“Heave-ho! Heave-ho!”

While Eileen was trying to lure those Necromancers over, I was busy digging a trap along the path they had to take.

I have to say, having a body that never gets tired is really convenient. I can dig a pit over two meters deep with my bare hands, and I can dig a lot faster than I used to.

【Current Status: Fivefold Strength】

【If this system weren’t boosting you, what do you think you could dig with that bony body of yours?】

[……]

Whatever.

“And… there!!”

I know my way around traps. They’re simple and practical, and they always work better than expected. We used them all the time to screw with people back when I fought in the war zone.

And I’d been on the receiving end, too. I once fell into a pit and nearly got skewered to death by bamboo stakes.

You live by the sword, you pay for it eventually…

“Next, cover it with leaves and stuff, then sprinkle on some dirt. Yeah… looks good.”

I straightened up to check how well the trap was hidden. Satisfied, I took off my armor and hid in a nearby bush.

“Eileen should be here soon, too.”

Sure enough, a few minutes later, a small figure appeared in the distance, walking timidly. A thin man dressed in black followed behind her.

Those must be the Necromancers.

“Huh? Why’s there only one?”

I cautiously peeked out. Without eyeballs holding me back, I could see two or three times farther than an ordinary person. My hearing was just as good.

That was all thanks to Paper-chan. It could adjust my senses to a certain extent, but it couldn’t fight for me.

Besides, what kind of fighting would I get out of an artificial idiot…?

【They’re getting closer.】

[One’s fine. Let’s get out of here…]

I hurriedly pulled my head back and waited for Eileen to arrive.

“Hey! Is the village you mentioned up ahead?”

The impatient shout rang out behind the girl, making her hunch her shoulders in fright.

“Ah… yes… um, we’ll be there soon…”

She answered with an ingratiating smile, her eyes searching the bushes around us. She seemed a little flustered.

She was looking for me.

It was about time for my entrance.

“Clatter, clatter…” I imitated the way a controlled skeleton would move and shuffled out of the bushes, dazed. My deathly white bones gleamed in the sunlight.

“What the hell?! Wh-where did that skeleton soldier come from?”

My tall shadow fell over him. The Necromancer was already short and scrawny, and he stumbled back in fright, nearly falling on his butt. He stared at me, still shaken.

“Ah…! This is mine! I found this skeleton soldier!”

Eileen’s tearful little face bloomed like a flower. She edged nervously closer to me.

“...Clatter, clatter.”

I worked my jaw a little, but didn’t move or say anything.

Just play dead and keep it simple.

Ah, I’m dead.

“A skeleton…? Where’d such a huge skeleton soldier come from? And you—you can control something that big?!”

The Necromancer looked like he couldn’t believe it. But after glancing at me, then at Eileen, he shut his mouth.

Emmmmmm

Ascertain!

【Ding-dong!】

【Kalbudis】

【Race: Human】

【Age: 28】

【Class: Necromancer】

【Level: LV16 (Can cast a fireball, then watch it fall at his own feet)】

【Combat Power: Unlock the [Combat Power Assessment] system to view】

【Current Status: None】

【Notes: Not a cultist, but not a good guy either】

LV16…

So weak…

I still didn’t really understand the average combat power in this world or how its levels worked. I didn’t know much about the combat power system, either.

For example, a LV40 warrior could easily beat the crap out of a LV60 priest, but that didn’t mean the warrior was stronger than the priest.

And that was before you even got into magic and other supernatural powers. If you went to a tavern and saw some hulking guy covered in scars, he might be a thug mercenary who couldn’t even beat an ordinary goblin.

Meanwhile, a buxom beauty with a wasp waist and a seductive pose might well be a great mage capable of destroying an entire city with ease.

The world had changed. What counted as common sense, even the truths we used to take for granted, had changed with it.

That was why I had to be so cautious. I had no idea where I stood, or what level my combat ability ranked at in this world. I used to know how to use guns, but when it came to close combat and grappling, I might well be worse than an ordinary soldier here.

But judging by Drew Village, ordinary people seemed to be around LV5 to LV12. Anyone above LV15 usually had some combat ability, like a hunter or an adventurer.

Still, those were only the stats on the status screen. Mental toughness, combat sense, fighting style, and weapon proficiency—all sorts of factors—weren’t included.

For example, give me a spear, give a spearman a G28 with the safety on, and make us fight one-on-one.

Honestly, we might as well just wrestle in a locker room.

“Enough! Leave this guy here. If anyone sees him, we’re done for. Let’s get to that village you mentioned! If we’re lucky, we can still accomplish our great purpose!”

Kalbudis shot Eileen a vicious look, then strode off on his own.

“Ah, yes…!” Eileen glanced at me, then hurried after him.

Huh?

I tilted my head.

Their great purpose?

Come to think of it, when they attacked that village earlier, I only caught a glimpse of them.

But they seemed to be making skeleton soldiers drag away the corpses of the people they’d killed.

What were they planning?

“Waaaaah!!!”

BOOM!!

Just as I was thinking about it, a heavy crash rang out nearby. The tremendous noise sent the birds in the surrounding area scattering into the sky.

“Oh, looks like they’re here.”

I ran over excitedly. Eileen was crouched beside the pit, curiously watching the man who’d fallen into it.

“That hurts like hell… Wh-why’s there a trap on this road…? A hunter’s? No way. Who would—”

“Hey! You!” He rubbed his head and shouted at Eileen.

“Ah, yes!!”

“Get that skeleton soldier to pull me out!”

All right! Time for my entrance!

“Here I come! Here I come!!”

Before Eileen could even call me over, I leaped straight into the pit with a swagger that said I didn’t care who I offended. I stared directly at the Necromancer in front of me, my gleaming teeth reflecting sunlight bright enough to blind anyone.

“...Is this a skeleton soldier?”

He looked up at me, his expression growing stranger by the second.

“A skeleton soldier…? Huh? A skeleton soldier with a red soul flame? How could there be…?”

He tilted his head at me.

“Clatter, clatter~~”

I looked down at him.

The two of us stared at each other for a long, long time….

That night, beneath the scattered lights…

The Necromancer suddenly turned around, and there it was, snow-white.

The skeleton soldier he was destined to meet~~

But then I abruptly straightened up, pulled out my own femur, and swung my arm back.

And then…

“Huh…? Wait, what—?!”

BAM!!!

I slammed the femur in my hand into his ugly face! Blood sprayed from his nose! The crack of his facial bones breaking was music to my ears!

—Eat shit!!!

“Ugh…”

The Necromancer swayed, tipped over, and passed out on the ground.

“Phew. That was easier than I thought. He’s pretty fragile.”

“M-Mr. Ojer, is it over…?”

I looked up. Eileen was leaning over the edge of the huge pit, watching me with concern.

“It’s over. Thanks, Eileen. Could you lure the other guy over here? Just tell him his companion fell into a shit pit.”

“Ah, okay!!”

The girl nodded eagerly, then happily ran back.

“……”

Happy, huh…?

Whatever.

I looked down at the unconscious guy in front of me and pulled out the rope I’d prepared earlier. My jaw twitched as a perverted grin spread across my face.

“I’ve always wanted to try this kind of bondage, heh heh heh~~~”

“Let’s get those clothes off first~~~”

“Heh~~”

“Kal! Kal, are you okay?!”

When the other Necromancer came running up, gasping for breath, he was greeted by a rather unusual piece of performance art.

“...What the hell is going on?”

In the deep pit, a passed-out man wearing nothing but his underwear was tied up in ropes from head to toe. His arms and legs were pulled behind his back, and red cords crisscrossed his chest, knotted at his neck, collarbones, breastbone, and pubic bone. Blood ran from his crushed nose, and a stinking sock had been stuffed into his mouth.

**, the art of bondage!

“What the hell…?”

The scene before him was so bizarre that the Necromancer was left completely dumbfounded. He just stood there beside the pit, his face twisted into an indescribably complicated expression.

“Mr. Ojer is amazing…”

Eileen was just as shocked. She gave a wry smile as she watched me sneak toward the Necromancer from behind.

“Shhh~~~” I made a gesture, and Eileen obediently nodded.

“Hey, brother! What do you think of my masterpiece?”

“Holy crap! Who?! Huh?!”

I tapped the Necromancer on the shoulder. He jumped like a spring and stared at me, still rattled.

“A skeleton soldier? Where’d you come from…? Huh? Who was just talking?!”

“Me. Got a problem with that?”

“!!!”

The moment he saw me speaking with his own eyes, his expression turned fearful. It was as if he’d just seen something truly horrifying.

I shrugged and took a small step back.

Then—

“THIS IS—!!”

“SPARTA—!!!”

“Gah!!”

I raised my leg and kicked hard. The poor Necromancer went flying straight into the pit, where he hit his head and lost consciousness.

“Heave-ho!”

I grabbed the rope and jumped into the pit after him, letting out a cruel chuckle.

“Heh heh heh heh~~~”

Next…

“boy next door♂”

History repeated itself.