The skeleton froze for half a heartbeat, then collapsed into a pile of loose bones, the blue light in its eye sockets flickering out like a snuffed candle.
Three moves.
That was all it took.
Aiden stared, his mouth slightly open. "You didn't even use a weapon…"
The bronze undead lowered its fist and stood still, silent and unmoving, as if waiting for the next order. Its knuckles were scuffed, but intact, no damage, no hesitation.
Aiden swallowed.
"So this is bronze-grade…" he muttered.
His confidence surged, not recklessly, but steadily. With this undead at his side, and Bone Spear ready if things went wrong, Aiden finally felt like he wasn't just surviving anymore.
After that, he dismissed both undead, letting their forms dissolve into pale light before fading completely. Once he was sure no one was watching, he headed toward the only armory in town.
The shop sat near the main road, its wooden sign creaking softly in the wind. Inside, the smell of oil, leather, and old iron filled the air. Weapons lined the walls, mostly worn spears, chipped swords, and battered shields, while bits of armor hung from hooks behind the counter.
As soon as Aiden stepped inside, the shop owner looked up and broke into a grin.
"Oh? Isn't that Sir Aiden? Welcome to my shop."
Aiden paused, genuinely surprised. "You know me?"
"Of course," the owner said, wiping his hands on a rag. "The captain of the guards mentioned you personally. Said that thanks to you, and your subordinate, they finally managed to kill the Stoneclaw Bear."
Aiden gave a small nod but didn't say much.
The owner leaned forward, peering past Aiden's shoulder. "By the way… where is your subordinate? I thought you'd bring him along."
"Oh," Aiden replied calmly, "I sent him out on a mission. He should be back this afternoon."
The owner chuckled. "I see, I see. Strong people are always busy."
Aiden began browsing the shop. Most of the equipment wasn't impressive, but it was better than nothing. He picked out a set of leather armor, simple, flexible, and suitable for travel. Then he chose a pair of sturdy combat gloves, testing the grip with his fingers.
After a moment's thought, he adds a plain mask and pulls up a dark hood. If his bronze undead is going to move through the city, it needs to remain unseen.
When Aiden brought everything to the counter and reached for his coins, the shop owner raised a hand.
"Wait."
He pushed the leather armor back toward Aiden. "This one's on me."
Aiden frowned slightly. "Free?"
The owner nodded. "Consider it my thanks. If that bear hadn't been dealt with, my shop would've been bankrupt sooner or later. I won't forget that."
Aiden studied him for a moment, then inclined his head. "Then I'll accept it. Thank you."
"In that case," the owner said with a grin, "you'll only need to pay for the gloves and the rest."
Coins clinked softly on the counter as Aiden paid. As he turned to leave, the weight of the new gear in his hands felt reassuring.
After paying, Aiden didn't linger. He left the armory and headed straight back to the inn, keeping his pace steady and his head low. The town was livelier than before, vendors calling out, people chatting about last night's hunt, but none of it held his attention.
Once inside the inn, he climbed the narrow wooden stairs and entered his room. The door creaked as he shut it behind him, and he slid the bolt into place. Only then did he relax.
The room was small and dim, lit by a single oil lamp on the table. A narrow bed pressed against the wall, and a cracked mirror hung beside it. Aiden set the items he'd bought down carefully and took a step back.
"Come out," he murmured.
A ripple of dark light spread across the floor, and the bronze-grade undead emerged. Its form solidified piece by piece, the half-living body, the exposed skeletal face.
A transparent screen flickered into existence in front of Aiden's eyes.
With a few simple commands, the system responded. One by one, the items lifted from the table as if guided by invisible hands.
The leather armor settled over the undead's torso, fitting perfectly, as though it had been tailored for this body. The combat gloves slid onto its hands, fingers flexing slightly as the material tightened around the knuckles. The hood followed, shadowing the undead's face, and finally the mask locked into place, hiding the skeletal half completely.
In just a moment, the transformation was complete.
Standing there now was a silent figure in worn leather, face concealed, posture calm and steady. If anyone saw it on the street, they would think it was just another warrior, or perhaps a mercenary with a strange presence.
Aiden circled it slowly, inspecting his work. "Not bad," he muttered. "You look… normal now."
He paused, then chuckled under his breath. "It's good that my undead doesn't smell."
The bronze undead stood motionless, as always, awaiting orders.