Chapter 5

Seize the Opportunity

Status window?

Judging by this, it seems to show the Skeleton’s status just like mine.

Seeing is believing.

I immediately looked at Bone One and shouted, “Status window.”

[Name: Bone One]

[Stamina: 100/100]

[Unique Ability: Awakened Skeleton]

[Class: Swordsman]

[Rank: D]

[Strength: 23] [Agility: 19] [Stamina: 20] [Magical power: 10] [Technique: 21]

[Skills]

‘Low Slash’ (Lv.2)

“Hoo-uh?”

A sound resembling admiration escaped my lips.

To be honest, I was deeply moved.

It was the first time in three years that I was seeing information about this guy.

His status was like looking at a Hunter.

He had Stamina, a Rank, and a Unique Ability.

However, the difference from a Hunter was…

He had stats like ‘Strength,’ ‘Agility,’ and ‘Stamina.’

In addition, he had a ‘Class’ and his skills had levels.

I opened and admired the status windows of the remaining four in sequence.

[Name: Bone Two]

[Stamina: 100/100]

[Unique Ability: Awakened Skeleton]

[Class: Spearman]

[Rank: D]

[Strength: 22] [Agility: 20] [Stamina: 19] [Magical power: 11] [Technique: 20]

[Skills]

‘Low Thrust’ (Lv.2)

[Name: Bone Three]

[Stamina: 100/100]

[Unique Ability: Awakened Skeleton]

[Class: Archer]

[Rank: D]

[Strength: 17] [Agility: 23] [Stamina: 17] [Magical power: 10] [Technique: 24]

[Skills]

‘Low Rapid Fire’ (Lv.2)

‘Secure Vision’ (Lv.2)

[Name: Bone Four]

[Stamina: 100/100]

[Unique Ability: Awakened Skeleton]

[Class: Shielder]

[Rank: D]

[Strength: 10] [Agility: 10] [Stamina: 11] [Magical power: 10] [Technique: 10]

[Skills]

‘Low Block’ (Lv.1)

‘Low Attention Grab’ (Lv.1)

[Name: Bone Five]

[Stamina: 100/100]

[Unique Ability: Awakened Skeleton]

[Class: Magician]

[Rank: D]

[Strength: 10] [Agility: 10] [Stamina: 10] [Magical power: 11] [Technique: 10]

[Skills]

‘Fireball’ (Lv.1)

‘Air Shield’ (Lv.1)

“Wow…”

Bone One to Three had somewhat increased stats, probably because the previous training was applied.

Bone Four and Five seemed to only have basic stats, probably because they hadn’t had their weapons for long.

‘Still, the last three years weren’t a waste.’

The results of my efforts were visible before my eyes.

To me, who felt trapped in a dark abyss, that fact alone was enough to move me.

‘So, now I just have to raise them comprehensively, right?’

My heart pounded.

The dream of building my own small Legion, like other Necromancers.

The desire to constantly grow them, to make them S-Rank, surpassing A-Rank.

That was one step closer to reality.

“Alright, you guys.”

Squeak?

The heads of the guys who were taking a break turned to me at once.

Their jaws, hanging open blankly, looked especially pretty today.

“Let’s make a deal.”

I grinned with a brazen expression.

“Since you’ve been summoned as my Skeletons…”

The time left until the Dungeon was six days.

“Become the strongest Skeletons in the world. Can you do that?”

Clack!

The guys cutely clashed their teeth.

I guess that’s a sign of affirmation?

At the same time, training began.

Time flew by quickly.

During that time, I actively used the skills of the guys I had newly discovered.

As much as my Stamina ran out each time, their Stamina was always either 0 or 10.

I also didn’t neglect physical training such as running, push-ups, and pull-ups.

Because there’s nothing as suitable as exercise to arm the mind.

And on the seventh day, in the morning.

I headed to Paju Station on the Gyeongui-Jungang Line, which Team Leader Kim Jun-seo had guided me to.

I packed my backpack with plenty of sleeping bags and emergency food.

‘Here, my position is a porter.’

In fact, there’s no job more advantageous for a porter than a Necromancer.

It’s a shame the training is useless, but still, I have five Skeletons who can use their strength.

“Here! Mercenaries who have signed up! Please come this way and follow the instructions!”

“Yes, please wait in front of the Dungeon here! We’ll enter all at once in a bit!”

When I arrived, guild members from ‘Parang’ were controlling the Hunters.

Dozens of mercenaries were already camped out and waiting.

Paju Station and the Dungeon were quite close.

The dark energy visible about 200m ahead.

And the hole carved into it.

It was a typical Dungeon formed naturally.

“Haa, I’m getting nervous…”

“Yeah, it seems like it’s definitely a high-difficulty Dungeon.”

The mercenaries with dark complexions whispered.

“Right, they say the darker the color around the hole, the higher the probability of it being a difficult or complex Dungeon.”

“But hey, it’s Parang, so what could go wrong?”

“Ha, whatever. I want to finish this quickly and have some hot gukbap with soju…”

“Kheu, sounds good!”

People think the same way.

Most of the mercenaries’ thoughts were similar to Kim Jun-seo’s.

The thought that it was safe to be with a large guild.

‘Safety my ass.’

But my thoughts were different.

There are many Dungeons in the world, and countless Hunters have gone missing.

How much sacrifice and death must have followed beneath the glamorous spotlight of being a ‘Ranker’?

Especially in these types of unknown Dungeons, even large guilds can be dangerous.

But why go in?

Because I didn’t come here to ensure safety.

I came to this place to bet on danger, risking my life.

To look for opportunities that I might accidentally get.

Although I’m a porter, my mindset is firmly different from the other mercenaries.

“…”

How long had I been waiting, silently gripping my staff?

I faintly felt a breath in my ear.

“Excuse me, you with the staff?”

Flinch!

I shuddered.

At the same time, goosebumps rose all over my body.

It was because there was no sign of anyone in the direction where the voice was coming from.

Moreover.

“……?”

Not only was there no sign, but there was also no form.

Only the voice could be heard.

The voice of a woman who sounded quite young was cool and cold.

“Hmm, that’s strange. The energy I feel is D-Rank? No, it’s more than that, but you have an E-Rank badge. And you’re a porter? Who are you?”

“……”

I glanced at the white E-Rank badge attached to my waist.

I had awakened to D-Rank, but I hadn’t updated it yet, so externally I was still E-Rank.

No, more importantly.

“……Excuse me, who are you?”

I asked back, extremely nervous.

I knew instinctively.

That the other person was an incredibly strong person, at least A-Rank or higher.

The Hunters you have to be most careful of in this changed world are these types of strong people.

Those who know how to hide their presence incredibly well.

If someone like that harbors malice and commits murder without anyone knowing, modern science and technology can’t find them even if they die and come back to life.

That’s why I tried to be as polite as possible.

But why was it?

The voice became even colder.

“Well, didn’t I ask first? I wonder what your ulterior motive is for hiding your skills and applying as a porter in our Parang?”

“……?”

Oh, this person…

For some reason, she seemed to be misunderstanding something greatly.

I had only accidentally awakened a week ago.

And I’ve been busy training since then.

‘Besides.’

She caught even these minor details?

So that’s why they’re a large guild.

Actually, I couldn’t understand. It was unfair.

‘Parang’ must be a place where A-Rank Hunters run rampant, so what difference does it make if I’m D-Rank or E-Rank?

As I made a troubled expression, an even more chilling voice came out again.

“Hmm? You’re making an unfair expression, so you’re even more suspicious? Are you a spy who’s even received acting training?”

“Yes……?”

What?

A spy?

“You’ve underestimated Parang’s intelligence too much. Do you think I wouldn’t know that you’re a spy sent by a rival guild?”

Swish!

It was then that the owner of the voice appeared, along with the faint sound of wind.

Her appearance was simple.

She wore leather clothing that seemed efficient for combat, a light assassin’s dagger, and her black hair was neatly tied up.

No, putting all that aside.

‘Crazy?’

I was inwardly shocked.

Because I could see something tied to her waist.

It was so shiny that it was dazzling, to the point of blinding me.

It was the…

‘Golden badge!’

Something that was like a Hunter’s dream, only allowed to S-Rank or higher Hunters in the world.

‘That means…’

Only then did I realize who the owner of the voice was.

Dark Emperor Gi So-yul.

One of the 37 Rankers in Korea.

The only younger sister of Gi Parang, the guild master of Parang.

Moreover, with her assassination Unique Ability, she was the person you should never cross in the world.

Shudder.

My body trembled involuntarily.

Not only was I scared, but…

I was actually talking to the ‘Ranker’ I had dreamed of!

“Th-there. Ranker-nim. I think there’s some kind of misunderstanding…”

I quickly replied.

No matter how much I respected the Ranker, I had to correct the facts, right?

Judging by the fact that the surrounding mercenaries were tilting their heads at my sudden voice.

I could tell that her voice and figure were only visible to me.

But that didn’t matter.

Because my precious safety was at stake.

“I’m definitely not a spy from a rival guild. I’m only D-Rank… Parang’s rival would be a pretty big guild, so would they really use a Hunter like me?”

“Pfft!”

At that moment.

Gi So-yul snorted.

Then she opened her mouth.

“Actually, I was just teasing you as a joke, but your reaction is funny.”

“……Yes?”

What?

I didn’t understand at all.

Why would such a great figure be bored enough to play such a prank on a nobody like me?

Or maybe…

‘Did she do a background check?’

Maybe the sight of me frantically training the Skeletons in the vacant lot all night caught the Ranker’s attention.

Thump, thump.

My heart was pounding like crazy.

Whatever the circumstances.

It was a stroke of luck that a Ranker was showing interest.

It was truly a heaven-sent opportunity.

There was no time to be upset about the prank.

Because my passion for ‘Rankers’ was that sincere.

Besides, look at that smile.

There wasn’t a speck of hostility.

Rather, it was closer to curiosity.

“I’m sorry if I was rude.”

It was then that she, who had been looking at me, bowed politely.

“I suddenly felt nosy for no reason. It’s just that you looked so strange.”

“Yes?”

“A porter with an E-Rank badge has the energy of at least five D-Rank upper-tier beings.”

Scratch, scratch.

She scratched her cheek with her fingertip.

And said.

“Actually, you look suspicious at first glance, right? Of course, it’s not a threat to Parang, but still.”

“Ah……”

I had nothing to say.

Because it made sense.

Should I have updated my rank at the association even if I was busy?

‘No, rather than that…’

She instantly grasped my power just by sensing my energy?

For some reason, I felt a chill down my spine.

The thickness of the wall felt between the Ranker and me was so thick that I felt awe.

Noticing my emotions, Gi So-yul snorted.

“Actually, my brother told me to help the search team with a second expedition, so I was looking for a porter. But there’s a porter who looks suspicious?”

“Search team……?”

I asked back with a dazed expression.

If it’s the search team…

Isn’t that a unit that’s temporarily formed to grasp the internal situation and prepare the ground before the main force enters?

As expected of the Parang Guild.

I wondered why they were only sending the second team to a dangerous Dungeon.

Indeed, they had deployed a Ranker.

Then I acknowledge it.

“How about it?”

It was then that Gi So-yul stared straight into my eyes.

I felt like my mind would become muddled by the intense energy.

“As a way to manage potential spies. The search team. Do you want to volunteer? It might be a bit dangerous. But with your skills, you seem to be the most capable of the porters. And you don’t seem like you’ll be scared and run away.”

“I-is that so?”

“Of course. I have an eye for people. Hmm, instead, I’ll promise to double your existing pay.”

Hiyah?

Going to a Dungeon with a Ranker?

And they’re increasing my pay?

Double of 10 times is 20 times.

Is there any reason to refuse?

In fact, for me right now.

The search team is something I want to volunteer for even if I don’t get paid.

I quickly nodded my head, afraid of missing the opportunity.

It seems.

That the opportunity came sooner than I thought.