Chapter 110 - The Money-Blowing Necromancer

Class Advancement

Summons grew at certain level milestones. Skeletons were no exception.

101, 201, 301...

As their average level reached these milestones, they grew bigger, their bones became sturdier, and their basic weapons improved.

In other words...

'There wasn't supposed to be any class advancement, though?'

Skeletons didn't turn into warriors or archers as they grew. Those were separate skills obtained through bound skill books.

'But now there's class advancement?'

They had acquired techniques through their powerful learning ability. On top of that, one effect of the Dragon Knight title allowed skeletons to become Dragon Tooth Warriors.

Perhaps that potential had activated the class advancement system for his skeletons.

Whatever the case, now that class advancement was available, he decided to see what his options were.

[Available Class Advancements]

[1. Skeleton Apprentice Warrior]

[2. Skeleton Apprentice Blacksmith]

[3. Skeleton Apprentice Alchemist]

[Multiple classes are available for advancement.]

[A new growth possibility for the skill has been discovered!]

[Calculating...]

[All skeletons will be unsummoned!]

THUD!

The skeletons were unsummoned in an instant. Immediately afterward, a message appeared announcing a change.

[The details of Summon Skeleton (F) +9 will change significantly!]

He checked the skill's details.

[Summon Skeleton Apprentice (E) +9]

[Consumes 10 mana to summon 2 (1+1) LV101 skeleton apprentices of your choice.]

[* Currently available summons (3/10)]

[1. Skeleton Apprentice Warrior]

[A skeleton with slightly greater proficiency in melee combat.]

[* Summoned with Melee Weapon Proficiency (E).]

[2. Skeleton Apprentice Blacksmith]

[A skeleton with slightly greater proficiency in crafting equipment.]

[* Summoned with Dwarven Crafting (E).]

[3. Skeleton Apprentice Alchemist]

[A skeleton with slightly greater proficiency in alchemy.]

[* Summoned with Elven Alchemy (E).]

[4. Undetermined.]

[10. Undetermined.]

The skill had suddenly undergone a complete overhaul, starting with its grade changing from F to E.

'Summon Skeleton Apprentice?'

An apprentice was someone learning a trade. The skeletons still had plenty to learn, so calling them apprentices wasn't particularly strange.

'So...'

To sum up the essentials, the mana cost of summoning remained the same. But now he could summon skeletons suited to the setting and situation?

"It's a kind of specialization, then?"

Naturally, warriors would be the best choice for fighting, while blacksmiths or alchemists would be better for crafting.

'Wait... can I switch between them freely?'

Kim Minwoo's eyes lit up.

The mechanics of summoning skeletons were simple. If he could summon ten, he would summon skeletons No. 1 through No. 10. If an increase in mana allowed him to summon twenty, those same first ten would still be summoned, with ten new skeletons, No. 11 through No. 20, added afterward.

The new skeletons would be summoned at the fixed level displayed in the skill: level 101.

He was currently level 230, with roughly 9,000 mana. His maximum summon count was around 3,600.

Skeleton No. 1, Hail.

He used the summoning skill to test whether his hunch was correct.

[10 skeleton apprentice warriors have been summoned!]

Skeletons No. 1 through No. 10 rose from the ground.

'They look pretty different now.'

Back when they were ordinary skeletons, they had been small and scrawny. Now they actually looked like warriors, with fairly large builds.

"Hey, Hail."

CLATTER!

Hail gave him an energetic salute.

'This is warrior mode.'

He dismissed them, then summoned again.

[10 skeleton apprentice blacksmiths have been summoned!]

This time, he brought out ten blacksmiths. They were slightly smaller than the warriors and held bone hammers as their basic weapons.

"Hey, Hail."

CLATTER!

This time, Hail gave an energetic salute while holding a bone hammer.

"Are you the same skeletons I summoned as warriors earlier?"

CLATTER!

All ten skeletons nodded.

He had a pretty good idea now. Skeletons No. 1 through No. 10 could freely switch classes when summoned, becoming blacksmiths, alchemists, or warriors. The same would hold for the remaining 3,590.

'That's insane.'

He'd thought he might have to assign class advancements in batches: No. 1–1,000 as warriors, No. 1,001–2,000 as blacksmiths, and No. 2,001–3,000 as alchemists. But that wasn't how it worked at all.

With this insane setup, he could summon all 3,600 skeletons as blacksmiths or alchemists when crafting, and as warriors when fighting.

The potential didn't end there.

[* Currently available summons (3/10)]

There were still seven slots left on the list. In other words...

'They can switch between ten classes in total.'

The seven remaining classes could be unlocked simply by giving the skeletons the appropriate training and having them acquire the relevant techniques.

They could become skeleton archers, tailors, leatherworkers, or cooks.

'I'll have to think about what to put in there.'

The slots were limited, so it would be best to fill them with the most efficient classes.

'Though anything seems like it'd be good.'

He had vast numbers of skeletons. Thanks to their learning ability, they weren't far behind in combat prowess, either. Combat classes such as archer or assassin would be useful too.

'Crafting classes would be good, too.'

Putting summons like dullahans to work as blacksmiths would be horribly inefficient. They cost a ton of mana, and he could only summon a measly handful. They couldn't compete with skeletons in cost-effectiveness.

'Crafting probably would be the better choice.'

Other summons could fill the gaps in combat, but it would be difficult for them to do the same for production. He figured he should put crafting classes in at least five of the seven remaining slots.

'Then... will the mages get class advancements too?'

The mages had also worked hard to learn magic, and they benefited from Cedric's title effect. Perhaps they could advance as well.

And why stop there? Merhen's title effect stated that all ghosts could reach their ultimate form. Ghost-type undead such as specters might also gain class advancements down the line.

Specters were smarter than skeletons, so there was no reason he couldn't teach them all sorts of things.

'Ha, seriously.'

He offered a reverent prayer.

"Deamen."

Death Lord is a god, and I am invincible.

* * *

In the time remaining before the selection tournament, he devoted himself to leveling up by clearing A-rank gates.

Having revealed some of his strength during the guild battle, he no longer hid his gate runs from the press.

'There's no reason to hide, anyway.'

He'd kept a low profile before because drawing too much attention at a low level would have been troublesome. Things were different now.

He would actually welcome an assassin. Taking one down guaranteed a level, after all. Nothing leveled him up faster than hunting awakeners.

Park Siwoo and Seo Yerim were clearing gates as well. The two were making the rounds of A- and B-rank gates, leveling up one after another.

The Money-Blowing Guild's string of solo clears was bound to make headlines. They were single-handedly demolishing gates that other people needed dozens of members to clear.

—(Breaking) Kim Minwoo solos the A-rank Blue Chestnut Forest again lol. Beat his time again too lol.

—How much faster?

—5 hours, 48 minutes, 23 seconds. Twenty minutes faster than his last record.

—The guy's fucking nuts. Didn't he run Scorching Earth three times too?

—Yep. All he does is eat, sleep, and hunt lol. He's seriously obsessed with leveling.

—He must be over level 200, right?

—He would've passed that ages ago lmao.

—You hear? America's freaking out because there are no B-rank skill books left for sale.

—Yeah, Korea got cleaned out a while ago too lol.

—This has to be...

—Yeah, looks like Ilseong's buying them all up? Bet he's learning Summon Dullahan soon lol.

—B-rank three months after awakening? I'm three years in and still D-rank. How is this fair?

—Should've been rich and talented if you didn't like it lol.

—Facts lmao.

—(Newbie awakener question) How much stronger do you get with dullahans?

—(Info) Dullahans are where necromancers really shine. These guys actually have brains.

—(Info) Dullahans buff your meat shields. Buffed meat shields are pretty strong.

—Necros are useless before B-rank, but from B-rank onward, they're guaranteed to pull their weight. Assuming they've brought their dullahans to heel, that is.

—Yeah. But apparently getting them to obey is a bitch. They've got this uptight scholar mentality. Act too spineless and they'll walk all over you, but try to play master right away and they'll draw their swords lol.

—How do you stop them if they draw their swords?

—Stop them? lol. You just throw up some meat shields to buy time or unsummon them lmao.

—A necro can't beat a dullahan?

—They're smart enough to go straight for their master. You think a squishy necro can take that? lol.

—I'm a necro, and yeah, it was rough. But once you get the first one to obey, it's easy from there.

—Dude, why even play necro?

—Should anyone ask about the future of necromancers, tell them to raise their eyes and behold Kim Minwoo.

—Hell yeah! Drinks all around!

—It's not just necros, though. Every summoning class goes through hell whenever they try to bring a powerful summon to heel. That's just how it works.

—Yeah. That Chinese guy, the Thunder Emperor or whatever? He got his whole body burned trying to tame a supreme thunder spirit lmao.

—Kim Minwoo would've handled that spirit in five seconds, agreed?

—Agreed. Dullahans? One snap of our queen Merhen's fingers and they'd be charcoal barbecue lol.

—Come to think of it, Kim Minwoo wouldn't have any trouble making them obey. He's got Cedric and Merhen, and he's a swordsmanship genius himself lmao.

—And that golem, Dolsoe or whatever!

—Is this really the same loser necro class I knew? My heart is swelling with pride...

As countless posts flooded GateNet, green light burst from the gate being shown on the news, and Kim Minwoo emerged.

As always, reporters swarmed him like a pack of dogs, firing off questions.

"Mr. Kim Minwoo! We hear all the B-rank skill books in America have sold out. Are you... planning to learn Summon Dullahan?"

"That's right."

"My goodness... Then you've reached level 251..."

"Why so surprised? I'm sure you all had a pretty good idea."

Considering how he'd been smashing his way through A-rank gates, it would have been stranger if he hadn't been leveling up quickly.

Level 251, the threshold for B-rank, was something he'd reached quite a while ago.

'And Hyeongseok said he was coming, so...'

He could take the skill book and learn Summon Dullahan.

"I'll be off, then."

After leaving the gate, he got into his car. Before long, he arrived at the airport—Incheon Airport, where Hyeongseok would be landing.

"Hey. Thanks for the hard work."

"It was nothing."

Hyeongseok handed him the skill book.

[Summon Dullahan (B) +9]

[This skill has already been enhanced to its limit.]

[Consumes 200 mana to summon 2 (1+1) LV1 dullahans.]

'Two hundred mana, huh.'

It brought home once again just how good Summon Merhen and Summon Cedric were. Summoning a legion commander cost a mere 100 mana. Meanwhile, bringing out just two dullahans cost 200.

'Though it's only a hundred with the Death Lord discount.'

Even taking that into account, the mana cost was high. Not that he could simply refuse to summon them.

"I'll get going, then."

"All right. Study hard."

Hyeongseok nodded and promptly boarded a flight back to America. After seeing him off, Minwoo headed for the training grounds at his family's estate.

'Might as well get the annoying part over with all at once.'

He immediately used Summon Dullahan. Thanks to Death Lord's mana cost reduction, he could summon two for 100 mana.

[180 dullahans have been summoned!]

A multitude of headless knights filled the training grounds. The dullahans stared blankly at him.

Loyalty: 40.

Still pitifully low.

He drew the Death Spirit Sword.