How to Raise Your Skeletons

Chapter 23: The Ancient Desert (3)

I kicked off the ground.

“Hyaah!”

With a shout, I ran with all my might.

The skeletons also started moving with me.

Don’t think of it as a crisis.

I steeled myself.

The corridor was widening, and the skeletons surrounded me from all sides. This also meant the wall I had to break through had become thinner.

“We’re running out of energy! We have to keep fighting to hold them off! If your left arm is broken, use your right arm!”

I checked my surroundings as I ran.

Beside me, Boney 4 was blocking spears with his arms, having lost his shield.

“Yes, like that! Hang in there, everyone!”

I moved beside him, swinging my shield to the side to push with it.

A skeleton lost its balance and fell backward from the weight of my bash.

—Crush!

I brought the edge of the shield down on its head.

“Phew.”

I had just taken down a D-rank monster with my own hands, but there was no time to savor the feeling.

The attacks from the skeletons continued relentlessly.

I can’t just run. I have to deal with them as I go.

I wasn’t a giant who had maxed out my strength stats, so I couldn’t bulldoze through them. At the very least, I had to clear the ones blocking my path.

I hope it shows up soon.

[Break through the obstacles and reach the ‘Sun Spear.’]

The goal of this dungeon wasn’t to kill skeletons. It was simply to reach the entity known as the ‘Sun Spear.’

—Tap, tap, tap!

I brushed past the approaching skeletons. Using the techniques I learned from my Master, I subtly evaded them like a rugby player on the field, running toward a touchdown.

“Boney 5!”

—Clang!

“Replenish the shield quickly before it breaks!”

The air shield absorbed all the attacks coming from behind.

As expected, a level 8 Air Shield was tougher and more resilient than the previous one.

[The ‘Sun Spear’ says it’s cowardly.]

[It claims that a true warrior doesn’t evade battles.]

Shut up. That’s your standard.

In our world, survival is strength.

[The ‘Sun Spear’ is disappointed.]

[It says those who avoid the trials have no right to challenge itself.]

I ignored it.

Only four to five skeletons were left in front of me. Once I got past them, I could run through the open space.

I hope you understand.

Knowing the enemy is important, but knowing myself is more important. And I knew I couldn’t survive those skeletons with my remaining energy.

No matter how reckless and daring I was, I didn’t want to fight a losing battle.

[The ‘Sun Spear’ says humans are indeed despicable creatures.]

—Swoosh.

Finally, I passed the remaining skeletons.

“Huff, huff.”

Sweat dripped down my forehead. I wiped it off with my sleeve, but more sweat soon replaced it.

“When will it come out?”

My mouth tasted bitter, but I didn’t stop running. I felt drained, but my muscles held up.

My previous stamina training seemed to pay off.

“Huff, huff!”

I wanted to summon the old man for advice, but it was impossible. Not just because I lacked energy, but because the cooldown hadn’t passed yet.

—Rumble!

Behind me were the skeletons I had passed chasing me fiercely.

“Damn it.”

I was reaching my limit.

—Clunk!

I threw away my shield. I also tossed aside the bag of supplies I brought just in case.

If I fought now, I would die. I had to reduce my weight and focus solely on running.

[‘Bonehead 4’ used the skill Low-Level Block (Lv.8).]

Boom!

After picking up the shield I discarded, Boney 4 turned around. He stopped fleeing and seemed to be buying me time.

Thanks, buddy.

The awakened skeletons were amazing. They clearly understood their master’s intentions and acted accordingly, even without orders.

[‘Bonehead 4’ has been unsummoned.]

—Thud.

Boney4 didn’t last long. Its bones scattered in all directions.

Gritting my teeth, I ran forward with all my might. I had to make the most of the time he bought me.

I had been running for about a minute.

“Huh?”

Suddenly, a chill ran down my spine.

I felt like something was wrong.

[The ‘Sun Spear’ says lowly humans must be punished.]

“…!”

My eyes widened.

Ahead of me in the corridor, there were piles of bones stacked like a mountain.

Those bones…

I had seen them before. It was a familiar sight.

“Huff, huff.”

I stopped running.

My hands hung limply at my sides as if I had lost all strength.

I took deep breaths.

No fucking wonder they’re familiar.

These were the remains of the skeletons I had fought when I was first sucked into the pyramid a few hours ago.

“…”

Come to think of it, the widening corridor had narrowed again.

This meant that the place I had been running to in desperation wasn’t the Sun Spear’s lair but the same place.

I had been running around in circles.

[The ‘Sun Spear’ sneers at you.]

[It says foolish humans never fail to disappoint.]

“…”

I felt hollow.

This place was inside a pyramid. If I had run in a straight line, I should have reached an angular turning point.

So it was in a circular structure?

Whether I went forward or backward, I would end up in the same place.

—Grit.

I bit my lip in frustration.

I tasted blood on my tongue.

—Rumble…

Skeletons were closing in from behind.

What should I do?

Should I fight again? Or should I give up?

—Creak.

Boney 1 seemed to have a problem with his leg joints and was limping. Boney 2’s spear was battered. Boney 3 and Boney 5 were almost in a state of disrepair.

[Hunter: Joo Donghoon]

[Energy: 20/120]

I had only 20 energy left.

In contrast, about 30 skeletons were left.

“There’s no choice. We’ll have to hold out as long as we can. Everyone, come up!”

I had no strength left to run. But I didn’t want to give up.

What would Gi Soyul do in this situation?

She would’ve kept fighting even in this situation, even if it meant losing her life.

That’s the mentality of a ‘ranker.’

I must hold onto hope.

You never know. Maybe the hundred skeletons recently summoned were the last wave!

“Follow me!”

I climbed the pile of bones.

—Creak! Creak!

Dozens of skeletons swarmed toward me.

—Slice! Slash!

Boney 1 swung his sword a few times. The skulls of the skeletons were separated cleanly, rolling onto the floor.

—Whoosh! Whoosh!

Boney 3 retreated while providing cover.

“Boney 5! Use all your energy to cast Fireball!”

I climbed the bones, gripping and pulling myself up, using all my strength.

“Huff, huff!”

Reaching the top, I picked up a discarded bone spear.

I secured the high ground. I planned to press down on the approaching skeletons from above.

“Die!”

I hurled the spear with all my might.

I didn’t mind losing it since there were plenty of bone spears around.

“Die!”

I drove another bone spear into the skull of a climbing skeleton.

Blood oozed from my strained muscles. I must have cut myself on the bones while climbing.

[‘Bonehead 1’ has been unsummoned.]

[‘Bonehead 2’ has been unsummoned.]

Finally, the two who had been fighting hard perished.

“Haah.”

With the remaining 20 energy, I resummoned the strongest warrior, Boney 1, and the tank, Boney 4.

[Using skill ‘Summon Awakened Skeleton’ (D-rank).]

[10 energy consumed.]

[‘Bonehead 1′ summoned.]

[Using skill ‘Summon Awakened Skeleton’ (D-rank).]

[10 energy consumed.]

[‘Bonehead 4′ summoned.]

“This is it.”

I poured in all my remaining energy.

[You have consumed all of your energy.]

[Tip: Want to replenish your energy? Try resting.]

“Screw you.”

I raised my head. A bitter laugh escaped me.

This situation felt the same as when I faced the orc back then. Desperately trying to survive like a struggling bug.

Actually, no.

It was different.

Back then, I didn’t choose that situation.

This one was a path I had chosen.

This was a matter of mindset. To become stronger, I welcomed more trials.

The German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche said “What doesn’t kill me makes me stronger.”

Get a grip, Joo Donghoon.

—Slap!

I slapped my cheek hard.

My faint consciousness became clear.

There is no dungeon I cannot clear.

Even in the old man’s stage that was difficult for rankers, there was a solution.

I thought. I kept thinking.

[Break through the obstacles and reach the ‘Sun Spear.’]

The quest wanted me to meet the Sun Spear. But the Sun Spear insisted I follow proper procedures to reach it. It felt like I was constantly being teased.

So what are those procedures?

Even if I ran around the dungeon, it kept circling back.

Where could I meet him…?

“Huh?”

It was then that something caught my eye.

Above the wide open space, attached to the broad ceiling, was a sinister mass.

“What is that?”

It squirmed as if it were watching me.

[The ‘Sun Spear’ asks if you’ve finally noticed.]

[It says foolish humans can’t help it.]

“Oh?” I grinned.

I couldn’t help it because it felt like finding an oasis in the vast desert.

“So that’s where you were hiding?”

The trick in the dungeon was simple—overly simple but hard to miss once noticed. The Sun Spear’s lair was in the ceiling from the start.

The ceiling of the entrance, to be precise.

[The ‘Sun Spear’ nods.]

As if making eye contact with me, the message from the entity called the Sun Spear appeared.

—Crush! Crunch!

I watched the skeletons struggling below and muttered.

“Boney 4.”

The one among my minions who lifted the heaviest shield.

“Stop fighting and grab me.”

—Creak?

“Throw me up there as hard as you can. As fast as possible.”

There were remaining skeletons, but it didn’t matter. The condition to clear this stage was to meet the entity.

[The ‘Sun Spear’ says to come if you dare.]

[It says it will turn the despicable human who challenges it into ashes.]

“Sure.”

I fixed my gaze on the mass.

I didn’t know why it had such hostility toward humans, but if that’s the dungeon’s quest…

“Here I come.”

In the middle of a pyramid, on a small hill of bone remnants, I was launched like an arrow.

—Whoosh!

The fierce wind hit my face.

As the distance between the mass and me rapidly closed…

[Congratulations!]

[You have reached the ‘Sun Spear.’]

[The Ancient Skeleton Spearmen (D-rank) will disappear.]

The bones below dissolved like a mirage.

—Finally.

As an indescribable feeling of accomplishment washed over me, messages popped up before my eyes.

[Warning!]

[The ‘Sun Spear’ has been summoned!]

The black mass scattered widely, its form like a crashed hologram. The scattered parts converged into one place.

[Using skill ‘Memory Recreation’ (S-rank).]

[Recreating the memory of the cursed soul the ‘Sun Spear.’]

[You will be transported shortly.]

With a blinding flash, my vision turned white.