Chapter 58
Chapter 58
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 58
Chapter Title: Free Labor Force
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Woojin was utterly dumbfounded.
'Necromancer?!'
Of all things, a Necromancer!
Why did it have to be that cursed class out of everything?
A Black Mage would've been better!
His boiling rage just wouldn't subside.
"O-Oppa. Calm down first..."
Ayoung fidgeted beside him, trying to soothe Woojin, but it was no use.
"No, damn it! You ungrateful brat! How did I raise you? What the hell have you been thinking all this time to end up with a job digging up corpses?!"
No matter how much Woojin ranted and raved, Sangjin just stared blankly at the murky purple mist rising from his fingertips.
'Looks cool, though?'
Necromancer
In Unriworld, it was classified as a Hero-grade class. The conditions were harsh, but it was one of the top-tier jobs that could evolve into Legendary grades like 'Lich' or even Mythical ones like 'Lord of Death.'
The problem was its nature.
Could a Necromancer, always so close to death, really maintain a healthy mind?
There had actually been a Necromancer among Unriworld's players.
Everyone cheered at first thanks to the tireless free troops, but as days passed, the Necromancer's mind grew more and more frayed until it finally shattered.
He ended up making the tragic choice of taking his own life.
On top of that, Necromancers had to live off corpses due to their class traits.
But this wasn't Unriworld, where corpses littered the ground like obstacles. This was normal reality.
Where the hell were you supposed to find corpses here!
The morgue?
Mess with those, and you'd be lucky not to get sued for corpse desecration.
'Damn it, this is the worst. What do I do?'
Woojin was going insane with worry, but Sangjin just shrugged nonchalantly.
"Hyung, it's not like I chose it. My aptitude matched it—what can I do?"
That carefree attitude only made Woojin angrier.
"Aptitude? You clueless idiot. Do you even know what it means to have aptitude for corpse-dragging? You fuck... that shit..."
'Get too immersed in Necromancy, and tomorrow you might slit your own throat thinking death is the easiest way out!'
Woojin couldn't bring himself to say it aloud and swallowed the words down bitterly.
'Damn it! Why my little brother of all people?!'
Woojin clutched his head.
But oblivious to his brother's worry, Sangjin instinctively wanted to test his new power.
He slyly placed a hand on the massive alligator corpse twitching on the floor.
Grinning, he mimicked a line from a novel protagonist he'd enjoyed.
"Rise."
Woojin screamed at the sight.
"Hey! Fuck! Don't use Spirit Summoning!"
But it was too late.
Dark smoke roiled around the alligator corpse like it was devouring it.
Bones twisted with crunching sounds, and the sewer wastewater swirled unnaturally. But soon, the system window popped up.
Pffft—
The swelling black smoke dispersed powerlessly.
The alligator corpse remained cold and still. Sangjin muttered disappointedly.
"...Doesn't work."
"You little shit, I told you not to."
Woojin pinched his forehead.
—This is dangerous. The euphoria is immense.
That was what Secretary Catherine had said right after awakening.
New Awakeners felt an indescribable sense of omnipotence.
Catherine was a trained elite who endured it, but Sangjin—a regular college kid—had no chance of controlling it.
For now, he needed to satisfy that curiosity and deal with the aftermath later.
"Hah, damn it... Tell me what skills you have first."
Sangjin recited from his status window.
"Actives: 'Spirit Summoning,' 'Skeleton Soldier Summon,' 'Corpse Explosion.' Passives: 'Praise of Death,' 'Dark Mana Affinity.' Like that?"
"Quite a few, rotten..."
Just the names made his head throb.
"Hah, you can't use Spirit Summoning yet anyway. Needs the right level. If you really wanna try, just do Skeleton Soldier Summon."
With his brother's permission, Sangjin nodded eagerly.
"Should I?"
The only corpse left nearby was the giant alligator boss, so he reached out again.
Shrrk—
Bone fragments gathered like they had magnetism.
With a creepy grinding sound, the bones began assembling.
Moments later, something stepped out from the alligator corpse.
Clack—
Click—
"..."
Woojin's expression turned strange. It wasn't the vicious Skeleton Soldier from Unriworld.
About 30cm tall, with an abnormally large head compared to its body—an 'baby skeleton.'
"...What the hell is this cute little skeleton?"
Even Sangjin seemed a bit disappointed.
"How should I know...? What even is this...?"
The thing clacked its jaw.
Click—
Clack—
Then Ayoung scooped up the skeleton soldier.
"Kyaa! So cute! Boss, look at this! Isn't it adorable?!"
Ayoung rushed over, eyes sparkling.
She loved Halloween characters.
Without fear, she poked the baby skeleton's head.
Click, clack—!
The baby skeleton escaped Ayoung's arms, clacking its large jaw joint as it clung tightly to Sangjin's pant leg.
Tilting its head cutely as if saying it'd obey its master perfectly, it looked more like a doll than a soldier.
"Hm... What is this...?"
Woojin, tension easing a bit, spoke up.
"Try giving it a command."
"A command?"
"Yeah, simple ones. It should understand."
Sangjin focused his mind.
Soon, the skeleton moved.
Step—
Step—
Step—
Left, right, left, left, right, left, left. Precise drills like a seasoned soldier.
"Oh? Obedient, huh? How about this?"
The tiny baby skeleton had more talents than expected.
Thump—
Thump-thump—
Latest trendy dances, even bizarre contortions impossible for human joints. It replicated most of what Sangjin imagined.
"What... It's really good."
Even Woojin was puzzled.
"Weird... Normal Skeleton Soldiers only follow basic commands..."
"Really? Then why's mine like this?"
"Like I'd know everything?"
Then Sangjin's lips curved up.
"Hyung, wait—this is free labor!"
"What?"
"Think about it. It can do the latest dances right out the gate. Can't it at least pack our stuff?"
It made sense.
"...Mana consumption?"
Sangjin checked his status.
"Hm... Right now, an hour or two? Level up and I could summon it all day, right?"
"Probably."
"Whoa! See? Even my awakening makes money!! Puahaha!"
Woojin was dumbfounded.
It passed as a joke for now, but his expression hardened again.
'Can't be all good. Gotta prepare.'
Woojin pulled a 'Woowang Calming Pill' from his pocket and shoved it into Sangjin's mouth.
"Eat this."
"Mmph! Hyung, why? I'm fine!"
Sangjin grumbled but chewed the pill his brother gave him.
"That's why you need it, you punk! Does it make sense for a normal guy to see corpses in a place reeking of blood and feel nothing? Your mind's already getting corrupted!"
Woojin's voice was desperate.
He couldn't let his beloved brother meet that tragic end.
"From now on, take this four times a day: morning, lunch, dinner, and before bed. Got it? Break it and you're dead by my hand."
"Hah, geez... I said I'm fine..."
"Just! Listen! Ayoung! Smack this idiot to wake him up!"
Ayoung nearby freaked out.
"Smack him...? He'd die...? Maybe a light flick?"
The frail Necromancer's body would shred from one flick.
Sangjin immediately backed down.
"Whoa, whoa! A-Alright... I'll eat it."
Sangjin kinda got why his brother was freaking out.
Even he knew his nonchalance toward death wasn't normal.
"Carry at least ten in your bag at school! Pop 'em like candy if your head shakes!"
"Yes, yes, got it."
He said that, but Sangjin wouldn't disobey Woojin.
That's how he'd raised him.
'Damn.'
Woojin felt the urgency for his own level-up more than ever.
For now, the calming pills held it off, but as Sangjin's level rose and he handled more corpses, the mental corruption would worsen.
'Need mental protection gear he can wear. If not, make some!'
Even low-level skills would work if equipped.
Then he could enhance it to protect his brother's mind.
'I'll ask Director Jeong, but... after poaching Ayoung, our paths have diverged. To save my brother, I'll carve the way myself.'
As Woojin steeled himself, Sangjin tilted his head curiously.
"But seems it works on animal corpses too?"
"What?"
"No need for humans or monsters, right? Market's full of fish corpses. Or buy beef bones from the butcher!"
Come to think of it, yeah.
A corpse was a corpse.
Bones were bones.
"Level up and make free labor from those! We'll escape manual labor, hyung!"
"..."
Damn, it was clever.
Free labor from soup bones.
Clever enough to worry him more.
Even Woojin saw the logic.
In the end, he gave a warning.
"Hey, know what happened to the guy with that class in the game?"
"Huh? What? Led an army and wiped out enemies?"
For his flower-brained brother, Woojin said gravely.
"Suicide, punk. Said death was the easiest path."
"..."
"Now you get why I'm like this? Get your head straight, or you're done for."
Fortunately, the warning sank in for Sangjin.
"...Fuck, this class is scary as hell."
"Don't worry, I got you."
Sangjin shivered, hugging his shoulders.
"I trust only you, hyung. Whoa, suicide? No way. I'm gonna make bank and live easy till I shit on the wall."
"Yeah, so take your pills, punk."
"Yeah, make lots of Woowang Calming Pills..."
"Don't worry, I'll stock dozens of boxes at home."
Finally, Woojin and Sangjin chuckled as they picked up the boss drop.
Name:Sebek's Fragment
Grade:Unique
Description:A fragment imbued with remnants of Sebek's power.
"Huh?"
"What's up, hyung?"
"Nah, just... got a way better item than expected."
"Nice."
Sebek.
The crocodile god from Egyptian myth.
Known for symbolizing terror and destruction, but Sebek had other aspects too.
Healing and regeneration.
'This could...!'
Woojin pocketed the item satisfied.
His brother turned into a gloomy skeleton-hauler, but he'd awakened safely and they got loot.
Mental state worried him, but he recalled Eirin’s words.
– There's nothing our family's power can't obtain.
Remembering that eased Woojin a bit.
Plus this Sebek's Fragment. A skilled crafter could make mental corruption protection from it.
'Yeah, no rushing.'
Woojin switched moods.
"Alright, gate cleared! Let's grab chicken outside. Ayoung, your place. Eat with Gayoung and Jin-young too."
Ayoung's breath hitched.
'A-Already staying over?!'
"S-Sure!"
The trio's noisy voices faded toward the gate exit.
Only the baby skeleton's clacking, following Sangjin, echoed softly in the sewer.
"So... you're taking... Jo Ayoung...?"
At a coffee shop in front of her house.
Director Jeong's voice rumbled low.
Woojin had met him with Ayoung right after exiting the gate.
She struggled to quit as a public servant, so Woojin offered to handle it.
He had business with Director Jeong anyway.
"Yes. Too hard for her juggling it with work."
Director Jeong's brow stayed furrowed.
He glanced at fidgeting Ayoung beside Woojin, then at Woojin, before speaking.
"Woojin, why her specifically? Doesn't make sense."
His eyes were sharp.
Probing if Woojin knew some hidden value in Ayoung he didn't.
'Got the perfect excuse ready with Ayoung.'
Woojin shrugged mockingly at the director's intent.
"Got attached."
"...What?"
"C-Cough!?"
The unexpected answer halted Director Jeong's brain.
Ayoung choked on her coffee in shock.
Woojin scratched his head, continuing.
"I'm an orphan, she's an orphan. Surviving from the bottom without parents feels kinda fateful... Lots in common, so yeah, attached. What, gotta report my love life to you?"
Smooth—
Ayoung's mind reeled at Woojin's arm draping her shoulder softly.
"Hwah?! O-Oppa!?"
Woojin bashfully hugged Ayoung's shoulders. Light dawned in Director Jeong's eyes.
'Hoo...? Oppa?'