The Undertaker and the Undead Fleet
Kim Hwang-je let out a long breath.
Dave won!
He had crushed Bahu's rebellion and even taken care of the orcs.
Inside the World Observer, Dave pulled out a crystal orb and called for Gemini. She appeared in the sky, gathered Dave and his subordinates, and vanished with them in a teleportation spell.
They'd even been rescued. That was a relief.
“Heh heh.”
What would he have done if it hadn't been for the terrace?
Kim Hwang-je glanced down at the gold coins scattered around his feet. Poyu was rolling across the floor, crunching them noisily between its teeth.
Whew. Good thing the soundproof curtains kept us hidden.
He swept the pile of gold into the trade window and made it disappear. Still, he left a small handful and handed it to Poyu.
“Hehe~”
Poyu flew over like a parrot, settled onto Kim Hwang-je’s arm, and began happily munching on the coins.
“Things are getting pretty loud in there.”
A personal screen had been installed inside the terrace. Although thick, rigid soundproof curtains surrounded them, it was still easy to follow what was happening inside the auction house.
“The sense of crisis has really lit a fire under them.”
Potions that had once gone for seventy to eighty million won were now trading at a minimum of four to five hundred million. For Lost, this was the biggest hit in their entire history. Would the alchemy companies even send them a plaque of appreciation?
Kim Hwang-je shifted his gaze back to the World Observer.
The sea was writhing, spewing volcanic fumes.
“Come out, hunter. Explain this to me.”
Of course, Seo Jun-seo had no idea what he was talking about.
“Yes, sir?”
“From what this one sees…”
At the gravelly voice, Seo Jun-seo spun around in alarm.
“Huk…!”
A man wearing an eyepatch and no shirt had stepped out of the shadows behind him.
Was this an ambush?
“P-President?”
“Don’t worry. He’s one of my subordinates.”
“Ah… understood.”
Seo Jun-seo swallowed hard as he stared at the overwhelmingly imposing hunter. The man gave him a strange look, scanning him up and down, then offered a polite bow.
Kim Hwang-je spoke again.
“The entire sea just flipped upside down. What the hell happened?”
“It appears His Majesty used his ultimate technique.”
“Ultimate technique?”
“Yes. It’s a skill that leaves the user on the brink of death, but its effect is truly exceptional.”
“Ah…”
So that was why the entire fleet had been wiped out. In the end, he really couldn’t trust those who had already betrayed him once.
But on the brink of death? Why would he learn a skill like that? Was it just because he was a man?
Romance is beautiful precisely because it’s anachronistic. Kim Hwang-je understood completely.
“Haa… Still, it’s such a waste of that fleet…”
He had finally secured a port, only for the fleet to vanish. How was he supposed to protect the harbor? How would he safeguard any trade routes he built? How many years would it take for Adel Kingdom to build new ships?
Should he just buy them?
But ships suitable for trade were expensive. When Kim Hwang-je searched on his phone, even the small container ships handled by shipyards cost twenty-seven million dollars—over thirty billion won.
He could afford it, but… even if he bought one and stored it inside himself, who would operate it?
As Kim Hwang-je sighed, the hunter spoke up.
“Your Majesty, if I may… Would it be possible for you to summon new citizens? If there is someone I know, perhaps I could recommend them.”
That was welcome news. Maybe there was a clue here after all.
“Alright. First, tell me—what kind of person is this ‘Undertaker’?”
“Oho!”
He hadn’t expected much, but the moment the hunter heard the name, he jumped in shock.
“Don’t tell me this guy is another sewer golem or something?”
Kim Hwang-je shuddered. Seo Jun-seo didn’t know exactly what terror his boss was feeling, but seeing even him tremble in fear made his own blood run cold.
Yes. Sometimes you avoid shit precisely because it’s terrifying.
In the heavy silence, the hunter finally spoke, hesitating.
“No, Your Majesty. This one was simply startled that you command such a monster. He is an ancient arch-necromancer—a specter from antiquity.”
A necromancer? Kim Hwang-je’s heart began to race.
“So you’re saying he’s a master of necromancy?”
“Yes.”
“Huk…”
Meanwhile, Seo Jun-seo’s face had gone deathly pale.
Necromancy fell under the Hunter Special Act’s crime of defaming the dead. They had just stepped—no, leaped—into the realm of serious felony under hunter law. This was the kind of thing that sent people to prison!
But would Kim Hwang-je really not know that? Seo Jun-seo gave up on trying to stop a grand mage who understood magic far better than he did. Instead, he began thinking about how to cover this up.
Kim Hwang-je, too, seemed to be pondering. He rested his chin on his hand.
Is this like the guys from Diablo?
What was the special law anyway? Kim Hwang-je had been an ordinary citizen.
“Your Majesty… this one begs you!”
At the perfect moment, the hunter threw himself to the floor.
“Hm? What for?”
“King Dave is far too merciful. Allowing those rebel scum to die so easily… it simply won’t do. Please show them Your Majesty’s dignity!”
“You think I shouldn’t?”
“Didn’t that rebel bastard’s actions cause us to lose both ships and soldiers? Take the Undertaker and make an example of him! It is the heartfelt wish of every citizen of the kingdom!”
Kim Hwang-je fell into thought. The hunter’s words made sense. Maybe he could just make the man work until his debt was paid off and then release him?
It sounded good, but he still wanted to test the waters. He decided to tap the bridge before crossing.
“Hunter.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Let’s say I summon the Undertaker. He’s not going to smell like rotting corpses, spew some turquoise aura visible from kilometers away, cast Poison Nova, or have fluorescent green sludge pouring out of his body, right?”
“He can be a bit noisy, but this one can handle that. As for the smell, it is actually rather pleasant—like soft sand.”
The hunter hung some kind of totem on the soundproof curtains. It seemed to be one of his skills.
Seo Jun-seo swallowed again. The grand mage and his shirtless disciple really were on another level. Just how profound and forbidden were the magics and secrets they knew…?
Thinking about the future he would face as their secretary sent a chill down Seo Jun-seo’s spine—and, strangely, a thrill of excitement at the same time.
“Alright. Preparations are complete. Let’s summon him.”
At Kim Hwang-je’s words, Seo Jun-seo snapped back to reality.
Kim Hwang-je used Resident Summon (Lv. 2) to call forth the Undertaker.
“Come forth, Undertaker.”
A black cloud gathered in front of Kim Hwang-je. From within it, a golden mask slowly rose.
“Ooooh— Ooooh—”
A colossal figure clutching two scepters crossed over its chest let out a mournful wail. It rose from the cloud like a statue emerging from the earth.
And then it roared in a voice that shook the air.
“Taxes and death shall surely find thee!”
“Tutankhamun?”
It was a giant mummy wearing a Tutankhamun mask. The enormous golden mask, lavishly adorned with gold, lapis lazuli, obsidian, rubies, and countless other materials, gleamed brilliantly under the lights.
The sight of the colossal floating mask seemed to embody the terror inherent in works of art.
Behind his poker face, Seo Jun-seo despaired. How were they supposed to hide something like that? Wouldn’t it be easier to just talk to an imaginary friend?
He finally understood why Kim Hwang-je had forced that cruel oath of loyalty.
“Thank goodness for the curtains.”
Kim Hwang-je remained blissfully unaware of Seo Jun-seo’s inner turmoil. He was simply delighted by the mummy’s pleasant sandy scent.
Although the body beneath the mask was completely desiccated and withered, the way it held the golden staff crossed over its chest with both hands looked incredibly cool.
This was more than enough.
It was awesome!
“Whoa… that’s pretty cool.”
So at Level 2, this was the kind of badass you could summon!
Going from kingdom resident to otherworld resident gave it even more style. If his level kept rising, he’d be able to summon even stronger otherworld residents, right?
What would raise this guy’s affinity?
Kim Hwang-je was grinning from ear to ear.
It took him roughly twenty seconds to notice something was off.
The Undertaker was just standing there silently, staring blankly into space.
What was this? Such a majestic entrance, and he was wasting it?
When Kim Hwang-je looked at the hunter, the man subtly averted his eyes. A sense of foreboding washed over him.
“Say something, Undertaker buddy.”
“Taxes and death shall surely find thee!”
“Yeah, sure, we get it. What can you actually do?”
“Taxes and death shall surely find thee!”
“…Are you…?”
“Taxes and death shall surely find thee!”
Kim Hwang-je pressed a hand to his forehead, feeling dizzy. This wasn’t some cheap AI speaker you gifted to someone you hated. What the hell was this?
“Hunter, what’s wrong with this guy?”
“Your Majesty… these ultra-ancient archmage undertakers considered the brain an organ that merely produced snot, so they removed it.”
“…What? You’re saying he has no brain?”
“That is correct.”
A brainless archmage undertaker?!
How was that any different from a warrior without muscles!
Kim Hwang-je’s mouth fell open. So this was all just for show? Pure swagger?
“Wait, if he has no brain, how am I supposed to give him orders? You’re not joking, are you?”
“Good heavens, how could this one dare joke with Your Majesty… I am completely serious! Simply tell him that someone has failed to pay their taxes. The remaining fragments of his brain will take care of the rest.”
“Remaining brain fragments?”
“Because they pulled the brain out through the nostrils… they apparently couldn’t extract the part in the forehead.”
The frontal lobe?
Whatever it was, it seemed he would respond to commands about taxes…
Kim Hwang-je opened the World Observer and spoke to the Undertaker.
“Undertaker. Look here. There’s someone called ‘Admiral Bahu’ and his subordinates who haven’t paid their taxes. Can you do something about it?”
The moment it heard the word “taxes,” the Undertaker’s Tutankhamun mask burst into flames—literally blazing with fire. Red light poured from the ruby eyes as it let out a voice so terrifying it raised goosebumps across their bodies.
“Until every last tax is paid, death shall not spare him!!”
The scream was so full of malice it sounded like a vengeful ghost scraping metal. It was so horrifying that Kim Hwang-je, Seo Jun-seo, and the hunter all trembled violently.
Then the mouth of the Tutankhamun mask opened wide, exhaling a cloud of white mist.
Kim Hwang-je quickly shoved the creature into his stomach using Manpower Deployment (Lv. 3).
Seo Jun-seo rushed over and grabbed his shoulder.
“Are you alright?!”
It had gone straight into Kim Hwang-je’s belly.
“I’m fine. Don’t worry.”
Kim Hwang-je reassured the anxious secretary, then turned to the hunter.
“He went over there, right?”
“Yes. He should be in the sea by now.”
Gurgle.
Kim Hwang-je didn’t need the World Observer—he could feel it with his own body. He suddenly felt the urge to pee.
“Ah……”
Was his lower body still a vast universe?
“I’m going to use the restroom real quick.”
Kim Hwang-je opened the door and stepped out.
“Your Majesty, this one shall stand guard…!”
He was right.
Even after unzipping, a miniature universe still unfolded before him. Although the size had shrunk due to the ongoing disembowelment, the galactic light pouring into that narrow space had only grown brighter.
In other words, his crotch was shining so brightly that the urinals in a row were sparkling.
Light. Ooooh. Just light.
“Hoo…”
It was so bright it hurt his eyes. Kim Hwang-je zipped up and covered his front with his robe.
To think he had to hide light coming from his crotch.
How long was this going to last?
Fortunately, the hunter was standing behind him with a fierce glare, blocking anyone from entering the restroom.
But what was this sudden urge to pee? When he checked with the World Observer, the sensation was roughly a light-year away from actual urinary need.
The sea came into view.
The water where the ships had sunk was swirling violently. Lava pillars rose around it, spewing thick clouds of hot steam.
There, the Undertaker in the Tutankhamun mask was chanting a horrific incantation. The sunken ships began to rise slowly, emitting a green aura.
Ghost ships!
Bahu’s charred black warships, wrapped in green mist, rose from the sea. Dark seawater poured off their decks with loud splashes.
“…Holy shit… you’re actually amazing…”
Kim Hwang-je apologized for getting annoyed earlier. The Undertaker was a real monster.
For the moment, he could even forget about the swirling galaxy in his crotch.
A NEW button had appeared in the Monster Management Window. Kim Hwang-je tapped it.
Sirius:Re-education Complete
Deployable to Earth:1
Baekju:Re-education Complete
Deployable to Earth:1
Lesser Evil Spirit Tree:Permanent Subordination
Remaining Forces:328 / Cannot Deploy to Earth
NEW!Admiral Bahu:Permanent Undead State
Deployable to Earth:Impossible
A lot had changed.
Kim Hwang-je pressed the NEW button.
Bahu
Admiral of the Adel Kingdom who once ruled the seas.
A distinguished war hero who, in despair over the war, staged a rebellion, was defeated by the king, and died.
Crimes including rebellion and destruction of Sinal Port would normally incur a fine of 3,000,000 gold. Interest shall be applied at 49% per annum per kingdom law.
Since the subject is already deceased, all other punishments are waived.
Unpaid Taxes: 3,000,000 gold
Loyalty: Bound
Hunger: Perpetual Starvation
Kim Hwang-je swallowed as he read the document.
You should never get involved with loan sharks who target hunters. It seemed that rule applied to Kim Hwang-je, his subordinates, the royal castle, and even the Undertaker.
One thousand gold was 1.2 billion won… so 3.6 trillion won at 49% annual interest?
Even if he earned roughly 1.7 trillion won every year, it would only cover the interest.
At the same time, Kim Hwang-je felt relieved that the regular soldiers hadn’t risen. Perhaps because they had been too weak, only Bahu and a few knights had been resurrected.
In any case, those in power had to take responsibility. It would be better to grant the others eternal rest.
“Work hard to pay it back, Bahu.”
No matter what, you’re going to have to support the kingdom’s finances.
The internal affairs are a mess?
Well then, it’s time for a plunder economy.
Bahu, having regained his senses, shuddered violently.
He was lying on a damp deck. Beside him, evil spirit trees had taken root in the flagship. The trees controlled by Kim Hwang-je had been placed under Bahu’s command.
“I… I have returned to life? What is this?!”
Admiral Bahu was shocked to see his own knights reduced to nothing but white bones.
“Until every last tax is paid, death shall not spare thee!!”
The ear-splitting metallic screech made Bahu’s entire body tremble as he collapsed to the deck.
Lying there, he lifted his head to examine himself. He too was nothing but white bones, and a smooth mask covered his face.
“Don’t tell me you raised me with necromancy!!”
Bahu screamed in horror.
When he looked up, the overwhelming presence nearly made him faint. A colossal ancient archmage mummy was floating in the air.
The origin of all necromancers—the ones who wrote the Book of the Dead!
“Aaaagh! This is… the forbidden art of enslavement! No, no—does this mean the Emperor is truly the Great Demon Emperor?!”
Bahu was terrified. Only such a being could possibly command a monster like this!
Before his eyes, the words “3,000,000 gold” and “49% annual interest” were burned into his status window. No matter how hard he shook his head, they wouldn’t disappear!
“N-no… this can’t be! It can’t!”
Bahu pounded the deck in despair.
“Taxes?! Taxes on a rebel?! Aaaaaagh! You wicked Great Demon Emperor!”
Bahu howled. But slowly, the archmage’s magic began to bind his mind.
“President, the final auction is about to begin.”
Kim Hwang-je answered the phone.
While watching through the World Observer, he said,
“If a holy relic appears, buy it no matter the budget. I’ll head in slowly.”
As he examined Bahu’s status window, Kim Hwang-je felt like he was playing Uncharted Waters. Sending the evil spirit trees to serve under Bahu had turned the sea into a sinister floating forest. The sight was overwhelming.
Maybe the 50/100 finances could be fixed through a plunder economy after all.
“Now that I think about it, I’m curious about something.”
“What is it, Your Majesty?”
“Where did all the civil officials go?”
“Why not ask Bahu?”
Kim Hwang-je typed into Bahu’s Thoughts field.
Where have all the civil officials gone?
Apparently sensing the question, Bahu’s body trembled in the video. His thoughts then appeared directly in the status window. Since he was classified as a monster rather than a person, it seemed this was possible.
Most of the civil officials betrayed us… Only Teacher Labanus, imprisoned in the Demon King Izukaya’s abyssal prison, has remained loyal…
“Hmm.”
Kim Hwang-je gave Bahu an order.
Go with the trees, plunder the orcs that fled earlier, and bring me the gold. Also, see if you can rescue Teacher Labanus.
I shall obey…!
Now completely under control, Bahu wore his golden mask and radiated streams of blue light from his eyes.
“Unfurl the sails…!”
Green mist enveloped the fleet. The undead pirate armada raised its skeletal sails. The evil spirit trees shook their branches and rowed with eerie creaks. A bizarre, woody chant covered the ships.
“Let the eternal plunder… begin…!”
Bahu’s despair-laden laughter swirled around the fleet.
Thank you for the fan art.
Detailed impressions are available in the announcement ^^