Chapter 77: You'll Be Able to Do Something Fun (3)

Once again, it was the peak of autumn. As soon as I emerged from the cave, I rushed outside. Compared to walking with Rena, this time felt closer to summer. But the road I now walked alone felt far colder.

A badger scurried past me, crunching fallen leaves underfoot.

Crunch, crunch!

Would Rena have liked to see that badger?

Though I had no map, there was only one path to the cemetery. Even without Rena, it wasn't a confusing route. The only real fork in the road was this three-way junction. I turned toward the path on the right that led to the Barren Underground Tomb.

Clip-clop! Clip-clop!

I heard the sound of hoofbeats coming from the right, and I sensed people approaching. Four soldiers on horseback were galloping together in formation. Judging by their helmets, armor, and finely honed weapons, they seemed well-trained. I hid myself in the underbrush.

This is tricky.

They could be patrolling or just passing through this deep forest. Though they seemed relaxed, they scanned the area thoroughly, including the underbrush. If I stayed still, they would eventually spot me.

Should I kill them first?

Humans often liked to unmask others. In the end, I might have no choice but to kill them. I hesitated, torn between striking first to gain experience points or hiding further to let them pass. Suddenly, I noticed movement on the left path as well. I stayed put and observed.

The horses whinnied. Their eyes and focus turned toward the left path. A man with black hair was walking toward them, shuffling along at a slow pace. He had long black hair tied back with a white headband, and he wore a red outfit resembling a martial artist's uniform. A long sword hung at his waist.

The sword's design was unusual. Its hilt was long enough to require two hands, and the blade was nearly a meter in length. The curved blade had only one sharp edge, resembling a katana.

It's thin.

Compared to the broader, more widely used greatsword, this blade was slim and lacked thicker sections. Unless it had been exceptionally well-forged, it seemed prone to snapping or shattering against heavier weapons.

"Stop!"

The four mounted soldiers aimed their spears at the man. The man didn't stop, but he slightly slowed his steps. I kept my eyes on him. Even as the soldiers approached from a distance, the man seemed to be gauging the distance carefully. He subtly shifted the angle of his long scabbard to make drawing his blade effortless.

I could already clearly see the outcome.

The soldiers aimed their spears and shouted at the man, "Who are you?"

The man responded, "

Hmm

? Just a passerby."

One of the soldiers raised his voice. "We're scouting for spies! Identify yourself!"

The man smirked and raised one corner of his mouth. "Spies? Sticking to such obvious and safe paths?"

"What... what did you say?"

The man said in an almost mocking tone, "You're dressed like you're begging people to notice you, and you're scouting for spies? You're just stealing wages, aren't you?"

"You—! You insolent—!"

The soldiers' faces contorted in anger, but they hesitated to engage, sensing the unusual aura emanating from the man.

"State your identity!" a soldier shouted, barely concealing his fear.

The man shrugged. "I'm a spy."

"What?"

"I said I'm a spy. So what are you going to do about it?"

"Surround him!"

The soldiers simultaneously thrust their spears at the man. Spears were highly effective against unshielded opponents, and although the soldiers seemed to have basic training, they appeared competent. Atop their horses, they jabbed their spears at him from varying heights and angles. Even someone with exceptional reflexes would find four spears lunging in unison disorienting.

Whoosh! Slice!

A flash of blue light swept through the air, followed by a gust of wind. In an instant, two spears were severed. The man in the martial uniform stepped forward and swung his sword again.

Slice!

Clatter, clatter!

The two remaining spears fell to the ground. This display was an excellent example of Iaijutsu, the art of drawing and striking in one fluid motion. It spoke of extraordinary skill and countless hours of training.

While his speed and strength didn't surpass mine, his precision and technique were superior. He was about a level and a half better than Christina, whom I'd encountered in Erast. His blade, now unsheathed and emitting a faint blue energy, was clearly no ordinary weapon.

Neigh!

The four horses reared and tried to flee. The soldiers, their faces pale with fear, were visibly shaken.

The man shouted, "It's a joke, you idiots. I'm no spy!"

From his pocket, he produced an identification badge. "Baron Chandler."

"

Oh

, you're the young master of Grassmere! We're terribly sorry for not recognizing you!"

"Yeah, yeah. You can pick up your weapons from my estate later."

He threw them a small metallic badge, seemingly inscribed with something. "This kind of thing happens all the time. My father will provide replacements."

"Grassmere's weapons are the best in the Empire! It's an honor!"

The soldiers resumed their journey after bowing profusely.

What was that about?

I stayed hidden a bit longer, perplexed by the strange encounter. Despite their mission being treated like a joke, the soldiers left as if nothing unusual had happened.

Grassmere's young master?

He seemed to be the son of a lord. Hearing this reminded me of Rubia. We had planned to visit Grassmere—a city known for its scorching forges. But now, it hardly mattered. I already had armor and felt no particular need for better weapons.

What did I plan to do after Grassmere?

I had intended to head to Embermere next, the city housing T&T's headquarters. It was the place Rubia had wanted to visit. Ironically, once the war began, Ember, a neutral city, would be among the first to be reduced to ashes.

Maybe this time... I should aim for Embermere. If not now, I might never get another chance.

Within a year, Ember would become a heap of ruins, and thousands of autonomous territories would fall one by one. Perhaps answers awaited me there.

Rubia's voice echoed in my memory.

Are you an anarchist? A skeleton has no country, so perhaps it suits you.

***

I waited until all traces of movement and noise disappeared. Perhaps distracted by the encounter with the martial man, the soldiers didn't thoroughly search my area before galloping away. Thanks to that, I avoided unnecessary conflict.

Rustle.

I stepped out from the bushes and resumed walking toward the Barren Underground Tomb. No matter where I went, I intended to read my books once I got there. After crossing a small stream over a makeshift wooden bridge, I soon spotted my destination.

Whoosh...

A waterfall gushed through the cracks between stone steps, its overwhelming force sending white foam bursting everywhere. That was where I needed to go. The cemetery would likely still be empty, the perfect place to read and rest for a day before continuing my journey.

Just as I reached that thought, a small voice spoke from behind.

"Hello."

My entire skeleton slackened, my vision tilting downward toward the ground. A fleeting image of Rena crossed my mind.

Am I... dying? But why? How?

Thud.

My faint consciousness faded as darkness consumed me.

[System Message: The caster's understanding of is EX Rank. The target has been placed in an impossible state. You have fallen asleep.]

[Assimilation Rate is decreasing. 87.0413%... ...dropping by 2.0413...]

***

"..."

It was pitch black. Though I regained consciousness, my sight did not return. Only a translucent blue system window hovered in the void, faintly illuminating nothingness. I began to read the messages.

[You have fallen into a deep sleep.

The toxins weighing on your mind are being cleansed.

Your feelings of self-loathing have slightly eased.

Your guilt has slightly eased.

If you grow accustomed to sleep, there will be a chance of dreaming.

Dreams may interrupt the benefits of sleep and will occasionally produce unique effects.]

Sleep? So this is what it feels like... to sleep?

This was a first for me. I had seen Rena sleep countless times. I remembered surviving the first night and watching Rubia sleep in a cave, resting her head on my thigh. Although the Lady Succubus didn't need to sleep, she often did so as a form of play.

At first, I thought I was dying again—the sudden blackout felt like my consciousness had been severed. But here I was, waking up. The sensation of consciousness flickering off and then reigniting was strange and novel.

Beneath the notification about waking from sleep, other messages were crowded.

[You are affected by a barrier.

— Omnipotence Suppression

— Deceleration

— Anti-Magic Suppression

— Vision Suppression]

[The caster's understanding of is EX-rank. The barrier's power is amplified by 4000%.

All your abilities are reduced by 97% according to the caster's will.

Your vision is reduced by 97%.]

A barrier?

After reading the messages, I began assessing my condition. I couldn't move a single finger. I felt like I was glued to the cold, uneven floor beneath me. There was nothing but darkness.

Without sight, time became warped. It stretched endlessly like taffy pulled too thin, yet moments felt unnervingly short.

The sound of water droplets echoed.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

A cave?

From the sensation of jagged stone beneath me and the dripping water overhead, I assumed I was in a cave.

As soon as that realization hit, another message appeared:

[Omnipotence Suppression has been adjusted. Stats are now reduced by 85%.

Vision Suppression has been adjusted.]

Rattle.

A faint strength returned to me. I pressed my hand against the hard surface beneath me, then slowly bent forward and stood. That was all I could manage. Someone was toying with me.

This must be the barrier's effect.

I felt impossibly heavy, as if dozens of massive iron clubs were weighing me down. Perhaps I had just grown too accustomed to excessive strength. When I first rose from the grave, I might have been just as weak.

I waved my hands before me but saw nothing but pitch-black darkness. I reached down to feel my bones. My armor was gone, exposing the cold, hard bone beneath my fingers.

Tap. Tap, tap.

I wrapped my fingers around myself. It had been a long time since I felt my own spine, ribs, or pelvis. I constantly wore armor, leaving little reason to touch my bare bones. I slid a finger between the two narrow bones of my forearm. A chill passed through me, and it felt oddly refreshing.

I walked forward, each step slow and deliberate.

Rattle!

Hello?

—Hello, hello, hello...

A voice echoed in my mind. It felt like a sound being engraved into my skull, reverberating like a giant bell ringing inside my head.

Hmm.

I had been heading toward the Barren Underground Tomb, clutching Kevin Ashton's books in both hands, looking for a quiet place to read. I had hidden in the bushes to avoid some commotion and was making my way forward. And then... my consciousness had abruptly blacked out.

This is absurd.

I felt the crushing weight of my powerlessness. Memories of my previous life resurfaced. I thought I had grown strong—but in the end, I was just another pawn in the slime's game. This wasn't just a difference in raw strength but a vast disparity in every conceivable capacity.

Now, not long after my latest resurrection, I found myself unconscious again, dumped in an unknown place. I didn't know who was behind this or why.

Still, there was some hope. I wasn't tied up, nor did I feel any pain. It was as if I had been carefully transported here.

I can't just stay like this.

If someone was watching, they needed to see me move. Otherwise, I might be deemed useless and discarded. I took a step forward.

Rattle!

The sound wasn't mine—it came from behind. I turned instinctively, peering into the darkness. Something faintly white appeared in the void.

A skeleton?

As it drew closer, I saw that it was indeed another skeleton, roughly the same size as me. Its frame was slightly taller, with a more pronounced jawbone and slightly larger nasal cavity, though that didn't seem significant. Its unusually thick knuckles suggested it frequently used its fists.

I scrutinized the creature. It seemed unlikely that this pathetic, weak-looking skeleton had brought me here. It moved slowly and clumsily.

Click, click! Click, click!

Its teeth chattered aggressively, radiating hostility—it intended to attack me. Perhaps it was trying to communicate, but I decided to wait to see.

However, my patience was soon met with pain.

Whoosh!

The skeleton swung its fist at me without warning. Though its strike was slow and weak, I was even slower.

Crack!

Its bony fist collided with my skull, snapping it backward.

Rattle!

I staggered back several steps, humiliated. The punch had been light, but in my weakened state, it felt like I had been briefly lifted off the ground.

Thud!

My back hit the wall, leaving no further room to retreat. The skeleton advanced, clenching its fists tightly.

Rattle, rattle!

I groped around frantically but found nothing within reach. There was no weapon to grab, nothing to defend myself with.