Chapter 64
Skeleton King
I could see the figure of a crown sitting upon its head .
It’s as big as I had expected .
Is it about as large as the dragon zombie I had fought before?
However, this place is not s.p.a.cious enough for it to stand upright .
That’s why, it was currently crawling on the ground on all fours .
Its bones were almost colored orange .
There is some orange light glowing behind his dark eye sockets .
The glowing light is moving about as if it was fidgety .
I could see some things sticking out from its shoulder .
They look like bones from human arms and legs .
There are also some monster bones sticking out along with the others .
This guy…
Is it able to grow by taking the bones of other creatures?
That room we were in before may have been a storage for the bones that he has taken .
[Hiiiyyyyyeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaahhhhh—!!!]
The roar he made just now sounds really intimidating .
It kinds of resembles the roar of the Dragon Zombie .
As of the moment, it doesn’t look like it’s going to attack us .
The Skeleton King is observing our movements .
[Hati-dono…]
Mist is biting her lips next to me as she looks at the Skeleton King .
[Hmmm?]
[Please look at the bone under it’s chin . If you look at it closely, you should be able to see a silvery part around there . ]
[…Yeah . ]
[If you could break that part, you could probably defeat it . ]
[Fumu…]
[However— I will clearly tell you the reality of what we’re facing . ]
Staring at the monster, Mist continued .
[That is not a monsters that we could fight even if we gather all the mercenaries that have been raiding this ruins . I don’t think even that Drunken Sword Party can fight against that… It has a large body and quick-witted, its bones are also tough and I’ve heard that techniques who make use of magic energy is less effective against it . That’s why I think, even Hati-dono’s technique wouldn’t be—]
The Drunken Sword Party .
They must have been that amazing of a party .
[………… . . ]
I observed the Skeleton King .
Its shining golden eyes are quickly moving about as if it’s a leaf beetle .
I could clearly feel it glanced more often towards Mist than it had towards me .
Did it think that it should be more wary towards Mist?
The stronger one of the two of us is that woman .
I see…
If there is Mist beside me, it may be possible to divert the enemy’s consciousness away from me .
Well then— how should I attack it?
I remember back when I’ve fought the Soul Eater .
I wonder if this monster also has an ultra-high speed ability to intercept others attacks .
That’s something I still don’t know right now .
How high is this monster’s level anyway?
If I want increase the certainty of my skill hitting it successfully, I should find the moment when the opponent is about to attack . I would then match its attack by activating my skill but—
[Hati-dono, I have a request . ]
Mist suddenly called out .
Pishi .
Piikkkii,
Pishhiiii—
Snowflakes began to float around on the edge of Mist’s sword .
The amount of these snowflakes gradually began increasing .
[I would try to reinforce my sword and make it blunt with ice . I would then try to break that weak spot . Furthermore, I would be increasing my physical ability by creating my special armor . With the strength that I’ve been stacking up, it should be able for me to defeat it . It’s just that… I’m trying to conceal the existence of this power of mine as much as possible . That’s why, could I ask you to keep what you’ve seen here for yourself?]
The Skeleton King opened its mouth wide .
I could see the light that I’ve seen before started gathering towards its mouth .
Is it going to attack Mist by launching something towards her?
However– it still doesn’t blast it out .
There should be a moment where it would launch it in one go after it swells up .
In order to find that opportunity, I kept on watching over the Skeleton King .
Sometimes, it is necessary to take the risk even if you’re not sure of success .
However, I would like to focus on my certainty through this way .
Find a gap that I could certainly exploit and defeat others through this .
[And also— I’m sorry . If that monster was stronger than I had expected, I don’t think I would even be conscious enough to protect you . That’s why, if that were the case, Hati-dono and Pigimaru-dono should start fleeing—]
[Giiiggeeerrooooo—!]
It looks like it’s about to release that thing it has been gathering .
And the moment when it would produce the easiest gap that I could exploit with—
—is right now .
[——]
Shuuuu… .
[Ooohh, ooohh—- ooooo…]
The light that has been gathering in the Skeleton King’s mouth started weakening .
So, it didn’t explode itself just like that time with the Lizardman?
[—Ooohhh, –oohhh? ooooohhh…]
The monster’s movement has completely stopped .
I could feel the confusion in the Skeleton King’s face .
It doesn’t have a face to make expressions, but I know .
I took a step forward towards it .
[—-Eh?]
A short, dumbfounded voice leaked out from Mist’s mouth .
The snowflakes that has been gathering in her weapon stopped halfway .
Calmly, I turned to her and replied .
[I understand . This strength that you spoke of, I swear that I won’t leak it out towards others without your permission . ]
I turned back towards the Skeleton King again and extended my hand towards the paralyzed monster .
If this were to work against it, then it means that I won’t need to know some sh*tty weak points .
[]
The Skeleton King’s gigantic body turned purple .
It seems that is still successful right now .
Just like that time with the rotting dragon, the skill was still effective even against monsters who were made up of just bones .
I still don’t understand the principle around this skill .
However, I’ve successfully invoked my abnormal state skill against all kinds of targets .
Well, with the exception of that f*cking G.o.ddess but…
[What in the world is that…? A technique? A magical equation…?]
Mist looks baffled as she looked up towards the King of Bones .
Her eyes were wide open while she’s still holding the sword of ice in her hand .
Ah, I see .
Is this the first time that Mist have seen someone using ?
I look back towards her .
[I will make sure that I will not utter a word about your power . In exchange—]
While the King of Bones is currently being afflicted by my poison, I spoke .
[Could I ask you to keep the knowledge of this power to yourself?]
Mist still doesn’t seem to have caught up with the situation .
[And also, these so-called abnormalities that have been happening in this ruins… those were probably just the corpses of the monsters I have killed with this power . ]
[Ha- Hati-dono’s…?]
[Listening to have the Drunken Sword Party has described it when I had met them earlier, that’s the only plausible thing that I could infer . Killing a monster with this power of mine basically seems to leave no trauma in them . Now that I think about it, haven’t you experienced it yourself before?]
Back in that forest, I have invoked towards Mist .
It seems that she haven’t noticed it yet when I have put her to sleep before .
[Well, this power is kind of—]
I pointed towards the Skeleton King behind me with my thumb .
[It seems that it’s a bit of an abnormality in this world . ]