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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Hestia]
[Proofreader - Kaya]
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Chapter 86: Expansion (3)
"Th-This is... Black Herb, isn't it?!"
"That's right. It was the main product of the Red Spider, one of the three dominant forces in Ground Zero."
"Was, you say?"
"It's mine now."
At Yoojin's nonchalant words, Shin Joonseok shook his head from side to side as if giving up on understanding.
He simply accepted that his partner's resourcefulness and abilities were limitless.
His bewildered look was only momentary.
Shin Joonseok touched the Black Herb and let out an exclamation of admiration.
"To think this precious medicinal herb is overflowing..."
"It seems the Red Spider was supplying it as an ingredient for Black Moon."
"Isn't Black Moon a drug?"
"You know it well. Have you ever tried it?"
"I hate drugs more than anything."
Shin Joonseok's face was filled with disgust.
He believed that unwavering composure in any situation was the most important quality for an alchemist.
"Alchemy is a study that does not allow for a single error."
"That's right."
"How can you achieve delicate mixing ratios with a drug-addled brain?"
Yoojin just smiled and listened to Shin Joonseok's words.
Actually, there was a guy on the other side of the globe who managed to do that difficult work even while intoxicated with drugs.
'I need to do something about that guy.'
Erasing the thought that came to mind, he picked a leaf from the Black Herb.
"What if there was a different formula besides Black Moon?"
"Was that your goal?"
"The mass-produced intermediate potion was a hit. We need to prepare the next product."
"Seeing as Black Herb is the main ingredient, its value must be tremendous."
"Correct. Alchemist."
The Black Herb leaf was reflected in his calm eyes.
His breathing became so rough that one might mistake it for sobbing.
He covered his mouth as if to suppress his extreme excitement, but he didn't seem to notice his shoulders shaking.
"I-is it not a drug?"
"It wouldn't be very tasteful to make you create something for a guy who hates drugs, would it?"
"Showing illusions with high-density mana... When I think about the properties of the catalyst, I can't think of anything other than drugs."
"This is the second ambitious project to be created in your workshop, partner. It can't be a drug."
Yoojin drew a clear line.
〔So you're planning to make the Cheondan Elixir you mentioned before.〕
Cheondan Elixir.
It was an elixir with Black Herb as its main ingredient.
Unlike typical elixirs, it didn't strengthen physical abilities or mana. Instead, it boosted mental strength and induced enlightenment.
〔But why is it called that?〕
'It's called Cheondan Elixir because it shows a thousand possible scenarios.'
〔You say "possible scenarios"?〕
'It allows you to experience all kinds of situations through illusions.'
Human potential shines through when faced with extreme circumstances.
Wasn't there a story about a security guard, a non-Awakened, who caught a student falling from a 20-story apartment building without a scratch?
〔So… You mean to create situations where one feels their limits, thereby guiding them towards enlightenment?〕
'That's right.'
〔What a terrifying thing. I'd believe it if you called it a torture device.〕
'In the future, it was something you couldn't get even if you offered extra money. Of course, the best way would be to gain enlightenment through actual combat. But it's easier said than done. How many people do you think can gain enlightenment just by seeing some scrap metal rolling around like Song Myeongseok? Anyway, that's not possible. We don't have the ingredients or the technology.'
To produce the Cheondan Elixir, Shin Joonseok's realm would need to be at least 4 Star.
Because the 4 Star alchemy skill [Recombination] was required.
As an alternative, so to speak...
The black leaves could be used for other products as well.
"The recipe I'm going to teach you this time is for something called Gangshim Pill."
"What are its effects?"
"Increased concentration."
"There are many buffs that do that."
"Even to the extent of moving and rearranging mana while maintaining concentration?"
"Whoa."
Shin Joonseok's jaw dropped.
Gangshim Pill.
It increases resistance to mental attacks, and for mages, it allows them to rearrange their mana while moving without losing concentration.
"To gain the Moving Cast trait just by taking a pill..."
"It won't have that much effect. It only increases concentration, so the rearrangement speed drops significantly."
"In critical situations, even that much is a godsend!"
"That's right. So it'll be expensive, right?"
Gulp.
Shin Joonseok's Adam's apple bobbed noticeably.
"Please teach me how to make it."
"Depending on how you perform, partner."
"Haven't I been doing my best! I'm slaving away like a dog in a foreign land!!"
"Isn't all of this for the sake of our partnership? Am I doing this for my own benefit?"
Shin Joonseok's face turned bright red as he was rendered speechless.
How many people would be so considerate of their partner?
He should be grateful.
〔It's fortunate that that little human can't hear your thoughts.〕
‘What? Why? My conscience is clear, you know?’
Yoojin even had the audacity to say what he had just thought to Shin Joonseok directly.
〔Please, can you refrain? I misspoke.〕
Kronos, unusually, was the first to back down.
But why?
Why did he feel like he had lost even though he had won...?
＊ ＊ ＊
Im Jaebaek joined the Little Runts team to hunt monsters in the border region.
"Junior! There!"
"On it!!"
The ground suddenly caved in without any prior warning.
The earth magic, [Dig], unfolded right in front of the Iron Boar charging towards them.
Unable to overcome its momentum, the monster fell into the hole.
The triggers of the crossbows, which had been aiming at their prey from above, were pulled simultaneously.
Thud— Thud—!
Shots aimed precisely at vital points.
The Iron Boar, trapped in the hole, twitched and then breathed its last.
"Squeal!"
The rear guard jumped over the sunken ground.
A flash of light erupted from the shield, and the Iron Boars that had jumped up were flung back with a crash.
'Amazing teamwork.'
Gulp.
Im Jaebaek's Adam's apple bobbed noticeably.
Unconventional skill utilization.
Their coordination was flawless, like three bodies moving as one.
He immediately understood why Yoojin had told him to hunt monsters with the Little Runts team during their first engagement.
'There's a lot to learn.'
Shing—
He drew the greatsword from his back, passed by Kang Minho's side, and slaughtered an Iron Boar with a single blow.
"Wow. As expected of a 3 Star."
"Amazing."
"We look forward to working with you, Director Im."
The Little Runts team reacted favorably.
This was someone chosen by Yoojin himself, not just anyone.
There was no reason to be arrogant.
Since they were clearly going to struggle together in the border region from now on, they decided it was better to become close quickly.
"Likewise, I look forward to working with you all."
While the four of them were hunting monsters in unity, Shin Joonseok was struggling in a makeshift workshop he had set up next to the Black Herb farm.
BOOM!
The cauldron shook violently with an explosion.
The contents inside were caught in the shock and overflowed.
"Ugh! Why isn't this working!!"
The future Grand Alchemist pulled his hair and melted a mana stone.
A moment later.
"Why the hell is it working this time!!!"
Frustrated in a different sense, the alchemist grabbed his hair once again.
While those who had come to the border region were focusing on their respective tasks—
"Well then, shall we begin?"
Yoojin, who had moved to the riverside where he had built the first Black Spire, stretched his neck from side to side.
With cracking sounds, the stiffness in his shoulders eased a bit.
【Need a massage?】
"I'd rather not lose my shoulders."
【I'm not that clumsy.】
Fafnir lightly touched a nearby tree.
Crackle—
The tree split in half.
"Is that a warning about what you'll do to my shoulders?"
【Hmm. I forgot that my stats had increased.】
"If you have so much energy, help me with some work."
【Hmm. Alright.】
Without erasing his disgruntled expression, Fafnir stood beside Yoojin.
The flames fixed on Yoojin's shoulders flickered.
Even after his recent blunder, he didn't seem to have given up on the idea of a massage.
'Someone save me, please.'
Muttering inwardly, Yoojin placed his hand on the Black Spire.
⋯⋯⋯
[Domain Size - 1]
[Necromancy Amplification Range - 1km]
[Number of Controllable Undead - 100]
[Spirit Power Concentration – 3]
[Structures]
- Black Spire
- Unholy Graveyard
⋯⋯⋯
The domain size was still 1.
Since there was almost no increase in structures, the domain couldn't grow either.
The original plan was to leisurely expand his forces around the first Black Spire and slowly grow the domain, but...
'Things went awry when I planned the spider hunt.'
It wasn't a loss though.
In preparation for the spider hunt, he had constructed multiple Black Spires.
By linking them all, he spread the territory itself widely.
And he came to exert direct influence over Ground Zero.
'The original plan should be flexibly revised according to the situation.'
〔That's quite an irresponsible thought for a Regressor.〕
'Please stop popping up like that.'
〔Are you going to ignore such golden advice?〕
'It's just nagging that anyone can do.'
Trying to take credit for something so trivial.
Coming down to the flatland below the hill, Yoojin slipped his hand into the infinite Pouch at his waist.
A Unique grade tool with a maximum storage capacity of 10 tons.
Usually, he entrusted it to Lee Seongmin for developing his unique ability and managing items, but...
During the Im Jaebaek rescue operation, he retrieved it in preparation for a long journey.
'I benefited a lot from that.'
Otherwise, he would have almost lost precious materials to the sea.
After setting the item to be taken out from the infinite Pouch, the moment he turned the entrance towards the ground.
Crash— Bang, Boom—
Bones as thick as logs poured out of the dark hole.
Ogre bones.
He had salvaged them from the corpses of the monsters that the Manhunters had dropped, no, deployed into the sea during the Battle of Yeonpyeong.
〔Back then, you worked your subordinates so hard, saying you couldn't miss even a single bone fragment.〕
'How could I miss them when Ogre bones are so useful?'
〔So you're going to make another powerful subordinate.〕
'That's not it.'
Large monsters like Ogres had difficulty demonstrating their full power even when revived with necromancy spells.
That was why he only took the necessary parts when he obtained the Troll's corpse in the border region.
〔Then what are you going to use them for?〕
'You'll see if you watch.'
As if gauging something, Yoojin stared intently at the empty lot.
"Fafnir, can you level that area over there?"
【Something like that is...】
BOOM!
Dark Aura struck the ground.
Even though it was a flatland, the uneven ground was pushed and flattened by the force seeping into the ground.
'I wonder if he's really just a 5 Star.'
Yoojin smiled bitterly.
The sheer destructive power.
This was the result of consuming 1/5 of his spirit power with a single outburst.
An ordinary 5 Star Hunter would have suffered mana backlash before even emitting that much Aura.
This was proof of how outstanding Fafnir's spirit power control was.
【Should I push it further?】
"No, it's perfect."
Yoojin poured spirit power into the [Ring of Darkness].
What he was about to do was impossible with just his own power and knowledge.
He needed the help of the ring, an artifact that contained the combined knowledge of past Necromancers.
'Show me the knowledge about the Hall of Death.'
⋯⋯⋯
[Hall of Death]
A structure that expands the Necropolis domain.
Once the Hall of Death is established, it can directly interfere with the domain by consuming accumulated spirit power to alter the surrounding terrain or strengthen the dead.
▷ Construction Requirements
- Spirit Power Concentration of the Necropolis: 2 or higher.
- 5 or more linked Black Spires.
- Necromancer's Realm: At least 5 Star.
▷ Construction Materials
- Large Monster Bones (750kg)
⋯⋯⋯
Originally, this was knowledge that Yoojin couldn't obtain at his current level.
By connecting his mind to the Black Spire… and forcibly extracting knowledge related to the Necropolis, he made it possible.
'I have to do that again.'
He laid out intermediate potions on the ground and took a deep breath.
After completely engraving the knowledge from the Ring of Darkness onto the Black Spire...
'I'll build it right away.'
He synchronized his spirit power with the accumulated power of the Necropolis and began constructing the structure according to the blueprint recorded in the [Ring of Darkness].
The Ogre's bones, enveloped in a whitish smoke, floated up.
As if guided by invisible hands, they began to stack neatly from the ground up, quickly taking the shape of a building.
'The spirit power consumption is enormous.'
It wasn't that the Necropolis lacked spirit power.
It was a structure that could be built with a Spirit Power Concentration of 2.
What was lacking was Yoojin's realm and spirit power.
How long had he been chugging intermediate potions non-stop, acting as a spirit power battery?
[Hall of Death construction complete.]
[You have achieved a feat that transcends several ranks. A verse is added to your myth.]
[The structure's completion level is high. Performance increased by 50%.]
A building that soared sharply like a pyramid.
The three-story structure appeared in the middle of the Necropolis.
[With the completion of the Hall of Death, the domain's size expands.]
[Domain size increased to 2.]
[Number of controllable undead increased to 500.]
[Undead strengthening range and values increased.]
[Necromancy efficiency within the domain increased, and spirit power consumption for maintenance further reduced.]
[Constructible structures in the domain have been added.]
▷ Tower of Darkness / Mansion of Death / Mausoleum / Hall of Darkness / Giant's Tomb
By building a structure essential for expanding the Necropolis domain, tremendous benefits were added.
The trick with the [Ring of Darkness]!
〔Khahaha! Truly magnificent. As expected of my contractor.〕
'It's not over yet.'
Yoojin pressed his temples with his thumbs.
Shaking off the headache caused by the excessive use of spirit power, he looked over the newly available structures.
'Why did I push myself to expand the domain?'
It was to build the necessary structures for a full-scale war with the Manhunters.
His gaze was fixed on one item in the Necropolis construction list, unable to look away.
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Hestia
[Proofreader - Kaya]
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