Shivers in the Colosseum
The woman in the colosseum stared at me, trembling in terror.
Her shaking sword tip pointed endlessly at the floor, nothing more.
I couldn't help but shake my head at her utter lack of spirit.
What's with this cowering from a Wanderer? Come at me with some confidence!
"F-Fuck!!"
I hadn't expected that kind of intense reaction, though.
As she glared at me with venomous eyes, trying to shake off her fear, I scratched my jaw.
"Clack clack."
Well, damn, this young lady's got a filthy mouth.
She looked a bit better than before, but still like a scared little puppy. I stayed calm.
You Wanderers come back to life anyway, right? So how about dying for me a few times?
"Die!"
Clack clack!
Whoops.
Despite my intentions, some pretty harsh words slipped out!
But they weren't wrong, so I decided not to take them back.
The outcome wouldn't change anyway.
"H-Hiiik!"
I raised the Drake Soul Sword and slowly approached the woman, who reverted to her cowardly mode.
What I needed right now was pure experience. Nothing else.
"F-Fire Ball!!"
Was she a mage? She activated a skill straight at me without warning.
A bright red fireball hurtled precisely at my skull.
I had plenty of time to dodge, but instead, I waited for it to come right up to my face.
And the moment the scorching heat arrived—
Slash.
I swung the Drake Soul Sword from above, slicing downward.
Slaaash!
The violent fireball split cleanly in two.
"Wha... what...???"
Ignoring the woman's stunned voice, I marveled to myself.
Oh? It actually worked?
I'd tried it on a whim, but it really sliced through.
Even something that wasn't a physical object gets cut for real?
Then how far can this go? Can it cut invisible things too?
Questions raced through my mind.
"Impossible! You sliced my magic!!"
But I pushed the thoughts aside for now.
Thinking about other stuff mid-fight is bad manners.
Even if I'm just a skeleton.
Because I'm a knight!
I decided to channel my half-baked knightly honor and fight in earnest.
"Fire Ball! Fire Ball! Fire Baaall!!!"
She had decent skill for a Wanderer, spamming fireballs one after another.
I raised my shield against the incoming barrage.
Ring of Strength!
Buff first.
Then finish it clean!
No room for carelessness.
Unlike you Wanderers, I've only got one life.
Boom!
The fireball missed its mark and plummeted beside me. I glanced at it, then triggered my skill.
Charge of Slaughter!
Scraaaape!
Invisible blades materialized around me.
I charged straight at her.
"U-Uwaaaah!!"
I launched myself at the back of the terrified, fleeing woman.
Boom!
"Kyaaak!"
She lost her balance and tumbled down.
I didn't miss the opening, swinging my sword.
Slaaash!
In an instant, she dissolved into blue mist and vanished.
Only the victor remained, standing in silence.
*
The battles that followed were just as anticlimactic, as expected.
This was getting boring.
The Wanderers panicked at the sight of me at first, then offered no real resistance before getting swept away.
Wasn't their level way too low?
I might level up too fast at this rate.
Still, no slacking.
Before the next opponent arrived, I checked my condition for any surprises.
Dramatically increases the wearer's strength for a set duration.
Duration:10 min | Cooldown:1h 30min
Suddenly spotting the ring's description, I jolted in surprise.
What the hell?
When did the cooldown get this long?
If memory served, it used to be around 30 minutes at first.
Seeing it stretched to 1 hour 30 minutes now sent a chill down my spine.
Was it broken?
Gular, watching my panic, explained.
"You didn't know? Items wear down the more you use them."
I didn't.
I thought they were infinite.
Unlike skills that level up with use, this felt the opposite.
A tedious, annoying system with zero fun.
They called it durability.
Wait.
Did that mean other items too?
I shot Gular a frantic look.
"Of course. Things need proper maintenance, don't they?"
Everything wears with use.
Nothing lasts forever in this world.
True enough.
But what pissed me off wasn't that.
...Now you tell me?
After shoving all this unrealistic crap down our throats—endless revivals for Wanderers, skeletons like me and Gular shambling around, a world full of bizarre impossibilities—they hit me with durability now?
Might as well scrap that too.
I muttered my futile gripe under my breath.
So what happens when durability hits zero?
"Clack clack?"
Obvious question.
It couldn't be one-use, right?
But Gular's follow-up let me exhale in relief.
"Repair or maintain it. Bring it to me, and I can handle basic fixes."
Alchemist through and through.
Was the alchemist class actually broken?
Item enhancement, repairs.
And now kidnapping enemies with dungeon traps.
Without Gular, I'd be in a real mess by now.
Versatile didn't cover it—heading toward omnipotence.
"Got another one!"
As I praised the alchemist, another foe triggered the trap.
I sat in my chair, watching the familiar blue light erupt.
Had to maintain the boss dignity.
But the man who emerged with the blue glow made me leap up.
"Where the hell am I?"
Different.
Nothing like the scrubs I'd faced before. This aura screamed power.
A true powerhouse, maybe rivaling the Dynasty Guardian.
Expensive armor hugged a muscular frame like heated iron.
Scars and wounds boasted of countless trials overcome.
"You're my opponent."
We recognized each other instantly.
Our eyes met, and without a word, we charged.
Boom!
Swords clashed, unleashing a thunderous explosion.
Definitely different.
The brief power struggle let me gauge his level.
A worthy foe.
Feeling the lingering sting in my palm, I backed off a step.
"...Strong."
And I wasn't alone—he glared at me after the clash, like facing a savage lion.
Yeah, now this felt like being a gladiator in the colosseum.
His blazing eyes made my nonexistent heart pound.
Blood surged hot through veins I didn't have.
And ironically, that...
Fueled my fire even more.
Who ignited that man's burning soul?
Me.
Who awakened the dormant warrior within?
Me!
A vivid ray of life piercing this ashen world.
I wanted to snuff it out now!
I kicked off and charged him.
Couldn't let this burning soul-fever cool.
Entertain me more!
Due to your powerful will, the skill Craving has activated!
An annoying message popped up, but I dismissed it.
No time for that crap.
Miss this moment, and I'd regret it forever.
A faint pulse of life's energy.
Something surging in my chest, unlike before—I swung my sword.
Slash!
Unlike the first clash, this was full power.
"Grk!"
Instinct warning him, he ducked to evade.
"Slash!"
His sword flew at my exposed left shoulder.
Dodge!
I rolled aside effortlessly, evading.
A dance on the edge of life and death.
One slip, and you're done.
I'll die? No—I'll kill you first!
Whoosh!
"Urk!"
Swinging at an unnatural angle, ignoring muscle strain.
Crack!
My joints protested from the overexertion.
But I didn't care, slashing relentlessly.
Single-minded: cut him down.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
"Krahk!"
Dozens of strikes wore him down.
Finally, his legs gave out, and he hit the dirt.
"Slash!"
Even as I closed for the finisher, he swung desperately.
But I wasn't careless enough for a sloppy attack.
I twisted aside easily and raised my sword.
Then plunged the Drake Soul Sword into his heart.
"Gr... gurk...!!"
The brutal sensation of piercing flesh transmitted through my palm.
As he dissolved into blue mist, dying slowly, I grinned wide at his eyes.
The level of skill Craving has increased.
You feel fighting spirit from the skill's effect.
I'm still...
Alive.