Chapter 5
Chapter 5
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 5
Chapter Title: Opportunities Are There to Be Seized: Status Window?
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It seemed that just like my own status, the skeletons' statuses were visible too.
Seeing is believing, after all.
I immediately looked at Bone 1 and shouted for the status window.
[Name: Bone 1]
[Vitality: 100/100]
[Unique Ability: Awakened Skeleton]
[Class: Swordsman]
[Rank: D]
[Strength: 23] [Agility: 19] [Vitality: 20] [Mana: 10] [Technique: 21]
[Possessed Skills]
- 'Basic Slash' (Lv. 2)
"Huh?"
An exclamation of admiration slipped from my mouth.
Honestly, it was deeply moving.
It had been three years since I'd last seen this guy's info.
His status looked just like that of a hunter.
He had vitality, a rank, and a unique ability.
The difference from a hunter, though...
Was the presence of stats like 'Strength', 'Agility', and 'Vitality'.
On top of that, there was a 'Class', and the possessed skills had levels attached.
I sequentially opened the status windows for the remaining four and took them in.
[Name: Bone 2]
[Vitality: 100/100]
[Unique Ability: Awakened Skeleton]
[Class: Spearman]
[Rank: D]
[Strength: 22] [Agility: 20] [Vitality: 19] [Mana: 11] [Technique: 20]
[Possessed Skills]
- 'Basic Thrust' (Lv. 2)
[Name: Bone 3]
[Vitality: 100/100]
[Unique Ability: Awakened Skeleton]
[Class: Archer]
[Rank: D]
[Strength: 17] [Agility: 23] [Vitality: 17] [Mana: 10] [Technique: 24]
[Possessed Skills]
- 'Basic Rapid Fire' (Lv. 2)
- 'Secure Field of View' (Lv. 2)
[Name: Bone 4]
[Vitality: 100/100]
[Unique Ability: Awakened Skeleton]
[Class: Shieldbearer]
[Rank: D]
[Strength: 10] [Agility: 10] [Vitality: 11] [Mana: 10] [Technique: 10]
[Possessed Skills]
- 'Basic Block' (Lv. 1)
- 'Basic Taunt' (Lv. 1)
[Name: Bone 5]
[Vitality: 100/100]
[Unique Ability: Awakened Skeleton]
[Class: Magician]
[Rank: D]
[Strength: 10] [Agility: 10] [Vitality: 10] [Mana: 11] [Technique: 10]
[Possessed Skills]
- 'Fireball' (Lv. 1)
- 'Air Shield' (Lv. 1)
"Wow......"
Bones 1 through 3 had their stats raised to some extent, probably thanks to the previous training.
Bones 4 and 5 seemed to only have their base stats since they'd only recently gotten weapons.
'Still, the three years of hard work weren't in vain.'
The results of my efforts so far were right there before my eyes.
For me, who'd felt trapped in pitch-black darkness, that fact alone was more than enough to move me.
'Now I just need to raise them comprehensively, right?'
My heart pounded.
The dream of forming my own small legion, just like other necromancers.
The desire to keep growing these guys beyond A-rank to S-rank.
It had taken one step closer to reality.
"Come on, you guys."
Clack?
The heads of the guys, who had been resting briefly, all turned toward me at once.
Their blankly gaping jawbones looked especially cute today.
"Let me ask one favor."
I put on a shameless expression and grinned.
"Since you've been summoned as my skeletons anyway."
There were six days left until the dungeon.
"Become the strongest skeletons in the world. You can do that, right?"
Clack clack!
The guys adorably clacked their teeth together.
A sign of agreement, probably?
Training began at once.
* * *
Time flew by quickly.
During that time, I had them use their newly discovered skills to their hearts' content.
Every time my vitality hit zero, theirs did too—always at 0 or 10.
I didn't slack on my own physical training either: jogging, push-ups, pull-ups, and so on.
Because nothing arms the mind quite like exercise.
And on the morning of the seventh day,
I headed to Gyeongui·Central Line's Paju Station, as guided by Team Leader Kim Joon-seo.
I'd packed my backpack generously with a sleeping bag and emergency rations.
'My role here is porter.'
In fact, no job suited porters as well as necromancer.
The training might have been for nothing, but I had five skeletons that could exert strength.
"Over here! All participating mercenaries! Please come this way and follow the guidance!"
"Yes, wait in front of the dungeon entrance! We'll all go in together soon!"
When I arrived, guild members from Blue were directing the hunters.
Dozens of mercenaries were already camped out, waiting.
Paju Station and the dungeon were quite close.
About 200 meters ahead, there was a dim aura.
And within it, a carved hole.
The typical appearance of a naturally formed dungeon.
"Haa, I'm tense......"
"Yeah, it really is a high-difficulty dungeon, huh."
The mercenaries muttered with grim faces.
"Right? The darker the color around the hole, the higher the chance it's a tough or complex dungeon."
"But hey, it's Blue. What could go wrong?"
"Ha, whatever. I just wanna finish quick and down some hot soup with soju......"
"Keu, sounds good!"
Great minds think alike.
Most of the mercenaries thought like Kim Joon-seo.
Safe, since it's with a major guild.
'Safe, my ass.'
But I thought differently.
There were countless dungeons in the world, and countless missing hunters.
How many sacrifices and deaths had followed in the glittering spotlight of the 'rankers'?
Especially an unexplored dungeon like this—no matter how big the guild, it could be dangerous.
Then why go in?
Because I didn't come to play it safe.
I was here betting my life on the danger.
To seize a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Even as a porter, my mindset was worlds apart from the other mercenaries.
"......"
How long had I been waiting silently, gripping my staff?
A faint breath tickled my ear.
"Excuse me, the one with the staff?"
Flinch!
My body jolted.
Goosebumps rose all over at once.
Because there was zero presence from the direction the voice came from.
Moreover.
"......?"
Not just presence—there was no form either.
Just a voice.
It was a young-sounding woman's voice, chilling and cold.
"Hmm, interesting. The aura I sense is D-rank? No, higher, but an E-rank badge. And a porter too? Who are you?"
"......"
I glanced at the E-rank white badge on my waist.
I'd awakened as D-rank but hadn't updated it yet, so officially E-rank.
No, more importantly.
"......May I ask who you are?"
I asked back, tense as hell.
Instinct told me.
The other person was at least an A-rank powerhouse—no, way above.
In this flipped world, the hunters you had to watch out for most were these kinds of powerhouses.
The ones who could perfectly hide their presence.
If one of them harbored malice and killed you without a trace, modern tech couldn't find you even in death.
So I tried to be as polite as possible.
But for some reason?
The voice grew even chillier.
"Well. Didn't I ask first? What's your game, hiding your skills and applying as a porter in our Blue Guild?"
"......?"
Huh, this person......
She seemed to have a huge misunderstanding for some reason.
I'd only awakened by chance a week ago.
And had been busy training since.
'Plus.'
She'd picked up on even these details?
As expected of a major guild?
Honestly, I couldn't understand. I felt wronged.
Blue was a place where A-rank hunters roamed—did it matter if I was D or E?
As I made a troubled face, the eerie voice came again.
"Hm? That aggrieved look makes you even more suspicious. A spy who's even trained in acting?"
"Yes......?"
What?
Spy?
"You underestimated Blue's intelligence network. Did you think I wouldn't know you're a spy sent by a rival guild?"
Swish!
With a faint sound of wind, the voice's owner appeared then.
Her appearance was simple.
Leather clothes suited for efficient combat, a light assassin's dagger, and neatly tied-up black hair.
No, beyond that.
'Crazy?'
I was stunned inwardly.
Because something was tied to her waist.
It shone so brightly it hurt my eyes, nearly blinding me.
A golden badge!
The dream of hunters, granted only to S-rank and above.
'That means.'
Only then did I realize who the voice belonged to.
Dark Emperor Gi So-yul.
One of Korea's 37 rankers.
The only younger sister of Blue Guild Master Ki Pa-rang.
And with her assassination unique ability, the last person you wanted to make an enemy of in the world.
Tremble tremble.
My body shook on its own.
Scary, sure.
But to actually talk to the 'ranker' I'd dreamed of!
"U-Um. Ranker-nim. There seems to be a misunderstanding......"
I quickly replied.
Even if it was a ranker I admired endlessly, facts were facts, right?
From the nearby mercenaries tilting their heads at my sudden voice,
I could tell her voice and figure were visible only to me.
But that didn't matter.
My personal safety was on the line.
"I'm definitely not a spy from a rival guild. I'm just a mere D-rank...... Blue's rivals are huge major guilds—would they even use a hunter like me?"
"Pfft!"
For a moment.
Gi So-yul let out a chuckle.
Then she spoke.
"Truth is, I was just testing you for fun, but your reaction's hilarious."
"......Yes?"
What?
I couldn't comprehend at all.
Why would someone of her stature play pranks on a nobody like me out of boredom?
Or maybe......
'She did some background check?'
Training skeletons like mad in the empty lot all night might've caught a ranker's eye.
Thump thump.
My heart raced wildly.
Whatever the circumstances.
A ranker showing interest was heavenly luck.
A godsend opportunity.
No room for hurt feelings over a prank.
My passion for 'rankers' was that genuine.
Plus, look at that smile.
Not a speck of hostility.
More like curiosity.
"If I was rude, sorry."
She was looking at me, bowing her head politely then.
"Sudden nosiness struck. You just seemed that intriguing."
"Yes?"
"A porter with an E-rank badge carrying the aura of at least five upper D-rank individuals."
Scratch scratch.
She scratched her cheek with her fingertip.
And said.
"Honestly, you reek of suspicion, right? Of course, not enough for Blue to care about, but still."
"Ah......"
I had nothing to say.
She had a point.
Should've updated at the association even if busy?
'No, more than that......'
She'd gauged my full power at a glance with aura detection?
For some reason, a chill ran down my spine.
The wall between me and a ranker felt so thick it inspired awe.
Catching my mood, Gi So-yul chuckled again.
"Truth is, my brother asked me to help the second scout team's expedition and find a porter. And here's a suspiciously perfect one?"
"Scout team......?"
I parroted back dumbly.
Scout team.
The temporary unit formed to scout the interior and clear the way before the main force entered, right?
As expected of Blue Guild.
Wondered why only second string for such a dangerous dungeon.
They'd deployed a ranker, huh.
Fair enough.
"How about it?"
That was when Gi So-yul stared straight into my eyes.
Her intense aura made my mind hazy.
"In case you're a potential spy, how about joining the scout team? It might be dangerous. But with your skills, you're the most capable porter. And you don't seem the type to panic and run."
"I-Is that so?"
"Yep. I have a good eye for people. Hmm, in exchange, I'll double your pay."
Whoa?
A dungeon run with a ranker?
And doubling the pay?
Double of ten times is twenty times.
Any reason to say no?
Truth be told, for me right now.
I'd join the scout team even without pay.
Afraid it'd slip away, I nodded vigorously.
Somehow.
The opportunity had come faster than expected.