My Skeleton Soldier Is Strange - Chapter 6

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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 6
After defeating the Red Wolf, I made my way back to Osirius Castle.
Then I quietly examined the plaza’s chat window.
[4:40PM: Did you guys already catch the Red Wolf?]
[Spacetime Warrior: Yeah. Not sure who got it, but it’s already done.]
[Hexagon Cat: Seeing it taken down in just 5 minutes, it looks like it spawned in front of a professional party. The speed is way too fast to have been solo.]
[4:40PM: Could a solo player even take that down in the first place? If it spawned during solo play, that person would just be dead.]
‘They have no idea I was the one who caught the Red Wolf.’
These players had no clue that I’d defeated the Red Wolf. Instead, they were concluding that a professional party had hunted it.
It made sense.
By common logic, a low-level beginner player taking down the Red Wolf alone was nonsensical.
‘Of course, that would be true if it weren’t me.’
Even without reaching the difficult boss monsters in Warlord Online, the Red Wolf was far easier than Count Heltema.
‘For something so easy, the rewards were quite generous.’
I smiled at a thought that would make others’ jaws drop if they heard it.
For beginners, the Red Wolf was a monster that even dozens of players catching it would call a jackpot.
But I’d monopolized it alone, so it was only natural that the rewards felt even more substantial.
“Status window.”
[Player: Stagnant Water][LV: 3]
[Class: (H-Rank) Overlord]
[Strength: 9+3]
[Agility: 5+3]
[Mana: 5+3]
[Stamina: 5+3]
[Possessed Skills: Skeleton Soldier Summoning(1/1)]
[Achievement: Indomitable Hero(Effect: All Stats +3)]
[Achievement: First Wolf Dominator(Effect: Movement speed increased by 5%.)]
My status window displayed considerable changes.
‘Strength stat of 12 at level 3. At this rate, I could practically be called a strength mage.’
The first things that caught my eye were my level and stats.
My strength stat was significantly superior compared to other players at the same level.
‘And it’s not like my other stats are lacking either.’
Agility, mana, stamina.
I hadn’t invested a single point in these three stats yet.
But thanks to the Indomitable Hero achievement, I wasn’t falling behind.
‘For now, I’ll keep investing in strength.’
I’d decided to pour points into strength at least until level 5. After all, investing in mana wouldn’t make Dercan any stronger.
‘And I somehow gained another achievement too.’
In the achievement window, an achievement with the rather grandiose name “First Wolf Dominator” had appeared.
‘An achievement you can only get because no player has ever solo-defeated the Red Wolf until now… There really are all kinds of achievements.’
The condition for obtaining the First Wolf Dominator Achievement was simple.
A solo player at Level 10 or below defeating the Red Wolf.
‘I defeated it at Level 2, yet no one among players Level 10 or below has beaten it? If they’re handing out Achievements this easily….’
Jaebeom’s eyes gleamed as he seized the opportunity.
If the players before me hadn’t even obtained an Achievement of this caliber, then by sweeping up Achievements going forward, I might be able to overtake the rankers far faster than expected.
‘Besides, I have Dercan.’
Dercan hadn’t shown any outstanding qualities yet, but he was growing stronger with each level up.
Moreover, even in his current state, he could throw himself into battle and draw aggro.
‘While I’m thinking about it, should I take another look at Dercan’s status?’
“Dercan’s status window.”
[Dercan’s Status Window.][LV3]
[Remarkably Low Intelligence.]
[Possessed Skill: Combat Technique Acquisition]
‘How can a status window be this simple?’
I furrowed my brow at Dercan’s status window, which contained only three lines.
At this level, it was practically no different from having nothing at all.
“Tsk.”
Jaebeom quickly scanned the status window and closed it.
Since there was nothing particularly worth checking, the entire review took less than ten seconds.
―M… a… ster.
That was when Dercan opened his mouth.
Jaebeom answered calmly.
“What. Do you have something to say?”
―M… a… ster.
“Is that the only word you can speak besides that?”
―M… a… ster.
“…Fine. I understand, so stay quiet.”
―….
Dercan closed his mouth again.
Jaebeom exhaled softly.
When Dercan first spoke the word “master,” I was startled.
I thought Dercan would finally be able to speak like a human, but that was a grave miscalculation.
Dercan merely repeated the word “master” like a newborn infant learning to speak.
‘Still, the fact that he can speak at all is something. It’s far better than when his jaw just clattered.’
Yet I wasn’t entirely disappointed.
Hadn’t a difference already emerged between him and the other skeleton soldiers?
There is no speaking skeleton soldier anywhere in Evern Online.
And interpreting that more positively.
‘The higher his intelligence grows, the more human his behavior becomes.’
When his level first increased, he clumsily mimicked my actions, and now, though limited to a single word, he could speak.
If things continue like this….
‘Just one more level and Dercan will act like a human!’
Jaebeom stopped his train of thought, having felt as though his own intelligence was dropping in inverse proportion to Dercan’s rising intellect.
Still, he could reasonably expect some secondary benefits each time Dercan leveled up—whether it was learning combat techniques more easily, or speaking more coherently.
If possible, even his speech speed.
If possible, even his movements.
‘…Am I expecting too much? Then again, when we hunted the Red Wolf just now, he wasn’t completely useless… so I suppose I can afford a little hope.’
Jaebeom tempered his expectations to the bare minimum and then.
“Let’s head to the Blacksmith District now.”
He made his way toward the Blacksmith District within Osirius Castle.
It was time to craft a new weapon using the materials and gold dropped by the Red Wolf.
* * *
The Blacksmith District of Osirius Castle.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The cheerful sound of hammers rang out across the district.
―Short swords today for 20 gold!
―The shields turned out great!
―Lightweight iron shoes on special sale!
At the entrance of the Blacksmith District, NPCs were hawking their wares to players browsing the goods.
‘They really do seem like actual people.’
Jaebeom marveled at the blacksmiths of Osirius’s Blacksmith District. From their voices to their movements—everything about them felt genuinely human.
If not for the NPC label floating above their heads, he would have been completely fooled into thinking they were players.
‘So I have to pick just one blacksmith from all these people?’
Osirius’s Blacksmith District wasn’t a single smithy.
It was a place where countless blacksmiths and their countless forges gathered together, and that location was called Osirius’s Blacksmith District.
Therefore, players had to search among the many blacksmiths to find one who suited them well.
Only then could they obtain a weapon perfectly tailored to them by the time they left Osirius Castle.
‘Normally, you’d go around to various shops and have conversations with each one.’
Thus, players visiting Osirius’s Blacksmith District for the first time went through all sorts of processes.
Days could pass as they conversed with each blacksmith or toured their forges.
It was necessary work to figure out which blacksmith was the right fit.
But.
‘First, I’ll go find Arhenna.’
That was only relevant for those in the server’s early days or those who didn’t look up strategy guides.
Jaebeom had already decided long ago which blacksmith he would use.
Arhenna—the blacksmith with the worst personality in Osirius.
‘Wasn’t she a dwarf blacksmith?’
The dwarf blacksmith Arhenna.
And she was known to take considerable pride in the equipment she crafted.
That’s why, to commission equipment from Arhenna, one had to pass through her trial.
“I’m already looking forward to this.”
I recalled that fact and smiled.
“Let’s go, Dercan!”
I called out to Dercan behind me with a strong voice.
Tap!
At the same time, I moved swiftly toward the area where Arhenna was located.
―….
Tap… tap… tap.
Dercan followed silently behind me without a word.
* * *
Arhenna’s Blacksmith.
Unlike other blacksmiths, not a single player could be seen in this place.
The reason was simple.
Arhenna’s trials were so difficult that everyone had given up attempting them.
‘Besides, there’s a level restriction too.’
Arhenna’s trials could only be attempted up to level 10.
‘Word must have spread quite a bit.’
High-level players couldn’t attempt them, and low-level players would only suffer losses from trying.
As a result, few people even ventured near the place, and most who considered it were dissuaded by others.
In fact, when I tried to approach Arhenna, a few people lightly tried to stop me.
‘I’ll pass it on the first attempt.’
However, I ignored all their objections and approached Arhenna.
With my trained senses, I was confident that I could easily overcome the trials Arhenna presented.
Tap… tap!
I finished my thoughts and stopped walking.
Then I confirmed the sign of the blacksmith in front of me.
[Arhenna’s Blacksmith.]
“Excuse me.”
Without a moment’s hesitation, I pushed open the door leading into the blacksmith.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
I approached the sound of hammering.
“Over here.”
I called out to Arhenna, who was absorbed in forging a sword.
Clang!
The hammering stopped as Arhenna ceased her movements.
At the same time, she turned her head back and met my gaze.
“What? A customer?”
“Yes.”
I smiled in response to Arhenna’s gruff question. Short in stature with rugged muscles—she was a blacksmith with the typical appearance one would expect of a dwarf.
“I don’t forge equipment for just anyone.”
“I’m aware. I heard that to commission equipment from Arhenna, one must pass her trial.”
“…So you know already. Does that mean you’re challenging the trial?”
“Yes, I am.”
Arhenna’s eyes widened at my answer.
A wicked grin spread across her face.
“Good. So you’re taking on the trial. Follow me, kid.”
She then brushed past me and moved deeper inside.
I followed after Arhenna.
―Creak!
And we arrived at a mysterious chamber.
It was a spacious room with twenty crossbows positioned throughout.
‘No way.’
I surveyed the room and roughly deduced the nature of the trial.
Online, there were only rumors that Arhenna’s test was difficult, but nothing concrete about what it actually entailed.
Some posts claimed they’d reveal it for payment, but I ignored them.
I was confident I could pass regardless of what came.
“The trial is simple.”
Arhenna spoke to me with a mischievous smile.
“For one minute, arrows will rain down randomly from the twenty crossbows here. Survive without taking a single hit, and I’ll accept you as my client.”
“…”
“If you lack confidence, you’re free to give up. However, once the trial begins, the only ways to leave this chamber are death or success.”
Arhenna finished speaking and crossed her arms, her expression urging me to decide quickly.
“Hmm…”
I stroked my chin. As expected, it looked like a test nearly impossible for low-level players to clear.
However, that only applied to novices in Evern Online.
“Very well. I’ll take on the trial.”
For me, this test was merely child’s play.
‘Wait. But do I really need to dodge?’
Then a thought occurred to me.
‘There’s no guarantee no one else will challenge it later.’
I wanted to be the first and only person to ever pass this trial.
In that case.
‘I’ll dodge while smashing them all to pieces.’
If I destroyed all twenty crossbows in this trial chamber.
Then there would be no trial for anyone else, would there?

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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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