The Skeleton Soldier Failed to Defend the Dungeon

I lightly waved a finger in front of the horses’ eyes. ”Take good care of them.”

Of course, it was Isaac’s movement. With just a single movement of an index finger, the eyes of the three fine horses went blank. Isaac instantly subdued three muscular horses, each standing over 160 cm tall, with Hypnosis.

”Hyah!” Isaac shouted.

Isaac climbed onto the largest horse. I could feel the horses’ strong hearts and lungs.

[Skill: Horseriding Lv. 2 activated.]

Once again, it seemed like only I could view the message.

The horse lowered its head slightly and then raised it again, a gesture of submission. It did not snort like usual. Its dark brown mane shimmered from its head to its tail.

”Let’s go!” Isaac exclaimed.

The three horses passed through the castle gates and galloped down the wide road.

It seemed like they were heading toward Erast.

Why is he taking three horses?

At first, I thought he was planning to carry cargo, but Isaac immediately left the castle. It didn’t seem like he was kind enough to explain, even if I asked.

Clop, clop! Clop, clop!

The rhythmic sound of the three horses galloping in a line echoed in the air. I didn’t interfere with Isaac’s actions or attempt to reclaim control. Instead, I let Isaac take full command of me. I tried my best not to provoke him.

We were getting farther and farther away from Rena. After checking that the carrier pigeons had been sent with letters, Isaac no longer paid any attention to her and simply rode toward Erast.

Keep going farther.

I desperately hoped he’d be completely separated from Rena. Even if I continued to suffer in this small prison, at least I wouldn’t be the one to harm her with my own hands.

The air gradually turned colder. The silhouette of Erast Castle emerged in the distance while the sky slowly turned a reddish hue.

Isaac suddenly spoke to me.

”Hey! You there!”

”...”

”Man, you’re quiet.”

”Isn’t that what you wanted?”

”You’re probably relieved that I’m getting farther away from that girl, right?”

”Think whatever you want.”

”Heh... It’s obvious. But you know what? That girl is probably chasing after us like crazy right now.”

”Rena is chasing after us?”

”Tsk. Of course. You really are a clueless idiot. She’s probably already recruited some corrupted priest who can communicate with me and is desperately trying to catch up.”

Whoosh!

A strong wind blew against my face. The desolate late-autumn scenery passed by rapidly on both sides. The evening had turned into night, and the red sunset gradually disappeared from the sky.

Isaac’s words made my vision go dark.

”If that’s true, then detect her.”

If he used my Detection skill, I would be able to sense Rena’s presence as well. However, Isaac only let out a low chuckle.

”You fool, it’s obvious. Do I really need to use a skill just to confirm it? People who understand each other don’t need words.”

”What are you planning to do with her?”

If Rena was truly coming after us, knowing in advance would clearly be an advantage in the fight.

”She seems quite useful, perfect for managing drug distribution, getting rid of nuisances...”

”Doesn’t she already know who you are though? She won’t cooperate.”

”If you completely disappear, that girl will follow me, the closest thing to your physical appearance. Even if she knows something is off, she won’t have a choice. I love that kind of despair!”

Did he turn out like this after he was trapped in the barrier for centuries? Or had he always been insane?

I had to reclaim my skeleton no matter what, but Isaac seemed to be on high alert. Even moving a single finger or toe wasn’t easy.

Clop, clop! Clop, clop!

Before I knew it, the three horses had entered a familiar place—the entrance of the wooded hills near Erast. It was the cemetery where I first met Rubia.

Isaac followed the same mountain path the two bounty hunters had taken with the Blue Milo. Due to the slope and the darkness, our speed had slowed slightly, but the sound of the horses’ hooves remained lively, unlike my troubled mind.

We would reach the cemetery soon.

”This is a complete mess.”

That was Isaac’s impression upon arriving at the cemetery. The public cemetery was in the Erast Hills. Back then, it had been winter, and now it was late autumn.

About ten months had passed. The surrounding landscape had deteriorated even further, so it was impossible to locate my grave. Half of the graves had lost their coffins, and more than half of the tombstones were missing or misplaced.

”What the hell... Don’t they do any cemetery maintenance at all?”

”Probably not.”

Erast was likely in the midst of preparing for war right now. In an environment where even the next year’s seeds were being confiscated as military provisions, it was impossible to expect maintenance for graves without any surviving relatives.

”So, where’s your grave?”

”I don’t know. Maybe I’ll recognize it when I see it. Just start searching.”

Of course, there was a way to identify it. After killing the two bounty hunters from the Necron Society, I stuffed them into my coffin. The grave with two corpses inside would be mine.

For a moment, I considered telling him the truth, but it turned out to be a pointless thought. Isaac rummaged around, but there was no grave like that anywhere.

”What the hell? Where is it? Well, considering the mess here, I suppose it makes sense that you can’t find it.”

...

Judging by the fact that the other graves remained untouched, it seemed someone had specifically retrieved those two corpses. Most likely, it was the work of the Necron Society.

”Well, this range should be sufficient, anyway.”

”What do you mean?”

”I’m talking about revealing your true name.”

Isaac moved the scattered coffins, tombstones, and rocks around the graveyard.

Thud!

Isaac dropped a large rock in the center. From his perspective, there was clearly some kind of logic to the placement, but from an outsider’s point of view, it was too subtle to discern.

”You’d better learn this properly since you’re about to disappear for good. Knowledge sticks better when you’re right on the verge of death.”

”Disappear?”

”Yeah. I’m going to completely erase your consciousness along with your true name. I’ll extract your identity before killing you.”

”...”

”Look at you. You’re completely unresponsive. Are you not scared? Think about it. You’ll be gone. Completely erased. You will cease to exist.”

I wasn’t afraid at all. I hadn’t expected this exact situation, but... rather than fear, I felt relief. Even if he talked about erasing my consciousness, I had a strong feeling that if I died like this, I would simply restart.

”Oh? You’re not afraid? Just as I expected.”

Talking any further would only let him entangle me in his nonsense. I chose to remain silent and focused on my senses. If Isaac was right, Rena could arrive at any moment. I had to be ready to take back control. If I didn’t manage to kill myself before she got hurt, it would be disastrous.

Isaac seemed oddly at ease after rearranging the graveyard’s terrain.

Tap. Tap.

He walked slowly to the center of the graveyard, placed a medal atop the stone, and spoke to me.

”Alright. I’ve changed my mind.”

I couldn’t understand what he meant. Isaac pointed at the medal, which depicted Grassmere’s landscape.

”You’re going inside this. You and I will remain connected mentally. Once I get bored with you, I’ll toss you into the depths of the ocean.”

”Didn’t you say you were going to erase me?”

”Heh... For some reason, you’re not afraid of that, are you? Then I won’t do it.”

Clatter! Clatter!

I struggled to regain control of my legs. If I could, I would throw myself off a cliff. If I were buried in the deep sea, there would be no hope of escape.

How long would I be trapped? Until the metal of the medal corroded completely in the salt water? Would my consciousness last that long?

I would rather die. Death would be a much better fate. The sheer helplessness and despair of being trapped like that were too terrifying to even imagine. But Isaac had anticipated my resistance and did not give up control so easily.

”Ahaha! Now this is a reaction!” Isaac exclaimed.

Even as he spoke recklessly with an open mouth, he continued to dig.

Thud! Thud!

”This area should be enough. But just to be sure...”

”Neigh!”

Isaac hypnotized two of the horses, making them stand atop the scale drawing. It looked like some sort of sacrificial ritual.

That must be why he brought those three horses in the first place.

The preparations were nearing completion. Isaac drew a large hexagram around the medal on the stone and overlaid it with a pentagram inside.

”Ugh, this is such a hassle. Just to break through a single barrier, I have to go through all this nonsense... I need to regain my strength soon...” Isaac muttered as he traced the final strokes. ”Anyway. Let’s find out who you really are, shall we?”

The moment the pattern was completed, it slowly sucked in the surrounding darkness.

Woooong!

I felt myself pulled forward along with it.

”Ewo ahnin (As all things are...)”

A low, solemn voice resounded. It didn’t even sound like my own voice. It was as if the entire darkness was humming, reciting the incantation.

”Mi vivas, vokante mian nomon (I live, calling my name).”

The chant flickered like burning fire at times, then dripped heavily like moisture at others, resonating grandly in the darkness. I had never heard this language before, yet I understood its meaning perfectly.

”Si tie enterigita, volvas... (The one buried here shall return...)”

Thud! Thud! Thud!

With a thunderous noise, dozens of harpoons came flying toward me. Isaac immediately activated his Detection skill. Despite the massive scale of the attack, there was only one enemy.

There was no doubt who it was. It was a familiar presence.

”Oh? She’s here a bit early.”

It was Rena.

Dozens of harpoons whizzed through the air, each one equipped with a metal net at its tail. Rena was trying to capture and drag me away.

I could feel her desperate effort to keep me from getting hurt, and it was agonizing. I wished she had just used a bomb or something like Grassmere’s Fire instead.

If I were shattered to death, at least I would have a chance to start over. Of course, there was no way Rena knew that.

Damn it.

Besides, even if she had decided to throw a bomb, the current me didn’t seem like someone who could die so easily. A magical circuit had been engraved within me. In just one night, I had unwillingly become much stronger.

”Sword Energy.”

Woooong!

”Frost and Wind Blast.”

[Skill: Double Casting Lv. 1 has been activated.]

[Frost Lv. 1 & Wind Blast Lv. 1 have been combined.]

[Your mastery is astonishing!

A new combined skill — Frost Storm Lv. 1 has been acquired!]

Isaac swung his greatsword downward in a powerful arc. New messages flooded the air, but there was no time to read them carefully.

No!

Isaac aimed his attack at Rena. The burning wind and ice energy surrounding the blade looked terrifying even at a glance. Blocking with my arms was impossible. I wasn’t familiar with magic, and I couldn’t stop it. There was only one thing I could do.

Cancel Sword Energy!

Whoosh!

The greatsword slashed through the air. A frost storm, glowing with a cold blue hue, erupted from its tip, slicing through the darkness. Fortunately, the pale blue aura that had been flickering around the sword vanished. The force behind the attack had been weakened.

Whoooosh!

The storm rushed forward, freezing a dozen harpoon nets in midair and sending them crashing to the ground, binding them in place. The swirling wind and frost continued forward, freezing a withered tree halfway through before dispersing in all directions.

A thin layer of ice formed in patches across the battlefield. Rena had managed to dodge in time. At least, that was a relief.

Now that Rena had seen this level of attack, she might be more cautious moving forward, which could improve the situation.

Clink. Clink. Clink.

A mechanical sound echoed in the darkness—the sound of a weapon rewinding its harpoons.

Isaac didn’t counterattack.

He simply smirked and muttered to himself, ”Barrier, activate.”

[Barrier: Nightmare has been activated.]

Clunk! Clunk! ...Boom!

Something massive tumbled down the slope, bouncing and shattering into pieces. The sound reminded me of the moment Rubia’s corpse had been discarded from a cart. A sickening feeling welled up inside me.

Damn it!

Rena was slowly approaching. It seemed she had pushed the massive weapon down the slope.

Through Isaac’s Detection skill, I could sense her pulse. Her heavy breathing and tense energy were vividly clear.

Tap.

Rena emerged from the shadows of the night forest. Under the dim moonlight, I could see the specialized equipment she was wearing.

Run!

I screamed at her internally to run.

What kind of situation has she gotten herself into?

Rena’s eyes darted quickly, filled with anxiety. Her clenched hands trembled, and blood trickled from her lips where she had bitten down too hard.

”Let... Rena go.”

Isaac sneered at me.

”You idiot, who is worrying about whom? Once this is over, the girl will have gained my respect.”

Thud.

Isaac lowered his greatsword. He adjusted his stance once more and stood at the center of the barrier-formed graveyard.

”Reuven en la Sorto de Nevo, mi pregas por nova volo (Within the hexagram of Nevo and the pentagram of Reuven, I place a new vessel and offer a prayer). Li doni al si tio novan vazon (Here lies the vessel in which his name shall be inscribed)... Reveal your true essence and engrave it!”

A crimson aura flared to life as the overlapping pentagram and hexagram were completed.

Crackle! Crackle!

The deep red energy crackled like lightning, discharging into the air.

[Curse: True Name Revelation has been activated.]

[Curse: Soul Seal has been activated.]

Whoosh! Crackle!

Scarlet chains emerged from the darkness, wrapping tightly around my bones.