Damn Necromancer -
Chapter 1
[Translator – Peptobismol]
Chapter 1: Becoming the Bastard of a Chaebol Family
Everyone has at least that one game in their lives.
For Woojin, it was “Gate Hunter.”
Gate Hunter was a virtual reality game set in a modern-day hunter genre. With graphics and an expansive open world that seemed a decade ahead of its competitors, along with NPCs that reacted just like real people.
“Damn. Isn’t this just torturing aliens?”
“The combat isn’t a joke either. This is insane, isn’t it?”
“And it’s not even online, it’s a single package? Just take my money already!”
Thus, the game released when he was in his teens caused a hot sensation. During its heyday, tens of millions of downloads per day were not uncommon.
‘But it failed in the end.’
The reason was simple.
It was too difficult.
〈(Tip) Death resets everything. Cherish your life!〉
The message that appeared at the very beginning of the game.
Gamers who underestimated this message ended up in deep trouble.
In the game, there was only one life.
[Park Siwoo (Protagonist, Starting Character)]
[Specialty: Swordsmanship Genius]
[Strategy Difficulty: ★]
[Recommended Occupation: Swordsman]
[Shortest Clear Time Ranking]
[1. Kukurupingpong – 365 days]
[2. Hello – 533 days]
.
.
[Park Siwoo User Board]
―Why is it so hard to kill five tutorial goblins? Is it normal to keep regressing endlessly here??
―Give it a month and grind hard LOL
―Why am I getting wrecked by goblins when I’m a swordsmanship genius!
―Seems like your brain isn’t a genius haha
―Ah, damn. Made one wrong move and got sent back to the starting village LOL Is this guy even worth a star?
―After playing for two years, Siwoo makes one mistake and goes back to square one LOL What a joke LOL
―Congratulations on starting a reset life HAHAHA
Even the protagonist, who could be played from the beginning, took a year to clear the first stage.
The difficulty was so extreme that it was impossible to clear with ordinary talent.
Even the second character that could be unlocked, Hansia…
〈(Tip) To become a great mage, you must control mana well.〉
[Hansia (Heroine)]
[Specialty: Magic Genius]
[Strategy Difficulty: ★★]
[Recommended Occupation: Mage]
[Shortest Clear Time Ranking]
[1. Kukurupingpong – 401 days]
[2. Hello – 703 days]
.
.
[Hansia User Board]
―WTF, how do you even use magic LOL
―Teacher… I really want to use magic…
―Breaking news! Successfully cast Fireball on the 20th try ★Great★Success★!
―Talentless loser, not recommended. GTFO.
―Failed the Dungeon Academy test for the 30th time. Epic fail LOL
―Ah, I just can’t do this!
Most users were eliminated during the ‘Academy’ process, where they had to implement magic while feeling mana, rather than monster hunting.
It was not strange that users who repeated endless regressions began to leave one by one.
Fifteen years after the release of the game, there were only a few users left playing Gate Hunter.
It was understandable, considering there were many easier games with better graphics and virtual satisfaction. It had become somewhat of a nostalgic game.
‘There must not be many perverts like me left.’
He logged into the capsule.
[Welcome, Kukurupingpong!]
[Current playable character list!]
[1. Park Siwoo (★)]
[Shortest Clear Time]
[2. Hansia (★★)]
[Shortest Clear Time]
[3. Nam Gungmin (★★★)]
[Shortest Clear Time]
[4. Seo Yerim (★★★★)]
[Shortest Clear Time]
[5. Kim Minwoo (★★★★★)]
[Currently on day 1,832.]
“Phew, feels nostalgic.”
Looking at the character list, Woojin chuckled. Those five lines contained fifteen years of his life.
Fortunately, Woojin’s life had taken a turn for the better because of the game.
His personal broadcasts while playing Gate Hunter were explosively popular.
Woojin, who conquered the notorious game in the shortest time possible, provided great satisfaction to users, and as a result, his income changed drastically with substantial donations pouring in.
Becoming renowned as the world’s greatest virtual reality gamer was just an added bonus. This was still the case even now when the popularity of Gate Hunter had waned.
Even if they didn’t play the game themselves, many people still watched Woojin’s strategy videos. He could now live his whole life without playing games.
Despite the game receiving all sorts of curses, it was like a lifelong benefactor to Woojin.
“I’m definitely finishing the ending today.”
Kim Minwoo.
Five-star difficulty.
This bastard, known as the final conqueror of Gate Hunter, had a difficulty level that could make anyone curse.
[Kim Minwoo (Eldest Son of Ilsung Group)]
[Specialty: Diamond Spoon, Untalented, Arrogant, Lazy, Cowardly, Perverted, Drama Queen, Freeloader]
[Strategy Difficulty: ★★★★★]
[Occupation: Swordsman]
[Goal: Hunt down the Dragon Lord within 3 years of game time.]
The eldest son of Ilsung Group, the top-ranked conglomerate in the country.
Except for this one, all the characters were trash.
〈(Tip) Kim Minwoo is a character with a strong ego. Please respect his opinions!〉
“Damn bastard.”
He remembered the starting lines so vividly that his teeth were trembling.
Each of the five characters had their own strategy.
Kim Minwoo was no different.
Having a strong ego.
He only understood the true meaning of that after starting the game.
This guy directly “intervened” in the player’s actions.
The intervention was simple.
For example, when trying to enter the gate…
[Kim Minwoo refuses to enter!]
―Gate? Why would you go into that dangerous place? Just awaken, that’s enough. Items? You can just buy those with money, right?
[Kim Minwoo refuses to act!]
―Drink potions and strengthen your body? I don’t wanna. They hurt like hell. I absolutely can’t stand pain.
[Kim Minwoo refuses to train!]
―Ah, it’s so damn annoying to build up skill proficiency. Seriously, I don’t need to do this crap. I’ll live well enough just eating and sleeping.
Even sadder was the fact that, despite pushing himself to train to the point of death, he couldn’t surpass the level of an intermediate Awakener. It was because he had absolutely no talent in any field.
And why was he so afraid?
The memory of when he encountered the initial boss was still vivid.
[Kim Minwoo is seized by extreme fear!]
[All stats decreased by 50%!]
[All skills are sealed!]
[Refuses all combat actions and flees!]
―Argh! Run away!
[You have died.]
[Game over.]
Three years of game time.
No matter how optimized the route was, he couldn’t find a way to hunt down the Dragon Lord.
How the hell was this bastard supposed to conquer the final boss in just three years?
[Translator – Peptobismol]
The reactions on the user board after that day’s broadcast were mostly similar.
―Watched the strategy broadcast, Kim Minwoo is a legend LOL
―Is this guy really a swordsman? Siwoo was like an angel LOL
―Seriously. If only the occupation was different as Pingpong said LOL
―Yeah, didn’t know he was a jerk. But this game doesn’t allow class changes LOL, it’s gonna be a pain LOL
The despair-filled first battle.
It would have been better if his occupation allowed him to summon minions like a necromancer.
It wasn’t that Minwoo lacked talent, it was that he lacked minions.
Even if they were F-rank skeletons, if he could control various monsters, they could fulfill their role adequately.
Moreover, undead summons weren’t as cowardly as this guy.
But unfortunately, Minwoo’s awakened occupation was a swordsman.
Kim Minwoo, who displayed the aura of five stars properly.
After that day.
[Kim Minwoo 1,024th attempt. Let’s try making a companion!]
Feeling that if his talent was pathetic, it might be solved by creating a companion, he attempted party play for the first time ever.
[Kim Minwoo becomes greatly enraged!]
―Mocking the low-born, huh? Intellectuals?
His way of turning the tables in an instant even when he was pushed to the edge was enough to impress even Woojin.
‘This social disastrous bastard!’
He realized.
This guy was inherently unable to be with companions.
After that day, he went through a terrible time of trial and error.
Ultimately, he was able to carve out a new path.
He relentlessly elevated his status within the family, gained more authority, made money, and swept away all kinds of artifacts.
If he lacked talent, he made up for it with money.
If money wasn’t enough, he poured in more money. And if even that didn’t work, he spent even more money!
1,832 days invested for the clear.
Now was the time to see the fruits of that labor.
[Logging into the game!]
[Starting the broadcast!]
Soon, a massive door appeared before him.
[Entrance to the Dragon Hall]
[Location where the final boss, the Dragon Lord, is sleeping.]
[One day remaining until the Dragon Lord awakens.]
[Clear the game by hunting the Dragon Lord.]
‘Let’s give it a shot.’
Just before the Dragon Lord woke up and started attacking. When Minwoo’s strength was at its peak and the Dragon Lord’s strength was at its weakest!
“Let’s go!”
The door opened.
And revealed a monstrous creature with a dragon-like form.
* * *
―An uninvited guest, huh.
[Witnessed the figure of the Dragon!]
[A powerful fear washes over you!]
That moment.
Pwshoo…!
The rings on his fingers began to glow fiercely.
[Mental Protection Artifact Activated!]
[Iron Will (S) Activated!]
[Indomitable Spirit (S) Activated!]
[Keen Sight (S) Activated!]
[Viking Courage (S) Activated!]
[Warrior of Light (S) Activated!]
[Resisting the Dragon Lord!]
[Resistance Successful!]
[Immune to fear for 15 minutes!]
Five rings exploded in an instant.
‘Shit!’
How much crap did he go through to save that!
Just resisting once caused all the top-tier rings to shatter.
―Shit LOL, five artifacts gone in one glance LOL, are exchange fees real?
―He’s really lost it LOL, did he intend to awaken him?
15 minutes of fear immunity.
Not a single second could be wasted.
He activated all the artifacts he had collected tirelessly during that time like a madman.
[Dwarven King’s Roar (S) Activated!]
[All stats of equipment worn by Kim Minwoo increased by 50%!]
[Song of the Relic (S) Activated!]
[Kim Minwoo’s talent limit increased by 100%!]
[Lightning Blade (S) Activated!]
[Attack power of the sword worn by Kim Minwoo increased by 100%!]
[Sword Dance (S) Activated!]
[Kim Minwoo’s swordsmanship proficiency increased by 200%!]
No matter how trash-like his talent was, with the overlapping buffs…
Slash!
He could even cut through the tough scales of the Dragon Lord.
Slash after slash.
An endless battle ensued.
3 minutes.
―Crazy. How do you dodge and stab that thing?
―Pingpong isn’t ranked number one in the world for for no reason LOL
[Dragon Lord’s HP is less than 85%!]
[Astonishing Achievement Achieved…]
.
.
8 minutes.
[Dragon Lord’s HP is less than 63%!]
[Impossible Achievement Achieved…]
―Gonna be tough. Didn’t he use up all his items?
―Is this even possible? The pattern is getting more difficult;;
―But was there such a thing as an impossible achievement? First time hearing about it today.
―Me too.
14 minutes and 50 seconds.
[Dragon Lord’s HP is less than 50%!]
[Unsolvable Achievement, ‘Discovering Possibility’ Achieved!]
It was that moment.
―Puny human, this is as far as you go.
[Dragon Word (EX) Activated!]
[Artifacts Activated…]
[Cannot resist!]
[Control of the body is released!]
Thud.
Like a cut rope, his body collapsed.
‘Ha…’
An EX-level skill, huh.
A bitter laugh escaped.
This wasn’t made to be defeated.
‘Damn it. If I could’ve picked any other class, I would’ve never picked the Swordsman class.’
The compatibility between the fearful Kim Minwoo and the Swordsman class was the worst of the worst.
From the early growth rate to the potential in the late game, everything was too low.
‘How the hell am I supposed to beat this?’
Despite conquering this game countless times, this time, no answer seemed to appear.
That’s when it happened.
The screen began to freeze, and instead of the usual red messages, blue messages appeared.
〈Player.〉
〈Congratulations.〉
〈You have exceeded our expectations and shown potential.〉
[Notification: The final stage, Stage 6, has been unlocked!]
[Kim Minwoo]
[Strategy Difficulty: ★★★★★★]
[Features: Diamond Spoon, Untalented, Arrogant, Lazy, Cowardly, Perverted, Drama Queen, Freeloader]
[Occupation: Necromancer]
[Clear Goal: Hunt down foreign enemies within 7 years.]
[Notable Points]
[1. Kim Minwoo’s occupation changes from Swordsman to Necromancer!]
[2. All main characters in the game are united in one world!]
[3. Growth elements branch out more diversely!]
[4. The stage for activities expands significantly!]
[Entering Stage 6 in 10 seconds!]
‘…What?’
Woojin was dumbfounded by the successive messages that appeared.
‘There was a Stage 6?’
Was it a condition to unlock Stage 6 by reducing the Dragon Lord’s HP by more than half?
He didn’t even know there were foreign enemies.
9 seconds.
8 seconds.
Watching the dwindling time, he thought.
‘Stage 6, this should be interesting.’
With Stage 6, there shouldn’t be any worries about broadcasting for a while, right?
And there’s the damn Necromancer occupation situation.
Just the fact that Kim Minwoo isn’t a cancerous Swordsman guarantees some fun.
As 10 seconds passed.
Woojin’s consciousness began to blur. His body vanished in an instant.
Not just in the game, but also inside the capsule.
When the screen started flowing again…
―Pingpong logged out?
―What’s with the sudden shutdown?
―What’s going on?
Amidst the terminated broadcasts, only the chat window was busy flowing.
[Translator – Peptobismol]
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