They were Rank S Gates.
But they were different from the last one, where a Rank S demon had appeared. These two Gates, though of the same Rank, radiated a less dangerous aura.They weren't demonic Gates—just normal monster Gates of Rank S.
Of course, "normal" was just a way of speaking. The Rank S monsters inside were still terrifying powerhouses, even if not comparable to the previous demon.
Dozens of monsters seemed to pour out from these rifts—creatures of every kind and shape. After all, the space within a Rank S Gate was like an independent world, housing all sorts of beasts.
Thankfully, only three Rank S monsters had appeared in total. But the Gates hadn't brutally closed as the demonic one had.
They were still there, hovering in the sky.
Once again, the situation had taken a drastic turn.
Rose Redspine was now facing three Rank S enemies. A task far too difficult, even for someone like her. But she would not falter.
With calm, sharp eyes, she walked silently toward them.
However, the Rank S monsters showed no sign of fear toward the human. After exchanging a few glances, as if communicating wordlessly, the four figures vanished from the view of the common people, choosing to take their battle to the sky.
Meanwhile, the other Rank A and B monsters that had emerged from the Gates charged toward the large group of humans below.
The human Rank A and B fighters couldn't hope for victory. Their only chance was to buy time and pray that their lone Rank S could save them. The enemy numbers were overwhelming—far beyond what could be handled.
But stalling for time was a luxury they couldn't afford. After the first wave of attacks, humanity clearly realized which side had the upper hand—and it wasn't theirs.
Yet, just when morale had reached rock bottom, strange, inhuman sounds echoed across the battlefield.
Then, the corpses of slain monsters exploded in a mess of flesh and blood, giving birth to something entirely different.
No, they weren't monsters. They were skeletons. Something even worse than monsters.
Countless skeletons began emerging from the carcasses, as explosions of rotting bodies erupted all around them.
"What's happening now?" murmured a voice.
"Bone monsters? A necromancer has appeared? Are we truly doomed this time?"
"Necromancer?!"
Panic took root in the souls of those present. Not even death was as terrifying as undeath.
After all, no one wanted to become a mindless, immortal skeleton that could fight forever.
But then, the skeletal monsters didn't attack the humans. Without a second's hesitation, they struck at the monsters.
In the blink of an eye, the tide of battle had turned.
The monsters that had seemed unstoppable just moments before were now at the mercy of the skeletal army—the Undead Legion.
Are we saved? Has someone powerful come to rescue us?
That was the thought that filled the minds of those present—only to vanish in an instant.
Because what they saw next froze them in place.
The skeletal army wasn't made solely from the corpses of monsters.
Thousands of skeletal humans had risen as well, charging with the same fury against the monsters.
At this point, the humans were terrified. After all, no one wanted to become an undead.And so, as if pushed by a shared instinct, they attacked the monsters with renewed vigor, as if their very survival depended on it.If before they were willing to succumb to the monsters' assault, now all they wanted was to survive—to avoid becoming skeletons themselves.
It was quite the change in perspective.
But their fury subsided the moment they realized what was happening around them.The army of skeletons was massacring the monsters with power they never had when they were alive. They were dozens—no, hundreds of times stronger. Each one of them.
It was absurd.
The army of monsters that had once terrorized the humans was now falling under the wrath of the skeletal horde.
But that wasn't all. Tens of thousands of skeletons of all types and shapes began to form groups.
The situation was clear.They wanted to enter the Gates in groups and destroy them all together.
Their numbers and strength were such that they could do something like that without issue.
If humanity had once seemed doomed, that was no longer the case.Their faces now carried a glimmer of hope, though uncertainty still lingered about who the true mastermind behind this massacre was.
A few minutes before the skeletal army made its appearance—
A young man opened his eyes and rose from the ground. It was Jeremy. And he was completely naked.
His flawless, pale figure was fully visible to all, though there was no one around to witness it.
But something was definitely different about him. He had always had a lifeless gaze ever since awakening his class, but this wasn't the same.It wasn't just a lifeless stare. He looked hollow, as if something vital was missing from him.
He looked exactly like a dead person.
After standing up, his first reaction wasn't panic at the sight of all the blood and unknown substances dripping from the walls.Not at all.
Jeremy smiled.More than a smile, it was a twisted, unnatural grin.
How could a person even make such an expression?
Then—A flicker of darkness surrounded him, and as if by magic, a robe as black as the void wrapped around his body.
Then, the darkness faded, and Jeremy appeared in all his glory.
His hair had grown even darker, as if absorbing the very light around him.His eyes—or rather, the one visible eye—had lost all trace of humanity. The white of his eye had turned pitch black. The charcoal-colored iris remained the same, but at its center was something strange.
A bone. White as the most precious jade, it glowed faintly with light. It was so small that one might not even notice it.
The other eye was hidden behind a bandage. It didn't make him look strange—on the contrary, it suited him perfectly.It made him seem even more like a nobleman from some ancient, powerful bloodline.
His ears were adorned with two beautiful earrings shaped like bones—not just any bones. They vaguely resembled miniature human skulls.
The robe he wore looked tailor-made for him. Over the black fabric, golden geometric patterns stood out, resembling strange alchemical symbols.
The robe's high collar covered his long neck, giving him an even more unearthly, almost sacred appearance—completely at odds with the truth of what he was.
Over the robe, he wore a black pearl necklace with a pentacle-shaped pendant, as if to ward off evil forces.
And finally, completing his majestic image, were knee-high boots, also adorned with golden motifs. The soles were white, seemingly made of bone, and each step echoed clearly through the air, as if to announce his presence to the world.
Jeremy took a deep breath. The aura he gave off was entirely different now.It was like comparing day to night.
"Finally—"A smile, this time more natural, almost enigmatic, crept across his lips."I'm back!"
"I can feel it," he said, gazing down at himself, admiring his elegant robe and the power radiating from his body."I've become so much stronger. It's like I belong to another league now."
Jeremy had changed.He was no longer the same as before. Those seconds spent in total darkness had taken something from him.
Or rather—
They had given him something he never knew he had.
A legacy.
He was Jeremy.
Jeremy was Okoron.
Okoron was him.
The memories were scattered and fragmented—Jeremy didn't know who or what this Okoron was. He seemed like a being of immense power.
And the two of them shared one thing. Their class.
Or rather, their Law.
Bone.
Laws were a kind of power only those who had reached Rank S could even begin to understand. They were marks of distinction.
As with everything, there were weaker Laws and stronger ones, but all of them served the purpose of elevating one's being beyond Rank S.
Laws were not unique concepts. Multiple individuals could unlock the same Laws. For example, many demons shared Laws of Devouring, others of Destruction.
Rose Redspine was different, though. As one of the few humans with APEX potential, she had developed a certain ego. She herself was the foundation of her Law—her bloodline was her power.
Redspine.A name that inspired reverence, respect, and power wherever it was heard.
That was her Law.
And then there was Jeremy.As soon as he completed his rise from Rank E to Rank C… he had developed his own Law.
Of course, compared to a Rank S, his Law was far weaker—not in terms of uniqueness or concept, but in pure, raw power.
Jeremy had reached Rank C, bringing his level to 31—very different from Rank S, whose levels started at 101.However, his status didn't seem any different.
Just like any Rank S, he was no longer bound by common concepts like HP, MP, or stats.
---
NAME: Jeremy
LEVEL: 31
RACE: High Human
CLASS: Bone Alchemist
POTENTIAL: ASCENDANT
LAW: Bone
Main Skills: [Bone Creator], [Bone Manipulator], [Bone Cathedral]