Newbie Slicer (1)

A strange rumor had recently begun circulating in the peaceful Starting Village.

"A weird skeleton killed us!"

It started with some kids who had ventured out on their first adventure. A boss-level skeleton had appeared, they said. No one believed the boys' tales. Everyone just dismissed it as cute childish pranks.

But what they'd brushed off as exaggerated lies kept turning into weirder and weirder incidents.

"If that's all you say, how are we supposed to know? Explain in more detail."

Just moments ago, a novice wanderer couple who had experienced death for the first time burst into the tavern, venting their grievances.

"It popped out of nowhere! A skeleton draped in some ragged sackcloth! It swung around these strange bones, and everything around us got totally wrecked!"

Their excited, rambling words spilled out. But the point came across clearly enough. A strange skeleton. It was one of the most talked-about phrases in Starting Village these days.

Come to think of it, that veteran party died in the plains not long ago.

Unlike ordinary wanderers who racked up deaths left and right, they had never recorded a single respawn. They were rare experts boasting rock-solid skills. So when they suddenly awoke at the respawn shrine, people were baffled.

No one knew the exact cause of death. They'd left the village without a word. But the sharp ones pieced it together. Something was out there. And maybe the rumors floating around weren't just hot air.

"Take a sip of water and calm down first."

The man still hadn't recovered from his first death. Immortality didn't mean no pain. The vivid agony and terror right up to the end could shatter a person's mind easily. That was probably why most wanderers ended up with warped personalities. Death was something you never got used to.

"What now? Another newbie bites the dust?"

Perion, the master of the village's one and only tavern, emerged from the kitchen sensing the commotion.

"Gramps! It's that weird skeleton again!"

No one had stayed in the village longer than Perion. The old man had been here long before Starting Village was even built—a crucial hub for every wanderer's first adventure. He served as a sort of spiritual ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠pillar for them. Though he was infamous for socking the clueless ones over the head with his staff.

"Weird skeleton my ass! You lot are just too weak. These damn kids nowadays! Tsk tsk."

A rapid-fire boomer combo that left your tongue in knots. Old man's at it again. Most wanderers ignored him familiarly. But "most" didn't mean "all."

"And have you ever even stepped outside this village? Who's calling who a coward?"

"You... you...!!"

A quiet listener finally snapped and spat out his defiance. The old man's face twisted in fury. Then he bellowed.

"Punks who haven't even survived the Eternal Night!"

Here we go again. Some wanderers caught on ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠and plugged their ears preemptively.

"Back in my day, monsters worse than the Lords crawled everywhere!"

"Aww, he's off again."

His granddaughter approached the spittle-flying ranter, patting his back with a kind voice.

"Grandpa, time for your meds!"

"I'm fine, you brat!"

But even she couldn't shut him up.

"Have you lot ever laid eyes on an ancient dragon? Ever even glimpsed the shadows of primordial beasts?!"

What the hell is that? Eternal Night? Primordial beasts? Young wanderers had zero interest in old tales. Just like with any wanderer, they figured it was all bluster built on lies.

And Edan was no different.

"Ha! Bragging in a village where most die to some puny skeleton!"

Not worth his time. Neither the half-senile geezer nor the weaklings trembling at skeletons. All beneath him.

Edan ignored Perion and walked past. Or tried to.

If not for the words that followed.

"Scared?"

"...What'd you say?"

A line no man could ignore halted Edan in his tracks.

"What was that again?"

But the old man wasn't one to back down.

"You scared, kiddo?"

The eyes of a man who'd endured countless ages held no dimness. They pierced like an abyss, deep with darkness. So eerie that Edan instinctively reached for his sword.

Thud!

"Hey, no fighting in the village."

A heavy hand clamped his shoulder. Looking around, the onlookers were readying their weapons. Only then did Edan realize what he'd almost done. His eyes shook violently.

He didn't want to admit it. Me, scared of that old fart? Denying reality, he decided to prove his strength another way.

"Tch. I'll prove that skeleton or whatever is nothing myself."

Edan grabbed his gear and stormed out. Perion shook his head at the sight.

"Tsk tsk, falling for such a cheap taunt. Won't last long."

Whether things would ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠go as he thought, no one knew.

I roamed the Starting Plains, hunting every human I spotted. A few decent fights along the way, but the results were a success.

My level had ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠already hit 10. Roughly a dozen kills in a single day, give or take. No ambushes, of course. I'm an honorable knight, after all!

"Clack! Clack! Clack!"

A pathetic bone-clacking instead of hearty laughter. Come to think of it, why couldn't I still speak? Skeleton knights could talk, right?

Doubt bubbled up. I'd inherited memories, abilities—probably even part of the soul. Yet I couldn't do what a skeleton knight could. Kinda bruised my pride.

Skill window!

I shoved aside the useless thoughts and focused on what I could do.

Crossing level 10 unlocked the locked skills at last. Time to satisfy that burning curiosity. What new skills had I gotten? I eagerly unpacked the gift.

The first one I checked: Scream of Despair. I read the full description and nodded like I got it.

Okay. Basically, yell loud to scare 'em shitless! Like an AoE debuff. In wuxia terms, a lion's roar vibe.

But pondering the description sparked a question.

I can't make a sound, though?

"Clack clack?"

It's a scream. Gotta shout, right? So how the hell am I supposed to use it? No answer no matter how I racked my skull. I'd test it later. On to the next.

This one brought a satisfied grin. Nice, this'll be useful! A charge skill. Unlike dodge-focused evasion, this was attack-oriented mobility—exactly what I needed.

The skeleton knight fight taught me plenty. Create an opening for Slash, and I win. That lv.100 monstrosity's cheat status was proven repeatedly. But Slash had a fatal flaw: pitiful range. A gap-closer was essential.

In that sense, Charge of Hatred was a winner. Way cooler than rolling on the dirt like with Dodge.

Under a tree's shade, feeling the cool breeze, I gazed into the distance. I'd returned to my spawn spot. Turned out it was prime real estate. People streamed by without me moving a bone. Just wait like a fisherman, and bait appears.

This time, I lounged leisurely, waiting. Ahh, any tasty prey passing by? Ideally someone skilled enough to test the new skill.

Rustle.

A subtle difference from the wind. Someone approaching. I turned.

"...A skeleton?"

Fresh prey. Aura totally different from the usual humans. But to me, just walking EXP. Sandbox time!

I leaped up, bones in hand.

"So you're the rumored skeleton."

Rumor? What rumor? I tilted my head at his mutter. Whatever. Not important. What mattered: a chance to test the new skill.

Shing!

Stance set, skill activated.

Charge of Hatred!

Thud!

"...Damn!"

The startled man raised his shield. Bad move.

Bam!

"Guh!"

My body slammed him, ruining his stance. Game over, whether he knew it or not. Give me distance? Die!

Charge of Hatred into Slash!

Shlick!

Clean hit with a satisfying sound. Perfect skill combo, right?

He dissolved into blue mist without a scream.

Mmm! Satisfaction guaranteed! Inheriting the Fallen Knight was the right call.

Huh? What's that?

"Clack clack?"

Something shiny on the ground caught my eye amid the glee. I approached and bent down.

A ring, where the man had stood. I picked it up, and a message appeared.