Surviving the Apocalypse as an All-Time Best Overpowered Necromancer - Chapter 78

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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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Chapter 78
78. The Bitter Cold Begins (2)
“Since Snow Demons have appeared, we should scout the surroundings before leaving the building and moving about. The same applies to travel. We’ll scout first, then move.”
And it had happened right beneath this building.
Because of this, Lee Gang-hyuk turned to the women with a warning tone, and after Seo Hwa-rin managed to calm her initial shock, she nodded and spoke.
“I thought Snow Demons were just unusual in appearance, but I didn’t know they’d be completely hidden by the snow like that.”
“We decided to name Mutated Zombies intuitively based on each individual’s characteristics.”
To ensure that anyone hearing a name—whoever first discovered that Mutated Zombie—could immediately understand what it was.
Of course, that didn’t mean every region used the same names.
Some places called bulldozers one thing, while other regions called them something else, or yet another name entirely.
Even if they called them slightly differently, the meanings were similar enough to allow communication.
In any case…….
The Snow Demon’s name had been established by the Jungnang-gu Alliance, which held the greatest power in this region, so “Snow Demon” was likely to stick.
After adding his explanation, Lee Gang-hyuk peered out the window and shook his head.
“Either way, I had no idea those creatures were right nearby. If we’d gone out recklessly, we would’ve been ambushed. It’s unfortunate about those who died, but thanks to them, we’re alive.”
As Lee Gang-hyuk finished speaking with a bitter expression, Seo Hwa-rin added a comforting remark.
“It’s possible they brought the creatures here. If only they’d gone elsewhere…… Do you think they’re still around? Is there any way to check?”
At her words, Lee Gang-hyuk stroked his chin.
Certainly…….
Whether they’d been there originally,
Or the recently dead had brought them,
Zombies generally stayed in one place unless a new threat drew their attention.
Most Mutated Zombies he’d encountered had done the same, so the Snow Demons likely would too. With this thought, he stood at the railing and surveyed the area.
‘They’re invisible, just as I thought.’
Because of their white skin, the creatures were completely invisible when viewed from above.
Then what?
“I’ll have to check in person. But we don’t need to leave the building—we can verify from the second floor. Let’s go down later and check.”
“Understood. And if they’re still there?”
When Seo Hwa-rin questioned him in response to his suggestion to go check together, Lee Gang-hyuk stroked his chin briefly, then shrugged and replied.
“We hunt them.”
* * *
A short while later.
The three of them, having cleared all the snow from the rooftop, descended to the second floor of the main building.
“Then I’ll start.”
Lee Gang-hyuk sent the zombies and skeletons outside and spoke those words as he drew the Snow Demons’ aggression.
Clang! Clang!
“Shriek!”
“Screeeeech!”
As the Bone Shielders struck their shields hard, Snow Demons hidden in various spots revealed themselves.
Seven at first glance.
Had the five people who’d just died really only fallen to two of them?
‘Maybe not.’
There might be another one somewhere nearby, hidden in the snow without revealing itself.
‘The Bone Assassins are positioned at the rear.’
Just as he’d seen before…….
Lee Gang-hyuk had repositioned the Bone Assassins to handle any Snow Demons hiding in the back before they could launch a surprise attack, and he now watched the battlefield unfold.
They were weaker than Mutated Zombies but stronger than regular zombies, and since they wielded special abilities, he needed to see exactly how they fought.
However…….
These were creatures that used snow as a weapon.
The question was whether those he’d trained could fight well against such environmentally advantaged opponents.
Having spent time crafting items and equipped them fully during the wait, shouldn’t they be able to put up some resistance?
‘If it comes down to it, I can lure them inside and we all attack together. But then there’s the question—can I tame them?’
Seven Snow Demons visible to the eye.
He didn’t know if there were more, but if he could hunt these, he’d secure at least seven Snow Demon Cores. Still, Lee Gang-hyuk decided to push his luck a bit further and used a skill.
‘Corpse Control!’
Despite being called Snow Demons, they were still zombies.
So perhaps it would be possible to tame them—that was his thought. He used the skill, but when the notification appeared, he clicked his tongue in disappointment.
[You use the Corpse Control skill on the target.]
…….
…….
[Current Success Rate: 15%]
[The target resists the skill. Skill use fails.]
A fifteen percent success rate.
Higher than with the Bone Shielders, but unfortunately every attempt failed.
Though his luck was poor, the rate was fairly high, so Lee Gang-hyuk thought it would eventually work. He ordered a kill command instead.
Perhaps because of that,
The momentum of those fighting surged.
Moreover, the Bone Shielders held firm against the Snow Demons’ attacks without giving ground.
The Bone Armor Set he’d equipped them with shone.
‘Bone Spearmen.’
When Lee Gang-hyuk called out, the spears held by the Bone Spearmen glowed red.
The skill Power Thrust from the spear arts category, recently obtained, had activated.
At the same time, the swords of the Bone Swordsmen glowed red as well.
Power Slash!
As the glowing weapons moved toward the nearby Snow Demons, those attacking the Bone Shielders recoiled backward.
They’d sensed the danger and pulled back.
‘I should paralyze them with Electric before using skills.’
Because the attack had failed, he couldn’t see the full power of the skill.
But judging from how the Snow Demons immediately retreated rather than stood their ground, the power was considerable.
“Electric, deploy. A-rin, use the Water Snakes to scout beneath the snow.”
“Yes!”
Even at his sudden command, Seo A-rin nodded and summoned seven Water Snakes.
After clearing snow for a while and continuously operating the Water Snakes, it seemed to be paying off.
‘Getting better and better.’
Seeing her skills improve, Lee Gang-hyuk smiled, and Seo A-rin gave a thumbs up, sending the Water Snakes outside.
And so…….
The moment Electric went outside alongside the Water Snakes Seo A-rin had summoned, it launched a skill at the Snow Demons in the vanguard.
Crackle-crackle.
At the same moment, the weapons of the Bone Swordsmen and Bone Spearmen glowed red.
This was to attack the paralyzed Snow Demons once the Lightning Bolt connected.
In that instant…….
“Screech!”
Crack-crack.
When the Snow Demon hit by the Lightning Bolt cried out, snow from the ground suddenly surged up and began coiling around its body.
‘That’s—!’
Shocked by the sudden phenomenon, Lee Gang-hyuk’s eyes widened involuntarily.
Seo Hwa-rin and Seo A-rin were equally astonished. Though the attribute was different, it resembled Seo A-rin’s Aqua Barrier.
‘So they don’t just use snow and ice to attack—they can create defenses too.’
Seeing the protective barrier surrounding the Snow Demon, Lee Gang-hyuk clicked his tongue and turned to Seo A-rin.
“Still searching—no sign of anything else yet.”
Before he could even ask, sensing what his look meant, she reported the situation. Lee Gang-hyuk began stroking his chin naturally.
‘Could this really be all of them? But then why? Were their levels low? If so, there’d be no need to position them at the rear…….’
A brief moment of consideration.
Then, having reached a decision, he pointed toward the rear.
“Then have the Water Snakes stand by at the back. So we know immediately if anything approaches. And I should commit the Bone Assassins to the attack.”
“Yes!”
At his words, Seo A-rin called her Water Snakes back from their search and stationed them at the rear.
In that gap, the Bone Assassins slipped into position, splitting left and right to conceal themselves.
The sharp wind scattered the snow, obscuring their figures.
‘Not bad. Bone Shielders, forward. Maintain formation spacing. Pressure them.’
Sensing the Bone Assassins’ positions through his perception even as they vanished from sight, Lee Gang-hyuk advanced the Bone Shielders.
“Screech!”
As the zombies and skeletons pressed forward, the Snow Demons shrieked.
It wasn’t merely a threat—it was a cry to activate an ability, and snowballs materialized in front of them.
‘Defense.’
At Lee Gang-hyuk’s command, the advancing Bone Shielders halted, lowered their stance, and raised their shields.
As the zombies and skeletons followed suit, the snowballs the Snow Demons had created flew toward them.
Boom!
Crash!
The snowballs struck the Bone Shielders with a thunderous sound, shattering instantly.
Just as he thought the power was weak—!
The shattered snow wrapped around the Bone Shielders’ legs and began freezing them in place.
‘Attack followed by binding…… Now I understand why those people died.’
A surprise attack and then restraint.
Without information about the Snow Demons, they’d had no way to respond properly—annihilation seemed likely.
Confirming the situation he hadn’t seen from the rooftop, Lee Gang-hyuk turned to Seo Hwa-rin.
“It looks like you’ll have plenty of opportunities to shine from here on.”
“Yes. But will we be alright like this? If needed, I could jump in and—”
Thinking that Seo Hwa-rin, with her fire attribute, would be effective against the Snow Demons, Lee Gang-hyuk spoke to her. She responded with concern, as if ready to rush in at any moment. Lee Gang-hyuk held her back and pointed to where Seo A-rin’s Water Snakes were stationed.
“It seems like there might be more hiding nearby. Let’s observe a bit longer first.”
“Understood. Just signal whenever you need me.”
The moment he said there was no need to act, being relatively safe on the second floor, Seo A-rin suddenly cried out in alarm.
“There! Three more just appeared!”
“They waited until the binding took hold, it seems.”
At her words, Lee Gang-hyuk understood their tactics and furrowed his brow.
The fact that they had tactics of their own meant they were considerably intelligent.
‘Weaker than Mutated Zombies, but they move in groups and have high intelligence? These are troublesome creatures.’
With his brow furrowed, Lee Gang-hyuk ordered the Bone Swordsmen and Bone Spearmen to protect Electric, then
Commanded the Bone Assassins, who had positioned themselves at the Snow Demons’ rear, to attack.
At the same time…….
Seo A-rin also ordered the Water Snakes on standby to attack the newly appeared creatures. The creatures, moving swiftly through the snow, shrieked and burst out of it.
When the creatures that should have launched a surprise attack instead emerged, the ones in front startled and shrieked before suddenly unleashing attacks.
It looked like they were attempting close combat since their ambush had failed.
But
The Bone Assassins, having received orders and waited for their opening, attacked in succession, and two Snow Demons fell dead on the spot.
“Screech?”
“Screeeeech!”
Startled and flustered by the sudden turn of events, the Snow Demons faltered as Electric unloaded skills onto the ones held fast by the Water Snakes.
Crackle-crackle.
Crackle.
“Ugh…….”
Too distracted removing the Water Snakes, the creatures couldn’t create a barrier in time. Paralyzed by the attack, they collapsed and were buried in the snow.
‘Now.’
Seeing this, Lee Gang-hyuk’s eyes gleamed as he gave his order. The Bone Swordsmen’s swords glowed red and struck.
Boom!
Crash!
Paralyzed, the Snow Demons couldn’t dodge—their throats were cut and they died.
‘Quite effective.’
Satisfied with the power, Lee Gang-hyuk nodded and eyed the remaining creatures.
‘All-out advance.’
At his next order, a full assault unfolded.
“Screech!”
The startled Snow Demons desperately activated their abilities, creating defensive barriers.
“Fire Wall!”
Whoosh.
“Screech?”
“Screeeeech!!”
Seo Hwa-rin, observing the situation, used her skill to melt all the barriers, and the Snow Demons burrowing in the snow shrieked in panic.
Honestly, he was surprised.
They’d been preparing to hide behind the barrier and escape.
“…….”
Astonished by their higher-than-expected intelligence, the three of them exhaled sharply.
And at the same time…….
“Ugh…….”
Thwack. Crack.
Caught off-guard, the Snow Demons couldn’t properly defend against the charging skeletons’ attacks—their throats were cut and they died.
“Huh?”
As Experience Points rose afterward, Lee Gang-hyuk furrowed his brow and shook his head.
Clearly, five Snow Demons had still been alive at the end. But Experience Points had only increased four times.
‘Playing dead? So that’s what it was. With the sneak attack and the one we thought we’d just killed suddenly attacking again, they couldn’t help but fall victim to it.’
Through this, realizing the Snow Demon was feigning death, Lee Gang-hyuk understood why the Awakeners had been killed. He exhaled and ordered a finishing blow. The creature pretending to be dead tried to flee but was cut down instead.

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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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