Chapter 294
A week prior, Mr. Choi had finally clinched his hard-won deal with Lee Jeong-Ryong's faction after days of relentless negotiations.
The bounty was immense: over twenty exclusive rights to Gates, a portfolio of prime real estate, and a cash sum so colossal its exact figure was shrouded in mystery.
After all, we had ten captive Black Hunters. But we never could have acquired these valuable spoils without the aides sent by Myeongdong Guild Leader Park Tae-Seop, who were also in our hands.
'This place is no different from Murim.'
With a surge of energy, I spearheaded the chant, stepping first into the magical barrier.
Swoosh. A slightly viscous, somewhat unsettling sensation of magic engulfed me, transforming the world around us in an instant.
Ding.
- Entered A-rank Gate, [Black Forest of the Necromancer]!
- Quest, [Conquering the Gate] has been automatically generated!
"Left, left! One, two, three, four! Hold your positions!"
"One, two! Align!"
As the human convoy halted in precise unison, nearly fifty of us had crossed into the Gate.
The dim moonlight filtering through sparse tree canopies cast eerie shadows in the forest depths.
The new recruits, freshly confronted with this daunting reality, gazed around in a mix of bewilderment and terror.
"Gasp!"
"We're doomed."
"Wait, what rank is this Gate? It's massive!"
In stark contrast, the third-week veterans, the 'mastiffs,' remained undaunted.
"Again, the Black Forest of the Necromancer?"
"Ugh, I'm gonna throw up."
"Glad I brought my war hammer."
Their composure, compared to the newcomers who had joined mere weeks apart, was markedly apparent.
The first-day 'pomeranians,' overhearing the mastiffs, blanched.
"The, the Black Forest of the Necromancer?"
"It's an A-rank Gate!"
A-rank Gate, Black Forest of the Necromancer.
Even those unfamiliar with its legend could sense its ominous nature from the name alone.
The foreboding air, the sinister forest view, all spoke of the dominion of the Necromancer, a master of dark magic.
"Damn it! Sunbae Jin Tae-Kyung!"
A jittery member of the pomeranians approached, his face etched with desperation.
"Please, can you let me out?"
"Why?"
"I'm really scared of ghosts. Regular monsters are okay, but I just can't handle ghouls, skeletons, and such."
"Is it trauma?"
"It's not that severe, but I'm just scared."
"That's even better. Consider this your live, immersive therapy session. They're all just monsters after all."
"But, that’s……."
"And on our guild application, you wrote that this wouldn't be a problem, right?"
"That was just to get in…… Please. I can't even watch horror movies with my girlfriend."
"Ah, girlfriend. I see. Here!"
With a snap of my fingers, a mastiff, who had been smirking in my direction, bolted forward.
"Did you call me?"
"Yes."
This was Kim Jin-Soo, the unofficial leader among the mastiffs.
His combat prowess and leadership qualities had made him an indispensable lieutenant in our raids.
This had been planned already.
"You know what to do. I have a special instruction regarding this person here."
"Yes."
"Put him in the front."
The pomeranian's brief sigh of relief turned into a gasp of shock.
"Di- did you just say to put me in the front?"
"Why? Is there a problem? You're holding a tower shield, looks like the perfect tank position to me."
"But……."
"If you want to drop out, then drop out. But be prepared to be fired."
"Fired?"
"Why should I employ someone who's afraid of ghosts and refuses to raid? And are there ghosts in the Gate? They're all monsters. Jin-Soo, am I wrong?"
Kim Jin-Soo quickly responded.
"You're absolutely right, a hundred, a thousand times over."
"If these things were all ghosts, why would I bring hunters? I'd bring an exorcist. Right?"
"You're absolutely right, as always."
"As expected, Jin-Soo, you always say the nicest things."
"Thank you."
"So, do you want to continue being a hunter at the Peace Guild, or do you want to be fired and switch to being an exorcist?"
The pomeranian replied, his voice rigid with resolve.
"I will be a hunter."
"Then if you run away during combat, I'll personally send you to the afterlife. Okay?"
"Okay."
"Great. To the frontline! Afterlife!" [Note: it appears that this is the new nickname of this recruit.]
With a flick of my hand, Kim Jin-Soo firmly grasped the pomeranian's arm, guiding him away.
Despite our careful selection process, it seems there's always one in every group.
'What? You can't even watch horror movies with your girlfriend because you're so scared of ghosts?'
I mused, half-amused, half-exasperated.
It's not the girlfriend part that irks me. Not at all.
"...."
Whoosh.
A cold gust swept through the forest, nipping at my cheeks.
Shuddering slightly, I made my way deeper into the woods, leaving the echoes of our conversation behind.
"Um, excuse me. Mister."
The pomeranian's anxious voice overlapped with a mastiff's blunt inquiry.
"What is it?"
"Hunter Jin Tae-Kyung, where are we headed now?"
"We're going herding."
"Herding?"
"That guy's known as the Pied Piper."
The mastiff chimed in, a hint of mischief in his voice.
"I can't be the only one working hard. Let's all do well together."
"..."
***
As I trudged through the forest, making my presence known with every step, the desired effect was immediate.
Crunch! Boom.
- Grrrrr!
- Gr, gr, grrr...
Clack clack, clatter!
Amidst their grotesque howling, the corpses that lay dormant beneath the earth and in graves began to stir to life.
Ghouls dripping with rotten flesh and skeletons revealing stark white bones emerged.
These cursed beings, known as Undead Monsters, rapidly swarmed the forest and hills.
"Alright, everyone, stay close and follow my lead! Understand?"
- Grrrrr!
Patter patter!
Gone are the days when zombies were portrayed as mere limping figures.
These creatures, when they sprint, make me wonder if they've been training at the Taereung National Training Center. [Note: Korea National Training Center, also known as the Taereung Training Center, located in Gongneung-dong, Nowon-gu, in the northeast part of Seoul, is the first national athletic training center established in South Korea.]
Despite their speed, they're no match for me.
'Today's a bit different with new recruits on board. Time to ease off slightly.'
As I darted through the forest, I occasionally glanced back to keep a count.
Around one hundred and fifty, maybe?
While this was threefold our team's size, it was modest by our usual standards.
Ghouls and skeletons, though not particularly formidable as monsters, were still a challenge, but we had come prepared and steeled ourselves for this encounter.
'These mastiffs are living up to their name.'
Typically, the hordes I lure are three to ten times larger than our team. After a few close brushes with danger, I've seen the fire of resolve ignite in the eyes of these recruits.
Naturally, I intervene when the threat becomes too real. Thanks to this, we've had injuries but fortunately, no casualties.
This repeated drill has earned me a reputation – part menace, part mentor.
'I wish it didn’t have to be this harsh... but it's necessary.'
This is intensive training. My goal is to cultivate resilient warriors for the Peace Guild, capable of thriving in the most arduous conditions.
In less than a month, some have already opted out, transferring to other teams. I didn’t persuade them to stay, nor do I harbor any regrets.
'It's their decision.'
Everyone charts their own path. I'm just a fleeting presence in their journey.
I can present options, but the decision is theirs to make.
Swoosh!
The [Black Forest of the Necromancer], living up to its A-rank Gate status, sprawled vast and foreboding.
Yet, the expanse I had traversed was merely a sliver of the Gate's vastness. As I adjusted my speed and ran, the entrance to the Gate gradually came into view.
"Here they come!"
"That damn Jin Tae-Kyung..."
"Seems like a lighter batch for the first timers."
"Ugh, skeletons!"
The reactions varied - from those booming out warnings of the advancing monsters, to others cursing under their breath, and some calmly estimating the enemy numbers.
The rookies, still green in battle, visibly tensed with apprehension.
Naturally, my seasoned mastiffs weren't ones to remain passive.
"Damn it, what are you doing! The line is being pushed back!"
"Don't step back. Hold your shield tight. What? Need to pee? Then just do it!"
"Newcomers, stay alert. Don’t expect Jin Tae-Kyung to bail you out. He even created a charity foundation just in case someone dies here, you know?"
"....."
Such remarks could damage my reputation, but I held my tongue.
This was part of toughening them up mentally, letting them vent to stay focused.
'Even the king gets cursed behind his back.'
I made a mental note of each face.
Approaching the hunters, who were already in formation, I swiftly scaled the tallest tree and bellowed.
"Tighten the shield wall!"
Boom!
In unison, the undead horde, their grotesque faces turning upwards, spotted me in the tree.
One skeleton, distinct from the rest, stood atop a hill near the Gate entrance. It raised its bone sword, sheathed in an aura of dark energy, high into the air while emitting a piercing shriek.
- Grrrrr!
This was no ordinary skeleton.
Clad in ancient armor, its ominous black aura flaring around the bone sword, this was a Skeleton Knight - a being far superior to the common undead.
"Skeleton Knight?"
Skeletons come in various ranks.
Soldiers, Mages, Warriors.
Each had their own unique abilities and strengths. A Skeleton Knight, a truly formidable A-rank monster, is a force to be reckoned with.
'I have encountered them frequently in the Black Forest... but this one seems different.'
Encountering an A-rank adversary like a Skeleton Knight in an A-rank Gate is expected. These knights often lead the lesser Warriors and Mages, strategically positioned throughout the Black Forest.
In that moment, as I scrutinized the figure more closely, a guttural growl pierced the air.
- Grrr!
- Gwoooh!
Tsststs!
A chorus of chilling shrieks erupted, accompanied by the emergence of two more Skeleton Knights.
Under my breath, a mix of surprise and disbelief colored my words.
"………Three Skeleton Knights in a single group?"
This was unprecedented.
A skeleton cohort typically mirrors an army, with the Knight as its commanding general. It was rare to find more than one general in an independent unit.
'Could it be an alliance of multiple groups?'
Yet, this theory seemed implausible.
The two newly emerged Knights, their bones clattering in an eerie symphony, moved towards the first Skeleton Knight. In a symbolic gesture of fealty, they knelt on one knee, their bone swords thrust into the ground.
This was an unmistakable display of allegiance. A purple light flickered in the hollows of their skull, where eyes once resided.
Whooosh!
An intense light exploded from the abyssal darkness.
As our gazes locked onto the fiercely blazing flame, the transformation began.
- Grrrrr!
Crack-crack-crack!
The armored Knight morphed before our eyes. Its bones thickened and elongated, coated in a mysterious black sheen.
But the transformation didn't end there.
Sssshhh!
The once-rusted armor seemed to reverse the ravages of time, healing its fractures and rust. Broken chains reassembled themselves, and the faded skull emblem on its chest pulsed with renewed vibrancy.
A dark green cloak billowed dramatically in the wind.
Upon completing its metamorphosis, the entity studied its own palm, now encased in a sturdy gauntlet.
Then, unexpectedly.
- Not bad.
“.....!”
The air in the forest quivered with tension.
We all, myself included, were rendered speechless, captivated by the transformed being before us.
Skeleton Knight – once a valorous knight, now an undead creature of fallen grace.
But not just any undead anymore.
[Lv.105 Skeleton Warlord]
- Come. Down. Hu. Man.
The purple glow burning in its eyes locked onto me with unnerving intensity. [Note: as mentioned in the manwha, monsters do not usually speak. The last time we saw a monster who could speak was the Named monster, One-Eyed Carus, who also glowed purple. I think that this establishes that glowing purple monsters are meant to indicate significant threats.]
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Murim Login (Novel)
