How to Raise Your Skeletons

Chapter 49: Remnants of the Giant Magic Dragon (3)

Another group of drakes emerged from below the stairs.

“Kyeeeek!”

—Thud, thud, thud!

Their eyes glowed menacingly, enraged by Boney 3’s arrows. They stomped heavily, a sign of their anger.

They fell for it so quickly. They possess no intelligence, just pure instinct.

I could have gone down to fight them, but I had a reason to lure them up. The reason was simple—falling from a bigger height would cause more damage.

“Heh, I’ve never seen such a straightforward hunting tactic.”

“I can’t keep this up forever. There’s a limit to my energy.”

—Whoosh!

Boney 5’s fire magic blazed fiercely, blocking the retreat of the enraged drakes.

[‘Bonehead 5’ used the skill ‘Fireball’ (Lv. Max).]

—Whoosh! Boom!

The fireball flew straight into the lead drake.

“Kieeeek!”

The smell of burning flesh filled the air as it screeched and thrashed in pain. Desperately trying to escape, it spread the fire to its comrades. One by one, they flailed and fell into the abyss.

“Goodbye.”

[‘Spiked Drake’ has been defeated.]

[‘Spiked Drake’ has been defeated.]

[‘Spiked Drake’ has been defeated.]

…

Good.

Most mindless creatures were vulnerable to fire. It was fortunate that Boney 5 could wield flames.

If it weren’t for Boney 5, I would’ve had more trouble finding a solution.

“Alright!” I stretched my stiff body and plopped down on the ground. “Shall we call it a day?”

I felt fatigued, probably from the tension I had been holding in.

[Name: Bonehead 5]

[Energy: 50/200]

Boney 5 had nearly exhausted its energy. I needed to save that last bit, just in case.

There’s no need to rush.

There were still plenty of enemies to fight, and no one was chasing us from behind. I needed to manage my stamina carefully.

“Hmm? Are you planning to rest here? In the middle of this monster-infested ruin?”

“We don’t have a choice. How can we take them all out in one day, like you said?”

“Hmm.” Dagnar rubbed his chin, contemplating something. Then he called to me with glowing eyes, “Hey, hey, look here!”

“What is it?”

“Remember I told you I’d be useful when I asked to come along?”

“…Yes, you did.”

“Well, let me show you, as promised.”

“…?”

What was he up to?

I watched as Dagnar set down his backpack.

A backpack?

When had he brought that along?

“Haha, I don’t usually show this to just anyone.” Dagnar grinned confidently. “But you’re a special person, and you’re doing so much for our tribe.”

He began pulling things from his bag—pots, pans, a cutting board, and various ingredients…

“Huh?”

I blinked in surprise. This wasn’t what I expected. I wondered…

“Are you going to cook?”

“Exploring ancient ruins can take a long time, so I came prepared. Aren’t you tired of eating dried jerky all the time?”

“Wow, when did you… No, wait! Why didn’t you bring this out in the elven village?”

“I told you. I wasn’t joking when I said I don’t show this to just anyone.”

“…?”

“This bag is a very rare artifact. I don’t usually show this, not even to our benefactors.” Dagnar grinned again.

It was indeed impressive. Everything he needed was packed into that tiny bag, even though it didn’t seem like it could fit it all.

Dagnar’s hands moved with expert precision as he set up his cooking station, as expected from a veteran dwarf.

“Huh?” I watched in awe.

“This is my specialty, chicken stew. Don’t worry about the freshness.”

Dagnar was amazing. He chopped the chicken, rinsed it, and placed it in a strainer. Then he chopped some mysterious vegetables, likely native to this world, into bite-sized pieces. His skill was on par with someone appearing on a cooking TV show. He added some unknown liquid and ingredients into the pot, and I watched it bubble.

Hmm.

Then I grew curious about his bag.

“Mr. Dagnar.”

“Yes? It just needs to simmer for ten minutes.”

“No, it’s not about that. I was wondering… Could I take a look at your bag?”

“This? Hmm… Alright.”

He seemed to hesitate but agreed.

What kind of artifact is this?

The moment I touched the bag, information appeared before me.

[Item: Demir-Distributed Backpack]

[Rank: S]

[Type: Bag]

[Description: A backpack distributed by the legendary blacksmith ‘Demir’ for the tribe’s convenience. It boasts incredible performance for a supply item.]

[Effect 1: Provides an S-rank subspace, allowing the user to store many items.]

[Effect 2: Maintains freshness within the subspace.]

“What the…!”

I was so shocked I coughed.

What kind of insane item is this?

This wasn’t something a regular dwarf should possess.

And Demir? The great Demir that the dwarves worshiped?

“Haha, amazing, isn’t it?”

“…This is beyond amazing.”

“It was a common item during the time of our ancestors. Every family had one or two.”

So that was why it was called a supply item? But still, an S-rank supply item? What kind of world was this?

I felt a little disappointed. I could have gained so much more if I had arrived in this world 500 years ago.

“I’m honestly tempted.”

“Haha, don’t even think about it. It may have been common back then, but now it’s a precious artifact.”

“…Right.”

Tsk! How did he know I was going to ask for it?

“Instead of drooling over my bag, have some food.”

“Oh, it’s already ready?”

“You need to eat well to hunt the monsters down. That’s how we’ll find our ancestors’ relics.”

Well, anything was better than dried jerky.

I accepted the food Dagnar handed me. It looked similar to chicken stew. It was a thick, sauceless chicken dish.

“Oh?” I took a bite, and my eyes widened. “This is surprisingly good.”

“Gahahaha!” Dagnar laughed, clearly pleased by my compliment.

I wasn’t just being polite; I genuinely meant it. I had no reason to flatter him, and why would I lie about something like this?

Maybe my taste buds have been dulled by all the bland food I’ve been eating lately.

It was a pity that my skeletons and the old man couldn’t share the meal with me.

Moreover, we were getting a break.

I sighed in relief.

Honestly, I had been worried about how long we would have to stay here, but if we had a reliable source of food and water, we could stay as long as we needed.

“Hehe, isn’t it great? This meal’s on a whole different level from those fruit-picking elves! Eat up! There’s plenty more!”

My compliment seemed to have fueled the fire within him as Dagnar eagerly served me more.

“Thank you.”

I didn’t hesitate to accept. I needed to eat well if I wanted to train here.

“Haha! This is great! Need anything else?”

“Anything else? Well, actually, yes.”

“Haha! Yes, tell me! Go ahead!”

“The bag.”

“Stop joking around.” Dagnar handled my sudden curveball with ease.

“Tsk, it didn’t work, eh?” I clicked my tongue in disappointment.

I might as well continue to eat.

* * *

Reaper Scans

Translator – Dawn

Proofreader – BringTheRayn

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* * *

The hunting and training continued. For me, this place wasn’t just a dungeon. It was more like a training ground.

– Defeat 30 Spiked Drakes daily.

– Basic physical training for 1 hour.

– Old man’s massage for 30 minutes.

– Old man’s martial arts training for 30 minutes.

– Practice the Great Blue Heart Technique for 4 hours.

– Personal training for 4 hours.

– Rest and sleep.

It was a simple curriculum. The deadline was until we wiped out all the drakes.

“Wow, time flies.” Dagnar hummed as he washed the dishes. “It’s already been a week.” He glanced down into the abyss. “The sounds from below have gotten quieter, haven’t they?”

He was much more relaxed now than when we first entered, and I couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Yeah, it seems like we’re almost done. Thanks for all your help.”

I was growing stronger, so it didn’t bother me, but I felt a little guilty about Dagnar since all he had done here was cook and clean.

“Haha, thank me? If anything, I should be thanking you! All I do is cook while you take down those terrifying monsters!”

“Oh, you’re really that grateful?”

“Of course! Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“Then how about that bag…”

“…Quiet, you.”

“Yes, sir.” I sighed, disappointed.

The sigh wasn’t just about the bag, though. It was also because the time for the dreaded massage was approaching.

[Using skill ‘Teaching of All Techniques’ (S-rank).]

[Consuming 20 energy.]

[Summoning ‘Master of All Techniques.’]

The old man’s Grand Technique of the Celestial Artisan was a pain I could never fully get used to. Even with an A-rank pain resistance passive skill, it was tough to endure. Sometimes, I was amazed at my resilience.

“It’s that time again, eh?”

“Yes, please take care of me, elder.”

But now, I voluntarily participated because I was starting to feel the benefits of the massage.

[It sharpens your martial skills and refines your talents.]

After each session, my physical abilities improved, and my mind became more flexible and more efficiently able to absorb knowledge. Whenever the elder taught me something, I could find more ways to apply the knowledge in different ways. It was like I was taking another step toward becoming a top-rank hunter.

“‘Please,’ you say? Haha, today, I’ll be the one asking for a favor.”

“Pardon?” I tilted my head, confused.

It was strange for the old man, who had always been giving me massages, to say something like that.

“Your once-clogged energy within your body now flows like a river, and your weak spirit has become as lively as a newborn. It’s time to move on to the next stage.”

“Huh…? What do you…?”

“Which means it will be even more painful than before.”

“Huh?”

“Why? Don’t you want to do it? Just say the word, and I’ll stop.”

“Are you serious?” My eyes narrowed as I seriously considered it.

The pain I’d endured so far was already immense, and now it would be worse. It was just asking for me to quit.

However, the old man’s expression remained unchanged.

“Hehe. After this next stage, you’ll shed another layer and grow even more. But are you going to quit now? I know you won’t give up before even trying it.”

“…”

The old man knew me too well. I wasn’t someone who would give up before even attempting something. Nor was I someone who would quit just because it got hard or painful.

“Well, no choice then. Let’s do it.”

“Haha, I knew you’d say that.”

The old man grinned mischievously, but I trusted him. His desire to help me grow and pass on his art was genuine.

“Remember, if what you’ve endured so far was the beginner level…” The old man interlaced his fingers and cracked his knuckles. “Now we’re moving on to intermediate.”

“Intermediate…”

“So brace yourself.”

His eyes gleamed like a flash of lightning.