The Goblin Vault's Shadowed Loot
Byron City, the midway hub linking Clover Village, lay ahead. Three figures walked south through its forest.
“Is this really the hidden goblin treasure dungeon?” one asked, voice full of doubt.
“I’ve been played for a fool,” the front warrior grumbled back.
The hidden information about the mysterious goblin dungeon had turned the warrior user’s certainty into iron will from the very first document he found.
‘The warehouse where goblins piled up their stolen treasures!’
The scattered records of goblin tribe movements had only strengthened his belief.
After completing several linked quests, the final clue had finally come.
If he could conquer this place properly, all his past hardships would be rewarded.
That was when it happened.
“Smoke’s rising over there, right?”
“Yeah… looks like it.”
“But something feels off. The burned smell too, and it already looks finished.”
“…”
Was it still a battle?
The warrior’s steps quickened.
The other two followed right behind.
When they finally reached the goblin dungeon, the sight hit them hard.
“No way… what happened?”
“It’s all cleaned out.”
Smoke, ash, and goblin corpses filled the entrance.
“What the hell…?”
“G-Goblin Knights…”
“Insane… even the Goblin Shamans are dead.”
Ordinary goblins and elite ones alike lay in heaps.
The users scanning the area quickly pieced together what had occurred.
“Whoever did this really knew how to hunt.”
Torch stakes had been driven into the cave mouth in advance.
Burning kindling had lured the goblins out.
Then each one that charged out was picked off one by one.
“Did some hunter NPC run a forced hunt?”
“They swept everything clean. This is one experience I’ll never get.”
Exhausted party members groaned among themselves.
Fafnir’s eyes reached the depths of the cave.
“Ah.”
The goblin treasure warehouse.
The place he had spent months gathering information on stood completely empty.
***
-15 Gold, 6 Silver, 80 Copper acquired.
-Ruby Ring acquired.
-Plate Mail acquired.
Fafnir’s lips curved into a smile as he scrolled through the notification history.
‘That’s exactly it.’
The goblin treasure warehouse held countless items.
Most were junk, but occasionally a bit of gold or a rare piece of equipment would appear.
‘The best one among them is this.’
【Black Amulet】
- Grade: Rare
- Effect: None
- Description: A protective amulet flickering with dark power
In the original novel, Flush would stash it away in some corner of his inventory.
But Fafnir, having read the novel, already knew its true nature.
‘When used, it summons a powerful boss monster right where it stands.’
Boss monsters usually lurked deep in dungeons or fields, accompanied by many elite minions.
This item simply let you drag one out for a one-on-one fight.
It even dropped experience and items just like the real thing.
It could also be used to sow chaos in enemy lines.
Its potential uses were limitless depending on how it was employed.
‘Joker cards like this are only better in greater numbers.’
Level rose by 3.
The profit from the dungeon was all accounted for.
“Good.”
While he organized his thoughts, they reached the south gate of Byron City.
Handing over the adventurer’s mark, Fafnir walked straight inside.
His destination was the Hall of Professions, the massive neutral temple found in every city.
“You must be a new adventurer, young man.”
Inside the vast hall, beyond the hearth fire, the priestess looked at him.
“That’s right.”
“Your class will be the most important element in how you live in this world. Once chosen, it can never be changed. Choose carefully.”
“Of course, I won’t be able to help you with anything.”
The priestess snapped her fingers.
“These are the possible future forms you can choose.”
【Class Selection】
- Class is the most important factor determining how you will live in this world. Once chosen, it cannot be changed. Choose with care.
【Available Class List】
【Combat Classes】
- Warrior
- Berserker
- Mage
…… (further down)
【Production Classes】
- Blacksmith
- Farmer
- Sculptor
The status window displayed a long list of jobs, each with a rendered image of the character in that class.
- Slash!
- Follow me!
The warrior section showed a great swordsman dominating the battlefield with sweeping blows.
- Gah!
- I-It’s the death god! The death god… evil!
The thief section depicted an assassin who brings death to kings.
- Legendary item crafted!
- I-Impossible…!
- Finished…!
The blacksmith section showed a blacksmith who beat dwarves.
At the same time, the priestess scanned Fafnir from head to toe.
“You… have a fairly sturdy body. And your intelligence and wisdom are quite high…”
Confusion crossed the priestess’s face beneath her hood.
No recommended job matched his stats, so confusion had set in.
“Hmm… you have aptitude in any direction you go.”
The priestess began to hesitate.
Or not. Fafnir simply moved his cursor toward the notification window.
‘I was thinking mage earlier. Now I can choose freely.’
A class that would shine in both large-scale battles and boss fights.
For major achievements, it had to be this one.
That was when it happened.
‘That one…’
Just as he was about to select mage, a single class froze his cursor.
- Necromancer
A class that wields destructive dark magic.
He touched the screen and a description appeared.
- Abyss Swamp
- Demon Trap
- Dark Matter
Hundreds of paladins appeared, levels in the hundreds, sinking into the black swamp and then being torn apart by an explosion.
‘Amazing.’
Fafnir felt pure admiration.
The master of black magic, summoned by dark mana.
With many restrictions attached…
Free damage.
Power with no interference could deal more damage than a mage.
‘Now that I think about it, Oh Jinhwan in the original novel also picked this class.’
Looking at character aptitude, this class was the right choice.
‘Not bad, but…’
Oh Jinhwan was an early-to-mid villain.
But his potential and skills were definitely strong.
If the late-game villains led major organizations, Oh Jinhwan would have been the final villain threatening Flush with raw personal power.
And that villain’s class was indeed Necromancer.
However…
‘What I’m aiming for is the peak.’
Fafnir’s eyes sharpened.
‘Analysis shows my control works fine here too.’
Of course, the conclusion wasn’t based on just a few hours of experience.
Even watching famous named-player videos showed players one step below him.
‘No matter the class, one-on-one fights will not be won without cheats like invincibility or immortality.’
That was clear.
So he had to pick a class that excelled in outnumbered battles.
‘And one that also gave good farming and growth speed…’
Then this class was the only option.
Fafnir placed a finger on one class in the list and declared,
“I’ll go with this.”
“This is…”
The priestess looked surprised at the class he chose.
“I never expected this. Are you certain you want to select Necromancer?”
“Yes.”
“Understood. Then right away.”
The priestess waved her hand. Black aura swirled around Fafnir.
While darkness enveloped everything, a notification appeared along with the priestess’s voice.
“From now on, you are…”
***
“Newcomer, huh. Pick something.”
The Necromancer Guild’s back alleys in Byron City.
An old NPC assembling rat bones offered a stack of books.
“Three are free service. The rest cost money.”
【Skeleton Soldier Summon】
【Dark Ritual】
【Elite Skeleton Soldier Summon】
【Dark Energy Ball】
【Curse】
【Dark Heal】
…… (further down)
【Mud Golem Summon】
【Monster Summon】
【Skeleton Mastery】
【Golem Mastery】
Fafnir thought,
‘These are the basic skills of a Necromancer.’
The job he had chosen was Necromancer!
A mage class that commanded countless skeleton soldiers.
‘Hmm.’
As he scanned the list, Fafnir thought,
‘…It really is a non-mainstream class.’
In Horizon, Necromancer was a non-mainstream job.
Not even tier 2 or 3.
If you joined a party, you’d be kicked out immediately. Effectively an untouchable!
‘Necromancers don’t fight directly, they just command skeletons, so that’s how it is.’
The backbone of Necromancers was, of course, the skeleton soldiers.
But summoning them required finding corpses every time.
And the summoned skeletons weren’t even strong.
Their level matched the Necromancer, but lacking intelligence meant complex instructions and combos had to be avoided.
It was like thinking of computer-game AI.
That was why Necromancers had to use skeleton soldiers as shields and cast curses.
Armed with various skills and items.
Especially against tier-1 users who moved with terrifying speed.
‘So it’s no surprise they’re non-mainstream… but…’
Fafnir’s thinking took a different path.
‘That’s exactly why only a Necromancer can reach the peak.’
Horizon’s world was unfair.
Because it was so close to reality, the weight of one’s rank was equally heavy.
Even if you placed number one, you wouldn’t stand a chance against ten or twenty rankers.
Breaking through the front line alone or racking up kills like Wu Shao couldn’t be done by any class.
But what if a Necromancer entered the battlefield?
‘The class that grows stronger the more numbers it has is the only one among all classes.’
Kim Ganghan’s analytical power from Dragon World!
He made his decision without hesitation and chose Necromancer.
And that was the result before him.
“I can’t decide what to pick.”
While Fafnir was hesitating, the middle-aged NPC arranging rat bones asked,
“Then try using Skeleton Summon, Dark Ritual, and Dark Energy Ball.”
The job NPC’s skill recommendation.
The best suggestion after synthesizing countless data.
It was also exactly the way ordinary Necromancer users operated.
However…
“I’ll go with these.”
The old NPC’s eyes widened at the skills Fafnir chose.
“For real?”
“Yes.”
“…”
He studied Fafnir’s face for a moment.
“You don’t seem crazy, but maybe think it over again?”
“It’s fine.”
“I should warn you first, Elite Skeletons aren’t easy to make. If you don’t have any plans…”
Despite several rounds of persuasion, Fafnir remained firm.
In the end, the old NPC clicked his tongue and handed over the skill book.
“What a shame. Thinking a junior would disappear so quickly after so long…”
“Then let’s make a bet.”
“A bet?”
The old Necromancer who had released the rat skeleton grinned.
“Yes, if I grow well over the next month, give me one usable skill. In exchange, if I’m no good…”
“Become my disciple. I was short on workers for digging anyway.”
“Well… deal.”
【New Quest Generated】
- Prove Your Growth
- Goal: Reach level 30 in 15 days (17/30)
- Remaining Time: 15 days
- Reward: Experience, random Magic-grade Necromancer skill
*Failure: Serve Guld as a laborer for 6 game months.
“I’ll give you the shovel, kuhuhuhu.”
The old NPC, Guld, said this laughing, then paused.
It was because Fafnir had already left without looking back after obtaining the skill.
‘I have the skills now.’
Fafnir emerged onto the city square and thought,
‘Then I should start making Elite Skeletons.’
# I Became a Necromancer Villain in a Game Novel
***