Chapter 4: Spendthrift Necromancer (4)
He closed his eyes as if fainting.
In an instant, Kim Minwoo's consciousness scattered. Everything became hazy, like a dream.
‘Did I pass out?’
Well…
He had been on the verge of collapsing from exhaustion. Passing out wasn't strange at all.
At that moment, he saw a message appear.
[Achievement settlement begins.]
[This is a body with the worst talent. Correction values are added to all achievement settlements.]
[Achievement 'Sparring of Ten Billion' achieved!]
[That's pure extravagance!]
[Grade: B]
[Achievement 'Where Are You Going?' achieved!]
[One of the main characters in the game has begun to focus intensely on you!]
[Grade: B+]
[Achievement 'Ultra-Powerful Combat Continuation' achieved!]
[You showed combat will that surpassed limits with a beggar's body!]
[Grade: A]
[Achievement 'Budding Sapling of Sword Genius' achieved!]
[You gave great enlightenment to over a hundred outstanding swordsmen!]
[Grade: A+]
[Achievement 'Mad Commoner' achieved!]
[You engaged in a fierce duel with an S-rank Awakener!]
[Grade: S]
[Achievement 'Master of the Sword Sage' achieved!]
[The Sword Sage has begun to face the wall blocking him head-on!]
[Grade: S+]
[Achievement 'Swordsmanship Creator' achieved!]
[You created swordsmanship of an astonishing level while awakening!]
[Grade:??]
[All achievements are tallied.]
[Tallying…]
[This is an unprecedented achievement, unlike anything seen before.]
[Existing grades cannot express its limits.]
[A new achievement grade must be unlocked.]
[A meeting is convened!]
Kim Minwoo's eyes widened at the continuously appearing messages.
The highest achievement grade he had ever received was S.
Phrases he had never seen at S rank.
‘No way, higher than that?’
His heart pounded.
If he could achieve S-grade or higher from the start!
He would be light-years ahead of the Kim Minwoo who had learned E-grade Spinning Slash.
‘But what's this meeting?’
It was when Minwoo tilted his head.
Unlike before, blue messages began to appear.
‘This is…’
He had seen it exactly once while playing the game.
The message that appeared before moving to stage 6!
It was identical.
[1. Astonishing. A being who has accumulated deeds surpassing the limits of their species has appeared.]
[1. He has shown possibility. Should we raise humanity's growth limit?]
Soon, not just blue but messages in various colors began to appear.
[2. Is there any need? That's just a special exception for that human.]
[3. Zero and one are different. One appearing means two or three could too. Possibility is important.]
[4. If we intervene,??? will start using its power too. Dangerous.]
[1. No risk, no reward, right?]
[3. I agree with her. We're stagnant. We need bold decisions.]
‘What?’
The messages were conversing as if alive. It was a sight he was seeing for the first time in his life.
Then…
[2. Still, I oppose… Wait. Is that human eavesdropping on our conversation right now?]
[Warning!]
[The beings behind the curtain have noticed the anomaly!]
An inexplicable chill made Minwoo's body shudder.
[1. No time for chit-chat. We must resolve this agenda before he wakes. I vote yes.]
[3. Let's place expectations on humanity. Yes.]
[4… To notice us. Fine. We can push once. Yes.]
[2. Do you have the guts to handle the aftermath? Are you insane…?]
● Yes: 3. No: 1.
● Agenda passed.
● The worldline changes!
● Species Transcendence!
● All 'humans'' potential greatly increases!
● Achievement: 'Horizon Opener' achieved! This is tallied with existing achievements!
● Warning! Warning! Warning!
●??? senses the anomaly!
●??? begins searching for the cause!
● Be careful.??? will never take this incident lightly!
* * *
The fragrant smell of medicinal herbs opened Minwoo's eyes. A tub filled with lukewarm brown liquid.
His body was immersed in it.
‘This is…’
Sword's Tear, the healing agent passed down in Sword Sea Pavilion.
Its main effects were relaxing muscles, promoting blood circulation, and purifying meridians.
‘This is a pretty rare treatment.’
A remedy made by mixing monster byproducts, spirit medicines, and magic stones.
He knew it was quite expensive, but seeing it used so generously meant he had definitely scored points with the Sword Sage.
“Feels light.”
The muscle pain had vanished as if washed away.
His fatigue had long since faded. As he rotated his arm, a message appeared before Minwoo's eyes.
[All achievement settlements completed.]
[Settlement result: EX]
[A Job Skillbook (EX) is granted!]
[Choose the job you desire.]
‘EX-grade!’
His eyes gleamed.
It was the grade attached to the skill used by the Dragon Lord.
‘One Dragon Tongue turned top artifacts into scrap metal.’
A grade overwhelmingly superior to S. No better start possible.
Knock knock.
A knock echoed from inside the bathhouse.
“Who is it?”
“If you're awake, get dressed and come out.”
A curt voice replied.
Somehow familiar. Soon, several memories flashed in Kim Minwoo's mind.
Seo Yerim, the Sword Sage's granddaughter.
Even his lecherous gaze peeking at her.
‘Ugh.’
Whatever.
It wasn't even his doing. All that guy's fault.
No need to feel guilty. Just don't do it from now on.
He changed into the clothes hanging in the bath and stepped out.
“Do you need something?”
“Grandpa said to bring you when you wake up.”
“Let's go.”
Her mind grew complicated watching Kim Minwoo walk ahead casually.
Something was different.
Just a little while ago, he couldn't even meet her eyes, yet now he conversed with her so naturally…
‘His eyes are different.’
Not a trace of lust in those pitch-black pupils gazing at her. Had he attained enlightenment in the meantime?
Walking in silence, Seo Yerim spoke up.
“… That swordsmanship from earlier, where did you learn it?”
“I didn't learn it.”
“Liar!”
Fluid and perfect power distribution.
Even seamless linkage of consecutive forms.
Even without mana and with a pathetic body, what Kim Minwoo wielded was clearly a refined swordsmanship.
One surpassing Grandpa's Wind Swordsmanship in profundity!
If he hadn't learned it, then…
“No way, you created swordsmanship on the spot?”
“I just swung it however… what swordsmanship…”
Seo Yerim, who had mustered courage to ask, was utterly dumbfounded.
Swinging randomly outperformed Grandpa's swordsmanship.
Did that even make sense?
Her pupils trembled wildly.
“How, how is that… possible?”
Even I couldn't…
She swallowed the rest with superhuman patience and spoke.
“You can't do it?”
Then Kim Minwoo tilted his head in genuine puzzlement, filling her with profound despair.
“… Let's go.”
She couldn't continue the conversation now.
They arrived at the inner garden where the Sword Sage waited.
“You're here.”
“Yes. Thank you for the treatment.”
“No big deal.”
The Sword Sage chuckled heartily.
“Congratulations on awakening. Wings will be added to your brilliant talent.”
Seo Yerim ground her teeth secretly upon hearing the Sword Sage.
From age seven to twenty-two now, not a single day without swinging a sword.
Surrounded by admiration and praise, but Grandpa was different.
She had never once heard him call her talented.
She had kept it inside until now. No one her age had heard such words from him.
But now…
“Take this.”
The Sword Sage handed over a small box. Minwoo opened it and peered inside.
A fragrant aroma spread.
A small red pill glowing faintly.
Sword Shadow Pill.
One of the highest spirit pills made in Sword Sea Pavilion. A treasure hard to obtain even with money.
“Seems like a precious elixir…”
Still, he slipped the box containing it under his arm.
No reason to refuse.
He had earned at least this much for enlightening Sword Sea Pavilion's disciples.
“I'll use it well.”
“Good. Oh, right. Minwoo, would you consider becoming my disciple…”
“No.”
“Good, no…”
The Sword Sage's words caught in his throat.
“Perhaps you have no intention of becoming a swordsman?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Why, indeed…
The Sword Sage was under a major misunderstanding now.
He seemed like a genius because he used the swordsmanship created by the future Sword Sage.
Plus, the world's top expert had moved the body, so it looked genius-level.
‘But the expiration date is short.’
After becoming an Awakener?
Swordsmen rely most on the body. Growth would hit a wall eventually.
Kim Minwoo's physical talent was truly the worst.
Conclusion.
You're more suited to Necromancer than Swordsman, Kim Minwoo.
Verdict from a pilot who had been through land, sea, and air battles.
No intention of babbling that to the Sword Sage…
“I've seen my limits.”
“Your… limits?”
A fierce light gleamed in the Sword Sage's eyes.
“What did you see?”
“Illusion and its boundary. The realm of selflessness between them.”
What does that mean?
Truthfully, he didn't know either.
He was merely repeating, word for word, what the wall-transcending Sword Sage had muttered after creating Thunder Wind Swordsmanship.
‘This old man spouts a lot of cloudy nonsense.’
A heavy silence followed.
“Illusion, boundary, selflessness…”
The Sword Sage closed his eyes, murmuring alone as if sensing something.
“I instinctively realized it. That I cannot advance further. But I don't want to define my limits so soon. In a realm other than the sword, perhaps I can.”
The Sword Sage quietly closed his eyes.
As expected…
Cloudy talk is best in times like this.
“I'll take my leave. The donation will be sent soon.”
Leaving the silent Sword Sage behind, Kim Minwoo exited the inner garden.
Yerim, unable to react while watching her closed-eyed grandpa, plopped down on the spot.
‘Illusion? Boundary? Selflessness? What the hell?’
She understood nothing.
Then, the Sword Sage's eyes snapped open.
“… So profoundly distant.”
“… Pardon?”
“It's not just brilliant talent—Kim Minwoo is a genius!”
“R-Really…?”
Seo Yerim's voice sank low as she asked back.
“Yes. A once-in-ten-thousand-years genius! A monster has popped up in Ilsung Group. No time to waste. Bring my phone! Hurry!”
Even the Sword Sage didn't fully grasp exactly what Kim Minwoo had said.
But he had caught a faint clue.
It was enlightenment of the mind.
If he could only make this ticklish feeling more concrete!
He might glimpse the realm beyond the next.
Thus, the Sword Sage decided.
To forge a tighter bond with Ilsung Group, which had been neither close nor distant.
That way, he'd have more chances to interact with Kim Minwoo.
The unrealistic greed of taking him as a disciple was long abandoned.
Kim Minwoo was already a complete Sword Enlightener who had seen the end.
‘No need to be a swordsman.’
Now, the Sword Sage simply wanted more conversation with the boy. As much as possible.
“Heh heh, Chairman Kim? This is Seo Jin-cheol. About that…”
* * *
On the way out of Sword Sea Pavilion.
The bodyguards' gazes gathered. Their eyes brimmed with pressing questions.
‘Hold it in, guys.’
Now was the time for the most important and sacred task.
No spare mental energy for chit-chat.
Fortunately, the bodyguards seemed to sense his mood and held their questions like pros.
After climbing into the back seat, he said, “To the main house, please.”
He covered the connecting window completely with curtains. The interior turned pitch-black like a darkroom.
Now, time to craft the EX-grade Skillbook.
[Using Job Skillbook (EX)!]
[Job selected: Necromancer!]
[Warning: Once a job is decided, it cannot be changed!]
[Create the first EX-grade skill for Necromancer?]
‘Of course!’
Light burst forth soon after…
[Transferring to Necromancer.]
[Stats are generated.]
[Inventory is unlocked.]
[EX-grade skill is granted.]
Messages appeared before Minwoo's eyes.