Chapter 289 Clone Resurgence 4

Right in front of the stairs were five knights fighting four Ova.

While the knights had the armor in their favor, blocking the [Construct Scavenging] ability of the Ova, their damage was not enough to bring any of the Ova down.

Besides, the Ova were twice their level and while they could not attack with their vines, they still had an armor-piercing attack. Already, one knight was at half health. They could not resist the spire knife-hand.

All five of them were intelligent knights, and could clearly see that they were making no progress. After a moment, they pulled back and focused on one Ova; the same strategy Jay had used.

In a few moments, several more of the knights rushed down the stairs. Some hesitated before stepping onto the roots, but seeing their kin fighting, they marched ahead, joining the battle against the Ova.

"Hmm, time to move." Jay thought. He was happy that Sweeper was back to being complete.

Jay went across the room first. He didn't want to send his last skeleton across and then be left alone.

First, he stashed everything heavy into his inventory; his home-made necrotic armor, bone sword, and shield.

As for his backpack containing the black cube, he paused for a moment, and then made the tough decision to toss it across the room.

"Hopefully, I won't break it." He shrugged.

*Clunk.*

The bag landed about half-way between him and the end of the room. Its weight was not enough to trigger any sleeping Ova.

"Hmm, good enough." Jay thought.

Slowly, he walked across the room.

Jay wasn't exactly sure how much weight it would need to trigger an Ova to spring up, and he made sure each of his steps was on one of the larger, thicker roots; hoping they would support more of his weight.

Glancing back at the fight, Jay gaged how much time he had.

The twelve knights had already slain one of the level eight Ova, and split into two groups to fight two more - yet before they could start on the next enemy, it was already reconstructing into a lesser level five Ova.

Jay mockingly grinned and turned back, walking towards his bag.

Approaching it slowly, he reached out and slowly lifted it up. His feet felt so heavy on the roots, like he was about to snap them.

If we were to be stopped here, the Ova would separate him from his skeletons. There was no telling how many Ova would rise from below, and the knights would catch up.

As he lifted the bag, suddenly, the roots moved.

"Fuck. Too heavy."

Grasping the back, Jay didn't jump back - instead, he pushed his head down and hugged it to his chest.

"Iskean!"

*Fwoosh!*

A jet of air burst from his boots, sending him flying across the room and into a mad sprint.

An Ora slowly rose from the ground, but Jay had already dashed over it. More roots moved, but they were simply too slow.

"I gotta remember to thank Sullivan for these boots." Jay shook his head with a smile.

As Jay ran across the roots, many more Ova sprung up, and a few times he nearly sprained his ankle on the shifting floor, but somehow he made it to the skeletons at the end of the room.

The end of the room had a small entrance leading into the chamber with the giant head, so the roots coming from it packed thickly in the entrance.

"Perhaps it supports more weight, or maybe there are no Ova here." Jay guessed, wondering why he and his skeletons could all stand here without incident.

Looking back, Sweeper stood there, glancing at the many Ova between Jay and itself.

In the wake of Jay, many Ova had risen; five of which were around the area that Jay released a burst of air from his enchanted boots.

"Ah…" Jay smiled, "poor Sweeper."

Somehow, Sweeper looked as helpless as it was hopeless while it stared at Jay through the room.

Nevertheless, it gripped its sword and made a valiant dash along the side of the room, making it past an Ova in the middle.

An Ova released some vines, but they only tapped against Sweeper's bones, not getting any hold.

Ahead of Sweeper, another Ova waited, yet it did not discourage Sweeper in the slightest.

Pivoting to the side, it ran into the centre, aiming for a gap between two Ova.

The two Ova found their chance, and each of them released their vines towards the skeleton as it came near.

Sweeper decisively threw its sword forwards, sending it to land at the feet of Jay and the skeletons.

"Ah. Good. It saved its weapon." Jay nodded approvingly.

Seeing the vines coming towards it, Sweeper frantically waved its arms.

Jay raised a brow, watching the desperate skeleton, wondering what it was about to do. It was disappointing, as he had just healed it, but it was entertaining at the very least.

The waving arms of the skeleton slapped away some vines, but many of them clung to them, grasping onto the bones and coiling. They were like tormenting shackles as they wrapped through its boney arms.

No vines had touched Sweeper's torso, and without slowing down, its arms suddenly detached and popped off; the solidified necrotic mana holding them dispersed into puffs of green gas.

"Huh?" Jay smiled, impressed.

The Ova had claimed its arms, and now the armless skeleton was running across the roots - seemingly without a care in the world.

More Ova were up ahead, forming a line. There was no way Sweeper could get past.

"Now what…" Jay wondered, seeing that the skeleton had not given up.

Sweeper charged recklessly right towards them. Right towards its death.

The Ova all held their arms at their sides as if they were about to embrace it in a hug; vines coiled around each of their spire claws, ready to spring.

"Sweeper won't make it." Jay thought, shaking his head.

Suddenly, the armless skeleton jumped. It sprung high into the air above the heads of the Ova. Its body was much lighter, with no arms.

Yet the roof was not that high; its back and head skittled across the stone roof and sent it back down, falling just behind the wall of Ova.

The Ova were just as shocked as Jay was; he was simply speechless.

One Ova suddenly turned around, releasing the vines from its claws.

Sweeper had trouble getting up. Without arms, it was too difficult. It was not fast enough.

The vines were coming right towards its lower back, threatening to split its spine in half a second time.

*Boom!*

Suddenly a crackling ball of deathly energy burst against the Ova's arm.

The bones melted out and its arm dangled helplessly at its side; the vines recoiled.

None landed on the skeleton.

Master saved Sweeper.

Sweeper pushed its skull against the ground and limped back to its feet, returning to a sprint across the roots.

It hastily dashed past another single Ova, and finally, it made it back to its master.

"Ah, very nice. Quite entertaining. Well done, Sweeper." Jay smiled, holding out more bones for it to consume.

Jay glanced back through the room, assessing the number of Ova guardians he had awoken.

"Hmm, about fifteen of them, but I'm guessing there will be more hiding under the surface that will awaken when the knights come through." He thought, "Plenty of time to investigate the next room."

Turning to glance into the next room, he could see more details of the giant head.

Numerous green veins and white arteries were covering over its pumping head like a fishing net. Despite being the shape of a giant head, it had muscles travelling through it; each of them lean and defined.

"Even though it has eyes, it almost seems like a heart rather than a head. Perhaps it's a mix of both?" Jay thought.