My Catastrophic‑Level Summon Devours Gates - Chapter 287

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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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Episode 287
Plump cheeks.
Unlike the Malnourished One, at first glance he appeared to be an ordinary person.
“Why don’t you kill me already!”
Sir Isra’s blade grazed the creature’s nape lightly.
Screeeech!
As the Aura Blade peeled away a layer of Mana,
noise erupted, revealing the true form hidden beneath the thick flesh.
“Wow. A real skull indeed.”
Where two eyes should have been, a brilliant blue eye light flickered.
A white skull lay concealed beneath the skin.
【How did you see through me?!】
The creature now spoke through Telepathy rather than its voice.
“Do you think I’ve faced creatures like you only once or twice?”
Sir Isra’s resolute reply.
I applauded lightly.
“So that’s why you didn’t sever its neck immediately?”
“Precisely. Even if we strike it down here, we cannot annihilate its malevolent essence.”
“And that’s why it demanded death so confidently.”
“Your Lordship’s Insight is remarkable!”
That much was deducible by anyone, really.
“Master, you are truly magnificent! Ah, this girl’s heart is racing with joy.”
“Master. Greatness.”
【The commander can do anything, can’t he?】
When I placed my hand on my forearm, I felt goosebumps rising across the skin.
If the intention was to drive me to bite my tongue from embarrassment, it seemed about half successful.
Assassination attempts had been increasing lately, it seemed.
“Iron Head. So we have to keep this creature alive?”
“Either find its Life Force Vessel or seal its Mana and capture it as a prisoner. One of the two.”
【Kekekek. Find the Life Force Vessel? How in the world!】
“Don’t worry, malevolent one. There are ways.”
【You’re just bluffing. Undead.】
The Necromancer laughed, shrugging his shoulders.
“Thief.”
“I’ve brought it here.”
Zaugg appeared from across the river.
In his hand was a stone slightly larger than a fist.
The Necromancer’s jawbone trembled.
【H-h-h-how did you ever—!!!】
“This is it, yes?”
“That’s right. You’ve done well, thief.”
Wait.
“Don’t tell me that’s a Life Force Vessel?”
“Indeed, Lord.”
No.
Why would you bring a Life Force Vessel like you’re plucking weeds?
“A Lich’s body is dependent upon the Life Force Vessel.”
“It’s like a puppet controlled remotely by the soul.”
“What a fascinating expression. Might I quote that later?”
“Do as you please.”
Sir Isra’s fingers twitched before the Necromancer like a puppet master manipulating strings.
“In any case, if the Lich strays beyond a certain distance from the Life Force Vessel, it cannot maintain its physical form.”
“The Malnourished One didn’t have that limitation.”
“By this world’s standards, approximately 100 kilometers.”
True enough—when I had him cover the rear, we never strayed that far.
So even the Lich, which I thought invincible as long as the Life Force Vessel was protected, has a weakness.
I’ll keep that in mind when I use the Malnourished One.
“Schne analyzed the Mana patterns according to your instructions.”
“Still, you found it incredibly fast?”
“It was hidden meticulously in this vicinity.”
【Impossible! I layered every concealment item, incantation, and Defense Magic imaginable!】
“Schne’s eyes, honed through archaeological research, cannot be deceived.”
I wonder if it really is archaeology.
In any case.
My Two Vassals subdued the enemy with seamless coordination.
“Here it is.”
Zaugg presented the Life Force Vessel with respectful courtesy.
“Shall we have a conversation?”
【Hmph! Who would surrender?】
“Then die.”
[Mana Release]
Crack, crack, crack!
The Life Force Vessel in my hand shrieked.
【Ask whatever you wish!】
The Necromancer prostrated itself completely.
* * *
A candid conversation with the Necromancer.
The useful information was far less than I expected.
“The Black Heaven Society is behind this?”
【To be precise, they are not the masterminds. Rather, the Fourth Hand of the Black Heaven Society—my Master—orchestrated this.】
“Regardless, it was the Black Heaven Society’s ability that provoked the Great Rift.”
【That is correct.】
I never imagined the Black Heaven Society was the culprit behind the Monster Wave from the Great Rift.
The Monster Wave unfolded in an unexpected direction.
A slight headache was beginning to form.
“So you came to the Yalu River Defense Line to cause some bloodshed?”
【That is correct. Everything was under the Grand Master’s orders.】
“Don’t shift the blame any further.”
I couldn’t grasp what the Black Heaven Society was truly after.
This creature spoke of grand rituals and consciousness, but didn’t truly understand what was unfolding.
“Master, he might be lying.”
【No! I want to live!】
“Right. That’s probably not it.”
“Liege Lord, do not trust all the words of this cunning creature.”
“I’m not trusting the Black Heaven Society’s lackey—I’m trusting my own abilities.”
[Spirit Circuit Installation]
Crackle!
Spiritual Power writhed within the Life Force Vessel I held in my hand.
【Th-that is?】
“I took a quick look at your hand. Your Life Force Vessel.”
I interfered with the vessel that sealed the soul.
I made minor adjustments so it would speak only the truth.
Originally, I’d tried tampering with it wondering if I could dominate a Necromancer, but it didn’t work like the Malnourished One.
【How did you interfere with the Life Force Vessel!】
“I’ve made one before.”
【You… were you a Lich? No, even so, interfering with another’s Life Force Vessel should be impossible.】
The Necromancer revealed curiosity even as death loomed near.
A true specimen of a mage, but unfortunately, it was time to part ways.
“It’s been unpleasant traveling together. Let’s never meet again.”
【Were you not going to spare me?】
“When did I ever say I’d spare you?”
【Please spare me! Haven’t I provided all the information!】
“Liege Lord, what if we process him like the Malnourished One?”
“That’s what I was trying to do. It didn’t work.”
[The Life Force Vessel rejects interference.]
[Your rank is lower than the soul contained within the Life Force Vessel.]
[To interfere further, you must raise your rank.]
“Hmm. Rank is the issue, then.”
“The system calls it rank.”
“True strength cannot be obtained simply by raising experience points through hunting a few monsters.”
A Hunter who grows stronger through the System.
Powerhouses from other worlds, like Sir Isra, obtained their strength through enlightenment alone, without any System.
That must be what he was referring to.
“As my Lord’s rank rises, his stature should rise accordingly, I believe.”
“Oh. Is that so?”
Good.
Then let’s leave it untouched for now.
We can decide the treatment of the Life Force Vessel after I advance in rank anyway.
“Just destroy that body.”
“Understood.”
Screech—!
【KYAAAAAAAA!!!!】
Sir Isra’s blade slashed through the Necromancer dozens of times.
With a dry crumble, the body crumbled to dust and collapsed.
[Level Up.]
[Current Level: 250.]
[Level Cap Reached. You must advance in rank to level up further.]
What’s this?
I killed a person and gained experience points?
“Perhaps because the Lich is treated as a Monster, sir?”
“That’s… convincing!”
About half a year had passed since I reached A-Rank.
The experience requirement had skyrocketed compared to the previous rank.
I cleared Gates roughly every other day to cover the costs of Undead Creation.
Yet despite maintaining the same routine for nearly half a year, I couldn’t reach Max Level.
But after blocking Monster Waves for over a month, my experience surged tremendously.
And with the Necromancer as the final touch, I reached maximum level.
“Congratulations, my Lord!”
“Now you just need to advance in rank! Congratulations!”
“Schne always believed in you, Master.”
“Master is amazing.”
You all, quiet for a moment.
Reaching Max Level is good, but something feels off.
“Shall we prepare a celebration?”
“Let’s report first.”
I quickly shook off the uneasy feeling.
The information that the Black Heaven Society had interfered with the Monster Wave.
I needed to relay it to the higher-ups quickly.
“How much of the front line has been cleared?”
“The Death Field was dispelled the moment the caster died.”
I crossed the river on the Hydraigon’s back to the opposite shore.
“Hunter Park! That was truly amazing!”
Lee Seong-ah bounced excitedly.
“Wow. A fellow trainee with me in the promotion exam. I still can’t believe it. Thanks to you stealing the spotlight back then, things became so much easier. But now you’re helping again….”
Words pouring out like a tempest.
I waved my hand and cut her off mid-sentence.
“Can you hold the defense line?”
“One way or another. The magical support refinement circles weren’t damaged.”
The Hunters bore the unmistakable marks of exhaustion.
Leaving them behind weighed on my conscience, but more urgent matters demanded my attention.
“I’m counting on you.”
I moved toward the battlefield where Director Jeong was stationed.
I relayed what I’d heard from the Necromancer in brief.
“I never expected that name to surface here.”
Director Jeong’s eyes widened slightly as he absorbed the full account.
Oh.
He was surprised.
For the Director, who rarely displayed emotion, to show this much was remarkable.
Hehehehe.
I had surprised the Director!
I had seized control of his emotions!
“My lord.”
Sir Isra nudged my ribs insistently.
“Ahem, well. I heard the mastermind behind this catastrophe is the Fourth Hand of Black Heaven Society.”
“Winterchil the Wrathful.”
“The Wrathful?”
“He abandoned his birth name and chose this one for himself.”
Ugh.
So he actually created and uses a name like “the Wrathful” on his own?
That’s some questionable naming sense—practically chuunibyou.
“This is grave.”
“Is it a serious problem?”
“The fact that Monster Waves can be artificially triggered is deeply concerning.”
“That’s certainly true.”
“China has already been pushed back to Shanhaiguan and has established a second defense line.”
“I’m not familiar with where Shanhaiguan is.”
“If it falls, Beijing’s complete devastation is assured.”
Ugh.
It’s chaos. Absolute chaos.
“Our Country maintains the Yalu River Defense Line thanks to Hunter Park.”
“It’s all thanks to everyone’s hard work. What else?”
“If the Hunter hadn’t stopped the Monster Wave, we wouldn’t have been able to prepare this thoroughly.”
“Hahaha. Executor, you certainly have an eye for people.”
That’s enough.
You brat.
“I wasn’t trying to flatter you or anything like that.”
“I’m being sincere.”
Don’t hit me with such blunt honesty without changing your expression.
“Don’t you need a strategy to stop Winterchil the Wrathful?”
“Yes. If what you say is true, we’ll need to stop him for the Monster Wave to end.”
“Come fly with me.”
Director Jeong’s eyelids fluttered up and down more than ten times per second.
“You mean the depths of the Great Rift?”
“We can’t just keep blocking forever, can we?”
The number of monsters being created is decreasing little by little, but.
There’s no guarantee he won’t create artificially-triggered Waves a second or third time.
In situations like this, you really do need to smash the instigator’s head in.
“The danger to Hunter Park is considerable.”
“You need to come with me too. What am I supposed to do alone?”
“Ah. Of course. Winterchil the Wrathful is SS-rank, so I should be the one to face him.”
SS-rank, huh.
My breath catches.
The Gate I cleared in Los Angeles.
The moment I encountered the Doom Knight when entering the Black Plain came back to me.
A formidable enemy I could never defeat in perfect condition.
Back then, I’d aimed for the Malnourished One to end the battle quickly.
Facing an SS-rank Hunter head-on is impossible.
“I’ll clear a path for you.”
I can hold back the Undeads that the Necromancer commands.
“Thank you for dispelling my hesitation.”
“If it seems dangerous, I’ll just get out of the way on my own.”
“That’s more than enough. Hunter Park is the future of our country, so you must preserve yourself.”
Uh, w-well.
Isn’t “future of the country” a bit of an exaggeration?
Like that.
Suddenly, a raid party for the Great Rift was formed.

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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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