The Skeleton Soldier Failed to Defend the Dungeon

I spent half a day immersed in spear training. There was no need for a manual or a teacher. I had already fully digested the knowledge of Spearmanship Lv. 1 and it was ingrained in my mind. I knew how to thrust and swing the spear.

Basic Spearmanship consisted of three movements.

First, the spinning thrust: I had to grip the shaft near the bottom with one hand, about a hand’s width from the end, while using my other hand to hold the middle of the shaft. Then, I would spin the spear in a full circle, lowering the first tip to a 45-degree angle before thrusting it forward.

Second, the spinning press: I had to spin the spear again to build momentum, step forward, and press it downward. The spear would remain parallel to the ground as I applied enough force to make the shaft vibrate with tension.

Third, the thrust: I had to hold the end of the spear tightly and push it forward with speed. My other hand would support the lower end as I aimed to strike a precise point in the air, like firing an arrow.

Swish!

Hmm...

Swinging and thrusting the spear through the empty air made the time pass quickly. However, no matter how many movements I performed, no training quest appeared.

Maybe I lack talent in spearmanship?

The imperial guard probably possessed Spearmanship Talent, yet I hadn’t absorbed it from any of them. Perhaps talent wasn’t classified as a general skill. To obtain such talent, I’d either need to raise my Essence Absorption Level or...

I can purchase it with Hero Points later.

Clearing dungeons would suffice. As I observed the trembling spear tip, a message popped up.

Ding!

[Digestion of Eastern Language Lv. 1 completed!]

[Digestion of Iaijutsu Lv. 1 completed!]

Already?

The Eastern Language flowed into my mind, its unique structure and rules forming a completely new linguistic system. I set the spear down and decided to try out the language I had just acquired.

”Hello? I’m a Skeleton Soldier.”

The unfamiliar words echoed through the cave.

This is fascinating.

I had heard about the Eastern Continent before— a distant land anyone could reach after sailing for weeks, with people and plants entirely different from those here. Perhaps that was why the Eastern Language had such intriguing grammatical rules. I couldn’t fully comprehend them yet, but I managed to pronounce basic sentences.

”What is your name?”

Buzz...

[Assimilation Rate decreasing.

84.68% → 84.37%]

Hmm?

A sudden headache struck me. I decided to stop practicing the language for now. With only about one hundred sentences to work with and no reason to visit the Eastern Continent anytime soon, I shifted my attention to testing Iaijutsu Lv. 1 instead.

Clink.

I picked up the commander’s sword—simple, unadorned, with a faintly shimmering silver hilt and scabbard. My mind was filled with the basic principles of Iaijutsu. Iaijutsu involved swiftly drawing a blade from its scabbard, often used to surprise an opponent or intercept an attack. Seated, I strapped the long sword to my waist.

Will this work?

Iaijutsu techniques were traditionally designed for katana-like swords, but the commander’s longsword would suffice for practice. Placing my left hand on the guard and my right just below it, I spun the scabbard horizontally and drew the blade in one fluid motion.

Swish.

Two seconds. Too slow.

The sound of the blade cutting through the air was barely audible.

This won’t do.

Following through, I raised the blade overhead, gripping it with both hands, and slashed downward forcefully.

Whoosh.

Still too slow.

The sound was weak. I rotated the sword overhead, brought it down diagonally to my right, and slowly sheathed it again.

...

Iaijutsu demanded precision, and my posture was off. The blade, hilt, and scabbard had to align perfectly.

This isn’t easy.

I stepped back to reset my stance.

Ding!

[Swordsmanship Talent Lv.1 acquired!

Quest: Training unlocked.

Perform 10,000 Iaijutsu draws.

Progress: 0/10,000

Reward: Iaijutsu Lv. 2]

So, I can level up Iaijutsu through training?

I had no reason to ignore this quest.

***

The cave remained empty. No one came the next day or the day after. Two days passed, then four. I eased up.

Maybe they aren’t tracking me?

Or perhaps the maze was keeping them out.

Drip.

The sound of water droplets falling from stalactites sounded soothing. Their rhythm resembled a heartbeat. After five days, and even after seven days, everything remained quiet.

Two weeks passed.

Buzz!

Peaceful days passed by as I spent most of my time focused on Iaijutsu training.

Swoosh.

Ding!

[Quest complete!

Training complete!

Reward: Iaijutsu Lv. 5 acquired!]

With my increased stamina, I no longer felt fatigued during training. Whenever boredom set in, I experimented with other skills, such as Heavy Armor Proficiency Lv. 2. After digesting the skill, wearing a full suit of plate armor felt surprisingly comfortable.

Ding!

[Heavy Armor Proficiency Lv. 2 activated!

— Shooting penalties reduced by 40%.

— Speed penalties reduced by 40%.]

I also studied the doctrines of the Fire Goddess and the Goddess of Repentance.

[

]

The doctrines of both religions were somewhat eerie. I found it odd that these were the faiths of the imperial guards, who lived well and were part of the upper class. Nevertheless, I spent most of the two weeks training in Iaijutsu.

Whether the enemy attacked from behind or approached from the side, I felt confident I could cut them down with a swift blade draw.

I should be able to use this now.

Speed and power now accompanied my sword strokes.

Whoosh!

Testing the commander’s sword, I slashed once, then quietly sheathed it again.

Tap.

Huh?

The faint sound of footsteps echoed in the distance.

Who could it be?

Even bats couldn’t enter this labyrinth. No one else knew about this place besides me. If someone had entered by mistake, they’d inevitably get lost and perish here.

Tap.

However, the faint sound of footsteps continued steadily, unhesitatingly drawing closer. Concentrating, I listened intently. The sound grew louder and clearer.

Tap.

It’s getting closer.

Realizing this, I felt a chill run through every bone in my body. This wasn’t the sound of someone wandering near the entrance. The labyrinth from the entrance to here was riddled with dozens of branching paths. But the footsteps carried no hesitation. They kept approaching, louder and louder.

Drip.

A water droplet fell from the ceiling. The sound that had been soothing for two weeks now set my nerves on edge.

Clink.

Gripping the hilt of my sword tightly, I prepared myself. Whoever this was, they knew the maze I had wandered for three years.

Tap.

I considered who it could be.

What kind of absurdly powerful figure could solve this maze so easily? Why would they arrive precisely now while I was here?

There was only one conclusion—they were hunting me.

And who would be hunting me? The answer lay in recalling who I had fled from: The imperial pursuit squad. Investigators of the emperor’s assassination. They were surely beyond my ability to handle. Fighting them would be madness.

I have to escape.

Tap.

Looking around, I quickly donned the mithril armor, grabbed the emperor’s blood and insignia, and packed the two wizards’ staffs. I also secured the black dagger at my waist and bundled up the remaining swords.

Tap.

The steadily approaching footsteps felt deeply unsettling. Every instinct told me I must not confront this person.

Tap.

The sound echoed off the cave walls, reverberating in my skull. The air grew colder and heavier. There was no doubt—they were heading straight toward me.

Sprint.

[Skill: Sprint (Lv. 4) activated!

You can move at 350% speed for 15 minutes!

Cooldown: 50:00

Uses left: 2/3 today.

Too much weight is being carried.

Effectiveness reduced by 50%.]

What?

I hadn’t anticipated such a penalty. Reluctantly, I discarded all the weapons except the commander’s sword, the black dagger, and the wizards’ staffs.

Clang!

The loss was painful but unavoidable.

[Items adjusted!

Sprint!]

Whoosh!

I bolted toward the opposite end of the cave. Without swinging my sword even once, I fled. Leaving behind the discarded weapons felt like a waste, but this opponent was someone who could traverse a maze I had spent a year wandering in confusion. If we met, my death would be inevitable.

Whoosh!

Fleeing was the logical decision. At maximum speed, I raced through the labyrinth with precision. After about ten minutes, a new worry crept into my mind.

What happens when I exit?

The labyrinth was long, and it took four hours to walk straight through. It might be my only advantage. The outside, however, could already be surrounded. A bad memory resurfaced in my mind: the time I escaped the ossuary with Rena. Under the clear autumn sky, a knight in blue armor had been waiting. He had slowly cut me apart with a blunt sword, smiling all the while. Someone like that might be waiting on the other side.

...

Still, I decided to gamble on my luck. The footsteps behind me carried an unmistakable malice. Even without seeing them, I knew their intent wasn’t good.

Stay in the maze to toy with them or play cat-and-mouse?

That seemed far more dangerous than running.

I should run away.