"Circle formation now!" 

Asai ignored the grovelling Leslie, and began barking orders to his summons who swiftly obliged. Being his summons, the man didn't actually have to speak out loud to instruct them. Sending his will via mana intent was enough. However, for his instructions to be clearer and more precise, speaking always confirmed the correct intentions were sent. This was mostly because Asai would often times have concurring thought processes. 

This was something he naturally had as a human. The brain being able to process visual information, hand eye coordination and instruction, whilst engaging and receiving information via dialogue and also listening to and enjoying music. The human brain naturally being able to multi-task would often result in his instructions towards his summons being unclear. Thus, vocally speaking them granted the man better clarity.

 

The 20 skeletons formed a circle wall surrounding the three facing outwards. Whilst his four clones closely guarded Violet who was the weakest of their party. Asai himself dipped into [Hide]

Leslie awkwardly stood up, his dick in agony, as it went against the metal of his armour.

 

 

Emerging from the morning mist, Gnolls dressed in leather gears entered the proximity. Their dark brown muddy skin patched with sports of swamp-green had helped camouflage them among the foliage. Within their hands were unmaintained iron swords, that reminded Asai of the roman sword gladius. Their edges were mostly chipped, blunted and covered in dried blood.

Steadily enclosing their position, they continued to emit a low growl as their saliva fell from their fangs.

 

[Gnoll Fighter: Lvl 55]  [Gnoll Fighter: Lvl 59]  [Gnoll Fighter: Lvl 59]  [Gnoll Fighter: Lvl 58]  [Gnoll Fighter: Lvl 56]  

 

A few gnolls within the rear had rotten bone horns, in which they simultaneously blew upon. Signalling the start of their attack.

The gnolls roared and growled as they ferociously charged into the humans. The skeleton force before them did their utmost to deny entry. Utilizing their holly torsos to impede and halt their iron gladius as they became stuck within a rib-cage or forearm.

The skeletons, being weaker than the gnolls were unable to deal any notable damage, but their defence stats at least bought the small party of humans time.

 

Leslie was throwing his darts and knives, with perfect precision his projectiles entered via the reptile-eyeballs, piercing their brains.

Violet, being weapon-less was entirely shaking within her boots. Two of Asai's clones entered the fray to help thin the numbers whilst the other two remained to protect the necromancer.

Asai, instinctively dived into enemy ranks,  dipping in and out of stealth to slaughter what he could with [Yomi & Yami] The energy, stamina and health continued to return to him as he ignored any non-lethal blows upon his body.

 

After rampaging for a few dozen seconds, and finding no leader or head of the beasts, he quickly returned to his companions. Finding Violet to be simply standing there, helpless.

"Violet. Take this-" Asai shoved a vial of his blood into her hands, before whispering directly into her ears.

"-[Soul Eater]
Targets defeated by [Violet] summons, recover 10% of [Violet] maximum HP & MP
[Summon Skeleton]
Skill costs both HP & MP"

The information injected into her being clicked. Her understanding and realization of her skills surfaced. Without Asai having to even order her next action, she gripped the vial within both hands, entering a pose as if praying to her God.

[Summon Skeleton]!

Black abyssal energy swirled within her heart, coursing through her body and to her eyes. What she envisioned soon became reality as skeletons instantly emerged from the dirt ground. The new undead quickly entered the fray, recklessly throwing themselves over their allies and into the gnolls.

Asai, amidst the raging battle, the clashing of metal against bones, the roaring and blowing of trumpets that surrounded them. Calmly observed.

His blood within the vial immediately disintegrated as if consumed. Violet paled greatly, as her body weakened. Chugging a HP potion himself, Asai forced another into her mouth.

Looking closer, Violet's summons appeared to be the offensive type. Their knuckles, bone-limbs and shoulder blades easily cracked and broke. The single-armed skeletons ruthlessly continued to scratch and plunge their fingers into flesh.

 

Leslie by the side had ran out of projectiles, now taking his chances to strike with his blade. Remaining behind the allied skeleton wall, utilizing their ribcages as shields.

The four clones had perished, forcing Asai to re-summon them.

"I'd like to use [Decimate] but Violet and Leslie are too close to use it properly. As I thought, I work better alone."

 

Asai ordered his new clones to once again keep an eye on Leslie. He wasn't sure about the man. "What if he took his chances near the end of the battle to attack Violet from behind?"

 

Switching to [Ruin] Asai prepared himself to engage in consecutive duels. His skeletal formation opened up one side of the formation. Creating a small path for the gnolls to charge through. In which they immediately did so.

The human instantly willed his body onwards, slicing through both sword and flesh with each strike as the gnolls began to funnel through the gap.

The pressure on Violet and Leslie's positions lightened as the beats decided to zerg the lone human.

Rather than clashing against what seemed to be a hard wall, these skeletons that were literally already dead and pointless to kill. They urged themselves onwards.

"The man was but a single human, he would surely tire if enough of us attacked him right?" Thought the beasts.

 

 

 

Unbeknownst to the gnoll force.

[Bloodthirsty]
+20% damage against [Living] targets. Kills regain 10% of missing stamina.

Made the man literally thirst for their red essence. The crimson blood that continued to spill even after their slaughter surged greater stamina into the man.

[Mental Fortitude]
Pain tolerance +50% effect. Mental debuff durations -50%
[Masochist]
Damage drop -20%

Even after landing hits, claws, punches upon the human. Whilst revealing their dastardly grins, the gnolls died whilst waiting for the human to flinch or at least to gasp in pain. Something the human never gave them the satisfaction of seeing.

Checking his rear, a quick glance revealed Violet's summons to be continually attacking without a care for their own.

Leslie was injured, grasping his bleeding arm as he fell back towards the horses.

Violet herself was trying to disinfect and bandage the wound, ignoring the elf's pride.

 

..

 

Dozens of minutes passed as Asai continued to test, temper and push his swordsmanship to their utmost. Duelling one, two, three, four and even five concurrently. Forcing himself to optimize his mana usage, to ensure it lasted the entire battle. Surging the golden radiance only upon instant impact, rather than allowing the divinity to simply linger.

Perhaps if this was his old self- prior to training with Rosemi. He would've already succumbed to the onslaught and constant throwing of gnoll bodies at him.

Sweat entered into one of his eyes, as he had no time to wipe the salty liquid away. It burned his eye shut, as he took a leap back. His heart was beating, raging and thumping within his rib-cage. Performing its utmost to pump and course blood, oxygen and mana throughout.

 

Taking in his new surroundings, he realised he had created the correct conditions to utilize his skill. Violet and Leslie were now far behind him, and killing a few friendly summons were completely fine within his book.

The gnolls that were so eager to charge into their deaths froze upon seeing the human smile. Revealing a devilish grin, as golden radiance converged upon his blackened blade.

 

 

 

 

[Decimate: Half Moon]!