Kugugugugu───!
As the Turncoat Queen warned, the speed of the Bone Sand Devourer tunneling underground was incredible.
No—at this rate, it was moving even faster than a living adult Sand Devourer.
'Even if the underground tunnel was already built... this speed is unreal.'
That could only mean the bone parasite had devoured and fully assimilated the Sand Devourer's body, resulting in an all-around boost in its specs.
Such a transformation was nearly impossible in the wild ecosystems outside Ark—but the Turncoat King and Turncoat Queen had made it possible by force.
I had known they weren't ordinary, but seeing it firsthand was another matter.
'Hmm...'
Suddenly, a thought came to me.
What if this underground tunnel and transport system could be applied to the Silk Road?
If that were possible, then not only would travelers on the Silk Road be relatively safe from beast attacks, but the overall travel speed would also increase dramatically.
'Using a Sand Devourer, huh… It's not impossible, but convincing Ark to approve it would be difficult.'
It was certainly efficient, but due to too many practical issues, it wasn't a viable option for now.
While I was contemplating the Bone Sand Devourer and the Silk Road, the Turncoat Queen spoke.
"Isn't it just perfect? The speed, the size, the appearance... not a single thing lacking. What do you think? Not so different from that pet of yours, is it? Isn't it just adorable?"
"...Can't say I agree. I prefer open spaces over these damp tunnels."
"You'll come to like it soon enough. It's so cute once you see what it does. Even the way it looks~"
"..."
Now more than ever, I realized how impossible it was for me to understand a monster's sense of aesthetics.
In fact, understanding it would be the weird part.
"You look like you don't get it."
"Wouldn't it be stranger if I did understand that grotesque taste of yours?"
"Haha, still shackled by your flesh, I see. If only you'd cast that off and join us—what a beautiful thing that would be..."
Her face still bore a smile, but her voice trailed off ominously.
I knew exactly what she meant.
"Not happening."
"Thoughts can change. Especially after meeting the King."
"We'll see."
If I were to take her suggestion and implant a bone parasite into my body...
I had no doubt about the utility of the Skull Knight system, but it was no longer an option for me.
If I implanted Janus—currently residing within my bone armor—into myself, my body wouldn't withstand the power he had now. I'd be devoured instantly.
I would no longer be a Skull Knight, but a Skull Turncoat.
'Sure, I could acquire a new bone parasite and implant that... but at this point, there's little benefit.'
Janus had already become so strong he couldn't be called just "equipment" anymore.
As it stood, he could probably take on a powerhouse like Turncoat Rook on his own and win.
So, there was no reason for me to take the risk of a new implant now.
"Hmph... I believe the day will come when we understand each other fully. His Majesty wishes for it as well."
"That's where we differ."
"We'll see."
The Turncoat Queen spoke with certainty, as if that day were inevitable.
"When will we arrive?"
At that moment, Turncoat Rook naturally slid into the conversation.
"Very soon."
As if to confirm her words, I felt the Bone Sand Devourer begin to slow down.
We were almost there.
"..."
I turned my gaze toward the tunnel ahead.
Still dark and damp, but a faint light had begun to appear—and it was growing.
The exit was near.
"Carl."
While we were still in transit, Turncoat Rook sidled up next to me and motioned with his eyes.
I glanced once at the Turncoat Queen before stepping slightly aside with Rook.
Not that it made much difference on this platform, but Rook clearly wanted some distance.
"Something on your mind?"
"What were you and the Queen talking about?"
"You were listening. Why ask?"
Rook's face twitched awkwardly.
He seemed a little embarrassed to have been caught eavesdropping.
"...All the better then. Just be careful of her. She always gets what she wants."
"I know that."
"No—you don't know everything."
"You sound like someone who knows her well."
His expression hardened.
"...I know enough."
"That so? You two seem close."
"With her? Don't joke."
It was to be expected.
The Turncoat King and Queen were notoriously proactive about recruiting Skull Turncoats and parasitic bone creatures.
Naturally, someone like Turncoat Rook—classified as a Turncoat by Ark and a high-level threat—would've been approached.
"What happened between you two?"
"...That's in the past."
A short answer, but enough to confirm something had happened between them.
Whatever the conflict, it likely ended when Rook joined the Shadow Order.
Even the Turncoat Queen wouldn't easily dismiss Isabel and the Shadow Order's power.
"Ah, we've arrived."
Unfortunately, our conversation was cut short.
Bright light poured over us as the Queen announced our arrival.
Shhhhhh...
Whether it was the connection to the surface or something else, even the smell up here was different.
A smell I knew well.
The smell of death.
["Uuugh..."]
Esther, who had been silent until now, suddenly shivered.
She didn't even need to smell it to feel it—this place, and the sticky aura pouring in with the light, were overwhelming even for a ghost-type like her.
[R-Ru-n….]
[No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No.]
[Screee… screeEEEEE───!]
Ether surged and shrieked like a storm, but amidst it all, the Turncoat Queen remained perfectly calm as she whispered:
"Let's go. To the King's Hall."
* * *
Bones. Bones and more bones.
All around us were bones of every imaginable kind.
To any onlooker, this might seem like the grave of all beasts—but this place had an owner.
Clack, clack—
Each step crunched unpredictably on the bone-covered floor.
We pushed through it all until we stood before a towering structure made entirely of bone.
"Stop."
Before we could approach, a figure guarding the tower stepped forward.
I recognized the face.
One of the Turncoat King's retainers—and the only Turncoat I hadn't met until now.
Turncoat Bishop.
"It's alright. They're guests of the King."
The Queen stepped forward and smiled, and only then did Bishop nod and step aside.
As we passed Bishop and approached the bone tower, Rook froze.
"Still alive, you bastard."
"..."
He growled at Bishop, who ignored him entirely.
'Hmph.'
In the community, Bishop had always been considered slightly weaker than Rook.
But now?
Bishop's presence was just as overwhelming.
Considering Rook was now far stronger than he used to be, it meant my butterfly effects had influenced Bishop too.
'If Bishop's this strong, then…'
It was only natural to assume the Turncoat King had grown stronger as well.
Bone parasite monsters could share power through nutritional exchange.
'But more importantly…'
We stood in silence before the tower—impossibly solemn and regal.
"Oh King."
The Queen raised her voice in reverence, addressing the tower.
As if responding, the tower itself began to shift.
Gugugu—
It rotated and moved, and from within, a massive throne of bone was revealed.
"..."
Rook and even Turncoat Knight clenched their fists upon seeing the one seated there.
Their struggle was obvious—they were trying not to tremble.
But it was meaningless before the being on the throne.
"Oh King, all is ready."
The Turncoat Queen bowed deeply as she spoke.
And the one on the throne—the Turncoat King—simply gazed down at us with a cold, indifferent look.
"..."
That expression held such emptiness, it seemed to drain all meaning from the world.
The moment our eyes met; I felt a chill like my blood had frozen.
The Turncoat King.
Though we were allies today, the pressure he exuded was overwhelming.
And it wasn't just in my head.
'…He's gotten stronger.'
He was already a top-tier Skull Turncoat and the first of his kind, but now?
Now, he was even more formidable.
The same feeling I got from Bishop—it wasn't a coincidence.
For someone who would eventually face the King, this was troubling news.
'Though… for the upcoming Bone Lord Hunt, it's useful. But still, it may not be good news overall.'
With power like this, there was no chance of failure.
Not unless something very unexpected happened.
Clack...
At that moment, the King slowly rose from his throne.
"…Tch."
Rook and Knight instinctively braced themselves.
Bishop knelt.
The Queen trembled with reverence.
And in a different tone than usual, the Turncoat Queen declared:
"All is as the King wills it."
There was no elaborate declaration like in human wars.
Just action.
But that alone made it clear what was about to begin.
The Bone Lord Hunt.
It had officially begun.
===BREAK===
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