Chapter 30
Chapter 30
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: Raise Skeleton
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Raise Skeleton.
The most basic necromancer spell, one that literally raises a skeleton. Unlike other magic, it could only be used with a 'Dark Circle'.
Fortunately, Se-woon had formed his second mana circle using the Black Tower's training method from the recent cave.
Black mana flowed from Se-woon's hand, seeping into the boar carcass that had been stripped of flesh, leaving only bones.
Crunch!
The bones, hacked apart when the meat was stripped, began to twitch and pull toward each other. Vertebrae clicked into place one by one, legs attaching seamlessly to the pelvis.
"Kyaa!"
"W-what is that?!"
The people around Se-woon, who had been deboning meat, couldn't help but freak out.
Bones moving on their own.
It was something straight out of a movie back on Earth—beyond common sense.
Some even mistook it for a monster appearing and frantically drew their weapons.
Rumble!
Meanwhile, the bones infused with dark energy reassembled completely.
The skull, lying apart in the corner, scraped across the ground and locked into place.
"Rise."
Crack!
"What the hell is that?!"
"D-did you do that?!"
The boar's skeleton straightened its knees and stood up.
It had been one of the larger boars, so even without flesh or hide, it was impressively massive.
Flash!
A red glow leaked from the pitch-black sockets of the skull.
As Se-woon didn't respond, the people's wariness intensified.
At that moment.
Thud.
"What in the world is happening...?"
"Is that magic too?"
"Well, this place doesn't follow normal rules anyway..."
The boar—no, now a 'Boar Skeleton'—knelt before Se-woon and bowed its head.
A posture of utter submission.
Se-woon stroked its forehead, granting permission for obedience.
'This one should be enough.'
The necromancer's most basic summon: a skeleton.
Weaker in strength and defense than a zombie, but since boars were powerful monsters to begin with, this skeleton could still pull a cart.
Besides, undead like skeletons had one huge advantage.
Stamina.
As long as mana was supplied, undead never tired. For pulling a cart all day, they were far better than tamed monsters.
'Still, just in case.'
Se-woon raised his hand again.
There was more luggage on the village outskirts than he'd expected—one cart wouldn't hold it all.
In that case.
"Rise."
Rumble!
He just needed to summon another skeleton.
Just like the first, the boar's bones assembled at Se-woon's command and stood.
Soon, two skeletons flanked Se-woon, heads bowed.
'This is the limit.'
A necromancer could summon about two skeletons per circle. With two circles, Se-woon could maintain four human skeletons total.
But the limit varied by target.
He could handle four normal humans, but powerful boars were limited to two.
"Eek!"
Turning at the sound of gasps, Se-woon saw the skeletons' heads turn with him.
A nearby man inhaled sharply and stumbled back.
'Of course that's normal.'
A corpse coming alive—nobody would take that lightly.
But these skeletons would pull the twin sisters' cart right beside everyone.
So he needed to prove they were safe.
"They're harmless, so no need to worry."
"R-really?"
"You can even touch them."
"I-I'm fine..."
"Mind if I touch it then?"
Yoo Seo-ah pushed through the crowd. She'd been prepping food with the camp folks.
She strode forward confidently and stood before the kneeling skeleton beside Se-woon.
'She's nervous.'
She hid it well, but Se-woon noticed her slight tremor.
Even acting bold, she was just a regular person freshly dropped into the tower. Fear was natural.
Yet she'd stepped up, probably understanding Se-woon's intent.
"Eep!"
"Grk—"
A tiny yelp escaped her, audible only to Se-woon.
As her hand touched it, the skeleton lightly rose.
Anyone else might have recoiled, but she turned away—out of others' sight—and squeezed her eyes shut, enduring.
Moments later.
"Grk, grrrk—"
The skeleton nuzzled her hand affectionately.
Realizing it, Yoo Seo-ah's eyes widened in wonder. She now stroked the skull with both hands.
"Wow, it's like a pet!"
"R-really?"
"Me too then..."
"Can I touch it?"
"Amazing!"
Her approval melted away the crowd's anxiety.
Se-woon nodded, and the curious approached to pet the skeletons.
Of course, its earlier movements were at Se-woon's command. Skeletons didn't twitch without orders.
Thanks to Se-woon's quick thinking and Yoo Seo-ah's help, fears vanished like magic.
Soon after, two girls dashed over—probably hearing the rumors.
"Whoaaa! It's real! Skeletons standing!"
"Oppa, these are for our cart, right?"
"They look strong! We could make the cart bigger!"
"I claim this one!"
"Then this one's mine!"
"Sis, wanna race? Whose cart goes faster?"
"You're on! Mine's cuter, so it'll win!"
"The maker relying on the user instead of her work? I'll win with mine!"
"H-hey! I'll race with mine too!"
The twins climbing the skeletons brought smiles to everyone's faces.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Darkness fell over the camp.
The final wave had ended just before sunset, so they'd decided to move out tomorrow.
Exhausted from preparations, everyone turned in early.
'Well made.'
Before bed, Se-woon laid out a leather sleeping bag from the villagers.
He usually slept using his wolf cloak as a blanket, but this purpose-built one was superior.
Perfect fit, soft feel. The fluffy fur blocked the chill night air.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Constellation 'Hungry Prince' pats its bloated belly contentedly and lets out a satisfied breath. This being their last meal here, Se-woon had put some effort into treating Beelzebub.
He'd incinerated the 'Red Claw, Yashuk' from the final wave—plus other red monkeys he'd slain—with magic, then used Authority of Gluttony.
His Agility and Intelligence soared, and Beelzebub was fully sated—no whining for a while.
'Tutorial's second stage...'
Se-woon recalled his past life.
Barely surviving, lost in despair amid hopeless folks, dragged into the journey half-forced.
'Would dying here have been better?'
He remembered abandoning the camp littered with corpses, thinking that.
'The past is the past.'
Se-woon shook his head briefly and reviewed future plans.
Second-stage pitfalls, hidden pieces to find. Tutorial chances were one-shot—miss them, and they're gone.
Only when the gleaming crescent moon hung directly overhead did Se-woon finish.
As he drifted off.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Constellation 'Raven with Bowed Head' points its beak at you. 'Hm?'
A message from the Greed Demon God, Mammon.
Unlike the ever-drooling Beelzebub, Mammon was usually quiet—naturally intriguing.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Constellation 'Raven with Bowed Head' points greedily at your sword. 'So that's it.'
Durandal, the legendary sword found as a hidden piece in the Forgotten Hero's Training Ground.
Of course the Greed Demon God would be interested. It had shown major attention when he drew it in the cave.
However.
'Even a demon god can't interfere freely with players.'
He couldn't just take it.
Constellations atop the tower couldn't meddle with lower-floor players by default.
Interfering twisted causality, wounding their own rank severely. That's why many used followers to exert influence below.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Constellation 'Raven with Bowed Head' authoritatively murmurs for you to offer your treasured sword. "Why should I?"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Constellation 'Raven with Bowed Head' scowls, talons flexing. Se-woon's attitude was utterly different from his first encounter with Mammon.
Bold.
Unfazed even before a high-ranking demon god among constellations.
There was solid reason, of course.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Constellation 'Raven with Bowed Head' warns that if you defy its command, it will revoke your Treasure Vault access. "Go ahead, try it."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Constellation 'Raven with Bowed Head''s beak trembles. He hadn't realized at first, but after using over twenty treasures, Se-woon figured it out.
The nature of the authority he wielded.
'The Treasure Vault I'm using isn't connected to Mammon's real one now.'
That was his conclusion.
He'd thought Mammon just allowed it out of curiosity, but no.
Mammon couldn't block it because he never controlled it to begin with.
Se-woon realized this from the authority's traits.
'Why it could only draw power, not the actual items.'
The vault he used was from his past life's Mammon. Upon regression, it lost form, leaving only inherent power absorbed as authority.
That was why he could face Mammon's threats so boldly.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Constellation 'Raven with Bowed Head' spreads its wings threateningly at your arrogance. Still, antagonizing Mammon wasn't ideal.
His camp already had many demon kings eyeing people, forming contracts.
If Mammon ordered withdrawal, even the 72 Demon Kings couldn't defy a Demon God.
So Se-woon pulled out his prepared counter—post-Durandal plan.
"I'm not refusing. But Durandal is my strongest weapon right now."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Constellation 'Raven with Bowed Head' folds its wings and listens. "I know the Demon God can mimic item powers."
Most Treasure Vault items were such 'replicas'.
So.
"I'll lend you my Durandal while you replicate it."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Constellation 'Raven with Bowed Head' nods, regretting a bit but seeing value in adding to its collection. "In exchange."
Now the real deal.
What Se-woon wanted for lending Durandal.
Namely.
"Open your 'real vault' to me."
Access to the current Mammon's true Treasure Vault of Greed.