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Chapter 45: Mock Battle (4)
Whoosh-! tter!
The blowing wind chilled my bones.
Not much, just a little.
【Many observers are shocked by the transformation of ''Lee Eunho’!】
【The ''Prince of the Investigation Bureau'' asks how it feels to be a skeleton.】
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.
‘My body feels light.’
ck! tter! ck!
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 shed against one another.
Earlier, I might have found it noisy, but now...
‘It''s quieter than I thought.’
Crunch!
I must’ve 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 vivid—like I had entered a thinyer of water.
【The ''Ferryman of the Administration Bureau'' asks what happened.】
【Many observers wonder if you’ve been hiding your transformation abilities.】
"I didn’t hide it on purpose."
I was just saving it because I didn’t have much use for it.
I only had one ''seed.''
【The ''Prince of the Investigation Bureau'' scoffs, saying it’s the first time they’ve seen anyone use a Drosera Seed like this.】
? Drosera Seed
-It looks like it would sprout if nted 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 nt ''Drosera,'' during my first basic swordsmanship ss.
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 ck 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 seconds……]
A transformation into a skeleton soldier.
[White energy envelops the entire body.]
I panicked when I turned into white bones instead of ck ones.
But then I burned some soot onto the bones with a torch to cover it up.
‘It’s more grayish than ck, but thankfully these guys have bad eyesight.’
At any rate, I reimed the g without issue.
And I killed theirmander, so there’s no chance for them to retaliate.
Now all I had to do was escape the enemy’s camp safely.
But still…
‘It’s a waste to just leave like this.’
I mean, when else am I going to get to be a skeleton?
Someone like me, who only ever imagined “regr employee” as the word before ‘to be.’
Not a full-time worker, not a husband, not an old man, but of all things—a skeleton.
‘I have plenty of time.’
Fifty minutes of bone-life remaining.
A long time or a short one, depending on how you see it.
If so...
‘Shall we begin?’
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 recement parts.
The system imed they were less sensitive to the fear of destruction, but notpletely immune.
Meaning, the desire to survive still existed.
Whether they had died ande back or were iplete, fragile beings…
Or maybe because they had died ande back, because they were iplete, their obsession with life was even stronger.
So...
— tter!
I stepped forward.
Holding the white g, now wrapped around the stolen helmet.
"Ughhhhhhh!"
"Captain…! He’s dead!"
At the same time, a ck-bone soldier screamed, jaws dropping in disbelief.
"Betrayal…? It’s betrayal!!!"
Yeah, in this situation, that’s what anyone would think.
Soon, the nearby skeletons gathered.
Five—no, six of them.
Each one wielded spears and swords, cautiously approaching me with wary movements.
I quietly waited, enduring their piercing gazes—despite theirck of eyes.
ck! ck! tter!
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 g that had shifted from white to ck and back again.
I had consumed the ck bones, but white energy still lingered, turning me into white bones instead.
"Whatever. Time to act."
Despite drinking from the ck 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.
"Amander who recklessly sacrifices his soldiers is uneptable!"
Words that outright denied the enemymander in the heart of enemy lines.
Unmistakably rebellious words.
"?!"
"Th-Then, really……."
[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 themand of their leader?
What if they had the g 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.]
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What they needed now was justification.
"That’s why I killed him myself with these hands!"
The crimson glow in the ck-boned skeletons’ 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!
……The responses continued like that.
[The Leadership (Lv.1) skill increases the eptance 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 epted to call that guy your mander.’
That’s here, in my hands.
? Bone Knight’s 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 absolutemand over skeleton soldiers.
-However, only skeletons can wear it.
"!!"
"Th-That’s!"
I pulled the helmet, hidden within the g’s folds, into the open.
And then I slowly ced it on my head.
Swish—!
As I pushed the helmet down, it phased through my skull and covered my forehead and eyes.
[Target ‘Lee Eunho’ has been promoted from Skeleton Soldier to Bone Knight!]
The purple energy flowing from the helmet enveloped me before fading away.
[You have acquiredmand over the skeleton soldiers!]
Flinch!
Startled, the soldiers lowered the spears and swords they had pointed at me.
"You''ve already experienced death once. There’s no need for any more unnecessary deaths."
"B-But to win……."
"Throwing soldiers into the grinder to win is something even a child could do. Amander’s job is to achieve victory with minimal losses."
"!!"
And, for the final blow.
"I won’t waste my people meaninglessly!"
tter!
Startled, the soldiers dropped their weapons.
"If youe under mymand…… I’ll let you live with dignity."
Thud!
Startled once more, the soldiers dropped to their knees.
‘It worked.’
I knew instinctively.
[The Leadership (Lv.1) skill increases the eptance of orders!]
[The group of skeleton soldiers is moved by Lee Eunho’s charisma!]
— Ding!
Then, a cheerful notification echoed not through my eardrums but in my mind.
[The group of skeleton soldiers wishes to join Lee Eunho’smand!]
[Do you ept?]
‘Yes!’
Suppressing a silent cheer at the message I had half-doubted woulde, I calmed my nonexistent, pounding heart that felt like it would burst through my bones and spoke calmly.
The answer was obvious.
"I ept."
Of course, they were more than wee.
[Congrattions!]
[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 ck skulls stained with drops of white paint, white ripples spread.
Like petals blooming in a suffocating swamp.
Fwaaah—!
Pure white petals spread across the skull’s 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...!"
【The ''Prince of the Investigation Bureau'' freaks out, suspecting that the target has just recruited the enemy!】
【The ''Ferryman of the Administration Bureau'' stumbles back, saying it''s impossible.】
【Many observers are bewildered by the target, ''Lee Eunho''s'' bizarre actions!】
''It would be troublesome if they’re this shocked already.''
Because this wasn’t 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]
— Fwaaaaaash!
Dozens of white flowers bloomed.
"Follow me!!!"
"Uwooooohhhh—!"
"Follow...!!!"
[The skeleton soldier horde begins to follow the target, ''Lee Eunho''!]
[You have gained additional Skeleton Soldier (Lv.1)!]
[Remaining forces: 158]
— Fwaaaaaash!
More flowers bloomed.
"All troops, forward—!"
"Commander!"
"Commander!"
"Commander!"
tter! Creak! Snap! Crack!
Every sound that skeletons could make erupted all at once.
Once ck, once white, now all united, screaming in collective noise.
Creatures who only knew how to tter, rip out their own bones, and explode them—insignificant beings.
【The ''The Raven of the Administration Bureau'' cheers, saying the target ''Lee Eunho'' never disappoints!】
【Welfare points: 1,000 awarded!】
【Many observers are thrilled by the actions of the target, ''Lee Eunho''!】
...No different from us, puppets controlled by those watching from above.
tter! tter! tter!
"Commander!"
"Commander!"
"Commander!"
Their cheers echoed across the earth.
A cacophony of over a hundred soundsyered together.
A gradually intensifying chorus.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
That ck-and-white noise merged into one.
"Survive!!!"
It exploded.
— ttaaaaaaaaang!
[Congrattions!]
[By fulfilling a hidden condition, the ‘Pathfinder’ title has evolved into ''The Path Opener''!]
A new title.
[You gain a special ''attribute'' through those who follow you.]
An attribute.
If it’s an attribute granted by the skeleton soldiers following me...!
Fwaaaaaash—!
From beneath my feet and the soldiers'' feet, the ground—dirt and earth—began 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!]
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