Chapter 121

Chapter 121

Spendthrift Necromancer (121)

OverwhelmingBefore looking into what the Nuclear Bomb was.

He first checked the titles he'd obtained.[1. Completer of Part One][Filled all ten entries in Part One.][Effect 1. All stats increase by 10%. (Also applies to bonus stats.)]

Kim Minwoo blinked.‘Huh.’A 10% increase to all stats.

And it even applied to bonus stats.

“That's incredible.”

He nodded in satisfaction.

Even after everything Kim Minwoo had gone through, Indomitable Soul had been the only title of this type he'd possessed. Now he had two.

It certainly hadn't been easy filling out the Part One entries.

Starting with Successor of the Death Lord and ending with the final entry he'd just acquired, ‘One Who Executed the Vampire Duke.’

Not a single one had been easy.

He examined the newly unlocked Part Two list.[Beginning of a Legend

- Part Two][An Awakened writing his own legend. His second journey is recorded.][Effect 1. Filling every entry in Part Two adds a very special effect to the ‘Completer of Part One’ title.][Effect 2. Filling every entry in Part Two allows Part Three to be created.]〈Part Two Entries 0/15〉‘It increased from ten to fifteen.’He'd probably fill them one by one as he continued progressing.

There was still one more title he'd obtained.[One Who Executed the Vampire Duke][You granted eternal rest to Duke Timorn, the lord of the ancient castle and a Trueblood.][Effect 1. Trueblood Authority applies.][Effect 2. Exerts powerful intimidation over lower Vampires.]‘……

Trueblood Authority?’Could it mean Source of Blood?

The reason Truebloods were particularly notorious even among Vampires.

They possessed a Passive Skill that prevented bleeding.

He lightly cut his wrist with the Necromantic Sword. A slight sting, then a little blood flowed out.

That was when.

As though time were being rewound, the blood was sucked back into the wound.

The injury itself smoothly healed as if it had never bled in the first place.

Cedric, who had been staring at the scene, tilted his head.―Master. Wasn't that just now a Trueblood's Authority?

Kim Minwoo nodded.

“It's an effect from the title I just got.”―You obtained something useful. To think you can use Source of Blood without being a Vampire…….

The light in Cedric's eyes flared with interest.―With that level of regeneration, you seem comparable to a Baronet among Truebloods. It must feel like having a potion active at all times.

“Pretty much.”

Not quite a Highest-Grade Potion.

More like having the recovery of a High-Grade Potion permanently active.―Minwoo, amazing! Then…… Olivia might like you too!

“You think that Vampire would like me?”―Yeah! She really hates humans. But Minwoo's special now, right? You can use a Trueblood's abilities and everything. At the very least, she might see you as much better than an ordinary human?

So he could score points with another Legion Commander?

An unexpected side benefit.

Either way.

Duke Timorn had left behind one gift after another like a tree giving away everything it had.

He'd definitely been worth using two Light Bombs on.

That finished the appetizer.‘Time for the main course.’It was time to use the true reward from slaughtering those Vampires.[Would you like to use the VVIP Shop Unlock Ticket?]

He nodded.[The Shop is upgraded by one level!][New products are unlocked!][New!][6. Lightning Stigma (7,000,000 points)][7. Elu's Tear (9,000,000 points)][8. Nuclear Bomb (10,000,000 points)]

The items previously hidden behind question marks had been revealed.

He examined the details.[Lightning Stigma][Rank: Special][A mysterious stigma. Upon purchase, it is automatically engraved onto the body.][Effect 1. Grants the ability to wield lightning.]‘A stigma?’An image resembling a stylized bolt of lightning appeared.

It was about the size of a 500-won coin.‘The power to wield lightning…….’Compared to the other items, which had effects plastered all over them, the Stigma's effect was almost excessively simple.

That only made it more tempting.

Put differently, every ounce of the Stigma's power was concentrated into the single ability to wield lightning.‘It doesn't seem like engraving it on my body simply raises my Lightning attribute either.’If that were the case, it would've been written in the effect.‘So I'd have another card to play…….’He was a close-combat Necromancer.

Nobody would expect a Necro to suddenly throw lightning from point-blank range. At seven million points, it certainly seemed impressive.

This time, he examined Elu's Tear.[Elu's Tear][Rank: Ancient][Level Requirement: 251 or higher, Summoner Class.][A ring said to have been crafted from a tear shed by the Goddess Elu.][Effect 1. All stats +100][Effect 2. All recovery rates +100%][Effect 3. Once per month, ‘Elu's Miracle’ can be used. When the Miracle activates, something mysterious occurs.]‘Wow…….’Good.

Really, ridiculously good.

That was his impression of Elu's Tear. Accessories were already difficult enough to obtain. And not a single one of its effects was useless.

An increase to every stat was practically a universal buff.

A 100% increase to every recovery rate was equally incredible.

Mana and Stamina would recover twice as fast. It was difficult to imagine a better option for prolonged combat.‘As for the Miracle…….’Apparently something mysterious happened when it was used, and that too was probably an exceptional effect.‘Still, I should check the last item first.’Something even more expensive than a ring this good.

The Nuclear Bomb.

He was extremely curious what it was.

He checked the description.[Nuclear Bomb][Rank: Special][A mysterious bomb. It produces no radiation. However, whatever power you imagine it possesses, the reality seems likely to exceed it.][Effect 1. Causes an ultra-powerful explosion in the surrounding area.][Effect 2. The user and allies take no damage.]For an item costing ten million points, the description was extremely simple.

But the fact that it was the most expensive meant.‘Its actual power must be ridiculous.’Of course, whether it would work against a genuine Outer-God-level monster was questionable…….‘But it should work on almost anything below that.’Two Light Bombs had instantly crippled a Vampire somewhat weaker than Valkan.

Judging by the price, this should be at least twenty times stronger.

It was an item that might even work on monsters at the Death Lord's level.‘Not bad.’Kim Minwoo's eyes gleamed.

It was incredibly expensive for a one-use item.

But it possessed an overwhelming advantage the others lacked.

If he ever faced a truly desperate crisis, this item could become the move that saved everything.

The ‘Miracle’ from Elu's Tear offered something somewhat similar, but naturally, it couldn't possibly compare to the Nuclear Bomb.‘Put differently…….’One extra life.

An item capable of overturning an unfavorable situation in a single blow.

Roughly four days remained.

Even if he worked hard gathering points, he'd be lucky to buy one VVIP item.‘I'll scrape everything together and buy the bomb.’The decision took no time.‘There's still the second trial anyway.’The VVIP Shop, like the VIP Shop, could be used through the second trial.

Meaning there was a chance the first trial wouldn't be his only opportunity to earn points.‘And if it is, well, too bad.’He had to choose one anyway. There was no point agonizing endlessly over it.

An Ancient accessory was great, but it wasn't more attractive than an extra life.

His thoughts raced.

The must-buy list.

If he wanted to stop America from dragging him around by the nose, he absolutely needed the Highest-Grade Elixir Recipe. Add one Nuclear Bomb, and that totaled eleven million points.‘Trying for the equipment box on top of that might be too much.’If he had some points left over, stocking up on Light Bombs wouldn't be bad either.

“I need to earn a lot of points.”

Kim Minwoo's eyes gleamed.

The scenery before him changed.

He immediately tore the next mission sheet.[Starting ‘High’ difficulty mission!][Exterminate every Cyclops.]

Before the merchant company brought more materials, he'd squeeze every point he could from the Cyclopes.* * *The 150 participants.

They came from countless different countries, but they still shared one thing in common.

Shock.

“……

What the hell are these people?”It had been like this ever since the scores were first calculated on Day 2.

Even Liu Wei, a reasonably famous Druid, had only 120,000 points.

Naturally, most participants hadn't even passed 100,000.

But the top three were different.Third, 360,000.Second, 530,000.

Those numbers alone were already shocking.‘2.13 million?’‘What the hell is this guy doing?’First place was earning points in an entirely different unit.

“……

Did they find some kind of exploit?”

They had good reason to suspect it. Naturally, the Awakened didn't sit still.

They had already combed through their cities with a fine-toothed comb, but just in case, they searched every last corner all over again. Some even left their cities to look for hidden elements outside.

Then they realized.

“……

There isn't anything, though?”

There didn't seem to be any secret method for earning massive amounts of points without anyone else knowing.‘No matter how I look at it, hunting's the only way to earn a lot.’Whether through Mercenary Guild missions or slaughtering monster groups.

Nothing beat hunting for point income.‘And every participant is a combat Class anyway.’This was a tournament where lives were at risk.

Naturally, no country had sent production Classes.

Every participant was combat-oriented.

Meaning that score had supposedly been earned by fighting.‘What do you even have to do to earn 2.13 million points? Join a war or something?’The questions only multiplied.

Naturally, curiosity about the identities of the top-ranking participants grew as well.

“……

Could they be the Korean Awakened?”

The Guild Battle against Ilseong Guild.

Their performance there had been extraordinary enough that they were widely considered leading favorites to win the tournament.

Most of the Awakened participating in the Selection Tournament acknowledged that much themselves.‘Certainly…….’‘The Divine Archer could take second.’‘Park Siwoo. That guy's an exceptional fighter too. Third seems fair.’Neither one taking second or third would be particularly strange.

At least below Level 500, they possessed enough skill to crush almost anyone.

But first place…….‘Who the hell is this?’The Divine Archer?

Honestly, even the Divine Archer's grandmother probably couldn't earn that many points.

Park Siwoo, who was weaker than her, went without saying.‘But it doesn't seem like Kim Minwoo either…….’If the Divine Archer and Kim Minwoo fought one-on-one, more people would still bet on the Divine Archer for now.

Kim Minwoo's summons were incredible, but it was difficult to imagine him defeating the higher-Level and more experienced Divine Archer.

Yet someone had earned almost four times her score?

It made absolutely no sense.

That was why the Awakened were starting to get headaches.‘Who the hell is it?’The name was completely hidden behind question marks, so there wasn't even any way to know.

Had some dark horse entered while hiding their true ability?

And the surprises kept coming.

Not only did the Vampire's Ancient Castle mission disappear from the Mercenary Guild, first place's score began rising at a completely insane rate.[Day 3 rankings are revealed.][Point Rankings][1st: ??? - 3,133,800 points][2nd: ??? - 812,300 points][3rd: ??? - 562,130 points]..

Up through Day 3, the score had still been rising at the relatively human pace of around one million per day.[Day 4][1st: ??? - 6,172,300 points][Day 5][1st: ??? - 9,637,400 points][Day 6][1st: ??? - 13,212,300 points][Day 7][1st: ??? - 15,211,230 points]

“……

What the hell is this guy doing?”

The gap had grown so enormous all they could do was laugh helplessly.Fifteen million points?

Even repeatedly exterminating Cyclopes, the most profitable point-farming mission, would require 1,500 clears to earn that much.

Naturally, everyone lost the will to compete.

You needed at least some chance of catching up to bother trying.

No matter how they looked at it, the first trial was already over.

“Ah, fuck it. Ptooey. Take everything, you bastard.”

The Awakened spat onto the ground.* * *[Current Points: 13,211,230]

The last four days.

He'd thrown himself into earning points with enough determination to forget breathing. He slaughtered Cyclopes and spent three full days crafting nonstop.

Fortunately, the merchant company seemed to have truly gone all out this time and sent enough materials for over thirty thousand items.

After completing all of those and mixing in some mercenary work, he'd earned exactly this much.The difference from the fifteen-million figure on the rankings came from the fact that rankings tracked every point earned in total.‘Thirteen million points…….’He opened the Shop.[Opening VVIP Shop!][A shop assistant is visiting!]

“Good to see you.”―Yes, hello.

“I'll buy a few things. First this. And this.”[You pay 10,000,000 points!][1 Nuclear Bomb is placed in your inventory!][You pay 1,000,000 points!][1 Highest-Grade Elixir Recipe is placed in your inventory!]

That left around two million points.

Originally he'd intended to buy Light Bombs, but apparently he'd worked too hard, because he had more left than expected.

“Hmm. Random Equipment Box…….”

That was when.―A-Ahem!

Popo suddenly began clearing his throat.

Kim Minwoo's eyes lit up.

“Come to think of it, buying equipment might be a little iffy.”―Is that so?

“Yeah. I'm wondering whether I should save the points…… or not…….”

Save them.

Shake shake.

Or not.

Nod.

This guy.

Apparently he'd learned something from their previous conversation, because now they understood each other instantly.―That certainly sounds like a difficult decision.

“Yeah, but I think I'll just spend them. Who knows what'll show up in the second trial?”―As your assistant, I always respect the customer's choice.

“The Elixir…….”

Shake shake.

“Seems a little iffy. Maybe I'll just sweep up Light Bombs instead.”―Will you?

“Yeah. Explosions are art, right?”

Popo and Minwoo had something of a symbiotic relationship. A warm, supportive bond where they pushed and guided each other without needing words.

There was absolutely no reason to reject a helping hand.[Purchasing 4 Light Bombs!]

He immediately bought them all.―Have you finished shopping?

“Yeah. Thanks for all the hard work. If we ever get the chance, let's have a meal together.”

He patted Popo on the shoulder.―Not at all. It's simply my duty. Hehe…… I sincerely hope you survive the second trial as well. Then I'll be going…….

After Popo disappeared.

Before long, messages appeared.[The first trial has ended!][Calculating results!][Total Participants: 150][Deaths: 12][Remaining Participants: 138][You are currently in 1st place.][As a reward, you receive a small amount of information about the second trial!][Cursed Land][Sacrifice][Survival][Would you like to enter the second trial?][* Your life may be at risk.][* If you refuse, the offer will pass to a participant outside the top 50.]

Cursed Land?

He thought he understood why Popo had acted that way.

Since ancient times, hadn't Light always been used to destroy evil curses?

Buying out every Light Bomb.

He already felt reassured.

“I'll participate.”

A moment later, his body disappeared.