Monsters Lurk in the Forest (2)
The men, clad in light leather armor, had an array of vicious-looking weapons dangling from their belts. Veteran Wanderers who exuded an aura of experience at a glance. Scars covered their bodies here and there, but the Stigmata on the backs of their hands shone vividly.
"I thought this was supposed to be right at the entrance to the Starting Path."
"Shouldn't we go deeper in? Come on, boss, no way a monster's gonna pop up in this empty-looking forest."
The Wanderers following their rough-faced leader scanned their surroundings restlessly. All they could see were lush green trees. Not a single suspicious skeleton in sight.
"Hey, guide. You didn't lead us to the wrong damn place, did you?"
The man calling himself the leader was named Kern. He snapped at the guide leading the group from the front in a prickly tone.
"……."
No answer came. Only silence filled the air. The guide's face was shrouded by a hood, eyes lost in shadow.
"…Tch, this is why you can't trust witches."
Kern clicked his tongue at the guide's subtly displeasing gaze and stepped forward, bellowing loudly.
"Search every inch around us from now on! If you spot a skeleton, smash its skull!"
"Yes, sir!"
Ordinary monsters scattered here and there. Occasionally, mutant variants popped up among them. And in the cores of those rare monsters lurked something called a Soul Stone—an incredibly precious material. Even the tiniest one fetched a king's ransom. Just one could change a lowly Wanderer's life forever.
Having caught the scent of money from the boys' tale, Kern set out to hunt with his crew.
"If we snag some Soul Stones, we'll be rich."
Clinging to vain hopes.
From a high hill overlooking the scene below, I watched the humans intently. They circled the same spots over and over, like they were hunting for something. That clinched it for me.
Something's down there! Why else would they comb through this empty forest so thoroughly?
Was there some valuable treasure hidden here? I plopped down right then and let my imagination run wild.
Expensive jewels? No thanks. To a skeleton like me, they'd just be shiny rocks.
What about some priceless artifact? Hmm… now that piqued my curiosity.
The searching men soon spotted some nearby skeletons. Without a second thought, they attacked. The skeletons shattered pitifully under the humans' merciless blows.
But watching them crumble didn't stir a thing in me.
Why no sorrow for my kin, you ask? Because it didn't make me sad at all!
Skeletons were just walking bone piles. Even if they were the same monster type, they couldn't talk worth a damn. Why feel pity? At most, I felt a twinge of that must hurt seeing them smash apart.
…Did skeletons feel pain? I hadn't been through it myself, so who knew.
"Damn it! Where the hell is it?!"
"No matter how you slice it, that redheaded brat must've lied. A skeleton that one-shots by decapitating? Bullshit."
I perked up my nonexistent ears at their words and finally pieced together what they were after.
They're looking for me!
But that was weird. I'd killed those boys I'd met earlier, right? Yet these guys talked like they'd heard the tale straight from them.
Come to think of it, the boys had turned to blue mist and vanished upon death. The wolves, though, left corpses instead of misting away.
What was the difference between the misting boys and the wolves?
Maybe the humans here can resurrect?
Score—one key piece of intel. I felt a swell of pride in my brilliant skull and hopped to my feet.
Gripping a familiar bone in hand, I leaped from the hill.
Thud!
I landed with a crash and stood tall on two feet.
Behold my grand entrance!
Clack!
"…What the hell is this?"
A man gawked at my bold pose—bone hand on hip like a boss.
The more he stared, the more defiant I got.
What're you looking at? First skeleton you've seen?
"Clack!!"
I glared back with haughty tilt.
Sensing something off, a man pointed at me.
"Could this be the rare monster the boss mentioned?"
"…Looks like it."
You sense I'm no ordinary skeleton too, huh? Too late! I'd already decided to hunt you.
Now be good EXP for me!
"Clack!!"
I raised my bone, feeling power surge through my body. Without hesitation, I swung it wide.
It traced a massive arc, afterimages scattering in the air.
"Wait—!!"
Too late. The man raised his shield.
Boom—!
A massive explosion rang out, and the men dissolved into mist. Blue smoke billowed, carried away by the wind.
Ding!
The respawn point, usually quiet, lit up with several beams of white light.
"Gasp…!!"
The men rose, clutching their necks and panting heavily.
They'd died. In a single blow.
Realizing it, terror washed over them. Resurrection didn't mean no pain.
Kern rubbed his still-chilled neck and stood at the podium. His hand's Stigmata had noticeably faded.
"Fuck! Who'd have thought a monster like that actually existed!"
His comrade pounded the floor, venting frustration.
"…My Stigmata's faded a lot. If not for it, we'd be dead for good…."
The Wanderer, face pale from his first death, trembled in fear.
As his crew panicked, Kern alone stayed silent, then spoke quietly.
"Mike."
"…Yeah, boss? You call me?"
Kern was just a low-tier Wanderer sticking to safe zones, but his instincts had kept him alive without a single death. His pristine Stigmata proved his veteran status.
And those instincts screamed now: that skeleton was no ordinary foe.
"Contact the Management Bureau in the capital right now."
The special organization overseeing all Wanderers. They collected reports to prepare for emergencies. An Irregular could shatter the fragile ecosystem.
Those off-spec beings called "Lords" were exactly that.
"What should I say?"
Mike's face turned grave at Kern's seriousness. What they'd faced was that shocking.
There was only one message to relay.
"Tell them a new king has been born in the Starting Forest."
Recalling the skeleton's strike on his neck, Kern thought:
The twelve Lords fated to drag the world to ruin. One more might just join them.
One strike. My foes vanished in an instant again.
Was I actually pretty strong? Back-to-back easy wins bred arrogance.
No! They might've let their guard down!
"Clack!"
I reined it in quick. I was just your average street mob. Get cocky, and I'd be the one in danger.
Humility extends lifespans!
The fight bumped me up a level. Theory confirmed: killing humans levels me up.
And in a world where humans resurrect…
No need for guilt, then?
Not that I'd ever had any.
Snapping from level-up glee, I noticed something.
"……!"
Unlike the misted men, one survivor cowered on the ground, trembling.
I debated one-shotting her neck but lowered my bone.
Nothing like the others. Unarmed, in a ragged hooded cloak—harmless. My guard dropped.
Wouldn't yield much EXP anyway. Like a non-aggressive plains rabbit.
Clack.
"……!!"
I approached casually; she freaked, rolling away in panic. Her hood slipped, revealing a terror-stricken face.
Slender jaw, delicate shoulders—she was a girl. Hard to tell before.
Tiny frame, looked young. Middle-school age, maybe.
So frail, no attack power. Even I couldn't bring myself to kill this.
Not that I'm some softie!
Anyway, I was in a great mood. Leveled up three times, now a mighty lv5 skeleton. Plenty of room for mercy.
Grrrowl!
"!"
Her stomach rumbled right on cue. Hungry?
Spotting a nearby apple tree, I cleaved it down whole.
Thud!
A ripe red apple rolled to my feet.
Here, eat this!
"Clack!"
I offered it; she hesitated, then took it gingerly. Our hands brushed—
…Huh? Higher level than me?
Feeling awkwardly embarrassed, I yanked my hand back.
Emilia clutched the apple tight and nibbled cautiously.
"…!"
Surprised by the taste, she devoured it ravenously after the first bite. Nibbling an apple half her head size, she looked just like a squirrel.
Not bad at all. After endless boring skeletons, this was some rare healing.
She munched away—
"!"
—then suddenly rummaged in her bag. Out came a small white bone.
She glanced at me, then offered it shyly.
Repaying the apple with a bone? What kinda logic was that?
Weird flow, left me baffled. But a gift's a gift.
I reached for the bone in her hand—
Would you like to use the skill re:bone?
Sudden popup. I got it after the follow-up.
Current replaceable part: Right Shin
So I could swap this for my bone? I pressed it to my right leg.
Like this?
Would you like to inherit the skill remaining in the soul's essence?
Nailed it! I nodded eagerly at the prompt.
Yes!
"Clack!"
Click. A burst of white light exploded from my right leg.
You have acquired a skill!
Success.