Blessing of the Dead
[Slow Poison does not apply.]
[Hallucination Poison does not apply.]
[Weakening Paralysis applies.]
[Bleeding Tears applies.]
Slow Poison and Hallucination Poison failed to apply.
Tch, so they used them after all.
It's a poison a lot of users carry.
Of course they'd use it.
But the other two did apply.
Thanks to that, his contribution points shot up nicely.
"Alright, let's push hard!"
The moment a melee user stepped forward—
Fwoooosh!
The tree spirit shook its body violently. Several debuffs were instantly nullified.
The Plants Hand was shattered, and the gouged hole was covered by the tree spirit's roots.
Now only the gravity effect from the spirit wind debuff and Slow Poison remained.
Its movements sped up, if only for a moment.
The users missed that opening.
"Damn, dodge!"
An Armor Knight blocked its path.
Boom!
With the explosion, the Armor Knight was pushed back sliding. It took more damage than expected, but it didn't die.
"Whoa... it tanked it?"
"A skeleton did that?"
"Insane!"
The users' morale soared.
You were attacked by the Tree Spirit.
You took 1,456 damage.
Contribution points (30) increased.
Mu-hyuk's contribution points rose too.
Good. Armor Knight, retreat.
Remaining HP: 409.
Mu-hyuk smiled.
Just as expected.
He'd already seen from the previous message that it dealt around 1,500 damage.
The Armor Knight's current HP was a whopping 1,865.
So he'd been certain one attack wouldn't kill it.
There were variables, of course, but his prediction held, and he'd secured 30 contribution points without taking a hit.
"Whoa, your rank's climbing fast."
It was Sung Min-woo beside him.
Mu-hyuk told him in a low voice.
"Since it's a summon, I get 30 points."
"No way, really? Think my spirits give that much if they die?"
"How much do you get from spirit attacks?"
"2 to 5."
"Then just keep attacking with them."
"Hmm, okay. With four of them, I'm definitely ahead of other users!"
That was true.
Sung Min-woo's rank was climbing fast too.
Mu-hyuk nodded and eyed the approaching Armor Knight.
Armor Knight, rest.
They pushed the tree spirit again with the users.
About six minutes later,
Mu-hyuk realized the Armor Knight's HP was full and sent it forward again.
It was really annoying the tree spirit.
Back. Forward, attack. Back.
All under Mu-hyuk's command, of course.
Contribution points (1) increased.
Contribution points (1) increased.
Contribution points kept rising steadily amid it all.
Mainly from the Bone Archer's attacks.
Forward again, attack.
Then the tree spirit's gaze locked on the Armor Knight. It swung its arm, branches turning to whips and flying in.
If not blocked, it'd spin 360 degrees and hit everything around. But a proper block changed everything.
Defend!
The Armor Knight ducked behind its shield.
Boom!
It was pushed back hard, but the defense succeeded.
The tree spirit's attack lost power. User casualties dropped.
A user who should've died shouted in relief.
"Nice!"
"Whoa, we can win this!"
Morale rose.
"Heal!"
Someone tried healing the Armor Knight then, but holy power doesn't work on skeletons.
Unfortunately, HP didn't recover. It'd have to wait about 15 minutes like this.
User attacks resumed.
A barrage of spells and skills.
Kaboom!
Then a stun skill user stepped up again.
For about five seconds of stun, debuff spells wrapped the tree spirit. They pulled back with distance.
Krr... grrr...!
When the stun ended, users retreated while just harassing it.
Once cooldowns reset, the skill barrage repeated.
"Stun ready?"
"10 seconds!"
When stun users' cooldowns were up, they struck the same way.
Six minutes flew by.
Armor Knight's HP full again.
Armor Knight, forward.
It attacked the tree spirit.
Bone Sword 3 and 4 loitered nearby too.
Bone Sword 3, 4, standby.
Mu-hyuk deliberately kept Bone Sword 3 and 4 back.
The tree spirit looked close to death.
He needed those contribution points.
Right then, it attacked.
Crack.
Bone Sword 3 and 4 were unsummoned.
Rank check?
Mu-hyuk was currently 9th.
250 points behind 1st.
Hmm...
Only one way.
The issue was timing.
"It's almost down, right?"
The tree spirit was definitely off.
Now staggering too.
"Here it comes!"
"Let's finish it!"
To Mu-hyuk, it looked headed for the end.
For contribution points, he sent all remaining skeletons near it.
Just then, its final struggle—arms swinging wildly.
Kaboom!
Enough power to reshape the terrain.
You were attacked by the Tree Spirit.
You took 1,469 damage.
Bone Sword 8 unsummoned.
Contribution points (30) increased.
You attacked the Tree Spirit...
1,470 damage...
Bone Sword...
Contribution points (30) increased...
Messages popped up ten times.
Total 300 contribution points gained!
Ranks flipped in an instant.
User skills kept pouring regardless.
BOOM!
A heavy thud followed the massive explosion.
Thud.
The tree spirit collapsing.
Experience increased.
Level up!
Visit the Gangster Necromancer Lord.
Checking contribution points.
You achieved 1st place in contribution points!
Level 50 achieved.
To learn new skills, he needed to find Valsian.
But right now, topping contribution points felt even better.
Yes!
Mu-hyuk clenched his fist tight.
Please select your reward.
Boxes appeared before Mu-hyuk's eyes.
First: Massive experience and gold.
Second: Exclusive item.
Third: Exclusive skill.
Hmm...
What to pick.
First was out.
He was already leveling fast. No need for more experience or gold.
Item or skill...
Both tempting.
Decision was quick.
"Haa."
Items could be earned with effort.
Skills were different.
Couldn't force them.
Especially exclusive ones.
Not just any skill—an exclusive one.
One he could learn and use...
What could it be?
Mu-hyuk chose 3.
You selected the box.
The box spun fast.
With light, a skill book appeared in his hand.
He barely registered the message.
What is it, what...
His heart pounded.
Mu-hyuk swallowed hard and opened the skill book.
Blessing of the Dead 1Lv (0%)
Bestows Recovery Blessing (Magic Attack ×300%) on the dead, Death Curse (Magic Attack ×300%) on the living.
- Cooldown: 30 seconds
Didn't know Gangster Necro had an exclusive like this.
Of course, not all exclusives are learnable.
Illusion's continent is full of hidden skills—most undiscovered.
Blessing of the Dead...
Half excited, half worried, he checked the skill.
The world seemed to stop as he read the description.
"Ah..."
The attack skill he'd craved.
And a heal skill too.
300% of magic attack...
Mu-hyuk quickly calculated.
HP recovery: 285!
Every 30 seconds.
Pretty good. No—excellent.
Necromancers were thought to lack heals. An exclusive heal like this? Perfectly satisfying.
Death damage matched too. Used right by situation, it'd be hugely useful.
Higher skill levels meant more damage—healing like rain in drought.
Finally, a solid attack/heal skill.
Euphoria hit late.
"Oh, oooh! Ooooh!"
If not for Sung Min-woo's roar beside him, he'd have savored it longer.
*
Sung Min-woo got two boxes.
Experience/gold and item.
Obviously the latter.
◈ Physical Attack +68
◈ Magic Attack +95
◈ All Stats +2
◈ Summon Attack Power +5%
◈ Use Limit: Vitality 30, Knowledge 20, Strength 20
Great options. Could fetch 500 gold easy, maybe 1,000 to the right buyer.
Issue: Use limits.
Three of them tanked the value. Vitality and Knowledge together? Tricky.
Value plummeted on sight. Maybe 300 gold tops.
"Gonna use it then sell."
"Yeah?"
Even after use, still good.
Maybe better.
Above all, super useful for current Sung Min-woo. Right choice.
"Gotta buy Strength and Knowledge boosters and stack 'em."
"Smart. Equip the Dual Knuckles, swap out Knowledge gear later. I got a few—buy a bit more."
"Thanks, man. You're level 50 now, right?"
"Yeah. You?"
"49."
"Boss was tough."
Both up one level.
But Sung Min-woo's face soured.
"Sigh, sorry."
Level 50 dungeon issue.
To enter together, Mu-hyuk shouldn't have leveled.
But Mu-hyuk looked unbothered.
"Why?"
"Can't enter if you level."
"Idiot? Just don't level. Experience is fine."
"Huh...?"
He got it then.
"Oh, right!"
"Your experience percent?"
"3%."
"I'm at 5%. I'll hit 51 before you 50. Got a quest detour anyway. Level yours up while I'm gone."
"Aha!"
"You hunt here. I'll be back soon."
"Cool, take your time."
Mu-hyuk headed out of Ghostwood Forest for his quest; Sung Min-woo to the entrance for hunting.
On the way,
Kirrr?
A black ghost tree respawned.
"Warrior, archer summon."
"Earth."
Mu-hyuk fired an arrow then used the skill.
Blessing of the Dead.
Purple light burst from his palm. It briefly enveloped the black ghost tree, dealing damage.
You deal 184 damage.
You deal 245 damage.
Arrow damage plus skill.
Low magic defense, confirmed.
Mu-hyuk blocked the black ghost tree's attack with the Armor Knight.
Other Bone Swords stabbed at openings.
Kririk!
Under relentless attacks, it roared.
Suddenly faster, shoving Bone Sword 2 aside.
Short arms elongated, rapidly striking Bone Sword 2.
Kirik!
Staggering Bone Sword 2.
Black ghost tree attacking again.
Blessing of the Dead.
Mu-hyuk used it on Bone Sword 2.
Bone Sword 2's HP (285) recovered.
Bone Sword 2 wasn't unsummoned.
Good! Armor Knight, charge!
The nearby Armor Knight shoved it with its shield.
Bone Archer rapid fire followed.
Sung Min-woo's Fire spirit too.
Experience increased.
The black ghost tree melted away.
Really good?
He was hooked on the efficiency.