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Chapter 45: Mock Battle (4)
Whoosh-! Clatter!
The blowing wind chilled my bones.
Not much, just a little.
ãMany observers are shocked by the transformation of 'Lee Eunhoâ!ã
ãThe 'Prince of the Investigation Bureau' asks how it feels to be a skeleton.ã
How it feels to be a skeleton, huh...
Whoosh-!
I thought about it as I felt the wind pass through my body instead of colliding against it.
âMy body feels light.â
Clack! Clatter! Clack!
With only bones left, devoid of flesh and blood, I moved my body diligently.
Right foot, left foot, then the right again.
Each step sent my toe bones, ankle bones, and knee bones rattling as they clashed against one another.
Earlier, I might have found it noisy, but now...
âIt's quieter than I thought.â
Crunch!
I mustâve stepped on a rock.
My leg wobbled awkwardly, and my ankle bone misaligned with a grinding sound.
But after walking a bit, it was fine again.
Maybe because my senses were dulled.
The world felt quieter, less sharp, and less vividâlike I had entered a thin layer of water.
ãThe 'Ferryman of the Administration Bureau' asks what happened.ã
ãMany observers wonder if youâve been hiding your transformation abilities.ã
"I didnât hide it on purpose."
I was just saving it because I didnât have much use for it.
I only had one 'seed.'
ãThe 'Prince of the Investigation Bureau' scoffs, saying itâs the first time theyâve seen anyone use a Drosera Seed like this.ã
⣠Drosera Seed
-It looks like it would sprout if planted in soil.
-Grows only in extremely hot, humid environments with high oxygen concentration. As it grows, it takes on the appearance of nearby living beings.
The first reward I received in District 13, when I captured the giant carnivorous plant 'Drosera,' during my first basic swordsmanship class.
A 'special seed' with unique powers.
If boiled and consumed with part of a specific creature, you can transform into that creature.
Only the external appearance is replicated, and the duration is limited to a maximum of 1 hour.
So, I boiled and drank it.
With the powdered black bones of a shattered 'Bone Bomb.'
And as a result, I ended up like this.
[The subject 'Eunho Lee' mimics a Skeleton Soldier (Lv. 1).]
[Time remaining: 50 minutes, 27 seconds, 26 seconds, 25 secondsâ¦â¦]
A transformation into a skeleton soldier.
[White energy envelops the entire body.]
I panicked when I turned into white bones instead of black ones.
But then I burned some soot onto the bones with a torch to cover it up.
âItâs more grayish than black, but thankfully these guys have bad eyesight.â
At any rate, I reclaimed the flag without issue.
And I killed their commander, so thereâs no chance for them to retaliate.
Now all I had to do was escape the enemyâs camp safely.
But stillâ¦
âItâs a waste to just leave like this.â
I mean, when else am I going to get to become a skeleton?
Someone like me, who only ever imagined âregular employeeâ as the word before âto be.â
Not a full-time worker, not a husband, not an old man, but of all thingsâa skeleton.
âI have plenty of time.â
Fifty minutes of bone-life remaining.
A long time or a short one, depending on how you see it.
If so...
âShall we begin?â
I looked over the others, tattered like defeated soldiers despite our victory.
One of them had lost part of his bones from the explosion.
Another one was digging through piles of skeleton remains, searching for replacement parts.
The system claimed they were less sensitive to the fear of destruction, but not completely immune.
Meaning, the desire to survive still existed.
Whether they had died and come back or were incomplete, fragile beingsâ¦
Or maybe because they had died and come back, because they were incomplete, their obsession with life was even stronger.
So...
â Clatter!
I stepped forward.
Holding the white flag, now wrapped around the stolen helmet.
"Ughhhhhhh!"
"Captainâ¦! Heâs dead!"
At the same time, a black-bone soldier screamed, jaws dropping in disbelief.
"Betrayalâ¦? Itâs betrayal!!!"
Yeah, in this situation, thatâs what anyone would think.
Soon, the nearby skeletons gathered.
Fiveâno, six of them.
Each one wielded spears and swords, cautiously approaching me with wary movements.
I quietly waited, enduring their piercing gazesâdespite their lack of eyes.
Clack! Clack! Clatter!
Their steps slowly tightened around me.
The tip of their weapons now close enough to touch my bones.
"Did you kill the captain�"
"How could a mere soldier�!"
"How�!"
Facing each of them, I looked back.
The flag that had shifted from white to black and back again.
I had consumed the black bones, but white energy still lingered, turning me into white bones instead.
"Whatever. Time to act."
Despite drinking from the black bones, I became white-boned, infused with the aura of white.
"Summon."
The justification was sufficient.
Proof that reversal was possible.
"I!"
Huff!
I inhaled deeply.
Feeling as though my nonexistent lungs expanded, I shouted.
Powerfully.
"A commander who recklessly sacrifices his soldiers is unacceptable!"
Words that outright denied the enemy commander in the heart of enemy lines.
Unmistakably rebellious words.
"?!"
"Th-Then, reallyâ¦â¦."
[The influence of Signal Fires enhances the power of transmission.]
What if those soldiers were ones who had lost a leg, an arm, or shattered ribs at the command of their leader?
What if they had the flag of victory but wore the faces of defeated remnants?
What if they were creations who, because of the roles set by their Creator, had no choice but to follow?
[The group of skeleton soldiers grows curious about the rebel's intentions.]
[Translator - Night]
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What they needed now was justification.
"Thatâs why I killed him myself with these hands!"
The crimson glow in the black-boned skeletonsâ eyes trembled violently.
They flickered, dimmed, shone brightly again, and then faltered.
Click! Click! Click!
They expressed their confused emotions through the gnashing of their teeth.
Impossible.
No way.
It can't be!
â¦â¦The responses continued like that.
[The Leadership (Lv.1) skill increases the acceptance of the skeleton soldiers.]
[The group of skeleton soldiers listens intently to the rebel's words.]
You have no choice but to listen to me.
Because.
"This helmet is the proof!"
The justification you accepted to call that guy your âcommander.â
Thatâs here, in my hands.
⣠Bone Knightâs Skull Helmet
-A helmet crafted from a wyvern's skull by an unknown Bone Knight.
-It holds the power of death. When worn, it grants absolute command over skeleton soldiers.
-However, only skeletons can wear it.
"!!"
"Th-Thatâs!"
I pulled the helmet, hidden within the flagâs folds, into the open.
And then I slowly placed it on my head.
Swishâ!
As I pushed the helmet down, it phased through my skull and covered my forehead and eyes.
[Target âLee Eunhoâ has been promoted from Skeleton Soldier to Bone Knight!]
The purple energy flowing from the helmet enveloped me before fading away.
[You have acquired command over the skeleton soldiers!]
Flinch!
Startled, the soldiers lowered the spears and swords they had pointed at me.
"You've already experienced death once. Thereâs no need for any more unnecessary deaths."
"B-But to winâ¦â¦."
"Throwing soldiers into the grinder to win is something even a child could do. A commanderâs job is to achieve victory with minimal losses."
"!!"
And, for the final blow.
"I wonât waste my people meaninglessly!"
Clatter!
Startled, the soldiers dropped their weapons.
"If you come under my commandâ¦â¦ Iâll let you live with dignity."
Thud!
Startled once more, the soldiers dropped to their knees.
âIt worked.â
I knew instinctively.
[The Leadership (Lv.1) skill increases the acceptance of orders!]
[The group of skeleton soldiers is moved by Lee Eunhoâs charisma!]
â Ding!
Then, a cheerful notification echoed not through my eardrums but in my mind.
[The group of skeleton soldiers wishes to join Lee Eunhoâs command!]
[Do you accept?]
âYes!â
Suppressing a silent cheer at the message I had half-doubted would come, I calmed my nonexistent, pounding heart that felt like it would burst through my bones and spoke calmly.
The answer was obvious.
"I accept."
Of course, they were more than welcome.
[Congratulations!]
[You have gained additional Skeleton Soldiers (Lv.1)!]
[Remaining troops: 106]
The skeleton soldier kneeling before me closed its eyes.
Then it opened them again.
And like black skulls stained with drops of white paint, white ripples spread.
Like petals blooming in a suffocating swamp.
Fwaaahâ!
Pure white petals spread across the skullâs face.
Then the neck bones.
Arm bones.
Ribcage.
Spreading down the spine to the lower body.
The skeleton soldiers closed their eyes, and then opened them.
Everything had turned pure white.
"New... Commander!"
"We trust you...!"
ãThe 'Prince of the Investigation Bureau' freaks out, suspecting that the target has just recruited the enemy!ã
ãThe 'Ferryman of the Administration Bureau' stumbles back, saying it's impossible.ã
ãMany observers are bewildered by the target, 'Lee Eunho's' bizarre actions!ã
'It would be troublesome if theyâre this shocked already.'
Because this wasnât the end.
"Everyone, attention!!!"
Twitch!
I raised the torch high and shouted with enough force to crush my ribcage.
"?!"
I could feel the attention of the soldiers murmuring far off in the distance focus entirely on me.
So.
Huff-
I inhaled deeply into my ribcage and shouted.
"A new era has begun!"
A line that would have been embarrassing in my true form.
But now, I could say it without hesitation.
[The skeleton soldier horde is moved by the charisma of the target, 'Lee Eunho'!]
[You have gained additional Skeleton Soldier (Lv.1)!]
[Remaining forces: 125]
â Fwaaaaaash!
Dozens of white flowers bloomed.
"Follow me!!!"
"Uwooooohhhhâ!"
"Follow...!!!"
[The skeleton soldier horde begins to follow the target, 'Lee Eunho'!]
[You have gained additional Skeleton Soldier (Lv.1)!]
[Remaining forces: 158]
â Fwaaaaaash!
More flowers bloomed.
"All troops, forwardâ!"
"Commander!"
"Commander!"
"Commander!"
Clatter! Creak! Snap! Crack!
Every sound that skeletons could make erupted all at once.
Once black, once white, now all united, screaming in collective noise.
Creatures who only knew how to clatter, rip out their own bones, and explode themâinsignificant beings.
ãThe 'The Raven of the Administration Bureau' cheers, saying the target 'Lee Eunho' never disappoints!ã
ãWelfare points: 1,000 awarded!ã
ãMany observers are thrilled by the actions of the target, 'Lee Eunho'!ã
...No different from us, puppets controlled by those watching from above.
Clatter! Clatter! Clatter!
"Commander!"
"Commander!"
"Commander!"
Their cheers echoed across the earth.
A cacophony of over a hundred sounds layered together.
A gradually intensifying chorus.
That black-and-white noise merged into one.
"Survive!!!"
It exploded.
â Clattaaaaaaaaang!
[Congratulations!]
[By fulfilling a hidden condition, the âPathfinderâ title has evolved into 'The Path Opener'!]
A new title.
[You gain a special 'attribute' through those who follow you.]
An attribute.
If itâs an attribute granted by the skeleton soldiers following me...!
Fwaaaaaashâ!
From beneath my feet and the soldiers' feet, the groundâdirt and earthâbegan to emit swirling purple smoke.
From beneath us, and stretching far ahead.
A path.
A violet path extended endlessly from us into the distance.
['Path of the Dead' has been opened!]
[Check its effects!]
[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]
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