------------------
HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Hestia]
[Proofreader - Kaya]
------------------
Chapter 123: The Fourth Star (1)
After the connection with Fafnir was severed.
When Yoojin looked back, he didn't feel any signs of a vicious pursuit.
'Whew. I thought I was going to die.'
His back was drenched in sweat.
He couldn't even remember the last time he was this tense after the regression.
Sharing vision with the wraiths to double-check, there was no sign of them being chased.
〔You have lost your great warrior in vain.〕
'There won't be many more times like this.'
〔Shouldn't you brace yourself so that there won't be any at all?〕
'In life, there is no such thing as 100%. You shouldn't make promises you're not sure of.'
Even if he encountered a similar situation next time, he would not hesitate to leave the rear to Fafnir.
He was his most trusted subordinate.
And since he could be restored even if completely destroyed, the actual loss was not significant.
'Still, I don't want to experience this kind of situation often.'
Crack—
It had been a while.
A situation where he had to show his back to the enemy helplessly.
The humiliation and anger that gnawed at his heart made him let out a chilling laugh.
〔Hahaha. It's the first time I've seen you in such a predicament.〕
'I've seen it often before the regression.'
He opened a new path by circumventing the conditions of the [Ring of Darkness], not the official route.
Although he was able to learn skills easily thanks to the [Library of Knowledge].
Since he had to walk alone, he had to familiarize himself with necromancy through direct experience.
'Just survive. Then there will be a next time.'
〔An unyielding heart. This too is a virtue that a hero should possess.〕
'Ah. That talk about heroes. I was wondering why you weren't saying it.'
Yoojin safely returned to Necropolis with Brutal's breakthrough.
He immediately gathered the undead.
"Stop what you're doing and prepare for defense."
【Yes, Master.】
‘I can't let my guard down.’
If the One-Eyed changes his mind and chases after Yoojin, he won't have a proper way to respond.
The best way is to show that Necropolis is not easy to deal with and make him retreat on his own.
〔If he doesn't retreat, what will you do?〕
'I'll have to give up a tower.'
He didn't intend to give it up just like that.
He would give him a taste of hell so that he wouldn't even want to look at the place for a while.
Just in case, he waited for several hours, but the One-Eyed didn't rush into Necropolis.
Only after the sun disappeared beyond the horizon did he finally relax and dismiss the undead.
【The monster that defeated Fafnir. I'm disappointed that I couldn't cut him down with my own hands.】
"If you want, I can send you there."
【No! Revenge is most meaningful when taken with one's own hands. I will defer to Fafnir.】
He thought that was a long way of saying he lacked confidence.
"Enough. Go catch some monsters."
【Regardless of their condition?】
"No. They must be alive."
【Understood.】
Catching monsters didn't take long.
The necropolis was situated in a monster-infested zone.
Subduing newly spawned monsters was a daily occurrence.
Without needing to venture far from the domain, simply wandering through the pale mist was enough to secure living creatures.
"Good. Keep them restrained."
He took out the [Darkness Orb] from deep within his infinite Pouch and placed it against the skin of the subdued monster.
"Kuuruk?!"
Startled by the strange sensation, the orc flared its nostrils violently.
Like water leaking through cracks when poured into a cracked glass, the life force that should have resided within the monster's body flowed into the Darkness Orb.
Green light flickered within the pitch-black orb.
It was the life force of the monster he had just taken.
"I'll need about 150 of them. It requires far more life force for recovery than a lich."
【Master, I will capture more monsters.】
"Ah. You haven't left yet?"
【...I'm going.】
After that, the Darkness Orb, which had been absorbing life force for a long time, trembled.
Yoojin infused the designated incantation into the Darkness Orb.
Whoosh—!
The life force accumulated in the orb turned into a viscous liquid and poured out, then began to take shape as if a child were molding clay.
After wriggling for a while, the liquid, which had piled up to a height of 3 meters, eventually solidified, transforming into a familiar form.
【Wow. I thought I was going to die!】
Fafnir, having completed his reconstitution, released a large pulse of thought.
Yoojin shook his head from side to side.
"You've already died twice."
【Must you always put it that way?】
"You lasted longer than I expected."
【Ah. That One-Eyed chased me without using his aura blade.】
Even so.
Even without deploying an aura blade, the difference in basic stats was significant.
It was proof that Fafnir's skills were exceptional.
"Thanks to you, I survived."
【Protecting my master is my mission. Still, I don't want to die again.】
"I'll try my best to avoid such situations."
【Huhu. When will we have our revenge match?】
‘Revenge match, huh. Of course, we would have one. However…’
Yoojin paused.
"It's not time yet. We need to become stronger."
There were many ways to become stronger.
But there was only one path that was the simplest and fastest.
"For the time being, let's focus on leveling up."
【What will you do when you encounter a wall?】
"Do you think I'd care about something like that?"
【If it's you, Master, you'll probably break down the wall as soon as you reach the level cap.】
Fafnir lightly shrugged his shoulders.
＊ ＊ ＊
[Cheon Yoojin]
[Level: 34 (3 Stars)]
The level was explosively rising.
However…
Recently, the experience acquisition speed has slowed down and has almost reached a standstill.
'I haven't been able to pay much attention because of work.'
Thanks to several major battles, the level had risen quite a bit.
But due to being busy with various tasks such as founding the Black Company, the [Saint's Tears] demonstration, and research on the undead with divinity, there was no time to level up.
"Song Myeongseok, and Choi Hyungtae, follow me."
【Master. What about me?】
"I'm not so callous as to overwork who's already been through so much... or, well, almost. I'm not that heartless.
【Hmm.】
"The One-Eyed might attack again after some time. Then you're the only one I can rely on."
【Heh heh. If you say so, I can't help it.】
"And use it as an opportunity to practice Kenex Combat Arts."
【Was that the real purpose!】
Fafnir's thoughts were distorted.
"The technique that pushed back the One-Eyed. Is it successful once out of 10 times at most?"
【Hmph. You're wrong.】
"Then is it once out of 5 times?"
【Once out of 100 times.】
‘...Damn it. It seems I overestimated Fafnir too much.’
Yoojin thought.
"This necromancer is disappointed in his subordinate."
【Don't be ridiculous.】
"A skilled person like you only has a 1% success rate. It must be quite difficult."
【It's because I just awakened my true form. Just wait a little longer.】
Fafnir patted his chest.
Seeing that, Song Myeongseok's eyes flickered, and he let out a short laugh.
【How about you give me the title of Martial God, Master?】
【Sure. Try winning against me even once and then say that.】
【Kuh...!!】
【You're a loser who can't even win once, right?】
【How dare you point out the facts so rudely...!!】
Song Myeongseok just tried to provoke him but ended up groaning with his eyes burning fiercely.
He can't even win but always challenges him.
He seems to regard Fafnir as a rival, but he lacks both verbal skills and skills, so he seems to be unilaterally beaten.
【What'll we do if we run into the One-Eyed again?】
"We'll stay out of his hunting grounds. Somewhere near Cheorwon in Gangwon Province should be safe. Predators usually stick close to their territory."
【But he's a mutant.】
"Ogres don't like cold places."
【Ah. Cheorwon is a good choice then.】
Fafnir, who had been worried, immediately relaxed at the mention of Cheorwon.
January in that region—the coldest in the country—was hardly the One-Eyed's ideal hunting ground.
"Ah. I almost forgot."
He took out the basilisk corpse stored in the Ring of Darkness.
The corpse was a bonus, an extra reward from a particularly lucky find.
Its status as a bonus, however, didn't diminish its value.
[Using Flesh Control.]
It took a considerable amount of mana to separate the basilisk's flesh and scales.
An enormous quantity.
And the amount of mana inherent in the basilisk's body was so great that controlling it with necromancy was extremely difficult.
'The basilisk corpse has many uses.'
The scales can be used for making armor or strengthening undead.
The flesh and blood can be used as magical reagents.
Or it could be used for undead modification.
"Tell Shin Joonseok to come to the Necropolis on a business trip."
【I don't think he'll like that.】
"Tell him I have basilisk blood and flesh."
【If you look closely, you're not just good at manipulating the undead, you also manipulate people.】
The future grand alchemist will take care of the storage.
The bones were placed in the unholy graveyard.
It accumulates mana and prevents decay, killing two birds with one stone.
"Then I'll be back."
【Don't worry about the Necropolis.】
"Alright."
Yoojin headed northeast, accompanied by Brutal and a Skeleton Knight.
To the coldest land in the country.
To Cheorwon, a region where the biting cold of winter lingers.
＊ ＊ ＊
A large eroded zone crosses the Korean Peninsula.
Two areas are the most active for monster hunting in the so-called border region:
-The Gaeseong-Munsan axis
-The Cheorwon axis
Before the Great Cataclysm, these two areas were routes that North Korea might have used for a southward invasion.
Now, they are also passages through which monsters and hunters can travel.
In other words, these are areas where monsters gather.
【I understand that, but why are you heading north along the mountain path instead of taking an easier route?】
"I need to hunt monsters along the way."
Coincidentally, Yoojin's route overlapped considerably with the path used by the Rakshasa Guild in the past during their southward advance.
It was better to take the small road paved by the search party members than to hack through the thick weeds that had absorbed all the earth's energy.
"Hwarek! Hrek!"
【I'll take care of it.】
[Spectral Sword]
[Fifth Form – Bloodlight Sword]
The dark mana concentrated on the soles of his feet was released at once.
By the time the monster's two eyes followed Song Myeongseok's movements, the red-tinged sword had already cut the monster's body in half.
【You're slow. Even in perceiving death.】
As he swung the sword again, the blood droplets clinging to the blade scattered in all directions.
Song Myeongseok's eyes gleamed with a triumphant look.
【How is it?】
"How is it? Why are you so incapable of learning?"
【Excuse me?】
"If you cut it in half and kill it, you can't revive it as an undead, you idiot!"
What came back was Yoojin's scolding mixed with admonition.
Song Myeongseok's fiercely burning eyes dimmed in an instant.
"Tsk. You're useless."
【.....】
"I should have brought Fafnir instead."
【.....】
"Look at your junior over there. Working hard, unlike some people."
Crack!
A mid-level undead, modified from a Revenant.
Choi Hyungtae, now a Tyrant, silently ripped the limbs off the approaching monsters.
【But isn't that just as damaging to the corpse?!】
"Arms and legs are fine. I can fix those with mana. It'd be cleaner if you killed them properly, but…”
Yoojin paused.
‘Well, he's a Tyrant. You can't expect finesse.’
Yoojin thought.
"The problem is you."
【Kuh...!!】
Following Fafnir, Song Myeongseok was burning with competitive spirit toward Choi Hyungtae.
‘This guy needs the right kind of stimulation.’
Yoojin thought.
"Answer my call."
[Using Dead Rise.]
[Using Raise Dead.]
An undead army composed of Revenants and Skeleton Mages.
Large species like trolls were assigned to the two who had merged.
Monsters living in colonies were dealt with by the undead that had been gathered during the northward journey.
"Corpse Explosion."
Kuaaaang—!!
Monsters fell like straw as flesh, blood droplets, and bones scattered.
The army also suffered considerable losses during the battle, but.
"Answer my call."
The army could be immediately replenished on the spot.
The only problem was that the consent of the individuals involved wasn't obtained.
"Now, let's clear out the vicinity."
【It's still 10 kilometers to Cheorwon.】
"It's not essential to go all the way there."
The reason Cheorwon was chosen as the destination was to hunt more monsters.
The place where Yoojin currently stopped was the midpoint between Paju and Cheorwon.
"According to the wraiths, there are quite a lot of monsters living in colonies."
If we wipe out only the monsters living in groups, we might be able to level up to 50.
Yoojin, who added a final remark, lightly warmed up his body.
⋯⋯⋯
Two weeks later.
[Your level has increased.]
[Your current level is 50.]
[You have transcended your limits and entered a new realm.]
------------------
HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Hestia
[Proofreader - Kaya]
Join our Discord for release updates!
https://discord.com/invite/dbdMDhzWa2
------------------
