My Skeleton Soldier Is Strange - Chapter 109

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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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Chapter 109
A colossal stone golem loomed before us—Kartan. Its body, forged from jagged boulders, resembled a small mountain unto itself. Standing tall within the shadowed cave, the massive figure radiated an oppressive, bone-chilling aura.
Boom—!
The moment Kartan’s fist crashed down upon the earth, the ground convulsed. Rocks shattered, fissures split the stone, and dust billowed in all directions. Hundreds of players held their breath. All of them seemed overwhelmed by the monster’s devastating power.
“Attack!”
With one player’s cry, battle erupted. Dozens of arrows cleaved through the air. Flames and lightning struck the golem’s body. Swords and spears clashed against stone, sending sparks cascading outward. The players’ assault poured down like a torrential downpour.
Crash—! Crash—!
Spells from mages rained upon the golem. Fireballs, ice lances, scorched-earth magic—all of it. Tremendous magical force engulfed the creature. Yet Kartan didn’t budge. Its thick stone armor repelled every single attack.
Sizzle—
Flaming arrows gouged at the golem’s eyes, but only azure flames scattered into the void. Spears and swords shattered against the stone, splintering and breaking. The players’ weapons couldn’t withstand the impact and crumbled to pieces.
Boom—
The mages poured every ounce of their power into their assault. The sky trembled and the earth shook. Tremendous shockwaves and explosions engulfed Kartan. But as the smoke cleared and dust settled, the golem stood unmoved, exactly where it had been.
Boom— Boom—
Kartan extended its hand and brought it crashing down. A massive earthquake tore the ground asunder. Players who lost their footing screamed in terror. Gripped by fear, they stumbled backward.
Screech—
A deafening roar erupted from the golem’s maw. A bone-piercing sonic wave washed over the players. They clutched their ears, writhing in agony. Anguished cries echoed throughout the cave.
Whoooosh—
Kartan swept its arm in a wide arc. The violent wind lifted players into the air. Their bodies slammed mercilessly against the walls, and blood spilled from their mouths. Shattered bones and torn flesh. A horrific sight unfolded.
“Ugh… Argh….”
The groans of wounded players filled the cave. Despair consumed them as they cried out in surrender. Having realized that all their attacks were futile, defeat was all but certain for them.
Boom… Kartan delivered its final blow. Its leg, propelled from the ground, rose with devastating force. No player standing in its path could endure it. With agonized death cries, silence fell upon the cave. The stone golem had claimed victory.
—Whoooosh!
And so the video playback ended.
Kim Jae-beom turned his gaze toward Valero, who had shown me the record of the failed expedition against the Great Golem Kartan.
“I’m definitely doing this.”
I had no intention of letting this quest slip away.
* * *
After accepting the quest, Kim Jae-beom began preparing to face the Great Golem Kartan. The most urgent matter was raising my level.
—Screech screech screech… Roooar!
—Shriek!
So I set out into the lush Jungle, bringing Dercan and Arulan with me.
“Ugh….”
And this time, Ye-jin came along as well. She wore armor noticeably thicker and more robust than before.
Ye-jin’s body was encased in emerald-gleaming plate armor. Crafted from specialized metal, the armor was both sturdy and remarkably light. Its surface, painted in verdant hues, shifted in color to match the surrounding environment, making her blend in like a chameleon.
The helmet she wore was likewise camouflaged in green. Infrared-sensing goggles were mounted at the eye openings, allowing her to see clearly even in darkness. An augmented reality display projected across the visor showed nearby terrain and enemy positions.
Before us stretched a dense, sprawling jungle. Thick tree trunks crowded together so densely that barely a foothold remained. Between the suffocating undergrowth, only a narrow path was barely visible. The dim shadow cast by the canopy itself exerted a crushing pressure.
Sunlight barely filtered through the enormous leaves blanketing the forest. The humid, damp air pressed down upon my lungs. The acrid stench of rotting moss and decay assaulted my nostrils. An unpleasant, putrid odor—as if something were decomposing—hung in the air.
“Be careful.”
I cautioned Ye-jin as I cut through the cool air and stepped forward. My posture conveyed palpable tension. Ye-jin, too, made no effort to hide her unease as she carefully placed each footstep.
Rustle rustle rustle—
The two of us pressed through the undergrowth, our armor scraping against dry leaves and branches. Debris crunched beneath our feet. Each step across the damp moss left a slimy trail in our wake.
Trickle, trickle, trickle—
As we crossed a small stream, only the sound of water broke the silence. The current flowed through the dense grass, a source of life yet a treacherous bog lurking beneath.
My eyes darted nervously. Something seemed to move between the branches. Suspicious gazes circled around us. I could feel the presence of unseen enemies.
Boom, boom, boom—!
A colossal crocodile emerged from the muddy earth with a thunderous roar. Despite our extensive combat experience, Kim Jae-beom and I froze the moment we laid eyes on that monstrous beast. The creature’s massive bulk towered well above the height of an adult man.
A guttural snarl—!
With a terrifying roar, the crocodile lunged toward us. Its razor-sharp teeth and claws gleamed menacingly. It looked like death incarnate. One moment of carelessness would cost us our lives.
Slash— Slash—
The creature’s fangs tore through the air as it charged at Kim Jae-beom and me. We barely dodged by inches. We ran with every ounce of strength we possessed. My breath came in ragged gasps and my legs felt ready to give way, but I couldn’t stop.
Crack— Crack—
The sound of the monstrous crocodile pursuing us grew closer and closer. Its savage roar echoed through the jungle. I didn’t even have the luxury of glancing back in terror. I could only focus on running forward.
Boom—! Boom—!
The massive crocodile smashed through trees as it charged. The monster’s claws left deep gouges in the earth as it descended upon us. Its speed was dizzying. No matter how skilled Kim Jae-beom and I were in combat, we couldn’t hope to face that creature.
“Hurry… Faster…!”
Kim Jae-beom urged me forward, gasping for breath. Both our faces were flushed crimson, but neither of us slowed our pace. Knowing that a single moment of hesitation could mean death, we ran with desperate determination.
We crossed the Dark Forest and finally reached the Lake. The vast shoreline stretched before us, serene and beautiful. The calm water shimmered in the sunlight. But we had no time to admire the scenery.
Splash—!
Kim Jae-beom and I plunged into the Lake. The cold water bit against our skin. We thrashed through the water, swimming frantically. When I glanced back, an incredible sight unfolded before my eyes.
Splash—!
The crocodile roared and dove into the Lake after us. Water sprayed in all directions as violent waves surged. The crocodile moved through the water with the same terrifying speed it had shown on land, closing the distance between us in mere seconds.
Slash— Slash—
The creature’s teeth gleamed as it cut through the water. Its sharp claws barely missed our feet. Kim Jae-beom and I barely evaded, but the crocodile’s speed only increased. It was getting faster.
Boom—! Boom—!
The crocodile’s massive body churned the water as it surged forward. The monster closed the distance with breathtaking speed. Despite our desperate thrashing, we could no longer escape. The creature’s jaws were right before our eyes.
A guttural snarl—!
At last, the crocodile descended upon Kim Jae-beom and me. Its enormous maw gaped wide open. The stench of death filled my nostrils.
Crash—!
In that instant, the sky itself cried out. A black shadow materialized above the Lake like lightning. A skeleton encased in pitch-black armor. It was Arulan, suspended in mid-air. A sickly cyan aura poured from his hands.
A low, ominous hum—
Arulan chanted an eerie incantation. Death’s energy bloomed from his fingertips. A cold, dark force engulfed everything around us. The very air seemed to freeze.
Splash—!
The magic crashed down upon the crocodile. A brilliant blue flash enveloped the monster’s body. In an instant, the creature’s movements ceased. Bound by dark magic, the crocodile became rigid like a statue at the bottom of the sea. The gleam in its eyes faded.
A sway—
The crocodile’s body sank as if drowning. The monster slowly descended to the Lake’s bottom and finally breathed its last. Ensnared by death’s power, the crocodile lay motionless.
“Phew….”
As the crocodile died, a smile spread across Kim Jae-beom’s face. The urgent expression he’d worn moments before vanished without a trace.
“You’re quite the actor.”
Ye-jin was no different.
The frightened Ye-jin had disappeared, replaced by a woman whose face was etched with exhaustion.
“Do I really have to let Arulan land the finishing blow?”
“Yes. That way, when I resurrect them as undead, the efficiency is much better.”
“Sigh… I never thought I’d end up doing this tedious work here.”
Splash… splash….
I peered down into the Lake.
The lake bottom was filled with an eerie sight. Beneath the murky green water lay countless monster corpses. Crocodiles, carnivorous plants, colossal insects—all manner of jungle horrors were gathered there. Their number easily exceeded a hundred.
Limp bodies drifted lifeless in the currents. Wounds glistening with blood and exposed bone. Flesh torn away in grotesque fashion. The Lake resembled nothing so much as a colossal grave that had claimed countless lives.
Witnessing this spectacle, I swallowed hard. Arulan’s magical prowess exceeded my imagination. To annihilate so many monsters in a single sweep. Before his power, it seemed no one could stand.
Shhhhiiiiik―
Arulan began chanting an incantation once more into the empty air. His eerie voice made the atmosphere tremble. A sinister aura permeated the surroundings. Dark energy erupted from his fingertips.
Shhhhiiiiik―
The bodies of the monsters engulfed in black light began to transform gradually. Flesh melted away, bones crumbled, and forms dissolved. It was as though living beings were dissolving into darkness itself.
The transformation accelerated. Decaying and vanishing bodies. As if time were flowing rapidly, the monsters vanished without a trace in the blink of an eye. The Lake fell silent, as though it had swallowed a colossal tomb.
Kuuung―
Yet something new was appearing where they had vanished. Monster remains were converging. Pitch-black blood and flesh drew toward each other, condensing.
The sphere of darkness grew larger and larger. Drawn by Arulan’s incantation, the power of the dead gathered as one. A massive sphere formed in an instant. A sphere of darkness that writhed and undulated as though alive.
Within brilliant light, the sphere began to take shape. The twisted and contorted darkness, grotesque and bizarre, gradually assumed the form of a beast. A strange amalgamation of multiple animals. It evoked a legendary monster from ancient tales.
Kuooo―
A massive lion’s head with goat horns. A monster with a serpent’s tail. A Chimera. An imaginary beast wrought from dark energy had become reality. Destructive aura radiated from its fearsome form.
Eyes burning crimson. A mouth snarling with ghastly fangs. It was an abomination that embodied death itself. A monster created through power that defied life. A terrible beast had been born in Arulan’s grasp.
“Now the hunt begins.”
The true leveling session had commenced.

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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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