Chapter 74

Chapter 74

Spendthrift Necromancer (74)

Shadow (2)

Han Baekgil.

The leader of Shadow, who dreamed of reviving a Great Being.

Kim Minwoo himself didn't know much about the ‘Great Being’ they spoke of.

The reason was simple. Even the members of Shadow only vaguely referred to it as a Great Being and never spoke of its name, traits, or anything else.‘No. More precisely.’Even these bastards didn't properly understand the being they served.

That was why players often called them a group of lunatics.

They received no particular reward, yet desperately prayed and offered sacrifices to a being even they didn't understand. Shadow was closer to a fanatical cult.

A group with nothing to gain by getting close to them. Normally, Minwoo would've chatted just enough to leave some possibility open, then dragged things out and ended the meeting.

It was the standard method for delaying the inevitable assassination attempt.

But now things were a little different.

“Mr. Kim Minwoo. Don't you want to level faster?”

“My leveling is already fast.”

“Haha. What if you could gain far more experience from hunting the exact same monsters?”

“……

What are you talking about?”

“If you wish, we can offer you a special opportunity.”

He was offering a chance to duplicate experience?

Han Baekgil might have been insane, but as fanatics went, he was at least fairly honest. His usual scouting pitch consisted of things like The Great Being is watching you.

We will grant you the glorious opportunity to join us.

Nothing but pretentious bullshit like that.

And now he was suddenly offering something?‘That's not Han Baekgil's style.’Which made this interesting.

Bluffing when he had absolutely nothing wasn't how the bastard operated. Had this fanatic actually discovered some kind of experience-duplication bug?

“I thought you were just a fan…… but isn't this starting to sound blatantly cultish?”

“Haha. I can see why you'd think that. I admit it. But it's real.”

“…….”

Minwoo narrowed his eyes slightly.

Cult.

One of the words Han Baekgil, a baseless fanatic, hated most.

Normally, the moment you said it, his eyes rolled back and he came charging with a weapon.

Why?

Because he knew too.

He knew he genuinely looked like a cultist.

They didn't even know what they worshiped, received no rewards, and still had to offer sacrifices.

At a glance, it was just a gathering of a deranged cult leader and his lunatic followers.‘But he's relaxed?’Where did that kind of composure come from?

Simple.

From being unshaken.

In other words.

Something had become a firm pillar supporting Han Baekgil.

And a very sturdy one at that, sturdy enough for him to laugh off being called a cultist.‘Interesting.’Minwoo stared at Han Baekgil.

“If this is that important, this probably isn't the best place to talk. Shall we go to a nearby cafe?”

“Certainly. My treat.”

The two stood.

Outside the auction house.

On the way to the cafe, Minwoo glanced at Han Baekgil.‘His face looks strangely relaxed.’Usually his eyes were bloodshot, as though something were constantly chasing him.

The Han Baekgil of today was different.

He walked through the street smiling as though the crisp winter breeze felt pleasant.‘……

Well, it could be because he's using a clone.’The current Han Baekgil wasn't his real body. Shadow Clone, one of the Assassin's S-rank Skills.

A Skill that created an elaborate clone capable of operating independently.

The Han Baekgil before him was that clone.

The reason Minwoo could tell was simple.‘Equipment can't be copied.’Han Baekgil was a famous villain, so his equipment setup was quite impressive. Unique at minimum, up to Legendary.

He was practically a walking treasure vault.

But every item he currently wore had crude shapes and patterns.

A beginner wouldn't notice, but Kim Minwoo was a veteran among veterans. He could recognize the fake equipment of a clone at a glance.

That was also why he'd deliberately provoked him earlier. His true body might be one thing, but a mere clone would get smashed quickly even if it attacked. Then another clone would probably come looking a few days later.

Kim Minwoo and Han Baekgil entered a nearby cafe.

They ordered coffee, exchanged introductions, and got down to business.

“Mr. Han Baekgil. So what exactly is this thing that supposedly duplicates experience?”

“We receive Baptism from the Great Being.”

“……

So you really are a cultist?”

“I understand why you don't believe me. But it's true. Many people are already benefiting from it.”

“……

Fine. Let's say something like that really exists. Why would you give something so valuable to me?”

“We saw your potential, Mr. Kim Minwoo. Especially because you directly witnessed His mark.”

“……

His mark? That weird image?”

“Yes. Even faithful believers rarely reach a realm where they can behold it. Yet you accomplished it in a single attempt. I found that very pleasing.”

Han Baekgil spoke with madness gleaming in his eyes.

“The price?”

“Truly nothing significant. Trivial, really. But before that, allow me one question. Mr. Kim Minwoo, what matters more to you: the safety of strangers, or your own strength?”

“My own strength, obviously?”

Was that even a question?

He wasn't some kind of hero. Hell, even his reason for hunting the Outer God wasn't some noble desire to truly save the world.

It was because he'd die if he didn't.

Of course, that didn't mean he was willing to sacrifice people without an ounce of mercy like Han Baekgil did.

Moderation mattered in everything.

He was simply an ordinary person. The kind who valued himself more than some complete stranger.

At his completely honest answer, Han Baekgil nodded in satisfaction.

“Excellent. The price is simple. Offer sacrifices to Him and carry out His commands.”

“That sounds like a pretty expensive price.”

“Not at all. You receive nearly twice as much experience.”

“……

Twice?”

“Yes. Double.”

“You said many people are already enjoying the benefit…… but things seem awfully quiet for that.”

“Why pretend you don't understand? Good things are best enjoyed in secret. Otherwise, others grow jealous.”

If what he said was true.

Then Shadow's members were offering sacrifices, carrying out missions, and secretly duplicating experience?

“I need to know exactly what this Baptism is.”

“Normally, this isn't something we would tell an outsider…….”

“Really? Must be tough being an outsider. I suppose I'll get going.”

Minwoo stood immediately.

They were the ones who had approached him to recruit him in the first place. And Han Baekgil had already made a huge fuss about seeing his talent and all that.

It was about time to remind the man who held the upper hand here.

Sure enough.

Han Baekgil hurriedly grabbed his hand and spoke.

“I'm not saying I won't tell you. I merely meant that it normally isn't done. Sit. I'll explain.”

Minwoo sat back down.

He stared at Han Baekgil.

“We received the call of the Great Being.”

“What exactly is this Great Being?”

“For a mere insect like myself, I dare not even think of His name, much less speak it. I would go mad.”

“Go mad? What is this, the Cthulhu Mythos? You expect me to believe that?”

At that moment, Han Baekgil handed him a stone.

“Take a look.”[Stone of Life][Rank: Special][A stone that reveals whether ‘Lee Seoyoon’ is alive or dead. A strange power dwells within it.][Effect 1. If the ‘target,’ Lee Seoyoon, dies, the stone loses its light.]

What the hell was this?

A Stone of Life.

An item he'd never once encountered while playing the game.‘No wonder their investigation was so fast…….’So they had a method like this?

Han Baekgil spoke.

“Have you ever seen an item like this?”

“No. But couldn't something like this come from a Gate?”

His expression suddenly became extremely serious.

“I obtained this through prayer. Baptism is the same.”

“……

The same?”

“Through prayer, I obtained an orb containing great power. Baptism can be performed by transferring the power dwelling inside that orb.”

“You're offering to transfer some of that orb's power to me too?”

“Yes. The more people share it, the more diluted the power becomes, so the existing members strongly opposed it. But someone of your caliber deserves Baptism.”

Kim Minwoo's face hardened.

Shadow.

A group that had worshiped an illusion had transformed overnight into a group serving a genuine monster. An orb that duplicated experience, granted through prayer?

If that was really true, then there had to be an incredibly powerful being backing them.‘Don't tell me it's that Outer God?’The first thing that came to mind was the Outer God. Wouldn't only a being of that caliber be able to toss out bizarre items like these?‘It's possible.’Stage 6, Hunt the Outer God.

Naturally, that Outer God must have started moving too. Or perhaps this was a world where it had already been active for a long time. It wouldn't be strange if its influence had reached Shadow.

“I have one question.”

“Go ahead.”

“Let's say this incredible being really exists. Why would a being like that help you? You're so weak you can't even think its name.”

“Yes. We are insignificant. But even insignificant creatures can do things for a Great Being.”

“Offer sacrifices?”

“Haha. That's only our small token of devotion. The real mission is something else.”

“What? I'm curious.”

“That…… you'll learn gradually if you join our organization. It's difficult to discuss here.”

Han Baekgil's eyes suddenly turned firm. It looked like he wouldn't stop Minwoo even if he stood and left now.‘An Outer God. Something an Outer God would want enough to use creatures as servants…….’It could be an item on Earth, a person, or some unknown third category entirely.

Either way, there had to be something worth targeting.‘Maybe they're supposed to hunt me.’Right after he first Awakened.

After seeing the beings behind the veil.● Warning! Warning! Warning!● ???

senses this anomaly!● ???

begins searching for its cause!● Be careful. ???

will not take this incident lightly!

He had seen bizarre messages like those.

The question marks would not simply let the situation pass.

A being whose name drove people mad merely from thinking or speaking it.

Maybe the question marks had been some kind of filtering process meant to protect Minwoo.‘Knew this was going to be brutal from the start…….’If the being Han Baekgil served really was the Outer God, then the final boss had entered alert mode barely two months into the game.

Of course.

All of that only held if Han Baekgil truly served the Outer God, and if that Outer God was genuinely targeting Minwoo.‘For now, it's all hypothetical.’But if every one of those assumptions was true. Stage 6.

This really wasn't going to be easy.

“What's the name of your organization?”

“We are ‘Shadow.’ We exist everywhere.”

“……

Everywhere? Are you some kind of global organization?”

“Correct. You understand quickly. Allow me to introduce myself again. I am Han Baekgil, priest of Shadow's ‘Korean Branch.’

Damn.

These guys had really grown up.

A group that used to play around only in Korea had suddenly become a worldwide organization.

“Yes, I appreciate the explanation. I'll think about my answer.”

He said that, but he had absolutely zero intention of joining.

There was no telling what kind of side effects Baptism might cause.

If he got truly unlucky, he might wake up one morning under complete mind control.

First, he needed to buy some time.

“Very well. I'll come see you again in one month.”

Minwoo nodded.

At least he'd bought himself a month.