My Skeleton Soldier Is Strange - Chapter 21

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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 21
“The rarest stone?”
“Wait, could it be…!”
As a luminous stone emerged from beneath the chest, their reactions diverged sharply.
Jae-beom simply wondered what it was, but Ye-jin clearly recognized it for what it was.
Seeing Jae-beom’s confusion, Ye-jin smiled meaningfully and asked.
“Stagnant water sir, what do you think is the most precious item in this game?”
And the moment something only she knew appeared, Jae-beom witnessed Ye-jin (Newbie Corruption Level: 458) light up with excitement, proud of her role as a newbie instructor.
“…Wow.”
He couldn’t help but admire her. Such a pure level of obsession was truly rare.
‘Did she really still want to treat me as a newbie?’
Back in Warlord Online, Jae-beom had posted plenty of beginner guides himself, but compared to Ye-jin, his purity seemed lacking.
“Pardon?”
“Well, I’d say… Dragon Heart?”
Since dragons were still undefeated monsters in Evern Online, Jae-beom’s guess wasn’t unreasonable.
“…That’s… not wrong, but! Permanent stat increase items are definitely the rarest!”
“What? Really?”
Ye-jin, momentarily flustered, quickly regained her composure and smiled confidently.
“Yes! That stone definitely grants permanent stats!”
[Rapidly Circulating Third Stone]
[Grade: Epic]
[Details: A stone imbued with mysterious power passed down from ancient times.]
[Upon use: Permanently increases Agility +2.]
What was even more astonishing was this:
‘Two…?’
There were two of these luminous stones!
“Since there are two participants, I think two dropped,” Ye-jin said.
But Jae-beom couldn’t agree.
‘If five people cleared it, would five drop…?’
If stat-boosting consumables were truly this valuable, they literally commanded whatever price one asked. The demand was immense, which meant they were equally rare.
Yet Jae-beom hadn’t found Sphinx’s difficulty or the treasure chest’s discovery rate particularly high. If items could be obtained this easily, stat items wouldn’t be so precious.
And the answer came not from Ye-jin, but from a System Message.
[The Rapidly Circulating Third Stone has been bestowed upon all participants!]
‘Ah, so it’s essentially an event, not an item?’
That made sense. Event or not, it was an Achievement after all.
The next moment, the stone gleamed brilliantly before transforming into a beam of light that shot toward both of them.
“Ah!”
Ye-jin cried out as the light struck her involuntarily.
“You dodged it?”
“Why would you dodge that?!”
Even amidst the chaos, I managed to evade by reacting to the light.
‘A forced event?’
There was no way to know until I tried. If it truly were a forced event, dodging would have been impossible.
[The rapidly circulating third stone settles upon the stagnant player!]
The stone gleamed once more before shooting toward me. This time it was twice as fast as before, and the moment I dodged, it reversed 180 degrees and came at me again.
―Whoosh!
“I dodged it.”
“But why are you even dodging?!”
Ye-jin cried out, but I paid her no mind.
‘Hidden events can appear anywhere.’
The fact that I could dodge at all was proof this wasn’t a forced event.
And.
[The third stone reacts to the remarkable movements you have displayed.]
[The effect of your stats increases!]
[Upon use: Agility permanently increases by +3.]
‘As expected!’
Finally, the system rewarded my efforts.
And now the stone, unable to merely shoot, split into dozens of fragments pouring down from every direction.
“Ugh, I can’t dodge this one.”
I managed to evade the first few streaks in succession, but the moment one beam of light caught me, all the light poured through that opening and consumed me.
[You have absorbed the even more rapidly circulating third stone!]
[Agility increases by 3.]
“Next time, I’ll succeed.”
“But why on earth are you——”
I didn’t answer. This wasn’t mockery.
‘How could I explain that dodging the stone gave me an additional point of agility?’
I didn’t assume that because I could do something, others could as well.
It would be thoughtless to tell Ye-jin that she could gain bonus stats if she dodged stones she clearly couldn’t evade.
“I was wondering if there might be a hidden event or something.”
“…So, was there a hidden event?”
“No, it seems I just couldn’t dodge it all the way through.”
With that, I checked my status window for the first time in a while.
[Player: Stagnant Water.][LV: 5]
[Job Class: (H-Rank) Overlord]
[Strength: 13+3]
[Agility: 8+3]
[Mana: 5+3]
[Vitality: 5+6]
[Possessed Skills: Skeleton Soldier Summoning(1/1)]
[Achievement: Indomitable Hero(Effect: All stats increase by 3)]
[Achievement: First Wolf Dominator (Effect: Movement speed increased by 5%.)]
[Achievement: First Trial Passer (Effect: Health increased by 3.)]
[Achievement: Rat Slayer (Effect: 10% additional damage against rat-type monsters.)]
Certainly much had changed since I last checked.
Most notably, despite not investing a single stat point, my agility and health showed numbers as if I had invested considerably—they stood out distinctly.
“So… what should we do with these remaining gems?”
Jae-beom snapped back to attention at those words and gazed at the treasure chest.
While not comparable to permanent stat-increase items, the gems in the treasure chest were also not an amount one would typically obtain at this level.
“Let’s split them fifty-fifty, just as you suggested.”
Jae-beom spoke calmly. Even if his contribution had been greater, the truth was that without Ye-jin, this reward would never have been obtained.
In a sense, one could say Ye-jin had graciously yielded her share.
[You have obtained approximately 25,000 gold worth of gems.]
And so the two of them divided the gems equally between themselves. The sensation of suddenly acquiring such a fortune in one’s hands was quite exhilarating.
“Ahem… let’s leave now. I don’t want to stay in a place like this any longer.”
Ye-jin cleared her throat and turned away as she spoke. Now that the rewards had all been collected, the quiet and dark atmosphere of the chamber felt somewhat uncomfortable.
Jae-beom wasn’t quite as affected, but having defeated the Tomb Keeper and run for so long, followed by the difficult battle against Sphinx, exhaustion had quietly accumulated within him.
―Whooooosh….
Leaving behind the mummy’s chill and silence, the two ascended the stairs and escaped from Sphinx’s Tomb.
* * *
Far beyond the distant horizon, the majestic silhouette of Osirius Castle revealed itself.
―Fluttering! Fluttering!
Banners lined along the castle walls fluttered in the wind. Upon the flags, which harmonized red and gold, was carved the emblem symbolizing Osirius Castle.
“Osirius Castle is secure!”
“Disorder will not be tolerated!”
Before the massive castle gates stood guards in imposing stances, spears in hand, arranged in a line.
Passing through the guards and entering the castle, medieval-style architecture came into view. The arched roofs, ornate patterned windows, and stone-built walls evoked the image of a castle from a fairy tale.
“Arhan! Don’t stand there! If you get caught, you’re dead!”
“If you say that, would you stand there yourself!”
The NPCs passing through the alleyways went about their daily lives with vibrant energy, as if they were real residents.
“We’ve finally returned.”
Ye-jin murmured with a sigh of relief. As if welcoming adventurers returning from a long journey, the castle’s shadow wrapped around them warmly.
―Thud!
And so the two arrived at the Plaza, where players gathered. As if to prove the game’s popularity, thousands of players occupied the square.
“….”
Ye-jin quietly observed them.
Each was conversing with their respective companions.
“Ahem.”
Reminded of that fact, she let out a small cough.
“If you don’t mind… would you like to add me as a friend?”
“Huh?”
“I don’t have any particular ulterior motive. I just thought it would be nice to party together occasionally going forward.”
“Mm.”
Hearing that, I scratched my head.
‘Usually, people who like newbies cut ties cleanly once they’re no longer newbies.’
Just how many newbies was I to Ye-jin?
After a moment’s consideration, I reached a conclusion.
‘She knows quite a bit of information I’m not aware of… and her gaming skill is definitely upper-tier.’
Crucially, once my level surpassed Ye-jin’s, I’d simply stop contacting her anyway, so it didn’t seem like it would become too bothersome.
“Very well.”
Ding!
[Ye-jin has sent you a friend request.]
[Will you accept the friend request?]
[Yes/No.]
Having made my decision, I pressed the accept button.
“!”
Ye-jin seemed startled that I would accept so readily.
―Whoosh…
With a faintly trembling right hand, she checked the friend list.
“Th… um! Let’s… stay in touch! I have something urgent to take care of, so I’m logging off!”
―Whoosh!
She logged out at a speed faster than light.
“?”
I was slightly taken aback by Ye-jin’s sudden departure after her rambling words. I’d expected at least a few more exchanges before she left.
‘She must be excited about successfully recruiting a newbie.’
I watched the spot where Ye-jin (Newbie Deviation: 701) had vanished, then moved on with my task.
The Eye of Insight that Mullen had requested.
Now it was time to appraise that mysterious item with this tool.
* * *
―Creak…
As I opened the door to the dilapidated shop, it swung open with a heavy sound. The hinges creaked and groaned as if the place hadn’t been properly maintained in ages.
Inside, the musty air mingled with the scent of old books and medicinal herbs, assaulting my senses.
‘Hmm…’
The shop’s interior was cluttered and chaotic. Items packed every corner so densely there was barely room to step.
From stone statues to grotesque masks to rusted weapons—objects of every conceivable kind were displayed, each bearing the marks of time.
One wall was lined with a ramshackle bookcase crammed with worn, torn books and scrolls piled haphazardly.
‘It seems to have gotten even messier since last time.’
I couldn’t fathom how it had become so disorganized in such a short span.
“Welcome, you old-timer!”
Soon, Mullen’s cheerful voice echoed from the back of the shop.
“Did you bring the item?”
“Of course.”
Mullen’s greeting ended with just that single sentence. What truly captured his interest wasn’t my wellbeing at all—it was Sphinx’s eye.
―*Whoosh.*
Knowing this full well, I extended the Sphinx’s eye I had obtained toward Mullen.
“Here it is.”
“Oh! Is this the legendary eye of Sphinx?”
“Yes.”
Though his words didn’t particularly demand a response, I offered a brief one out of courtesy.
But Mullen seemed utterly indifferent to my reaction.
“Behold this! The iris—such a mystical blend of crimson and gold! Does it not resemble a blazing sun of red light entwined by golden radiance?”
“Yes, indeed.”
“And observe these intricate, peculiar patterns! They may well be hieroglyphics from an ancient civilization… or perhaps they contain the very secrets of the cosmos itself.”
“That’s quite possible.”
“Furthermore, this material…”
I wasn’t being dismissive without reason. I knew from experience that people in this state of rapture pay no heed to whatever one says, so there was little point in engaging earnestly.
“Truly magnificent.”
In the end, the conclusion was remarkably simple—making me wonder why he’d waxed so eloquent beforehand.
Had I pointed this out, he’d only launch into another tirade, so I absolutely refrained from doing so!
“There is a slight scratch here, though…!”
I flinched. It was a mark left by Dercan’s attack.
“Yet even this blemish fails to diminish the mystique! Nay, this very scar evokes the legendary battles of heroes of old!”
‘Dercan as a legendary hero?’
I decided to bury the truth and asked instead.
“There are no functional issues, I presume?”
“Hmm? Ah, you mean because of the scratch? This is nothing to worry about. But truly, you’ve gone through considerable trouble. I’m genuinely grateful!”
“It was quite the ordeal to retrieve it.”
“Indeed… the ancient Sphinx is a formidable foe to contend with.”
Mullen understood just how powerful Sphinx was. Had he believed it an easy opponent, he would have retrieved it himself long ago.
“How many of you were there?”
“Two of us.”
“…What!?”
Mullen cried out in shock.

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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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