My Skeleton Soldier Is Strange - Chapter 90
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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 90
The woman standing before Kim Jae-beom was dazzlingly beautiful.
An air of mystery emanated from her presence, as though she were a fairy descended into the mortal realm.
She appeared to be just past twenty, yet possessed a mature elegance that transcended her youth.
Her face was soft and delicate, her words spoken with a gentle warmth.
Her skin was pale and flawless, possessing the smooth texture of fine porcelain.
Her cheekbones, subtly pronounced, added an endearing quality to her features.
Her full lips were sensual, as though a crimson flower had bloomed upon her face.
A faint blush colored her cheeks—whether from embarrassment or natural radiance—lending her an innocent, girlish purity.
Beneath her delicately upturned nose, the flush of her cheeks became all the more pronounced.
Her rosy complexion glowed with the warmth of bashfulness.
Yet what struck him most profoundly were her eyes.
Clear and luminous, her blue irises held the depth and beauty of the sea itself.
Long lashes cast shadows beneath her gaze, lending her an almost bewitching allure.
Her luxuriant golden hair cascaded across her shoulders, catching the light.
The golden waves shimmered brilliantly, as though sunlight itself flowed through her locks.
“…You had customization done?”
Kim Jae-beom found himself thinking of Kim Ji-min.
He suspected that person’s handiwork was involved.
“Oh! How did you know?”
“I know someone who runs a customization shop. A doctor who came from the Cosmetic Surgery Clinic.”
“Oh! Yes, that’s right. I got mine from them.”
At his words, the woman’s eyes sparkled with delight.
“Ah.”
Then she suddenly realized she hadn’t introduced herself. A wave of embarrassment washed over her, and her face flushed an even deeper crimson.
“I’ve been watching your videos on YouTube. The ones where you play a veteran. So I subscribed.”
“Ah, I see.”
“Would you mind… signing something for me?”
Swish.
Her slender hand slipped delicately into the folds of her robe.
With careful deliberation, she withdrew something.
What she held in her hand was none other than magical paper.
It was distinctly different from ordinary parchment.
True to its name, the magical paper emanated an air of mystery.
A subtle azure luminescence danced across its surface, radiating an aura of wonder.
Complex and intricate magical circles were densely inscribed upon the paper.
Ancient rune characters were etched in abundance, their patterns evoking a sacred presence.
Brilliant golden patterns, so radiant they dazzled the eye, seemed to breathe life into the paper itself.
Light traced the patterns in luminous trails, writhing as though alive.
Mystical mana flowed through the paper, rendering it truly extraordinary.
The ever-shifting hues of the patterns revealed the power embedded within the magical paper.
The magical force that enabled permanent preservation was nothing short of miraculous.
It seemed as though time itself could never wear it down or fray its edges.
Whether years or decades passed, it would undoubtedly remain exactly as it was in this moment.
“This costs a million won.”
“What?”
“But it’s preserved permanently. Plus, you can print it out with a printer, so you can see it in reality too!”
The Fan Woman’s expensive magical paper was about to be consumed by Kim Jae-beom’s autograph.
“Uh, well….”
Tap!
The Fan Woman stepped closer to Kim Jae-beom, holding the magical paper.
Her blue eyes were brimming with earnestness.
A yearning to receive Kim Jae-beom’s signature bloomed in her gaze.
“Please! Just sign it for me.”
Her face flushed crimson as she made her fervent request.
Passionate heat and excitement seemed to radiate through her cheeks.
A slight tremor in her voice betrayed her nervousness.
The way she extended the paper without a shred of hesitation conveyed an iron will.
There was an unwavering determination to obtain Kim Jae-beom’s handwritten signature, no matter what.
Not even a trace of fear that he might refuse her.
The pure heart of a fan who revered Kim Jae-beom as an idol.
A signature from someone you admired could never be exchanged for anything else in the world.
“…All right.”
In the end, Kim Jae-beom could not refuse the Fan Woman’s heartfelt plea.
His heart wavered at those poignant eyes and her endearing expression.
The realization that a single autograph could bring someone such joy stirred something deep within him.
Whoosh.
Kim Jae-beom began moving his pen across the paper.
Thanks to the habit repeated over long years, the signature came easily.
With fluid and natural movements, Kim Jae-beom’s distinctive signature adorned the paper.
The moment the pen tip touched the magical paper, a mystical light bloomed.
A violet radiance flowed across the paper, seeping into every corner.
Wherever Kim Jae-beom’s name was inscribed, traces of light were left behind.
Soon the light began to fade, gradually melting into the paper itself.
The signature seeped deep into the paper, following the path of light.
It was being preserved as an indelible mark that would never fade.
A subtle violet aura emanated from the completed signature.
“Hehe!”
The Fan Woman let out a short laugh upon seeing Kim Jae-beom’s signature inscribed on the paper. Then she handed him a business card with her phone number written on it.
Click!
When I later attended the Mage Procession again in the distance.
“…You’re quite a fascinating person, aren’t you?”
Kim Jae-beom scratched his head.
Memories surfaced of his days as a top-ranked player in first-generation virtual reality games, stirring an oddly complex feeling within him.
* * *
After concluding his meeting with the Fan Woman, Kim Jae-beom sought out the alchemist Valerot.
The reason was simple.
He needed to gather more information about medicinal herbs.
As a side note, she had been caught in an explosion while engraving gems into his steel staff. Yet following that incident, Valerot had grown considerably more formidable. Using the knowledge gained from the explosion, she had crafted powerful ‘protective artifacts’ that emanated crimson light.
“It’s fine now.”
The protective artifacts Valerot had created were compact yet potent magical items.
They were the fruit of her alchemical mastery combined with the enlightenment born from the explosion accident.
The artifacts were fashioned into small, rectangular forms—shapes reminiscent of miniature shields.
“I’ve invented a new type of artifact.”
Though modest in size, fitting within an adult man’s palm, their power was far from negligible.
The protective artifacts were not singular pieces but rather composed of multiple sets.
Dozens of shield-shaped artifacts converged together, forming a single complete creation.
Arranged in orderly rows like the phalanx formations of Roman legions, the sight was striking.
The surface of each artifact was densely inscribed with mystical patterns.
Adorned lavishly with crimson gems, the surface shimmered with a subtle radiance as if brimming with magical power.
Complex and enigmatic rune characters further imbued the artifacts with an air of mystery.
From each artifact poured forth a vibrant crimson radiance brimming with vitality.
The red light, resembling tiny suns, was both warm and intensely brilliant.
One could instinctively sense the tremendous magical force contained within that living luminescence.
Around the artifacts, a crimson aura rippled and pulsed with energy.
Red waves infused with protective energy circled the surroundings, forming a mystical barrier. At times they flickered like flames, at others they radiated gentle light.
The moment Kim Jae-beom’s hand gently touched the shield, the artifact responded.
“Hmm… Interesting.”
The crimson light enveloping his hand wavered, then grew increasingly intense.
A warm sensation transmitted through his skin, as if the artifact welcomed his touch.
“May I try to destroy it?”
His eyes sparkled with curiosity as he posed the question in a playful tone.
In his eagerness to test this new power, one could sense genuine excitement.
“Are you confident?”
The corners of Valerot’s mouth curved upward.
She regarded Kim Jae-beom with eyes gleaming with pride as a mage.
Rather than answering affirmatively, she posed a counter-question and began altering the nature of the shield.
Whoooosh―
In an instant, the aura surrounding the artifact transformed.
The gentle crimson light shifted into an ominous presence.
The protective aura that had enveloped my surroundings now emanated a menacing presence.
The shield wrapped around my hand writhed as if possessed by a life of its own.
The shield, brimming with fierce energy, struggled desperately to escape my grasp.
As my palm grew scorching hot, a searing pain flooded through me as though my skin were burning away.
Crackle—sizzle—
The energy erupting from the shield clawed at my hand.
Like a jolt of electricity, a sharp sting radiated through my entire body.
My fingers trembled violently against the shield’s resisting force.
“Ugh….”
A groan escaped me involuntarily from the pain.
Yet I gritted my teeth and refused to release the shield.
Driven by curiosity and sheer stubbornness, I stood against the artifact.
With my arm muscles tensed, I clenched the shield tighter and poured my strength into it.
This level of pain was bearable.
Rather, it seemed a perfect opportunity to gauge the performance of the shield Valerot had crafted.
“Hnngh!”
I gritted my teeth and drew upon my power.
My unwavering resolve to endure any suffering was evident.
Crack!
In that instant, an extraordinary transformation overtook my body.
My muscles swelled and bulged, my already massive frame growing even more colossal.
Veins became prominent beneath my skin, pulsing with vitality.
My arms, covered in solid muscle, appeared as though forged from steel itself.
The bulging muscles stretched my clothing taut, threatening to tear the fabric apart.
With such power alone, I could have faced dozens of opponents—an overwhelming, dominating presence.
Count Heltema’s legacy, the growth stone, was granting me strength beyond imagination.
Superhuman power that no ordinary human could ever possess.
This was undoubtedly a force that transcended human limitations.
“Grrgh….”
The shield in my hand began to warp.
It struggled desperately to resist, but it was futile.
The force suppressing the resisting shield carried with it a terrifying destructive power.
Crack—crackle—
The shield, unable to withstand my grip, began to fracture slowly.
Even magically reinforced material proved fragile before my strength.
Under the merciless pressure, the shield shattered pitifully.
Red mist poured forth from the cracks and fragments of the shield.
It was a tragic sight, as though the shield were coughing up blood.
Yet I paid it no mind and continued to apply my strength.
Boom—!
At last, the shield shattered to pieces in Kim Jae-beom’s grasp.
Fragments of the small shield scattered outward, ricocheting through the air.
The artifact’s power, which had struggled until the very end, finally crumbled before its master.
Only the remnants of the crushed shield remained in his hand.
Kim Jae-beom, victorious after that brutal clash of forces, slowly opened his palm.
His hand held nothing but scattered dust and debris.
“Ah. I’ve destroyed it.”
Kim Jae-beom’s voice echoed through the space.
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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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