Chapter 2

Become a Legendary Necromancer - Chapter 002

I abruptly sprang to my feet.

A dark, gloomy landscape came into view.

But that wasn't important.

I lowered my head and looked down at my hands first.

“I'm certain I died, though?”

My hands were completely fine.

They moved perfectly well according to my will.

So did my neck and shoulders.

That was when it happened.

“Ah!”

The System messages that had appeared out of nowhere.

I suddenly remembered them.

“Don't tell me.”

Immediately afterward, a holographic window appeared before my eyes.

[Soul Devouring (EX)]

I had heard it clearly.

The System message stating that the unlocking conditions for Soul Devouring had been fulfilled and the skill had been unlocked.

That was why I had immediately opened the Soul Devouring skill window.

Thump! Thump!

My heart pounded like crazy.

For the past six years, I had opened the skill window several times a day to check it.

In truth, there was no need to open the skill window like this to confirm anything.

After all, a skill would activate simply by thinking about using it.

But the reason I went through this process anyway was...

Because I wanted to see it with my own eyes.

That was how desperately I had wanted this.

Swoosh—

I reached toward the skill window.

And the moment I touched the section labeled Soul Devouring with my finger.

“...!”

My eyes widened.

Because information about the skill had appeared.

Information I had never been able to see until now.

[Soul Devouring (EX)]

-Devours the souls of deceased targets. <​View Details 1>

-Can summon Skeletons using the bones of deceased targets. <​View Details 2>

“I can see it!”

I first checked the section labeled 'View Details 1.'

[Soul Devouring (EX) - View Details 1]

-Level: 1

-Effect: Devours the souls of deceased targets, allowing you to view their information or absorb their abilities.

-Number of souls that can be stored: 1

“Store souls?”

Just reading the description didn't really give me a clear idea of what it meant.

It seemed I would have to use the skill myself to understand.

However, my excitement overwhelmingly outweighed any disappointment.

[Please select a target on which to use the Soul Devouring skill.]

“It really... works!”

A System window I had never seen once in the more than six years since my awakening.

I could hardly believe it.

The only disappointing thing was...

[There are no targets nearby on which the Soul Devouring skill can be used.]

That I couldn't use the skill right now.

“That's probably because there aren't any corpses. And I suppose the same goes for Necromancy.”

Necromancy is a skill granted to everyone with the Necromancer class.

The easiest way to understand it is to think of it as a free sample that comes with a purchase of cosmetics.

A class skill embedded within the Unique Skill itself.

Of course, before my regression, I hadn't been able to use this skill either.

“If only I'd been able to use Necromancy, at least...”

Memories of the suffering I had endured before my regression suddenly surfaced, but I quickly pushed them aside.

Immediately afterward, the System message for 'View Details 2' appeared.

[Necromancy (EX) - View Details 2]

-Level: 1

-Effect: Revives deceased targets as Skeletons using their bones.

-Number of Skeletons that can be summoned: 3

-Additional Effect: Increases the power of all skills related to the undead by 20%.

“Wow, it really is true...!”

I clenched my fist tightly.

Because this confirmed it beyond any doubt.

EX-grade.

It was a grade higher than any other grade known to the world.

“Even compared to the additional effect of S-grade Necromancy, this is overwhelmingly superior.”

Han Jun-mo, the number one Necromancer in the Korean rankings.

Han Jun-mo's Unique Skill was S-grade.

“And that was the highest grade known to the world.”

The additional effect of Han Jun-mo's Necromancy increased the power of undead-related attack skills by 10%.

But mine was twice as high, even when comparing only the numbers.

What's more.

“It isn't limited to attack skills, either.”

The additional effect of my Necromancy meant an increase in the power of 'all' skills.

On top of that, Han Jun-mo had said he could initially summon only one Skeleton.

Yet I could summon a staggering three.

It was absolutely insane!

“Phew. Let's calm down for now.”

I took a deep breath.

Only then was I finally able to turn my attention to my surroundings.

“By the way, where am I? It looks like some kind of cave...”

Fortunately, light was coming in from somewhere not too far away.

Still puzzled, I started walking toward the light.

And just as I was about to step outside the cave.

“!”

I reflexively pulled myself back inside.

Because a monster had entered my field of vision.

“Isn't that a Red Orc?”

A red monster with bulging muscles that looked ready to burst, holding a hand axe in each hand.

A D-rank monster, the Red Orc.

As soon as that thought crossed my mind, I immediately opened my Status Window.

[Status Window]

-Name: Yoo Seong

-Level: 1

-Nationality: Republic of Korea

-Class: Necromancer

-Stats: Strength 2, Agility 2, Stamina 2, Mana 2, Magic Power 2

-Unique Skill: Soul Devouring (EX)

-General Skills: Mana Release, Necromancy (EX)

The words 'Level: 1' were clearly displayed in my Status Window.

Only then did I understand the entire situation. I finally realized where I was.

“My first Gate!”

It was the first Gate I had entered after awakening.

Of course, that had been in the past.

“So this is what reversing time... meant?”

This was a day I could never forget, even if I wanted to.

Because it was the first day I had truly almost died.

“A Gate Break occurred.”

A Red Orc, a D-rank monster, had appeared inside an F-rank Gate.

A monster a full two ranks higher than the monsters that were originally supposed to appear.

Back then, I had thought we were incredibly lucky.

“Because the monster that appeared was a Red Orc.”

Red Orcs were one of the monsters found in the Tower of Trials.

That was why their攻略 strategies were well known.

Thanks to that, the people who had entered with me managed to kill it.

But what if it had been another D-rank monster instead of a Red Orc?

“Then we would all have died without being able to do anything.”

F-rank and D-rank.

The gap between them was that enormous.

Of course, the reason we had managed to kill the Red Orc wasn't simply because we knew how to fight it.

It had only been possible because one of the people who entered with us possessed a high-grade Unique Skill.

However, the problem was that one more Red Orc remained.

The people were brutally slaughtered by the second Red Orc that appeared.

And I...

Pathetically enough, I had survived precisely because I lacked any abilities.

Because I had been staying at the very rear.

I had fled into this cave and hidden here. I remained as quiet as a mouse until the raid team arrived.

“Did I really... return to the past? Wait a minute.”

At that moment, I thought of the Mana Release skill.

At the same time, power surged throughout my body, and knowledge of how to use it flowed directly into my mind.

Mana Release, which I had never once been able to use before my regression, just like Soul Devouring.

That skill was now usable as well.

My mind raced.

“If I stay here quietly, there's no chance of me dying.”

However.

I could use Mana Release?

And I could even use my Unique Skill?

If that was the case, there was nothing to hesitate about.

“I'll kill that thing and claim the rewards.”

___________

The Red Orc wandered around, flaring its nostrils in every direction.

I could hear its snuffling sounds even from where I stood.

Right now, the creature was searching for the scent of a human.

To kill me, the last survivor.

'It's a bit of a shame I don't have my bow... but there's nothing I can do about that.'

It seemed that, before my regression, I had thrown away even my bow while fleeing from the Red Orc.

But it didn't matter.

Because I could use Mana Release instead.

And I still had quite a few consumable items remaining.

“Phew...”

I took a deep breath and exhaled.

At the same time, I activated Mana Release to strengthen my body.

Ever since I became able to use the skill, I had already understood how to activate it.

Just as no one needs to be taught how to breathe, the knowledge had naturally been engraved into my body.

Tap!

I immediately kicked off the ground.

But I wasn't running toward the Red Orc.

'I'm heading toward the dead Red Orc.'

Fortunately, the dead Red Orc was on the opposite side.

However.

“Grrk?”

The moment I emerged from the cave, the Red Orc's gaze turned toward me.

“Graaaagh!!”

Then it let out a monstrous roar and began chasing after me.

'Not yet?'

[There are no targets nearby on which the Soul Devouring skill can be used.]

The System message was still telling me that Soul Devouring couldn't be used.

Apparently, I had to get within a certain distance of a corpse before I could activate Soul Devouring.

Then, when I was approximately 30 meters away from the Red Orc's corpse.

At last, a message appeared informing me that Soul Devouring could be used.

[Would you like to use the Soul Devouring skill on the Red Orc?]

I activated Soul Devouring without hesitation.

Hissssss—

Immediately afterward, black energy began writhing out of the Red Orc's corpse...

Click!

Something resembling a door appeared in midair, and the black energy flowed into it.

[The Red Orc's soul has been absorbed.]

[You can now use the 'Soul Inventory.']

[A free slot has been granted as a first absorption bonus.]

[The Red Orc's soul has been stored in the free slot.]

[Proficiency in the Soul Devouring skill has increased.]

[Proficiency: 0% → 10%]

'Soul Inventory?'

There was no time to wonder about that.

Because the Red Orc that had been chasing me had already reached my back.

I immediately activated Necromancy.

Crunch, crack!

Bones burst out of the dead Red Orc's corpse.

They rapidly assembled into a recognizable form.

A Skeleton appeared.

Just like Mana Release, the knowledge of how to use Necromancy had already been imprinted in my mind.

I issued a command to the Skeleton.

'Go.'

The Skeleton obeyed my command without the slightest hesitation.

It charged toward the Red Orc.

I also quickly took a consumable item out of my inventory.

I intended to join the battle.

However, that never became necessary.

With a Frost Explosion Stone in my hand...

I stared blankly at the Red Orc and the Skeleton fighting each other.

Because the result was completely unexpected.

“What the...? Why is it so strong?”

The Skeleton was overwhelming the Red Orc.

“There's this much of a difference?”

I had expected there to be a certain degree of difference.

After all, it was EX-grade Necromancy.

But I had never imagined the difference would be this enormous.

Han Jun-mo, who had been the number one Necromancer before my regression.

Even the Skeletons he summoned could do no more than fight a single monster on equal terms.

If that was the extent of the Skeletons summoned by someone with an S-grade skill, then what about Skeletons summoned by those with lower-grade skills?

“That's why the Necromancer class is incredibly difficult in the beginning and only becomes better later on...”

It was a class that took a long time to reach its full potential.

That was the nature of the Necromancer class.

And it was all because Skeletons were so weak.

But now.

“What the hell...”

None of that applied to me.

If they were already this strong, then just how powerful would they become later?

That thought suddenly occurred to me.

And soon, an almost maddening thrill swept through my entire body.

“Get a grip, Yoo Seong.”

I told myself that and forcibly suppressed my excitement.

That was when it happened.

[You have defeated the Red Orc.]

[Rewards for Republic of Korea Gate #52225 (F) will be distributed.]

[F-rank Magic Stone ×10]

[F-rank Random Box ×1]

A System message appeared.

The Skeleton had defeated the Red Orc.

As a result, the rewards for clearing the Gate had appeared.

However, what came next was the important part.

[Additional rewards are available.]

[Rewards for Republic of Korea Gate Break #52225 (D) will be distributed.]

[D-rank Magic Stone ×10]

[D-rank Weapon Box ×1]

[D-rank Skill Box ×1]

[D-rank Random Box ×1]

My heart pounded wildly.

This was practically the first time.

The first time I had received rewards appropriate for my current level.

And what about now?

I had actually received rewards far beyond my level.

And the System messages didn't end there.

[You have leveled up.]

[You have leveled up.]

[You have leveled...]

The delightful System messages continued.

Then, at that moment.

[You can now share consciousness with the Lich.]

Along with an incomprehensible System message.

[Oh! I'm finally out!!]

Something appeared before my eyes.

It was a small skull.

“...?”