Chapter 169
Chapter 169
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 169
Chapter Title: Let's Hear It Out
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First, let's hear it out.
Thud thud thud...!
Murung Do-won Expanse.
Standing atop the high ground, I watched over the countless skeletons that had settled below.
Thud! Puk! Thud!
The lone skeletons were using various tools to level the ground.
Rustle! Swish swish!
Skeletons with sharp ear bones were sweeping through the forest, clearing the leaves.
Roughly 2,000 skeletons mobilized at Demir's request.
To be precise, 1,110 under Demir and 1,110 under Eldrin.
'What a sight.'
Even if they were just bones, having that many working for me was something else.
And the mana cost to summon that number was only 20.
Indeed.
No matter how I thought about it, Necromancer was just broken.
[Unique Ability: Cursed Necromancer]
Especially mine.
'This...'
Wasn't it actually blessed rather than cursed?
"Master."
Demir, the overall supervisor beside me, spoke up.
For reference, Demir stood to my left, and Kim Jin-ah to my right.
"Yeah?"
"Are you watching? We've just broken ground to start building the city. To create a beautiful city from the basics, we need to level the site first."
"Yeah?"
I didn't know much about construction.
Rather than me,
Demir, who had risen to the absolute top of a world through creation, would know far better.
As I nodded and watched, Demir smiled.
"Heh heh, Master. Do you remember the Titan?"
"Titan?"
I looked up.
That Titan (TITAN) from the past intermediary dungeon 'Forest and Rock.'
The city of minerals and stone.
"I remember."
It had been incredible.
A breathtaking rocky landscape like something out of a movie.
And amid it, bizarrely placed mystical structures.
How could one forget?
Back then,
Even the Sun, the absolute ruler of the desert empire, had called it a moving sight.
"Actually, do you know that city was one I planned and built?"
"...Really?"
"But back then, I regretted it a bit. The Giant Dragon's rampage kept me from focusing properly, and I was still young, lacking confidence in my skills at the time..."
Demir gazed down at the expanse with a wistful look.
"So this time, with your orders, Master, I want to do it right. A forest for Eldrin, a workshop for our Rock Clan. And a city for your guild... Materials are plentiful here anyway, and we have plenty of subordinates, so it'll finish faster than you think."
He clenched his fist tightly.
I gave a wry smile.
"Well, if you're offering, I'm grateful."
"Oh, and Master."
"Yeah?"
"Don't worry about the standard goods shipped to Demir's Workshop. We can keep producing them while building the city."
Demir gained nothing from making things.
Even though it was solely for me, he approached it with such zeal—was it because he was my subordinate?
Or was he truly grateful to me for sealing the Giant Dragon?
"Take it slow, do it at your own pace."
Even as my subordinate,
I didn't want him feeling burdened.
"Wow, awesome!"
Clap clap clap!
Kim Jin-ah, who had been watching, clapped her hands.
"For now... we'll just keep selling the standard goods properly, right? We've completely halted VIP crafting since the Berserker anyway. Orders are backed up massively."
"Oh, no S-rank weapons?"
Can't Demir make them alone yet?
"Demir said he could if he tried, but it's a waste of time. We've already announced VIP weapons are made only with the workshop master's permission. What should we do? Make more?"
"S-rank weapons from Demir's Workshop..."
Only two had been made so far.
One with Dark Jade, one with the Berserker.
"Hmm."
I wanted to make and sell more,
But city construction came first.
Since Demir was focused here anyway.
"No, keep it halted for now. And from now on, let Demir handle VIP crafting on his own without my permission. Whenever he has time."
Demir was a Skeleton Lord now.
With nearly 50% of his original power restored, he should manage fine without my help.
"Yes, understood, Workshop Master!"
Scribble! Scribble!
Kim Jin-ah pulled a notebook from her pocket, jotted down my words, and looked up at me again.
"Oh, and Workshop Master."
"Yes?"
"One more issue."
"What is it?"
"The portal is a bit... no, a big problem. A huge one."
"The portal?"
I tilted my head.
"Is that why it's 24 hours?"
"Exactly! You just need to make it every 24 hours, Workshop Master... But the problem is... you always disappear without a word and show up way after the 24 hours."
There was bite to her words.
But,
She was right.
"Yeah, fair point."
It was complicated.
The 24-hour limit was annoying in a way,
But necessary too.
If it lasted forever,
A terrorist knowing the 'portal' location could threaten the inside.
"Hmm."
I closed my eyes and pondered.
What to do.
Actually, I planned to sort this and head back to the dungeon.
Needed to test Bone Arm's abilities in combat, train Mantra Path with the old man.
Also prepare for the next intermediary dungeon.
As I stayed silent, Kim Jin-ah cautiously asked.
"How about handing it to Demir? Since the necklace owner can use it..."
"Hoh?"
Give the necklace to Demir?
[Name: Demir]
[Mana: 700/700]
[Unique Ability: Skeleton Lord]
[Class: Blacksmith]
[Grade: S]
With item and Skeleton Lord effects boosting mana to 700, portal use would be no issue.
"Master, what do you think?"
Creak!
Demir cocked his head.
"First, check if you can open the portal from the dungeon. Once confirmed, Eldrin's ritual can open it in emergencies or after 24 hours."
"Hoo."
Ritual.
Right, that existed.
"Sounds good, not bad at all."
Confirm dungeon opening later.
I continued talking with Demir.
"Master, care to hear?"
The future city's design and construction plans.
Various materials and designs—impossible not to get hooked watching.
"Whoa, impressive."
Even the battle-mad old man was sticking out his tongue?
"Architecture is ultimately an 'art' too, with depths beyond the ordinary. Makes me reflect on my obsession with combat skills."
Even after Kim Jin-ah left for work,
Even after the old man despawned from time-out,
- Master, how should we design the meeting room or guild master's office?
- Want a training ground for each bone, I mean, for us? Ten zones total?
- 1,000 each, or later 10,000 each, so it needs to be massive. Don't worry, Master. This place is endlessly vast.
Expectations were inevitable.
Land was plentiful, and we could use it freely.
In Seoul, that pricey land and real estate.
Here, I could build as I pleased.
Lost in it for a while like that.
"Workshop Master! Workshop Master!"
Kim Jin-ah returned.
"Yes?"
"You need to come out... for a sec?"
"What's up?"
What.
It was getting fun.
"A guest looking for you, Workshop Master."
"Guest?"
I tilted my head.
* * *
Outside stood a profoundly dignified,
seasoned-looking old man, posture impeccable beside a woman who seemed his personal secretary.
"Who's this...?"
My eyes widened.
How could I not know.
The S-rank veteran hunter who led the Korean Hunter Association for 10 years.
Not a ranker, but his influence surpassed rankers—the Association President!
"Pleased to meet you, Ranker Ju Dong-hun."
"...The Association President."
Unexpected.
The famous Association President,
Choi Tae-seung coming in person.
"As one of Korea's VIPs now, I felt I should greet you personally."
He bowed politely.
I awkwardly bowed back.
Surreal.
A man I'd only seen on TV was before me.
Back as an E-rank hunter, I wouldn't have dared approach; now he bowed to me.
The treatment had changed.
"Hahaha, don't stand out here! I'll get some coffee—let's move to the meeting room!"
As Kim Jin-ah broke the awkward air,
The Association President smiled softly.
"Coffee. Sounds good."
In the meeting room, his secretary first placed a luxurious box on the table.
Thud!
"What's this?"
Sleek design—felt like something expensive inside...
"S-rank hunter badge and S-rank hunter exclusive card."
Click!
Choi Tae-seung opened the box.
"By hunter law, world rankers get automatic renewal. Also, Ju Dong-hun can now receive direct Association support."
"Hoo."
Ultimately, perks for me as a ranker.
The Association President kept explaining.
Various treatments, tax exemptions, expense support via taxes.
'But.'
The perks seemed unusually generous.
"From now on, Ju Dong-hun gets free business and first-class on all Korean airline flights, VIP treatment as a state guest at any allied nation's association. Naturally, top five-star hotel suites wherever you go, and this card has a 1 billion won annual limit usable anytime, anywhere. Also supported at high-end restaurants affiliated with the Association..."
And so on.
Listing benefits I'd never heard of.
My head spun.
'Wow.'
This was truly another world.
Just yesterday, grinding dungeons without part-time cash for training.
This level meant no money worries.
Suddenly, I worried.
"...Is it okay to treat me this lavishly with taxpayer money?"
"Of course. It's exclusive to rankers, who deserve it."
"...Ranker."
"Joking, but otherwise you might naturalize elsewhere, right? Haha."
As the conversation loosened, Choi Tae-seung grinned.
I smiled back.
"Nah, naturalize? Come on."
I brushed it off, but it wasn't wrong.
People vary.
No guarantee they wouldn't leave for better treatment elsewhere.
"From the nation's view, it's retaining national power with equivalent perks—no need to worry. Our hunters excel, recouping taxes well, and trimming high officials' shares covers it."
"I see. Straightforward—nice."
Of course, nothing bad for me.
No reason to refuse what's offered.
"However. Ahem..."
That was when Choi Tae-seung hesitated slightly.
"However?"
As I tilted my head, he continued.
"Well, actually, by hunter law, to become S-rank hunter, you need an S-rank dungeon clear record."
S-rank dungeon record?
Don't I have that?
"Of course, as world ranker, I can authorize it, but the process is complicated... And since you announced focusing on dungeons at the affiliation reveal..."
"Ah."
I nodded.
So that's it.
Could do it anyway, but since you're hitting S-rank dungeons, help out?
"Some headache, huh?"
"Yes, exactly."
"Hmm."
List generous rewards first.
Then explain the trouble...
Well, I planned dungeons anyway.
Maintaining good ties with the Association wasn't bad.
I grinned.
"Don't know what it is, but."
One thing was clear.
Choice was mine; I held the power here.
"First, let's hear it out?"