Damn Necromancer - Chapter 133

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Wasteful Necromancer (133)
The Meeting
Even without exceptionally talented Awakeners, Korea had always taken pride in maintaining above-average ability levels across the board.
“No… this can’t be…”
“This has to be a dream. It has to be…”
Now even that boast was no longer possible.
A mere minor power from the East.
Defeated by a Guild rated scarcely 2.5-tier on the global stage.
And not just defeated—utterly, humiliatingly crushed in a way that left no room for excuses.
What made it worse was that the entire global media was broadcasting the match in real time.
China had freely granted access and filming permits from the start.
It was nothing short of an international catastrophe.
Soon after, Nam Cheol-min took the microphone and spoke.
“All of this glory belongs entirely to our Guild Master Kim Min-woo. Without his supply of Highest-Grade Elixir, today’s victory would have been impossible. In that spirit, Guild Master?”
Thud.
Thud.
Kim Min-woo climbed onto the stadium floor and took the microphone.
“As you’ve all witnessed, Korea will only grow stronger from this point forward. The days of being called a minor Awakener nation are numbered.”
He flashed a broad smile.
“As for China? Well… I’m afraid the future doesn’t look particularly bright for you.”
―…
The crowd fell silent, their faces flushed with anger.
They held back from erupting in rage largely because the result had been so utterly shocking.
He shrugged his shoulders and continued.
“I happen to be a very busy man. Still, I thought I might spare some time for a spot of Beijing sightseeing. There’s no better moment than now. Such a golden opportunity won’t come again.”
With that, he was done.
He left the stadium along with the other Ilseong Guild members.
Guild Master Nam Cheol-min asked carefully.
“You really intend to stay here?”
“What crime have we committed? Since we’re already here, we might as well enjoy some good food. I’ve made reservations at a famous place.”
Incidentally, it was a restaurant frequented even by China’s Premier.
* * *
Robert, President of the United States.
Of late, his mind had been consumed by a single name.
Kim Min-woo.
A man who had obtained the recipe for Highest-Grade Elixir overnight and sent America into upheaval, an Awakener who casually spoke madness about selling it to China at ten times the price.
How was any of this possible?
Driven by curiosity, he watched the Guild Match between the two leaders.
And his hand, which had been holding a cheeseburger, began to tremble uncontrollably in an instant.
“Call an emergency meeting. Right now!”
At the President’s command, America’s top talents assembled in one room.
The Minister of Awakening handed the President a report with careful hesitation.
“Here are the analysis results.”
Robert’s face twisted as he read the data.
[Analysis Data]
―Subject: Nam Cheol-min
―Estimated global archery ranking: within top 100. Habit of mixing extraneous movements when using skills……
(Updated)
―Poor habits have vanished and movements have become notably cleaner. Current ranking potential places him safely within the top 60 archers in the world……
“Is such improvement possible just from drinking Elixir?”
“Absolutely not, sir. An increase in ability scores and the refinement of movement are entirely different matters.”
“That’s what I thought as well.”
“Yes. It appears Kim Min-woo has done something to the Ilseong Guild. If that weren’t the case, such a dramatic power surge in such a short time would be impossible.”
“What do you think he did? The ability score analysis doesn’t look like simple doping.”
“Given that the poor habits have disappeared, we suspect it may have been intensive training. However, what troubles us is… how such a transformation was possible in such a brief period.”
“…”
The Awakeners gathered in the conference room nodded in agreement.
Only two weeks had passed since Kim Min-woo’s return. Yet Nam Cheol-min’s skill had jumped from the 100th-rank range straight to the 60th rank in global archery rankings.
Something impossible had occurred.
“…Now that I think about it, didn’t the instructors say they taught very well during the secondary exam?”
“Yes. I hear that Merchen’s instruction was particularly remarkable. Apparently she even elevated the grade of their magic. Of course, without her continued support, they would have reverted to their original level, but……”
That alone was startling enough.
“What if those instructors had taken charge of training for the Ilseong Guild?”
“We’ve already confirmed this with the Dragon Guild. Thomson and Sophia did improve, but not to anywhere near that degree.”
“So even that’s still not enough?”
“Yes. If they’d deliberately concealed their teaching ability, it might have been possible. But given the raid ahead, I doubt they would have acted that way.”
The president nodded.
The minister was right.
With a dangerous raid looming.
To conceal one’s abilities, would one really teach the Awakeners only limited instruction?
Honestly, it didn’t seem likely.
“……What about Kim Min-woo? Did he conduct any private instruction?”
“No. For the first three days, he didn’t show himself at all, and after that, I hear he conducted entirely joint training sessions.”
Tap.
Tap.
President Robert, who had been drumming his fingers on the desk, straightened in his seat as he spoke.
“Let me cut to the essentials. Kim Min-woo seems to possess additional special abilities. Do we all agree?”
“Agreed.”
“How do you think China will act going forward?”
“The leadership probably knows something of the Elixir’s effects. But most of the people don’t. They don’t know. So……visibly……it will appear that the Elixir’s effects are extraordinary, making it look as though they won the confrontation through that.”
“And since it looks like only Korea will have access to it, that’s like having a fire lit under their feet.”
“Yes. The Communist Party has been able to maintain power despite various problems precisely because they held the vision of becoming an Awakener superpower. If that vision wavers……their power base could become precarious.”
“So you’re saying Kim Min-woo could continue this deception to pressure the leadership?”
“Yes. Even just gesturing that he could distribute the Elixir not only to Korea but to Mongolia, Japan, India, and other neighboring countries……it would be a powerful pressure on Li Zhaoming.”
“What if the Chairman were to reveal the true effects of the Elixir?”
“Impossible. China only estimates the effects—they never obtained the actual product. Unless he showed the Elixir directly while explaining, otherwise……”
“……it would only look like he’s trying to downplay the effects.”
Whether to appreciate or resent the security measures that had been so carefully maintained.
The United States also harbored conflicted feelings.
“On top of that, at this rate the Elixir’s effects will be regarded as absurdly high. That’s also a problem.”
“……My phone’s already on fire as it is. I’ll make sure to explain things properly to our allies.”
“Yes. Also, we ourselves need to decide whether to align our steps with Kim Min-woo’s movements or not.”
President Robert closed his eyes as if in deep thought.
“……Do you think China will try to purchase the Elixir?”
“What’s certain is that Kim Min-woo demonstrated stunning abilities. So they’ll probably want to meet with him and hear his terms. China still doesn’t know if they’ll actually get a tenfold return or if it’s just bluffing.”
“……They’ll probably do get the tenfold return. He won’t want to break his promise with us America. But he might mix education and such into the sale.”
Under the guise of a service.
Normally, the moment something like that went to China, America would blow up about it.
But right now, it was awkward to say anything to Kim Min-woo about it.
And if Kim Min-woo were to end up coordinating fully with China?
We still had no sense of just how far his abilities extended. From America’s perspective, it was like a truly terrifying nightmare.
The minister, who had been lost in thought at the president’s words, spoke carefully.
“If it truly is tenfold……even if it includes instruction of that caliber, the price would undoubtedly be astronomical. If I were the Chairman, I’d honestly want to deal with Kim Min-woo however necessary while he’s still in China.”
“Right. If he goes back to Korea in this state, there’d be no way out for the Chairman.”
“Yes. But there is a variable. Kim Min-woo stayed in Beijing despite knowing this—and headed to a restaurant the Chairman frequents.”
“Either he’s insane, or he’s got something backing him up. One or the other.”
“Yes. Based on analyzing his behavior so far……it seems he has something backing him up.”
“Something so remarkable that even if the Chairman tried to harm him, it wouldn’t matter?”
“Possibly……or he simply trusts his own abilities.”
“Well……with the whole world’s eyes on him right now……the Chairman would have a hard time dealing with him openly.”
“To face Awakeners of that caliber, he’d have to send an Awakener unit in addition to the military. But the Ilseong Guild alone has already crushed the Guryong Guild. If Kim Min-woo is added to that equation……it might be a nightmare for the Chairman.”
President Robert nodded and spoke.
“Cancel my entire schedule. And arrange a state visit to Korea. As quickly as possible.”
* * *
Chairman Li Zhaoming and the Standing Committee members.
The faces of those who had watched the Guild Match were twisted as if tasting bitter pills.
“What is this……”
The Chairman, his face flushed red, crumpled an ashtray. The result was simply unthinkable.
It was essentially 10:0.
It meant the Guryong Guild’s average was far below the Ilseong Guild’s.
There was no way to control the broadcast either.
He’d already summoned every broadcasting company with plans to spread the results far and wide—how could he possibly shut it down now?
“That makes sense for a result! What on earth is this!”
“Well, that is…….”
The executive committee members’ eyes darted about in confusion.
They were all high-ranking Awakeners in their own right.
They had decent eyes for these things. Objectively speaking, hadn’t Guryong performed poorly?
Not exactly.
They’d shown their usual level of play throughout the match.
The problem was Ilseong.
They’d suddenly put on a manic performance as if they’d consumed some legendary Elixir straight out of myth.
That’s why the game fell apart.
And worse still…….
“Those damned bastards! Look at them—Elixir this, Elixir that, every other word out of their mouths! They’re pressuring us right now!”
“……Even a Highest-Grade Elixir alone shouldn’t make that much difference…….”
“Who doesn’t know that! But who does know that!”
That was the problem.
Even they themselves, who were precisely analyzing the effects of the Highest-Grade Elixir, had begun to suspect whether there might be some special effect hidden within it that they didn’t know about.
What then would the vast majority of ignorant onlookers think?
They’d simply see Ilseong consume an incredible Elixir and transform completely, winning decisively.
Otherwise, how could Ilseong have won overnight with suddenly elevated power levels?
“The way things look, they’re going to keep pulling this stunt. What exactly should we do?”
What if not just Ilseong but other teams also appeared with their strength grown by leaps and bounds?
If all of it were packaged as the effect of the Elixir?
If that’s how China fell behind?
Cold sweat beaded across the executives’ foreheads.
“If we reveal our estimates of the Elixir’s effects…….”
“They’ll believe us wonderfully! Can an effect like that really only raise Ability Scores by 600?”
“…….”
Instead, China would think that Korea was downplaying the Elixir’s efficacy out of wariness. Yet they had no way to show the actual product.
From the start, Elixir security was airtight.
Not a single physical sample had been obtained, not even by China itself.
That’s why they’d mobilized the entire think tank to analyze its effects.
Moreover, the allied nations including the United States were now marching in lockstep with Korea.
The Elixir?
Just as before, its efficacy would never be disclosed going forward.
Why would they do otherwise?
The noose was tightening around the Communist regime’s neck without Korea even lifting a finger.
‘Damn it.’
‘This is serious.’
Then.
Someone spoke hesitantly.
“As for dealing with Kim Min-woo…….”
“Damn it! Is that easy? The man’s no fool—he wouldn’t have stayed in the middle of Beijing for nothing!”
“That, that’s true, but…….”
Li Zhaoming’s eyes grew cold.
This had all started as pressure on Korea.
But it had gone badly wrong.
Someone had to take responsibility.
Naturally, it wouldn’t be him.
One of the executives present would be deemed to have made an “foolish” judgment—that would be the conclusion.
That settled, though.
‘……I should meet with him once.’
The fact that he’d remained here meant he wanted something.
It seemed he’d need to have a conversation with him first.
* * *
At a round table.
The Ilseong Guild members were frantically devouring the countless dishes piled high.
Cedric and Merchen were eating with equal enthusiasm.
“Wow, Min-woo! The skin on this is incredibly crispy!”
―At least the culinary standards in this world are far superior.
Merchen stabbing Peking duck with a fork, chomping away cheerfully, while Cedric hummed softly as he absorbed the food one morsel at a time.
Today.
He’d rented out the entire restaurant for a quiet meeting.
‘About time he showed up.’
Just then.
The door to the room opened.
A familiar face appeared.
The absolute authority of China.
Li Zhaoming.
He entered with the Guryong Guild Master and Vice Master flanking him, then surveyed the room.
“Welcome. I’m glad you didn’t arrive too late.”
“……There are quite a few people here.”
“They’ll step out for a moment.”
At his words, the Ilseong Guild members in the room filed out one by one.
All that remained were Kim Min-woo and Li Zhaoming, indifferent to their presence, along with two Summoned Creatures still eating.
“You know these are my Summoned Creatures, don’t you? Say hello.”
―Cedric.
―Hey there. I’m Merchen. Do you like duck too?
Li Zhaoming stared at the Summoned Creatures with bewilderment, but only for a moment.
He took his seat at the table.
His eyes sharpened at once.
“……How exactly did you manage this? It shouldn’t have been possible with Elixir alone.”
“Does that really matter?”
“Hmph. What do you want?”
“I need quite a bit of money. So I’d like to buy Elixir—at ten times the price.”
“……And if I refuse?”
“Well, your position would become increasingly difficult, wouldn’t it?”
Kim Min-woo shrugged as he answered.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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