My Skeleton Soldier Is Strange - Chapter 174

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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 174
With the Knight Commander’s gruesome demise, the Plaza fell into a suffocating silence. Everyone stood paralyzed by shock, their words stolen by the horrific sight before them. The ground lay carpeted in blood and flesh, scattered armor fragments strewn haphazardly across it. Where the Knight Commander had stood, a pool of crimson blood now gathered. The stench of gore assaulted the nostrils, and the reek of death corrupted the very air.
“Good heavens!”
Someone’s startled cry shattered the stillness. The armored Knights exchanged sickened glances with one another. Dozens of soldiers nearby stared with eyes wide in disbelief. Their pupils trembled, their complexions drained of all color. With quivering hands, they covered their mouths. Though they had witnessed death countless times before, this sight was different. Their commander—the Knight Commander who had always carried himself with noble bearing—lay shattered into pieces. Their terror-stricken gazes swept across the mangled remains of their leader.
At that very moment, my lips parted slowly.
“I’ll need to resurrect him.”
With a soft murmur, I flicked my fingers lightly. It was an elegant gesture. My thumb and middle finger snapped together, and a crisp sound cut through the empty air.
Then something changed.
The shattered fragments of the Knight Commander’s body began to gather, drawn by an invisible force. Scattered pieces of flesh writhed and crawled back together, while crushed bones clicked and clacked into their proper places. Bone interlocked with bone, muscle wove with muscle, flesh knitted with flesh in a wondrous spectacle. Torn skin fused together as if being sewn, and ruptured organs seeped back into position. The mass of crimson tissue gradually took on human form. A blue light enveloped the broken body, and soon it was restored to complete wholeness. The Knight Commander stood intact, as if death had never touched him.
“Gasp!”
With a strangled gasp, the Knight Commander’s eyes snapped open. It was the first cry of one awakened from death. The face twisted in agony slowly regained its vitality. Skin smooth as newborn flesh, lips flushed with color once more. He gazed around with vacant eyes, his voice hoarse with confusion and bewilderment.
“What happened?”
His confused gaze turned toward me, as if he were witnessing a mirage. In his blue eyes, trembling with doubt and shock, wonder and fear now mingled. It was the look of one staring at the youth who had torn him apart alive moments before.
I answered in a calm voice.
“You died by my hand and were resurrected.”
Each word cut through the air. A chilling fact that belied the mundane tone. The Knight Commander flinched, his body trembling. His extremities grew cold. Only then did he seem to grasp what had happened to him. His lips quivered as he lowered his head. His trembling eyes fixed on the sword that lay on the ground. In the blade, now stripped of its blue radiance, his own despairing visage was dimly reflected.
Before this incomprehensible reality, he found himself at a loss for words. Barely suppressing the sob that rose to his throat, the Knight Commander forced himself to nod.
* * *
For a moment, no one spoke. A heavy silence blanketed the Plaza. Countless eyes fixed upon the Knight Commander, yet he remained silent for a long time. Only the sound of his ragged breathing, escaping between tightly sealed lips, broke the stillness.
Complex emotions flickered across the Knight Commander’s face as he lost himself in thought. Grim determination hardened his features, only to give way to resignation. Gone was the proud bearing with which he had led his subordinates moments before. He seemed barely able to hold together what remained of his shattered pride. His gaze, which had been fixed blankly on the fallen sword, gradually shifted toward empty space.
With a deep sigh, he murmured. His voice carried the tone of one acknowledging defeat, tinged with self-mockery.
“I’ll guide you.”
Though his tone was measured, it carried an undeniable weight. The Knight Commander turned toward his subordinates and issued a quiet command.
“Everyone, fall back to the Fortress.”
That single statement was nothing short of a declaration of surrender. At his firm order, the Knights nodded without hesitation. Not a trace of defiance remained. With a sharp metallic ring, they roughly sheathed their gleaming blades. The gesture of abandoning their weapons spoke volumes of their resignation. As the bloodthirsty steel was concealed, the tension that had hung in the air eased somewhat.
The Knight Commander then led the way out of the Plaza. His gait was heavy, weighed down by his massive armor. The collapse of his pride was the honor of the defeated. Yet he moved forward without hesitation.
I followed silently in the Knight Commander’s wake. My posture carried a subtle ease. My stride was confident, and my raised head radiated overwhelming self-assurance. The Knight Commander’s figure ahead of me seemed almost pitiful by comparison.
Tap… tap… tap-tap-tap…
Behind the Knight Commander, a procession of silence stretched out. No one dared speak carelessly. Dozens of Knights flanked me on either side, maintaining a vigilant stance. They exchanged uneasy glances, acutely aware of one another. A palpable tension permeated the group, yet none of them dared provide unnecessary provocation. In the end, they had no choice but submission.
Thus the group soon departed the Plaza. Following the Knight Commander’s lead, they headed toward the rear of the City. They passed through narrow passages along blocked alleys. They climbed along bridges between buildings, then ascended a Staircase. Before long, a towering Cliff loomed before them. Gray stone rose skyward as if to pierce the heavens. Above it, the outline of the Castle Wall came into view.
The distant stone ramparts drew steadily closer. Beyond the massive Castle Wall, the grand form of the Fortress came into sight. From the elevated watchtowers, sentries bearing spears and swords maintained their vigilance without pause. Siege engines and archers arrayed along the Castle Wall appeared capable of repelling any invader. Sturdy stonework and iron fixtures showcased the Fortress’s formidable might.
The Knight Commander came to a halt before the Castle Gate. As he raised his hand, a nearby soldier quickly approached and whispered something to him. The soldier’s pale face and nodding gesture betrayed his agitation. Soon after, the massive iron doors blocking the Fortress began to creak open, swinging left and right. Heavy chains groaned as they turned, producing an eerie metallic sound.
As the heavy iron doors slowly opened, cold air poured forth from within. From the shadowed interior, untouched by sunlight, a damp chill rose up.
Whoosh…
I peered inside.
The passage within was deep and dark.
The Knight Commander tilted his head toward me. His hardened face wavered between resignation and fear. He raised his arm in a gesture inviting me into the Fortress. Meeting his blue eyes, he turned his body and strode purposefully toward the Castle Gate. His solitary figure bore the unmistakable slouch of one completely broken.
I followed in his wake. A smile played at the corners of my mouth.
‘NPCs could never hope to defeat me.’
My confident stride into the deep, dark Fortress brimmed with self-assurance and anticipation. The Fortress seemed to promise me a new world.
Watching the two figures disappear from view, the knights fell into their own turbulent thoughts. In the oppressive silence that followed, the heavy sound of the Castle Gate closing reverberated through the air.
As Kim Jae-beom stepped into the darkened Fortress, he surveyed his surroundings with deliberate care. Candlelight cast a soft glow from the towering ceiling above, while ancient murals and inscriptions were carved into the stone walls. The heavy, oppressive air pressed down upon my chest.
Knights stationed throughout the chamber regarded the unfamiliar visitor with visible caution, their eyes sharp with wariness. Faces drawn tight with tension, lips pressed firmly shut—anxiety radiated from them. Some swallowed nervously without thinking. Not a single gaze wavered as they scrutinized my every movement.
It was then that the Knight Commander beside me spoke in a low voice.
“Do not worry.”
Though his tone was restrained, it carried an unmistakable weight of authority. His words conveyed reassurance. Far from warm or gentle, yet that single utterance was enough to ease the tension. Swallowing back the questions that had risen to their throats, the knights responded promptly.
“Yes, understood.”
With that brief acknowledgment, they returned to their posts. Standing rigid, their faces expressionless, they resumed their duties as trained soldiers. Their hands gripped spears and swords with renewed strength. Without a single one breaking formation, they maintained their silent vigil.
“Follow me.”
The Knight Commander then turned to Kim Jae-beom and spoke.

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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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