I Became a Veteran Who Has to Stir Up Trouble to Survive - Chapter 26

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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[026] Ancient Cerulian Golem #3
The Adventurers locked in combat with the Ancient Cerulian Golem were struggling against overwhelming odds.
“Damn it, Mage! That Golem is attempting something again!! We need a solution, now!!”
“Hell…! There has to be a weak point somewhere! Blunt force?! Even if your weapons break, focus on the joints like before!!”
“We’ve already tried everything! We need another approach, fast…! Arghhhhhh!!”
｢The Adventurers are gripped by extreme terror. Strength increases by 4 due to the [Chaos] skill effect.｣
Agonized groans echoed from the warriors writhing across the earthen ground.
Before such an overwhelming force, human resistance crumbled like dust.
With each step the Golem took, another life was crushed. The Adventurers rolled over the mangled corpses of their comrades, desperately clawing for survival.
“Argh…! My arm! My arm!!”
“Stop the bleeding however you can!! Just stay alive until we reach the Temple!”
“My arrows are gone! The bow doesn’t work at all!!”
“Damn it! Why did such a monstrous thing suddenly appear?!”
｢The Mercenaries are seized by extreme fear! Agility increases by 3 due to the [Chaos] skill effect.｣
“This can’t be…!”
An overwhelming disparity in power!
At this rate, total annihilation was merely a matter of time.
Like rats trapped in a jar, the Adventurers darting through the Canyon slowly confronted reality.
“It’s over… We’re all dead men….”
One Adventurer muttered as his weapon fell from his grasp.
Despair spread like plague, and one by one, they lost their will to fight and collapsed.
Then it happened—.
Yo ho… yo ho….
Raise all the sails….
Yo ho… yo ho….
Pull the ropes, all of you….
｢An Undead shanty was sung! Resolve and fighting spirit increase!｣
“What is that sound…? Like a dirge….”
“A Skeleton! Damn it…! It’s singing, isn’t it? Given its intelligence, it must be a Death Knight!!”
“Of all times, a high-tier Undead has to appear now….”
Truly, misfortune piling upon misfortune.
Unlike the Golem, which would simply cease to exist if destroyed, a single mistake against the Death Knight could result in becoming Undead and wandering the void for eternity.
With such high intelligence, it ranked among the most troublesome opponents imaginable.
And now, with their escape route sealed, they couldn’t even flee.
‘…But why is a Death Knight in a place like this?’
A few Adventurers pondered this, but what unfolded next was so shocking it shattered such contemplation entirely.
—Kekeke… quite the collection of half-dead corpses.
The Death Knight pulled an Adventurer trapped beneath wooden debris free and hoisted him onto his shoulder, approaching them.
Faced with such bizarre behavior from a monster—an Undead that should be fiercely hostile to humans—the Adventurers froze solid.
“The Death Knight… saved someone…?”
“What… what on earth is happening…?!”
「The Adventurers stare at you with vacant expressions!」
「Antagon’s Rune devours the humans’ turmoil and cackles! All stats temporarily increase by 3!」
「Still insufficient! To defeat the Ancient Cerulian Golem, we must secure far more stats!」
「If only we could catch the Adventurers off guard, they would prove to be excellent reinforcements!」
‘So sweet it’s enough to rot teeth.’
The reason I risked exposing my abilities to Radi and transformed into a skeleton!
Confronting the boss Golem in my current state is utterly impossible—I must raise my stats by any means necessary.
And I know precisely how to trigger [Chaos].
Doran hurled an injured adventurer into the midst of the group with a cold sneer.
─To think you wretches can’t even dispatch a single stone lump, yet teeter on death’s edge… How truly lamentable! It seems the caliber of humans these days amounts to nothing more than this!
As I thrust my hollow eye sockets forward in provocation, the Adventurers flinched, their shoulders trembling.
Cornered in the shadows, they quivered with dread, averting their gaze lest they offend my temperament.
I prodded them with my blade’s tip, but the Adventurers—already paralyzed by terror—uttered not a sound.
「To a Dwarf, his beard is as precious as life itself! The Dwarf Warrior with severed beard sheds tears in secret!」
「A man pierced by the curved blade flinches! Agility temporarily increases by 2!」
「Strength has risen!」
─Kahahaha, what a spectacle! How you cower like hermit crabs!
‘…My apologies.’
Blood seeped faintly from my torn skin in that instant, yet I feigned satisfaction and continued my prowl among the Adventurers.
As I exuded an aura of dread and played the Death Knight, my stats surged upward with unprecedented momentum.
Moments ago I had saved them, only to suddenly turn violent—their confusion was palpable. Yet this performance served purposes beyond mere stat gains.
‘If they turn on me, it will be catastrophic…!’
They mistake me for a Death Knight, but in truth I am merely a somewhat powerful Skeleton.
Should the Adventurers suddenly betray me the moment the Golem falls and coordinate their assault, I would be the one in mortal danger.
I must now burn fear into their very souls, eradicating any notion of resistance.
─Oh, that robe of yours looks rather fine!
“Eh, yes?”
─Hand it over.
“…Yes.”
「The man tearfully presents his robe! A new product from a renowned brand!」
「Agility increased by 2!」
As I draped the stolen robe over myself and wandered about, an indeterminate bone fragment trampled by the Golem caught my eye.
‘Now that I think of it… Skeletons can grind and refit bones to reconstruct their bodies…’
Typically, the remains of powerful warriors or mages prove far more potent, but regrettably, no suitable bones are visible in this vicinity.
As I examined the Adventurers’ remains more closely, I sensed their terror intensify.
“D-don’t tell me… you’re selecting sacrifices to conscript as your undead servants…?”
“Be careful!! If our eyes meet, we might be conscripted as undead too! That ruthless fiend…!!”
「The Adventurer Party trembles at your mercilessness!」
「Strength and Agility each increase by 2!」
‘I was just looking around….’
While silently offering prayers for the dead, I let out a wickedly theatrical laugh.
─Kehehehe! Fresh corpses abound in this place! Now, whom shall I take with me?
「The people’s terror has temporarily increased their physical strength!」
My stats rose once more, yet I remained unsatisfied.
‘Still not enough.’
If I charged forward as things stood, I wouldn’t be able to evade the Golem’s strike and would end up as bone dust.
Just a bit more, just a tiny bit more and it should suffice….
As I pondered how to extract more stats from the Adventurers, a recent memory suddenly surfaced.
「Some of the Adventurers suffer from acrophobia.」
「If you provoke them skillfully, you could incite far greater chaos.」
─…Among you, who has acrophobia? Raise your hands.
“A-acrophobia? Why suddenly that….”
─Stop your incessant prattling! Raise your hands!!
“….”
Several Adventurers, paralyzed by fear and stripped of reason, hesitantly raised their hands.
I seized those men and hurled them directly onto the trees.
「Your strength and agility surge dramatically!」
「Radi, watching from afar, is shocked by your atrocious conduct!」
「Radi unconsciously curses! Strength increases by an additional 2!」
“Aaaaaaahhhhh!! Someone save us! A Death Knight is juggling people!!”
“Of course there’s not a single sane undead among them!”
─Kekekeke! Stats are overflowing!
I hurled the Adventurers into the air one after another.
Seizing people and throwing them, burying them in the Sand Pit, and finally binding the most reactive ones with rope and dangling them—my stats climbed steadily higher.
As I guffawed and kicked at the base, my stats rose once more.
Dashing about recklessly, I created a scene of pandemonium as people screamed and fled in all directions.
─Kahahaha!! Hilarious! Hilarious!! Like ants fleeing a burning nest!
In the midst of it all, my eyes met Radi’s, who was hiding at a distance, and he stared at this tragedy with his mouth clamped shut and an expression of utter disbelief.
「Great chaos has descended upon the Surface!」
「Antagon’s Rune smiles with satisfaction! All stats temporarily increase by 5!」
「Radi, witnessing the calamity you’ve wrought, denies reality. You are now the perfect villainous Death Knight incarnate! Luck additionally increases by 1.」
Deeming this sufficient, I carefully descended from the tree, threw the Adventurer skyward once more, and advanced toward the battlefield.
In place of my cutlass, I picked up a halberd from among the corpse remnants and stood before the Golem—the log window updated.
Ding─!
「You have encountered the Ancient Cerulian Golem!」
「An ancient Golem that has steadfastly guarded this Canyon for eons. Within the brilliantly luminous crystal surely lies a grave secret!」
─Come now, let us play merrily. Incomplete creature of antiquity!
As I spread my arms and declared arrogantly, the Golem turned toward me and rushed forward, driving its fist downward—but.
I was already gone from that spot.
I leaped nimbly the moment the massive crystal mass struck the ground.
Sprinting across the golem’s forearm, I brought my halberd down hard against its head, sending azure shards scattering in all directions.
「You have inflicted meaningful damage upon the golem!!」
「Your body is greatly enhanced! The adventurers who witness your power are astounded beyond measure!」
「Antagon’s Rune trembles! Due to the [Chaos] skill, your strength increases by 3!」
Thanks to destroying the core beforehand, I could land effective strikes, but the adventurers who knew nothing of this gasped in shock, their mouths hanging open.
“H-how did you shatter that hard exterior in a single blow?! When we attacked it, no matter how hard we tried, we couldn’t even leave a scratch!”
“Y-you must be a Death Knight, the highest-tier undead! What level are you even at? Surely at least three digits…?”
“Thank goodness we didn’t provoke you… if we had, our heads would’ve been flying off in an instant.”
—Kuhahahaha!!! Pathetic!!
With each relentless barrage of my halberd, cracks spiderwebbed across the golem’s crystalline body.
Right now, I was several times stronger than usual, further enhanced by the Evil God’s orb.
The golem attempted a counterattack with a sweeping kick, but I hooked the counterweight at the halberd’s rear like a grappling hook and twisted away from its trajectory.
I widened the cracks across its chest with the axe blade, then gouged and tore through the gaps with the spear point.
This was something only I could do, having mastered countless grappling techniques since ancient times.
—Kiiiiik!!
As the golem reached toward me with a pained shriek, I didn’t dodge—instead, I swung my axe blade and severed its crystalline fingers.
Heedless of the shards striking me, I pressed forward, and with each thrust of my spear, my halberd gnawed relentlessly at the golem’s body.
Shoulders, neck, chest—indiscriminate torrents of attacks rained down without mercy.
As the massive form lost its balance and began to stagger, I drove in with even greater persistence.
With each convulsion of the golem, each shattering of crystal, my laughter—mad and skeletal—echoed across the canyon.
—Kuhahahaha!! Where now is that arrogance that pierced the heavens?!
—Guooo… ooooh!!
As my spear thrusts poured down, the golem, driven into a defensive position, raised both arms and absorbed the starlight.
The ominous prelude to formidable magic.
The adventurers, already having suffered this several times, screamed and fled—but.
‘I destroyed the core beforehand for exactly this reason.’
I already knew you cannot cast magic.
I laughed mockingly and launched myself skyward, pushing off the ground with all my might.
Bringing my halberd down with all my strength, the axe-spear drove deep into the golem’s chest.
With each violent thrust that followed, azure flashes and thunderous booms erupted between the shattered crystal fragments.
Each time the blue light seeping through the cracks eerily illuminated my skeletal joints, gasps of horror erupted from all around.
「All those nearby are now focused upon you!」
「Separate from their fear, they desperately wish for you to fell this golem!」
「Your Charisma permanently increases by 1!」
With each blow, the force behind my strikes grew heavier and more devastating.
Heedless of my skeletal joints creaking, I brought my halberd down again and again, each impact producing a dull, shattering sound from the crystal.
—Grrrrrrgh!!
As the cracks across its chest widened further, the golem, sensing danger, tried to shake itself free by striking its own body—but.
‘An opportunity…!’
Watching the cracks splinter further under the Golem’s fists, I brought my halberd down with all my might, then wedged my cutlass directly into the fissure.
With each frenzied twist of the blade, crystalline shards scattered in all directions as I laughed like a madman.
─Ahahahahaha! Your struggles are futile!
Crack! The moment the Golem’s chest split open, I thrust my hand through the gap.
What emerged from the Ancient Cerulian Golem’s chest was a fist-sized core clutched firmly in my grasp.
─Finally, I’ve reached it.
Crunch!
The instant I shattered the core, the Golem crumbled completely, and a blue ring hidden within the crystal fell into my palm.
｢You have defeated the Ancient Cerulian Golem!!｣
｢[Antagon’s Rune] consumes the Golem’s soul! Once digestion is complete, you can disguise yourself as a Cerulian Golem!｣
｢You have obtained [Secrian’s Ring], an exceptionally rare item!!｣
｢You have completed the Hidden Area Quest ‘The Golem’s Secret’. Luck permanently increases by 2.｣
｢You have obtained information about Secrian, a mage from the Ancient Kingdom era!｣
｢Only an extremely small number of mages in the world know of Secrian’s existence!｣
Standing atop the Golem as it gradually transformed into ordinary crystal, I gazed at the ring in my palm.
‘Secrian’s Ring… this is quite the windfall.’
Since the Golem itself was essentially a mobile fortress, it was common among ancient mages to store valuables within a Golem’s body.
─How fortunate that this artifact suits me perfectly. Thank you, Secrian! I shall put this ring to excellent use. Khahahaha!
Without hesitation, the skeletal Doran slipped the ring onto my finger.
With no flesh clinging to my bones, I rattled like an empty cart, yet the sight was undeniably undead in nature.
At this crucial stage of growth, this item possessed value that could not be measured in currency.
‘A satisfying battle. I’ve gained another level as well….’
More importantly, I’ve mastered the method to transform into a Cerulian Golem, giving me a means to counter the treacherous mages of Belheim.
I’ve even gained a permanent Luck stat increase from completing the Quest.
Now I just need to return and explain things properly to the little one….
─Well, I’ll figure it out somehow! Hehehehe! …Hmm?
As I descended from the Golem’s remains and turned to leave, I noticed the Adventurer Party staring at me with complicated expressions.
Their gazes mingled fear, relief at survival, and anxiety about what would come next.
─Tch… one more troublesome matter remains.
My business with them is concluded, but I need to somehow suppress this incident and ensure their silence….
‘…Wait, do I really need to hide this?’
If I were still in my human form, perhaps. But now I’ve transformed into an undead.
They’re already convinced I’m a Death Knight, so even if rumors spread, the chances of my true identity being revealed are extremely low.
‘In fact, if I deliberately spread the rumors… I could turn this to my advantage?’
If word spreads that a Death Knight appeared in the Dungeon, caused chaos, then mysteriously saved the Adventurers before vanishing—that would be quite the sensation.
If the rumors circulate before I transform into an undead form again, wouldn’t I be able to accumulate far more stats?
As I slowly approached the Adventurers, notifications began updating at an alarming rate. Ding! Ding!
｢The Adventurers feel fear toward your presence. Luck increases by 2.｣
“….”
Thud.
“The Mercenaries are trembling with fear! Some cannot even bring themselves to look directly at you, turning their heads away! Intelligence increases by 2.”
Thud.
“The warriors are quaking with terror!! They are begging you for mercy, pleading that you kill them swiftly! Agility increases by 3!”
Thud.
—What are you staring at?
“”….””
“The Adventurers are seized by overwhelming dread!! Several of those you hurled into the trees lose consciousness! Strength increases by 7!”
Deeming that sufficient terror had been inflicted, Doran laughed with a manic grin and bellowed.
—Kahahaha, what a spectacle! You worms are fortunate! Normally I would slaughter you all and make you my servants, but since I hunted a Golem today, I shall spare you!
“Y-yes….”
—If you understand, then begone, pathetic mortals. And spread word across the Surface of the great deeds of Orgillian!
“Aaaaaahhhhh!!”
As I kicked the hesitant man into the air once more, the terrified Adventurers scrambled to hoist their wounded and vanished from sight.
By now, it would certainly be seared into their minds.
This was the moment the legend of the Skeleton Warrior was born.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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