Old Dynasty's Tomb (1)
New changes are always welcome. Especially when you're a pathetic skeleton like me. I stared at the message floating in front of my eyes, drinking it in over and over.
Evasion
The message that popped up after I swapped out my right shinbone. It was telling me I'd finally gained a new ability. I thought about activating the skill in my mind, and my bones swapped without much trouble. So that's how skills work! One more piece of knowledge added to my repertoire.
"Clack! Clack!"
A burst of pleased laughter sent my bones rattling together. I savored the joy for a good while, then tested my legs by moving them this way and that. It felt so natural I barely noticed the change unless I focused on it. Time to check out my new skill.
'Skill window!'
I'd really gotten a skill! And it had a pretty decent-sounding name too. 「Evasion lv. 1」 - Roll on the ground to dodge enemy attacks. A concise, helpful description that got right to the point, as expected. I jumped right up and used the skill.
'Evasion!'
Suddenly, it felt like I was being pulled forward, and my body started moving on its own. Before I could even question why I'd suddenly crouched down, I was already tumbling headfirst ahead.
Thud! Roll!
"……?"
I blinked blankly, my skull jammed against a tree root after rolling a full circle on the ground. Once I fully grasped what had happened, my bony face twisted in utter disappointment.
'This is... the evasion skill?'
Normally, evasion conjures up a cool image of casually tilting your head and muttering "too slow." So why was I rolling around on the dirt like a total scrub?
'This isn't evasion—it's just rolling...'
"Clack..."
I'd been duped. All that flashy packaging for nothing. My excitement deflated into gloom. What a useless skill. Now I was some weirdo skeleton tumbling across the floor. My good mood was ruined.
Poke.
"……."
Emilia approached and tapped my shoulder while I sat there in a daze of regret. What, you were still here? Only then did I remember she hadn't left yet. I waved her off lazily. Not in the mood to play along right now. This was the first time I'd felt true loss since becoming a skeleton.
'I'm not doing anything, so just go.'
"Clack!"
But Emilia just stared at me intently, grabbed my bony hand, and dragged me somewhere. I let her lead without resisting. She brought me to a pit hidden among the underbrush, barely visible.
'What's here?'
"Clack?"
I pointed at the dark entrance, and she nodded vigorously, like she'd understood perfectly.
Nod nod.
Seeing her like that reminded me what the men had called her: witch and pathfinder. Witch brings up all sorts of images—big-brimmed hat, shady personality, busty black-haired beauty.
Hmm... not quite. Nothing matched Emilia. No hat, no killer figure. Not even a sinister or vicious vibe. She was the opposite—just timid, lips pressed tight, always watching for cues.
So the conclusion was obvious: she must be an ace pathfinder. But something felt off. I couldn't recall ever hearing her speak since we met. Was she mute? Her frantic gesturing made it seem like she couldn't talk.
"……!"
Her mouth kept flapping as she explained, and instinct hit me. This was one of those dungeons you hear about! The kind from games, crawling with traps and monsters.
I dredged up faint memories and pieced together some knowledge. Curiosity piqued, I examined the pit closely. Not just any hole. A creepy chill proved it.
Should I check it out? I could always run if it's dangerous. A few fights had boosted my confidence. Maybe I was pretty strong now. Sure, still level 5 with a body of bones, but my ego was full.
Emilia bowed deeply in thanks before vanishing into the woods. I couldn't fathom why she was so grateful. Hadn't I killed her companions? I spared her life and tossed her some food, but revealing a dungeon? That seemed like too much.
'Guess she was that hungry.'
"Clack."
I shrugged it off. More important things mattered. I stood squarely before the dungeon entrance Emilia had shown me. A chilling yet oddly familiar aura rose from the pitch-black abyss. It matched the vibe of the skeletons wandering nearby.
Were all the local skeletons from here? Maybe I was assigned here too. My spawn point wasn't far.
Shouldering my hefty femur, I strode boldly into the dungeon.
*
The interior was darker than expected. But as a skeleton, I saw everything clearly despite the gloom. The uneven floor crunched underfoot as I delved deeper, damp air closing in. No human visitors in ages—moss everywhere, walls cracked like they might crumble any second.
Suspicious as hell. But that shabbiness thrilled me.
'Places like this always hide treasure!'
Tough dungeons mean premium loot. Basic rule. The level system, humans respawning endlessly—it all screamed game world to me. And entering the dungeon confirmed it.
'...What the hell is all this?'
"Clack...!"
At the pit's bottom, past a massive door, the inner landscape unfolded. A vast cavern deep underground, clearly man-made with intricate craftsmanship. Bones scattered on the floor, half-smashed coffins beside mysterious jars.
After looking around, I figured it out easily. A tomb. Emperors build grand mausoleums to commemorate their deeds—like pyramids in sandy deserts or that greedy conqueror of continents.
This was the Old Dynasty Tomb. From some notable king, judging by the scale. High ceiling even underground, massive central space with a deep hole in the middle. Intentional design or collapsed over time? Who knows. But the atmosphere? Perfect.
'Feels straight out of a game.'
Now it really screamed dungeon. I pressed on, leaving the spectacular view—clear even in total darkness—behind. A long stone corridor stretched ahead. I crept cautiously, fearing ambushes, then halted at an open room with no door.
What was this place? A quick peek showed nothing special. I stepped inside for a closer look.
Click!
"……?"
A suspicious sound. Looking down, the spot I'd stepped on was depressed, unlike the rest of the floor.
Wait. Don't tell me...
Thud! Rumble rumble rumble!
A vibration shook the ceiling above me with a deafening roar. I looked up—a huge boulder plummeting fast.
Rumble rumble rumble!
I activated the skill instantly.
'Evasion!'
Roll!
My body shot forward faster than I could move it. Boom! As I rolled across the floor, the boulder smashed exactly where I'd stood. Dodged it thanks to the skill. More useful than I thought. Without it, some part of me might be pancaked down there. Heartless as I was, the chill was real. I quickly scanned around, calm as ever.
'So... where am I now?'
The entrance was sealed by the boulder. Trapped in the room. Pounding the sealed door yielded nothing.
"Uwoooo—"
A guttural voice echoed from a dark corner. Hideous, rotting flesh—zombies straight out of a movie. Not one or two, but over a dozen. I backed away instinctively.
'Ugh... gross.'
Not one to talk, but they were ugly. Grimacing, I raised my bone club.