The skeleton that appeared from the forest left everyone aghast.
‘What is that thing?’
At the same time, everyone present had the same thought.
A skeleton wearing a maid outfit.
It was a horrifying combination.
The problem was the peculiar aura emanating from that skeleton on top of it all.
The ominous force pouring from the sword it held was primarily the power of darkness, yet at the same time, there was a familiar energy mixed within it.
‘No way…’
That energy was the source of the sacred and sublime power known to anyone belonging to the Church.
Yes, it was undoubtedly divine power.
And yet that holy power was being felt from an undead.
Every paladin, including Vice-Captain Riana, realized that fact and was shocked.
It was far too bewildering.
A skeleton had suddenly appeared wearing a maid outfit, holding in one hand a sword overflowing with the aura of darkness, while divine energy could be felt from the skeleton’s body itself—it was a contradictory sight.
Even if they wrote up the current situation in a report and submitted it to the Church, it would surely be returned with a comment asking if this made any sense.
That was how absurd the situation was.
Separate from their reactions, Maru, dressed in the maid outfit, gave a slight nod.
His current appearance had been arranged by Celia, and he rather liked it.
Maru mulled over what Celia had said earlier.
—Mr. Maru, listen carefully. If you go out from the very beginning, you can’t create a dramatic effect on the other party.
As Celia said that, she had dressed him in the maid outfit.
When she took the maid outfit off the Death Knight’s shield, the Death Knight had sobbed, but that was none of Maru’s concern.
In any case, Celia had offered other suggestions as well.
—We’ll send the skeleton soldiers to the other party first and test the waters.
This is a way of warning them, “Something big is coming soon.”
What’s important here is that you absolutely must not move or speak first, Mr. Maru.
Celia had emphasized those last words.
She had told him never to move first.
That, she said, was precisely the composure and dignity one showed to an opponent.
Then, pointing at the Death Knight and the Arch Lich, she had even given examples by asking whether they looked dignified.
At that moment, Maru had attained enlightenment.
Maru remembered Celia’s words well.
And when the opponents approached, he sent out the skeleton soldiers he had prepared in advance.
—Even here, you mustn’t send out all the skeleton soldiers from the start! This is very important. At first, you send them little by little.
Celia’s words had been correct from beginning to end.
Look at their expressions now.
Were they not staring at him in horror?
Maru decided to remember Celia’s words well and use them later.
Thus, a brief lull continued between the two sides.
The paladins observed the bizarre skeleton in a maid outfit, and Maru did not move first, just as Celia had told him.
And then, before long.
“Everyone, form up!”
The one who broke the silence first was Vice-Captain Riana.
Whatever aura the opponent possessed, all they had to do was carry out their mission.
There was no way more than twenty people could fail to take down a single undead.
At the same time, Riana had another thought.
‘Was that thing the cause?’
There was a high possibility that the priests and paladins who had gone missing until now had lost their lives at that thing’s hands.
At the same time, the royal family of the Seil Kingdom must also have known this.
‘You dared point a sword at the Church.’
The Seil Kingdom had made a foolish decision.
Once they subjugated the bizarre creature before them, she would surely teach the Seil Kingdom the power of the Church.
“Maintain formation and pressure the target!”
With her command, the once-quiet forest turned into a scene of collision.
It was a battle between the paladins of the Church and a holy skeleton wearing a maid outfit.
The paladins infused their swords with divine power and swung them, but their attacks were blocked by the skeleton’s blade.
“Kh…”
Conversely, even when they fired divine power at it, the skeleton black knight remained unfazed.
The holy power flowing from within the skeleton’s bones did not waver before any of the paladins’ attacks.
“Clack!”
Maru, realizing that fact as well, began to move a little more actively.
The maid outfit Celia had dressed him in.
She had said it reduced the damage received from holy attacks by 90%.
Although the divine power that was not canceled out seeped into Maru’s body, it did not matter.
Despite being undead, divine power actually made him feel good.
The stat Maru possessed: Divine Power.
Although it was only E-rank, because of it, the paladins’ attacks did not work.
Maru did not particularly care one way or another, but the paladins wore expressions of dismay.
Even when they chanted various holy spells and tried to approach the opponent before them, it was of no use.
Their swords were blocked by the monster’s blade imbued with the aura of darkness, and for some reason, their spells filled with divine power were completely useless.
“Why? Why aren’t our attacks working!”
One paladin shouted in panic.
But they were the swords of the Church.
Even in difficult circumstances, they must never yield.
Though bewildered, they did not stop trying to find the skeleton black knight’s weakness.
“Push harder! Strike with a more powerful blow!”
From midway through, Riana’s orders flowed out without restraint.
Hearing her shout, the paladins swung even more powerful attacks, but they could not inflict any damage on the skeleton.
No matter what they did, they could not find anything that could be called a weakness.
Only then did the paladins exchange glances.
Bewilderment was etched across each of their faces.
In that brief gap when the paladins stopped attacking.
Maru raised his sword high.
And he felt the flow of the sword.
He sensed it instinctively.
How he should swing his sword.
Light began to flow from the demonic sword Maru held.
Around the black sword bearing a ferocious aura, divine power bloomed.
“Clack, clack!”
(Judgment of Light!)
The demonic sword was swung toward the paladins.
An ominous and sacred energy blended together, dealing heavy damage to the paladins’ formation.
“Guh!”
“Urgh!”
If there was any small mercy, it was that it did not take their lives.
Only black blood flowed from their mouths.
But even so, it would be misleading to call the current situation fortunate.
The attack just now was absolutely not something to be taken lightly.
Shadows fell over their faces.
In some of their eyes, even their pupils trembled.
Just like their pupils, their resolve was shaking as well.
‘Should we run?’
This mission was unofficial anyway.
Even if they fled, would there really be any major disadvantage?
Rather, wouldn’t dying here simply be a dog’s death?
Conflict appeared within them.
Inside their minds, loyalty to the Goddess coexisted with a demon whispering in a sweet voice.
However, victory was likely to go to the demon.
Of course, Riana noticed that fact as well.
Their momentum had already tilted.
But what was the role of a vice-captain?
In a situation like this, should she not inspire courage in her allies?
“Tch.”
Riana clicked her tongue briefly and took an artifact from within her clothes.
“I didn’t want to bring this out, of all things…”
The artifact was made of leather, but because divine power had been bestowed upon it, the leather had turned pure white.
“False faith can never defeat us! Goddess, please grant me strength!”
Riana immediately tore the artifact apart.
“Grant me the authority to purify that unclean thing that dares deceive the Goddess!”
Soon, the forest shone white.
* * *
“So those guys are paladins?”
Celia had submitted a report.
It stated that paladins disguised as adventurers would be coming to the dungeon, and that Maru would greet them.
Since I had nothing to do anyway, I was watching Maru fight through my smartphone screen.
Seeing the battle, it was clear that granting Maru divine power had been an excellent choice.
The paladins’ attacks did not work on Maru, who carried divine power.
It could be said that the undead’s weakness had been compensated for.
And with the clothes Maru was wearing added on top of that, the result became even more seamless.
“…He’s using the maid outfit very well too.”
At the very least, Maru gave the impression that it suited him better than the Death Knight.
Well, that aside, it was about time for Maru to finish the battle.
When Maru swung the demonic sword, the paladins began collapsing to the ground.
However, their resolve was certainly extraordinary.
Watching them rise again even after falling, I thought they were impressive after all.
Just as Maru raised his sword high to finish things.
“……”
One person standing in the center activated an artifact.
Soon, the dark forest turned pure white.
“What is that?”
The problem was not that.
—The trait Engraving of the Sacred Mark (A) is being inscribed upon Maru (★★★★).
“Engraving of the Sacred Mark?”
It was even an A-rank trait.
I immediately called up Maru’s status window.
—Grade: ★★★★
—Race: Skeleton
[Traits]
—Flexible Movements (F+)
—Engraving of the Sacred Mark (A)
[Basic Information]
Vitality: B-
Attack Power: B+ (+1 stage correction due to demonic sword)
Defense: C
Mana: C
Divine Power: 0 (Correction due to Engraving of the Sacred Mark)
[Skills]
—Loyalty as a Knight (S): Lee Ganghyeon (Active)
—Judgment of Light (B)
Huh…
Once that trait appeared on Maru, his divine power disappeared.
For divine power to vanish because of that one trait.
Just what kind of ability was it?
I immediately tapped the trait.
—Engraving of the Sacred Mark (A-rank): Bestows a sacred mark upon the enemy, making them a target of the Goddess’s hatred. This mark continuously deals holy damage to the enemy and maximizes damage from holy attacks.
However, the effect only activates on those who do not believe in the existence of the Goddess.
Reading the explanation, it was an incredible trait.
In truth, it was a debuff.
“…This is bad.”
I never imagined they would have an artifact like that.
Even when I was in the Church, the information permitted to me was extremely limited, so I had never thought such a trait would exist.
More importantly, Maru was in danger right now.
The paladins, realizing that fact as well, were charging toward Maru.
Fortunately, he was enduring thanks to the maid outfit he was wearing, but he could not just stay still forever.
At this point, Celia’s help was needed.
Thinking that, I read the trait once more.
“Bestows a mark… maximizes holy damage…”
And above all.
“Those who do not believe in the existence of the Goddess.”
The trait’s explanation said it only worked on those who did not believe in the Goddess’s existence.
Unfortunately, since Maru was an undead monster, it was safe to say he had no faith in the Goddess.
The fact that Maru had divine power was because I had strengthened him—
“Strengthened?”
Now that I thought about it, there was a way.
The traits and skills obtained from the three paladins offered as sacrifices.
Among them, I had used the skills.
But wasn’t there one trait I had not used?
—Faith in the Goddess (D): Trait. This trait manifests when a follower’s loyalty and faith toward the Goddess are excessive.
Although it was only a D-rank trait, it was said to arise when loyalty and faith toward the Goddess were excessive.
With this, I might not need to call Celia after all.
“But is it okay to strengthen Maru with this?”
What happens if an undead believes in the Goddess?
More than anything, Maru had a skill.
It was none other than “Loyalty as a Knight.”
“Hmm…”
But my hesitation did not last long.
Beyond the screen, Maru was currently being pushed back little by little.
At this rate, Maru might be extinguished first.
—Would you like to strengthen Maru (★★★★) with the trait Faith in the Goddess (D)?
—Once an ability has been strengthened, it cannot be reversed.
I immediately tapped strengthen.
—An error has occurred!
—The skill “Loyalty as a Knight (S)” and the trait “Faith in the Goddess (D)” are in conflict.
—The higher-rank skill “Loyalty as a Knight (S)” absorbs the trait “Faith in the Goddess (D).”
—The skill “Loyalty as a Paladin (S+)” is applied.
—Maru’s (★★★★) trait Engraving of the Sacred Mark (A) has been removed.
Fortunately, the debuff trait disappeared.
But the alerts did not end there.
—Dispatch Maru (★★★★) to the special mission dungeon “Nest of the Evil God.”
—You have successfully completed the special mission.
- Maru’s Transcendence Ticket is given as a reward.
- Skeleton Black Knight Maru (★★★★) transcends into Skeleton Paladin Maru (★★★★★).
- Divine power increases drastically.
* * *
The paladins, who had been pressing the attack while wringing out even the last of their strength, stopped in place.
“…?”
Something was strange about the skeleton’s condition.
“What is going on!”
Riana shouted.
The undead bastard, who had clearly been unable to use any strength just moments ago, was changing somehow.
“I-Impossible!”
The “Engraving of the Sacred Mark” she had placed on her opponent using the artifact was disappearing.
“Attack him, quickly! Squeeze out every last bit of strength you have!”
They had to settle this before the engraving vanished completely.
Otherwise, all their efforts until now would come to nothing.
Riana also raised her sword and charged at him.
“We don’t have time! Finish him off!”
And then, the engraving that had been placed on the skeleton disappeared completely.
“…….”
The problem was that it did not end there.
The undead was absorbing the divine power the paladins had unleashed.
“Ah….”
The black body of the Skeleton Black Knight was changing.
It gradually took on a gray hue, and before long, it had transformed completely into pure white bone.
No, it went beyond pure white and shone with a gentle radiance.
“Ahh.”
From the being before their eyes, from an undead monster, they felt a familiar aura.
“O Goddess. This is….”
Beyond that familiar aura, they felt an enormous amount of holy power.
They had just witnessed a miracle.
At the same time, they realized that this being was no ordinary undead monster.
“…The Goddess’s emissary has descended!”
An unpleasant aura still flowed from the sword he held, but what of it?
This was undoubtedly the emissary sent down by the Goddess to punish them, who had been steeped in greed.
Tears flowed from the paladins’ eyes.
Some even fell to their knees and offered prayers.
At that sight, only Riana shouted.
“Everyone, get a hold of yourselves!”
She yelled as she hauled up the paladins sprawled on the ground.
“There’s no way a monster like that could be an emissary!”
But no one listened to her words.
Every last one of them was in a daze.
She bit her lip and looked at the skeleton being praised as an emissary.
Then she picked up her sword.
If her subordinates could not do it, then she had to make the decision herself.
A skeleton in a fluttering maid outfit, a sword in one hand.
Keeping her eyes fixed on him, she slowly stepped forward.
One blow.
She had to eliminate that thing in a single blow.
Strength entered Riana’s hand.
The moment she raised her sword—
The glowing skeleton spread his bony arms out to the sides.
As if he were telling her to come into his embrace.
“Ah….”
He was too beautiful.
How could such a holy and beautiful being exist?
The sword fell from her hand.