My Skeleton Soldier Is Strange - Chapter 17

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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 17
A memory flashed through Sphinx’s Tomb Keeper’s mind—a recollection of the twin blades bestowed upon him by Sphinx.
On the very day the twin blades first flipped their bodies, he had embraced them both, marveling that they had done so on the same day.
On their first birthday, when the twin blades grasped thread for the first time, he had wept with joy.
When enemies invaded the dungeon and he slashed through them, he had carefully balanced the number of kills with his left blade against those with his right, lest one grow jealous of the other….
[…Something feels off. Did that even happen?]
This was a catastrophe born from the Tomb Keeper receiving new settings each time he respawned.
According to his settings, he had guarded this tomb for centuries, but since the Tomb Keeper and the twin blades had been born less than four days ago, such contradictions occasionally arose.
The Tomb Keeper hesitated for a moment at the bizarre memory, yet this did nothing to diminish his sorrow or rage.
[First Blade and Second Blade weren’t children meant to depart so quickly! Those children… they had grasped thread!]
‘Why would the twin blades grasp thread?’
The dungeon information Jaebum had found contained a warning: the Tomb Keeper harbored deep affection for the twin blades, so caution was advised.
However, even the author of that strategy guide could not have known that a certain Tomb Keeper was raising the twin blades as his own children.
[Nooooo… these cursed nooooooo beings!]
Yet in every other respect, the guide’s contents proved accurate. With the twin blades shattered, the Tomb Keeper had—
[Sphinx’s Tomb Keeper loses reason due to overwhelming rage.]
[Normal conversation becomes impossible.]
In place of his sanity, he awakened a terrible new power.
Grrrrr… grrrrrrrrgh!
[Sphinx’s Tomb Keeper has evolved into an Executor of Slaughter.]
“Hmm.”
Jaebum observed the cascade of System Messages and nodded quietly. According to the strategy guide, this was the worst-case scenario.
“…Come to think of it, now isn’t the time to stand idle and watch.”
Ye-jin’s expression darkened as she grasped the gravity of the situation. A monster marked as overwhelmingly stronger than herself going berserk was no trivial matter.
“The guide said Sphinx’s Tomb Keeper enters a hidden phase when his blades break.”
“That’s what I observed as well.”
“…Then shouldn’t we have prevented it?”
Jaebum’s lips curved upward slightly at her question.
“No, this is exactly as intended.”
“Pardon?”
In truth, Dercan breaking the twin blades simply because his bones had hardened a bit was not intentional.
“I’ve heard that defeating the hidden phase grants additional rewards upon dungeon clear.”
But defeating the hidden phase Tomb Keeper—that was absolutely intentional.
He was merely a mid-boss of the dungeon, not Sphinx himself. Whether hidden phase or otherwise, there was no reason to fear.
‘It’s a shame I can’t stream this.’
If he were alone, there would be no problem, but with Ye-jin present, he couldn’t record as freely as he wished.
Since he had no intention of revealing that he was the one behind YouTube, this was an unavoidable constraint.
“Dercan and I will hold that creature back. Strike the finishing blow from behind.”
Tap!
Jaebum swiftly assessed the situation and moved to Dercan’s right side, his footsteps light yet steady. Cutting through the surrounding air, he reached Dercan and issued a low command.
“Dercan! Focus on blocking the attacks with your shield!”
Dercan’s shield shattered the Sphinx’s Tomb Keeper’s twin blades in a single impact. Even with his awakening, he wouldn’t easily break through the Tomb Keeper’s assault.
Dercan answered Jaebum’s command with unwavering faith and loyalty.
―Master…
To be precise, I had chosen to believe it that way. Objections? I’d only accept them if Dercan could logically refute me.
‘He needs to pull his weight.’
If the Tomb Keeper were in normal condition, he could manage his share, but whether he could contribute meaningfully against an awakened Tomb Keeper remained uncertain.
Dercan thrust his shield forward. Reflecting a soft luminescence, the shield stood firm and resolute, appearing ready to deflect any incoming strike at a moment’s notice.
In that instant, the Sphinx’s Tomb Keeper, transformed into an enforcer, hurled a fist toward Dercan.
[The twin blades were children destined to enjoy a thousand blessings!]
“Weren’t they called First Blade and Second Blade just now!”
But there was no response. The message “normal conversation is no longer possible” simply meant I was talking to myself one-sidedly.
―Kwaaang!
The attack carried even greater force than expected. As the skeletal fist slammed against the shield with a sickening crack, a shockwave rippled outward in all directions.
Screech… screeeech!
Dercan’s body was driven backward, and the marble beneath his feet fractured as dust erupted upward.
‘That’s tremendous power… Dercan won’t be able to defend perfectly against this.’
He was holding up reasonably well, but his limits would arrive soon. Even with Bone Hardening active, it only increased durability, not raw strength—there were clear limits in a situation like this.
I adjusted my strategy on the fly.
“Ye… Ye-jin! I’m joining the attack!”
As I drove toward the Tomb Keeper’s right side, the staff swung through the air in nearly perfect synchronization.
―Crack!
The steel staff’s tip struck the Sphinx’s Tomb Keeper’s right ankle with precision. I had targeted the most vulnerable point among the skeletal joints. The collision of steel and bone rang out across the chamber.
[You have damaged the Sphinx’s Tomb Keeper’s right ankle using the steel staff.]
[The Sphinx’s Tomb Keeper’s movements become slightly sluggish.]
The timing and placement were flawless. Yet the level difference proved difficult to overcome—the damage felt negligible. Displeasure flickered in the Tomb Keeper’s eyes.
[Give First Blade back!]
The Tomb Keeper twisted its body toward me. Then it raised its left leg, aiming for my head.
―Whoosh!
The skeletal leg approached at an unbelievably swift speed. Even someone with exceptional reflexes would have only managed to stumble backward.
But the steel staff in my grip moved swiftly, blocking the attack.
Clang!
“Slow.”
Though my strength fell woefully short, the staff’s tip struck the exact center of force with such precision that I wasn’t driven back significantly.
[You have blocked the Sphinx’s Tomb Keeper’s attack.]
[The steel staff’s durability decreases by 0.5%.]
[Your health decreases slightly from the Sphinx’s Tomb Keeper’s powerful kick.]
Still, taking some damage was unavoidable.
Dodging would have preserved both durability and health. But I hadn’t blocked that kick just to show off technique.
“Ye-jin! Attack!”
Had Jaebum been forced to fight the Tomb Keeper alone, he would have focused entirely on evasion, but the situation was different now.
“You’ve been teasing my nickname this whole time, haven’t you!”
Ye-jin answered irritably as she drew her bowstring taut.
Creak… creak-creak-creak!
The bowstring, pulled to its limit, trembled under the strain and sang out with tension.
[Skill: One Strike activation is enabled.]
[If the arrow strikes the target, a critical hit is guaranteed.]
Her arrow pierced straight through the Tomb Keeper’s body.
―Screeeeeech!
[!]
The Tomb Keeper shrieked in agony as the arrow tore through its form.
The reaction was incomparable to when it had taken Jaebum’s strike.
―Crack!
The right ankle, already fractured from Jaebum’s assault, shattered completely under Ye-jin’s arrow. The Tomb Keeper’s body tilted to the left, robbed of one leg.
[Agh!]
Unbalanced, the Tomb Keeper cried out. Its right hand, about to launch another attack, slashed through empty air. Jaebum seized that fleeting opening and swung his staff.
“Hah!”
―Screeeech!
The steel staff crashed against the Tomb Keeper’s skull. With a heavy impact, fragments of bone scattered in all directions. Yet it wasn’t enough to destroy it completely.
“Haaah!”
―Thud!
This time, Ye-jin’s arrow struck the very spot where the staff had just landed.
The sound that rang out was unlike any arrow—it crashed like a blunt weapon striking down.
It was the archer’s advanced skill learned at level 20: Shockwave Arrow.
[Screeeeeech!]
Battered repeatedly on the head, the Tomb Keeper staggered, struggling desperately to regain its footing, but—
“Dercan! Shield Smash!”
Jaebum had no intention of letting it recover.
―Boom!
The massive shield, forged from the teeth of a giant rat, caved in the Tomb Keeper’s skull. In that instant, a brilliant crimson light erupted forth.
[Anguish!]
The Tomb Keeper wailed in a voice filled with anguish and rage.
[No… no! That I, I should fall to creatures like these…!]
Sensing death’s approach, the Tomb Keeper’s voice trembled. Then, as if resigned to its fate, it murmured softly.
[Father… Father, I’m sorry…!]
In its final moment, the Tomb Keeper reached out both hands toward the twin blades that lay broken and scattered, but—
In the next instant, those hands that once belonged to the Tomb Keeper became nothing more than a pile of rubble, crumbling away.
“…So why did you call out to One-Blade twice but Two-Blade only once?”
Ye-jin couldn’t help but mutter. Jaebum found himself unable to answer that question.
“No one knows that.”
Jaebum muttered in a bitter voice.
“Just like no one knows why Ye-jin has ‘Petit’ attached to her name…”
“We agreed to stop teasing about that!”
Ye-jin shrieked. However, leaving Ye-jin—whose impact damage was five times greater than the Tomb Keeper’s—alone would be a violation of a player’s instinct, or rather, their duty.
―Master…
At that moment, Dercan approached with concern evident in his demeanor.
“My, you have your admirable moments, don’t you?”
Watching this, Ye-jin marveled. The battle just now had seemed effortless, but it was far from easy.
Had any of the movements—the center of power, the timing, everything—been even slightly off, it would have resulted in immediate logout. Thanks to that vivid sensation, Jaebum’s heart now raced rapidly, and cold sweat seeped from his palms.
Jaebum let out a small chuckle at Dercan, who had approached him.
“I’m fine.”
―Master…
Dercan murmured once more.
Crack!
With the edge of his shield, he brought down his full force upon the Tomb Keeper’s head, now devoid of strength. The creature’s skull, already fracturing, crumbled to dust.
―Shhhhh…
The Tomb Keeper’s body completely decomposed into crimson light, scattering into the void.
[Dercan has absorbed the soul of Sphinx’s Tomb Keeper.]
[You have obtained additional experience through the soul.]
“…”
“…”
‘So it wasn’t concern after all…”
Both fell silent for the same reason. Come to think of it, perhaps it was still unreasonable to expect such advanced emotions as concern from Dercan.
Just as they were growing disappointed by the usual message.
Ding!
[You have absorbed an undead-type soul.]
[You obtain additional experience.]
“Huh?”
Unlike usual, another message appeared.
‘What? Do I get extra benefits for defeating the same skeleton?’
However, seeing that the message clearly stated “undead,” it didn’t seem to be the case.
‘Well, either way, bonus experience is never a bad thing.’
But then.
―Uuuong… uuuong.
As if declaring that it was not yet over, intense crimson light began to surge from Dercan’s entire body.
“Crunch… crunch-crunch-crunch!”
The sound of bones colliding echoed, and Dercan’s body began to transform. His silhouette, engulfed in light, grew progressively larger and more formidable.
[Dercan has perfectly absorbed the soul of the Tomb Keeper.]
[The entity satisfies all required conditions for evolution.]
The light pouring from his body intensified further, until finally it blazed so brilliantly that it was blinding.
Crack. Crunch-crunch!
The sound of bones rearranging filled Sphinx’s Tomb.
Before long, the ordinary skeletal soldier’s form vanished without a trace, replaced by a magnificent warrior clad in far more bone than before.
But the transformation did not end there. Jaebum’s eyes caught sight of the equipment Dercan wielded.
“The equipment….”
The sword and shield forged from the teeth and bones of the colossal rat were engulfed in dazzling light. The weapons, which had undulated like living things, were drawn into the vortex of evolution while held in Dercan’s grasp. In the blink of an eye, even his equipment was being reborn into a new form.
[Dercan begins to evolve.]
Dercan’s transformation had only just begun.

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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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