The Regressed Necromancer Prepares for the Apocalypse - Chapter 12

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

The Regressed Necromancer Prepares for the End — Episode 12

– Guys, Under Arena clear finally happened!
– Stop lying.
– Serious. Is the Under boom really coming back?!

In the first year after the Great Transformation, plenty of Players flocked to challenge the Under Arena.
But clearing it proved far from easy, and with Penalties pouring in, not only did Player numbers dwindle, but Mana Stones and Gold ceased to appear—making the Under Arena effectively forbidden by unspoken rule.
The public accepted this, true enough.
And yet the quests in the General Arena seemed so painfully dull by comparison.

– Arena combat is what it’s all about!

Which is why when a Player of a Class the world had never seen before
displayed dazzling battle tactics—combining Close Combat and Minion Control in ways they’d never witnessed—
and went on to uncover a Hidden Quest in the Under Arena itself, clearing it outright,
the masses experienced a dopamine rush beyond all comparison.

“I fear I may have underestimated your worth somewhat. I’ll grant you that much.”

In a heartbeat, massive Player organizations and elite circles from across the globe began approaching Do Jin,
dangling every conceivable benefit and clamoring for contracts with him.

“The proof is complete, so as stipulated in the contract, I’ll continue providing my skills to Do Jin. The profit split has been adjusted to nine-to-one in your favor. If Do Jin wishes, I can procure items for you, not just arena runs.”

The momentum was formidable enough that even the world-class Hangang Group could not afford to be complacent.
The Hangang Group’s small-scale Test Guild had a straightforward purpose:
to nurture Rankers favorable to the Hangang Group in this Player-centric society.
And the necromancer Do Jin had amply proven through his Under Arena performance that he possessed the talent aligned with the Test Guild’s aims.
More than amply, from the Hangang Group’s perspective.
As a result, certain viewers—Heckjjang, Jang Doryeong, Desert Prince—were already beginning to gravitate toward him.

‘Irritating.’

Ra Hui suppressed her irritation with reason and drained a cup of tea.
A warm chamomile tea with a spoonful of honey truly was her go-to for stress.

“Now that the proof is done, then…”
“…?”

Do Jin, who had been sitting quietly all this while, suddenly spoke.

What now?

“I’d like to prepare for the next arena I’m logging into.”
“……”

She herself was often called a workaholic.
But Do Jin, who had just cleared the dangerous Under Arena and was already broaching the next one moments after logging out, was proving to be no less a work addict than she was.

* * *

One of the buildings owned by the Hangang Group.
In the Penthouse situated within one of them, Do Jin quietly unpacked. He had long since vacated his room in the Moon Village Studio Apartment.

– For the sake of maintaining secrecy, it’d be better if you stayed at one of our group hotels or the Penthouse.

Perhaps unnerved by Do Jin’s unusually undemanding attitude,
Ra Hui had thrust the Penthouse upon him almost offhandedly.
Repayment, they said, for not falling into the hands of foreign scouts who’d been making under-the-table approaches.

“Not bad at all.”

No matter how much Do Jin insisted that leveling up and survival were his only goals, he couldn’t tear his gaze from the interior of the Penthouse, even for a moment. It was his first time living in a building this lavish.
Yet even as he admired his surroundings, Do Jin was methodically examining everything.
More precisely, he concentrated on sensing the flow of Mana.

“No wiretaps or CCTV.”

Mana Stones and Gold were the cornerstone materials of modern society. Gold yielded clean energy that surpassed electricity, while Mana Stones—light, durable, a new-generation metal—found use in everything from smartphones to skyscrapers; there were few fields that didn’t employ them.
The Penthouse Do Jin had entered was a newly constructed building designed by Hangang Group architects.
Built with cutting-edge technology, it spared no expense on Mana Stones, and every circuit ran on Gold instead of electricity—something Do Jin could feel distinctly through his Mana sensitivity.
Before the regression, he’d lived as an ordinary citizen; after the world fell, homelessness became routine.
And now, after regression: a studio apartment, then a tent, and now a Penthouse.

“Well, if they’re offering, there’s no reason to refuse.”

During this brief reprieve before the Main Scenario began.
Why not enjoy a taste of living in a grand, magnificent home?
Do Jin let out a soft chuckle and summoned a window.
It was none other than…….

“The Shop System.”

In that instant, a new window materialized before Do Jin’s eyes.

Shop System Access Confirmed
Player Rank Verification: D
D-Rank Shop Login

Do Jin recalled information he’d heard from his colleagues before the regression.

‘E-Rank shops don’t have much… but starting from D-Rank, there are actually some decent items.’

The lowest-tier shops sold only the lowest-tier items.
Things that seemed like they’d only appear in the earliest days of the apocalypse—and yet, perfectly calibrated to meet the desperate needs of ordinary people who’d just been thrust into it.
Only from D-Rank shops and above did Players find items worth their while.
And among them, the shop Do Jin needed right now was…….

<Auxiliary Equipment Shop (D)>

1. Mana Recovery Bracelet
2. Stamina Buff Necklace
3. Agility Enhancement Ring
.
.
.

Of course, the items scrolling down the shop window held no interest for Do Jin.
He scrolled through the item list at breakneck speed—so fast it seemed doubtful he was actually reading anything at all.

“……Found it.”

Ever since his regression, Do Jin had been turning over the same questions in his mind.
How could he survive? How could he seek revenge?
To make that happen, Do Jin had to grow first.
And so he’d sought out the Shop System—limited though he was to D-grade shops for now.
Every Shop System user received a special one-time bonus service on their first visit.

Player Do Jin’s first Shop System visit confirmed.

“So this is how it works.”

First-time visitor surprise discount service activated.

A new window suddenly opened before Do Jin.

Two roulette wheels. One divided into five sections—A through E. The other, five sections from 10 to 50.
Both wheels began spinning rapidly before his eyes.
Once, twice, three times, four times…….
And as the roulette wheels began to slow…….
They finally stopped.

One landed on A.
The other on 40.

“……!”

He’d already known what the result would be, yet he couldn’t help but smile.

Player Do Jin accessing A-grade Shop System (1 use available).
All items: 40% discount.

‘Just as my old comrades told me before I returned.’

Do Jin checked his Status Window.

“I have 14,150 Gold total right now.”

Winnings from his first-place victory in the Disc Arena, combined with the funds he’d raised through streaming—views, sponsorships, and donations.
As an A-grade shop, he might need to spend every last bit of it this time around.

“But this is the first-access bonus, so I need to invest now.”

The Shop System was a hidden feature granted only to a select few Players.
It operated like a real store, offering special services according to certain conditions.

‘They give bonuses for first access, hundredth access, things like that.’

Players who entered the Shop System for the first time received a one-time chance to access higher-tier shops.
And a Player had to make the most advantageous choice possible at that moment.
Miss this window, and it would be a long time before gaining another chance at a higher-tier shop.

“Let me think…….”

An A-grade shop would very likely have the items Do Jin needed.
What did a Necromancer like Do Jin most urgently require right now?
A spear? Armor?
If he were a Spear Mage, such items would have been perfect. But now…….

“……That’s the one!”

Do Jin didn’t hesitate. He purchased it.
……Even if it did cost him a staggering 1,200 Gold.

[Hecate’s Bracelet (A)]

Description: An item that increases the owner’s Mana capacity and restores consumed Mana.
Category: Equipment
Effect: Mana +100, Mana Recovery Rate +50%
Price: 1,200 Gold

‘Last time I benefited from pairing the Heart of Poison with that three-eyed wolf, but I can’t count on luck every time.’

A Necromancer was still fundamentally a Mage class.
The more Minions he commanded, the better—and to sustain so many, powerful Mana was essential.

“Thirty is my limit for now, but that’ll change soon enough.”

Beyond that, Do Jin turned his attention to various other purchases.

Mysterious Coupon (?) – 600 Gold.

The item’s grade was unknown, yet there it sat in the A-rank Shop System display as bold as day. That suspicious placement made him decide to buy it.

“If I pass it up now, I’ll just regret it later and keep thinking about it. Better to grab it while I can.”

Mithril Spear (A) – 900 Gold.

A Mithril weapon with excellent Aura conductivity and durability at this price? A steal. Absolutely buying it.

“My old spear is worn out anyway. I don’t think it can handle much more Aura.”

He considered purchasing armor as well, but nothing on display caught his eye. The quality pieces were too expensive, and the affordable ones weren’t worth the cost.

Still, the last item he found wasn’t bad at all.

“Insane……! There are this many potions?”

Mana Recovery Potion (B), Wound Healing Potion (B), and Health Recovery Potion (B) each at 120 Gold.
In the end, Do Jin poured every last Gold into potions.

‘My insurance policy has to be solid!’

That concluded Do Jin’s shopping. Truthfully, there were plenty of other tempting items, but…….
He couldn’t afford to fall deeper into debt with Ra Hui.
He needed to stand on equal ground—no, he needed to secure his position firmly as the one in control.
Otherwise, there was no way to prepare for what lay ahead.

“Tomorrow, I’ll head to the Auction House.”

* * *

The Shop System existed before the Great Transformation too—a privilege granted only to a select few Players.
At this present moment, nobody but Do Jin knew the Shop System existed.
That’s why most Players primarily purchase equipment created by craftspeople, using Mana Stones as currency.
While it didn’t compare to Shop System items, equipment forged by skilled artisans was quite exceptional in its own right.
And the masterpieces among them—those drew Players who would queue up just for a chance to bid.
Which was precisely why corporations held auctions so frequently.
Just like the place Do Jin and Ra Hui were entering at that very moment.

“If there’s anything you’d like, just say the word.”
“I do hope some quality pieces come up for auction.”

Do Jin offered the expected pleasantries in response.
But his true interest lay elsewhere entirely.
After all, hadn’t he spent the entire previous evening shopping through the Shop System?
Do Jin’s green eyes swept across the interior of the Auction House in a slow arc.
What he sought was not merchandise, but a person.

‘Humanity’s last Healer, Tyron Maxwell.’

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