[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]
w
Chapter 45: Mock Battle (4)
Whoosh-! Clatter!
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.’
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...
‘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 thin layer 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 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 seconds......]
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.
‘It’s more grayish than black, but thankfully these guys have bad eyesight.’
At any rate, I reclaimed the flag without issue.
And I killed their commander, 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 become a skeleton?
Someone like me, who only ever imagined “regular 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 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 beings...
Or maybe because they had died and come back, because they were incomplete, their obsession with life was even stronger.
So...
— Clatter!
I stepped forward.
Holding the white flag, now wrapped around the stolen helmet.
"Ughhhhhhh!"
"Captain...! He’s dead!"
At the same time, a black-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 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.
[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.
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!"
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 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.
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.
— Clattaaaaaaaaang!
[Congratulations!]
[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!]
[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]
w