots sideways, defying gravity in blurs of green and brown.

Two pounced on two Skeleton Soldiers with Blazeforged Blades. One spear thrust was parried in a shower of sparks; the second Stalker lunged low, aiming for the knee joint.

The Skeleton didn’t even try to block. Percival taught it better than that.

To the Draconian’s surprise, it took the spear on its Furnace Steel greave, let the point skid off, and brought its blue-blazing blade down in a ruthless chop.

The blade sheared through the Stalker’s arm at the shoulder.

Dark green blood fountained out of its wound.

Ngyaaahhh!

The creature had a horrible shriek.

But thankfully, the skeleton’s backhand swing silenced it. The head was cleaved neatly from its neck in a spray of gore that painted the mangrove grey.

The other Skeleton spun 360 in the air and stabbed his blade through the chest of the Stalker that it had toppled to the ground.

Percival slaughtered his way through two Draconians just to get to the Leader.

Slice.

Slice.

Draconian heads rose and fell.

With the Leader now in his sight, Percival hastened his steps, dragging Lightpiercer to create an arc of ⸢Bladewave⸥.

The Leader blurred into a camouflage.

Percival froze.

And just then, a spear tip materialized, aimed at his spine.

He spun, using Lightpiercer to stop the blackwood shaft.

CRACK!

The collision split the wood.

The Leader’s yellow eyes widened, surprised its thrust was parried. It yanked back, the broken spear now a jagged staff, and lunged again with viper speed.

Percival ducked, the strike tearing a chunk from the root above him.

He eyed his reserves.

⸢Necromancer Mana: 813/1800⸥

⸢Swordsman Mana: 3100/5000⸥

He couldn’t afford to be flashy.

Or at least, he had to wait for the right time.

He feinted a thrust to the face, and when the Leader batted it aside, Percival stomped forward, leading with his shoulder.

The impact knocked the heavier creature back a step.

Rather than following true, Percival paused, interrupted by the shriek his ears caught to his left.

One of his Skeletons with the Silverwrought armor was overwhelmed, three Stalkers were on it.

Its HP bar had plummeted to 32% as claws ripped at its ribs, trying to pry it apart.

Percival didn’t have time. He outstretched his free hand, casting ⸢Void Slash⸥.

Two tears in the space sliced the heads of the Stalkers. But... the distraction cost him.

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