Chapter 64

Skeleton King

I could see the figure of a crown sitting upon its head .

It’s as big as I had expected .

Is it about as large as the dragon zombie I had fought before?

However, this place is not spacious enough for it to stand upright .

That’s why, it was currently crawling on the ground on all fours .

Its bones were almost colored orange .

There is some orange light glowing behind his dark eye sockets .

The glowing light is moving about as if it was fidgety .

I could see some things sticking out from its shoulder .

They look like bones from human arms and legs .

There are also some monster bones sticking out along with the others .

This guy...

Is it able to grow by taking the bones of other creatures?

That room we were in before may have been a storage for the bones that he has taken .

[Hiiiyyyyyeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaahhhhh—!!!]

The roar he made just now sounds really intimidating .

It kinds of resembles the roar of the Dragon Zombie .

As of the moment, it doesn’t look like it’s going to attack us .

The Skeleton King is observing our movements .

[Hati-dono...]

Mist is biting her lips next to me as she looks at the Skeleton King .

[Hmmm?]

[Please look at the bone under it’s chin . If you look at it closely, you should be able to see a silvery part around there . ]

[...Yeah . ]

[If you could break that part, you could probably defeat it . ]

[Fumu...]

[However— I will clearly tell you the reality of what we’re facing . ]

Staring at the monster, Mist continued .

[That is not a monsters that we could fight even if we gather all the mercenaries that have been raiding this ruins . I don’t think even that Drunken Sword Party can fight against that... It has a large body and quick-witted, its bones are also tough and I’ve heard that techniques who make use of magic energy is less effective against it . That’s why I think, even Hati-dono’s technique wouldn’t be—]

The Drunken Sword Party .

They must have been that amazing of a party .

[............ . . ]

I observed the Skeleton King .

Its shining golden eyes are quickly moving about as if it’s a leaf beetle .

I could clearly feel it glanced more often towards Mist than it had towards me .

Did it think that it should be more wary towards Mist?

The stronger one of the two of us is that woman .

I see...

If there is Mist beside me, it may be possible to divert the enemy’s consciousness away from me .

Well then— how should I attack it?

I remember back when I’ve fought the Soul Eater .

I wonder if this monster also has an ultra-high speed ability to intercept others attacks .

That’s something I still don’t know right now .

How high is this monster’s level anyway?

If I want increase the certainty of my skill hitting it successfully, I should find the moment when the opponent is about to attack . I would then match its attack by activating my skill but—

[Hati-dono, I have a request . ]

Mist suddenly called out .

Pishi .

Piikkkii,

Pishhiiii—

Snowflakes began to float around on the edge of Mist’s sword .

The amount of these snowflakes gradually began increasing .

[I would try to reinforce my sword and make it blunt with ice . I would then try to break that weak spot . Furthermore, I would be increasing my physical ability by creating my special armor . With the strength that I’ve been stacking up, it should be able for me to defeat it . It’s just that... I’m trying to conceal the existence of this power of mine as much as possible . That’s why, could I ask you to keep what you’ve seen here for yourself?]

The Skeleton King opened its mouth wide .

I could see the light that I’ve seen before started gathering towards its mouth .

Is it going to attack Mist by launching something towards her?

However– it still doesn’t blast it out .

There should be a moment where it would launch it in one go after it swells up .

In order to find that opportunity, I kept on watching over the Skeleton King .

Sometimes, it is necessary to take the risk even if you’re not sure of success .

However, I would like to focus on my certainty through this way .

Find a gap that I could certainly exploit and defeat others through this .

[And also— I’m sorry . If that monster was stronger than I had expected, I don’t think I would even be conscious enough to protect you . That’s why, if that were the case, Hati-dono and Pigimaru-dono should start fleeing—]

[Giiiggeeerrooooo—!]

It looks like it’s about to release that thing it has been gathering .

And the moment when it would produce the easiest gap that I could exploit with—

—is right now .

[——]

Shuuuu... .

[Ooohh, ooohh—- ooooo...]

The light that has been gathering in the Skeleton King’s mouth started weakening .

So, it didn’t explode itself just like that time with the Lizardman?

[—Ooohhh, –oohhh? ooooohhh...]

The monster’s movement has completely stopped .

I could feel the confusion in the Skeleton King’s face .

It doesn’t have a face to make expressions, but I know .

I took a step forward towards it .

[—-Eh?]

A short, dumbfounded voice leaked out from Mist’s mouth .

The snowflakes that has been gathering in her weapon stopped halfway .

Calmly, I turned to her and replied .

[I understand . This strength that you spoke of, I swear that I won’t leak it out towards others without your permission . ]

I turned back towards the Skeleton King again and extended my hand towards the paralyzed monster .

If this were to work against it, then it means that I won’t need to know some sh*tty weak points .

[]

The Skeleton King’s gigantic body turned purple .

It seems that is still successful right now .

Just like that time with the rotting dragon, the skill was still effective even against monsters who were made up of just bones .

I still don’t understand the principle around this skill .

However, I’ve successfully invoked my abnormal state skill against all kinds of targets .

Well, with the exception of that f*cking goddess but...

[What in the world is that...? A technique? A magical equation...?]

Mist looks baffled as she looked up towards the King of Bones .

Her eyes were wide open while she’s still holding the sword of ice in her hand .

Ah, I see .

Is this the first time that Mist have seen someone using ?

I look back towards her .

[I will make sure that I will not utter a word about your power . In exchange—]

While the King of Bones is currently being afflicted by my poison, I spoke .

[Could I ask you to keep the knowledge of this power to yourself?]

Mist still doesn’t seem to have caught up with the situation .

[And also, these so-called abnormalities that have been happening in this ruins... those were probably just the corpses of the monsters I have killed with this power . ]

[Ha- Hati-dono’s...?]

[Listening to have the Drunken Sword Party has described it when I had met them earlier, that’s the only plausible thing that I could infer . Killing a monster with this power of mine basically seems to leave no trauma in them . Now that I think about it, haven’t you experienced it yourself before?]

Back in that forest, I have invoked towards Mist .

It seems that she haven’t noticed it yet when I have put her to sleep before .

[Well, this power is kind of—]

I pointed towards the Skeleton King behind me with my thumb .

[It seems that it’s a bit of an abnormality in this world . ]