Chapter 02
I'm putting in effort and trying to live decently, so why is this happening to me?
Ranker.
The aspiration and idol of all hunters.
Those who hold all the world's honor, wealth, and power.
The method to become one is very simple.
"The World Ranking Bulletin Board."
You just need to inscribe your name here.
Around 10 years ago, in the eastern region of the United States, an unidentified giant board appeared.
There can be exactly 1,000 hunters listed here.
And there's a ranking order.
Some might wonder.
"It's a bit strange, isn't it? I'll admit that being listed on the bulletin board can make you a ranker. But who gets listed?"
"Right, there isn't a clear Standard for being a ranker, is there?"
"Well... It's kind of ambiguous. In fact, one's abilities vary greatly depending on their condition on a given day, and there are also hunters with unique abilities related to daily life or support, aren't there?"
There are many Questions like these.
When the bulletin board first appeared.
Many people harbored doubts.
However, they didn't need to worry.
After all, the system that calculates the rankings is not 'human'.
[The rankings have been updated.]
[Please refer to the World Ranking Bulletin Board.]
at the beginning of Every month.
A status message appears notifying all hunters of the update.
With just that, all controversies are settled.
There's no way that something capable of doing this could be 'human'.
'Okay, if the system assigns it automatically, it's definitely fair.'
'Right, as long as it's not humans. Then at least there shouldn't be any corruption, right?'
Humanity had no particular aversion to acquiring and understanding the system known as 'Ranker'.
They had already deeply accepted the system of 'Hunter'.
Step by step.
I continued to walk along the path.
How much time had passed like this?
I found an empty space.
"Should I start preparing?"
It wasn't a field made by someone else.
It was a space naturally formed by the mixture of my tears and sweat.
Whenever I finished work, I naturally headed here.
Squeak, squeak.
As soon as I arrived, I turned my neck and began to stretch.
At the same time, I opened the skill window with one eye.
[Skill: Summon Ordinary Skeleton]
[Grade: E]
[Effect 1: Consume 10 stamina to summon an ordinary skeleton. Up to 10 can be summoned.]
[Effect 2: You can give each skeleton a name.]
"......"
A Familiar content met my eyes.
Every time I saw it, it triggered an irritation and raised my blood pressure.
*Sigh.*
Of course, it wasn't like this when I first acquired the skill.
"I can name my skeleton? This is a skill with content I've never heard of before, right? Perhaps, it has a special ability that sets it apart from others?"
It was a thought anyone could have.
Undead creatures of regular necromancers were said to be disposable.
Once you used a skill, the summoned creature that appeared would never come out in the next skill.
But I was different.
Every time I spent my energy and called.
[Using skill 'Summon Ordinary Skeleton' (Grade E).]
[Consuming 10 energy.]
['Bone 1' appears.]
[Using skill 'Summon Ordinary Skeleton' (Grade E).]
[Consuming 10 energy.]
['Bone 2' appears.]
[Using skill 'Summon Ordinary Skeleton' (Grade E).]
[Consuming 10 energy.]
['Bone 3' appears.]
*Screech, creak!*
Accompanied by the terribly impolite names that I assigned to their bones, the familiar fellows make their appearance.
These are not expendable skeletons, but the same fellows as always.
"Nice to see you guys again, crazy little ones. Loosen up. You need to take good care of those fragile joints."
Of course, it wasn't difficult to tell them apart even without names.
Because their weapons were different.
"Now, number one, the large sword."
*Swish!*
The fellow sent a sword strike towards the scarecrow he had set up in the corner.
"Number two, the long spear."
*Whoosh!*
Number two, as if unwilling to lose, charged towards the scarecrow on the opposite side.
"Number three, the bow."
*Twang!*
The last fellow pulled a shot towards the target he had attached to the tree.
Yes.
This was the effort I had put in to become a Ranker.
Training.
For three years, I had tirelessly put these fellows through their paces.
It was based on the assumption that the memories and skills of the summoned fellows were retained. I thought that by training them, they could develop even better abilities.
At first, there were some results.
The fellows who used to struggle even with a Grade E Goblin can now easily handle three of them on their own.
'But.'
an E-rank is still E-rank.
That's all there was to it.
No matter how intense the training became.
As time passed.
There were limits to their growth.
'I even tried giving them private lessons.'
When I spent a hefty sum to hire a C-rank hunter, I could directly feel the fervor of parents obsessed with education.
What's even more disheartening is.
'I completely gave up on the rest, numbers 4 to 10.'
Unlike Bones 1 to 3.
The others didn't even have weapons.
I tried various things, thinking maybe they were hand-to-hand combatants or in support roles.
Squeak?
When I saw them move like glitched robots.
My chest felt so tight, it seemed like I might suffocate from frustration.
I brought hundreds of weapons and tried handing them over.
I even tried teaching them the martial arts I had learned.
I read them books, played videos for them.
I even tried shock therapy, participating as a porter in high-level dungeons and letting them loose.
"...."
But still, no effect.
I wasted precious energy.
So, a year passed, then two, and now it's the third year.
They were still just ordinary E-rank skeletons.
*Sigh.*
Being human, I too couldn't help but feel worn out.
Could it be that I'll have to live this kind of life forever?
"A melancholy life."
But there's no other way.
Someone once said, didn't they?
That a person without dreams is pitiable compared to someone who lives with unattainable dreams.
My dream is a clear-cut Ranker.
That's why I just run tenaciously.
It was in that moment, while I was continuing my training.
Rustle!
I felt a presence from the dark forest on the other side.
"Hmm?"
I furrowed my brow.
Even though it's an abandoned back hill in an ownerless village.
This place is my own sanctuary, where nobody has set foot for nearly three years.
It was an instinctive sense of alertness.
Grr, snarl!
"What's this?"
My eyes widened.
What's with the sound of a pig's grunting?
One thing is for sure, it's definitely not human.
In that case, in the best case scenario, it's a wild boar, and in the worst case...
"A monster?"
Squeak, squeal!
Even Bones 1, 2, and 3, instinctively sensing, halted their training, and immediately took up a combat stance right beside me.
"Snarl!"
Along with the foul roar blowing right in front of me, a single monster appeared.
With green skin, large fangs, and bulging muscles, this fellow is none other than...
"An orc?"
It was a rather picky monster, registered as a D-rank.
"It's Crazy, why is there an orc here?"
I stumbled back in surprise.
If it's just one D-rank orc, it wouldn't even be a match for a ranker. But for me, it was nothing short of terrifying.
The only force I had at my disposal were three measly E-rank skeletons.
Furthermore, what I could clearly sense from its big, hungry eyes was intent to devour.
Drool flowed freely, it seemed quite hungry indeed.
['Bone 1' (E-rank) is being pushed back by the strong force. All stats decrease by 20%!]
['Bone 2' (E-rank) is being pushed back by the strong force. All stats decrease by 20%!]
['Bone 3' (E-rank) is being pushed back by the strong force. All stats decrease by 20%!]
"These damned creatures..."
It was a case of being caught between a rock and a hard place.
Our lovably pathetic skeletons were immediately overwhelmed, rendering three years of training meaningless.
"It really feels like the heavens are just urging us to die already."
The appearance of the orc meant that a Dungeon Break had occurred.
'Dungeon Breaks aren't exactly rare phenomena.'
But, of all the times for it to happen, when I was alone in this remote place?
Hmm, I wonder if the chances of getting struck by lightning while passing by might not be higher?
*Sigh.*
I let out a deep sigh.
How painful would it be if I were bitten by that orc's teeth?
Should it start from the upper body? Or should it begin with the lower body?
No, maybe my breath will be cut off before it gets the chance to bite.
"Ugh."
Of course, I have no intention of quietly accepting this fate. I don't want to die.
"Charge! For the gains!"
The orc that had been momentarily cautious started rushing forward, swinging its axe through the air.
"Block!"
I immediately commanded the skeletons into position. Even though they were overwhelmed in momentum, being bones without the emotion of fear, they moved instantly.
*Clang!*
Bone 1, or 'Bone' for short, blocked the axe with a sword swing.
Bone 2, wielding a spear, leaped out like lightning to assist Bone.
But...
"For the gains!"
As the orc's rugged muscles trembled,
*Thud! Crash!*
The skeleton's frail body was easily crushed.
It was a moment when everything seemed distant.
["Bone 1" summoning is released.]
["Bone 2" summoning is released.]
"curse it!"
The silver lining was that Bone Three, who wields a bow, is at a distance.
*Swoosh!*
As the tension in the skeleton's bowstring was released, an arrow was shot.
Yes, Bone Three! I have no one else to trust. Please, gather your strength! I want to keep living even if it means enduring this wretched existence.
[Hunter: Joo Dong-hun]
[Energy: 70/100]
I stepped back and checked my energy.
I have 70 energy remaining.
In other words, I can still summon 7 more skeletons.
[Using the skill 'Summon Ordinary Skeleton' (Grade E).]
[Consuming 10 energy.]
[Skeleton 1 appears.]
[Using the skill 'Summon Ordinary Skeleton' (Grade E).]
[Consuming 10 energy.]
[Skeleton 2 appears.]
"You guys are the tanks!"
I quickly summoned the melee dealers again while retreating.
In a life-or-death situation, I excluded any useless ones from 4 to 10.
"Charge! Block as much as you can!"
Clink!
Bone 1 and Bone 2, who were tilting their heads, charged forward again.
If there's an advantage to skeletons, it's that with enough energy, they can resurrect endlessly.
Yes.
I'm sorry to be such an ugly master, but please buy me some time, even just a little.
"Gyeeeeeek!"
An excited orc, disturbed from its prey, let out a thunderous roar that echoed through the forest.
Then, he relentlessly swung his axe at the two stubbornly clinging skeletons.
Ting! Ting!
The arrow shot by Bone 3 bounced off his tough skin.
There's no denying the impact, but what's certain is that it's only stoking his anger.
'Geez.'
My head felt like it was on fire.
I could run, but I couldn't get too far from the skeletons.
His target was my soft flesh and fragrant blood.
If he focused only on me, there's no way he could escape at a mere human's speed.
["Bone 1" summoning is released.]
["Bone 2" summoning is released.]
"Damn it!"
There wasn't much I could do.
I ran with all my might.
Once the summoning was released, I would re-summon to replenish it.
It seemed like even the attack of an Orc, a superior species among Grade D, wasn't effective, but now wasn't the time to dwell on that.
I fought like a desperate bug, doing my best to survive.
For a few minutes.
[All energy has been consumed.]
[Tip/Need to replenish energy? Try taking a break.]
"Break my ass!"
Now, I had 0 energy left.
I cursed towards someone while looking up at the sky.
I try to live, putting in my best effort, so why on earth is this happening?
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