My Skeleton Soldier Is Strange - Chapter 47

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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 47
Dercan and Arulan came to a simultaneous halt mere inches from each other.
“Of course, ambushes and feints are skills in their own right, but right now I just want to see pure combat technique.”
Dercan didn’t voice his thoughts at my words, but his expression clearly showed displeasure. Even though I’d acknowledged his ability, dismissing his ambush felt like negating it entirely.
However, my reasons for stopping weren’t limited to just one.
“And besides, I think there’s a better place to fight than here.”
The small dungeon was underground, so the lighting was poor, the confined space imposed many restrictions on combat, and most importantly….
“We’ll all end up dead at this rate.”
Looking more carefully, whether from age or the chaos we’d caused, the dungeon’s structural integrity was precarious at best. It wouldn’t be surprising if the aftermath of our battle brought the whole place down on us.
“If we’re going to spar anyway, there’s a much better location.”
As I spoke, I recalled the Training Ground at Dairun Fortress.
Though it did have quite a few ominous qualities….
‘Well, it shouldn’t matter.’
“Let’s go. I’ll give you both a proper place to fight.”
Though my hunt seemed to be losing coherence bit by bit, the gains I’d made so far were far better than any ordinary level-up, so it would be fine.
Since the goal was to clear the Quest, accurately assessing their true strength was more important than haphazardly grinding levels anyway.
“Both of you, come on. Let’s settle this.”
Just as I finished speaking and was about to move locations.
“Wait a moment.”
“Yes?”
“I’m coming too, right?”
Ye-jin spoke with evident anxiety when I emphasized “both of you.”
“Ah, well….”
“I’m a party member too, aren’t I? Right?”
I had no intention of arguing that Ye-jin wasn’t a party member at this point. However….
‘She’s going to be terrified.’
Even if Ye-jin’s fear in this place had been influenced by the statue, that location was somewhere that would frighten any ordinary person.
Unlike here—merely bloody, dark, and desolate—Dairun Fortress’s Training Ground was where people deliberately positioned themselves and launched surprise attacks at each other’s throats.
But.
“Actually, I do have one condition.”
“Yes?”
“When we get to Dairun Fortress, I’ll be recording video. Please don’t ask me to delete those recordings.”
“What? Of course not?”
I could only hope she’d truly keep that promise.
* * *
The dilapidated, musty Training Ground had been transformed into something clean and refined. What caught the eye most was the floor. Unlike the past when bare earth had been exposed, it was now replaced with sleek Armanite ore.
The jet-black ore emitted a dark luminescence, resembling the night sky itself. Up close, a subtle luster flowed across its surface. Grooves carved into the ore’s surface formed mysterious patterns along their lines.
The ore’s light-absorbing properties cast the entire Training Ground in shadow. The patterns that faintly glowed within the darkness shone with enhanced beauty. A mystical and cold atmosphere permeated the space. It evoked both an antiquated and majestic ambiance.
At the same time.
‘Well, they’re really committed to creating an atmosphere of dread.’
Dark, subdued, light-absorbing, adorned with various patterns.
…It was interior design optimized entirely for creating an atmosphere of dread.
‘I’d bet Ye-jin’s pinky toe that one of those patterns will have blood dripped into it for dramatic effect.’
“Commander Bu specifically instructed us to renovate the old Training Ground.”
In the meantime, Aldric was speaking with what seemed like a satisfied expression, but I was almost certain that wasn’t his true purpose.
“Please feel free to use it.”
Aldric bowed his head to me and quietly exited the Training Ground.
…He truly left ‘quietly’. Even though I watched him walk away right before my eyes, I heard not a single sound.
“Wow.”
Ye-jin hadn’t noticed, too busy reacting to the Training Ground’s facilities.
Since I’d mentioned uploading this to YouTube, she was exaggerating her reactions more than usual, which seemed to be why.
“That’s impressive.”
Ye-jin spoke with the sentiment of ‘It’s amazing to have access to such a magnificent and refined Training Ground.’
Of course it was impressive. The problem was that it was impressive in ways that went far beyond what Ye-jin was imagining.
“Let’s head inside.”
I changed the subject and walked with Ye-jin past the entrance, heading toward the center of the Training Ground.
―Whoosh….
When I lifted the steel staff, the space within the Training Ground began to ripple.
Soon, from the cracks in space, pitch-black darkness bubbled forth like boiling liquid. Within that darkness, an eerie silhouette began to emerge.
The first shadow walked out swiftly, sword in hand. A familiar shadow—it was Dercan.
The second shadow moved with leisurely steps, staff gripped in hand. Its tattered robes billowed as it lifted its head to gaze forward. Eyes burning crimson red. None other than Arulan.
“Haven’t you come to your senses? Why aren’t you coming out?”
Arulan immediately rushed out as if sprinting.
The moment Dercan and Arulan revealed themselves from the darkness, they turned their heads toward each other. Crimson eyes flashed and crossed. A tense atmosphere hung in the air.
“Now, there are no rules. You can ambush like before, no restrictions on vital points or anything like that. Fight until I tell you to stop, or until one of you becomes incapacitated.”
In the worst case, one of them would simply be unable to be summoned for about an hour. Expecting mercy in combat between undead was absurd.
‘The resummoning penalty isn’t insignificant, but…considering that, I need to observe them fighting at their absolute limits at least once.’
A silent confrontation unfolded between them. Both seemed intent on probing first.
As the silence stretched on, the air around them grew colder. It was natural enough, given that two undead were facing each other.
It was even more so when considering the atmosphere of Dairun Fortress.
[YouTube recording activated.]
Ye-jin was under a misunderstanding, but I hadn’t actually started recording yet. Since the horror atmosphere wouldn’t emerge immediately anyway, there was no point in capturing Ye-jin’s reaction prematurely.
―Whoosh….
Then I put maximum distance between Ye-jin and myself and the two skeletal warriors. Fortunately, the Training Ground, which had been rebuilt to the point of being completely overturned, was now several times larger than before. As the two of us moved away, Dercan and Arulan glared at each other with greater intensity.
…Boom!
The wait was long, but their speed of movement was inversely proportional.
Though considerable distance separated them, the act of charging forward and bringing down the twin blades in both hands happened almost simultaneously.
―Slash!
The blade cut through the air, flying toward Arulan’s body. There was far too little time for Arulan to prepare magic.
But instead of preparing magic, Arulan raised his left arm and blocked Dercan’s attack.
―Clang!
‘Tsk.’
From my perspective, Dercan’s judgment was flawed.
―Whoooosh!
The crimson runes inscribed upon his arm blazed with light. A mystical aura flowed forth as if ancient incantations were being woven into existence. That ethereal energy coalesced into a protective barrier around Arulan’s arm, completely absorbing the impact of the twin blades.
Arulan had not merely been waiting—he had been quietly casting layers of defensive magic.
As a warrior, Dercan should have rushed at Arulan the moment the duel began.
‘He’s learned many combat techniques, but his tactical judgment leaves something to be desired.’
―Boom!
A tremendous impact erupted, yet Arulan remained unmoved. Instead, a faint smile played at the corners of his mouth as he regarded Dercan with leisurely eyes.
―Whoooosh!
As if returning the favor, Arulan extended his right arm toward Dercan’s head.
―Whooooooosh!
Tremendous power surged from Arulan’s arm.
A deep violet aura spiraled outward.
Dercan’s instincts screamed danger, and he hurled himself aside with lightning speed.
By the narrowest margin, he evaded Arulan’s attack. Heat seared across his back as the blow passed.
A pillar in the path of the attack crumbled.
―Crash!
With a deafening explosion, cracks spider-webbed across the Training Ground.
Rubble scattered in all directions.
―Thud!
As the pillar completely shattered, white dust billowed forth, engulfing the space.
Suffocating darkness obscured my vision.
‘…Did he aim for this?’
He had feigned passivity to grant himself casting time, then provoked a direct assault to obscure the field of vision—a tactic some seasoned warriors employed against mages.
In the next instant, Dercan emerged from the dust.
He charged toward Arulan, piercing through the hazy veil.
Beyond the dust cloud, only his eyes burned with crimson fire, sharp and clear.
His twin blades carved through the dust.
Arulan raised his hand again, but the circumstances had shifted.
“Ah, the dust cloud!”
Just as Ye-jin reacted, his movements within the dust were unpredictable.
Since it was difficult to gauge from which direction the blade would come, even a mage like Arulan found his reactions lagging when he tried to raise his arm in defense.
―Clang-clang-clang-clang!
A relentless barrage of strikes rained down upon Arulan.
Front, left, right—alternating like sunlight breaking through a cliff’s edge.
Arulan illuminated the runes on his arm, desperately blocking each assault.
Several strikes still found their mark against his body, but the basic defensive magic layered upon him sparked with small flames, absorbing the impact.
‘Still, the damage accumulates.’
Should I endure until the dust settled, or should I decide the match before then?
―Shiiiiing!
Dercan chose the latter. Piercing through the dust, Dercan’s thrust surged toward Arulan’s chest.
In that instant, Arulan spread both arms wide.
With lightning speed, he seized Dercan’s ribs on both sides.
―Clang!
A far greater impact than before resonated from Arulan’s chest, but Arulan was no living creature—he was undead.
His chest had never been his weakness to begin with.
He had half-embraced Dercan, who had drawn so close.
Dark energy bloomed from Arulan’s fingers. Black mist wrapped around bone and seeped inward.
Shadow magic began to corrode the ribs.
―!
Dercan screamed in agony.
Though he was undead without nerves, the sensation of bone dissolving was utterly horrific.
Unlike Dercan, who had learned mainly attack methods and combat instincts, Arulan had possessed intelligence even before being summoned by me—proof that he knew how to fight against the undead.
I felt strength draining from Dercan’s body with each passing moment.
―Whoosh!
Dercan drew upon all his strength and poured it entirely into his twin blades.
“That technique… could it be?”
“Yes, I learned it just now.”
The crimson light blazing from the blade grew increasingly intense. As it did, Arulan’s chest—where the twin blades were embedded—began to heat and gradually melt away.
―! You wretch…!
Arulan gritted his teeth, having been turned against by his own technique.
Arulan refused to yield.
He wrung dark energy from every corner of his body.
The two undead, forsaking the protection of their own bodies, began to squeeze power from their entire forms.

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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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