My Skeleton Soldier Is Strange - Chapter 60

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 60
“Wait!”
Aran threw himself in front of the Black Guild Members who were drawing their weapons.
“If it weren’t for this person, we would have all been wiped out. To act like this now…”
“I didn’t come for justifications or rewards.”
A man in black armor cut off Aran’s words and answered.
“I simply wish to know what exactly happened inside the barrier. What words were exchanged with Dalikssor, and why such a conversation was possible.”
“Aran, step aside. What they’re saying is correct.”
Kim Jae-beom nodded and stepped forward.
“A demon wouldn’t have bothered kidnapping an ordinary player, would they?”
One of the Black Guild Members growled.
“Are you perhaps one of Dalikssor’s associates? You didn’t die easily enough. Are you connected to him?”
“Right. There must have been some kind of deal inside the barrier, wasn’t there?”
Another asked with suspicious eyes.
“I have no obligation to answer.”
Kim Jae-beom replied indifferently.
“Didn’t you all witness my power breaking through the barrier with your own eyes? Or did you not see me fight Dalikssor?”
I felt them all flinch slightly at those words. Everyone had witnessed the dark crimson aura piercing through the corner of the barrier that had shown not even a scratch despite everything done from the outside.
“That could have been an act…”
The Black Guild Member spoke in a creeping voice. He seemed to know his own words lacked conviction.
“An act?”
My voice dropped a tone.
“You must have seen that Dalikssor’s power conflicted with mine. If we were on the same side, could my power have consumed his like that?”
A brief commotion rippled through the group of Black Guild Members. They had indeed witnessed the collision of Dalikssor’s power and mine. The clash of two forces trying to consume and push each other back…… it was far too fierce to be called an act.
“That’s not what we’re curious about.”
A figure who appeared to be the leader of the Black Guild stepped forward and spoke.
“You and Dalikssor clearly knew each other. We want to know what conversation took place inside that barrier, what your true identity is…… that’s what we wish to know.”
“That’s information I have no need to reveal.”
I answered firmly.
“What matters is that I clearly stood in opposition to Dalikssor, doesn’t it?”
“If that’s the case, I’ll use a truth-detection spell.”
As the man in black armor raised his hand, blue runes were drawn in the air. It was a considerably high-level magic known as the Judgment of Truth.
“Wait!”
Aran interjected again.
“The Judgment of Truth is a spell that can only be used with the target’s consent. Moreover, you’ve been acting quite rudely this whole time, but that’s not how you should treat someone who has accomplished such a feat. We should be offering more compensation!”
“…… If there had been compensation to give, I would have given it and thought it over. How could we discuss distribution without items dropping?”
As the Black Guild Member spoke and Aran hesitated, I quietly stepped forward.
“It’s fine.”
I took a step forward.
“But let me answer just one question.”
The Black Guild members exchanged glances for a moment. The one who appeared to be their leader stepped forward and asked.
“What’s your name?”
“Stagnant Water.”
“Stagnant Water, do you belong to the same faction as Dalikssor?”
A blue rune enveloped Kim Jae-beom’s body. The Judgment of Truth was a spell that would turn red and explode the moment one spoke a lie.
“I do not.”
Kim Jae-beom answered firmly.
The rune maintained its blue glow as it slowly faded away.
“…You don’t?”
As the Black Guild members stood bewildered by this result.
―Tap-tap… tap-tap-tap!
Footsteps echoed from behind Aran.
―Clang, clang.
The heavy sound of armor colliding rang out loudly.
―Click.
With synchronized movements, the knights leveled their spears at the Black Guild. Sharp spearheads took precise aim at those clad in dark armor. Red cloaks attached to white armor fluttered in the wind, expressing resolute determination.
“That will be enough.”
It was the Female Knight who had fought alongside Kim Jae-beom earlier. She had rushed over upon sensing the Black Guild’s pressure on him.
“…We were planning to stop anyway.”
The Black Guild had no intention of continuing the confrontation, and having confirmed that the statement wasn’t a lie, they decided to withdraw more readily than expected.
While it was unfortunate that they obtained no items, they had at least gained the Achievement of demon hunting and some experience points.
There was nothing to gain from pressuring Kim Jae-beom further.
Especially considering all of this would likely end up on YouTube later.
―Rip!
The moment the Black Guild player finished speaking, he tore a scroll. Black mist erupted from the torn scroll, sweeping across the Black Guild members in an instant.
“We’re leaving for now, but we haven’t abandoned our suspicions.”
“You claim not to be on Dalikssor’s side, but you may have cooperated temporarily despite being enemies.”
“And if it’s revealed that you’ve been scheming, we won’t stay idle then.”
―Whoooosh!
Engulfed in the mist, their forms gradually became indistinct. It was as though their very existence was slowly fading away. The sight was both mysterious and eerie—like living beings sinking into darkness and returning to the void.
Soon, consumed by the mist, they grew hazy and vanished from sight. They disappeared without a trace, as if they had never existed. Only an empty space remained where they had stood.
“I’m sorry for the trouble.”
As the Black Guild players vanished, Aran sheathed his sword. He slowly returned the blade to its scabbard with a sigh of relief. The way the blade slid into the leather sheath felt like bringing the battle to a close.
With the sound of the scabbard closing, Aran’s shoulders sagged. The muscles that had been tense from the strain seemed to relax. Beads of sweat glistened beneath his helmet.
“Phew…”
The exhaustion that came after battle was evident on his face. Simply standing against the Black Guild while nursing his wounds must have been a tremendous burden for him.
“Thanks for coming.”
“Not at all. It’s only natural.”
“We never liked those Black Guild bastards anyway!”
Yet at the same time, satisfaction from completing the mission was visible. In the way he bowed his head in gratitude to the guild members who had rushed over with him, one could sense his sense of responsibility that did not shy away from sacrifice. Standing there, exhausted yet unwavering in his resolve, Aran embodied the true spirit of chivalry itself.
“But then….”
“Who is that person?”
The White Guild players began examining me and my skeletal soldiers with curious eyes.
They’d witnessed my combat prowess, yet they had no idea who I actually was.
Aran felt the same way, so he gave a slight shake of his head.
Their gazes fixed back on me. Standing confidently with my staff in hand, I exuded an inexplicable charisma.
‘That’s… unknowable… but definitely some kind of high-ranking undead.’
‘A necromancer class for sure, right?’
Soon their attention shifted to Dercan and Arulan standing on either side of me. They couldn’t hide their amazement at the skeletal soldiers who radiated a vitality despite being undead. The presence that transcended death itself inspired awe.
The White Guild knights unconsciously swallowed hard, overwhelmed by the formidable power emanating from my group. Even these veterans, honed through countless battles, felt utterly outmatched. They couldn’t even fathom where such power originated.
Their gazes returned to me. Of course, I had no intention of lingering here any longer.
I had no desire to have my face plastered across YouTube videos I hadn’t even uploaded.
It was fine during the hunt, but after this it would turn into interview footage.
“Wait a moment…!”
Then Aran urgently called out to stop me.
* * *
“Unintentionally, I’ve received Aran’s business card.”
Aran had no desire for conflict with me. Besides, since Dalikssor had vanished along with his corpse, there was no reason to haggle over the spoils. Yet Aran handed me his guild’s business card.
“Hmm….”
The card Aran offered gleamed with dazzling white. Crafted from premium material, it shimmered like pristine snow. When light caught it, a subtle pearl luster flowed across its surface, lending it an even more noble appearance.
At the card’s center, Aran’s player name was inscribed in ornate, elegant script. The meticulously engraved letters resembled a work of art. Curves and lines harmonized to create a beautiful typeface.
‘The card is state-of-the-art.’
Beneath the name, the White Guild’s contact number was inscribed.
“…Is that actually gold leaf?”
Ye-jin muttered in an exhausted tone upon seeing the gilding. Of course, in Evern Online, gold held less value than in reality, but embedding it into a business card like this was certainly not standard.
I nodded in agreement and handled the card more delicately.
Beneath the phone number, the location of the guild hall was engraved. The city name and detailed address were written in an elegant script reminiscent of a royal invitation.
This single card encapsulated the White Guild’s prestige and pride entirely.
“Well, that must mean they don’t hand these out to just anyone.”
Since my name wasn’t written on it, I could always sell it later.
“What are you planning to do?”
“Obviously, I should visit.”
An opportunity to examine the White Guild’s hall wouldn’t come around often. With that thought, I decided to seek out the hall location written on the card Aran had given me.
* * *
In Yurin, one of the most prosperous cities on the Evern Continent, stood the magnificent White Guild’s hall. The colossal building, reminiscent of a mage tower, dominated the city’s skyline with its imposing presence.
The hall’s exterior walls were constructed of white marble. The pristine marble gleamed brilliantly under sunlight. The marble’s natural veining reflected light, emanating a mysterious aura.
“The players guarding the hall are quite formidable.”
“Are they stronger than the veteran player?”
“Obviously.”
Moreover, the level of White Guild players lingering around the hall was far from ordinary.
‘At least level 60.’
Dalikssor’s Subjugation Force members were far inferior by comparison. Even at minimum estimate, this creature surpassed the Female Knight in the Subjugation Force.
Of course, despite what he’d said, Kim Jae-beom didn’t believe he would necessarily lose in a fight….
‘If Aran had lost, I could have captured it by sending the second and third Subjugation Forces.’
The strength of the White Guild that he’d witnessed in Dalikssor’s Subjugation Force was clearly insufficient compared to the main force.
Of course, if they’d lost, their reputation would have taken some damage.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————