Episode 2
Episode 2
[Marching Necromancer] : Oh ho, what is this? A gallery? How fascinating.
└[Necro-aspirant] : This post smells like an old geezer. It reeks of mold.
└[Corpse Researcher] : You little shits, is this the first post? Reflect on yourselves.
└[No. 20] : Names are weird. Stupid. I am laughing.
"What the hell is this?"
Mysterious entities were posting messages right before my eyes.
Based on my deductions, they seemed to be dwellers from the realm of necromancers.
"Oh...."
It was quite fascinating.
In that case, should I try writing a post too?
[Nice to meet you, Necromancers, or Necros for short. I am the owner of this gallery. Come and pay your respects.]
└[Marching Necromancer] : Are you the owner of this so-called gallery? I can see your overwhelming status.....
└[Necro-aspirant] : Thank you! I was bored, so this is great!
└[Corpse Researcher] : Paying respects instead of corpses. I should try this 'respects' thing too....
└[No. 20] : Corpse Researcher is stupid. Respects are respects. Fool. I am laughing.
"Hmm..."
For now, those four people who posted the first messages and comments.
But the view count is in the hundreds.
It seems only the ones who want to talk are talking.
"But what is... 'trading'?"
My unique ability is the Trading Gallery.
Just by the name, it seemed like it was for trading.
I grabbed whatever was in front of me.
It was a can of cola.
I immediately put it into the gallery.
[Would you like to add Cola to the trading items?]
Since it's my ability, I should try using it.
"Yes."
At the same time as I accepted.
[Trading Item : 1 can of Cola]
Bidders : None.
-Bidding starts now.
└[Marching Necromancer] : Ho ho... Cola, is it? Must be a very precious item? Then how about this skill? It's a very good skill for beginners.
As soon as one person posted a comment and an item.
-Bid : [Marching Necromancer] - Corpse Control
Then, at the same time.
Others started to participate as well.
└[Necro-aspirant] : You senile old man! Thinking you can claim such a precious item with just that is a huge miscalculation!
-Bid : [Necro-aspirant] - Corpse Explosion
As soon as Necro-aspirant placed a bid, Marching Necromancer posted a comment as if mocking them.
└[Marching Necromancer] : Heh heh.... You still don't know anything. No matter how high your status is, you must build a solid foundation.
└[Necro-aspirant] : You old geezer #$%#$%
"Why are those two fighting again?"
For one thing, I know who the elder is.
That's not what's important.
"Trading items can be skills too?"
This was the most important thing.
That I can trade the item I listed for something they possess.
This was my greatest ability.
"This is fucking awesome!"
I can bring in techniques from other dimensions.
This was incredible technologia.
Because it means I can use an ability that others wouldn't even dream of.
"Nice."
First.
The number of people who jumped into the trade is two.
Marching Necro and Necro-aspirant.
It was these two.
Bidding isn't about the price going up the more you call it.
It seemed like I get to choose.
I could steer the trade in the direction I wanted.
"For now.... Corpse Explosion is good, but.... in my current situation, it's a bit..."
If I blow up the zombies outside right now, they'll all die.
Then what happens next?
Hearing the explosion, the zombies and the higher-tier variant zombies will gather.
Because those guys have sharp ears.
Anyway.
"Well, this seems decided."
I immediately chose Marching Necro's Corpse Control skill.
[Marching Necromancer] : Heh heh... As expected of the gallery owner's class. Indeed, the basics are important.
[Necro-aspirant] : The old man got lucky! It's only because the current situation doesn't call for Corpse Explosion!
I got goosebumps.
What Aspirant said was spot on.
I also wanted to use the attack skill, Corpse Explosion, but I couldn't use it because the situation wasn't right....
"For sure, those four are in a significant rank."
Otherwise, they wouldn't have noticed so quickly.
Well, anyway.
-Trade completed.
-Time remaining until trade cooldown : One week.
"Ah..."
As expected.
It seemed the trade itself was a skill.
Having a cooldown was quite significant.
But the duration is very long.
"A week...."
It feels long if you say it's long, and short if you say it's short.
"Let's check what I got first."
I opened the skill I obtained first.
[Skill Name] : Corpse Control Lv.1
[Controllable Count] : 2
[Cooldown] : 10 minutes
[Max Cost] : 2
"Wow...."
The skill was quite good.
I can control two corpses, and the cooldown is 10 minutes.
Furthermore.
"Cost, huh...."
Looking at the detailed explanation.
-The cost per normal zombie is 1. Variant zombies cost 2 or more.
"So it's either one variant zombie or two normal zombies. That's it."
It means I can't control anything with a cost of 3 or more.
"But how do I know the zombie's cost?"
This was the biggest drawback.
However.
The way to find this out was easy.
[I'm a Necromancer beginner. How do I see the cost?]
└[Necro-aspirant] : That's very easy! There's a number above the zombie's head!
"Oh ho."
Then?
I immediately stood in front of the drink display in one corner of the warehouse.
I can see zombies in front of the dusty display glass.
[Normal Zombie] - 1
[Normal Zombie] - 1
[Normal Zombie] - 1
...
..
And next to them.
[Variant Zombie] - 2
Just a while ago.
I can see the variant zombie that tried to attack me.
"Kwoar!"
"Kra...."
"Ugh..."
It was pushing other zombies around, wandering about.
"Look at that guy's personality."
I stepped back from the display.
I have a target.
"I think I can control that one."
If the cost is 2.
It means I can control that one.
Besides, before entering this warehouse.
Judging by its speed, it seems to be a unit with excellent mobility.
"Let's use it right away. Corpse Control."
I looked at the display again, looked at the variant zombie, and used the skill.
Then.
"Oh."
I felt like something was connecting.
At the same time.
Click....
It stopped like a robot waiting for a command.
"Is this how it works? Kill all the zombies around you."
Then.
"Kuaaaaa!"
The variant zombie started going crazy.
The 12 zombies inside the convenience store.
It started hunting them one by one.
"Keo..."
"Ueo..."
The normal zombies struggled as much as they could, but.
They fell one by one to the overwhelming strength of the variant zombie.
"Don't forget the head!"
As I gave an additional command.
"Keo!"
Crunch!
It was carefully crushing the heads of the zombies it had knocked down, one by one.
"Wow...."
This is what a summoner is.
It's fucking sweet.
I feel superior.
Others have to go through hell, getting covered in zombie blood to hunt them.
But for me, it's just a click of a summon.
"As expected of a Necromancer!"
A while later.
All the zombies were cleared out.
"Did you check well? Thoroughly?"
The variant zombie nods at the display glass.
It seems smart.
Anyway.
Screeeech....
I opened the iron door and stepped out.
Whoosh..
The smell of blood and rot rushes in.
"Ugh..."
But.
There was no time to stand still.
"Let's move for now."
If there's too much smell of blood, variant zombies might come looking after smelling it.
That must absolutely not happen.
Because at my current level, it's impossible to deal with multiple variant zombies.
I immediately packed all the food I could into my bag and carefully took the keys as well.
"Since I might be able to come back later."
After glancing at the inside of the convenience store, I stepped outside.
I found an apartment nearby.
An expensive apartment in Daejeon.
I was struggling on the first floor of that apartment.
"Hey! Lift it up properly!"
"Ueo...."
There were too many zombies at the main entrance.
So, I had to go around to the balcony side to enter.
As expected of an expensive apartment, breaking into the balcony wasn't easy.
"Hup!"
Tap!
As I jumped.
I finally entered the balcony.
"You come up too."
The variant zombie jumped in place and landed right next to me.
Looking ahead, there was a door attached to the balcony.
It seemed like the door to the master bedroom.
"I'll open it, so if there are zombies inside, kill them all. Got it?"
After commanding the variant zombie.
I opened the door.
And I heard the sound of the variant zombie, which had gone through the door, fighting.
But it didn't last long.
"Ueo!"
"You scared me!"
As if to say it was done, it suddenly poked its head through the door.
I couldn't help but be startled when such a face popped out.
"Move aside."
As I opened the door and stepped out.
A quite spacious living room appeared.
There was a photo of a middle-aged couple, who seemed to be the homeowners, and their children smiling in one corner.
The number of zombies also matched perfectly.
It seemed like a case where they were protecting an infected person and eventually the whole family got infected.
"I hope you went to a better place...."
After paying my respects.
I buried myself in the sofa in the living room.
"Haa....."
A new hideout.
Meanwhile.
A post had been uploaded to the gallery.
[Marching Necromancer] : This thing called Cola! It's truly amazing! The refreshing sensation and the subtle, tangy scent that spreads! It's almost a pity to have eaten it for just one skill!
└[Necro-aspirant] : The old man is really crossing the line! Hurry up and give me what's left!
└[Corpse Researcher] : Wait, I just came back from researching corpses, what's going on? What did you do?
└[No. 20] : I cannot eat. I envy the old man. I am crying with Aspirant....
└[Necro-aspirant] : You'd better shut up, test subject!
└[Marching Necromancer] : Unfortunately, I've eaten it all. Heh heh.
└[Necro-aspirant] : Kyaaaaa!
Aspirant was turning to the dark side.