The Skeleton Soldier Failed to Defend the Dungeon-Chapter 98: Blessing in Disguise (11)

Chirp! Chirp-chirp!

The cries of autumn songbirds sounded cheerful.

Was it a bad idea?

I regretted trying to talk to him.

Clop! Clop!

Dangling from the saddle, I felt the horse's powerful muscles ripple against my bones. Its back was well-formed and perfectly proportioned.

When viewed from above, the horse seemed to be galloping well. But up close, its muscles formed a tightly packed lattice of tendons and power. The sheer density was intimidating.

It could trample a bear to death on its own.

The horse propelled itself with effortless, powerful strides, each step lifting itself upward and forward smoothly. The knight's riding technique was just as impressive.

The horse had no reins. Its saddle was peculiar, not designed to maximize stability or the force of a lance charge. It was broad and flat, seemingly intended only to gently distribute the rider's weight along the horse's spine.

The knight maintained perfect balance from atop this unconventional saddle while driving the horse at high speed.

Where is he taking me?

Conversation was impossible. If I wanted information, all I could do was observe. I focused on watching ahead. If he was here because of the emperor's assassination, it seemed likely he was transporting me to the capital.

Will I face the wizards?

They might extract memories from my mind or imprison me forever. A sudden clarity struck me. The Empire would win the war.

If that's the case...

No one would come to rescue me. Not for nine years, until the Demon Kings descended. Even then, I could end up buried in some forgotten underground cell, left to rot until my consciousness disintegrated into nothingness. Trapped forever in a tiny magical cage in a spellhold.

That... can't happen.

Considering the fact that he wasn't killing me, the odds of such a fate seemed very high. He was taking me to become an eternal test subject, left to wither until my awareness fully dissolved. I felt a chill in my bones and a growing sense of dread. A wave of urgency crashed over the lull in my thoughts.

Clatter! Clatter!

Yet, the horse wasn't heading straight toward the worst-case scenario, because it didn't gallop onto a wide road. Instead, it descended the mountain and ran through a field of golden wheat, glowing under the red sunset.

No—it was beyond that. The knight was guiding the horse directly toward Yublam's gray stone walls.

Didn't he ignore it before?

I stared ahead. The guards' vigilance remained as sharp as ever.

The edge of the sky was tinged with the crimson hues of dusk. A shift in the watch was just beginning.

Guards carrying torches were emerging from the gate. Six guards came out, replacing those who had been on duty outside. The heavy gates swung closed behind them. I could see them seal completely from a distance.

"Did I miss it..." the knight sighed softly, a hint of disappointment in his voice.

Does he plan to enter from here, at this distance?

Three hundred meters to the gate. Then two hundred.

Clatter! Clatter!

The newly emerged guards finally noticed the knight. Distracted by their shift change, they had been caught off guard.

"Halt! Halt!"

The guards with freshly lit torches shouted, leveling their spears. They moved in unison—well-trained for the most part.

"Stop where you are!"

Clatter! Clatter!

The knight didn't flinch.

Clatter! Clatter!

He rode the horse straight toward the six leveled spears, making no attempt to dodge or draw his sword. He didn't even leap over the wall of spears.

Nonetheless, the knight simply muttered in a low voice, "Get out of my way."

The guards instantly panicked.

"H-Hiii!"

"Eek... eeeeek!"

"Uh, uh... uh..."

"M-Mama..."

"Hic! Hiccup!"

With nothing but those words, the six guards collapsed where they stood. They dropped their spears and torches to the ground. Their empty hands trembled violently.

Fwoosh!

A few of their pants caught fire from the torches.

Crackle! Crackle!

Sparks danced in the air.

"Aaaah! Aaaaaah!"

Their clothes and skin burned, but they couldn't stand up. Their legs had completely lost strength.

"Aaaah... AAAAAAH!"

They screamed while crawling toward the moat beneath the fortress. Then the guards threw themselves into the water.

Splash!

Splash!

With just one word, the knight had shattered their spirits. He didn't spare a glance at the ground where they lay. The ability I had just witnessed was undoubtedly his unique power. I recalled the first time I met him outside the cave. The knight had ordered a silk-robed man to take his own life.

***

"You."

"Y-Yes, master!"

"Your report was exaggerated. Kill yourself."

"S-s-s..."

The silk-robed man trembled, searching his garments. He looked as if he truly intended to carry out the command.

"Just kidding. I wouldn't have the informant kill themselves. Who would provide proper reports if I did that?"

The silk-robed man collapsed as though something binding him had been suddenly released. His reaction was eerily similar to that of the guards I had just witnessed.

***

The sound of hooves echoed.

Clop! Clop!

I ended my recollection and looked ahead. The knight had been guiding the horse leisurely, but he stopped gently before the drawbridge.

Swoosh!

The knight dismounted smoothly. Still dangling from the saddle, I continued to observe. I couldn't understand the situation unfolding before me.

What is he planning to do?

The enormous gray fortress loomed ahead. The knight had just subdued the guards. Now, there was a high probability that arrows would rain down from the walls. Yet, the knight was unbothered. He walked across the drawbridge like he was on a casual stroll, not even drawing the sword at his waist.

Tap.

The knight approached the castle gate. At that moment, I realized what he intended to do. But it took me a moment to put the thought into words—it was such an absurd idea.

A one-man... siege?

He raised his foot. Still, in his casual stride, he swung his leg and forcefully kicked the gate. I couldn't believe my eyes.

BOOM!

It was just a kick—no preparation, no visible effort. Yet, the impact was staggering. The sound was like a massive cannonball slamming into the gate, reverberating through the air. The sharp clang of solid metal crushing weaker metal echoed loudly. I stared blankly ahead. The point where his foot struck was slightly dented.

"It's sturdy."

I heard his soft muttering. The knight crouched slightly, then drew back his fist. A pale blue aura began to seep from his body, swirling around his arm.

Crackle!

The energy concentrated around his clenched fist, growing denser. As the gauntlet on his hand turned semi-transparent, his fist shot forward.

CRASH!

A much louder explosion erupted, powerful enough to make the ground tremble. I was speechless as I stared ahead.

Crackle!

The gate shook violently. The man took a step back. The gate was visibly deformed, pushed inward. With just one punch, the entire gate had caved in noticeably. The damage was unimaginable, far beyond what a single human should be capable of inflicting on a castle.

With a few more strikes like that, the gate would either fall off its hinges or have a hole punched clean through it.

"Neigh!"

The horse glanced at me, seemingly unfazed. It gave a small whine as if to say it had seen such displays many times before.

I began to think. This knight was absurdly powerful. There was no chance of fighting back. I had to escape. While he focused on the gate, this might be my only chance.

Clink.

I shifted my body slightly. The shackles completely restrained my limbs. If I pushed too hard, the system would probably warn me again about permanent health reduction. I focused on my wrists, where the metal cuffs bit into my bones. If breaking the shackles was impossible, maybe I could make my wrist bones smaller to slip through.

Smaller...

The wrist was made up of eight small bones. I could get free if I could manipulate them to shrink or shift their arrangement. I wasn't sure if it was possible—I had never consciously tried to move those bones before. But the thought, ridiculous as it was, felt strangely plausible.

Keeping my eyes on the knight at the gate, I concentrated on my wrist bones and willed them to compress.

Creak. Crack.

Did it move?

I felt the eight bones in my wrist starting to shift slightly as if they were coming closer together. The structural bones and the mobile bones seemed to realign bit by bit. It might've been an illusion, but I could feel the subtle adjustments. I glanced down briefly to check, but my wrist looked no different.

Then, a transparent message appeared before me with a familiar chime.

Ding!

[Your proficiency with Lord of Bones has slightly increased.

You are attempting to exert control over your bones.

Skeletal Morphing, a latent feature of Lord of Bones, is now available.

<Skeletal Morphing>

— You can alter your skeletal structure. As your level increases, you will be able to modify the skeletons of others.

— Due to adjustments, muscle transformation capabilities are also fully converted into skeletal transformation abilities.

— Current Morphing Range: 5% per region.]

Skeletal Morphing?

The ability to change my skeleton was astonishing.

Could I reshape my jawbone, shoulder blades, or pelvis?

Just thinking about the possibilities was awe-inspiring. Several potential applications flashed through my mind. I could shrink some parts and then enlarge them again. I could alter my appearance for identity concealment or utilize this ability in combat. For now, escape was the priority. I refocused on my wrist bones.

"Shrink."

Creak! Crack!

The limit came quickly.

Ding!

[You cannot shrink any further.]

[Current wrist morphing: 5.01%].

[Health is decreasing at 0.1% per second.]

This isn't enough...

I tried pulling my wrist free.

Clank! Clank!

It was no use.

"Neigh?"

The horse turned its head, shooting me a piercing glare as if it sensed my fidgeting. Its gaze was sharp, almost threatening. This platinum-coated steed looked like it could stomp a bear to death. If I somehow managed to slip out of the saddle restraints, this creature would surely pin me down instantly.

I'll have to train this skill in secret.

If I increased my proficiency, my skill level would rise. That would gradually increase the range of skeletal morphing. If I could narrow my wrist bones just a bit more, I might be able to slip the cuffs. For now, I decided to delay my escape.

I'd have more opportunities. I'd keep trying to hone my skill, increase its level, and wait for the perfect moment to act. At least now, I had found a glimmer of hope.

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