Chapter 145
Chapter 145
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 145
Chapter Title: The Rival Necromancer
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Lee Yanghun stood in a pose like he’d lunge at me any second and spoke.
“The bastard who gave me your info is a guy named Gotty.”
“……”
“Not much of a reaction, huh? I figured you’d be at least a little surprised.”
I was surprised.
That Gotty, who’d partied with me for so long, had spilled details about me to this punk.
But it wasn’t some massive bombshell worth showing on my face.
It’d have to be on the level of Chakan i being Jo Younggi for me to really freak out.
“So, where’s Gotty?”
“He’s in here right now. Why don’t you try finding him?”
“……”
I glanced around. If Gotty was really here, he’d stick to the shadows like any proper assassin.
Focusing my senses, I picked up on a few presences inside.
At most three.
At least two.
A massive aura clustered in one spot was throwing me off.
Couldn’t tell if it was one person or two.
“That swordmaster geezer’s here too, huh.”
“…… Bingo.”
“The one behind that Mary statue. You Gotty?”
Lee Yanghun answered me with a look of astonishment.
“A necromancer who can sense auras?”
“Basic stuff. No matter what class I picked, I could do this much.”
“…… Without a skill?”
“Naturally. Not something a mid-tier ranker like you could pull off, though.”
My words must’ve cracked him up, because the guy behind the statue let out a huge laugh.
-Puhaha!
Lee Yanghun shot a displeased glance that way. The hissing sound through his teeth suggested he wasn’t thrilled.
“Anyway, Gotty. Your turn to come out.”
I stared intently at the statue, holding my breath.
Jeongwoo scratched his head, clearly not buying the guy’s story.
Gotty was the top assassin player around, the absolute best.
And he’d been our frontline guy in the group, so teaming up out of nowhere with Lee Yanghun? No way he’d believe it.
‘…… I see it differently, though.’
“Lee Yanghun, you’re going back on our deal.”
A deep, middle-aged baritone echoed out.
He was hiding on purpose, like he had something to conceal. If it really was Gotty, I’d welcome him with open arms.
Why pull a stunt like this?
“Lee Yanghun, is that guy behind you really Gotty?”
“…… Yeah. Gotty! Why aren’t you coming out!”
The aura my senses had locked onto started shrinking. Like smoke dissipating into nothing.
Silence fell.
Lee Yanghun backed away with a dumbfounded expression. When he reached the statue, his eyes went wide.
“…… W-What the hell!”
I sighed at him.
“Gone, huh?”
“This bastard went where….”
“Sigh. Lee Yanghun, did you break your promise with him or something?”
“……”
“You don’t know Gotty well enough, that’s for sure. He hates it when plans go off the rails.”
“…… That damn bastard.”
I spun my scythe lazily as I approached Lee Yanghun. He raised his dagger, aiming it at me.
As the distance closed, a white-haired old man revealed himself from not far off.
The swordsmanship master I’d faced before.
Jeongwoo spotted him and broke into a bright smile.
“Finally, we meet.”
The showdown lines fell into place naturally. Lee Yanghun kept glancing north toward the cathedral entrance before speaking to me.
“Just the two of you?”
“…… And?”
“Brave. You know what my class is, but no summons?”
“You’re the one without any summons in sight.”
“…… Obviously. Place is too cramped.”
Kwang!
The north door burst open, and Lee Yanghun’s summons started pouring in.
Cheok Jun-kyung led the pack, followed by various undead monsters lumbering inside. No standouts, given how his leveling had stalled.
None of them were a match for me.
Not a hint of tension from my end.
Lee Yanghun, on the other hand, flashed a sleazy grin like he was fully prepped.
“Kehehehaha! Idiot. This is gonna be your grave.”
Third-rate villain dialogue.
I shook my head at him.
“Sigh. This is the best you’ve got to throw at me?”
Snap!
I flicked my fingers and triggered Recall. All my summons materialized inside the cathedral.
So many that this massive space felt cramped.
Lee Yanghun gawked at my forces, panic setting in. Too many to block with curses.
“Lee Yanghun, time to show you what a real necromancer looks like.”
* * * * *
It didn’t take long to crush Lee Yanghun and his summons. Outside of Cheok Jun-kyung, nothing worth noting in his lineup.
Everyone else was down, leaving just Lee Yanghun and Cheok Jun-kyung. Even the swordmaster boasting one-man-army strength crumbled before my overwhelming power.
No need for a swarm of summons.
The level gap between me and Lee Yanghun was double. His minions reflected that disparity.
Park Gyuhwan alone could handle Cheok Jun-kyung.
“Master, shall I finish him?”
Park Gyuhwan’s blade hovered at the fallen Cheok Jun-kyung’s throat.
I held up my palm to pause, then asked Lee Yanghun,
“Lee Yanghun, wanna live?”
“……”
“Then how about dropping all those plans to quit this game?”
Lee Yanghun’s forehead bulged with veins at my offer.
“You know my plan?”
“Heard it from Hanjo.”
“…… Hanjo spilled my plan?”
“Yep. Just like Gotty told you about me.”
Thud.
Jeongwoo tossed the battered white-haired old man at Lee Yanghun’s feet. The power gap was insane—he’d beaten him barehanded.
Game’s all about gear and levels, as expected.
The old guy was no ordinary joe, but I hadn’t anticipated this much of a difference.
“Kim Cheonjae. Just kill the bastard. Why bother talking?”
I whispered to Jeongwoo, low enough for only him to hear.
“Wait. He’s still useful.”
“That punk?”
“…… Yeah.”
Lee Yanghun grimaced at the white-haired old man. His eyes screamed “useless geezer.”
“Useless geezer.”
Spot on.
“Lee Yanghun, how many players have you killed so far?”
“…… No idea.”
“No idea?”
“Yeah. You think I counted them one by one while grabbing them?”
“Then what about your plan to kill every player and win the game?”
“…… You really do know.”
“Told you.”
Lee Yanghun’s escape plan from the game.
Kill all players and become the last one standing. Doesn’t matter the story—as long as you’re the final survivor.
That was his strategy. No clue who’d end up last, but it’s a surefire way out of here.
The devs said the Last Game’s winner is the sole survivor left.
‘But….’
He’s on a collision course with me, so I have to stop him now.
I need tons of players to clear the game the normal way,
While he’s trimming numbers for his twisted win condition.
One of us has to go.
A game can’t have two endings.
“Lee Yanghun, besides the ruined village, got minions stationed elsewhere?”
“……”
“All villages nearby have your crew waiting, right? Newbies get processed here, grown ones hunted with plans in place.”
Lee Yanghun listened silently, then gripped his dagger. No more talk needed.
“You’re coming at me? You know you can’t win.”
“…… Still a pain in the ass like always.”
“Like always?”
“Whatever. Let’s end this.”
He stepped back, ready to fight. Knowing he’s outmatched, where’s that confidence from?
I crooked my index finger.
“Come on.”
Tadak! He kicked off the ground and charged. He knew the level gap well. Must have some secret weapon to bridge it.
Not a summon—something else.
Has to be.
He’d pulled the same crap trying to fight me before.
Shk—
I dodged his dagger, keeping distance.
My longer scythe was great for attacks, but a miss left me open, so no wild swings.
Swish—Kikikig!
His dagger grazed my armor. I countered with a kick to his chest.
Puk!
We both reeled back.
Movement speed way above his level.
Sharing stats with Cheok Jun-kyung?
I share with Park Gyuhwan too, but not at that level.
“Not bad.”
“……”
He smirked faintly and came at me again.
Dodging, I thought it over.
Sure, solid physical stats for a necromancer, but way short against me.
So why’s he pushing so hard?
‘…… Ah!’
I swung my scythe wide, slicing air. Lee Yanghun ducked low, charging my gut.
Not with the dagger—with his palm.
“Got you!”
Pak.
I dropped the scythe and grabbed both his wrists. Lee Yanghun thrashed in stunned panic.
“Y-You bastard!”
“So the dagger was just a feint, huh.”
“Let go!”
“As if. I know exactly what you’re up to.”
Jeongwoo, watching the fight while picking his nose, piped up.
“Hey—Genius, what’s going on.”
I grinned and showed him Lee Yanghun’s left palm. A massive eye drawn there.
The ace weapon from Faust, the primeval necromancer.
[‘Poison of the Underworld’]
A vile art that gathers the resentful souls of those who died unjustly to curse foes.
In this game, player souls as main ingredient make it insanely OP, so it’s banned. Never thought he’d prepped it.
‘Figures….’
No wonder the confidence even now.
I crushed his wrists hard, putting full strength into snapping them.
He groaned, face twisting.
“Aaagh!”
“Nice try. If it weren’t me, it’d have caught you off guard.”
“Kuuk…. Kim Cheonjae….”
The recovered white-haired old man sprang up and lunged at me. Ma Jeongwoo swung his axe, severing the geezer’s upper and lower halves.
Kwajik!
Cheok Jun-kyung, Lee Yanghun’s loyalist, tried moving to save his master—
Shk—
Park Gyuhwan’s sword took his head.
All in one second, or less.
“Lee Yanghun, your turn to vanish.”
I forced his arm to bend, stabbing himself with his own dagger.
Kwajik.
Thus ended the trash who called himself my rival.
Ding!
[Acquired title ‘Execution of the Vicious Man!’]
[Summon level +1 increase!]
[Summon level ‘12’ achieved]
[Subordinates’ attack power, defense, and health slightly increased.]