Chapter 118 - The Money-Blowing Necromancer

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After stepping through the trading company's doors, Minwoo immediately asked for the branch manager. Securing a meeting was easy enough when he had a money-making—no, point-making—proposal.

"A pleasure to meet you. I'm Marco, branch manager of the Malay Trading Company."

"Kim Minwoo."

After exchanging brief pleasantries, Marco glanced at Cedric and Merhen standing behind Minwoo and asked cautiously, "So, you're a necromancer."

"Yes."

"Yet you can mass-produce goods like these? Thousands a day, at that?"

"Provided I have enough materials."

Marco gulped.

The swords and armor before him put the products of most smithies to utter shame. He had no idea how a necromancer could mass-produce such goods, but judging by the man's confidence, it didn't seem like an entirely empty boast.

True or not, he had to verify it first. If the man was a fraud, he could simply send him packing. But if, by any chance, he was telling the truth...

'This is a gold mine.'

Plus items. They were guaranteed to cover the cost of their materials with plenty to spare. The Malay Trading Company would be showered with points.

"I believe we'll need a demonstration... Would you accompany me to a smithy?"

"All I need are materials. Please bring some here."

A properly equipped smithy would be better for full-scale production, but right now, he only needed to prove it was possible. Materials alone would suffice.

The demonstration soon began. A table was laid out with everything from low-level materials to higher-tier ones. Skeletons carrying small bone hammers appeared behind Kim Minwoo, then reached out.

"G-good heavens!"

Marco's jaw dropped. The materials had transformed into finished products in an instant—goods just like the ones he had seen earlier!

[Keenly Honed Sword]

[Level Requirement: 110 or higher]

[Grade: Magic+]

[A keenly honed sword. This weapon appears to be the product of fine materials and a seasoned craftsman.]

[Effect 1. Strength +10, Agility +15.]

[Effect 2. The blade sharpens itself automatically.]

[Sturdy Spiny Crab Armor]

[Level Requirement: 101 or higher]

[Grade: Common+]

.

.

From Magic to Common, Plus items appeared across the board.

'The ones made with high-level materials aren't worth much, but...'

Their level requirements were high, yet they were all Common-grade. Some of their bonus options were duds, too. He would be lucky to recover the material costs.

But the items he was examining now, made with low-level materials, were different. If the materials cost 200 points, a Common-grade product could sell for over 400.

'Magic items are scarce... I could get at least 1,000 points for one, couldn't I?'

Even a rough calculation showed that this business could bring in several times the production cost.

'And mere skeletons... can do this?'

Marco swallowed before asking, "How many of those skeletons can you summon...?"

"A lot."

Just as Marco had inspected the merchandise, Minwoo ran a test of his own with a simple transaction. He sold one of the newly crafted items, deducting the material cost.

[You have sold 'Keenly Honed Sword'!]

[You have earned 800 points!]

'So I can trade these.'

Just as he'd expected. This wasn't an item he had brought with him, but something made from materials the trading company had provided. Perhaps that was why the transaction went through without issue.

Having purchased the sword, Marco asked in a serious tone, "Then what do you want from our company?"

"Supply the crafting materials, distribute the goods to other cities, and pay me in points up front. Do that, and I'll give you ten percent of the profits."

"Up front...?"

"When I hand over the finished goods, you pay me my ninety percent of the profits first."

The nearest cities might be only a day's carriage ride away, but trade caravans didn't limit themselves to nearby cities. A few weeks could fly by as they traveled from place to place. He only had one week. If payment came after the trading journey ended, he wouldn't even recover his investment. Naturally, he needed payment up front.

"Under those terms, ten percent is a little..."

"Well, then."

Minwoo rose and headed for the exit without hesitation. The branch manager hastily caught his sleeve.

"Wait, please! What's the hurry? We're still negotiating."

"You said you weren't satisfied, so I didn't think there was anything left to discuss. There are plenty of other trading companies."

"... Urgh." Marco smacked his lips.

It was true that there were a few other companies, even if they were smaller. Besides, merely distributing goods like these would bolster the company's standing. All the more so if they came in bulk rather than one or two at a time.

"All right! Ten percent. Let's make it ten percent. We'll accept all your terms."

"If you insist."

Shrugging, Minwoo sat back down. Working with the Malay Trading Company was more advantageous for him than dealing with another company, too.

'They're the biggest in the area.'

As one of the major trading companies, they could provide far more materials and advance payment than the others. But the smaller local outfits? They would probably have to sell the goods before they could pay him any points. Especially if he supplied thousands of items or more.

"Would you like us to disclose the craftsman's name?"

"Let's keep it anonymous."

Advertising the craftsman's name wouldn't cause problems here, but it would once he returned to Earth. There had to be at least an awakener or two in the other cities. Word would spread in no time.

Marco smiled warmly and nodded.

'Keeping it secret is better for them, too.'

If Minwoo's name became known, other companies would be desperate to contact him, which would naturally hurt the Malay Trading Company. With their interests aligned, they would keep the secret reasonably well.

"Is there an unused smithy nearby? Preferably a fairly large one."

"There does happen to be one. There's a slight problem, though..."

"What is it?"

"It's outside the city altogether. We can assign guards to protect you, of course, but..."

"I won't need them."

There was a reason he'd asked for somewhere secluded. Thousands of skeletons bustling around a smithy would be enough to start rumors.

Some necromancer was at a smithy with thousands of skeletons. And now thousands of unusual pieces of equipment were hitting the market every day?

It would be far too easy to identify him.

'The best approach...'

Was to do what he did in the real world: make equipment somewhere out of the way, then transport it in a spatial ring for delivery. A smithy outside the city was actually even better.

"Please show me the way."

"Certainly."

They took a carriage out of the city. After about twenty minutes, a sizable building surrounded by a fence came into view amid the open plains.

"There it is."

CREEEAK.

The dust-covered door opened, revealing the interior.

'They took everything worth any money.'

The smithy was practically empty.

"It's spacious."

"Yes. Land is extremely cheap here. Putting up a building this size inside the city would be difficult. Unfortunately, monster attacks became far too frequent a few years ago..."

Monsters came seeking signs of people. In the end, the cost of hiring mercenaries had spiraled out of control, bankrupting the smithy. That was more or less how it had ended, apparently.

"I like it very much."

The rampant monster attacks meant there was no one nearby, and the smithy was quite large. For a moment, he almost wondered whether it had been prepared just for him.

Marco asked worriedly, "... Are you certain you'll be all right without guards? Attacks are rather frequ—"

"Branch Manager! Monsters!"

A commotion suddenly broke out. The company guards who had accompanied them were shouting urgently. Soon, a pack of monsters came into view.

"An ogre!"

"T-trolls, too!"

One ogre. Two trolls. And a large pack of gnolls accompanying them. Marco watched the monsters tensely.

This area hadn't been abandoned for nothing. Not only was it far from the main trade road, but all manner of monsters ran rampant here. Just like now.

'Damn it.'

Against a force that size, casualties seemed inevitable.

Then Minwoo said, "Deal with them."

"Okay."

The woman holding a parasol beside Minwoo extended her hand. A moment later:

[Merhen uses Grand Explosion (SS)!]

BOOM!

A massive explosion obliterated the gnolls without a trace. The two trolls collapsed, their bodies roasted through. The ogre right behind them hadn't escaped unscathed, either. The arm it had raised to shield itself had been torn clean off.

"Graaagh!"

The ogre, the sole survivor, screamed. Then, apparently realizing something was terribly wrong, it turned and fled.

Understandably so. The entire pack had been wiped out before they could even do anything. Even an ogre had a brain; it must have realized it had picked the wrong opponent.

Just then, a bone spear shot through the air and sank into the back of the ogre's head.

THUD!

The ogre crumpled lifelessly.

"Oh, you can throw spears, too?"

"This much is elementary."

Cedric shrugged as he spoke, then walked over to the ogre and pulled his spear free. Everyone, from Branch Manager Marco to the company guards, watched with their jaws hanging open.

'What did I just see?'

An explosive spell unleashed amid an immense surge of mana. Then an ogre killed by a spear thrown from afar. Everything had ended in an instant.

'So he had good reason to say he didn't need guards...'

With that level of power, even more than ten ogres charging at him would be nothing to worry about. A single gesture from the necromancer would end it all.

'Good thing I didn't get any ideas.'

Marco inwardly wiped away cold sweat. Had he coveted Minwoo's abilities and tried anything foolish, the company would have been smashed to pieces. Thank goodness he hadn't.

"It's a bit empty in here. You can furnish it, right?"

"Haha, of course. Just give us about an hour. We'll bring everything over shortly, along with the materials."

"Thank you."

"Not at all. It's the least we can do. When might we expect the goods, then...?"

"I'll deliver the first batch tonight."

"Very well. I'll have ample payment ready."

Once the company's people had headed back to fetch the supplies, Minwoo examined the messages.

[You have eliminated the monster pack!]

[You have earned 300 points!]

They had said everything he did would translate into points, and hunting monsters was no exception.

'Three hundred points, huh.'

The reward was rather stingy considering the pack's size. Of course, that wasn't all he could gain from it. Selling the monster parts would earn him points, too. But even taking that into account...

'That's stingy.'

Minwoo was now certain: mass production was the answer. Before long, the trading company delivered load after load of supplies. In no time, the desolate smithy was up and running again.

* * *

The Super Rookie Selection Tournament was a competition open to seasoned A-grade awakeners on the verge of S-grade. Naturally, none of the participants were pushovers.

And since this was an international competition, the participating countries hadn't sat idle, either. High-grade weapons, elixirs, accessories—each contestant received tremendous support. China's backing was particularly impressive.

China's representative Liu Wei recalled the Nine Dragons Guild Master's emphatic instructions.

["Whatever else happens, make sure you take down that bastard Kim Minwoo!"]

From the President to the standing committee members, Minwoo had thoroughly fallen out of favor with the higher-ups.

'Understandably.'

Liang Xiaojun, the SS-grade necromancer, was an awakener China had backed lavishly. Yet he hadn't beaten Kim Minwoo. Worse, Minwoo had appeared on NewTube and gleefully torn Liang apart. Thank goodness he'd at least beaten France; otherwise, they would have been utterly humiliated.

The son of a wealthy conglomerate family, Minwoo couldn't be bought off, and his growth was threateningly fast. On top of that, his country was right on their doorstep. The higher-ups were doing everything they could to curb his momentum. Liu Wei, a druid, had benefited as a result, receiving all sorts of items.

[Beginning a 'High'-difficulty mission.]

[Exterminate all the cyclopes.]

[Reward: 10,000 points]

In the distance stood a group of cyclopes averaging well over ten meters tall. Ordinarily, Liu Wei wouldn't have dared challenge them so readily. Their average level was in the six hundreds. Taking them down was no easy feat for an awakener who hadn't even reached level 500.

But things were different now.

'I can do this.'

He was decked out from head to toe in Unique-grade items. Unfortunately, given their price, they had been loaned rather than given to him, but that was fine.

'If I can crush that bastard...'

A few of these items might become his for good.

[Using Leopard Transformation (A)!]

[The effect of 'Ferocious Beast Ring' activates!]

[The effect of 'Sharp Beast's Helm'...]

[The effect of 'Howling Necklace'...]

ROAR!

In leopard form, Liu Wei darted about, attacking the giants. Perhaps it was thanks to the enormous boost from his many items, but every swipe of the giant leopard's paw tore a fistful of flesh from a cyclops.

[The effect of 'Mystic Regeneration Boots'...]

[The effect of 'Tireless Endurance Ring'...]

The battle lasted nearly four full hours.

[You have defeated all the cyclopes in the village!]

[You have been awarded 10,000 points!]

Returning to human form, Liu Wei smiled easily.

'At this pace...'

An awakener's body was tough. Going a few days without sleep wouldn't kill him. After spending two full days slaughtering cyclopes:

[Current Points: 120,000]

Liu Wei's score had approached 120,000. That was enough to aim for the very top ranks. A confident smile spread across his face.

Then a message appeared before his eyes.

[Day 2 has ended.]

[Rankings will be calculated based on the points earned thus far.]

[Would you like to reveal your name?]

With a little luck, his score might even put him in first place.

'I'll take those Korean bastards down a peg this time.'

His eyes gleaming, he nodded.

At that moment:

[All calculations are complete.]

[The Day 2 rankings will now be revealed.]

[Point Rankings]

[1st: ??? - 2,133,800 points]

[2nd: ??? - 533,220 points]

[3rd: ??? - 361,210 points]

.

.

[5th: Liu Wei - 120,000 points]

.

.

[150th: ??? - 3,243 points]

"...2.13 million points?"

Had two days of nonstop hunting left him a little lightheaded?

Liu Wei blinked at the rankings.