The Legendary Necromancer
"...Ugh, I'm stuffed."
I rubbed my protruding belly. A smooth sensation met my fingertips. Now that I'd ended up in a little girl's body, my stomach had shrunk right along with everything else.
Normally I could've polished off a whole chicken and still downed a couple cans of cola without breaking a sweat. Today, just finishing one bird left me completely bloated — and even that had taken a serious investment of time. The slightest movement left me so heavy and queasy I couldn't help but sigh.
...Guess I can't go around bragging about eating a whole chicken anymore.
"Nngh..."
After giving my stuffed belly a few more rubs, I leaned back and slowly exhaled.
"...Finally feel alive again."
Sitting like this, it felt like I could finally breathe a little.
...That said, I'm getting pretty sleepy.
Maybe it was the full stomach. A mild food coma seemed to be creeping in.
...Not good.
I tried lifting my heavy eyelids several times, but they kept sliding shut. In the end, I had no choice but to surrender to my fading consciousness.
And so — nod, nod. My head drooped forward again and again without me realizing it. Then, the moment my neck jerked hard —
"Hup—!!"
I jolted awake with a start.
"Whoa, almost dozed off there."
Feeling the wetness at the corner of my mouth, I hurriedly wiped away the drool and slapped both cheeks with my hands to snap myself out of it.
"Get it together."
Honestly, I wanted nothing more than to just fall asleep right then and there. But there was still work left to do. Shaking off the remaining drowsiness with a toss of my head, I reached toward the leftover chicken bones.
"Rise."
Undead Summoning
A low hum resonated as the skill fired once more. Mana drained from me, and the same spectacle as before unfolded again. The scattered bones began interlocking, assembling into a single form.
Clack, clack-clack—
Already used to it after seeing it just once, huh.
Unlike the first time, there was no surprise. I simply watched the bones assemble in silence.
A short while later, once I'd confirmed Bone Chicken No. 2 was complete, I immediately checked its status window.
A being that should never have been able to rise, reconstructed as an undead under the influence of a higher power.
Shows blind loyalty to its master.
Same chicken bones, same undead — and yet the Bone Structure grades were different. Apparently Bone Structure followed an individual's personal quality more than its species.
Well, that tracks, I guess.
Having roughly figured out the reason, I nodded. Come to think of it, even among humans, some people had dense, solid bones while others suffered from osteoporosis. Of course the former's bones would be more valuable. There was no reason two of the same creature would automatically share the same Bone Structure grade.
Confirming that with chicken bones is pretty hilarious, though.
Anyway. If Bone Structure worked that way, Bone Potential was probably the same — individual differences were likely. Which meant hunting down the highest-grade bones possible was probably the way to go. Better to use high-grade bones efficiently than grind through low-grade ones out of stubbornness.
...Hmm.
Hard to say. I still didn't have enough information to be sure whether that judgment was right.
"Whatever."
Worrying about it now wouldn't change a thing. I swallowed back a rising burp and pushed myself to my feet.
That was when it happened.
Clack, clack-clack.
The sound of bones knocking together came from beside me. Turning toward the noise, I found Bone Chicken No. 1 and No. 2 ramming their ribcages into each other.
...What are they doing?
I tilted my head at the sudden spectacle. For reasons I couldn't begin to guess, the two of them seemed to be locked in a dominance contest. Watching closely, I could see No. 2 — the one with the slightly better Bone Structure — steadily pushing No. 1 back.
Because of the Bone Structure grade difference?
That much of a gap from a mere F versus F-. Apparently grade differences carried more weight than I'd thought.
I rubbed my chin, watching their little power struggle for who knew how long. By the time No. 2 had completely seized the upper hand —
"Okay."
I nodded and casually waved a hand, dismissing No. 2's summoning. The comparison had been enough. The moment the mana cut off, the bones making up No. 2 clattered straight to the floor in a heap. No. 1 tilted its nonexistent head at the sudden turn of events — which is to say, it cocked its neck to one side.
My reason for dismissing No. 2 wasn't complicated. I'd only raised it for comparison in the first place. There was no need to keep it around. No. 1, on the other hand, was different. Its Bone Structure grade might have been lower, but it was the first thrall I'd ever raised. I didn't feel any particular need to dismiss it.
And looking at it this long... it's kind of cute, honestly.
Bone Chicken No. 1 stood with one leg planted atop the collapsed pile of No. 2's bones, striking a vaguely triumphant pose. I propped my chin on my hand and quietly watched.
That was when —
Bzzzt-bzzzt-bzzzt—
My phone vibrated beside me.
...Who?
Nobody should have been calling me. Puzzled, I tilted my head and picked up the phone — and the moment I saw the caller ID, a cold sweat ran down my back.
"...Ah."
The reason was simple. I'd just remembered that I'd been no-showing my part-time job for three whole days.
I could only blink at the phone screen.
...What do I do.
Needless to say, I got fired on the spot.
No boss on earth was going to keep a part-timer who'd ghosted for three days straight. If one existed, that person would be the Buddha of our age.
The moment I picked up, the manager launched into a machine-gun rant without giving me so much as a second to speak —
"—Anyway, I already found someone else, so don't even think about showing up for work again!!"
—and hung up on that note.
Beep. Beep. Beep—
The dial tone droned from the phone. I could only stare blankly at the screen, rubbing my ringing ear.
"...I'm screwed."
I never imagined I'd lose my job overnight like this. The sudden unemployment left me feeling a little lost.
What am I supposed to do starting next month?
Rent, living expenses, and all the other money bleeding out on the side — there was a lot due next month alone. At this rate I was going to end up on the street.
"That hits a little close to the bone."
Should I break into my savings? I needed to figure out some way to survive the next month.
I was turning over one option after another when —
"Hm?"
Something hard bumped against my leg. Looking down, I found Bone Chicken No. 1 — well, with No. 2 gone, I supposed I should call it the original — rubbing itself against my calf.
Rattle, rattle.
Was it trying to cheer me up? I leaned down and gently stroked its ribcage. No head to pet, after all.
"Thanks."
Running my fingertips over those bumpy ribs for a while, I felt my heart settle a little.
"Yeah. Who needs a convenience store job anyway."
Maybe I'd been thinking too small this whole time. I'd awakened now. There was no reason to cling to a convenience store shift.
"Screw it. I'll just be a Hunter."
It wasn't exactly a click-of-a-button career so much as a clack-of-the-skull one — but an awakening was an awakening. At minimum, I'd be able to earn way more than I was now.
Who knows. Maybe I'll blow past every big-shot S-Class Hunter out there and become the greatest Hunter in the world.
It was an EX-rank class, after all!
I scooped the bone chicken up high.
"Alright, Bbyeochik! Let's do this!! We're gonna write a legend starting right here from this room!!"
For the record, Bbyeochik was the name I'd just given it. Calling it "bone chicken" forever felt a little awkward.
Anyway — as if answering my rallying cry, Bbyeochik flapped its wing bones with gusto. Every time those wing bones moved, the bones clacked together in a bright, cheerful rhythm.
Clack, clack—
"Yeah, you're rooting for me too, huh?"
Buoyed by Bbyeochik's support, I spun a full circle with it in my arms.
"Alright! While we're at it, should we go register as a Hunter right now?"
There's a saying about how once you've drawn your sword, you might as well cut something, right? I'd already been fired from the convenience store. Might as well go register as a Hunter while I was at it.
Next month's living expenses are already a problem — no point putting it off.
Decision made, I tucked Bbyeochik at my hip and started getting ready to head out. Register fast, then figure out a plan from there.
Lots to do.
If I wanted to start earning before it was too late, I needed to move quick. Holding Bbyeochik, I hurried around the house making preparations — and as a result —
"...Hmm."
—I ran into a problem.
Namely: I had nothing to wear. I could only rub my chin, staring at clothes several sizes too big for me.
"...What am I supposed to go out in?"
Apparently my grand plan had hit a snag right out of the gate.
Clack, clack—!