Chapter 12
Chapter 12
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 12
Chapter Title: After All, Weeds Are Better Than Houseplants
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“Ahaha! Necromancer buddy, how’ve you been?”
“Huh, what’s this? It doesn’t feel like much time has passed, but your look’s changed a bit?”
“Yeah, looks like you’ve bulked up some, and your face got handsomer too? Your complexion’s brighter.”
A group of five survivors, all D-grade or C-grade hunters.
They spotted me and greeted me warmly, like old pals.
We didn’t even know each other’s names, and we weren’t close.
But hunters sometimes showed this sudden camaraderie.
It came from sharing life-and-death moments together, I suppose.
Anyway.
‘Handsom er?’
I shrugged my shoulders for no reason and glanced down at my body.
It was definitely thicker.
Muscles had packed on, fat had melted away.
My shoulders were broader too—like my skeleton itself had changed.
It had to be the effect of that grand technique the old man performed yesterday.
‘This from just a 30-minute massage?’
I was impressed deep down.
But it made sense.
He’d literally shaved my bones and pounded my muscles with his fists.
It was like undergoing major surgery with barely any anesthesia.
The thought of going through it again later already gave me chills.
‘Anyway.’
Why were they here?
They’d seen me enter the boss room alone back then.
They knew I was the one who cleared it.
Gi So-yul had told me.
We’d all agreed to keep everything about this dungeon a secret.
‘Getting word out wouldn’t be good.’
Don’t stir up trouble where there’s none, right?
As I’d said before.
I didn’t want rumors spreading until I was fully strong.
Like an imugi on the verge of ascension, I just wanted to train quietly.
I’d reveal myself to the world only when I could protect myself completely.
That was why I hadn’t bothered reapplying for a grade reassessment.
So I asked.
“What brings you here?”
“Ahem, were my greetings too late?”
That was when one of the five stepped forward.
The man with a green C-grade hunter badge had a sharp look.
“Nice to meet you properly. I’m C-grade hunter Kang Jae-ho. Your actions and attitude back then left an impression, so I made a note of you. I said if we both made it out alive, we’d form a party next time.”
“...Yep, hello.”
I shook the hand he offered.
No reason to refuse a basic greeting.
“I’m just your standard E-grade necromancer mercenary, as everyone knows. Name’s Joo Dong-hoon.”
“I doubt that. You’re no ordinary mercenary.”
Kang Jae-ho gave a wry smile.
“That took some serious guts back there. Anyway, can’t get into details here.”
He glanced at the client team leader, Kim Jun-seo.
Probably because of the NDA.
“Getting to the point, a dungeon popped up.”
“A dungeon?”
“Yeah, a known type, C-grade. We want to hire you. Word is... you’re struggling financially and take any job that comes. That right?”
“...”
Zing.
I shot a glare at Kim Jun-seo.
Looked like he’d sold me out again to land the gig.
Even as I glared, Kim Jun-seo just grinned and backed away.
‘Sigh, that rascal.’
My brother, but sometimes I wanted to smack him.
“Well, I do need the money.”
Had to admit what was true.
Even with last time’s pay.
Hospital bills, living expenses, rent, insurance—money vanished in a flash.
“Thought so?”
Kang Jae-ho grinned, satisfied.
“This dungeon’s a tricky one for a C-grade.”
Most rated dungeons followed standard templates.
You could guess the difficulty and objectives from the field background or mobs, making it easy for later teams to join.
“But it’s worth challenging. Good rewards if luck’s on your side. Some party recently scored an elixir, I hear?”
“Elixir?”
My eyes went wide.
What was an elixir?
A rare dungeon-only reward, regardless of grade.
A top-tier potion that worked against any curse or disease!
“Yeah, that elixir. High-rankers and rich folks snap ’em up, perfect for a big payday.”
“Hmm.”
I rubbed my chin, and Kang Jae-ho continued.
“What do you say? Not bad, right? This time, you’re not a porter—you’re a full member.”
“And the pay?”
“Ha ha, pay? You’re not a porter. Fair split of the profits, obviously.”
“Seriously?”
I thought fast.
If we really got an elixir.
Average price around 50 million.
Split six ways, about 8.33 million each?
Not bad at all.
Why?
I was an E-grade hunter.
An E-grade who wanted to hide his true self.
And E-grade pay was fixed by regulation.
Hiding your strength while raking in big bucks was tough in this world.
“Tempting, but...”
Truth was, I got why they were approaching me like this.
To clear a C-grade rated dungeon 99% safely, you needed at least five C-grades.
But their five included D-grades.
Precisely, two C’s and three D’s.
An uneasy squad.
To play it safe, they’d need three more C’s or a B.
But splitting with them would cost more.
Better to bring along the guy who solo-cleared a rank-unknown dungeon in one go.
Cheaper that way.
And I still looked green.
‘But.’
It could be dangerous.
They knew that too, no doubt.
But they were the bold type, diving into unrated dungeons without fear.
They had their own adventures to chase.
‘And adventure means... growth again.’
The path to ranker status demanded enduring countless trials.
No intention of growing like a flower in a greenhouse.
Weren’t mountain weeds, blooming tough through harsh winds, way cooler?
“So.”
Kang Jae-ho eyed my face carefully.
“You in with us? Your call.”
Well.
With an offer like that, what was there to mull over?
“Sure. I was getting sick of porter work anyway.”
I accepted coolly.
Perfect timing too—I wanted to test my grown bones in real action.
* * *
Dungeon raid was tomorrow afternoon.
After mooching the meal I’d guilted Kim Jun-seo into, I headed back to the clearing.
[Using skill, ‘Teaching of the Myriad Arts’ (S-grade).]
[Using 20 stamina.]
[‘Master of the Myriad Arts’ appears.]
“Already a day gone by?”
The old man appeared like a ghost.
“Yes, elder. I finished your homework. But...”
“But?”
I spilled today’s events to the old man.
About joining a new dungeon.
Might miss a few training days if the raid dragged on.
Had to make clear it wasn’t because I feared the ‘massage.’
“Dungeon? Like the spaces I knew in the past?”
“Right. Hunters here grow stronger through them, cause unknown.”
“Hmph.”
The old man snorted at my answer.
“Ridiculous. Running around before mastering the basics. Can’t even walk, yet trying to race?”
“Cut me some slack, elder. Gotta eat to live.”
“Not bad.”
The old man scratched his cheek with a bony finger.
“I prefer real combat over armchair theories myself.”
“Really?”
“But.”
His face hardened.
“No skipping training. Ever.”
“Eek.”
“Playing hooky? You can summon me inside the dungeon too!”
“W-Well, yeah, probably?”
It was a skill, after all.
“And it’s just an hour. No excuse, even if rushed! Summon me no matter what. Disobey, and it’ll be ten times worse than last time’s gentle touch. Got it?”
“Hiiik?”
Hiccup.
I hiccuped involuntarily at his bark.
Ten times worse than before? Couldn’t even imagine the pain.
But I couldn’t skip summons.
Hard-won opportunity—no quitting over pain.
“Now, no time, so let’s start the massage.”
“Huh? Al-Already?”
“What ‘already,’ you fool! Forgot? Only 60 minutes!”
Thwack!
No prep time—the old man’s kneading began.
Boom boom boom!
Like bombs exploding inside, the world shook.
“Gaaahhh!”
Yup, it hurt.
Like shoving yourself into a speeding train nonstop?
Or Mike Tyson in iron gauntlets pounding you like a sandbag?
‘Huh?’
Still.
One consolation.
Easier to endure than last time.
‘Ah!’
Then I recalled a skill.
[Skill: Pain Resistance]
[Grade: C]
[Effect 1: Resist pain.]
[Effect 2: Senses dull as pain accumulates.]
The freebie skill from last time.
‘It’s amazing, really.’
One skill, ‘Teaching of the Myriad Arts,’ spawned another.
A golden goose.
Others needed heaven’s luck for one skill.
I just copied them.
And not just any skill?
[This skill has room to grow.]
Plenty of potential.
“Huh, you’re enduring better now.”
After the massage-disguised beating, the old man dusted his hands, satisfied.
Hell over.
I sighed in true relief.
“Phew, all thanks to you, elder. Hoo, haa.”
Deep breaths amid the pain, but I spoke up.
“Impressive. From tomorrow, we’ll up the intensity.”
“Huh? Did I hear wrong?”
Sweat squirted at his follow-up, but...
Anyway.
Next, stamina training.
At the old man’s signal, I summoned my cute bones.
Creeeak!
They stretched naturally, like they knew it was time.
Skeletons with no muscles—why stretch?
Memories from their living days?
“Now, horse-riding stance, all of you, like last time.”
The old man barked.
“But from now on, during stamina training, I’ll teach one technique per day to each. Who first?”
“Techniques?”
Ah, finally, proper one-on-one lessons?
Makes sense—even a transcendent like him.
Couldn’t teach every class at once as one person.
One by one, naturally.
Sounds good.
Let’s learn slow and steady.
“So, who? That sword guy?”
The old man pointed at Bone1.
The rest were holding the pose he taught.
“Yes.”
I nodded right away.
Obviously, start with my firstborn summon, Bone1.
“Swordman class. Only knows how to slash.”
“Fine. We’ll build from here. Swing once.”
Creeeak?
I smiled at the wary guy.
[Name: Bone1]
[Stamina: 100/100]
[Unique Ability: Awakened Skeleton]
[Class: Swordsman]
[Grade: D]
[Strength: 23] [Agility: 19] [Vitality: 20] [Mana: 10] [Technique: 21]
[Held Skills]
-‘Basic Slash’ (Lv.2)
“It’s okay, Bone1. This guy’ll make you a great bone warrior.”
Bone1’s real training began.