Chapter 155
Chapter 155
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 155
Chapter Title: Rise and Fall (2)
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“Kuhahaha. Did you really think you could turn your back on His Imperial Majesty the Emperor, dream of rebellion, and live to tell the tale?”
“Damn it!”
Hugo’s expression grew frantic.
Seeing this, the emperor’s soldiers laughed leisurely.
“Heh, everyone else is dead, and you’re the only slippery eel left alive. Where do you think you’re slinking off to? You think you’ll survive by running away from here?”
“Exactly. Just die peacefully. You and your whole family. Your head’s coming off soon enough, just like all the other traitors around you. Tsk, why’d you let some brainless idiot lead you astray?”
The emperor’s soldiers closed in with murderous grins, tightening the encirclement.
Meanwhile, the revolutionary soldier Hugo backed away, desperate to flee.
[Choose one of the two groups.]
[1. Emperor’s Forces]
[2. Revolutionaries]
[Help that group end the war.]
Such status windows kept flashing in my vision.
They were telling me to pick quickly.
“Whew.”
I let out a sigh.
This felt oddly familiar.
For some reason, it reminded me of before.
Back then, in the world of “Forest and Rock” belonging to Demir and Eldrin.
Elves and dwarves had been fighting, and I’d had to choose one.
I’d picked the dwarves that time.
‘At least the good news is...’
Back then, not choosing meant a ‘death’ penalty.
But not this time?
“By the way, who the hell are you?”
It was then that one of the emperor’s soldiers noticed me.
“Hmm. Strange outfit, weird look. What group are you with? If you’re imperial, state your rank!”
“Uh, I’m...”
I scratched my head.
What should I do here?
“Well, I’m just...”
And in that moment.
I stepped forward with Shadow Shepherd’s stealth technique.
“I’m a nobody.”
Ssssh!
At the same time, I wrapped my arms around Hugo’s waist.
“Hup? Wh-what?”
“Quiet. Relax.”
Before the emperor’s soldiers’ pupils could even dilate.
Ssssh!
I began fleeing through the shadows blanketing the area.
‘My choice is...’
To hold off.
Until I knew for sure who my skeletons belonged to.
I had no intention of siding with anyone.
* * *
Tadadak!
By now, Sun had been summoned beside me, carrying Hugo over his shoulder as he ran alongside.
“My lord.”
Even while running, he glanced around with curious eyes.
“What world is this? Remarkably, the sky here has two suns.”
The ability to take in the world with his eyes.
One of the reasons he followed me.
“I don’t know either.”
I muttered.
“It’s a new world for me too. Guess we’ll figure it out slowly from now on.”
I fled from the emperor’s forces.
I avoided talking much to not make them enemies.
I vanished from their sight before any conflict could arise.
More precisely, I made sure they saw me as some kind of ghost or specter.
By deliberately letting shadows ripple all over my body.
And the result.
[Your choice is ambiguous.]
[Please make a clear decision.]
[Choose one of the two groups.]
The system was still accepting my hold-off for now.
I wasn’t sure if it would work, but it did. Good.
“Whew, huff!”
I took deep breaths and kept running.
“Uwaaaah!”
Hugo looked pretty miserable beside me...
“H-Hold on, stop for a sec! Why’s a skeleton so damn fast? I feel like puking!”
But that wasn’t my problem.
I had to maintain my stance.
I hadn’t saved Hugo—I’d taken him hostage.
I wasn’t helping the revolutionaries—I was just using him briefly to grasp the situation here.
“Shut up.”
“Uwaaaah!”
“You’re sure the revolutionary commander is that way, right?”
“Y-Yes! How would a lowly soldier like me know the commander’s position?”
“Come on, liar.”
I chuckled.
He’d been spilling everything earlier, thanking me for the save.
“You said they’d welcome any outsider with rare abilities, no question.”
Hugo answered everything I asked.
From the commander being far away in the imperial capital, to the capital’s exact location.
After that.
When I suddenly turned cold, his face twisted into a bizarre mix of three expressions.
Bewilderment.
Disbelief.
And.
Confusion about what to do...
‘Bear with me.’
If the commander you mentioned turns out to be who I’m looking for, I’ll be your real power.
Then the flames of revolution will burn even fiercer, changing this world.
The emperor’s forces that tormented you will cower in fear.
So, just wait a bit.
“Man, it’s pretty far, huh? Whew.”
“Of course! The empire’s huge—only a madman would run there! Uwaaaah! Hey! Slow down, please! I’m a commoner who’s never even ridden a carriage! Bleeech!”
Sun deftly scattered Hugo’s vomit.
We ran along the ridgeline for quite a while like that.
[Revolutionaries? Emperor’s forces?]
[Choose one of the two groups.]
[Please choose quickly.]
‘Ah, shut up already.’
Even then.
The system kept pressuring me to choose.
Probably over 20 times by now?
But.
‘Whatever.’
I kept ignoring it.
Not even glancing at it.
Unless they slapped on a penalty like last time.
I wouldn’t choose first.
How long did we run like that?
[Elapsed Time – 12:00:10]
Half a day had already passed.
More than enough to clear Theme 5’s stage 5.
‘Hmm.’
By the way.
It was supposed to be a pass after 5 hours, but what happens if the time keeps increasing?
No special messages yet, so it seems it’ll just keep going.
‘Anyway.’
12 hours passing was huge good news for me.
[Using skill, ‘Teaching of Ten Thousand Arts’ (SS Grade).]
[Consuming 20 stamina.]
[‘Master of Ten Thousand Arts’ appears.]
The cooldown to summon the old man had turned.
‘Elder, you here?’
“Yeah.”
The old man smiled contentedly.
“Summon cycle’s definitely shorter—nice. Heh. Another new place, huh?”
‘Yes.’
“Heh, this’ll be fun. Wonder what absolute being lives here.”
The old man hummed as he floated beside me.
Somehow.
Elder.
Feels like sightseeing’s more fun for you than teaching me the ‘One’.
“Hm? What’s that down the ridgeline?”
‘Pardon?’
And in that moment.
“Waaaaah!”
“Uwaaaaaah!”
Far below.
A massive roar echoed.
“...That?”
I stopped running and observed the situation.
After a few more steps.
Below the ridgeline stretched a vast plain with enormous walls.
And beneath them, countless soldiers faced off in ranks.
The empire’s elite in ornate uniforms.
And commoner revolutionaries wielding all sorts of ragtag weapons.
Combat power clearly favored the emperor’s side.
But numbers heavily favored the revolutionaries.
And among those revolutionaries.
“Heh, you saw him too.”
One soldier stood out, even from afar.
“Yes, a crane among chickens. No matter how many chickens, your eyes go to that lone crane standing tall.”
Boom!
He slammed down the shield on his right shoulder and bellowed orders to the revolutionaries.
“...”
I didn’t even need to ask Hugo.
I knew that man with the giant shield was the revolutionary commander.
‘And a shield user too.’
No way.
You a Bone Master?
“Hmm?”
I heard the old man’s curious hum too.
* * *
A picture’s worth a thousand words, but sometimes one question beats a thousand sights.
Curious, I headed straight into the revolutionary lines.
To learn more about that man.
More precisely.
To confirm if he was a Bone Master.
Leaving Hugo on the ridgeline, I slipped in via shadows.
Shadow Shepherd’s ‘Soundless’ was truly impressive.
Piercing the revolutionaries’ watch was a breeze.
Ssssh!
As I neared the commander.
“That guy. Bone Master confirmed.”
The old man said.
“No need to look closer. Build’s the same, and the potential’s insane. On par with your other bones.”
‘You sure?’
“Of course, you punk! You doubting the eyes that scoured the world for talent back in the day?”
‘No way.’
“Besides, I know your bones inside out. Trained ’em myself—how could I not? I could draw ’em blindfolded now.”
‘Fair enough.’
I nodded.
I’d half-expected it.
Anyone could see he screamed “I’m the big deal!” while wielding a shield. Had to be a Bone Master.
‘But.’
Why the chill down my spine?
For starters, that commander.
Didn’t look that strong.
Honestly, I could probably take him solo?
‘Doesn’t it feel off?’
“What does?”
‘My bones were always world-topping powerhouses, or close. Sun, Eldrin, Demir—all of ’em. But this commander...’
“True enough. Great potential, but green as hell. Like you.”
‘Not just that—the whole vibe.’
Revolutionaries.
Emperor’s forces.
‘Looking at the war’s big picture, no one seems powerhouse-level. Sure, I sense a few heavy hitters now and then that’d be a pain... but.’
“You’re saying it’s leagues below the medium dungeons you’ve cleared?”
‘Yes, exactly.’
Why?
This dungeon’s even higher—A-rank difficulty.
Is this okay?
‘Plus.’
I gazed at the burly man before me.
‘His eyes are so pure. He’s clearly remarkable, leading a revolution... but.’
“You still don’t trust me?”
‘No, it’s not that.’
[Choose one of the two groups.]
[1. Emperor’s Forces]
[2. Revolutionaries]
[Help that group end the war.]
Yeah, you.
This system message felt the most off.
Normally, it’d force the choice with ‘death’ threats or whatever.
Now it just whines.
No penalties.
I was curious about that leniency.
[......]
[Failing to choose may incur severe penalties.]
‘See?’
I gripped my spear shaft tight.
‘All bark, no bite.’
“Hmm.”
‘Normally, I’d pick revolutionaries right away. Obvious Bone Master, item’s a “peace-preaching officer,” dungeon’s “Rise and Fall.”’
“So all that’s a trap? Luring you to pick revolutionaries?”
The old man stroked his beard and continued.
“Normally, I’d call that dogshit, but... your hit rate’s been solid lately.”
‘That’s why I’m checking.’
“Checking?”
‘Yes, confirming.’
Elder too.
Sun too.
Demir, Eldrin.
Common point: all undead.
And actually, I had a skill specialized for undead.
What is it?
Step.
The moment I closed in on the revolutionary commander via stealth.
[Activating ‘Memory Reproduction’ (S Grade).]
‘As expected!’
I nodded.
The familiar skill auto-triggered.
Just like always.
My skill recognized that commander as undead.
More precisely, as a Bone Master.
“Kekeke, good call. Gotta confirm before moving on.”
The old man grinned satisfied.
Soon.
[Reproducing the memories of the ‘Cursed’ Undead, ‘Defense Master, Kaden.’]
[Teleporting shortly.]
Defense Master?
Kaden?
My pupils widened at the cooler-than-expected title.
Then blinding light engulfed my body.