Chapter 49. Paver of Paths (4)

"

Ugh!

" The researcher clutched his head, practically tearing his hair out, screaming, "This makes no sense!"

Something appeared to have gone very wrong. Not only had he dispatched a prototype monster to intervene, he’d personally updated its system just to be sure. How was he supposed to accept this outcome?!

"How the hell did he pull this off? Skeleton Soldiers can’t think for themselves! Yet, he squeezed that level of loyalty out of them in just a three-hour trial?!"

The researcher ran the calculations over and over again, reviewing every possibility and testing every theory. However, no matter how he looked at it, the answer didn’t add up. It wasn’t just unbelievable, it was impossible.

"First things first."

This wasn’t just frustrating as it was agonizing. Losing to some test Subject was insulting enough, but what really drove him crazy was that he couldn’t understand how that subject’s strategy had worked.

Therefore, he issued a new command. "Bring me all the Skeletons. I want full logs collected."

He was ready to comb through every log and recorded detail.

That’s the only way forward,

he thought grimly.

"I’ll have to crack them all open. I want to know exactly what Lee Eun-Ho said, how he fought, and what kind of trick he used to manipulate my Soldiers like that."

Whether the system could sense his urgency or not, the screen remained indifferent, glowing in its usual cold mix of blue and red.

[Error!]

[Skeleton Soldier(Lv.1) has refused to carry out the command.]

"What?!" It was a historic moment. For the first time ever, an error message had appeared on the genius researcher’s screen. "An error? What do you mean, error?! Is it broken? Is something broken?!"

Did his own creations just defy a direct command?! It was like the sky falling into the ocean, and the ocean flying up into the sky!

"Force them back! Right now!"

[Unable to comply!]

However, the system answered with another slap in the face.

[Forced retrieval is not permitted while trial is active.]

[The time remaining until the trial ends is 5 minutes 11 seconds.]

"

Aaargh!

"

Crash!

A flask shattered on the floor.

Clatter!

Vials toppled and chemicals spilled in every direction.

"They’re rejecting my orders?! That’s impossible! That’s never happened in the test environment. Did something go wrong when I sent them down to Sector 13?!"

The glass fragments piled on the ground, glistening among puddles of mysterious liquids—an image of failure.

[Warning!]

Then came a new message.

[Unauthorized deployment of prototype has been detected.]

[Subject will now be forcibly retrieved according to regulation.]

The system had spoken again. Someone had discovered that he had secretly sent the prototype Golem on his own initiative.

"Damn it, I don’t have time for this! Fine, take it back yourselves!" The researcher waved his hands in irritation, still gripping his head.

[Warning!]

However, the system wasn’t finished.

[Return the Core immediately.]

"Didn’t you say the Golem already got destroyed? Just recover it and take the Core with it!"

[Unable to comply!]

[No Core is available for retrieval.]

"What the hell are you talking about?!"

According to the system, the Golem’s Core—its most vital component—was missing. As in, it completely vanished.

The researcher snapped. "Just deduct the points or something!"

[Loss has been registered!]

[Auto-compensation through point deduction has been completed.]

That was where he failed to notice the real issue.

[You have insufficient point balance.]

Since Eun-Ho had saved all 1,400 Skeleton Soldiers during the trial, the system required to be properly compensated in points. However, there simply weren’t enough left to cover it.

[Would you like to convert the trial reward into a suitable item instead?]

"

Ugh!

Fine! Do whatever you want!"

In his frustration, the researcher failed to consider that among his possessions, there were several items that

absolutely

shouldn’t end up in the hands of a mere prospective candidate.

Fwooosh—!

***

Crack!

At first, Eun-Ho thought he’d just stepped on a chunk of stone lying nearby. However, the moment his heel struck the hard surface, it cracked sharply.

[You have absorbed the Abandoned Ridge's Diamond.]

It didn’t just crumble, but melted like molten lava or liquefied metal. Then, the thick, heavy liquid seeped upward from his heel. It coursed through him, slowly flowing into him with an unsettling vitality.

This feeling...

The liquid, the sensation and skill all felt familiar.

[The skill Petrify(Lv. 10) has evolved into Petrify(Lv. 12)!]

[Your new additional manifestation area of Petrify(Lv. 12) is...]

He didn’t need to hear the rest because he could feel it. The tingling sensation had coursed through his leg, rising fast.

[... Right foot.]

His right foot had turned to stone. Not in the sense of becoming brittle, but as if it had been sculpted from a gleaming, living jewel. A crystalline shine wrapped around the bones, almost as if growing a new kind of skin.

Only now did he realize that this was how the Petrify skill had been protecting him all along.

But wait... Why is something like this just lying around here?

There was no way the

Abandoned Ridge's Diamond

had simply been sitting out in the middle of the Samgakji Station. This could only mean one thing.

It must’ve come from the Golem’s body.

He looked around, wondering if anything else had been left behind. Then, the chat feed lit up like fireworks.

Ding!

Ding!

Ding!

It had been blaring through the whole battle, but he’d been too focused to care. However, it was worth checking now.

[The Prince from the Bureau of Investigation is at a loss for words at your overwhelming strength!]

[A donation of 1,000 Welfare Points has been made!]

[The Crow from the Bureau of Management sees the spirit of a hero in you and showers you with praise!]

[A donation of 1,000 Welfare Points has been made!]

[Night-Shift Fairy from the Bureau of Audit says they’ve never seen a candidate like this before!]

[A donation of 500 Welfare Points has been made!]

[After a 50% administration fee, 1,250 Welfare Points have been deposited into your account.]

Well, since they were showering him with Welfare Points, he wasn’t going to complain.

[Numerous observers shudder at the birth of a new warrior!]

Apparently, the folks on the other side of the Eye had thoroughly enjoyed the show.

[A new observer has joined!]

[A new observer has joined!]

[A new observer has joined!]

...

Judging by how many they brought with them, it seemed like someone had rallied their friends or even coworkers.

[The Newbie from the Bureau of Corporate Relations says they heard the buzz about you and popped in to say hi.]

[The Brain from the Bureau of Investigation says they will be watching closely to see how amazing this guy really is.]

In other words, things were going to get even noisier. While it wasn’t exactly ideal, at least the battle had ended in his victory. Since it was time to move on, Eun-Ho silently scanned the area.

“

Kyaaaa!

Eun-Ho!”

“Hyungnim! You did it!”

Ji-Eun and Jae-Hyuk came running full speed, gasping for breath.

“How the heck did you slice through that hunk of metal with a sword?” Ji-Eun blurted out.

“Exactly!” Jae-Hyuk added, still panting. “Noonim! You saw me whaling on it with my mace and the Golem didn’t even get scratched!”

“I saw, I saw! Same with me!

Wow

, seriously... You actually aren’t human, right, Eun-Ho?!”

“Our Hyungnim isn’t human! At least not right now!”

Well, technically, since he was still a Skeleton.

Then, he was reminded of his Skeleton Soldiers. Those little guys’ unexpected self-destruction took him completely by surprise. He was not even fully sure if they were monsters, system entities, or something else entirely.

Clatter!

Eun-Ho knelt down and ran his hand through the scattered heap of bones. Fragments snapped and shattered at the joints, so broken one couldn’t even tell who was who anymore. They were remnants of the once proud soldiers.

Half of him felt regret and the other half was relief. If they hadn’t made that sacrifice, the ones lying in pieces could’ve been Ji-Eun, Jae-Hyuk and Yul.

Then, the system announcement came letting them know the trial was over.

[The Mock Battle trial has been completed.]

[Unit retrieval will be done in 10 seconds.]

It also meant that it was also time to say goodbye.

“Leader!”

“Leader...!”

[Due to their loyalty, the Skeleton Soldiers are saddened to part with you.]

Clack! Clack! Clatter!

The pale, chalk-white Skeletons approached him. They were faceless, unable to show emotions. Yet, Eun-Ho could feel that they were mourning.

[The Skeleton Soldiers are waiting for their leader’s farewell.]

Hence, when the system added such a message, he figured he owed them that much.

I won’t need this anymore.

Swish—

He removed his bone-crafted helmet that was only wearable by Skeletons. As he held it out, it shimmered faintly with a violet aura.

“Here. Take it.”

He extended it to the Skeleton Soldier standing at the front.

“Pick a new leader and hand it over to them.”

“Huh?”

“It doesn’t matter if they’re the strongest, the smartest, or just the kindest. Figure it out among yourselves.”

The one receiving the helmet trembled, its eye sockets flickering. “But t-this is yours—”

“I don’t need it anymore,” Eun-Ho said simply. “Take it. Live freely.”

“Leader...”

[The Skeleton Soldiers are overwhelmed with loyalty which they don’t know how to express!]

“You can’t live and die just following whatever the system tells you. Right?”

[The Skeleton Soldiers are grateful to have a once-in-a-lifetime meeting with you.]

One by one, the Skeleton Soldiers opened their jawbones. Then, together, 1,400 voices let out a cry in unison.

“Leader...!”

“Leader!”

“Leader...”

The shouts didn’t just echo in the air, but through his ribcage, down to the bone.

[Retrieving your deployed units.]

Tick.

Just like petals scattering in a spring breeze, the bones flickered once and were gone. Just like that, it ended.

[The Mock Battle trial has been completed.]

It was over for the Skeleton Soldiers, for him, and for everyone.

[Congratulations!]

[You have claimed the Victory!]

[100 Welfare Points will be awarded per surviving Soldier.]

“Wait, 100 points per soldier?!”

[Surviving Soldiers: 1,420]

[Resistance stat has been increased (+1,420).]

𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

Both the points per head and how many were still standing were way more than he’d expected.

[Commencing point calculation.]

That meant he was about to get 142,000 Welfare Points...

And I upgraded the shop with just 10,000 Points...

With one trial, he’d earned over 140,000, so all that running around was finally paying off. He’d need those points for the next trial.

So this means I can just relax and wait for now.

He took a deep breath, letting the tension drain from his shoulders, but then something ridiculous hit.

[Warning!]

[Point calculation has failed!]

[You have exceeded the maximum eligible reward points!]

“Failed? Seriously?”

Before he could complain further, the system chimed again.

[50,000 Welfare Points have been paid immediately.]

[Excess points have been converted into a special reward.]

That damn system, acting like it only had pocket change left. Then, came the real twist.

[The system is calculating appropriate compensation.]

[Special rewards have been granted.]

[Please check your trial reward!]