My Skeleton Soldier Is Strange - Chapter 246
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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 246
Time passed.
As the sun climbed higher into the sky and noon approached, a crimson haze completely engulfed the Battlefield. Within that mist, endless transformation and regeneration occurred. It did not take long for the last golden chariot to become a Chariot of Death. The change spread from one golden chariot to the next, and the process was irreversible.
About thirty minutes later, the haze began to slowly dissipate. Black silhouettes emerged one by one from within it. At first they were merely faint outlines, but as the mist cleared completely, their true forms became distinct.
Dozens of Chariots of Death stood arrayed before Kim Jae-beom. They formed a perfect formation, their cannons aligned with precision. Each chariot’s shape differed slightly. Some possessed sharper spikes, while others were equipped with more turrets. Yet they all shared the same essence—the nature of death and destruction.
Kim Jae-beom sat upon the Volcano Monster’s shoulder, gazing down at the spectacle. His face was filled with satisfaction. He raised his hand, signaling to the Chariots of Death, and they immediately swiveled their cannons toward him in unison.
Kim Jae-beom rose slowly to his feet.
He lifted off from the Volcano Monster’s shoulder into the air, and wings of light unfurled behind him. He hovered for a moment, looking down at the scene below. His eyes burned with the certainty of victory.
“You will lead the charge and breach the Fortress.”
His voice was quiet, yet it reached everyone’s ears with perfect clarity. It was both command and permission. The Chariots of Death ignited their engines in unison, and a tremendous roar shook the Land. Their treads began to rotate, and black smoke billowed from their exhausts.
The first Chariot of Death advanced forward. It moved slowly at first, but gradually increased its speed. The other chariots followed one by one, and soon all of them were in motion. Their treads ground the earth beneath them as they surged ahead, and everywhere they passed, the ground burned.
The Chariots of Death charged toward the Castle Gate. They formed a V-shaped formation, with the most powerful chariot at the vanguard. It had originally been the largest and heaviest of the golden chariots, and now it had become the most formidable Chariot of Death. The front of that chariot had transformed into a shape like a massive drill, its purpose unmistakably designed to shatter the Castle Gate.
As the Castle Gate drew closer, the Chariots of Death accelerated further. The ground trembled beneath their weight, and the roar grew louder. Black smoke filled the Sky, marking their path of advance.
The defenders stationed atop the Castle Gate noticed the chariots’ approach. They immediately assumed a defensive stance. Arrows rained down like a downpour, and catapults hurled massive boulders. Some Mages cast fireballs and ice arrows, but all of it proved useless against the Chariots of Death.
Arrows bounced off the chariots’ armor, and boulders only momentarily slowed their advance. Magic was absorbed or nullified by the crimson barrier surrounding the chariots. The chariots continued forward, ignoring all defenses.
When approximately one hundred meters remained to the Castle Gate, the leading Chariots of Death aimed their cannons. Crimson energy pulsed from their muzzles, ready to fire.
“Open fire!”
The moment Kim Jae-beom’s command fell, all the Chariots of Death fired their cannons simultaneously. Crimson energy beams tore through the air, streaking toward the Castle Gate.
Just before the beams reached the Castle Gate, a pale blue defensive barrier materialized before it. It was the Empire’s final line of defense—the Castle Gate itself, forged from Artantium ore and reinforced with magical protection. Artantium was known throughout the Empire as the hardest metal, and ordinary weapons could not easily break it.
However, the beams fired from the Chariots of Death were no ordinary attack. As the first beam struck the barrier, it shuddered with a brilliant flash. The second and third beams followed in rapid succession, striking the same point, and cracks began to form in the barrier.
As more beams poured down, the barrier finally shattered into pieces. The sound of its destruction echoed like thunder, and the fragments sparkled in the air before vanishing.
Now the Castle Gate, exposed without the barrier’s protection, became the next target. The Chariots of Death paused their bombardment and began channeling all their energy. Crimson light swirled around the chariots, growing increasingly intense.
Once the charging was complete, all the chariots fired simultaneously. This time, beams far more powerful than before were unleashed. They aimed with perfect precision at the exact same point, as if they were a single unified attack, striking the center of the Castle Gate directly.
In an instant, a blinding explosion erupted. Light and sound burst forth explosively, engulfing everything around it. The shockwave of the explosion rippled outward in all directions, shaking nearby buildings. Smoke and dust shot into the Sky, and for a moment the state of the Castle Gate could not be discerned.
As the smoke cleared, an astonishing sight was revealed. The Artantium Castle Gate, once considered impregnable, lay completely destroyed. A massive hole gaped in its center, and metal fragments scattered in all directions. The once-solid Artantium was now nothing but crumbled ruins.
The Chariots of Death advanced without hesitation. They ruthlessly trampled over the destroyed remains of the Castle Gate, pressing forward. Their treads crushed the metal fragments, and the sound of destruction echoed around them.
The first Chariot of Death passed through the Castle Gate and entered the interior of the Capital City. The other chariots followed in a line behind it. They were now invading the very heart of the Empire.
The Imperial Soldiers within the Fortress were completely seized by terror at this sight. They could not believe that their own chariots had been transformed and were now attacking them. Some froze in place, while others ran about in confusion.
“T-The chariots!”
One soldier cried out in a voice filled with despair. His face was pale, and the weapon in his hand trembled. He tried to warn his comrades, but they had already grasped the situation.
“The chariots are attacking us!”
Another soldier shouted. His voice was filled with confusion and betrayal. The Empire’s mightiest weapon, which they had trusted and relied upon, now sought to kill them.
The soldiers desperately raised their weapons in resistance, but their swords and spears could not even scratch the chariots’ armor. Arrows bounced off, and magic was absorbed. They were completely helpless.
The Chariots of Death fired their cannons at the soldiers. Crimson beams struck them down, and those hit fell immediately. Their bodies withered as if their life force had been drained, and some transformed into black ash.
The chariots continued to advance. They penetrated deep along the roads within the Fortress, toppling the Empire’s final defensive lines one by one. Wherever they passed, death and destruction remained, and behind them came the Demon Players and Volcano Spirits.
Kim Jae-beom watched all of this from above. His eyes gleamed with the joy of victory. He would soon have complete control of the Imperial Capital, and this was merely the beginning of his plan.
“Now it begins.”
Kim Jae-beom descended slowly and landed atop the lead Chariot of Death. As his feet touched the crimson chariot’s surface, the entire vehicle vibrated faintly.
Whoosh….
“Let’s see what we have here.”
Kim Jae-beom stood tall atop the bone-like structure that had replaced the transparent dome above.
“Advance.”
Boom-boom-boom!
The Chariots of Death surged forward in formation, penetrating deeper into the Fortress. Before them, the towering walls of the Inner Castle came into view. Taller and more formidable than the outer ramparts, the Inner Castle stood as the final bulwark protecting the Emperor’s residence. It was reinforced with Silverstar alloy—rarer and harder than Artantium—and had withstood every invasion for centuries.
The massive gates of the Inner Castle were double-layered: the outer door forged from solid iron, the inner reinforced with magically-enhanced steel. Above the gates rose several watchtowers, where the Empire’s elite archers stood ready with nocked arrows.
As the Chariots of Death approached the Inner Castle, its gates swung open. Yet this was no surrender. From within poured hundreds of knights—the Empire’s final garrison, the Emperor’s Royal Guard Knights.
These knights were utterly unlike ordinary soldiers. Their armor gleamed pure white, partially forged from Silverstar alloy. Their weapons thrummed with holy power, shimmering with an ethereal blue radiance. Without hesitation, they charged toward the Chariots of Death.
“Reckless fools.”
Kim Jae-beom murmured low. He gestured, and the cannons of the Chariots of Death swiveled in unison, targeting the charging knights.
Before the knights could close the distance, the cannons erupted. Crimson energy beams tore through the air. The knights raised their shields desperately, but they were mere dust before the onslaught of death energy.
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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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