Chapter 12

More Like A Weed Than Flower

"Ahaha! Mister Necromancer, how have you been?"

"Huh, what's this? It doesn't seem like much time has passed, but your image seems to have changed a bit?"

"Yeah, your muscles seem to have grown a bit, and your face looks handsome. You've become more masculine."

A group of five survivors, composed of D or C rank.

They greeted me warmly as if they knew me.

Even though we didn't know each other's names well.

Sometimes, hunters reveal such sudden friendliness.

Because They have shared affection through life and death together.

By the way.

'Handsome, me?'

I shrugged my shoulders casually and glanced at my body.

It has certainly thickened.

Muscles have formed, and fat has disappeared.

My shoulders have broadened, as if the skeleton itself has changed.

Yesterday, it was clear that the effect was the result of a 30-minute massage.

'Impressive for just a 30-minute massage.'
I was quietly amazed, but I understood.

In reality, it was a situation where bones and muscles was grinded through punches.

It felt like undergoing major surgery without anesthesia.

I was already shivering at the thought of receiving it again.

'Anyway.'

Why did they come here?

they must be the people who know that I went into the boss room alone at that time.

They also know that I am the one who clear the dungeon.

Kim soo yul mentioned.

They promised to keep everything related to the dungeon a secret.

'It's not good to let it be known for no reason.'

Did they say it would create unnecessary fuss?

As I mentioned before.

I didn't want to become famous until I became completely strong.

Just Like the imoogi right before ascending to the heaven, I just wanted to train quietly.

Revealing myself to the world,  when I can protect myself completely, Will not be too late.

That's why I didn't bother with a grade re-evaluation.

So, I asked.

"What's going on here?"

"Well, the greetings might be late but."

One of the five groups stepped forward.
The impression of the man with a green C-rank badge was imposing.

"I'm glad to meet you. Let me introduce myself properly. I'm C-rank Hunter Kang Jaeho. I kept an eye on you because I was impressed by your actions and attitude at that time. If you survive next time, I'll definitely throw you a party."

"......Yes, hello."

I shook the hand he extended.

There was no reason to refuse the greeting.

"As everyone already knows, I'm an E-rank Necromancer mercenary. My name is Joo Dong hun."

"Well, you're definitely not an ordinary mercenary."

Kang Jaeho gave a wry smile.

"it was incredible courage, at the time. Well, I don't think we can discuss the details here."

He glanced at the team leader, Kim Junseo.

Probably because of the confidentiality agreement.

"To get to the point, a new dungeon has appeared, actually."

"A dungeon?"

"Yeah, it's a known C-rank dungeon, and I want to hire you for it. I heard that you... don't hesitate to take on any job, no matter how tough life gets. Is that right?"

"...."

A prickling feeling.

I glanced at Kim Jun seo.

It seemed he had somehow maneuvered me again to get this request.

Even as I shot him a look, Kim Junseo stammered and stepped back.

"Heh, he got burned."

He's my brother, but sometimes I feel like the need of giving him a good punch.

"Well, it's true that I need money."

I have to admit it.

No matter how much I received for the last commission.

Hospital fees, living expenses, rent, insurance, etc.

Money disappears in the blink of an eye.

"As expected, right?"

Kang Jaeho smiled satisfactorily.

"This dungeon, despite being C-rank, has a challenging type of difficulty."

The types of dungeons with assigned ranks are mostly standardized.
Just by looking at the background or monsters appearing, you can roughly estimate the difficulty and mission, making it convenient for latecomers to participate.

"But it's still worth a try. If luck is on your side, the rewards can be quite good. Recently, some party got a Power Potion, maybe? Wouldn't that be nice?"

"A Power Potion?"

I widened my eyes.

What in the world was a Power Potion?

A rare reward exclusive to dungeons, regardless of rank.

A high-grade potion that can supposedly shows effects against curses or illnesses!

"Yeah, that Power Potion. It may not be an Elixir-grade, but it's in high demand among top rankers and wealthy people, so it's perfect for making a hefty profit."

"Mm."

As I stroked my chin, Kang Jaeho spoke up.

"How about it, not bad, right? This time, you're participating as a member, not a porter."

"And the compensation?"

"Heh, what's this talk of compensation? You're not a porter. Of course, it'll be a fair profit distribution."

"Really?"

I quickly nodded my head. 

If, hypothetically, a Power Potion was indeed obtained, the average price is roughly around 50 million. 

Divided among six, it would be about 8.33 million each. 

It's certainly not a bad deal. 

Because I'm an E-rank Hunter. Moreover, I'm an E-rank Hunter who wants to keep my identity hidden. 

The compensation for an E-rank Hunter is fixed at a designated rate. 

It's a tough world to earn big money while keeping oneself concealed.

"It's tempting, but..."

Actually, I understood to some extent why they came out like this. 

To safely clear a C-rank rated dungeon with a 99% success rate, at least five C-rank Hunters are needed. 

However, among those five members, there are C-rank and also D-rank member. 

To be precise, two C-ranks and three D-ranks. 

It's a squad that can't help but be uneasy. 

To go safely, you either need to find three more C-ranks or recruit a B-rank. 

Rather than doing that and dividing the shares, it's more cost-effective to bring in someone who clear the dungeon that even rankers find it difficult to clear.

It's cheaper that way.

And because i still give off an air of naivety.

 'But.' 

It could be dangerous. 

And surely, they're aware of that too. 

However, they're a daring team that goes into dungeons with unknown ranks without fear. 

They're having their own adventure.

'And when it comes to adventure...' 

To become a ranker, it's a path where one must endure countless hardships.

The thought of growing like a flower in a greenhouse holds no reservations for me.

The tenacity of a wild weed that blossoms even in harsh storms is far more impressive!

"So."

Kang Jaeho casually examined my face.

"Will you join us? The choice is yours."

Hmm. With an offer like that, is there even a need to hesitate?

"Alright. Honestly, I was getting tired of being a porter."

I coolly accepted the proposal.

It's perfect timing anyway. I wanted to experience the power of the grown skeleton firsthand, and now I can.

***

Dungeon exploration is scheduled for tomorrow afternoon. 

After having the promised meal with Kim Junseo, I returned to the training ground.

[Using the skill 'Teaching of Perfect Mastery' (S-rank).]
[Consuming 20 stamina.]
['Master of The Thousand Mastery' appears.]

"has a day Already passed?"

The old man appeared like a ghost.

"Yes, sir. I've completed the task you assigned. However..."

"However?"

I confided in the old man about the events of today. 

The fact that I might participate in a new dungeon. 

It was because I thought that if I were to embark on the exploration, I might miss a few days of training. 

He needed to understand it wasn't because I was afraid of the 'massage'.

"A dungeon? It seems to be a place like the one I existed in the past."

"That's correct. I don't know the cause, but the hunters here tend to grow stronger through that dungeon."

"Hmph."

The old man snorted at my answer.

"Quite amusing. A guy with no basic is already running around. A guy who can't even taken a step is thinking of joining a race?"

"Please understand, sir. I also need to eat and survive, don't I?"

"Well, it's not bad."

The old man scratched his cheek with his bony fingers.

"I prefer facing practical situations rather than just discussing theories at a desk."

"Really?"

"But."

The old man's expression became stern.

"I absolutely won't tolerate skipping training."

"Eek."

"Are you trying to be sly? Can't you summon me even inside the dungeon?"

"Well, yes, of course."

Because it's a skill.

"Besides, it's only an hour. No matter how urgent, it doesn't make sense to skip even that much time! Summon me no matter what. If you break this promise, I'll make things much tougher for you than the light scolding last time. Do you understand?"

"Eek?"

A yelp.

Involuntarily, I let out a yelp at the old man's grunt. 

The thought of enduring pain ten times worse than what I experienced last time was unimaginable.

But I can't afford not to summon him. 

I obtained this opportunity with great effort, and I can't give up just because it hurts.

"Well, then, since time is short, let's get the massage over with quickly."

"Huh? Oh, no... already?"

"What do you mean 'already'? Have you forgotten? We only have 60 minutes!"

Bam!

Without any time to prepare, the old man's massage began.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

As if a bomb had exploded inside me, the world began to shake.

"Aaaah!"

Indeed, it hurts. 

Is this what it feels like to push against a powerful running train? Would this be the sensation if Tyson, wearing iron gauntlets, pounded on my body like a punching bag?

'Huh?'

Yet, there was one consolation.

It was more bearable than last time.

'Ah!'

Suddenly, I recalled a skill.

[Skill: Pain Resistance]
[Rank: C]
[Effect 1: Resist pain.]
[Effect 2: As pain increases, the senses become duller.]

A new skill I obtained for free last time.

'Actually, it's quite remarkable.'

The skill 'Teaching of Perfect Mastery' gave rise to another skill. 

There's no goose that lays golden eggs.

While others have to rely on luck to obtain a skill, but I just got them for free. 

And not just any skill.

[This skill has room for further growth.]

It was undoubtedly a skill with plenty of potential for development.

"Heh, now you're enduring a bit."

As the time for the massage-cum-beating passed, the old man seemed satisfied and withdrew his hands.

The moment the ordeal ended, I felt genuine relief.

"Huff, huuu... It's all thanks to you, sir. Whew, huff."

Even as I took deep breaths through the pain, I managed to speak.

"Impressive. Starting from tomorrow, we can raise the intensity a bit."

"Huh? Did I hear you wrong?"

Though I broke into a cold sweat at his response...

Anyway, it's time for stamina training.

In accordance with the old man's signal, I summoned my adorable Skeleton.

Squeak!

As if they knew it was time, the little guys naturally loosened up.

By the way, why are these guys, who don't even have muscles stretching?

Is it a memory from when they were alive?

"Now, spread out in a horse stance, like last time," the old man instructed. 

"However, from now on, during stamina training, I'll teach one of you a skill every day. Who wants to go first?"

"A skill?"

Ah, is this the start of proper tutoring? 

Well, even if the old man is a transcendent being, he can't teach all the different professions at once. 

Naturally, he'll do it one by one.

Not bad. 

Let's learn slowly.

"Alright, who's first? You there, with the sword?"

The old man pointed at the skeleton holding a sword. The rest were in the process of assuming the posture the old man had shown.

"Yes."

I nodded immediately.

Of course, it's Bone 1, my first summoned companion.

"He's a Swordsman class, but all he knows is how to swing."

"That's fine. We'll start from scratch. Go ahead, give it a swing."

Squeak?

I looked at the little guy, who was a bit cautious, and couldn't help but smile.

[Name: Bone 1]
[Energy: 100/100]
[Unique Ability: Awakened Skeleton]
[Class: Swordsman]
[Rank: D]
[Strength: 23] [Agility: 19] [Endurance: 20] [Magic Power: 10] [Technique: 21]
[Skills]
- 'Basic Slash' (Level 2)

"It's okay, Bone 1. You have someone who will turn you into a great bone warrior."

The training for Bone 1 officially began.

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