Damn Necromancer - Chapter 45

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

Donzirah Guild’s Necromancer (45)
Chaos
[Breaking: Super Rookie Park Si-woo Found His Perfect Nest! Makes Guild Debut as First Member of Donzirah Guild!]
[Breaking: Guild Master Kim Min-woo Declares Guild’s Goal Is Elite Few! Will Only Accept World-Class Talent!]
[Breaking: Park Si-woo Reveals Ambition! States His Goal Is to Become Korea’s Second Geom-seon……]
[Breaking: Kim Min-woo Makes Cryptic Statement? ‘Will Show You Something Big Very Soon.’]
.
.
Articles poured in one after another.
Public sentiment soared.
―Haha lol a world record-breaker and even Geom-seon’s disciple lol guild composition went insane from the start lol
―Left Kim Min-woo right Park Si-woo rock solid lol
―Saying elite few so openly makes it look like they’re aiming for S-Rank achievements only?
―S-Rank achievements aren’t easy are they? Still good that we got these two, been a drought of Awakeners lately…….
―Still rough though lol last one came out 7 years ago lol if they want more they’ll have to recruit veterans not fresh faces now.
―Anyway Korea finally got an actual guild worth the name? Wonder if the rankings will shift?
―Tough lol ranking climbs based on Gate Clear achievements lol hard to escape low rank right now.
―Right. From C-Rank Gates on up you need way more people. Even Super Rookies two of them clearing alone seems……?
―Who knows. Those two could level up and try 2-person clears.
―That’s true. Anyway it’s getting exciting lol if Ilsong’s funding plus Super Rookies gets added…… might even aim for world-class?
―Nah. Too far. Even Korea’s rotten guilds are treated as second-tier in the world lol
Public opinion was favorable.
Two Super Rookies had debuted—something that hadn’t happened once in seven years. There was no way expectations wouldn’t soar.
Park Si-woo, too, had boldly stated his ambitions and planted a positive image.
After successfully wrapping up the press conference, Si-woo asked curiously as we left the venue.
“Boss, what’s our plan anyway?”
“Nothing specific. Why?”
“You said you’d show us something big soon, earlier.”
“That? Just lip service.”
To be honest, there was a plan, but it didn’t include Park Si-woo. The structure of the situation made it impossible to include him.
‘It’s dangerous too.’
I’d need to enter a freshly manifested Gate. Taking him into one with a suddenly spiked difficulty would be too risky.
‘The exact strategy hasn’t been revealed.’
Dorim Guild had disclosed some information when they first cleared it, but there was no guarantee they’d revealed everything.
They’d definitely hidden the important parts.
So I planned to go alone.
“For now, focus on leveling up hard.”
“Got it. I’ll grind.”
“Yeah. And even if you see strange news, don’t be too surprised.”
“……Strange news?”
“That sort of thing happens. You’ll understand everything when the time comes.”
I tapped his shoulder reassuringly.
* * *
I climbed into the sleek sports car.
‘Nice to move alone.’
When I first came here, bodyguards had clung to me like leeches.
Watching in case I caused trouble.
But now was different.
Having proven myself reliable multiple times, they no longer forced security on me.
Of course, they’d provide it if I asked.
‘Not needed today.’
I needed to be unguarded.
‘Got all the High-Grade Elixirs lined up…….’
While I’d spent time procuring and preparing.
I’d already commissioned Choi Yu-na to craft the elixirs.
This time I’d advanced her more than half the payment.
High-Grade Elixirs cost about 3 billion each.
Eight hundred of them came to 2.4 trillion won.
It would’ve been cruel to dump all that on her alone. I happened to have about 2 trillion left anyway.
Thanks to that, the elixirs were made quickly. The remaining 1.2 trillion in balance I paid with advance deposits from the equipment I’d had prepared and given her earlier.
If I enter this Gate, I might break through Level 151.
That’s why I prioritized getting Elixirs. The C-Rank Skill Book 9th Level can be crafted once I’m at a higher level.
‘This will be my last Elixir work with Choi Yu-na.’
High-Grade Elixir for Level 151 consumption. After that, Highest-Grade Elixir couldn’t be commissioned through the Korean Alchemists Guild.
‘There’s no recipe.’
Only one craftsman in the world possesses the recipe for Highest-Grade Elixir.
Christine, called the “Witch” of the United States.
She obtained it after clearing a Hidden Gate, or so I’d heard.
‘That’s going to be a brutal grind.’
And expensive as hell.
It was one of the items the United States controlled through distribution channels. You might say they’d placed a lock on it for national interests.
The reason was simple.
Other Elixirs can only raise individual Ability Scores by fifty per tier, capping at two hundred total.
But Highest-Grade Elixir was different.
‘One hundred fifty per individual Ability Score. Six hundred total.’
If two people are the same Level with similar Skill compositions, naturally the one with higher Ability Scores wins.
Six hundred was a substantial boost.
‘Honestly, I’d bet they’d control it even if it only raised two hundred.’
Those people were just too greedy.
Korea also had an Elixir whose distribution was controlled.
The Geom-young Dan was the prime example.
‘But that one’s single-use.’
The Ability Score boost is substantial, but once you consume it, that’s it.
No stacking.
Compared to Highest-Grade Elixir, the effect was significantly inferior.
Regardless.
I’d heard that France had even made a secret pact with the United States just to provide Isabella with Highest-Grade Elixir.
That’s how seriously Gate Hunter nations took Awakener strength.
‘It’s a matter of competition and survival.’
Gates explode and unleash monsters if they aren’t cleared within a certain time.
What happens if a Gate’s power exceeds an Awakener’s strength?
Catastrophe begins.
Of course, Gates weren’t entirely dark.
Artifacts from new worlds, Mana Stones, treasures, and exotic materials—the spoils are endless.
What if Gates can’t be cleared?
It’s like using a flip phone while everyone else has smartphones. No wonder nations are obsessed with Awakener strength.
The car entered Gyeonggi Province.
The destination was drawing near.
An empty lot ringed by mountains, no buildings in sight.
‘We’re here.’
I got out of the car.
The image of the Gate forming in this place was still vivid in my mind.
‘The range was roughly from here to there.’
I estimated the size from my rough memory and positioned myself at the nearest spot to the entrance.
I opened my phone’s photo gallery and showed a picture.
“You remember this face, right? When he shows up, just do what we practiced.”
A cry echoed from empty air.
Several vehicles arrived shortly after.
[Gate Observation Department]
Officials spilled out of the vehicles one after another.
In their hands were measuring devices that determined Gate density.
“This isn’t the spot?”
“It is! The mana’s concentrated this way. At this level, it’s at least B-Rank, right?”
“Wait! There’s someone over there?”
The officials approached shortly after.
“…Kim Min-woo?”
“Hello.”
We exchanged greetings.
“I’m sorry, but could you step away from here? We’ve detected a Gate forming in this location. If you stay, you might get caught in the aftermath.”

The official spoke politely.
“Oh, is that so?”
“Yes. It’s dangerous. You should stay well back from here…….”
“Wow, that’s perfect. I’ve always wanted to see a Gate form with my own eyes.”
“Then please come over here. You’ll be able to see from there…….”
“No, I’d like to see it up close.”
“It’s dangerous! The Gate could form right above Min-woo’s head!”
No, that’s not right.
The location where a Gate forms is fixed. It was something he’d confirmed thousands of times over while playing this game.
The Gate would definitely form right in front of him. Just one step forward and he could enter inside.
But he couldn’t explain that.
“Teacher.”
“Yes?”
“I’ve been having some really good luck lately, you see?”
“I’m telling you there’s no time! The Gate’s forming any second!”
That was when it happened.
Dozens of vehicles came flooding toward the site. News outlets, guilds of every stripe—they were all mixed together like ingredients in a stew.
Word must have spread the moment the Gate formation was detected.
In situations like this, proximity was everything.
He spotted several familiar faces.
The Dorim Guild master, the Wiseong Guild, the Hallim Guild master…….
Seo Ye-rim, the Sword Saint, was also accompanied by what appeared to be masters from the Geomhaegak.
“The Gate!”
Everyone’s eyes gleamed.
A newly forming Gate.
Its interior was like a honeypot.
Whoever entered first would be the victor.
The moment the rank was confirmed, most of them would be ready to declare their intent to clear it immediately.
“No, teacher! Get out of there, quickly!”
The official trying to persuade him kept backing away as he shouted.
Then.
Whoooosh……!
With a tremendous gust of wind.
Boom!
The Gate formed.
Exactly as anticipated, its entrance materialized right before him.
‘See? I was right.’
Just one more step forward and he could claim this freshly minted Gate.
His prediction had been precisely correct.
* * *
Lee Min-jun, master of the Dorim Guild, watched with shining eyes. It was providence that he’d happened to be so close to the formation point.
Of course, the moment he heard the breaking news, he and his guild members sprinted at maximum speed.
But.
Some strange man was lurking near the Gate’s generation point.
‘……Is he insane?’
If he was unlucky, he could easily be crushed and killed by the suddenly erupting Gate—no surprise there.
“Who the hell is that guy? He won’t even listen to the official’s orders.”
“He looks like……Kim Min-woo?”
“What?”
“The Donzirah Guild, sir. Their guild master.”
Huh?
Squinting, he confirmed it really was that bastard.
‘What’s this? Did he come to clear it solo?’
No, that made no sense.
A freshly formed Gate’s rank is unconfirmed.
The Gate Observation Department has to verify it to get the exact rank.
It’s a sort of identification process.
Still, from the flow of mana rushing in, you could make a rough guess at the difficulty level.
‘Ah, this’ll be a tough Gate,’ he thought. Naturally, the breaking news had already reported it would be at least B-Rank.
So why had he come?
And he’d done it alone, at that.
‘Bit of a curious character, isn’t he?’
If he came to observe, there was practically nothing he wouldn’t do. Though admittedly, he’d never seen anyone mad enough to watch from quite so close.
Then it happened.
A Gate materialized.
And it did so mere steps away—close enough that Kim Min-woo could slip inside with just one forward stride.
‘Surely he won’t actually go in.’
That would be suicidal.
And if he did walk through without clearance, he’d catch hell from every quarter.
Gate clearing was no child’s game. Vast interests hung in the balance. The process of selecting which organization would tackle a Gate was deliberately byzantine.
Entry protocol had its rules, after all.
Even if Geom-seon himself had walked through that door, he couldn’t simply storm an active Gate without authorization.
Fortunately, the man proved he wasn’t completely unhinged—he showed no sign of actually entering. He just wandered about near the Gate’s entrance with the absorbed expression of someone who found the whole thing fascinating.
“Hey, Kim Min-woo, would you mind escorting him back politely?”
A simple removal would suffice.
What Lee Min-jun failed to anticipate, as he issued that order, was this:
Cho Pil-wook, the guild’s executive director and the chairman’s son, harbored an extraordinary depth of resentment toward Kim Min-woo.
Cho Pil-wook, who’d been seething, bolted forward faster than anyone else present.
He was already the man who’d botched his NewTube debut and endured endless curses from Chairman Cho because of it.
Everything—absolutely everything—was that bastard’s fault. The constant comparisons, the humiliation piled upon him. Worse still, he’d been warned he’d be barred from company affairs ever again. And now that infuriating pest was casually loitering right at the entrance of the Gate they were meant to clear. His temper snapped.
‘Damn it all.’
This was his chance.
With the grip strength of a Level 300 Awakener, he’d crush the bastard’s shoulder good and proper.
Cho Pil-wook’s face twisted into something feral as he closed in.
“Hey, you piece of trash! Get out of there, now!”
As Cho Pil-wook reached out to seize Kim Min-woo’s shoulder, something—or rather, someone—shoved hard against his own.
The unexpected impact sent his body lurching forward.
The result:
Thwack!
Kim Min-woo, pushed forward by the collision, was sucked clean into the Gate.
“……Huh?”
“……Huh?”
“……What?”
“……What the—?”
“……Did you push him?”
“S-Scoop! This is a scoop!”
“W-We’re breaking news! Kim Min-woo has just been sucked into the Gate that materialized in Gyeonggi Province moments ago—!”

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