Chapter 14: Birth, Skills, and Magic

I know that I existed before, but I only considered the beginning of my life on the day I received a name.

"Aa-aaron..." When I spoke, it sounded more like a bone creaking. It was the only sound I could make.

"Aaron, go fetch some rabbit from the fourth floor. I need its horns for an experiment," I heard a voice behind me, despite not having ears.

It was Gleen, the second in command. I clicked my bones and walked slowly towards the third floor.

Apparently, Gleen had the master's respect. Something about him defeating a powerful opponent and protecting the dungeon without a single casualty.

That's cool...

He seemed like a good boss and since the master told us to obey him, it never occurred to me to disobey.

Gleen was also the first to receive a name and also received rewards and praise from the master...

I'm so jealous...

Oh! And about the master. I had only glimpsed his appearance a few times. I'm part of the vanguard, so I'm always outside hunting and patrolling the area.

But one thing I know: the master is amazing!

I hope to be rewarded like that someday. If I had a smile, it would be huge right now.

After a good amount of walking, I found the magic circle and appeared on the third floor. As soon as I emerged, I had to jump to the side.

No one really liked going up to the third floor, but it was mandatory to pass through it to get to the fourth.

"Argh..." I tried to make my voice sound, but to no avail. Even if I could, the monster in front of me wouldn't understand anything.

There was a skeleton. In appearance, we weren't much different, but I had consciousness and he was a puppet that only attacked whatever was in front of him.

After the first blow, he didn't attack again. He just stood there watching me with those empty, dark eye sockets.

I guess someone who saw this scene would find it funny. They could even joke, "Look, two skeletons flirting."

Thinking about that gave me chills in my bones.

"Argh!" With the clicking of my bones, he stepped aside.

This floor had a more gray and dark look, with shallow trees and sharp rocks where the skeletons were strategically placed.

The scheme of this floor was well thought out. There were guards who roamed randomly around and others who stood guard in one place.

Everything was organized by Glenn. I was increasingly fascinated by his knowledge.

After a few more dodges and dangerous passages, I finally reached the magic circle.

As I was about to touch it to proceed, another skeleton stood in front of me.

"Argh!" I exclaimed, but he didn't move. He lifted the large bone and ran towards me.

I jumped to the side from his sudden attack and tried to gesture orders again, but he just kept staring at me with those empty black holes.

So it's going to be like this? You want a duel?

The master didn't say anything about this situation, but he hated traitors.

I believe he won't mind if I kill this one.

On his next attack, I didn't dodge. I leaped forward with my body and clicked my bones against his.

My strength and endurance were extremely superior. He didn't stand a chance; he fell to the ground in pieces.

"Urf!" I let out a sound of satisfaction and victory and almost let my guard down.

Suddenly, the bones reassembled and he was standing again. It was the first time I had seen that. If I had a face, it would be showing an expression of surprise.

So he has some active ability...

I faced the adversary again. Now I wouldn't act as subtly as before. I put my gun close to my body and adjusted my posture.

He ran towards me again, placing his entire body against mine, but I wouldn't back down.

I received him head-on and counterattacked with a powerful frontal blow, throwing him back to the ground again.

His head rolled on the earthy ground separated from the body, but the empty holes still stared at me.

The headless bones rose from the ground and ran to retrieve the head. Seeing them try to rebuild themselves, I intercepted and hit them, throwing the head far away.

Then with a low blow to the chest, I threw the headless body to the ground.

How do I beat this guy?

He was paralyzed under my body and tried to escape. I dismounted his body, but he always returned to normal.

After separating him a dozen times, they began to reunite even faster than before. In fact, I had to jump back.

His leg bone broke and flew towards me like a blade. If I hadn't dodged, it would have pierced my heart!

Although I didn't have a heart.

It was really some kind of ability and now it was stronger than before. Soon the broken bone also rejoined the rest of the body.

He didn't regenerate; he just fitted into the correct position and stayed there.

Standing up, the skeleton looked threatening to me. However, he didn't attack right away. He was searching for the lost head.

That's it!

If I had a face, he would surely have a convinced look now. I knew where the head was and ran over there.

I saw the head on the ground grinding the bones. He couldn't be immortal, so there was a control center: the Mana Stone.

And knowing he was a skeleton, there was only one place it could be.

"He-Head..." I ground the bones until the sound came out. "Arghk Arphmkr" If a human understood the language of the skeletons, they would know I said: "Enhanced Attack", although skeletons didn't speak.

I picked up a heavy stone and hit the head on the ground until it broke into pieces with the mana stone.

<<You leveled up>>

I ground the bones as if I was laughing. Victory tasted good. I was starting to enjoy this kind of thing: duels.

Before I left, I needed to recover my lost energy, and it was also necessary to find out what that skeleton's ability was.

So I put my hand on his remains, although he was already a bunch of remains when he was still alive. Well, taking that out of my mind, I used my ability.

"Rghhhhhh" If a human understood the language of the skeletons, they would know I said: "Bone Absorption", although I had no tongue.

Suddenly, the dead skeleton's body disappeared, being sucked into my body. All my tiredness and damage disappeared, and I felt a sudden increase in the strength of my body.

Finally, a message echoed.

<<Rare Bone Manipulation Skill Acquired>>

Oh!

So that was how he manipulated his own body's bones so well. Lucky guy, but now his luck was mine.

If I had eyes, they would be shining with arrogance.

"Argh! Argh!" My bones rattled as I tried to laugh.

Suddenly, I realized I was screaming alone on the floor. It was a good thing no one besides the skeletons lived around here, or else I wouldn't know where to put my face...

Although I didn't have a face...

❂❂❂

There was a rabbit, the first that Kayn took to the dungeon, that got used to living on the second floor and found the food there much tastier, so, without anyone knowing, he went down the floors to steal food.

To get there, he needed to secretly cross the third floor. On that specific day, he had an unusual vision.

A skeleton putting his hands on his waist and hitting bones while looking up.

Since then, he never went down to feed on the second floor again.

❂❂❂

Finally reaching the fourth floor, I came across a sparse pasture, small flowers on the ground, and short trees.

The fourth floor was by far my favorite place in the dungeon. The flower field where the entrance magic circle was located was simply wonderful!

Additionally, it had refreshing ponds. On a hot day, I could come here to cool off, even though I didn't feel hot or cold.

I continued my slow walk, feeling the breeze hit against my bones and almost hearing birds singing, if there were birds on this floor...

I was about to forget the mission's objective, but the little horned rabbit grazing in front of me reminded me of the mission.

I loved the dungeon. The fun goblins, my skeletal donkey brothers, daily life, Gleen, and the Master.

I loved hunting when the sun rose in the sky and loved seeing the happy faces of living beings, in addition to the common duels I had.

It was what I was enjoying the most. Something so intrinsic within me that, even before I was aware, I already knew of this reciprocated passion.

However, not everything was a sea of bones. My mortal enemies were also my companions, my neighbors.

They barked continuously and always tried to bite my bones. Those filthy dogs that haunted my special place.

I hate dogs.

I ran like crazy toward the magic circle, carrying two rabbit carcasses on my back.

I leaped over a branch and completely tore apart the small pink flowers that brushed low on my feet.

Right behind me, the wolves finished devastating the entire ground. They smelled blood or maybe just liked to gnaw on my bones.

I continued my desperate escape. If I had a heart, it would be jumping out of my chest!

Even though I also didn't have a mouth.

Finally, I was reaching the magic circle, but the giant pack of wolves continued on my trail. If I could scream, I would be calling out desperately for the Master.

Oh! Master, save me from this cruel fate!

Although it was a bit embarrassing... but it didn't matter. It was better to live in shame than to die in the mouth of a wolf.

In a jump for my life, I leaped into the magic circle while feeling one of the wolves' saliva fall on my bones.

When I opened my eyes again, I breathed a sigh of relief. There was only the good old stony floor with sparse trees. That grayish aspect of the floor had never been so comfortable for me.

I stood up, placing both hands on my waist. An arrogant aura covered my body and once again I laughed to the heavens, victorious!

"Argh! Argh!" My bones rattled.

❂❂❂

"Good work. You can return to your daily tasks."

"Argh!" My bones rattled as I handed the rabbits over to Gleen.

With a slight nod, I left him alone. It was already late, and most of the monsters had gone to sleep.

Most people would say it was time for me to rest after a hard day's work, but as a skeleton soldier, I never rested.

I stood guard at the magic circle between the first and second floors. The forest was calm and pleasant.

The wind passed through my bones, and as night fell, darkness came with it. The environment was extremely entertaining for a skeleton.

Oh! I'm a ghost! Boo!

By playing around, I didn't notice, but I was slowly beginning to enter a deep darkness. Maybe that's how people slept.

You know, dreaming...

I didn't know skeletons dreamed, but I apparently could.

In front of me stood a man. He was slightly below average height but had a strong body and a gaze that even gave me chills.

A strong will burned in his eyes and throughout his being.

He wore armor that covered his entire body in multiple layers upon layers of a strong red color. A helmet covered his entire head and neck, as well as a demonic mask that covered his face.

Looking into the dark holes of the mask, I saw only the deepest abyss, and the more I looked at him, the more he looked back at me.

Finally, he began to move with subtlety. One hand moved toward his waist and pulled a long, thin, sharp blade with a single edge from the scabbard.

He placed it perpendicular to his own body, and to follow his movements, I made the same movement.

As if we were the same existence, we cut downward. My movement was simplistic; the simple act of lowering my arms, but his was concise, clean, and powerful, demonstrating the thousands, or even millions, of times he had performed it.

I was enchanted by that image, that powerful man. I would have no chance against him, but still, I wished I could one day challenge him to a duel...

The scene then disappeared like a mirage from my eyes, and I was back in the dungeon, looking at the magic circle.

That was a unique experience since my birth, and I would cherish it in my heart, especially the scene of the man cutting with that single-edged blade.

Such a majestic and simple technique. It suited me.

Although I had no heart to cherish it.

The next day, I visited Gleen, and he had an enthusiastic look. I had seen that look a few times, and most of them involved the master.

Did the master return?

"Argh!" My bones rattled, and he seemed to have noticed me.

"Come here, Aaron," he said, raising one arm and calling me. "I discovered something incredible."

I approached, and he showed me a jumbled magic circle with a rabbit horn in the center.

"To be able to do it, I need to use a whole horn, but it's just the beginning! Look, Aaron!"

He placed his hand on the circle, and a spark crackled. A moment later, two, three, four, five sparks, and then...

Boom!

The horn exploded into pieces and was completely destroyed. I stood there, not understanding anything.

"See, Aaron! I managed to use magic!"

I looked at his enthusiastic face and just clapped as he shook my shoulders and jumped from side to side.