hotmtlnovel Chapter 5
Chapter 5
Chapter 5: Opportunities Are Meant to Be Seized
Status window?
It seems like a feature used to show the status of the skeletons, just like my own. Better try it to understand better.
I immediately looked at Boney 1 and said, “Status window.”
[Name: Bonehead 1]
[Energy: 100/100]
[Unique Ability: Awakened Skeleton]
[Class: Swordsman]
[Rank: D]
[Strength: 23] [Dexterity: 19] [Constitution: 20] [Magic Power: 10] [Technique: 21]
[Skills]
– Low-Level Slash (Lv.2)
“Wow.” A sound of admiration escaped my lips.
Honestly, I was deeply moved. It was my first time seeing the skeleton’s information after three years.
The skeleton’s status was almost like looking at a hunter’s stats. It had energy, rank, and a unique ability. The only difference from a hunter was that it had stats like ‘Strength,’ ‘Dexterity,’ and ‘Constitution.’ Additionally, it had a ‘class,’ and the skills had levels.
I opened and examined the status windows of the other four skeletons sequentially.
[Name: Bonehead 2]
[Energy: 100/100]
[Unique Ability: Awakened Skeleton]
[Class: Spearman]
[Rank: D]
[Strength: 22] [Dexterity: 20] [Constitution: 19] [Magic Power: 11] [Technique: 20]
[Skills]
– Low-Level Thrust (Lv.2)
[Name: Bonehead 3]
[Energy: 100/100]
[Unique Ability: Awakened Skeleton]
[Class: Archer]
[Rank: D]
[Strength: 17] [Dexterity: 23] [Constitution: 17] [Magic Power: 10] [Technique: 24]
[Skills]
– Low-Level Rapid Fire (Lv.2)
– Secure Visibility (Lv.2)
[Name: Bonehead 4]
[Energy: 100/100]
[Unique Ability: Awakened Skeleton]
[Class: Shieldman]
[Rank: D]
[Strength: 10] [Dexterity: 10] [Constitution: 11] [Magic Power: 10] [Technique: 10]
[Skills]
– Low-Level Block (Lv.1)
– Low-Level Taunt (Lv.1)
[Name: Bonehead 5]
[Energy: 100/100]
[Unique Ability: Awakened Skeleton]
[Class: Mage]
[Rank: D]
[Strength: 10] [Dexterity: 10] [Constitution: 10] [Magic Power: 11] [Technique: 10]
[Skills]
– Fireball (Lv.1)
– Air Shield (Lv.1)
“Wow...”
Boney 1 to 3 seemed to have higher stats from previous training, while Boney 4 and 5, having recently acquired their weapons, only had their basic stats.
So it wasn’t a waste of three years.
The results of my efforts were now visible before my eyes. To someone who felt trapped in darkness, this was enough to be deeply moving.
Now I just need to train them comprehensively, right?
My heart pounded.
Like other necromancers, the dream of forming my own small army was growing closer to reality. I was a step closer to achieving the desire to continuously strengthen them, surpassing A-rank and S-rank.
“Alright, you guys.”
“Well, didn’t I ask a question first? What could possibly be your ulterior motive, applying as a porter with Parang while hiding your skills?”
“...?”
She seemed to have a huge misunderstanding.
I had only awakened my power by chance a week ago. Since then, I’ve been busy training.
And besides.
How could she even detect such fine details? As expected from someone affiliated with a major guild, I guess?
Quite frankly, I really couldn’t understand. This treatment felt unfair.
Parang was abundant with A-rank hunters already, so what difference would a D-rank or E-rank make?
As I made a troubled expression, the chilling voice spoke again.
“Hm? You seem suspicious. Are you a spy trained to act?”
“Wha...?”
A spy?
“Did you underestimate Parang’s intelligence network? Did you think we wouldn’t know you were a spy sent by a rival guild?”
—Ssssh!
The voice’s owner appeared with a slight breeze.
Her appearance was simple. She wore practical leather clothes for combat, a light assassin’s dagger, and neatly tied black hair. But beyond all that...
Are you kidding me?
I was shocked inwardly because I saw what was tied to her waist. It shone so brightly it was blinding.
A golden badge!
The dream of all hunters, only granted to S-rank and above.
Which means...
I finally realized who the voice belonged to.
Gi Soyul, the Dark Empress—one of the 37 rankers in South Korea. The only sister of Kiparang, the Blue Guild master.
Moreover, with her unique assassination ability, she was someone you should never make an enemy of.
—Tremble, tremble.
My body shook uncontrollably. Not just because I was scared but because I was talking to the ranker I had always dreamed of meeting!
“Um, ranker. I think there’s been a misunderstanding...” I quickly responded.
No matter how much I admired a ranker, I had to correct the facts.
Seeing the nearby mercenaries tilt their heads in confusion, I realized her voice and presence were only audible to me. But it didn’t matter as this concerned my precious safety.
“I am not a spy from a rival guild. I’m only D-rank... For Parang to consider a rival guild, it would have to be a major guild. So why would they use someone like me?”
“Pfft!” Gi Soyul chuckled all of a sudden. Then she said, “I was just teasing you, but your reaction is interesting.”
“...What?”
What is this? I didn’t understand at all. Why would someone of her stature play such a prank on a nobody like me?
Or did she do a background check?
Training skeletons in a vacant lot overnight could have caught a ranker’s attention.
My heart raced wildly. Regardless of the circumstances, a ranker’s interest was a heaven-sent opportunity. There was no time to feel offended about the prank. My passion for rankers was that sincere.
Moreover, look at that smile. There was not a hint of malice, only curiosity.
“My apologies if I was rude.” She bowed her head politely. “I got a bit nosy. You looked quite intriguing.”
“Pardon?”
“An E-rank badge with the energy of at least five high D-rank beings. That’s enough to make me curious.”
—Scritch, scritch.
She scratched her cheek with her finger before she said, “It’s a bit suspicious, don’t you think? Though not enough for Parang to be concerned.”
“Ah...”
I had nothing to say. She had a point. Maybe I should have updated my badge despite being busy.
No, more importantly...
Did she gauge my power just from sensing my aura?
A chill ran down my spine. The gap between me and a ranker felt insurmountable, almost awe-inspiring.
Noticing my feelings, Gi Soyul chuckled.
“My brother asked me to help squad 2 with reconnaissance. So I was looking for a porter, and you seemed suspicious. And interesting.”
“Reconnaissance...?” I asked, dumbfounded.
A reconnaissance unit prepares the area before the main force enters. As expected of the Parang Guild. I wondered why only their reserve team was sent to a dangerous dungeon. Turns out they sent a ranker too. It made so much more sense now.
“What do you think?”
Gi Soyul’s gaze met mine directly. Her intense aura felt like it could make me lose my mind.
“For potential spy management, would you like to join the recon unit? It might be dangerous. But you seem the most capable among the porters. And you don’t look like you’d run away in fear.”
“Oh, is that so?”
“Of course. I have an eye for people. And I promise to double your pay.”
Whoa, what? A dungeon expedition with a ranker? And double the pay? Ten times doubled would be twenty! There was zero reason to refuse this opportunity.
Actually, for me right now, I’d join the recon unit even without pay.
I quickly nodded before she could change her mind.
It seems an opportunity came faster than I expected.