Damn Necromancer - Chapter 54

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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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Profligate Necromancer (54)
After submitting the Human-Face Lord’s byproducts as evidence,
the Master of the Sado Alliance summoned me.
“Take this.”
[Gold Dragon Pill]
[Upon consumption, increases all ability scores by 20. (No stacking)]
What he handed over was an elixir.
“Master, you’re even giving me something like this. I suppose I’ve really climbed the ranks.”
“Was that what was eating at you? But you bear some fault too. If you were going to reveal yourself anyway, why not do it sooner?”
“I regret it as well. There were circumstances, you see.”
I accepted the Gold Dragon Pill with a shrug. There was no reason to save it.
What the Master wanted was for me to boost my power immediately.
[You consume the Gold Dragon Pill!]
[All ability scores increase by 20!]
‘Sweet as honey.’
A godly boost in stats.
Of course, since this isn’t a god-tier elixir, I’d feel a twinge of regret when eating elixirs later.
‘But it’s not bad.’
Either way, if I wanted to flee properly after the Yongbong Gathering, every last point of stats mattered. So if the time came, I was ready to swallow a Geom-young Dan as well.
“Continue as you are doing. If you do, you will become the next successor.”
“I’ll do my best. By the way, is there anything else you might give me?”
“…Elixirs of this caliber are not common even in the Sado Alliance.”
“What about martial arts texts?”
“If you claim first place, everything will be given to you without needing to ask.”
Stingy bastard.
He clearly didn’t want to part with anything else.
‘So there really are no more elixirs…’
He seemed to think martial texts wouldn’t be useful to me right now anyway.
And that was actually true.
“Then perhaps equipment…”
“Only weapons can be carried into the Yongbong Gathering.”
Ah, so that’s why he only threw one Spirit Sword at me?
If I’d played my cards right, I could have swapped all my armor for unique pieces.
Truly unfortunate.
“Then perhaps you have any spare bones or materials lying around?”
“Bones and materials? Do you mean from magical beasts?”
“Yes. I need them to strengthen my Spirit Summoning.”
“There should be some leftovers in the warehouse.”
“May I take them?”
“If you wish.”
“Thank you.”
* * *
The Sado Alliance was indeed a massive organization.
When I reached the warehouse, a staggering trove of materials and bones greeted me.
Unfortunately, not all of the highest-tier items were available for export, but what remained was still a jackpot.
Naturally, I took everything.
The guards watching the warehouse were taken aback, but that wasn’t my concern. The Master himself had authorized it directly.
I left with the Subspace Ring packed to the absolute brim. Thanks to that, I could reinforce my golems very easily.
[Dol-soe]
[Class: Warrior]
[Level: 120]
[Skills: Taunt (A), Defensive Stance (B)]
[Loyalty: 100]
[Strength: 320(+160)] [Agility: 170(+85)] [Vitality: 300(+150)] [Mana: 90(+45)]
[* Great Success special effect.]
[* Flexibility increased by 30%]
[* Hardness increased by 10%]
[* Weight increased by 10%]
The Great Success that burst forth from the Human-Face Lord’s spine.
Thanks to it, flexibility surged dramatically, and with the Sado Alliance’s help, I could add another Great Success to raise both hardness and weight.
The boost to his Ability Scores was just a pleasant side effect.
For reference, the Death Lord’s 50% Ability Score increase applied to every additional stat gain as well.
Whether from equipment or bone exchanges—all supplementary stat increases jumped by an extra half.
EX-Grade wasn’t called EX-Grade for nothing.
And there was still more to strengthen.
[Dol-soe equips the Solid Steel Breastplate Set!]
[Dol-soe equips the Solid Steel Shield!]
[Dol-soe equips the Brutal Steel Mace!]
[Equipment Mastery (B) effect is applied!]
[Strength +120, Agility +50, Stamina +120]
With steel equipment wrapped around an already massive frame, the presence was absolutely formidable.
“Hah.”
Solid. Dependable.
That was when it happened.
The golem, who had been staring intently at his own body, suddenly threw both hands up in delight.
[Dol-soe is overjoyed by his master’s favor!]
[Dol-soe wishes for you to give him a name!]
[Will you bestow a name?]
“No question about it—you’re Dol-soe. That’s going to be your name.”
―Churrrr.
[Dol-soe is overjoyed!]
[Dol-soe’s learning ability increases significantly!]
Fully armed Dol-soe.
Strength 660, Stamina 630.
At a glance, he looked like the type who’d take three hits and give back one devastating blow.
Just as the customization of Dol-soe was complete.
A procession for departure to the Yongbong Gathering formed up. Nearly ten thousand warriors would be moving. A writhing mass of martial artists filled the view. Watching them, Seo Ye-rim let out an exclamation.
“Wow, there really are a lot of them.”
“Other groups will bring similar numbers.”
“So we’re talking thirty thousand total?”
“Probably.”
Then.
She glanced around before leaning close, whispering directly into his ear.
“So we’re being hunted by thirty thousand people?”
“More or less.”
“This really seems insane to me.”
“You have to be mad to grow strong fast.”
Then.
A warrior from the procession approached them.
“Please move to the front. You’ll be traveling in the very first rank.”
“Of course.”
The front rank was packed with the Master of the Sado Alliance and his elders.
Along with the ten candidate participants for the Yongbong Gathering—the absolute core personnel among all ten thousand. Their eyes turned toward him in unison.
‘The attention’s fierce.’
Especially the gaze of Baek Mu-han, the first-ranked candidate suddenly pushed down to third overnight.
His eyes blazed with such fury that he looked ready to tear Kim Min-woo to shreds.
The second and third-ranked candidates.
And the others felt the same. A powerful new rival had emerged overnight—their mood was understandably sour.
He smiled and waved.
“A pleasure to see you all. Since I’m first, I suppose I should lead the way?”
“Hah…….”
“Big brother, I’ll look away or I might swing at you. Ye-rim, come with me.”
“……Yes, sir.”
He took his place at the front of the procession alongside Ye-rim.
The Master of the Sado Alliance watched quietly from behind, then spoke.
“We depart.”
The column began to move.
* * *
Throughout the march, a subtle war of presence continued. Had the Master of the Sado Alliance not been nearby, bloodshed would have erupted immediately.
Mealtime.
The alliance leader and the elders gathered in one place.
Ten candidates and their escort entourage assembled in another.
‘This was bound to happen.’
Indeed it was.
The trouble erupted while water was still boiling in the pot.
At a sharp glance from Baek Mu-han, the third son opened fire.
“Really now, it’s an eyesore. A woman of no standing whatsoever dining with us? It spoils the appetite. Don’t you all feel the same way?”
“Your words are wise, sir. I suppose, if nothing else, her body is worth a glance…….”
Slice!
The escort’s neck who had been trading mockeries was severed in an instant.
Seo Ye-rim—not the nickname, her real name—flicked blood from her blade.
Droplets of blood splattered to the floor with a wet sound.
“Much more of that and my ears’ll rot clean off. You young masters seem to harbor quite the grievances against me, don’t you?”
“This impertinent wench…….”
The candidates all growled in unison.
Yet in their eyes lurked a tremor of genuine unease.
She’d hunted the Human-Face Lord on Cheonkong Mountain and returned alive—they’d assumed the maidservant possessed some skill of her own.
But this exceeded their expectations by a vast margin.
They’d thought her mere support for Baek So-cheon’s hunt.
Instead, there was reason to suspect this maidservant had been the hunting’s true protagonist.
Blade flashes like rays of light.
Few among them had witnessed cleanly the escort’s severed neck just moments before.
As the candidates faltered before her presence—
Kim Min-woo snapped his fingers.
The surrounding escorts cried out in alarm. Skeletons were rising from the space all around them.
The number far exceeded a thousand.
‘This… was he capable of this?’
Baek So-cheon’s ability to command the dead was known.
But the scale surpassed all imagination.
The undead moved with disciplined precision.
They were outfitted with weapons besides.
And he’d summoned them all with a single gesture. Against this, the escort’s contingent numbered barely thirty souls.
Elite though they were, a clash with this many undead would certainly leave corpses in its wake.
The skeletons raised their weapons. The escorts’ hands moved to theirs in kind.
Tension hung on a knife’s edge.
“Enough!”
The alliance leader’s voice rang out.
He stepped forward, surveying the gathered crowd.
“No one knows what trials await at the Yongbong Gathering. There may come moments when cooperation is vital. Yet you continue to draw steel against one another?”
“…….”
“Baek Mu-han.”
“……Yes, alliance leader.”
“I understand your feelings. Baek So-cheon must rankle you. But those who wish to travel far must learn to see broadly. Is enmity with that child truly to your advantage?”
“……I was reckless.”
“Baek So-cheon.”
“Yes, alliance leader.”
“You are no different. Though your mothers differ, you remain brothers. Must you wage war among your own blood?”
“I shall be mindful.”
“From this hour forward, I will tolerate no further conflict. Refrain from provoking one another.”
The alliance leader, having quelled the situation, withdrew.
‘Not a bad showing.’
He’d needed to demonstrate his strength at least once. Otherwise, the provocateurs would keep circling.
The alliance leader had permitted the clash to unfold nearly to bloodshed for precisely this reason.
‘Words alone wouldn’t have convinced them.’
Even now, it showed.
Without witnessing power directly with their own eyes, they’d continue needling and needling, getting under everyone’s skin. This display would serve as proper warning.
From here on, things could proceed with relative quietude.
* * *
The alliance leader’s direct warning.
And a timely show of force besides.
Thanks to that, the journey after became remarkably smooth.
After a week of travel, we arrived at the site where the Yongbong Gathering was to be held.
Already, people from both the Demonic Cult and the Murim Alliance were milling about, waiting. The Master of the Sado Alliance, Cheon Ma, and even the Master of the Murim Alliance were there.
The three of them gathered and conversed.
‘Masters really do age better.’
All three were said to be in their eighties.
By appearance alone, they looked to be around fifty.
Presently, the Master of the Sado Alliance returned and spoke.
“The Yongbong Gathering will commence shortly. Everyone, prepare yourselves.”
The Yongbong Gathering.
At first, I thought it was something like the World’s Greatest Martial Arts Tournament.
But it wasn’t.
To be precise, it could be a martial arts tournament or it could be something else entirely.
‘The subject of the trial changes each time, or so I’ve heard.’
There was a reason these people believed the heavens bestowed rewards upon them.
How to participate in the Yongbong Gathering.
A barrier is generated at a designated location.
Only thirty who have been granted qualification beforehand can enter that barrier.
Once all the candidates have entered, a stage is created and the trial begins.
The types of trials vary widely.
I heard that in the last trial a hundred years ago, the subject was water-current riding.
Thirty people were summoned to a flowing river, and the first three to swim to the destination claimed first, second, and third place.
‘I heard many died that time too.’
Interference tactics could be deployed freely. All one had to do was hurl sword qi at whoever was in front.
Two hundred years ago the subject was mountain climbing, and three hundred years ago it was a tournament.
‘That explains their emphasis on cooperation.’
A tournament-type subject offered little room for cooperation. But climbing or swimming was different.
If one couldn’t see a path to victory for themselves?
The structure allowed sacrificing rank by holding back an opponent’s ankle for a strong contender from your faction to win.
‘I’m curious what will come up.’
Will it be a subject requiring cooperation, or something closer to individual competition.
Then.
“The barrier!”
A circular barrier materialized.
Sheltered as though by an iron fortress, the candidates paired off—ten from each faction—and entered the barrier.
The Demonic Cult’s people entered first.
Next came the Murim Alliance’s contingent.
Finally, the Sado Alliance’s candidates stepped into the barrier.
[All candidates have entered.]
[Entering the stage now.]
A space that appeared to be an isolated island.
That is where Kim Min-woo was summoned.
Presently, a message appeared.
[The trial begins.]
[Kill everyone until only the final three remain.]
“……A Battle Royale?”
An utterly unexpected subject had emerged.

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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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