Death Warriors Unleashed
During the two months I spent shuttling back and forth between the Death Blacksmith and Blacksmith Street, the world couldn’t possibly have changed that much… right?
Aside from my knight looking a little wilted, it was the same old world as always.
“It’s a shame we couldn’t row when the tide came in.”
President Baek smacked his lips with a dissatisfied chep.
“Minister of the Interior? Are you telling my lord to become a jester?”
“Oh my. I didn’t take you for that type. How disappointing.”
Haaah.
Wasn’t “Minister of the Interior” just for internal use?
President Baek blinked at Sir Isra’s words, then let out a bright “Ha!” and laughed heartily.
“An honor. To be called Minister of the Interior.”
“Our kids aren’t exactly silver-tongued. I’d appreciate a little understanding.”
“It’s fine. I take it as the highest praise Sir Isra is capable of offering.”
“Hahah. You know well. The Minister of the Interior is a vital post that serves right at His Majesty’s side.”
“I’ll take that to mean my work is that clean and efficient.”
You really shouldn’t accept that, President.
“Hahaha. See there, my lord. Did I not say he would accept the honorable title?”
He’s just playing along with her.
Even Ingrid, who normally never missed a chance to pick a fight, stayed quiet.
Don’t join forces only at times like this!
“Can we enter the gates?”
“I’ve already updated the list.”
As expected of President Baek. I knew I could count on you!
“And for about a month, the Rift Management Agency will support you, Hunter.”
“Eh? The Rift Agency?”
“The support team kids don’t meet the entry requirements.”
Ah.
Right.
One of the changes that had happened over the two months was that the support team friends had ranked up to C-class.
Their levels had already hit the cap long ago.
And thanks to training under Sir Isra and Ingrid, they had apparently passed as A-rank.
“Does that not mean my guidance was that excellent?”
“You iron-headed fool. I was there too, you know?”
“Hahaha. This time I’ll acknowledge your skill.”
“You did alright yourself.”
Uh.
Uuuuugh.
Why is embarrassment always my share of the deal?
“It’s because Hunter Park always hits S-rank that it looks that way. Even A-rank is impressive.”
“I never thought they were lacking.”
“I hate to say it, but the support team’s baseline skills aren’t particularly outstanding.”
Without the two retainers’ assistance, they would have barely scraped by.
That was the assessment from President Baek, who had thrived as an HR ace.
“It’s all thanks to the two retainers’ excellent guidance.”
“Hahahaha.”
“Hoho.”
【I wish to teach my techniques as well.】
【Priest. Regret.】
Probably lamenting the lack of a priest on the support team.
Because of the penalty that let him speak only five characters a minute, I had to fill in the blanks myself.
“I hear they’re running gates again today.”
“Everyone’s working hard.”
“Having Hunter Park as a goal seems to give them extra motivation.”
This is just embarrassing.
“The attendants have the right mindset.”
“Next training session I should teach them even more. They’ll love it for sure.”
“Hmm. I should work harder as well.”
I don’t know if it’s okay to announce you’re going to work the kids to death in such a sunny voice.
Support team folks.
Rest in peace.
Anyway, not my fault!
“Shall we head out right away?”
“Yes!”
The first gate in two months.
I was already looking forward to seeing the new undead in action.
The first destination was a gate that had opened in Songpa-gu.
Rift Management Agency staff waiting in front of the blue rift immediately stepped forward and bowed at a full ninety degrees the moment they saw me.
“Hunter Park, yes? We’re from the Rift Management Agency.”
Management Bureau, 4th Division
Manager Do Inseong
Rank ― B
“Nice to meet you.”
“It’s forward of me to say this at our first meeting, but are you certain about the clear?”
“What’s there to be certain or not about?”
“As you know, Hunter, wave types have a high clear difficulty.”
I had already experienced a wave type back during the Primordial Wave.
Monsters poured in at set intervals, making them a real pain to clear.
“We’re well aware of Hunter Park’s skills.”
“But it could still be dangerous, right?”
“Yes. That’s correct.”
His face was openly tense.
Worried about my safety?
Ever since the attack by Chinese hunters, the Agency had always sent hunters as escorts.
Today they were filling the support team’s absence, but watching them fidget made it clear the Agency was genuinely concerned about me.
In moments like this, a signature joke was required to lighten the mood…
“Worry not! So long as I, Isra, stand here, none shall bring harm to my lord!”
“Hoho. Who’s worrying about whom?”
Ah.
Just a little…
“If it gets dangerous, please help then.”
“Yes. We’ll request support immediately.”
“Support?”
“For a wave type, it would take at least A-rank hunters to handle.”
Ehh.
The teachers were tense because even they couldn’t handle it?
I thought they were worried I’d do something impulsive, but it seemed the gate difficulty really was that high.
Since they could enter, they all had to be B-rank.
Looking closer, every Agency hunter on the detail was gripping their weapon with white knuckles.
What are they trembling for?
There won’t even be a need for the teachers to step in.
Not long after we crossed the blue rift—
“Kurururuk!!”
Red-skinned orcs came charging.
Average height around 2.5 meters.
About two heads taller than ordinary orcs.
Bulging veins writhed viciously across their bright-red hides.
“High Orcs!”
“A wave right at entry!”
“Eighty of them! Beyond our level!”
“Wave types really needed A-rank hunters!”
“What was the 3rd Division thinking?”
“We can’t handle this.”
“Hunter Park!”
The Agency hunters spoke in a rapid-fire rush.
Everyone seemed in a hurry.
“Sir Isra.”
“This seems the perfect stage to test the Death Warriors’ martial prowess.”
She read my mind perfectly.
Death Space
An undead clad in jet-black armor suddenly emerged.
Blue ghostly light flashed above its eyes and spread like heat haze.
The air around us dropped about three degrees, turning distinctly eerie.
“You called, Master.”
“The orcs. Can you stomp them?”
“Yes, sir!”
Death’s Stride
The Death Warrior kicked off the ground and charged the High Orcs.
Black afterimages lingered in the places it passed.
Closing faster than the charging High Orcs themselves, the Death Warrior swung its sword.
Ah.
Yes.
The very technique I still hadn’t fully mastered—Imperial Sword Style.
Blue Aura rose from the perfectly executed slash.
Slashslashslash—!
Several High Orc necks soared into the sky.
A tenth of a second later, blood reverse-flowed and painted the air crimson.
Then thump, thump—the heads, finally subject to gravity, dropped to the ground.
“Kurururuk!”
High Orcs shoved their fallen comrades aside and swung axes.
Simultaneous attacks with nowhere to dodge.
Slash!
The sword drew another long line through empty air.
Axes caught in the blue trail were sliced clean in half.
Splash! The same line carved across High Orc arms and torsos, green blood pouring out.
Experience has increased.
In under five seconds, ten High Orcs were corpses.
With the vanguard collapsing so pointlessly, the rear ranks of High Orcs briefly froze.
“Kill!!”
Death’s Stride
The Death Warrior leaped again, and the skill effect triggered.
The opponent harbors fear.
Negative emotions are amplified.
17 High Orcs are exposed to Fear Lv. 37 status.
“Kururuk! Brothers! Dead!”
“Kuruk! Scary!”
“Kurururuk! What do we do!”
Orc-kind that rarely felt fear in battle.
Even the higher-tier High Orcs trembled and stepped backward in terror.
Slash!
The Death Warrior that had carved its way inside cut High Orcs down with mechanical precision.
Nearly half the monsters fell in under a minute.
“Kururrruk! Come at me!”
“Kuruk! We fight!”
High Orcs free of the fear swung their weapons.
Slash!
The result was identical.
“Whoa.”
“What kind of summon is that?”
How was I supposed to explain this?
“My undead are handmade. A bit special.”
“Aha, hahahaha. It seems as you say.”
You’re not losing it, right?
There was no need to bring out more undead.
A single Death Warrior held the entire High Orc wave.
“They said you full-cleared the Tower of Chaos…”
“Do you need this level of power to reach floor 50?”
“How can a B-rank control a summon that uses Aura?”
“Necromancers are usually about numbers, right?”
Agency hunters.
They looked thoroughly shocked. Hope they were going to be okay.
“Mind if we pick up the pace?”
“Y-yes!”
“We have a lot scheduled today, so let’s finish quick.”
President Baek had taken a considerable number of gate contracts.
The capital I had piled up had dropped quite a bit, so we needed to work hard.
Testing the new undead’s performance was just a side benefit.
“Master. Will you give our children a chance as well?”
“Ah. Let’s do that.”
Five Skeleton Wizards assigned to the Witch Coven.
They had learned one of Old Man Alphonse’s spells—Photon Ray.
It had left a strong impression even during the spar with Emilia.
I was curious how it would perform in actual combat.
“Let’s wipe them out before more waves come.”
“Yes!”
Thirty minutes after entry.
You have cleared the Path of Struggle Gate.
Grade ― SSS
As additional reward, 100 B-rank magic stones are granted.
Even the notoriously difficult wave type was finished in an instant.
“Let’s go clear the next gate.”
“Is your stamina alright?”
“I didn’t do anything, so how would there be stamina consumption?”
The Agency hunter shut his mouth tightly.
『Intruder. Eliminate.』
“Geeegegel. Die.”
“Ggel. Do not block Master’s path.”
Photon Magic ― Photon Ray
Combat-weapon golems had holes punched through them by a few beams and collapsed.
You have cleared the Golem Laboratory.
Grade ― SSS
As additional reward, 100 B-rank magic stones are granted.
Cleared in under an hour.
Naturally the highest grade appeared.
“Next.”
You have cleared the Temple of Darkness.
Grade ― SSS
As additional reward, 100 B-rank magic stones are granted.
By the time we cleared the third gate, the sun was setting.
“We can’t do more because of travel time.”
“Ahaha, haha.”
Look at them all disappointed.
Thanks to the Agency hunters handling cleanup, I could focus entirely on the clears.
B-rank gate clears.
Pretty easy, right?