My Skeleton Soldier Is Strange - Chapter 73

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

Chapter 73
What blocked the path of Kim Jae-beom’s party at the entrance to the Shadow Fortress was a massive, heavy iron gate. Forged from metal as dark as pitch, the door stood as the fortress’s first line of defense.
The iron gate, towering well over two meters high, exuded an oppressive presence. Thick metal plates welded in layers bore the patina of centuries, their surfaces corroded with rust.
Ornate patterns evoking ancient architecture and grotesque sculptures were densely carved across the entire gate. The eerie figures seemed to snarl as a warning to any who dared trespass.
Defensive magical circles inscribed by ancient sorcerers gleamed upon the iron door. Mysterious patterns emanating a soft blue luminescence covered its surface—complex incantations written in archaic languages, meticulously etched across every inch.
The magical circles radiated a gloomy aura, as though wrapping the gate in a formidable barrier. It was a defensive wall of considerable power, not to be approached carelessly.
Before such a gate, the skeletal sorcerer Arulan stepped forward. Raising a hand imbued with the chill of death, his lips began to chant an incantation.
Forbidden death sorcery. A curse composed in ancient demonic tongue seeped into the iron gate through the air. The moment the dark aura touched the metal, an eerie reaction erupted.
The blue magical circles carved into the gate began to convulse. The ancient patterns trembled, their luminescence gradually fading. The blue radiance grew dim as the magical power weakened.
Soon the magical circles began to dissolve as if melting away. Leaving traces of blue afterimages, the curse marks vanished. The dark sorcery was eroding the barrier protecting the gate.
The locking mechanism of the iron gate could not withstand Arulan’s curse either. The intricately interwoven mechanical gears began to creak and break apart.
Rusted cogwheels ground to a halt, and the metal bolts twisted and snapped. The seemingly solid locks crumbled and collapsed.
As the defensive mechanisms were neutralized one by one, the iron gate lay exposed and defenseless. Once the stalwart guardian of the Shadow Fortress, the great gate now stood in pitiful disrepair, stripped of its former majesty.
Consumed by sinister energy, the iron gate was no longer an obstacle to Kim Jae-beom’s party.
* * *
The sight that greeted them upon pushing open the heavy iron door and stepping into the fortress interior was overwhelming. The darkness-shrouded space was suffused with an eerie, ominous atmosphere.
Pitch-black darkness engulfed the entire fortress, reaching up to the ceiling. Shadows stretching across the long, narrow corridor created an ominous impression.
Tap… tap… tap.
With each step forward, the sensation beneath my feet felt peculiar. The entire floor was covered with an ornate crimson carpet.
‘It’s more elaborately decorated than I expected.’
The lavishly spread scarlet carpet dyed the surroundings in a hue reminiscent of blood. That vivid red color shone intensely even in the darkness, creating an unsettling atmosphere.
Colorful stained glass was embedded throughout the walls. Grotesque images depicting demons and monsters radiated mysterious colors as they gleamed.
‘It’s like a haunted house….’
The eerie forms depicted in the glass seemed to proclaim that this was indeed a fortress of evil. The faintly transmitted dark light conveyed the ominous aura from beyond the windows.
The interior of the fortress was filled with antique furnishings and sculptures. Ornately carved tables and chairs, along with statues of bizarre forms.
“Hmm.”
Those items, crafted in ancient style, were adorned with unsettling patterns that seemed to worship demons. Dust and cobwebs settled between the furniture and sculptures, testament to how long the fortress had been abandoned.
Red candles burned in the candelabras that illuminated the corridor. The flickering flames cast a blood-red hue, dyeing the surroundings with an eerie glow.
The shadows cast by the dancing flames painted grotesque shapes upon the walls. This bizarre dance of darkness made one feel as though stepping into a nightmare.
“Let’s venture deeper inside.”
The narrow, winding corridor stretched out like a labyrinth. The path, its destination unknown, led into depths of profound darkness.
“Through that corridor?”
Ye-jin was taken aback at the sight of such a passage. She never imagined he would suggest venturing into that pitch-black path.
“….”
Given her aversion to frightening things, she couldn’t readily agree to his proposal. Yet she also knew the truth—to successfully complete the quest, they had to traverse that corridor.
Gulp.
Ye-jin swallowed lightly.
And she stared intently at the darkness beyond the corridor. Though she knew all of this was a virtual reality game, it was difficult to suppress the primal fear it evoked.
“O-okay. I understand.”
But because she wanted to be of help to Kim Jae-beom, she ultimately accepted his proposal.
* * *
Kim Jae-beom and Ye-jin advanced deeper into the fortress with Dercan and Arulan flanking them on either side. The narrow, elongated corridor seemed to stretch endlessly before them. Only the weight of silence hung in the air, pressing against their ears.
“These portraits are rather peculiar, aren’t they?”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“This is a demon’s fortress, yet human paintings adorn the walls.”
The corridor walls were densely lined with massive portraits. Within frames bordered in gold, figures clad in elaborate aristocratic garments were depicted—men and women gazing down with arrogant expressions. Yet their unfamiliar faces meant nothing to Kim Jae-beom and Ye-jin.
“Hmm…”
Dust had accumulated thickly on the portrait surfaces, as if no one had visited in ages. Cobwebs stretched across the frames, and the once vibrant hues had long since faded. The paintings bore the unmistakable weight of passing centuries. As Kim Jae-beom’s hand brushed past one, gray dust scattered into the air.
“Now that you mention it… you’re right.”
Ye-jin also examined the portraits with curious eyes, her gaze tracing the weathered canvases as she wondered about the identities of the figures within. Yet no matter how intently she studied them, the past remained unknowable. The two continued past the antiquated portraits.
The corridor was shrouded in absolute darkness, devoid of any light. Yet Kim Jae-beom and Ye-jin navigated without difficulty, thanks to the crimson radiance emanating from Dercan and Arulan’s forms.
―Uuuoong…
The red aura enveloping the skeleton soldiers cast a soft glow across their surroundings. The crimson flames pushed back the darkness, illuminating the path before them. Like two moving torches, the skulls radiated vibrant light, guiding the group forward. Walls and floors bathed in red luminescence. Beneath the blood-hued flickering, the antique portraits took on an increasingly grotesque atmosphere. Shadows writhed and twisted with each step the group took.
Boom!
A violent tremor shook the corridor. The walls shuddered violently as dust and debris cascaded from the ceiling.
“Ah! Ahhh!”
“Ye-jin. Come closer to me.”
“Y-yes!”
Kim Jae-beom and Ye-jin, losing their footing, stumbled and leaned against each other for support.
Crash!
The violent tremors caused the portraits hanging on the walls to fall. Heavy wooden frames struck the floor and shattered into pieces. Shards of broken glass scattered in all directions, and dust swirled across the torn canvases.
Creak…
From the gaps between the destroyed portraits, grotesque forms emerged. Specters materialized from the darkness. Ghosts draped in pitch-black robes fixed their empty eye sockets upon Kim Jae-beom’s group.
―Kuuuaahhh…
Their presence radiated an eerie aura. Beneath tattered fabric, white bone gleamed. Wielding rusted scythes and iron chains, the specters surrounded Kim Jae-beom’s group menacingly.
Whoosh.
With a sound that cut through the air, the specters lunged simultaneously at Dercan and Arulan. A swarm of ghosts descended at whistling speed. Their black robes billowed as they charged toward their targets.
Crack!
The two skeleton soldiers stepped forward. Wielding gleaming twin blades and a staff imbued with sorcery, they engaged the specters without hesitation.
Blades cleaved through darkness, and incantations resonated through the void. With each swing of their arms, the specters’ robes were shredded to ribbons. The ghosts crumbled pitifully under each devastating strike.
―Uuuoong!
Violet incantations erupted from Arulan’s staff, sweeping across the specters. Energy bolts pierced through and disintegrated the dark entities. Even within the aura of death that surrounded them, the skeleton mage’s power was formidable.
Boom-crash!
Dercan’s twin blades whirled like a tempest through the specter ranks. Blades moving with lightning speed carved through the air, severing enemies in an instant. Bone fragments shattered and robes tore in a gruesome display.
Boom! Boom!
Under the skeleton soldiers’ relentless assault, the specters scattered. They dissolved into black mist and vanished. Yet new specters filled the spaces they left behind. The tide of darkness crawling from the portrait gaps seemed endless.
[You must eliminate the specters from the portraits quickly.]
[If you fail to complete the specter elimination within the time limit, a powerful specter will be born.]
A crimson warning message appeared before Kim Jae-beom. Upon seeing it, I smiled wryly.
“It seems… I’ll have to fight once more.”
Whoosh!
The steel staff spun rapidly in Kim Jae-beom’s grip, accelerating with breathtaking speed. The weighty metal rod conjured a whirlwind in mere moments.
As the rotational velocity intensified, the staff carved through the air like a propeller, its gleaming steel trajectory etching perfect circles in the void.
The distinctive metallic shriek pierced the air as the staff whirled around my hands with perilous momentum, gaining speed with each rotation. Like a helicopter rotor, the steel rod swept the surrounding space with tempestuous force, unleashing overwhelming power.
“Let’s go. Bamboo Helicopter!”

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