Chapter 518: The Stone-Throwing Skeleton

The Stone-Throwing Skeleton

* * *

Looking up, I see an eerie, reddish-black cloud spreading across the sky, and looking down, there’s not a single blade of grass, only exposed ground.

The barren land, the ‘cursed mountain’… Mount Desdadon.

I’m walking through the grounds of Fort Desdadon, a truly cursed fort, located on the middle slopes of that mountain.

I’m not trying to get out—

But to get in.

To end the curse.

To relieve stress!

…This is a few minutes after encountering the protagonist skeleton, stuck in the wall.

BYUUOOO…!

After the wind blows, and dust whirls, the phantom princess, wearing her out-of-place dress, appears.

『The entrance to the fort is guarded by Ishinagen, the master of 【Stone Throwing】. Be careful…! His weakness is fire magic.』

And the next moment, after receiving that advice!

A pebble, cutting through the wind, flew towards me, with incredible speed!

“…………”

I dodged the pebble, heading for my head, with minimal movement, just tilting my head.

This world overflowing with mana… 【Stone Throwing】, taken to the extreme, is more terrifying than guns from my previous life.

I know this, because I myself often use 【Stone Throwing】.

So, although it was at the last minute… I’m glad I was able to find out beforehand that my opponent is a 【Stone Throwing】 user.

The princess’s advice actually helped this time.

BYUN!

BYUN!

BYUN!

BYUN!

BYUN!

Several more pebbles came flying.

My thinking accelerated, as I switched to battle mode, and time seemed to slow down.

These pebbles are truly troublesome.

What’s troublesome is that these pebbles are being thrown, accurately predicting my movements.

In other words, if I try to dodge carelessly, I’ll be riddled with pebbles that have already been scattered in the place I’m trying to dodge to.

His extraordinary strength, allowing him to use 【Stone Throwing】 with such power.

His skill, allowing him to shoot so accurately.

And his intelligence, allowing him to instantly create attacks to shut down his enemies.

A true master.

Five hundred years of experience is truly amazing.

I crouched down in front of the fort entrance, staring at the small skeleton, firing 【Stone Throwing】 at incredible speed, praising him in my mind.

…But!

“Rah!!”

I’ve decided.

This time, I’m going to be the true ‘challenger’.

So I won’t run away.

I’ll move forward!

Dodging the pebbles, scattered like a sideways rain, I… I also fired a 【Stone Throwing】 at the stone-throwing skeleton!

Hyuu… GOON!!

The pebble I threw gouged the ground with a tremendous explosion.

But the stone-throwing skeleton dodged it at the last minute.

He rolled to the side, picking up another pebble in the process, and was about to resume firing 【Stone Throwing】 at me—

『!!』

…But he couldn’t.

Because the next moment, his raised right hand… was crushed by the next 【Stone Throwing】 I fired.

I closed in, taking advantage of that opening.

Currently, the distance between me and the stone-throwing skeleton is about thirty meters.

His shattered right hand.

Me, rapidly closing the distance.

Despite being in this critical situation, terrifyingly, the stone-throwing skeleton didn’t abandon rational thought.

He immediately tried to resume using 【Stone Throwing】, with his remaining left hand.

『!!』

But I won’t let him.

I fired another pebble at the stone-throwing skeleton, crushing his left hand this time.

Currently, the distance between me and the stone-throwing skeleton is about ten meters.

For me, that’s a single jump away.

So—

『Ahaha… I’m frustrated, but that was amazing!』

So, the moment after he praised me, in a strangely cheerful… and somehow relieved tone—

I… crushed the stone-throwing skeleton.

The skeleton, shattered into pieces, turned into black dust, just like the previous two, and scattered in the wind.

The only thing left behind is the antique armor.

『Congratulations on defeating Ishinagen. But don’t let your guard down… There are still more Superbad Empire soldiers. May your righteous power illuminate the world…』

“…………”

The princess’s illusion suddenly appeared, saying something, but I ignored it.

I’m just rampaging because I’m irritated.

What ‘righteous power’?

I looked up at the fort door, cursing in my mind.

…Right, the door.

I finally reached the large door of Fort Desdadon.

Made of wood, it’s mostly damaged and full of holes, unlike the outer gate, and I approached it, placed my hand on it, and put my strength into it.

GII… GIGI… GAAAA…

The large door creaked, but instead of opening… it fell to the floor.

A cloud of dust, illuminated by the red sunlight shining in from outside, blocked my vision.

I can’t see anything.

“…………”

I hate dust, and half reflexively, I held my breath and narrowed my eyes—

For just a moment.

Yes… just for a moment.

I stopped moving.

And the next moment.

A spear tip… sprouted… piercing my chest.