My Skeleton Soldier Is Strange - Chapter 245

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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 245
Crimson mist swirled around the Chariot of Death, coiling slowly about the vehicle while occasional shrieks—like the wails of tortured souls—pierced the air. The chariot’s treads reformed, but they were no longer forged from metal; instead, countless bone fragments interlocked in a grotesque chain.
Kim Jae-beom descended slowly onto the Chariot of Death. He made his way to the control platform at its apex, and the moment he settled into the operator’s seat, the entire machine responded with heightened intensity. The mist rotated faster, and every weapon system blazed to life.
“Now it is time to crush the Empire’s final resistance.”
As Kim Jae-beom’s words fell, the Chariot of Death lurched forward. It began slowly, but accelerated with each passing moment. The bone-fragment treads bit savagely into the earth.
The Demon Players were momentarily overwhelmed by this spectacle, then erupted in triumphant roars as they surged after the chariot. Their eyes gleamed with absolute certainty of victory, and their steps grew lighter, more eager.
“Onward to the other golden chariots!”
“Sweep them all away!”
“Victory to the Demon Clan!”
The Demon Players’ cries filled the heavens. They formed a massive formation around the Chariot of Death and advanced with terrifying speed. The Volcano Spirits moved alongside them, while the Volcano Monster, still not fully recovered, followed slowly in their wake.
Their objective was unmistakable: the other golden chariots visible in the distance. These vehicles, which had emerged from different gates of the Fortress, had not yet fully engaged in combat, but they were already assuming attack positions.
The Chariot of Death took the vanguard, charging directly toward the enemy vehicles. It was no longer an instrument of the Empire’s defense—it had become an engine of the Demon Clan’s war machine. The paradox was stark: what once protected the Empire now sought its annihilation.
Kim Jae-beom smiled again. His eyes burned with the certainty of victory and the ambition of conquest. When today’s battle concluded, the Capital City—the very heart of the Empire—would fall entirely into the hands of the Demon Clan. And this was merely the beginning of his grand design.
The Chariot of Death’s cannon swiveled toward the enemy vehicles. Where golden rays once erupted, crimson energy now accumulated. This was the energy of death itself—capable of draining life force and tearing souls asunder.
“Fire.”
With Kim Jae-beom’s terse command, the Chariot of Death unleashed its first attack.
A beam of crimson energy erupted from the cannon, streaking directly toward the enemy’s golden chariot. It was unlike any ordinary attack. The beam carved through the very air itself.
Light and atmosphere seemed to be drawn into the beam’s path, leaving only the shadow of darkness in its wake.
The moment the beam struck the golden chariot, a violent collision erupted. After an instant of silence, a deafening explosion followed as the chariot’s surface began to shatter. But this was no mere physical destruction. As the armor fractured, the life force and energy within seemed to be violently drained away.
Cracks spread across the golden chariot’s surface with terrifying speed, spreading like a spider’s web across the entire vehicle. Golden energy leaked through the fissures, only to be consumed by the encroaching darkness.
A second and third attack erupted from the Chariot of Death in rapid succession. Each beam struck a different golden chariot, and the same phenomenon repeated. The golden chariots deployed their defensive systems, erecting shields, but they proved utterly useless against the energy of death. Shields shattered instantly, and the armor beneath was pierced through.
Strange phenomena began to occur within the cracks of the damaged golden chariots. Black light flowed in like liquid, possessing properties entirely opposite to normal illumination. It consumed surrounding light and drained life force itself.
The black light, as though alive, spread rapidly through the fissures. What began as tiny gaps expanded with horrifying speed. The black light that seeped into the chariots’ interiors began to corrupt their mechanical systems and magical infrastructure.
“What—what is this? The systems aren’t responding!”
“Complete loss of control! All functions are shutting down!”
“This is… the Demon Clan’s dark magic! We must escape—”
The operators inside the golden chariots screamed in panic, but it was already too late. The black light seized complete control of the interiors in an instant, and the operators’ voices cut off abruptly.
From the outside, the golden chariots were visibly transforming. Black light poured from the cracks until it engulfed the entire vehicles. Their golden surfaces darkened, shifting to a crimson hue. It was as though the metal itself was corroding while being soaked in blood.
Morphological changes followed. Jagged spikes erupted across the once-smooth surfaces of the golden chariots, and their elegant curves twisted into sharp, menacing angles. The turrets were reconstructed into far more threatening configurations.
When the transformation completed, the golden chariots no longer existed. In their place stood multiple Chariots of Death. They shared a similar form, yet each possessed subtle distinctions—like members of the same species, each with their own individual identity.
Kim Jae-beom’s chariot led the vanguard, with the newly converted Chariots of Death falling into formation behind him. They arranged themselves as naturally as a unit that had fought together for years. Crimson mist swirled around them, and the earth burned wherever their heavy treads passed.
Yet some of the distant golden chariots that witnessed this transformation immediately sensed the danger. They reacted without hesitation, abruptly changing direction to retreat. Their treads bit savagely into the earth as they accelerated toward the City Outskirts at maximum speed.
“They attempt to flee.”
Kim Jae-beom spoke in a low voice, a smile playing at his lips. He raised his right hand, extending it forward, then slowly lowered it toward the ground. The gesture was simple, yet it carried immense force of will.
In response to his motion, the Volcano Monster stirred. Though not fully recovered, it possessed sufficient strength. It stepped forward and planted its feet firmly upon the earth. Cracks began to form around its feet, and the ground trembled faintly.
The moment the Volcano Monster brought both arms crashing down upon the earth, a powerful earthquake erupted. But this was no ordinary seismic event. The vibrations concentrated in a specific direction, propagating with precision along the exact path the golden chariots were taking.
Wherever the earthquake spread, the ground fractured and split apart. What began as small crevices rapidly widened. Red light began to seep through the gaping fissures, growing increasingly intense.
Suddenly, the earth exploded open as magma surged upward.
Pillars of lava shot skyward, arranging themselves in a straight line to form a colossal wall.
The wall of magma completely blocked the golden chariots’ escape route. It rose dozens of meters high with considerable thickness. Heat shimmered the surrounding air, and smoke and volcanic ash billowed from the magma, obscuring the sky.
The golden chariots that had been attempting to flee slammed on their brakes. Before them materialized a wall of lava—an insurmountable barrier that could neither be scaled nor destroyed. The chariots desperately attempted to change direction, but at that very moment, additional lava walls erupted from their left and right flanks.
With the Volcano Monster’s second strike, more lava walls materialized. They connected seamlessly, forming a colossal semicircular barrier, and the golden chariots found themselves completely trapped within. Their only remaining exit lay in the direction where the Death Chariots stood.
“It’s over now.”
I spoke.
I extended my hand, pointing toward the Death Chariots. It was an attack command.
Every Death Chariot swiveled its cannon toward the trapped golden chariots. Dark crimson energy pulsed from their muzzles, signaling that they were fully prepared to fire.
Trapped between the Volcano Monster’s lava walls and the Death Chariots, the golden chariots desperately assumed defensive positions. Their cannons rotated toward the Death Chariots, and their defensive systems activated. Yet in their eyes, the shadow of defeat already loomed.
The Demon Players roared with exultation at this sight. They knew victory was within reach. The Volcano Spirits moved with frenzied joy, their bodies radiating ever-intensifying heat.
I smiled once more. My plan was unfolding flawlessly. Once all the golden chariots were transformed into Death Chariots, there would be scarcely anything left within the Capital City to impede our advance. And after that… the entire Empire would lie beneath my feet.
“Fire.”
With that terse command, all the Death Chariots unleashed their assault in unison. Dark crimson energy beams tore through the air, hurtling toward the trapped golden chariots.
Within the semicircular space encircled by lava walls, energy erupted in a cataclysmic wave. The golden chariots shattered one by one, consumed by the black luminescence of corruption. Their radiant golden light vanished, replaced by the darkness of death.

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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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