Chapter 355
Chapter 355
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 355
Chapter Title: Skeleton Master
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Ah.
Skeleton Master...!
What a thrilling title!
Honestly, this time around.
The title change felt even more exciting than the growth itself.
King, Emperor...
Those were such corny names, but [Master] had this sleek, otherworldly coolness to it!
Well, okay.
It's a matter of personal taste.
'Status window.'
I opened my status window for the first time in a while.
[Hunter: Joo Dong-hoon]
[Title: Skeleton Master]
[Vitality: 14,220/14,220]
[Unique Ability: Cursed Necromancer]
[Ranking: 4th]
[Grade: SS]
[Effects]
-You are a necromancer, a class that wields dead souls. You can subdue foes with terrifying evil spirits and deadly poisons. However, you are cursed.
-You can only summon skeletons.
No change in ranking.
No change in grade.
Still SS-grade.
Only the title had changed.
[As you become the 'Skeleton Master,' the unique abilities of your skeletons will change.]
[The ten skeletons you lead.]
[Those who serve the 'Skeleton Master' are qualified for the title one step below: 'Skeleton Emperor.']
['Bone 1's unique ability changes to 'Skeleton Emperor.']
['Sun Spear's unique ability changes to 'Skeleton Emperor.']
....
['Yui-sa Stormtree's unique ability changes to 'Skeleton Emperor.']
['Bone 10's unique ability changes to 'Skeleton Emperor.']
Finally, all my subordinates had become 'Skeleton Emperors.'
Even Bone One and Bone Twelve, who hadn't awakened yet.
"Ahh, my lord...!"
"I can feel it. The power has changed so much...!"
"Something's different. My vitality flows differently now. So naturally. It responds like flowing water the moment I will it. It was like that before... but now even more so!"
The awakened subordinates wore expressions of ecstasy.
The change in title.
It was a small difference, but the impact was huge.
And most importantly.
"Professor, now... you should be able to summon even more skeletons."
Arin's voice came from behind me.
I nodded.
That was probably the biggest change, right?
Skeleton summons follow titles, not grades.
In other words.
An 'Emperor' can summon 10 'Kings.'
A 'King' can summon 10 'Lords.'
A 'Lord' can summon 10 'Knights.'
A 'Knight' can summon 10 'Great Skeletons.'
A 'Great Skeleton' can summon 10 'Balanced Skeletons.'
So, simply put.
One Arin could summon:
10 Kings.
100 Lords.
1,000 Knights.
10,000 Great Skeletons.
100,000 Balanced Skeletons.
A total of 111,110 undead.
'...That's kinda creepy.'
Then.
If I commanded from Bone One to Bone Twelve.
That would mean a total of 1,111,110 skeletons.
Whoosh!
I conjured my staff.
By tapping this staff with just 100 vitality, I could command over a million troops!
That was the power of the 'Skeleton Master.'
"Though, it's kinda weird to say this..."
I chuckled softly.
"But yeah, it's totally broken."
"I agree."
Arin grinned too.
But the changes didn't end there.
The system was sharp as ever, quickly spotting the inconsistency.
[Your 'Lord & King Summon' (SS-grade) skill transforms into 'Skeleton Emperor Summon' (SSS-grade).]
That made sense.
Since all ten of my subordinates were now 'Emperors.'
And then.
"Master."
Dana, who had been praying behind Arin and me, stood and approached.
"Yeah?"
I tilted my head.
A mystical light flowed from her body.
"I almost felt a bit jealous, but luckily... it looks like I got some results too."
"Dana too?"
"Yes. As your apostle, serving you... when you achieve something, I can achieve it too."
At that moment.
Flash!
The light shot straight up into the sky.
[Ding!]
[Congratulations.]
['Dana' has met the conditions.]
['Dana's grade has been upgraded to SSS-grade!]
['Dana's vitality increases by 500!]
['Dana's all stats increase by 20!]
Oh, for real?
Dana became a constellation too?
I'd been wondering why she hadn't gotten any results, but this was great.
Come to think of it, if I grow stronger and she gains power from it...
It's like how a god's apostle draws strength when their god grows.
But I'm only SS-grade?
"Hehe."
Arin covered her mouth and laughed beside me.
"You're not your average SS-grade, Professor."
Not average?
Ah.
That basic logic the elder always talked about?
"Yes, exactly."
Arin nodded.
"Assuming stacking 10 floors on a tower makes you constellation-grade, other people's towers are maybe 100 or 1,000 square feet at best."
Thwack!
Arin flicked her staff, visualizing her words.
Buildings sprouting up like growing sprouts.
"But."
Thwack!
Arin flicked her staff again.
"The building you're stacking, Professor, looks like this."
"...."
A massive building began rising before her.
It was a colossal structure, making the colorful blocks look like grains of sand.
Rumble...!
The sight of it filling the entire cave was both majestic and imposing.
"It's only three floors so far, but no 10-story building could ignore this structure."
Ahh.
As expected of my Arin.
How does she say such pretty things?
"You're the same, aren't you?"
"Heh."
Arin stuck out her tongue a bit.
Right.
Among the awakened subordinates, Arin was the only one who hadn't become a constellation yet.
By her logic.
She must be stacking a massive building too, so she's just running a bit late, right?
I savored the pointless pride swelling in me and looked around.
Everyone was.
Ecstatic about their achievements, basking in the afterglow of becoming constellations.
"Now."
I nodded.
"Time to head out, yeah?"
They'd all worked so hard.
I felt drained, but they must be mentally exhausted too.
We'd been running nonstop.
"Let's rest a bit first."
I stretched my back and tilted my head up.
Rumble...!
Then I turned toward the direction radiating immense energy.
Baek Mu-hyeon's true body or whatever.
Let's see how you handle a real fight.
* * *
"...."
Ghost Baek Mu-hyeon.
He stood far off, gazing down into the cave.
"As expected, training and a good meal are the best."
"Spirits are great. No humidity in this damp cave, and the breeze is nice and cool."
"How are the weapons Demir made? Usable?"
Lively chatter.
Skeletons enjoying their food.
"...."
Baek Mu-hyeon couldn't quite understand.
'Those guys.'
Aren't they essentially just 'bones'?
Already dead.
Unable to sleep or eat.
So how are they tasting and feeling things?
"Hello?"
A petite girl approached him.
A red-haired girl.
Eloise Arin.
"You're Bone Five...?"
"You recognized me right away. You remember us training with swords and staves?"
"Vaguely... I do."
In the grassy clearing.
Following their clueless master.
Swinging wooden swords and staves aimlessly.
Our past selves.
"You're wondering, right? Why they look so happy. So joyful."
"...."
Yes.
Arin had pierced right through his heart.
Right now, he was drowning in massive regret.
And it weighed heavy.
The wails of grudge spirits who lost or ruined their lives due to his clumsy greed.
That heavy resentment pressed down hard on his shoulders.
He thought becoming a ghost was his punishment.
The horrific scene when he returned to his world after slaughtering all the world's greatest.
That memory still haunted his nightmares.
"More than that."
Bone One was currently in ghost form.
Having forgotten all human sensations.
So he knew just how absurd this scene was.
"Why do they... seem so alive?"
"First off, the reason they can feel sensations like the living is 'Polymorph.'"
Arin was kind.
She patiently resolved Bone One's curiosities.
"...Dragon magic, right?"
"Yes. Cheat magic. It lets them feel all seven human emotions and lusts, even handles physiological needs."
That's why dragons could enjoy mortal pleasures via Polymorph.
Blending in perfectly as humans.
Eating, sleeping, even forming relationships.
One Polymorph satisfied all three great human desires.
"...."
All that.
Just by being with their lord?
Baek Mu-hyeon stared blankly at them.
It still hurt.
Tormenting him, making him want to kill that damned past self quickly.
Even the lord dragging out training time was agony.
Yet.
A stray thought began to take root in Bone One's heart.
'I want.'
To belong to them.
To be with them.
Not a dream of building himself by killing others.
But a dream of growing for someone else.
'But.'
First.
He had to clear out that damned incarnation of greed.
"Hoo."
Bone One sighed, gazing at his lord with faintly resolute eyes.
* * *
The cave was as silent as ever.
Drip, drip!
The sound of falling water was still refreshing.
"Are you prepared?"
The old man said.
We were currently.
Lined up before Baek Mu-hyeon's true body, sitting cross-legged.
"That damned bastard is still strong. Terrifyingly so."
Kang So-so said.
Especially Kang So-so's face—it lacked its usual venom compared to before.
She must've gotten a proper massage from the elder.
Some kind of mental reconditioning?
"Yes, whatever. We have to clash now. Can't train forever, right?"
When I spoke clearly, the elder nodded.
"Just a word of caution. Don't even think of asking for help. Got it?"
"Of course."
I nodded confidently.
The fact that the elder said that much.
Meant he knew I had at least a sliver of a chance, better than anyone.
The elder's 'one' was finding a suitable master of all arts.
If I died, he'd have to wander the nine heavens again for a disciple—he wouldn't push me to die irresponsibly.
"...."
I silently stared at the seated Baek Mu-hyeon.
Haseara was to my left.
The seven skeletons stood in a line behind.
I could tell at a glance.
This guy was insanely powerful.
And him not moving even now that we were this close.
'Means I'm still not worth him facing personally, huh?'
Tch.
Arrogant prick.
Thud!
I nudged the knee of the seated bastard with my foot.
"....?"
Baek Mu-hyeon's true body slowly opened his eyes and looked up at me.
His brow furrowed oddly.
Then he muttered.
"...You."
"You? Who talks back to their master like that, punk!"
Whoosh!
I wrapped my foot in God-Slaying-grade shoes.
And kicked his head like a soccer ball—bam!—sending it flying.