Chapter 47: Emergency Patch

Sssssss-!

The sea within the sky rippled.

A black ocean stretched out like a tongue.

Gulp!

What it spat out was—

Kuuuuuuung!

“A mountain…?”

“No, that’s…”

It was a boulder.

A massive rock so imposing you could mistake it for a small mountain.

[Time remaining: 10 minutes.]

[Defeat the ‘Stone Golem’ and survive!]

Right in the middle of the Samgak Intersection.

A mountain of rock, complete with arms, legs, and a head, crashed down with a thud.

Everything beneath it—cars, utility poles, signposts—was buried without a trace.

Pssssss-!

The asphalt, suddenly burdened with such a heavy stone, began sending dust swirling everywhere.

Bang! Grk! Crack!

Countless fragments flew through the acrid smoke.

Sharp shards, big and small, scraped between bones, but it didn’t bother me.

Because—

“Stone Golem?!”

“Kehk! You want us to take that down? Right now?!”

Everyone was so focused on the appearance of a new enemy.

It didn’t matter if they were alive or dead.

“Damn! That thing’s huge!”

Just as the foul-mouthed one said.

It was huge.

Absurdly huge.

So huge, in fact, that it alone took up as much space as an entire office building.

Thanks to that, the ring of skeleton soldiers standing guard around the perimeter were now within arm’s reach of it.

‘This isn’t going to be as easy as I thought.’

“Grrr… Attack…!”

The ones closest began their assault.

But—

Clang-!

The skeleton soldiers’ swords bounced off like toothpicks.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang…!

Dozens, hundreds of iron toothpicks flew in all directions.

The difference in power was overwhelming.

The golem, as if annoyed, began to stomp its feet.

Kuuuuung-!

As it put down its left foot—

“!!”

The ground shook. Cars became squashed like gum. Utility poles toppled.

Kuuuuuuung-!

Then, as it brought down its right foot—

“Uwoooooooh!”

The soldiers nearby were flung into the air.

Clattering and clanking.

And when they fell, their bones were dislocated and tangled.

It was impossible.

Even with a thousand, ten thousand, a hundred thousand skeleton soldiers, it seemed impossible to win.

This wasn’t an enemy you could defeat with sheer numbers.

So I shouted urgently.

“Stop! Fall back!”

And to buy them some time to retreat—

“Blade Wind!”

I swung my sword the instant I shouted.

Slicing through the air faster than anyone.

Swaaaaash!

The sound of air being split pierced my ears.

A crescent-shaped slash.

The force of it was enough to be felt even with dulled senses.

Screeeeech!

But not for the golem, apparently.

A scratch. A scuff. A wound not even worth itching.

If it were a car, you wouldn’t even bother with repairs—a paint job would suffice for this level of mark.

That’s all it was.

‘My attack… didn’t work?’

“Grrr…!”

“Y-yes, Captain…!”

─ Grgrgrgrgrg….

It’s coming.

Judging by its mountain-like appearance and how it just shrugged off my attack, its defense was something else.

Perhaps it was stronger than any foe I’d faced before.

Now, as if it was its turn, the monster raised its fist.

It grew dark.

The sun above was instantly blocked, sending a chill through me.

Whooooosh-!

A thick, massive rock fist flew at me like a meteor.

“!!”

Boom!

Its fist smashed into the road.

The asphalt crumbled like tofu. Black debris shook the earth.

“C-Captain…!”

“Boss! Watch out!”

The force from its massive weight was on another level, far beyond the bone bombs I’d managed to block thanks to my Guide’s Title.

If that fist hit me, every bone from my crown to my toes would merge into a single piece.

The one good thing—

‘This guy’s only chasing me.’

Whooosh-!

“Over here! Right here!”

Ji-eun was trying to distract the golem, waving some kind of leather or cloth overhead.

“Boss! Watch your head!”

Jae-hyuk threw his mace like a shot put, then called again, then threw it once more with tearful effort.

Swaaash! Boom-!

Even as everyone’s attacks chipped away tiny bits of the golem’s leg like shedding skin...

It ignored everything and chased only after me.

“Come here, you idiot!!”

Seems my target is fixed inside that thick stone skull.

I didn’t know why.

‘Actually, this is good.’

Now I didn’t need to worry about the others’ safety.

Besides—

[The effect of the ‘One Who Opens the Way’ title is activated!]

A welcome system message rang out.

Fwoosh-!

A refreshing breeze wrapped around my bare-boned legs.

Then blue wind climbed up, enveloping every joint in my body.

[Followers: 1,497]

[Movement speed increases by 150%.]

[Defense increases by 150.]

My body felt lighter and tougher.

This much, and I could avoid its attacks with ease. Even if I got grazed, I wouldn’t die instantly.

Boom!

With the time my increased speed bought me, I thought.

What does this thing have? What doesn’t it have? And what do I have?

‘There’s an answer.’

Its immense weight gave it slow reactions.

Jae-hyuk’s mace attacks, while minor, were having some effect.

The scattered party was ignored, and it came after only me.

And my title effects were still in play.

‘Given these conditions, the best option is…’

Whoooosh-!

This time, I whistled.

Running away, legs pumping as fast as I could.

“Eun-ho! Where are you going?!”

“Boss! It’s dangerous to go alone! And you’re still a skeleton…!”

“Stay where you are!”

I ignored Ji-eun and Jae-hyuk’s worried cries and ran.

“Company 1! Go left! Company 2, circle right and follow!”

“Yes…!”

“Watch your step—don’t get stomped!”

[The skeleton soldier squad obeys the commander’s orders!]

It’s not that our attacks didn’t work.

We just didn’t have enough firepower to break through that high defense in one go.

But if something else could attack in our stead, that would suffice.

‘Just a bit further…’

Thud! Boom! Kuuung!

The golem followed exactly as planned.

Dodging its fists, I could tell it was getting irritated; now it started slamming its palms down everywhere.

Handprints were left all over the roads.

Tap-!

Finally, after running and running, I reached my destination.

‘Here!’

I stopped.

Waiting for that stonehead, who must be utterly riled up.

Boom!

Left foot.

Boom!

Right foot.

Kuuuuung!

The golem was right in front of me.

Seeing me stand still, it immediately raised its fist.

The sky darkened. A shadow loomed over my head.

If it came down straight at me, I’d die for sure.

Even so, I—

Swaaaash-!

Waited for the meteor to descend to my skull.

“Accelerate!”

I leapt aside.

Clatterrrrr!

If I’d had a heart or lungs left, they would have burst from how hard I was running.

Right foot, left foot, right, left...

Crack!

My shin and calf bones banged together, cracking loudly.

Crunch!

My femur and knee bones ground against each other desperately.

And after a moment—

Tick-

Time resumed for everyone but me.

Kuwaaaaaaang!

The golem’s fist smashed into the building behind me.

Right in the middle of three 34-story apartment towers.

“Eun-ho!!”

“Boooooss!!”

The reason I’d run as far as possible within the 20 seconds I had.

Why I’d fled with all I had.

That was—

So I wouldn’t be crushed beneath the falling buildings instead of it.

Kugugugugung-!

The building that took the golem’s punch collapsed.

Right over the dumb golem’s head.

It had bent over, fist pounding down to get at me.

Kugugugugugung-!

A shock like a terror attack—the kind you’d never expect in the city.

Both adjacent buildings crumbled from the impact, worse than an earthquake.

Boom! Kuuung! Pssssss-!

Now, you couldn’t tell which heap was building debris and which was the golem.

Just as the golem began to writhe, still not done despite being buried—

“Captain… you’re safe…!”

Skeleton soldiers who’d followed managed to gather nearby.

Thank goodness. I’d worried the golem might attack the soldiers following me.

But it was so focused on me, it hadn’t bothered with the insects at its back.

Should I be thankful?

Because—

“All troops! Prepare your rib bones!”

“Yes…!”

They helped my plan succeed.

[The skeleton soldier squad awaits the commander’s orders!]

“Throw!”

Swish! Swish! Swish—

Fifteen hundred rib bones soared into the sky.

Or perhaps ‘erupted’ is more accurate.

Pale bones shot upward like geysers.

And at last,

Over the golem’s figure, trapped and unable to move beneath building debris—

Rattatatatatat!

A rain of bones fell.

“Detonate!”

“Yes…!”

[The skeleton soldier squad uses the ‘Bone Bomb (Lv.1)’ skill!]

As skeleton soldier number one responded faithfully—

Boom!

A red flash exploded.

Red, yellow, and white flares.

As the first bomb burst like a signal, fifteen hundred bombs swelled, humming with power.

[Chain explosions amplify the effect!]

[Brace for impact!]

The red flashes merged into a long line. Then finally, a massive surface.

Kwakakakakakakakwang-!

My ears went deaf.

Even ears I didn’t have.

Zing—!

The explosion rattled my skull so hard, even I flinched.

[By commanding a large number of soldiers systematically, your Leadership skill proficiency has greatly increased!]

[Leadership (Lv.1) skill level has increased.]

[Leadership (Lv.1) → Leadership (Lv.2)]

The skill leveled up.

[Congratulations!]

A system message heralded the end.

[You have defeated the ‘Stone Golem’.]

[You have gained 1,000 Welfare Points!]

“I-it’s over!”

“Boss! You did it!!”

It was over.

Relief and cheers spread across everyone’s faces.

“Captain…!”

“Thanks to you….”

Even the expressionless skeleton soldiers seemed at ease.

[Under the influence of the Leadership skill, your soldiers feel stable.]

[The skeleton soldiers, attuned to the commander’s emotions, feel relieved.]

…Ah, so it was thanks to the Leadership skill.

Still, for the soldiers to share emotions…

I’d thought it was just a skill to make them obedient, but its uses seemed unexpectedly broad.

‘Not that I’ll ever get to command this many troops again, but still.’

Anyway.

“It’s all thanks to your help.”

“Captain…!”

As I patted the companions and skeleton soldiers who’d come running—

“Wait.”

The remaining time in the corner of my view caught my eye.

To be precise—

「%~$*&」

The numbers turned into indecipherable symbols.

「00:&%」

Then flickered back to normal.

「#^!%_$~!*&」

And then changed to an even more complicated pattern… Hm?

“Why’s the timer doing that?”

“Huh?”

“Don’t tell me…!”

No way.

Surely it’s not over yet…!

With a sudden, ominous certainty, I jerked my head up.

And saw, filling my entire vision, a single word flashing in red.

「ERROR!」

“Error…?”

Beeeeeeep!

“Ugh!”

“Eek! My head!”

A piercing warning tone.

Fifteen hundred skeletons recoiled in shock.

Those with working senses screamed.

After a moment, as my numbed ears recovered—

[Temporary administrator privileges have altered the settings!]

[‘Stone Golem’ is being updated with a patch!]

A chilling message sounded.

I heard it clearly, but I didn’t want to believe it.

“Uh, update…?”

“What did it say…?”

Everyone, human or skeleton, paled and shook their heads.

[Patch complete!]

Beep!

With an ominous mechanical sound—

Kugugugung!

Something began to rise from the ruins.

And—

“!!”

The bombed, shattered, broken parts were now patched up—not with stone, but iron.

Clunk-!

Its entire body was now ringed with cannons and cold steel weapons.

“A patch….”

[Defeat the ‘Iron Golem’!]

…Like hell I will.

You bastards!