My Skeleton Soldier Is Strange - Chapter 50

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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 50
“W-well then, what about a new-model capsule?”
To be honest, I’d never really wanted a portable access device in the first place. Still, the astronomical price made my words stumble unbidden from my lips.
“….”
Kim Ji-min pondered for a moment before speaking.
“New-model? Which one?”
“The latest version. In exchange, I’ll give you a 9:1 split on YouTube revenue. Of course, I take the 9.”
“Hmm….”
“I was once ranked first in first-generation virtual reality games. Now I’m starting over as a complete novice. It won’t be long before I’m earning money again.”
“I see.”
“Besides, I won’t sign contracts with anyone else. I have no intention of joining a guild. In that sense, you already know how massive an opportunity this is.”
The reason Kim Jae-beom spoke so elaborately, pressing his point with such intensity, was simple.
‘I’m running short on living expenses.’
Not that I planned to sell the new capsule, but if I sold the one I currently owned, I could at least scrape by until YouTube revenue started flowing in.
“…That comes with full options too, right? Then it should fetch around 6,000….”
“No… wait a moment.”
Since Warlord Online was such an old game that it didn’t require a good capsule, I hadn’t known—and now, realizing the price point, my words faltered.
“Fine, but….”
“Oh, I’ll obviously draw up a contract.”
“That’s not it.”
Kim Ji-min spoke with unwavering firmness, her expression brooking no further compromise.
“Cook for me.”
“…You mean buy me dinner, not cook it?”
“You. Cook. For me.”
Faced with such resolute determination, I mobilized every ingredient in my apartment and served up the hodgepodge fried rice that broke college students everywhere relied on.
It was undoubtedly inferior to the meal she’d prepared last time, yet for some reason, Kim Ji-min looked even happier than before.
* * *
The capsule arrived in less than a day.
―Whirrrr
“Installation is complete!”
This was only possible because Kim Ji-min was a VIP customer.
“By the way… your girlfriend must really love you.”
“Pardon?”
“She bought you this capsule. Wow!”
‘What on earth is this guy talking about.’
“You’ve got a handsome face and a great physique… so the young lady must have fallen for you, right?”
“Ah. She’s not my girlfriend… just an old close friend.”
“Oh, I see.”
And at my response, he looked flustered.
“My apologies. I made a mistake.”
“It’s fine.”
“Then I’ll be on my way!”
And so I hurried out of Kim Jae-beom’s house.
Not before leaving behind a request: ‘Please keep this a secret.’
―Creak.
In any case, after the knight departed, Kim Jae-beom stared at the state-of-the-art game capsule installed in his living room. It gleamed far more brilliantly than the old capsule he’d owned before.
―Whirrrr.
Kim Jae-beom carefully eased his body into the capsule.
The moment the door sealed shut, the pristine interior—completely isolated from the outside world—came into view.
Traces of cutting-edge technology were evident throughout.
The ergonomically designed inner walls embraced his body with both comfort and stability.
The softly luminous silver interior paneling reflected light with seamless smoothness.
The meticulously organized interior appeared as clean and hygienic as a sterile chamber.
An air circulation system hummed softly, pumping in fresh air.
“The helmet’s quite something too.”
Kim Jae-beom gazed intently at the helmet suspended from the capsule’s ceiling.
Its futuristic design was the sort one might expect from a science fiction film.
Crafted in glossy black, the helmet resembled an astronaut’s headgear.
Reinforced glass emitting a blue glow was affixed to the helmet’s front.
Dozens of thin cables connected to the helmet’s rear.
Densely arranged sensors and electrodes appeared designed to detect brainwaves.
The cables extending from the helmet were neatly organized at the capsule wall’s terminals.
Cushioned pads were attached throughout the helmet’s interior.
It seemed engineered to fit snugly against the wearer’s head shape for maximum comfort.
The moment one donned the helmet, its soundproofing function completely blocked external noise.
It was, in essence, the perfect environment for immersive gaming.
This helmet—a culmination of advanced technology—would draw him even deeper into the world of Evern Online.
Kim Jae-beom placed the helmet over his head, unable to conceal his excitement.
He swelled with anticipation, imagining the adventures that awaited him.
[Connecting to Evern Online.]
A message announcing the game’s start appeared on the helmet’s display.
* * *
Kim Jae-beom walked quietly and alone toward the Training Ground.
The moment he logged into Evern Online, a breathtaking vista unfolded before his eyes.
The cutting-edge technology of the new capsule rendered the virtual world’s graphics at an entirely higher level.
The Training Ground’s landscape appeared strikingly different from before.
The rough texture of the concrete walls and the cracks upon them felt vividly distinct.
Even the crystalline grains of sand glinting in sunlight were rendered with stunning clarity.
The flow of each dust particle suspended in the air became visible to his eyes.
“Wow….”
Kim Jae-beom marveled repeatedly at the footage, which felt almost impossibly real.
‘Even with the existing equipment, Warlord Online was on a completely different level.’
The graphics had become so overwhelmingly refined that the boundary between game and reality blurred.
With touch and even smell feeling authentic, it was easy to lose track of what was real.
The flow of air, the shift in body temperature, the sensations against my skin—all were astonishingly delicate.
The new capsule was a revolutionary technology that expanded the very realm of sensation.
“At this level, even the skeletal soldiers….”
Kim Jae-beom felt his heart racing.
Unable to contain his curiosity, he hastily began summoning two skeletal soldiers.
The aura of summoning magic, rendered far more three-dimensional than before, spread throughout the Training Ground.
Violet energy twisted and swirled through space in a breathtaking spectacle.
Brilliant light and thunderous roars blended together in perfect harmony.
Finally, the two skeletal soldiers emerged amid a dazzling flash.
Their forms, rendered with incomparable precision and realism compared to before, were overwhelming.
The texture of each individual bone of the skeletal soldiers was astonishingly intricate.
From the worn and chipped armor came the weighty sensation of cold metal.
The trajectory of weapons cutting through the air was expressed with breathtaking dynamism.
The rustling of fluttering robes and the ethereal glow cast by swirling dust blended fantastically.
The skeletal soldiers, rendered so vividly they seemed tangible, made me acutely aware of the new capsule’s overwhelming performance.
“This is excellent.”
I gazed at Dercan and Arulan as they materialized.
―Shhk….
Kim Jae-beom slowly reached behind his back and drew the steel staff slung across his shoulders.
The moment his fingers wrapped around the cold metal, a sensation so vivid it sent shivers down his spine coursed through him.
The rough, crude texture of steel transmitted directly to my skin.
As I gripped the staff with both hands, its substantial weight traveled up my arms.
When I tightened my grip, the unyielding steel pressed more firmly against my palms.
The pressure transmitted to my hands was so convincing it created the illusion of truly wielding a weapon.
As I ran my fingertips across the staff’s surface, the bumpy texture registered against my fingers.
Each corroded section and scratch mark was distinctly perceptible.
The tactile sensation of a weathered weapon that had endured countless hardships transmitted through my hands.
Kim Jae-beom repeatedly clenched and released the staff with force.
It was remarkable that a game item could be implemented with such convincing realism.
As if holding an actual weapon in hand, the sense of reality overflowed so intensely it was almost disorienting.
The new capsule seemed to have opened a new frontier in the realm of sensory synchronization.
With such vividness, the thrill of combat would transcend imagination.
Kim Jae-beom felt hot blood circulating throughout his entire body.
Combat.
I wanted to fight.
Such desire bloomed within my heart, and simultaneously, I wanted to verify just how heightened my sensory synchronization had become.
Through fierce combat.
Then who would be the opponent?
“Both of you come at me.”
Of course, it was Dercan and Arulan, whom I had summoned.
* * *
While Kim Jae-beom gripped the steel staff, Dercan and Arulan fixed their gaze upon him.
In the eye sockets of the skeletal soldiers burned a hunger like that of ravenous beasts.
The thirst for battle and craving for blood rippled within their crimson eyes.
The two skeletal warriors gradually tightened their encirclement, positioning themselves on either side of Kim Jae-beom.
Dercan pressed from the right, Arulan from the left, closing in relentlessly.
The robes fluttered in the wind, exuding an ominous aura.
Two pairs of hooves scraped the earth, kicking up dust.
As the distance narrowed, the Training Ground fell into the eerie calm before a tempest.
The suffocating tension pressed down upon the air itself.
Who would draw their blade first? The silence stretched on.
Dercan and Arulan held their breath, searching for any opening in Kim Jae-beom’s defense.
They tensed their grip on sword hilt and staff, ready to pounce at the slightest opportunity.
It was the sight of seasoned warriors steeling their resolve and pressuring their opponent.
Kim Jae-beom too drew upon his inner strength, preparing for combat.
He gripped the steel staff firmly, channeling power through his arms and shoulders.
A keen killing intent blazed from his narrow, piercing eyes.
Drawing a deep breath, he fixed his resolute gaze upon the two skeletons in turn.
An unyielding standoff with no quarter given.
A moment poised on the knife’s edge, awakening primal combat instinct.
As all stood with blades leveled and defenses raised, a breathless silence fell.
…Thump!
Then it came.
Dercan shattered the silence first, charging toward Kim Jae-beom.
―Shing!
Dercan’s hands moved with lightning speed as he drew his twin blades from their sheaths.
The silver blades flashed brilliantly, cutting through the air.
―Whoosh!
With the sound of wind being rent asunder, the blades flew toward Kim Jae-beom’s throat.
The downpour of blades at close range was breathtakingly swift and ferocious.
Kim Jae-beom instinctively raised the steel staff to block.
―Clang! Crash!
The sharp metallic ring echoed through the Training Ground.
As the two weapons collided, sparks erupted in all directions.
The thunderous clash of blade and staff assaulted the ears.
“Hah!”
Kim Jae-beom planted his feet firmly and unleashed explosive force through his steel staff.
With superior level and stats granting him the advantage, his raw strength was overwhelming.
Pushing back Dercan’s twin blades was effortless.
―Screech!
The weight behind Kim Jae-beom’s shove sent Dercan’s twin blades sliding backward.
Like a twig striking stone, they were driven back helplessly.
Before the superiority of a hardened body, weapons became utterly powerless.
―…!
Dercan gritted his teeth and held his ground, but it was futile. He felt the strength draining from his shoulders and arms.
The harder he resisted, the more his weapons slipped from his grasp.
―Clang!
The twin blades, driven back in a shower of sparks, flew through the air.
As the force’s direction shifted, Dercan’s body lurched forward, thrown off balance.
‘An opening!’
In that fleeting instant, Kim Jae-beom charged toward Dercan.

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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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