Stop, Friendly Fire!

<Chapter 18. Corps Destroyer - 3>

[With superb teamwork, you and your comrade managed to ambush and kill a Corps Commander of 10,000! All stats have increased by 2. The Low Rank Command skill has become Lv9.]

The moment they were sure of the Corps Commander's demise, Lee Shin Woo moved quickly, as he didn't have a moment to spare to read the message. They had one thing left to do before the knights and soldiers surrounded them: collect the loot!

"I don't have any mana, so I'm counting on you Jin! We have to collect it all before we leave!"

"You're such a slave driver!"

[Grab him and bring him to his knees before he escapes! We cannot bring shame to Sir Metafel's name!]

He'd killed the Corps Commander, who had been in the middle of them, right before their very (nonexistent) eyes, so the knights who were responsible for guarding him were enraged.

At the very least, it was a relief that most of the level 5 knights were dead, but the entire force was concentrated on Lee Shin Woo and Jin, so how could Lee Shin Woo even suggest that they collect all of the loot and get through them!?

"Even so, we have to get the loot!"

"SSeup... I guess it can't be helped!"

Jin resolved himself and sprinted at full speed towards the glittering Perium and bones that fell from the sky. He utilized Steel Heart to create sharp horns atop his head, and plowed through the skeletons that swarmed them from all sides!

Jin's considerable speed, as well as the cutting force behind Steel Heart worked as one, destroying level 4 Skeleton Knights with ease. It was such a cheat skill that he wouldn't have to be jealous of most other heroes' blessing.

"Now... Jump!"

"Heup!"

It truly goes to show how far the Drake Horn Lance had pushed the Corps Commander and the Elder Knights into the air as the loot they left behind was still falling from the sky.

Jin, who somehow managed to move freely through the undead group unscathed, jumped at his signal; with his shocking leg strength, he instantaneously reached the loot. Lee Shin Woo, who had been waiting for that moment, quickly reached out his hand and collected the loot.

[You have acquired the Lv6 Ghoul Wizard - Vitas' skull.]

[You have acquired 950,000 Perium.]

[You have acquired a Lv4 Corrupted Guide's Staff. Through Bone Reinforcement, the weapon transforms, and has become a Lv4 Bifurcated Snake Spine.]

[You have acquired the Lv5 Skeleton Elder Knight - Veron's jawbone.]

[You have acquired the Lv5 Skeleton Elder Knight - Turain's...]

Lee Shin Woo firmly planted himself on Jin's back, and then wildly stretched out his hands, holding the loot in his arms whilst inspecting the ground.

There were some knights that had followed suit and jumped behind them, as well as soldiers shooting arrows and magicians casting magic at them; with just a quick glance, he could tell all of the undead force was aiming at them.

[Kill them!]

[The living is our enemy. And that undead... in any case, just kill him!]

[You're already dead!] [1]

However, Lee Shin Woo stayed firm, despite receiving the murderous looks of more than 10,000 undead. His body, which had been completely empty of mana due to exploding the Drake Horn Lance, was slowly generating new mana. Intermediate Mana Bone was indiscriminately gathering the surrounding mana.

Soon, he gathered enough mana to use a skill. And Lee Shin Woo had already chosen what skill he'd use.

"You'll soon find out who the hell you're messing with!"

"Hoo."

Jin predicted what Lee Shin Woo was going to do, and just decided to not worry about it and be calm. Yeah, it might be better to think about where he needed to land for them to survive after Lee Shin Woo uses his skill.

Jin's goblin fire rolled around and while he looked for the best place to land, Lee Shin Woo finally opened his mouth.

"You bald headed bastards! Listen to me; I'm the one who killed your Corps Commander!"

"You're bald too!"

Even Jin, who had been composed, couldn't help but retort! Lee Shin Woo was forgetting himself; his high pitched yell resounded far throughout the battlefield, causing more than 3,000 undead to flinch!

[You used Shriek of the Dead, causing your enemies to fall into a confused and fearful state.]

[You used the skill to great success! With such a perfect provocation, the skill's effectiveness and range have increased! You have succeeded in making a portion of the enemies lose their minds, and their fear temporarily puts them into an obedient state! The Low Rank Shriek of the Dead skill has become Lv9. Magic has increased by 3.]

However, Lee Shin Woo invoked two unexpected effects. Shriek of the Dead's range was much wider than usual and broke down the minds of the undead in that vast area! Not only that, they were affected by a new status ailment!

[Bald!?]

[C-Corps Commander!]

[The Corps Commander is alive!]

Even Lee Shin Woo, the one who used the skill, couldn't believe what was happening causing his goblin fire to flicker. The center of the battlefield gradually was filled with shock, terror, and groans.

[Kuaaaak! Who the hell called me bald!?]

[It was you! You still have some hair left!]

[I-It's a helmet! I'm telling you it's a helmet! Damn it, you crazy bastard!]

There were two reasons his skill was such a resounding success. The first was extremely simple. While people weren't really receptive of his compliments, it seemed as though they were more receptive to his insults; they responded more sensitively to his insults and each and every one of those undead was affected by his skill!

[Who insulted the Corps Commander!?]

[The Corps Commander isn't dead. He's right over there!]

[The Corps Commander has said the word. That we must kill you bastards who are rebelling against the Empire!]

The second reason was the current situation. The Corps Commander was dead and Lee Shin Woo tormented them with the term 'Corps Commander'; as a result, a portion of the confused and fearful undead actually considered Lee Shin Woo the Corps Commander and began mobilizing!

"This is... quite the new discovery. I need to do more research on it."

"Research? What the hell do you mean research!?"

Lee Shin Woo, who'd originally thought that all he needed to do was scream for Shriek of the Dead, thought that this was a chance to change his mind.

Of course, Jin simply thought Lee Shin Woo picked that offensive term to piss off the undead, but was speechless seeing what Lee Shin Woo had wrought!

"In any case, it's become easier for us to land now!"

"That's true, but... hold on tight!"

[A horse is plummeting from the sky!]

[What the hell are you talking about... Kuheok!]

Jin, who'd already figured out where he'd land, straightened his front two legs and descended. The steel thorns that protruded from the ends of his legs cleaved through the skeletons en route to his landing spot, and they safely landed on the ground. It was truly a clean landing! However, Jin didn't have the time to admire his perfect landing as he started running again.

"We'll be safe if we get to the spot where the golems are clumped together!"

"Heup...!"

[Stop right there, you louts! We'll definitely get revenge for the Corps Commander, kuak!]

[Don't you dare speak the Corps Commander's name with that dirty mouth of yours!]

It was a skill that targeted thousands of undead. Although it was a resounding success, he couldn't put all of the level 4 Skeleton Knights in the various areas into a confused state.

However, even if there were skeletons unaffected by the Shriek of the Dead, they still didn't possess the ability to restore the sanity of the crazy undead. Even if there were skeletons that were still lucid and attacked Lee Shin Woo and Jin, they would be blocked by the other skeletons.

[Dark Arrow! Pure darkness, punish those who have become corrupted and forgotten the curse!]

"Magic!? Jin, dodge..."

[Corps Commander, we'll take care of this!]

[Kuaaak!]

"..."

Even if they were magically attacked by Skeleton Wizards, there were similarly some who were afflicted by the obedience status ailment, and would block the magic attack, counterattack, and kill the wizards...

"Wait a sec."

"You..."

Lee Shin Woo gave the signal and Jin instinctually stopped running. They were still quite far off from the golem troops, but he felt like he understood why Lee Shin Woo asked him to stop.

"Please tell me you're not doing what I think you are."

"I think I can do it, don't you?"

"But the skill's effect is only temporary!"

Even so, Jin didn't move an inch. The hostile skeletons that approached in all directions lost their lives to the skeletons who considered them their Corps Commander. Honestly speaking... they didn't really need to run away.

"Listen, Jin. I'm at an important juncture right now. My skill's potential is limitless, and it's my job to choose which direction the skill develops. I can definitely do it now, like when we'd created the Assimilation skill together."

"I was really proud of the Assimilation skill, but hearing you say that makes me hate myself."

A skill was like a living organism; depending on the way it's used, its characteristics, mana, and goal would change.

The Horseback Riding skill, which just made his riding companion run faster, evolving into the ridiculous Assimilation skill, and Stealth evolving into Shadow Sprint was all because of that.

And as those skill went from the low rank level to the intermediate level, they went through a dramatic change. Lee Shin Woo thought that Shriek of the Dead could likewise do the same.

"Maybe this skill will evolve to best match my karma, the Joker."

"You..."

[Corps Commander! I'll assist you!]

At that moment, an obedient Skeleton Knight approached him. Lee Shin Woo looked at him and replied extremely naturally.

"Rebels have infiltrated into our corps. Lead those who will follow your orders and quickly kill them. Once you're done cleaning up, I'll give you your next order."

[I understand, Corps Commander! Follow me, proud soldiers of the Empire! Let's go kill those maggots slandering the Corps Commander!]

"..."

Anyone who saw this would think that Lee Shin Woo had been in charge of this corps for about 5 years, as he commanded in such a haughty and firm tone! Lee Shin Woo replied naturally, and the Skeleton Knight had certainly recognized Lee Shin Woo as his superior, taking a more active role in this battle than before!

[Corps Commander!]

[How dare you mention the Corps Commander... Kuheok!]

[Corps Commander. Please command me as well!]

Then, the number of undead willing to follow his orders had increased significantly. Those who had been in a confused and fearful state saw their allies follow his orders and became his troops as well!

"Yeah... You heard me too, right? Take care of the sane soldiers! Show those traitors the might of the Empire!"

[As you command!]

[I will follow your order!]

Seeing that, Lee Shin Woo suddenly felt like he saw the 'confused' state in a different light. Until now, he'd used Shriek of the Dead to make the monsters fight amongst themselves, and thought that that was the only way he could use it, but felt like that was completely wrong.

'I was too complacent. While it was originally a monster's skill, when it became mine it changed.'

He thought he'd developed in several ways after coming to this world, but he was still far off. If it was him, who possessed both the Acting and Disguise skills, he should be able to do more than just 'confuse' them, and was speechless at the fact that he'd wasted all the opportunities to do so.

"But it doesn't matter. Since I can just figure it out now."

"You really are going to start..."

It still wasn't too late. Especially since Shriek of the Dead was at low rank level 9 and was about to level up; he thought he was lucky. Lee Shin Woo sported a smile and took a stance. The Corps Commander's bone in his hand naturally melted away and was absorbed.

[Initiating Bone Reinforcement by consuming the Lv6 Ghoul Wizard - Vitas' skull. Magic has increased by 8. The Intermediate Mana Bone skill has become Lv3. Magic has increased by 10. Low Rank Fire element has become Lv6. Magic has increased by 6. Absorbing a portion of the target's experiences and memories.]

[General, I'm just a magician, and I'm not good enough to lead one of your corps. ...If you still wish for me to shoulder such a heavy responsibility, then I can only promise you one thing. Our corps will never lose until the day I die. - Mercenary Magician Vitas]

'It's impossible to perfectly disguise myself as the Ghoul Wizard by just absorbing this bone, but my acting will be much more convincing now.'

He wondered at what level his Disguise skill would have to be for him to perfectly disguise himself by just absorbing a single bone. Lee Shin Woo thought inquisitively and grinned. And then he yelled.

"Before we are soldiers of the Empire, we are mercenaries who follow the Mercenary King, Sir Metafel! Show those ruffians who dirty that name the strength and ferocity of true mercenaries!"

[You used Shriek of the Dead, causing a portion of the enemies to fall into a confused and fearful state!]

[A resounding success! Most of the enemies who have fallen into a confused and fearful state have become obedient! The skill's range has expanded uncontrollably!]

He used the information from the absorbed bone and provoked the undead with a single comment, upending the entire battlefield!

[Ooooooooooooooh!]

[As you command, Corps Commander!]

[Ugh, the Corps Commander truly is...!]

[Metafel! Metafel!]

Lee Shin Woo's comment had confused even the once sane undead! Another factor was that not a lot of undead could see him because there were so many of them.

Thus, the chaos spread uncontrollably... eventually, around 3,000 undead were temporarily placed into an obedient state.

This was the moment when the largest civil war since the heroes entered the Empire occurred.

[1] E/N: ref: Omae wa mou shindeiru