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(120) Volume 13 1 — Skeleton Knight
(120) Volume 13 1 — Skeleton Knight
Volume 13 Chapter 1 — Skeleton Knight
Ttadadadak.
Weed knocked on his jaw and looked at his body.
The appearance of a perfect bone set devoid of any flesh!
This was all due to the Power to Deny Death that he was able to resurrect as an undead.
The body looked weird with nothing but bones, but comparing to the last time, this set seemed to be thicker and more nutritiously filled with power.
Ding!
Have returned from darkness of the abyss. The skill level of the Power to Deny Death has increased by one. Reached Beginner level 2.
Health will gain an extra 3%, 1% derived from the Power of Darkness.
Additional effect will be granted by fighting more wickedly.
Possibility to raise the Undead increases.
After resurrection, the number of available type within the category increases as well as the skill level.
It was impossible to gain experience for the Power to Deny Death any other way.
The only way was to die.
“Character information!”
Character Name: Weed;
Alignment: Undead;
Level: 354; Class: Skeleton Knight;
Reputation: 7904;
HP: 146800; MP: 6400;
Strength: 1265; Agility: 1130;
Stamina: Infinite;
Wisdom: 70; Intelligence: 65;
Fighting Spirit: 922; Endurance Infinite
Perseverance: 665; Physical Resistance: 470
Leadership: 459; Guilt: 96;
*Due to the unique characteristic of the Skeleton Knight, You do not
feel fatigue.
*Sword skills +2.
*Due to the power of darkness covering the entire body, add additional
damage and Defense.
*Extremely vulnerable to Holy magic.
*Weakens before the sun and fire.
Weed’s original level was 355. Having died, his level dropped by one.
Mastery of skills also dove considerably.
Having already died plenty, he took a deep breath and could somewhat calmly accepted it. Hard work will refill the proficiency once again.
“Skeleton Knight. Been a while since I can move my body, need to get this off my chest.”
Weed drew the sword and cut the Ghost Knight that killed him.
“Keueuk!”
“Enemy.”
All the Ghost Knights suddenly blocked each and every one of his potential paths.
Still, they had not attacked Weed just yet, because they could not tell whether he was an ally or an enemy.
He was an undead that had a cursed skeleton for a physical body.
But due to Weed’s preemptive attack, they all raised their rusty sword, rotten shield, and broken lances towards him.
“Painful, so painful.”
“Painful. The suffering came from humans, that skeleton too isn’t one of us.”
“We were betrayed. This traitor. Unng, I’ll kill ya.”
Large number of Ghost Knights took place.
To finish the fight and return to their slumber.
As time passed, more and more Ghost Knights and Soldiers spawned from the ground.
These ghosts!
They were those who were betrayer of friends, sinned against their king, and committed treason against their country.
Within a few seconds, 30 or more enemies returned and ready to fight.
Even after having been reborn as a fleshless being by the Power of Darkness, the answer for his resurrection was as clear as day.
“Stone Skin.”
Weed’s white bones hardened like stones.
The amount of Mana was too small so he could not use his attacking Skills anymore after that.
“You’re a traitor, buddy. You’ll suffer like us!”
A Ghost Soldier came running in first.
Weed quickly leaned to avoid the oncoming lance, then he stretched his sword toward the assailant’s neck.
A fatal blow!
Puseuseu.
The ghost became a blurred smoke then disappeared.
When he was alive, as a fault of the Sculptor class, his stats were evenly distributed matching to his profession. Art, Faith, and Appeal all played a role on his low Strength.
But after having been reborn as a Skeleton Knight, his damage output was incredibly high. Similarly with Agility, his moving speed has gotten noticeably faster.
His base defense had also increased greatly.
Pababababak!
Weed continued to advance while taking a beating from all direction.
There was no need to be cautious of distant enemies.
‘I only need to concentrate at this point.’
With multiple attacks coming in at the same time, he countered them by hitting the weapons, and then uses the technique to disarm the lot of entangled weapons.
Still, colleagues of those adversaries did not stop the assault.
Puwak!
Lances pierced through Ghost Soldiers’ body as they attacked.
Weed brandished his sword as if he had already anticipated the attack coming from the rear.
He fought as if he was possessed.
He had a constant flow within the battle.
Having already fought for a day or so, the number of them kept growing for at an enormous rate.
Synchronized breathing with the attacks of the enemy and his own movements.
He assimilated himself at this point.
Weed’s movements had surpassed his earlier ability with the sword.
The possibility of this was no less owe to the role of the Skeleton Knight.
Because of the physical limitation of being human, commitment made to vigorous movement at every time seems moot. With quicker movements, more stamina is consumed and will soon tire oneself out.
Let’s say at the earlier part of the battle, 100% of the damage can be carried out; however, along with the decrease of Stamina, the damage output also decreases.
In the case of Defense, Stamina plays a small role even if it had been severely depleted; but Physical Resistance, Perseverance, Wisdom, and many others all will be greatly affected by Stamina.
However, thanks to the unique characteristic of the Skeleton Knight, he never gets tired. Even an hour of constant battling, Stamina remained as it is without fail.
Furthermore, he doesn’t get hungry.
Weed was immersed in the fighting, but he felt so miserable.
“Because of the Sculptor I miss out on the Skeleton Knight!”
Grief and chagrin!
In exchange, he fought vigorously with every bone in his body.
With the countless of combat experiences in here, as well as the learned swordsmanship in real life.
Even with the Skills, he still must confront in direct battles.
As a reward, Weed gained his body perfectly under his control.
Although not akin to that of Geomchi’s, his mindset was nothing short of comparatively.
The fourth floor of the Tower of Heroes tests one’s sword skills and determination.
If he flinched from the enemy’s attacks, more and more of these ghostly adversaries would gather and wouldn’t allow him to penetrate.
This stage was not meant to be passed by those with weak heart.
‘Give ma flesh and whittle to the bones.’
Whenever Weed’s heavy stride stepped forward, huge number of Ghost Knights and Ghost Soldiers falls in its quake.
“Uha!”
From Weed’s mouth, shouts of excitement erupted.
During this impossible challenge, he was having fun. Whether it’ll be successful or end in failure, he no longer cares!
Chwararara!
In return, Weed’s elbow and wrist violently broke.
Spectacular sword wielding. In contrast to the impossibility in reality, it was possible here.
With the usage of Skills, the attacks can be even more bizarre; but without having Mana to use, he mainly fought by brandishing his sword and stabbing.
‘The sword should not be stopped; to retain the state of force when cut.’
After acquiring the Heraim Sword Skill, he pretty soon discovered the gist of this since experiencing it.
With the scream of the sword coming down from an attack, the repulsion force of blocking forces him to be in a momentary delay. But now under the same situation, he no longer block but instead attack.
Weed’s Swordsmanship Skill was at Intermediate level 4!
Of course, it was not something comparable to the Geomchis’ Skill which was at the Advanced levels. Due to the nature of a Sculptor, the growth of the skill was twice as slow as theirs.
But now, the rate lined up due to the fact that he was a Skeleton Knight; and along with this attribute, his power was also flawless.
“Kkirikkkirik!”
“Though a Skeleton Knight, still he’s a great knight.”
With the ongoing battle, the attitude of the Ghost Knights has changed.
“Our mission is to stop you here.”
“Pain, this sucks… In exchange for the betrayal I have to undergo this eternal torment.”
“We are of the Knights. So I acknowledge your strength and courage.”
“But we cannot allow you to pass here.”
Nearing the 8th time he penetrated through the hordes of ghost knights on the fourth floor, they began rushing in more violently.
Weed faithfully relied on just his sword.
There was no other option, and with the given infinite amount of Stamina, the only thing to do was to wield the sword.
Similar to the scarecrows back in Saraborg Castle!
Except for brief breaks in between, he had never wield a sword so tirelessly before.
So neglecting everything, he fought on.
Finally, there wasn't a single Ghost Knight or Ghost Soldier blocking his way any longer.
Before Weed, a white staircase was seen.
He passed the fourth floor challenge!
With one step at a time, he proceeded to the end; climbing the stairs leading to the fifth floor of the Tower of Heroes.
“Keukeukeukeu.”
“A great knight.”
“It has been an honor.”
With that, the ghosts no longer rushed at him, showing proper etiquette. Though having been battered, they acknowledged their defeat.
‘Seems like even though they have been ghosts and specters for a long while, they still retained some of their codes even after death.’
Weed checked on the state of his body.
63% remaining HP.
Thanks to the Power to Deny Death, the base health was enormous.
He shed the Talrock Armor and Divine Integral Rings and such; and in their places, he wore the armor made of the dragon’s bones as well as the Payrote’s Ring, which increases his mana recovery.
Normally, he maintained all of his equipments in their best state by means of repairing. Thanks to his constant care, though having been through a lot just now, their Durability were still above 80%. Now he donned a much harder armor that was made from dragon’s bones.
The Durability of the sword was still at 75%.
‘It’s enough.’
Weed turned away from the stairs in front of him. And from behind, the Ghost Knights rushed with their swords swinging in slow motion.
“It hurts!”
“Wh…why is this plaguing us!?”
The knights and soldiers clamored and struck.
They were barely hanging on and were suffering.
They passed through the gateway after having climbed the stairs in order to pit themselves against Weed.
Weed did not speak of an answer.
‘I have never refused any quests, monsters, or challenges to fight.’
Back on Continent of Magic, Weed did not know how to refrain himself.
If it was something obtrusive, whether they were people or monsters, he simply shattered and pierced through all.
Smash everything, crushes all.
Those were the days where he would stand alone amongst all those eradicated.
On the stairs of the fourth floor leading to the top, that disposition of the Jeonshin Weed was resurrected.
***
Jeong Ilhun was staring at the phone.
“The time for the phone to ring is coming.”
He was Geom-2-chi in Royal Road!
Jeong Illhun hospitably took care of Orc Seechwi. And yet his feelings deepened as he got to know more about her.
The Jeong Ilhun who would make a complete fool of himself in opposition to a woman, but somehow he could comfortably deal with Seechwi.
Eventually, the two became lovers in Royal Road.
And today, she had said she would call Jeong.
“How long must I wait.”
Jeong Ilhun joyously spoke.
The expensive dating service phone call, the old bachelor that was difficult to pull away from the phone call with a woman that would requires a card to talk to.
But he never thought he would have a girlfriend to give him a call!
Ddareuu!
Jeong Ilhun heard the phone rang once and immediately picked it up.
“Yes! I’m Jeong Ilhun!”
His voice tightened to that of a recruit in the service.
‘Forgot that I had 7 raw eggs, is my voice gunna be ok?’
He never once been troubled over this fact. But still, being on a call with somebody he loves, anyone would start to care a little.
-Hello, Mr. Ilhun.
Over the line, a melodious voice of a woman was heard.
Jeong forehead began to furrow.
‘It’s not her voice.’
She was suppose to have strong nasally sound. Groggy like a man, rusty voice.
Her voice was not pretty.
Jeong Ilhun spoke quickly with a harsh tone.
“I don’t want to sign up for a card. Don’t want to use a loan phone. Don’t want to join a high speed communication network. Please disconnect because I urgently need the phone.”
For a bachelor on the phone, with calls that comes, it needs to go instead of having being hung up on. He believed the phone call right now was for a lending or some subscription, and told them off!
But this was Joeng Ilhun’s mistake.
-I’m guessing you’re busy, Mr. Ilhun. I insisted to make a call at this time…well, I guess I’ll go. I’ll try and call again tomorrow.
“Ah! Wait! Could you be Seechwi?”
-Yes, that’s right.
He could hear a light laughter coming from over the phone as she answered.
The call with Orc Seechwi was a bit awkward.
That was her race in Royal Road. So of course, her voice there was not something common. Just like an Orc, she’d chwiichwii, along with a stale and groggy voice.
Because of that, Jeong Ilhun mistook that as her original voice; but still, he did not realize the truth.
‘The voice on the phone seems to be in pretty form. Maybe just like me, she ate a few raw eggs.’
However, having received his first call from her, Joeng Ilhun was already happy with that fact alone.
Five minutes of talk!
Even though he could easily hold the heavy metal sword with just one hand; he held the receiver with both.
This was the most intense of time ever in Joeng’s life.
His calls always simply to the point; even when he spoke to his apprentices, it never once passed the seventh syllable mark.
Come.
Let’s go!
Keep it up.
Get them!
Seal the door shut.
Let’s eat.
He primarily spoke in short and concise answers; and this was the most interesting time he ever had on the phone. Though just the talk was about the little stories in Royal Road, what they had for breakfast, and a bit of catching up to some extent, he was happy.
‘Free 300 minutes. I can see why they gave out this service.’
Now the call must end.
Hearing her sweet voice was good, but now his heart filled of delight made it hard for him to continue the call.
The lack of topic was another issue.
‘Talked about the weather, abusing politicians, military stories, even talks about soccer; I’ve ran out of things to talk to her.’
He finished all the conversation prepared to talk with a girlfriend already, he figured he should end it neatly and take a rain check for another day. Knowing that he could share a conversation with her at any time, there was no need to be impatient.
“To have shared the dialogue with you, it was an honor, miss Seechwi!”
-No, it was good to hear Ilhun ssi’s voice for me too.
“Phone call is good but it’d be nice if we can meet directly.”
Without much forethought, Jeong Ilhun spoke clearly unconsciously.
She readily agreed.
-Well, shall we?
“Yes?”
He took in a deep breath as he heard it. It was something incredible that he could listen tens of thousands times over.
-Let’s meet tomorrow at around noon. Our first meeting….I would like this very much. I’ll pack kimbap and liked to have lunch with you. Is it alright if we meet at the Dojang?
“Ki, kimbap?”
-Why, do you not like kimbap?
“N, n, n, no, no ma’am! I really love kimbap. I look forward to meeting you! If by chance you’re late, or something came up tomorrow, and even if you don’t come, I’m looking forward to it!”
Jeong Ilhun screams into the handset!
The call got cut off.
“……”
He sat in a daze. After a long while needed to clear his mind, the other instructors came out and the lot of apprentices could be seen.
Choe Jongbeom, Ma Sangbeom, and Lee Indo!
Though not the violent types, they were sturdy guys that deserved to be called monsters of the human species.
Some while after he initially saw his brothers that he could finally hear them.
Rather than a dream, it was his reality.
“Sahyeong!”
“Did the call with Seechwi nim go well?”
At their questions, Jeong Ilhun nodded his head.
“Yea, it went well. Though tomorrow she’s coming with kimbap.”
“Heok.”
“Ki, kimbap…”
An explosive reaction from all the practitioners.
Lee Indo remained the calmest of the lot.
“Did you mean she’s coming with bought food from Kimbap Haven or hand-packed one?”
“The latter. She said she’ll also put in tuna.”
“Including tuna!”
The entire body of people was envious of Jeong Ilhun.
***
The final fifth story!
Ding!
Reached the final stage of the Tower of Heroes.
Charisma increases by 10.
Strength increases by 15.
Fighting Spirit increases by 60.
Having been able transcend the limit, You will obtain valuable EXP.
Level has increased.
Level has increased.
Improved permanent stats, along with two levels.
Weed’s level once again hit 356.
With the given levels accolades, he granted all the stat points to Agility.
Passing through the fourth floor has leveled his sword skill, and now it has reached Intermediate level 5.
Fighting against the undefined number of spawning specters improved his proficiency considerably.
Only after the completeness of the battle that he realized his sword was down to 23% Durability. It was his willingness to fight against the Ghost Knights and Ghost Soldiers that the drop was so much.
“We succumbed to a great warrior.”
“Our life, concluded.”
No longer did they want to receive Weed’s damaging blows and having to revive for more.
Fundamentally, the specters having been at the receiving end of the endless suffering, their mind was already weak. And now, their pride, confidence, fighting spirits, all collapsed.
On the fourth floor, Weed repaired his equipment and waited until he was in perfect condition before climbing the stairs to the fifth.
‘Some great thing awaits.’
He refused to be scared or dreaded.
There was no doubt that the fifth barrier of the Tower of Heroes was something difficult.
He took in deep breaths and had already put an end to the jittering.
When he arrived to the fifth floor, the expectation of a Monster filled area broke into nothingness; instead, a round table could be seen.
There laid different copies of books.
?Knight?
?Blade Master?
?Champion?
?Fighter?
?Warrior?
?Paladin?
?Kung-Fu Master?
?Archer?
?Ranger?
?Hunter?
?Thief?
A total of 11 books of golden glow.
“Well that’s vague.”
Weed realized he must select one.
If he was an adventurer type of class, he could have use either ‘Research' or 'Observation’ skill on them. Which could allow him to see if there was some hidden trap, or permits him to investigate on the books.
It could be said that this was one of the privileges of being an adventurer type.
Understandably, this was not a skill existed for the Sculptor class. And while being the Skeleton Knight, he had no such skill either.
“Make no difference to me then.”
Weed agonized for a moment then opened up the book for the Knight.
He reserved a bit of interest in either the Thief or the Hunter. But in his current self as a Skeleton Knight, he picked up the matching class's book instead.
From a distance, it seemed as if a skeleton from an anatomy class was inconceivably reading a book.
“Times of war. The Kings fought in competitive wars of invasion. Due to the expanding human’s territories, the Goblins, Demons, Elves, and Dwarves resisted terribly. From all across the borders, the aggressive Monsters made life on the huge continent impoverish to all. Incompetent rulers and corrupted noblemen, and the brutality of the Monsters all drove lives into those of rotting corpses, lain out everywhere. The fate of all Humans, the other species, and that of the Monsters rested on the battle at the Jagsen Plains, located at Bromba Kingdom of 102 years in the past.”
Weed read the book up to there.
Then the area around him was engulfed in light.
“Kill him!”
“Dirty bastards! Cut up the garbage of the Bromba Kingdom!”
“Elite warriors of the Mapon Kingdom! Fight and win!”
“For the glory of Her Majesty!”
Weed awoke in a place filled with noises. Not only that, it was too chaotic of a place.
Drakes soaring in the sky while pumping out fire; while from a distance, Archers and Magicians were pouring out their attacks.
A gigantic battlefield!
Weed fell in the middle of a large scale battle that was taking place.
“Keulelelel!”
“Hueumcha!”
Shouts from afar along with the sounds of incoming collection of rocks.
Weed thought that mobilizing onto his feet wasn’t a good idea, but that was a mistake. There were giant one eyed Cyclops pulling stones from dug into the ground and tossing them as hard as they could.
Sung-kwakwakwakwang!
The stone flew in the sky ripping through the wind, landed on the ground and shattered apart.
Soldiers and Knights who were the unfortunate souls that caught the rocks clamored.
“Please save me!”
The commanders remained undeterred.
“As Bromba Kingdom’s soldiers, die with honor!”
“Don’t let them get slaughtered like that!”
The soldiers were at war with themselves.
Humans versus Humans; as well as the Enchanters attacks.
Along with a massive march of legion of Monsters coming toward them from a distance.
Puhihing!
Suddenly, a white horse was next to Weed.
Though not being able to fly like the Pegasus, it was still a well defined and muscular horse.
The horse stuck his tongue toward Weed’s skull.
Chyabchyabchab!
His skull was slobbered like having a dog putting sunscreen on him with its tongue. The white horse showed a sign of affection towards Weed.
Weed reassessed his situation.
‘I was reading the Knight’s book on the top floor of the Tower of Heroes…then this place must be the Palrangka Conflict on the Jagsen Plains.’
His immediate situation was in one of the fiercest battle on the Versailles continent, the Palrangka Conflict!
Seven kingdoms that held powers on the continent fought at this battle on the Jagsen Plains. Especially those of the Bromba and Mapon kingdoms, who fought as if to devour one another.
At the climax of the Human made battle, the Monsters army intervened. They marched toward the smell of blood from a long distance to be included in the conflict.
Other species were also involved.
The Elves and the Barbarians, who no longer want to lose anymore of their nests, also came to the plains.
Cumulatively, all resulted into this.
Each race, with each respective flags held high, attacked everything in order to live.
Sturdy Barbarians swung their swords and clubs while the Elves penetrated the troops with their emanating bows.
But they weren't secured either. From behind, these species were rushed by Monsters who gathered like the clouds.
In the midst of this battlefield, standing at its center, was Weed.
To make matter worse, there was a girl riding on the white horse that chewed him.
The girl was even prettier than the beautifully grown flower that came from Morata!
She delicately looked at Weed and opened her red lips.
“Knight nim, I believe that you are the one. Please take me to where it’s safe.”
Ding!
The Request Of Princess Remy
The first Princess of a small country on the frontier with a population of 80000 people, Isran.
She likes the sea and wanted to live at home. But she was scheduled to become the Crown Prince of Bromba fifth concubine.
However, due to the sudden outburst and the escalation of the war, the two could not be wedded because the Crown Prince had entered the fray of the battle.
She wants to go home again.
Quest Difficulty: Heroic History Quest
Compensation: Experience in the combat of History, may become the Hero of History.
Quest Restriction: Having gained the Princess’s favor, the Knight cannot refuse.
Weed was conflicted for a while.
‘How should I do this?’
Weed had received a lot of seemingly impossible quests before, but he could see route for each to some extent.
He was in a temporary standstill, so Princess Remy red lips puffed up and spoke.
“For me, there’s no one else but Knight nim. Even now, in your current cursed form; though strange, I can still tell. All I know that it is Knight nim who will help me.”
You Have Accepted The Quest.
Completely option-less!
The quest had just accepted itself.
For the Knights, some of these cases do occur.
Whether it was the frail women, aristocratic women, or their enshrined lord’s will, they could not refuse.
This was a characteristic of the Knights!
‘Terific.’
Weed felt the cold wind blowing through his ribs.
He looked around; the place was flooded with Monsters, Humans, Elves, and Barbarians.
One of the most intense battles in history, the Palrangka Conflict!
He was to deliver the Princess away from here.
The beauty and the white horse.
Enemies everywhere!
This perfectly fits into the romance of the Knight.
And there were even the high-leveled fire-breathing monster Drakes.
Along with the fact that the current human Knights who were fighting seemed to be at level 300 at the very least.
The ordinary Soldiers were also formidable. Beings of the warring age, they were high level soldiers.
Not to mention the Barbarians, Elves, and Monsters ranking from lower tier to the top, along with giant monsters, all presented.
Plenty of them, if not at the rank of Lich Shire, were about the class of the Vampire Lords.
Extensive range magic blasts all around; huge rocks flew for a great distance and when lands, dented the earth and ruptured as easily as an egg spattering.
He must work alone and survive while escorting the Princess on the white horse to breakthrough the battlefield, ranging in miles.