Chapter 158

Chapter 158

Spendthrift Necromancer (158)

ChangeBefore he knew it, Kim Minwoo had returned to his room.

Flutter!

Apparently excited by the familiar surroundings, Snowy perched on the bed.―Coo.

The little creature rubbed its head against the pillow.‘Got a lot of rewards.’There were the titles.

And the Skill Book that had dropped from the Full Witch.

Those alone would've been plenty.

Yet the real rewards were separate.

After gently stroking Snowy's head, he examined the three rewards he'd received.

First, the title.[First Step into Myth][You have earned the qualification to challenge Myth beyond Legend.][Effect 1. ‘Guidance of Fate(SSS)’ activates.][Effect 2. Completing ‘Missions’ can grow this title.][Effect 3. A special effect is added to the necklace you possess, ‘Jewel of the Dragon and Witch.’]

First Step into Myth.

A title created by changing One Who Walks the Hero's Path.‘But these effects…….’They looked extremely unusual.

Starting with the name of the first effect, Guidance of Fate.

He examined the details.[Guidance of Fate(SSS)][Exclusive Skill of ‘First Step into Myth.’ Grows together with the title.][Cooldown: 2 months][Effect 1. The future potential possessed by a companion is embodied within you.][Effect 2. The future point and degree of possession vary according to current Affinity.][Current Companions Available for Guidance of Fate][1. Park Siwoo, Affinity 83][2. Seo Yerim, Affinity 75][3. Isabella, Affinity 25]

It was an extremely unusual Skill.‘It embodies their future potential…….’His companions would naturally become stronger as time passed. Taking that into account, being possessed by a more distant future version would probably be advantageous.

As for the degree of possession.

That was probably just how completely their future self took hold, something like that.

“But the Affinity is lower than I expected?”

He didn't know why Isabella was even listed there, but he'd let that slide for now.

Siwoo had gotten diaper changes, a house, equipment, ads, everything from him, and he was only at 83?

That was when.

A message appeared.[* Would you like a detailed explanation of Affinity?]

Obviously.[0~20: Low-trust relationship.][21~50: Ordinary trust relationship.][51~70: Accompanied by deep mutual understanding.][71~90: Strong bond. Regard each other like family.][91~100: Soul companions. Accompanied by limitless mutual trust.]

“Aha.”

So those were the standards.

Only then did he understand why Park Siwoo was at 83.

They had a strong bond, but weren't soul companions.‘That's fair, actually.’How long had they known each other now, five months?

Unless Minwoo hypnotized him, reaching the level of soul companions in that time would've been difficult.

And 83 still meant Siwoo regarded him like family.‘Fine, I'll accept it.’If anything, this was good. Now he had something to raise all the way to 100.

He could just take better care of him going forward.‘I want to test this once.’But the cooldown was brutal.

That was when.[Once today, you may use it for 30 seconds without triggering the cooldown.]

A pleasant message appeared as though it had read his worries.

Apparently it wanted him to sample it once.30 seconds was short, but better than nothing.

“Come out.”―You called?

Cedric popped out.

“I got a Skill.”―A Skill?

“Yeah. I need to test it. Let's spar.”―Very well.

Cedric nodded calmly. He looked confident.‘He's gotten a little cockier than before.’Maybe because the Bloodwater Prison Orb had raised his stats so much lately. He'd been lasting longer and longer during their spars.

Compared to how he'd gotten cut down back at Level 1, the improvement was enormous.‘I'm still suppressing him for now, though.’Once his Level rose and more seals came off, things might get rough.

Minwoo might someday become the pathetic master who lost to his own summon.

He wasn't sure whether he should be happy about that or not.

Either way.

Cedric had grown considerably, making him the perfect opponent for testing Guidance of Fate. With that, Minwoo opened the door and stepped outside.

Mrs. Choi Yeonok greeted him from the living room.

“Oh my, you're back already?”

“Yes. It ended sooner than expected. Nothing happened while I was gone, right?”

“Uh, um. Of course. Nothing much happened.”

“Something happened?”

“No. Nothing happened. Go do what you need to.”

After saying that, she began tapping rapidly on her phone.

It looked like she was sending someone a message.‘Whatever.’If it were genuinely urgent, she would've told him.

He headed to the training ground with Cedric. The undead spun his spear through the air.

Wings fluttered behind him.

With Manifestation inflating his stats, Cedric looked at Minwoo.―So, what Skill is it?

“You'll see.”

He spent a moment considering whom to choose.

Then decided.

For the first attempt, something familiar would be best.[Using Guidance of Fate(SSS)

!][Selecting Park Siwoo!][Current Affinity: 83.][Future point of ‘83’ applied.][Possession Degree of ‘83’ applied!]

In that instant.

Kim Minwoo's entire world changed.

A phrase suddenly flashed through his mind.―Illusion and the boundary. I saw the realm of No-Self

between them.

It was something he'd used several months ago while running a con on the Sword Immortal. He'd never once actually understood those words.

But now…….‘So this is it.’He felt like he understood.

A realm beyond the material plane, one that cut into essence itself.

The exact realm the Sword Immortal had now reached.

He swung.

Cedric's eyes blazed in shock.

Slash!

Cedric's body split in half.

Mind Sword.

It wasn't something you could see and block merely because your stats had risen.

Not unless the Golden Skeleton from the First Arrangement returned.

Cedric revived.

Slash!

And got cut again.‘This burns a fucking ton of Mana.’Two swings left his body feeling hollow.

Half his Mana had vanished.

Of course, if someone asked whether it was worth the cost, the answer was overwhelmingly yes.

Within a fraction of a second.

The fight ended.

Kim Minwoo stared at the sword hanging at his waist.

He had no idea what a future point of 83 actually meant. Nor did he know exactly what a Possession Degree of 83 represented.

But there was one thing he did understand.

The future Park Siwoo…….‘He's become a real monster.’To the point where even the current Sword Immortal's result against future Siwoo would be impossible to predict.

He summoned Cedric again.―……

Master. What in the world is that Skill?

“Possession.”―Ha. What an unfair world. Some of us swing spears for thousands of years and nearly kill ourselves climbing upward.

“The world has always been winner-takes-all. You still haven't learned that?”―So can you use it often?

“Two-month cooldown.”―Even accounting for that, the balance is completely broken.

“Not really.”―It isn't?

“No. Look at this. It doesn't give me Skills or titles.”

He'd swung the Mind Sword with future Park Siwoo's level of talent and mastery, yet no title or Skill appeared?

Then that part had to be completely blocked.―You said the Achievement Shop sells a Potential Potion.

“Right.”―And it only lasts one hour despite being extremely expensive.

“Also right.”―In other words, releasing Master's potential is difficult enough to justify that price. Just to make sure, what rank is this Skill?

“SSS.”―And you expected an all-purpose Skill from something only that rank? Every time I see it, Master truly has no conscience.

“Another way of saying I'm an excellent Necromancer.”―……

Good grief. That is…… true. I think I understand why the Lord chose you as Successor. Your personality…….

Minwoo swung a knuckle at the skull of the bastard crossing the line.

And he did it from beyond the material realm. Future Park Siwoo's talent was enough to manifest through his body even without a sword.

Cedric's skull caved in instantly.[Cedric is unsummoned…….]

Personality, my ass.

The Death Lord obviously picked him for his ability.[30 seconds have passed!][Guidance of Fate ends!]

The euphoria disappeared, and the way he viewed the world changed again.

He gripped the sword, but his perspective no longer shifted as it had before.

“Tch.”

Already feels empty.

But there was nothing he could do.

Either way, he'd gotten a rough feel for it.

He understood what kind of Skill it was.

This thing was fucking broken.

Especially the more high-Affinity companions he gained.

There did seem to be some threshold, however. He'd interacted with quite a few people by now. Yet only three appeared on the list.

Park Siwoo and Seo Yerim were main characters.

Isabella…….‘Why is she there?’He genuinely didn't know.

Because she was an important supporting character?

But if that were the case, the Sword Immortal and the other old men were important supporting characters too.

One possibility suddenly occurred to him.

It wasn't a very pleasant thought.‘Don't tell me…….’The Skill borrowed strength from a future point.

But if someone was already dead and had no future, there would be nothing to borrow.

Given their age, it wouldn't be strange for the old men to no longer exist in the distant future.

No matter how powerful an Awakened was, aging still came, and old age eventually meant death.

That was possibility number one.

Possibility number two was simply that there was some unknown qualification he didn't understand.

“……

Can't tell yet.”

He'd have to observe this more.

The process of hunting the Outer God.

That process had given him another goal.

Increase the number of companions available for Guidance of Fate as much as possible.

If he could do that.‘I can rotate Classes.’He wasn't a Swordsman, yet he'd used Mind Sword.

He could use magic without being a Mage, and a bow without being an Archer.

Of course, he'd need to work on Affinity too.

Even if someone appeared on the list, low Affinity would prevent him from getting much out of them.

“I'm going to be busy.”

Raise the Affinity of his current companions.

And to make use of more Classes…….‘I need a bigger pool.’Main characters were likely to appear on the Guidance of Fate list.

Conveniently, one main character came to mind.

Han Sia.

A magical genius.

A Mage under surveillance by the Griff family, the magical family that had swallowed Germany's entire political and business establishment.

She was also a Mage currently attending the Korean Magic Academy.

He hadn't approached her until now.‘Might be about time.’He'd laid some groundwork with America.

Attacking the Griff family was practically the same as attacking Germany.

But even then, he thought he could get away innocent.

More precisely, he'd arranged things so America would have no choice but to treat him as innocent.

The battery development, training, elixirs. None of that had been for nothing.

All he needed was for America to stay quiet.

And it looked like they would.‘I needed a lot more Achievement Points anyway.’Perfect.

Han Baekgil, a domestic-grade villain, had given him 600 points. Then what if he smashed the Griff family?‘They'll definitely give me a lot more than that.’His next move was decided.

This time, he examined the necklace.

It had been created after inserting the jewels of a Full Witch and Mature Dragon.[Jewel of the Dragon and Witch][Rank: Ancient+][Requirement: Possess title ‘First Step into Myth’][A necklace set with jewels containing the power of a Mature Dragon and Full Witch after fate was twisted.][Effect 1. All Stats +150][Effect 2. Consecutive-attack damage +30%][Effect 3. All recovery speed +100%][* Special effects have been added.]

Jewel of the Dragon and Witch.

Even its original effects made it a masterpiece comparable to Isabella's accessories.

But…….

New effects had been added.[Special Effect 1. When the wearer's Health reaches 0, 30% Health is instantly restored once. (Cooldown: 3 months)][Special Effect 2. Once every 3 months, you may travel to a liberated Gate.]

“From now on, the Orc Gate and I are one.”

Kim Minwoo declared solemnly.

First, Special Effect 1.

A resurrection Skill.

In other words, one extra life.

It even had a cooldown, meaning he could keep using it as long as enough time passed.

Beautiful.

Everything else was just minor detail.

Special Effect 2 also had nearly limitless possibilities.

He could travel to the already-cleared Caesar Continent?

Access to the continent's abundant resources.

Interaction with countless different races.

His mouth was already watering.‘Got a lot.’And there was still one Gate reward left.

The Seed.

It said the contents had changed.

Obviously he needed to check.[Taking ‘Delicious Seed Birds Go Crazy For’ from inventory…….]

Huh?

Delicious Seed Birds Go Crazy For?

That was when.―Coooo!

Flutter!

Snowy shot over and snatched the Seed in an instant. It pecked and chewed at it with its beak.

He could've stopped it if he'd wanted.

But he didn't bother.

The name itself made it sound like the Seed had been created as Snowy's food.―Coooorp.

After eating the tiny Seed, Snowy plopped down as though its stomach were about to burst. Green light began pouring from its round, bulging belly.

Then.

Flash!

A message appeared amid the burst of light.[Your pet, Seven-Colored Bird, has eaten Delicious Seed Birds Go Crazy For!][The Divine Beast begins to grow!]