Chapter 14: Osiris's Tomb
Gate.
The in-game lore was simple.
It was a kind of fragment created by slicing out a region from another world.
And there wasn't just one or two of these other worlds. Fantasy, martial arts, cyberpunk, regions teeming with yokai.
Really, incredibly diverse.
‘Low-level zones are usually fantasy-themed, though.’
The kind with goblins, wolves, orcs, and such.
Anything C-rank or higher tended to bring out those flashy gates.
Anyway.
Users could conquer these gates to earn mana stones, items, experience, titles, and all sorts of other rewards.
F-rank gates were a dime a dozen.
There were a few reasons he chose Osiris's Tomb out of them all.
First, no gimmicks.
‘These gimmicks can be a real headache.’
Puzzles or hidden elements you had to find to open the path, that sort of thing.
Gate gimmicks weren't fixed. They changed a little each time you entered.
‘That's why they take time to solve.’
But this gate was straightforward.
Just follow the path and smash every monster in sight.
Nice and easy.
‘And it's a tomb, right?’
Tomb.
Doesn't that scream necromancer connection?
He'd missed the chance to check before. He was the type who wanted the fastest clear times, and different characters suited different classes.
Like sword genius Park Siwoo or magic genius Han Sia.
You couldn't pick necromancer with traits like that.
Plus, Namgung Min and Seo Yerim on difficulties three and four started with fixed classes, so necromancer wasn't even an option.
‘But things are different now.’
What was Kim Minwoo now?
A necromancer.
And a tomb.
Could he resist?
‘No way.’
Of course, he wasn't certain something necromancer-related was hidden here.
Necromancer might be a fringe class, but there are always those contrarian types who pick what others avoid.
This gate had probably seen plenty of necromancers.
‘But their achievement ranks would've been low.’
An S-rank achievement necromancer?
Not in Korea, at least.
Even A or B were national treasures.
The reason was simple.
Necromancers needed to pour money in to get strong.
Not just pour—a geometric explosion of spending.
Only then could they outpace other classes.
It was common knowledge worldwide.
So it was burdensome compared to others.
Even with nation or major guild backing, same story.
They weren't suckers.
The money they gave was debt you'd pay back someday.
Picking necromancer with a precious S-rank skillbook?
Unless your dad was Kim the chairman, banking on that much backing?
‘You rack up debt but can't dominate others.’
Straight path to hell. So normal people don't pick necromancer.
The one wildcard: a stupidly rich awakener.
‘How would they know the awakening conditions?’
Rich folks try everything. If they awaken easily, they cap at low achievements.
Can't awaken?
Means tough conditions.
Even a chaebol grandpa couldn't figure it out.
Even if they did.
‘How would they hit S-rank?’
He knew the conditions and still fought the Sword Sage for it.
Pudgy rich guys hitting S-rank easy?
No wonder high-achievement necromancers were rare.
Conclusion.
If something necromancer-related was here, high chance he'd snag it.
Not expecting insane rewards from an F-rank gate, though.
He had to clear it anyway.
‘A title would be nice.’
Expectations around there.
Plus, for a world record, why not make it hard? Easy records aren't impressive.
Last reason for picking this 95-difficulty gate.
He reached out.
[Cedric Summon (SSS) used!]
[Skeleton Summon (F)+9 used!]
He repurchased the gear lost in the last battle, adding 28 mana to the summons.
Plus Unyielding Soul's effect.
Total 113 monstrous mana.
Add Death Lord's 50% mana reduction.
[422 skeletons summoned!]
The vast gate interior filled with skeletons.
‘Said maybe 150 at most?’
Kim Minwoo smirked, recalling public opinion.
Nearly three times that.
And these weren't the old dumb skeletons.
Cedric and Death Lord's learning boosts let them absorb training like water.
Not just that.
Stats bloated 50%.
On top.
[Subspace Ring (Mid) opened!]
Stout gear for the skeleton soldiers. Combat power exploded instantly.
‘Chairman, thanks.’
After boldly declaring his intention to set a world record, a third round of support came in full force.
Subspace ring and gear restocked for that reason.
Clack!
Clack!
Armed skeletons moved in perfect ranks. Thunderous footsteps echoed.
Monsters inside stirred at the noise.
Rustle.
Rustle.
Scuttling bugs from all sides.
‘Here they come.’
A horde of massive cockroaches blocked the way.
Corpse Cockroaches.
The bug monster you'd run into endlessly here.
Average level around 40.
Grotesque looks, tough shells, cockroach tenacity.
Mandible strength plus overwhelming numbers.
‘And the trickiest part.’
Their blood.
Laced with random poison.
Hallucinations, HP-draining, fear-inducing—nasty status effects.
‘Why this gate scores 95.’
Cockroaches swarming from everywhere.
Melee chaos inevitable, blood splattering everywhere hard to dodge.
Take a few hits, mentality and stamina shred, clear fails.
‘Me or Cedric could calculate trajectories and dodge…’
Normal folks can't.
So normal clears need antidotes. But they last maybe 30 minutes.
And they're pricey.
Plenty lose money coming to make it.
‘Hence unpopular—no, loathed gate.’
Even baby skeletons would take some blood hits today.
But no big deal.
Skeletons unsummon?
Wait till numbers thin, pop a potion, resummon.
Normal necromancer: kill one pack, potion, repeat.
He was different.
His skeletons could wreck four or five packs at once.
And revive once more.
No burden for Kim Minwoo.
The charging cockroaches halted, spotting them.
Screech?
Screeech?
Low IQ, but basic caution. Foes outnumbering them hugely!
“Come on. First time facing this many?”
…
“Cedric. Let's sweep 'em.”
—Master, been waiting for that. Charge! Brothers!
Clack!
Clatter!
Skeleton spearmen formed a wedge with Cedric and charged.
Stab!
Thud!
Impaled cockroaches spewed green fluids.
Then skeleton soldiers with maces smashed down.
Skeleton strength weak, but weapons premium from start to 40.
Screeeee!
A cockroach bit a skeleton's torso in agony.
One skeleton collapsed, swarmed.
It thrashed but weakened.
Screeeee!
Victory screech cut short.
Stab!
Revived skeleton gutted it.
Cedric shone.
Each spear swing burst cockroach heads.
‘Perfect.’
The joy of auto-hunt.
Monsters cleared without moving.
[Corpse Cockroach x41 hunted!]
[Level up by 5!]
5 levels in a blink.
“Nice. This is it.”
[Skeleton unit gains combat experience vs bug monsters!]
[Skeleton unit gains experience!]
Summons can't exceed master's level.
So skeletons stayed level 1 together.
Not anymore.
As his level rose, theirs would too.
Even with the experience split among 422 summons, growth was still growth.
Better than nothing.
‘Got a read on skeleton levels…’
Time to rampage.
Drew sword for world record.
* * *
[Corpse Cockroach x52 hunted!]
[Level…]
[Corpse Cockroach x55 hunted!]
[Level…]
[Corpse Cockroach x60 hunted!]
[Level…]
Joining the fray, advance speed hit hyperdrive. Big level gap meant levels soared per pack.
‘Obviously.’
Normals come in parties.
Solo monopolizing party EXP? Levels fly.
‘Why I prioritized stats first.’
Leveling?
Can batch later.
Like now.
[Title acquired: 'Bug Slayer'!]
[Damage to bug monsters +10%]
Grabbed a title mid-run.
Boss room in exactly 2 hours.
Stopped once midway.
Over half soldiers shredded, so potion for resummon and regroup.
‘Level 22 now.’
Unthinkable for normals.
Gate lap = explosive levels.
Cedric shared levels too.
His spearmanship refined as it rose.
“Kid's growing. Feels good as master.”
—Hm… More like rediscovering past skills than true growth…
“Tsk. Don't sass me.”
—… Just my opinion.
“Boss time.”
—What's the boss?
“Tomb Guardian.”
—Tomb Guardian? Bug too?
“Yeah. Filthy huge cockroach.”
Why it breaks awakeners' minds.
Especially the mini-cockroach swarm it spews like smoke.
Some straight-up freak.
Awakened or not, gross is gross.
—Master not grossed out by bugs?
“Well, yeah. But fine. Seen too many.”
Bug gates galore. Transcended that long ago.
Cedric tilted head.
—Seen many? Bugs at home?
“… Kinda.”
—Mind hygiene. House looked clean. Clean food right away.
“Shut it.”
—Master, just worried. Why hit head?
“Love tap. Let's go.”
Opened boss room door.
[Boss of Osiris's Tomb, 'Tomb Guardian' appears!]
Grulk?
“Kill it.”
Fearless skeletons charged en masse.