Chapter 03
There's No Rule That Says You Have To Die In This World
"...Ugh."
All strength left my body. I felt as limp as if I had just been drained of sweat in a sauna.
[Hunter: Jo Dong-hun]
[Energy: 0/100]
it's a phenomenon that occurs when energy reaches 0.
But unlike my body, my head was boiling like a kettle.
"No...!"
The desire to live, the instinct for survival, writhed within me.
I felt like I had done enough, but somehow my heart felt bitter.
I didn't endure three years of hardship for this miserable end.
This was not the life I wanted to live.
But reality was a cruel.
Now, all that remained were three bones whimpering like ashes in the wind.
"Ranker, my ass. Am I destined to be nothing more than Orc food?"
I was drained.
It was unfair and infuriating.
Was I just a ragged sparrow with a torn wing?
No matter how you look at it, it's like that.
Is it really a big mistake for a magpie to dream becoming a crane?
"Chee-eek!"
Could they sense my inner resignation?
It was when the orc let out a triumphant roar along with a wicked laugh.
[Please check the achievement message!]
"Hmm?"
I furrowed my brows.
Honestly, it seemed like it had been floating there for a while.
I was so angry, and infuriated.
I didn't even bother to examine the message faintly etched before me.
"…?"
However, I quickly snapped out of it.
It was different from the usual, a complete golden message.
I promptly clicked on it.
[Achieved Hidden Condition!]
['Unique Ability: Cursed Necromancer' Exclusive Hidden Condition!]
[Condition: Rule of 10,000 Uses!]
- Tremendous effort is required to raise the grade of the unique ability!
- Use the skill, 'Summon Ordinary Skeleton' (Grade E), 10,000 times!
"Huh...?"
His pupils widened.
A Faint Incomprehensible sounds spilled from his mouth.
Around the message, golden dust was swirling in a dazzling display.
Squeak, creak?
The Skeleton who had been facing off with the orc up ahead also stood in a daze, wondering what was happening.
'The Rule of Ten Thousand Uses?'
It was a condition he'd never heard of before.
Well, if he had known, the 'hidden' tag wouldn't have made much sense.
'So, does that mean...'
Have I used my skills a total of ten thousand times until now?
Well, considering it's roughly been three years and I've repeated it only about ten times a day, it should be around that much...
Then, it happened.
[Congratulations!]
[Your rank has grown to Grade D!]
Aaaah.
Heaven. Gods.
Grade D...?
After three years of no response, now?
Well, anyway, thanks, I guess.
[You have received rewards corresponding to your rank change!]
Alright, quickly! Hurry!
Throw something, anything!
Internally, I urged the unidentified deity.
"Sshhhrrreeeek!"
I had no choice but to hurry because the orcs started moving again.
[Energy is surging!]
[Energy: 100/100]
"Good!"
I shouted without even realizing it.
To me, energy was like having extra lives.
Clang! Thud!
The orc's axe clashed with the bone-handled greatsword a couple of times.
But this time, a completely different sound echoed.
It wasn't the sound of something collapsing weakly, but the sound of rebounding with force!
"Ohh."
The power of the skeleton had changed from before!
[Skill, 'Summon Ordinary Skeleton' (Grade E) has been adjusted upward!]
[Skill, 'Awakened Skeleton Summoning' (Grade D) has been achieved!]
In accordance with that, a message popped up.
[Skill: Awakened Skeleton Summoning]
[Grade: D]
[Effect 1: Consume 10 energy to summon an awakened skeleton. You can summon up to a maximum of 10.]
[Effect 2: You can give names to each skeleton.]
What changed was the originally 'low-grade' skeleton, which transformed into 'intermediate-grade'.
And one more thing.
[The main weapon for the new skeleton will be set!]
[Respective skeletons: 'Bone 4', 'Bone 5']
[From now on, these skeletons will respond to your command!]
"Uh....?"
I wore a puzzled expression.
I stared at the message repeatedly.
"Their main weapon is set? That means..."
Memories of past struggles flashed through my mind like a lantern.
All this time...
Was I training people who hadn't even awakened their abilities?
Were their powers just sealed away?
These damn fools.
I should have Known it!
I turned my gaze forward again.
"Charge! Charge!"
The orc was seething with anger.
It seemed quite upset due to the suddenly empowered skeletons.
*Clang!* *Thud!*
The orc was frantically blocking the greatsword swung by Bone 1, the spear thrust by Bone 2, and the arrows shot by Bone 3.
"Yes, these guys are something."
Back when they were Grade E, they were rather feeble.
But now that they've grown to Grade D, they're not ones to be underestimated by other Grade D.
That's how much enthusiasm and dedication they put into their training.
If the orc wasn't a superior species, it would have already been sliced to pieces by Bone one greatsword.
I nodded and immediately utilized my energy.
"If you've gained a new ability, isn't it your duty to try it out right away?"
[Activating Skill 'Awakened Skeleton Summon' (Grade D).]
[Consuming 10 energy.]
[Skeleton 'Bone4' appears.]
[Activating Skill 'Awakened Skeleton Summon' (Grade D).]
[Consuming 10 energy.]
[Skeleton 'Bone5' appears.]
With a dark energy surging from the ground.
Tulululoo...
Two skeletons took form.
Bone 4 and Bone 5.
"Hyah....."
I observed them with an ecstatic expression.
The usual listless bones were nowhere to be found.
Bone 4 held a large shield, nearly the size of itself.
Bone 5, on the other hand, held a staff, as if it was a mage.
A tank and a mage?
Well, with this, I can even make a party composition that looks legitimate with skeletons, can't I?
Squeak!
First, Bone 4, who held the shield forward, slightly lowered its body and then charged towards the orc.
"Confused?"
The orc, who had been fighting for a while, seemed taken aback and stepped back.
Then, as if daring to block me with such a shield, he swung his axe vigorously.
Clang!
However, the axe was easily deflected.
Behind that fellow.
[‘Bones 5’ uses the skill ‘Fireball’ (Lv.1).]
Whoosh!
A fireball conjured from bones descended upon the creature.
"Sizzle! Sizzle!"
The orc skin scorched, and let out a pained roar.
Thud! Thud!
The bone spear pierced through the defenseless creature's throat.
The coordination and speed were surprisingly terrifying.
"Wow."
I hadn't done anything.
I was just watching silently.
[‘Mighty Orc’ has been dealt.]
...
My heart pounded.
I felt two emotions.
A sense of relief at surviving a near-death situation.
And excitement about my newfound ability.
'Perhaps.'
I thought this life was a failure.
It seems there's no rule that says you have to die in this world.
* * *
'I can't believe it.'
I tried to stay calm, taking dozens of deep breaths, but it was inevitable.
If you're human, it's unavoidable.
Just a few minutes ago, I thought I was really on my way to heaven.
The fact that I'm still breathing didn't feel real.
'Furthermore.'
How can I calm down when the fruits of three years of effort have just materialized?
After wrapping up my training and returning to my small underground room, I spent the whole day staring at the status window.
"Hehehe."
With a smile on my lips.
[ Hunter: Joo Dong-hun ]
[ Alias: X ]
[ Energy: 100/100 ]
[ Unique Ability: Cursed Necromancer ]
[ Grade: D ]
[ Effects ]
- You are a necromancer, a profession that deals with the souls of the dead. You can subdue opponents using terrifying apparitions and poisons. However, you are cursed.
- You can only summon skeletons.
[ Possessed Skills ]
- 'Awakened Skeleton Summoning' (Grade D)
"Alright."
I clenched my fist tightly.
I thought my life was over.
But now, hope had sprung anew.
I had been misunderstanding all this time.
This world was so beautiful, and yet I was cursing it for my own downfall.
Yes, the results should come as much as the effort put in, right?
"..."
Of course, reaching the level where A and S grades contend, the realm of 'Rankers,' was still far off.
But The thorny path ahead was clear.
What kind of exploits would I need to unfold to reach the next level, Grade C?
Still, I was happy.
I thought it was an impossible dream until now.
"I'll return to my original intentions."
Anyway.
The path I had designed wasn't wrong.
Endless effort and training were the only things that made one stronger.
That's all there was to it.
"And the skeletons, too."
Honestly, I was surprised.
The power of the intermediate skeletons that had transformed into D grade was beyond imagination.
They were fundamentally different from the undead I had heard, studied, and organized until now.
Originally, skeletons were just skeletons.
I had never even heard of strong skeletons.
The concept of an 'intermediate' skeleton didn't even exist.
And they even grow.
Is that all?
There were even ones that used magic.
"It's unbelievable."
Speaking of undead who use magic, aside from the top-tier A grade, there's only the 'Lich' that comes to mind.
"..."
I daydreamed for a moment.
The sight of 'Bone 5' unleashing the highest-tier skills Blink, Hellfire, and Blizzard Storm.
And the appearance of 'Bone 1' and 'Bone 2' growing into Sword Masters and Spear Masters.
Then, would 'Bone 3' and 'Bone 4' respectively become Bow Masters and Defense Masters?
I chuckled as I prepared a cup of instant noodles.
Slurp!
I ate it happyli.
Was it because it was ramen eaten after saving my life?
Even though I ate it to the point of getting sick of it, it tasted delicious.
"Anyway."
There hasn't been much change in my life yet.
I have to go to the Mercenary Guild and make money.
I have to eat and live.
I'll have to repeat the training.
"I hope the remaining five bones awaken soon."
It's probably too early.
If I train these five diligently, will they gradually awaken?
Boing!
After finishing my meal, I lay down on the bed.
Although it seems like I'll stay up all night looking at the status window.
I have to sleep.
After all, it was a pleasant night.
---
The next day.
The atmosphere in the Mercenary Guild 'Resolvers,' to which I belonged, felt somewhat bustling.
It was originally a place where only E and D grade mercenaries occasionally showed up, with most of the time being quiet.
But now, even the faces of relatively high-ranking mercenaries I had only heard about were visible.
"What's going on?"
As I lowered my bag onto a table and tilted my head in curiosity, the team leader, Kim Joon-seo, came over.
By the way, we've known each other for a long time, and we treat each other like brothers.
"Hey, Dong-hun! Did you come to work? Come here! It's a jackpot, a jackpot!"
"A jackpot?"
"Yeah, do you know that guild called Blue Guild? The one that Kiparang established."
"I know."
How could I not?
'Master Archer' Kiparang.
One of the domestic rankers, numbering 37 after the recent addition of the Dark Lord to the domestic ranks.
He's so powerful that there have been times when he accidentally shot off the top part of a mountain with an arrow.
'Blue' is the prestigious guild he established.
"An inquiry from the Blue Guild came to our mercenary group. It seems they need porters for a newly opened dungeon. The reward is high. About ten times the posted amount?"
"...Ten times?"
Is it really that big of a guild?
It must be.
Oh, so that's why high-ranking mercenaries gathered here too?
For now, curiosity arose.
As a low-ranking hunter, opportunities to participate in high-level dungeons didn't come often.
"Well, they even accept E grades. What do you think? Actually, today is a total bust aside from this."
The word 'total bust' means there are no other inquiries.
I hesitated.
Maybe it's because of what happened yesterday.
I couldn't just accept without thinking.
After all, I learned yesterday just how valuable life is.
After a moment of contemplation, I nodded my head.
"Should I at least take a look at what kind of dungeon it is?"
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