The Skeleton Soldier Failed to Defend the Dungeon

Thud.

”...”

My jawbone dropped.

”The ocean!” I exclaimed.

I had not expected to end up near the ocean.

Elwin chuckled and said, ”Hehe. Ferocious creatures are waiting in abundance, aren’t they?”

”You know about them?” I asked.

”Of course. I’ve crossed it myself.”

”Yet, you’re saying we should head out to the sea? That’s absurd...”

I had heard that the sea overflowed with unimaginable ferocity and malice once anyone passed about twenty miles of coastal waters. That wasn’t dead knowledge but solid, proven common sense. Countless witnesses and records had confirmed it.

Suddenly, Elwin grabbed my shoulder with her gloved hand. ”Hey, friend. Why do you think this beetle is pushing forward?”

”To run later? Isn’t it charging, like you said?” I answered.

”As for running, it could run right now. You’re wrong. It’s not for running. It’s for parting the sea.”

A thought suddenly occurred to me. ”Could it be... like chasing away the mechanical bugs? Could this beetle also chase away the ferocious sea creatures?”

”Exactly. It’s difficult with the huge ones, but... they dislike it just the same. Besides, right now, most of the big ones are heading north to feed.”

”North?”

”The Kraken’s favorite, the Clamtopuses, are in their spawning season. They’re probably heading north with their bellies full of eggs.”

Surprised by Elwin’s knowledge, I quietly listened. It was only three days later that I fully realized I should have engaged in a more active conversation or attended her lessons. If I had realized earlier, I might have learned even more. However, it wasn’t too late even now, so I listened intently to what Elwin said.

One by one, I learned about the characteristics of these unfamiliar creatures: the Sharkworm, Orkallion, Moqax, and Scogmowr.

Splash. Splash.

Perhaps it was the damp humidity that touched me first, but I also heard the sounds of crashing waves.

”It seems we’ve arrived...” I said.

”Yeah, about five kilometers left,” Elwin replied.

My Detection skill was already level five, thanks to consistently tracking countless mechanical bugs.

I learned for the first time that maintaining maximum captures quickly raises proficiency.

The sound of crashing waves grew clearer.

Splash. Splash.

A salty breeze seeped between my joints.

A boat swayed gently on the shore, welcoming us. This didn’t feel like a place where a fishing boat belonged. Only one boat was docked, but it was large enough to hold about twenty people.

Elwin shouted, ”Captain!”

Under the cloudless sky, a man in a rough-textured navy blue coat and a large sailor’s hat stepped out from the boat.

A human!

Rattle.

I took a step back, but the captain wasn’t surprised to see me at all. In fact, he didn’t even glance at me. He only stared straight at Elwin and approached us.

When the middle-aged captain got closer, he removed his hat and slightly bowed his head.

”Ah, you’ve finally arrived?” the captain said.

”Yes! Let’s set off.”

The captain glanced up at the sky. ”Will the weather be all right for you?”

”It’s perfect. Just the way I like it. What about you, captain?”

”I’m only taking you as far as the coastal waters, so I’m fine. However, it’ll be a bit dark when you disembark.”

”Doesn’t matter. Let’s go,” Elwin said.

The captain didn’t argue further. When he removed his hat, golden hair spilled out. He seemed to be in his early forties, with broad shoulders and muscular arms that flexed at every movement. His entire physique was balanced and honed, built from years of proper seafaring labor.

What an unusual human.

He didn’t demand Elwin to remove her mask or attack me despite the fact that I was a Skeleton Soldier. He didn’t even ask questions.

When the captain lowered the gangplank, I asked Elwin, ”Who is this person?”

”Who else? The captain. The coastal waters are extremely calm, so there’s no need to waste fuel when we can just hitch a ride,” Elwin answered.

”If it’s just the coastal waters...”

”Yeah, twenty miles from the shore.”

”Only twenty miles, and yet...”

The question of whether such a boat was necessary remained unspoken.

Elwin tapped the beetle. ”This thing is tough to charge, you know? We’ve got to save when we can.”

”And we’ve got much farther to go.”

Elwin kindly continued her explanation as she traced her finger in the air. ”The marquis brought you here directly. Ember is further south in latitude. First, we need to head south by boat along the coast for about six hours.”

I nodded.

The captain lowered the gangplank and approached us again. ”I’ll move the cargo, madam.”

He flashed a friendly smile, which didn’t match his muscular frame. He effortlessly hoisted the beetle onto the deck.

”Impressive service. I’ll pay you the remaining balance upfront,” Elwin said.

Clink!

Elwin handed over some money, and the captain’s expression brightened considerably.

”Thank you for using our cruise service today,” the captain said.

Elwin chuckled at his words. ”Wow, where did you learn to talk like that?”

”A monk who used our service last time left behind a booklet with phrases like that to use in situations like this. Now, I’ll prepare for departure.”

The captain walked to the center of the deck and turned a conical pole with crossed iron bars. The pole was as thick as a fully grown pine tree while the iron bar was over a meter long.

Creak... Creak...

The massive pole that would take four people to move turned with ease. The rope wound around it tightened, pulling up the iron anchor. The captain alone raised the anchor and unfurled the sail.

Flap!

He’s no ordinary human.

The suspicious boat’s sail caught the favorable wind, flapping as it moved away. I stared at the captain’s back as he held the helm. The navy raincoat the captain wore suited the weather, as the breeze was a bit chilly.

I turned to Elwin and asked, ”That man... why doesn’t he ask anything about me?”

Elwin flicked a coin with her fingers.

Ting!

The pleasant sound echoed as the imperial gold coin spun through the air, reflecting dazzling sunlight.

”Because he trusts shiny things. Quite the refined type of human, don’t you think?”

Still wearing her mask, Elwin placed the imperial gold coin in my hand. ”He’s a great trading partner. He’s even a regular client.”

Perhaps it was because it had been in the sunlight or because Elwin had been holding it, but the coin still held a slight warmth. I remained still with the coin in my hand.

Elwin went back into the cabin, leaving me alone. I stood there and blankly stared at the captain skillfully handling the helm. I felt a rising urge to speak and ask either of them questions, but I restrained myself, choosing silence instead.

***

The voyage went smoothly. After spending three days pushing the beetle through the wilderness, Elwin seemed tired and had her eyes closed. I wasn’t sure whether she was asleep or simply resting her eyes.

I leaned against a nearby surface, passing the time in a daze as well. The voyage continued uneventfully. Though the sky began to darken, there was no severe storm. A light drizzle fell instead.

Thud.

A small noise accompanied by a slight shake of the boat. It wasn’t a major jolt, but Elwin immediately opened her eyes, and I followed her onto the deck. The captain, wearing his navy blue raincoat, stood firmly at the helm.

He glanced back and said, ”There’s no need to worry. It’s just a small bump from the waves.”

Elwin nodded and responded, ”The weather in the south is a bit rougher...”

Patter. Patter.

Rain began to fall more steadily onto the deck.

As I looked up at the sky, Elwin reassured me. ”Don’t worry. Perseus has excellent sailing capabilities.”

About twenty minutes after we returned to the cabin, the rain intensified. The sound of raindrops hitting the deck grew louder, and the waves became increasingly violent.

Elwin shouted, ”Captain!”

BOOM!

Perhaps the captain hadn’t heard her over the waves crashing against the hull, as there was no response.

”We’re disembarking here! The weather’s rougher than expected. Good job.”

Pitter-patter! Patter!

BANG!

Among the sound of raindrops, something strange echoed.

Elwin stormed out of the cabin. ”Hey, Captain! Aren’t you turning the wheel? You’ve got to head back, don’t you?”

Rumble.

A faint thunderclap rolled through the air, accompanied by a flash. The vibration wasn’t strong enough to rock the boat significantly. Instinctively, I looked at Elwin.

”This much... it’s fine. Don’t worry. Hey! Captain! Brave of you, huh?”

The captain didn’t turn around. He remained outside, standing alone at the helm.

Bang. Bang. Bang.

The sound wasn’t from the rain hitting the deck or the waves crashing against the hull. The captain didn’t look back. He stood there, slightly hunched, in his navy raincoat.

Is he holding the helm with one hand?

A small wave swept across the deck, and the wind howled fiercely. The large sailor’s hat covering the captain’s head flew off into the air. Beneath it, pale gray hair fluttered in the wind. Slowly, a hand brushed the fine gray strands back.

That’s—!

I was startled. Just then, the captain turned around.

A blue streak of light shot forward at the speed of lightning.

Crash!

Elwin violently lifted me off my feet and leaped onto the roof of the cabin.

”This is such a damned mess...” she mumbled.

A string of harsh curses spilled from her mouth. From the roof, the situation instantly became clear to me.

Bang. Bang. Bang.

The bloodied corpse of a blond man dangled below the helm, tied to the anchor rope.

”Even in death, the captain leads the ship. Poetic, isn’t it?” Elwin said.

Rumble! Crash!

Thunder boomed, and the wind grew even stronger. Or maybe it just felt that way.

Whoosh!

The marquis removed his blood-soaked navy raincoat and tossed it far into the storm. Elwin cursed again, now in a more serious tone.

How... how did he survive?

Dozens of beetles exploded around the marquis. Despite the dense smoke, I could clearly see the torn flesh and splattered blood. There were plenty of shredded pieces... too many, in fact.

More than enough... almost excessively so.

The figure standing with his back to the helm slowly looked up. Whether he had avoided being burned or healed himself with a potion, his face remained intact. His skin wasn’t scorched, and no parts were missing. Yet, the air around him felt deeply unsettling.

The marquis’ expression was blank. Blood stained his face, dark shadows loomed under his eyes, and his mouth hung slightly open. He exuded an aura of grotesque distortion, as if something had melted and twisted him into this form.

The marquis locked his gaze on Elwin. The icy tension between them left me completely paralyzed. The sound of raindrops pounding the deck seemed to slow as the tension thickened, and the surrounding air felt like it had frozen solid.

Rumble! Crash!

Thunder roared, and the boat rocked violently. A sudden storm had overtaken us, driving the vessel sharply toward the open sea.

Elwin clenched her fist tightly, and a translucent hook slid out from her sleeve. It was the same one she had used to rip out the marquis’ heart.

Zap!

The fox-masked sister leaped into the air. The marquis drew his sword back, its blade glowing as it charged with energy. A white flash shot toward Elwin.

Crackle!

Without flinching, Elwin swung the hook in the shortest possible arc, and the white streak slashed through her waist.

Yet, both attacks proved futile. Elwin’s severed waist fused back together as if nothing had happened, and the marquis had already sidestepped the flash he had unleashed.

Boom!

The hook struck the helm, violently splitting it apart. The helm, along with the captain’s dangling corpse, plunged into the sea. The ship lurched and spun halfway around.

The marquis leaned against the railing twenty steps away and smirked. ”The power of phase permeability. What you call a legacy, I presume.”

He pointed his sword at the fox mask with a glint in his eyes. ”Is that it?”

The marquis’ pupils glowed a vivid blue.

Zap!

The marquis swung his sword mid-charge, and the blade sliced through the fox mask. It slashed Elwin’s neck and swung back to cut her waist.

Again, there was no sound of tearing flesh. The crimson hook countered swiftly, aiming for the marquis, but he had already rolled away to avoid it.

The marquis is faster.

He evaded every one of Elwin’s attacks with ease. I waited for an opening to intervene, but no opportunity presented itself. The disparity in their levels was overwhelming.

Elwin’s distorted voice emerged from behind the fox mask. ”Hey, you got enough elixirs? There’s no way you have more than two. One more heart ripped out, and you’re dead. You know that, right?

”Whether it’s Density Control or Phase Adjustment, it doesn’t matter. All legacies are consumables,” the marquis replied expressionlessly.

”Hah... seriously. You’re like the worst stalker ever. Bet you’re not popular with women, hm?”

The marquis didn’t respond. Instead, his sword now glowed with a bright blue-white light, far brighter than before. The rain near him evaporated instantly, the droplets turning into steam.

Even a bolt of lightning struck his blade, flashing and fueling its glow. The blade charged with light, swung back as if gathering momentum, and then slashed forward. A brilliant, blinding blue-white streak exploded toward Elwin, illuminating the surroundings as if it were three hours past dawn.