Chapter 11

Great Law of Supreme Clarity and Material Accomplishment

Art.

A word that refers to the skill or method needed to perform something.

But I couldn’t understand it at all.

No matter how skilled the Old Man was in Myriad skills.

How could he turn an ordinary person like me into a genius?

“Hehehe, that’s even better. It was a technique I made but never got to use.”

The Old Man checked my body here and there with a sly expression.

“The hardened Qi and blood can be pierced with Qi, and hmm… the physique is also very weak. Tsk, it seems like it will get better with about 300 days of massage… However, it will be quite painful. Still, I saw that you have a tenacious spirit last time, so I wonder if you’ll be okay…?”

“Excuse me…?”

I was dumbfounded.

I’m the owner of the body, so why is the Old Man excitedly making estimates?

It felt like a plastic surgery coordinator shaking his head while looking at my appearance, drawing lines here and there on my face.

And the bigger problem was.

‘It hurts?’

In a world where Necromancers are revered because I hate pain.

Why suddenly this random pain?

“Old Man? I don’t think I’m ready yet?”

“Shut up, you! Do you know how many people in the world I lived in wanted to receive this Great Law? It’s called the Great Law of Supreme Clarity and Material Accomplishment. It’s a technique I created with much thought in my later years.”

Great Law of Supreme Clarity and Material Accomplishment, whatever.

I’m not curious at all.

“Huh?”

Come to think of it, I am curious about something.

If you had such a Great Law, you could have used it a long time ago, right?

It’s a secret technique that can turn trash into a genius!

“Tsk tsk, I can see what you’re thinking. My child, this technique is performed at the cost of my life force. What’s the point of changing a disciple’s bones and raising their talent! The moment I do, my whole body will melt and disappear.”

“Ah.”

Well, if you only increase the ability and die.

You can’t pass it on, so it’s useless.

“Then what about now?”

“Well, now that I’m already a dead man, it doesn’t matter.”

“…Wow, that’s a very comfortable way of thinking.”

I sighed.

“Then let me ask you another question. Those people who challenged you back then? Before I challenged you.”

“Ah, that fierce girl and the few insignificant ones who came in before?”

“Yes, we call them Hunters in our world. Couldn’t you have used the technique on those people? You were already dead then.”

“Have I ever seen such a rude guy.”

Tak!

“Ugh!”

A painful flick on the forehead fell once again.

“Why are you hitting me?”

“A dead man. You can’t say anything in front of the deceased.”

“Damn it.”

Then what do you call a dead person if not a dead man?

As I grumbled, the Old Man shook his head.

“Besides, you’re definitely the most foolish person in the world who doesn’t even know one thing even if you’re told one thing.”

“Yes?”

“Didn’t I just say that this Great Law is to turn trash into a genius? It’s meaningless if it’s not trash. It only works if it’s at the level of rotten food waste.”

“…Huh?”

I made a dumbfounded expression.

This, this old man…

Is he badmouthing me to my face right now?

“I can’t use the Great Law on those guys. They’ve already ruined their bodies through other energies.”

The Old Man’s expression became quite serious.

“In comparison, your body is clean. A truly weak body. Although you have the ability to summon the dead, it hasn’t caused any deformation in your body, has it?”

“Huh?”

“Besides, this is just a second-best method. A naturally born genius is more amazing than a created genius. Originally, I was going to find a decent talent other than you. But, I was completely taken in by your words, so now you have to take responsibility for it, don’t you?”

“…I, I see.”

I nodded with my mouth open.

The words are a bit bitter, but it’s good news anyway.

For me, who wants to become a Ranker, it means an opportunity to become stronger has come.

The Skeleton also gets stronger.

If I can also become stronger?

‘It’s killing two birds with one stone!’

I decided not to think too complicatedly.

There’s a famous saying from a world-renowned figure skater.

-What are you thinking…? Just do it.

Just like I had been training for 3 years.

It’s just a matter of steadily doing it.

“Now, are you ready?”

Swish.

The Old Man’s figure came closer to me.

“If I do as you say, can I really become stronger?”

The Old Man smiled at my question.

“Of course, you’ll become stronger than you think.”

Thud thud thud!

“Kuaaaaaaack!”

My scream echoed through the empty lot.

Damn it, I overlooked it.

I should have known from when he said it would hurt.

“Hey, you. Why are you making such a fuss? It hasn’t even started yet.”

“Ugh, it hurts. It hurts! Ah, drool is coming out.”

The Old Man’s massage was truly hellish.

He was hitting and touching my whole body so fast I could barely see it.

I wanted to avoid it, but there was no way.

It wasn’t thump thump thump! but bang bang bang!

“Kueugh.”

I eventually rolled my eyes at the violence that vibrated my whole body.

Gritting.

At the same time, I gritted my teeth.

Endure. I must endure.

To become a Ranker, I must persevere.

‘Of course, the fact that this hasn’t even started yet is a bit creepy.’

If the pain now can make me shine brilliantly in the future, wouldn’t it be okay?

The Old Man smirked at the sight.

“As expected, you’re a tenacious guy. Good.”

The beating continued.

Every time I felt an explosive fist, my heart pounded and my blood boiled.

Pain at a level I didn’t even want to imagine continued.

Had about 30 minutes passed like that?

[You have acquired the skill, ‘Pain Tolerance’ (C-grade).]

[This skill has room for further growth.]

“The Great Law is up to here. You endured well.”

“……”

Thump.

I immediately collapsed to the floor.

Tears streamed down, and snot and drool dripped out.

It hurt. It hurt so much.

“You’re trash, but you’re a guy with some talent. If you have the desire to become stronger, and the mental strength and perseverance to endure it, then it’s not a hopeless situation.”

The Old Man was babbling something.

But I didn’t have the energy to respond.

Whatever it was.

First of all, I just wanted to lie down and rest.

I wanted to sleep.

“Hey, what are you doing when there’s still 30 minutes left? Get up quickly. Is it over just because you got a massage? Those dead men are also waiting.”

“Ugh?”

The training time is a total of 1 hour.

The Old Man’s time was not over yet.

The Old Man was also passionate about teaching the Skeletons.

“The foundation of all jobs is physical strength. Surprisingly, these dead men seem to be able to grow in physical strength without muscles. First, make them take a stance.”

“This is the Horse stance I mainly did in my lifetime.”

“Human muscles are concentrated in the lower body, so if you want to build a high tower, you have to make the bottom strong, right?”

The professionalism stood out as if education was also an art.

The only unfortunate thing is.

“Kueueung.”

I also participated in that physical training.

Basic physical training with five skeletons.

And trying to do it while dragging my aching body, I couldn’t bear it with a sane mind.

“Hoo, kuehuuk…!”

Damn it, it’s hard. It’s hard.

I glanced to the side.

Creak!

From Bone One to Bone Five.

Their expressions looked peaceful.

They were perfectly digesting the Old Man’s demands without a single flaw!

‘Are they the same as me?’

They are D-grade monsters.

Moreover, they have a history of training for a long time.

Did he feel my injustice?

The Old Man with a stern expression came to me.

“I’ll say it again, you have no talent. If I had to find one, it’s just tenacity.”

The Old Man’s lecture hammered my weakened mentality and made it even stronger.

“Moreover, you are the master who controls someone. Even though they are dead men. Should the master be weaker than the summons?”

“Hoo, kueheuk…! Yes, that’s why I’m enduring it, Old Man.”

“You have to make the vessel strong. The dead know the dead. Your vessel is too weak to control all of them yet.”

He must be talking about Bone Six to Ten.

Just like Bone Four and Bone Five awakened when I grew from E-grade to D-grade.

The rest will be Unlocking one by one when I get stronger.

“Kueung.”

Lower body training continued.

If I lost strength and fell, the Old Man’s nagging would fly without fail.

He kept pushing me without even a few seconds of rest.

‘This is overwork, overwork.’

My muscles are already torn and not even recovering, so what’s the point of training?

Was it when I fell about 10 times like that?

“Well, let’s finish here today.”

“Haa, haa! Really?”

Finally, the hellish time was over.

“Yes, you. From now on, do this physical training steadily every morning. Otherwise, don’t even think about calling me.”

The Old Man spat out nonchalantly.

[The duration of the skill, ‘Teachings of Supreme Art’ (S-grade) has ended.The summon of ‘Master of Supreme Art’ has been lifted.]

[This skill can be reused after 24 hours.]

Then he disappeared like smoke.

“……Haa, haa.”

I lay down on the floor in a starfish shape.

Sweat was dripping from my whole body, and I didn’t even have the strength to get up.

Tap! Tap!

The five skeletons were looking at me and comforting me.

Yeah, I’m sorry.

I should have been working hard with you during your training time.

“Bone One.”

I called the eldest (?) summon, Bone One.

Creak?

He tilts his head.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t go home alone? Can you carry me on your back?”

People passing by will definitely think it’s weird, but I can’t help it.

I didn’t have the physical strength to go home.

I can’t sleep on the floor, can I?

What’s as important as training is recovery.

I also need to eat enough and sleep comfortably.

I released the rest of the Skeletons except for Bone One and moved home.

Thud!

As soon as I laid my body on the mattress, I picked up my phone.

[Account Details]

[Account Holder: Ju Dong-hoon]

[Hunter Preferential Account E-grade]

[Deposit: 3,600,000 won (Fixer)]

“Oh.”

Indeed, Parang kept his promise.

20 times the existing porter fee of 200,000 won, making it 4,000,000 won.

In addition, the mercenary guild ‘Fixer’ took a 10% commission and gave it to me.

As a freelancer with a business license, I will pay the 3.3% withholding tax myself later.

Still, it was unexpected.

Honestly, in a situation where he stole the opportunity, I wouldn’t have been able to say anything even if he didn’t send it.

‘Anyway, it’s good.’

It means I have enough money to pay the rent and buy something to eat.

That’s why I’m starting to worry.

‘Should I keep going to the mercenary guild?’

Honestly, there’s a physical limit.

The Old Man’s training was so intense that it was difficult to handle other schedules.

‘I need to earn more money.’

But if I quit my job, I didn’t have enough money saved up.

The best way is to get sponsored by a large or promising guild.

But I’m not good enough with my D-grade skills.

Moreover, if I receive sponsorship, there are restrictions.

I may have to participate in unwanted expeditions.

I may have to be with a superior with a strange personality all day long.

‘Eh, I guess I have to keep working as a mercenary.’

Anyway, the Old Man’s training is only 1 hour a day.

A person can’t just train every hour, so.

It would be a better choice to work in parallel.

Besides, who knows?

Maybe another opportunity will come like last time.

I rewarded my stomach with a hamburger instead of the usual ramen, and then passed out.

And it was when I finished the physical training that the Old Man ordered from dawn the next day and went to work.

“Hey, Dong-hoon! You’re here? Come here quickly!”

Request Team Leader Kim Jun-seo greeted me happily.

Next to him were five Hunters.

“Do you know these people? I heard they’re one of the teams of survivors from the last Dungeon?”

“Huh?”

Quite familiar faces.

It was definitely part of the group that survived the last Dungeon together.

But why are they here?