My Skeleton Soldier Is Strange - Chapter 5

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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 5
[Dercan’s Intelligence has increased.]
[New Passive Skill: Combat Technique Acquisition has been activated.]
The moment Jaebeom saw the two messages, he promoted Dercan from an experience point shuttle to a combatant.
‘If I can make him fight like me… that would be incredibly reassuring!’
Even if not perfect, as long as he moved similarly to himself, he could become a proper fighter.
“Good.”
Jaebeom turned toward Dercan with an expression of unbridled excitement, noting the increase in intelligence.
―Click… click… click?
Dercan then tilted his head side to side in confusion.
Jaebeom flinched at the sight.
Before his intelligence rose, it seemed like Dercan was just mindlessly clacking his jaw.
‘He’s like a puppy trying to grasp my intent?’
Now it appeared he was earnestly working through my words, turning them over in his mind. Of course, Dercan had no brain to turn.
‘Since his intelligence increased, he should at least understand simple commands.’
But that wasn’t what mattered.
What mattered to me was not whether Dercan possessed a brain, but whether he could comprehend my words.
“Look here.”
Jaebeom waved his hand toward Dercan.
Dercan’s eyes blazed with azure light as he gazed at Jaebeom.
‘He really does understand?’
Dercan’s gaze followed the hand Jaebeom was waving.
Jaebeom witnessed this and inwardly marveled.
‘Necromancers said they couldn’t communicate with the skeletal soldiers they summoned.’
There was indeed a considerable difference between Dercan and the skeletal soldiers summoned by ordinary Necromancers. As his level rose and intelligence grew, that gap became increasingly pronounced.
‘So that’s why Overlord is a superior class to Necromancer!’
Only now did Jaebeom truly appreciate the advantages of being an Overlord.
‘It’s a perfect fit, an absolute perfect fit.’
If Overlord had merely been about producing greater quantities or offering slight improvements to undead quality as he’d initially thought, it would have been poorly suited to him.
But this was different. If he could teach directly, he was confident he could transform even an ordinary skeletal soldier into a formidable warrior.
“From now on, you’re my first disciple.”
Jaebeom was confident in his ability to teach.
He had imparted countless lessons in the dying Warlord Online. He wanted to keep the game alive for newcomers, even if only slightly.
In fact, he’d achieved some results because of it. Whether Jaebeom taught them directly or they entered through his tip posts, countless users had benefited from his guidance.
His fame wasn’t built solely on maintaining the number one ranking.
However, all those he had taught were now gone from Warlord Online.
They remained in Evern Online, though―
‘I wonder if the reason Newbie continues playing Warlord is because he’s worried his true skill level will be exposed in Evern Online.’
They were all defectors. In any case, wasn’t Dercan his first true disciple?
And this first disciple of mine…
‘I’ll have to work him hard from now on!’
Unlike my other disciples—or rather, what they used to be—this one would actually prove useful.
This disciple would eventually be capable of constructing a legitimate automatic hunting system.
* * *
I led Dercan to the deepest reaches of the Green Plains, moving carefully to avoid the gaze of other players while teaching him combat techniques at a comfortable pace.
The moment we arrived at the very edge, a wolf resting within the area spotted Dercan.
―Grrrowl!
It bared its fangs and lunged toward him.
“Dercan! Raise your shield and crouch!”
Seeing this, I raised my right hand and lowered my stance.
―Thud… thud.
Dercan’s chin struck something at my shout.
Simultaneously, he bent his knees and attempted to raise his shield, but—
Growl!
[Dercan’s body has been shattered by the wolf’s attack.]
The wolf had already bitten through Dercan’s neck.
Crash!
Dercan’s body crumpled instantly.
I stared at the sight with an expression of utter disbelief.
“Damn!”
Whoosh!
But lamentation was one thing—my body was already moving.
Staff in my right hand, I charged toward the wolf that had destroyed Dercan’s body.
Grrrowl!
The wolf now turned its gaze toward me.
It attempted to target my neck just as it had done to Dercan, but—
“Die!”
Crack!
I was different from Dercan. Before the wolf could even properly react, my staff was already aimed at its vital point.
Screech!
The wolf breathed its last in the next instant.
[Dercan acquires half of the experience gained.]
[Dercan’s experience increases.]
[Dercan has absorbed the spirit of the dead wolf.]
[Additional experience acquired through the spirit.]
As always, the message appeared indicating that Dercan had obtained additional experience through spirit absorption—
“Sigh.”
Yet I felt no joy.
My current objective was not to hunt wolves and gain experience.
Whoosh.
I turned my gaze toward Dercan.
My body, which had been shattered by the wolf, was slowly reassembling itself.
“At least I’m grateful that my lives are unlimited.”
I felt relief at that fact.
If mana had been consumed every time I revived, I would have run out of mana long ago.
―Click… click… click.
Dercan moved his head left and right while his jaw clicked.
I exhaled a sigh and continued.
“Once you spot an enemy, draw your sword and throw yourself at them. Aim the blade at their head. You won’t die anyway, right? So don’t hold back.”
Then I drew my sword and hurled myself at empty air as a demonstration.
―Click… click.
Dercan watched my movements and clicked his jaw.
Still with only his skull rolling across the ground.
“…You understood correctly, right?”
―Click… click… click.
“Good. I just pray you’ve learned it.”
I let out a sigh so deep it felt like the earth was sinking.
And in the moment I was praying he’d at least contribute 0.1 of his share.
Ding!
A cheerful bell chimed in my mind.
[The Red Wolf, ruler of the Green Plains, has appeared.]
[You will receive a reward if you eliminate the Red Wolf.]
The Red Wolf had appeared.
“…What?”
I had considered the possibility that the Red Wolf might appear in this area.
However.
―Growwwl… growwwwl!
I never expected it to respawn right in front of me while I was teaching in this secluded spot.
“…”
A typical player would have fled with their feet on fire the moment they grasped the situation.
Facing that creature alone—something that took dozens of players in a party to barely defeat—would only earn me a 24-hour penalty after death.
But.
‘Gold has appeared right before me!’
I had no such thoughts.
Why would I fear a 24-hour access restriction?
‘If I don’t get hit, it doesn’t matter, right?’
If I avoided its attacks, there was no reason to die.
‘You’re my second video material.’
[Beginning recording.]
I hadn’t uploaded the footage I recorded last time to YouTube yet. If I posted a world-first Hell Mode clear video, it might attract far too much attention.
‘If someone were to imitate me and the Overlord class became known, there would be no benefit to it.’
However, the Red Wolf was different. The situation was somewhat complicated, but ultimately it was just a monster that anyone could hunt.
“Phew.”
I confirmed the flickering red circle and exhaled deeply. With that, all the preparations necessary to hunt it were complete.
Now all that remained was.
“Why not earn some money?”
The excellent prey that had appeared before my eyes.
Was simply to devour it.
* * *
―Whoosh!
The Red Wolf’s massive front paw slashed through the air.
I clicked my tongue as I saw its enormous claws pass by my right ear.
‘Fast!’
The Red Wolf was certainly different from an ordinary wolf.
Its strength. Its movements. Even its physique.
‘If it lands one solid hit, I’m done for.’
Even I, a veteran of Warlord Online, found myself swallowing hard at its power.
Of course, that didn’t mean I thought I would die.
After all, I had already hunted Count Heltema, a boss far more formidable than this.
―Roooar!
The Red Wolf let out a mighty roar.
At the same time, it leaped high toward me, deftly evading my attack.
It intended to use its massive body to suppress me.
But.
‘Not a chance!’
That trick didn’t work on me at all.
Thud!
The moment the Red Wolf jumped, I crouched my body down as low as possible and slid forward like a soccer player executing a tackle.
―!
And all of this happened in less than a second.
The Red Wolf couldn’t even comprehend how my movements had unfolded.
Crash!
The Red Wolf ended up landing hard on the ground, contrary to its intentions.
―Growl!
The Red Wolf turned its body around.
And it glared at me with murderous intent for evading its attack.
“You. Don’t you think you forgot something?”
At that moment, I smiled and spoke toward the Red Wolf.
I hadn’t meant for it to understand, but the Red Wolf, possessing higher intelligence than expected, furrowed its brow as if asking what I was saying.
Having unexpectedly gained the benefit of diverting its attention, I grinned widely and shouted loudly.
“Dercan! Attack!”
At that moment, Dercan—who had been recovering his battered body in the corner—snapped to attention with a jerk of his chin.
―Hyaaah!
He charged forward, driving off with both legs toward the Red Wolf.
―Whoosh!
―Growwwl!
The Red Wolf swatted its front paw toward Dercan with contemptuous ease.
Crash!
Dercan’s body shattered once more, and the worn blade in his grip went flying through the air.
Thud!
In that instant, I hurled myself forward. Simultaneously, my right hand seized the staff while my left snatched up the fallen sword.
‘I see it! The thread of opportunity!’
The Red Wolf still had its front paw raised, occupied with its assault on Dercan.
―Grrrowwl!
The Red Wolf reacted belatedly and brought its raised paw crashing down, but that paw crossed past my silhouette—and I finally slipped into the beast’s embrace.
―Whoosh! Boom!
The staff and sword in both my hands crossed in a devastating X.
―Squelch! Crack!
Though it was called a hidden monster of the Green Plains, it wasn’t particularly durable. Otherwise, beginners would never have been able to defeat it.
The sound of shattering bone and piercing flesh erupted in succession.
―Ugh… grrr….
The Red Wolf, which had dominated the plains through sheer speed and striking power alone―
Thud!
fell pathetically to my single blow.
“…Haah!”
I gazed down at the now-lifeless corpse of the Red Wolf.
“Recording stopped.”
[Recording has ended.]
And the moment the recording-ended message concluded―
[You have fulfilled all experience requirements for leveling up.]
[Your level increases by 1.]
[Dercan has fulfilled all experience requirements for leveling up.]
[Dercan’s level increases by 1, becoming level 3.]
A golden message announcing the level-up materialized before my eyes.
“Lady Luck smiles today.”
I wore a satisfied expression, thinking this day’s progress was quite respectable.
But then―
Ding!
Ding!
Ding!
Ding!
“…Huh?”
That wasn’t the end of it.

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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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