Damn Necromancer - Chapter 35

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Chapter 35: Purchase(1)

Upon exiting the intermediate zone, a familiar sight greeted Kim Minwoo.

His own room.

“It’s warm here.”

It was hard to believe that just moments ago, he was struggling against the chilling winter wind.

‘They’ll handle it.’

He thought of the Orc, Dwarf, and Elf. His last order: stay put for three days, business as usual.

It shouldn’t be too difficult.

‘Gotta get moving.’

He had a lot to get on this trip.

He opened his smartphone and made a call.

“Father, I’m back.”

― Did you clear the Gate?

“No. I just used the intermediate zone for a bit. I need to buy a lot of things, so I was hoping you could help me out. I’ll pay you back for what you spend.”

― What do you need?

“I need provisions.”

― How much?

“More than you can imagine. I don’t care about the types, just get everything. Start with plenty of variety and filling options.”

― Okay. But can you carry them all? Even with one space ring, it won’t be enough, right?

“I’m going to borrow some from the company. Nine superior ones.”

Superior subspace rings are items that are almost never on the market.

So it was better to just borrow them.

Only then did the chairman seem to get a general idea of the scale of the food he was going to be carrying, and he fell silent for a moment.

―……It’s three days in the intermediate zone, right?

“Yes.”

―Alright. I’ll see what I can do. Anything else you need?

“Bones.”

―… Bones?

“Yes. I’m looking for strong bones. I’ll buy all the hexar skulls, steel knight ribcages, cockatrice leg bones, long-armed gorilla arm bones, muttoncaur spine bones, and elephant man pelvic bones. I’ll pay 50 per piece. If you can get them from the company, I’ll pay you back the exact amount.”

There is one thing in common with all the monsters mentioned.

They are all around level 200.

Fifty per piece was a steal, even if collecting them took time. The Gate offered a viable option for farming these materials.

He estimated collecting at least 50 of each bone per Gate run.

That meant 2,500 total.

For a C-rank Gate, it’s a decent fixed income.

The plan was to use these bones to replace parts of his skeletons.

‘Any part will do.’

Due to capacity constraints, only one part could be replaced at a time.

Right now, the best option for the skeletons was to replace one bone with that of a level 200 monster.

―… People will be hunting for bones of all sorts of creatures, will you be able to handle it?

“I’ll only be purchasing for a set period. About two weeks should be enough.”

The goal was to acquire some bones before entering the Gate and boost his skeletons’ power.

Afterwards, he could replace the remaining parts he couldn’t swap out while away.

Any leftover bones could be stored for later, replacing them one by one as the capacity increased.

―Is this because of one of your skills?

“Yes. I think it’s best to bring them along before going in. Besides this, I need some high-level monster bones…”

―Hehe… How high-level are we talking?

“Any dragon above level 500 should suffice. Put up a notice for that as well. Please let me know if there are any inquiries.”

These were bones specifically for Cedric.

The number of Gates where dragons appeared was very limited. They weren’t even fixed spawns.

Given how difficult they were to catch and how randomly they popped up, it was no exaggeration to say that their entire bodies were worth their weight in gold.

― Let me check. For anything above level 500, the higher the level, the better, right?

“Yes.”

― Anything else you need?

“Maybe a D-rank skill book? There should be some in the auction house, so if you could check it out for me, that would be great.”

― Haha, already reached level 101?

“The Hidden Gate was quite good. It might be helpful for father too.”

― Hmm… I’m curious about it.

“I’ll tell you all about it when I get back.”

― Alright. Oh, by the way, your mother and the kids are coming this time. It’s winter vacation after all.

“Oh, I see.”

He nodded.

Come to think of it, at this time, Kim Minwoo’s younger brother, Kim Hyungseok…

“He’s studying abroad.”

He was studying abroad in Harvard, USA.

Consequently, the chairman’s wife and youngest daughter were also in the United States. It seemed they were coming back during the winter vacation.

― Make some time for them. I know you had a falling out with your brother, but it’s still important to see family.

“Did that happen? I’ve already forgotten everything. I’ll make time when they come.”

― Good. Take care of your work.

The call ended.

‘That should take care of the food problem.’

Going around everywhere to buy them himself would be a hassle, so using the power of his family was the best option.

Now, the second issue to tackle was potions.

* * *

Inside the café, Kim Minwoo, upon seeing the familiar sight, walked in.

“Long time no see, Ms. Choi Yuna. Has it been almost three weeks?”

“Yes. You called me, but the matter…”

“Is there anything else besides the potions? Intermediate potions. How many have you made?”

“Um… Well…”

She rolled her eyes.

“Um, in the middle, Mr. Siwoo? Because of him, I had to make potions for him, so…”

“So, how many did you make?”

“About 150…”

“Hmm. That’s too little.”

“I, I didn’t expect you to come so soon…”

The last time he bought potions was roughly three weeks ago.

Assuming he was level 51 at that time, he thought it would be another three months before his next purchase. After all, even for a super rookie, there was a limit to how fast he could level up.

But he was already here asking for more?

“If you’re thinking of buying in advance, could you wait a bit?”

“I need them right away. You know potions lose their effectiveness as your level goes up.”

“…Are you level 101?”

“Yes.”

“What on earth did you do to level up so quickly?”

It had been a month or so since he set the level 1 record, right?

In other words, he had leveled up to 100 in a month.

It was a leveling speed that defied all logic.

After all, it took Isabella a month to reach level 49 and challenge the new record.

And three months after that, he reached level 101. It took the top Awakened four months, but he had leveled up that much in just one month?

‘This is just… monstrous.’

She gaped.

“I’d like to buy directly from you if possible, Ms. Choi Yuna. But this way… it might be a bit difficult.”

“Oh, when do you need them by?”

“Three days. Is that possible?”

“800 of them?”

“Yes. I think that should be enough.”

650 pieces in three days.

It wasn’t impossible if she pulled an all-nighter.

As the deadline approached, the producer would exert superhuman strength.

“I’ll make them.”

“You’ll have to hurry.”

“I won’t sleep. I’ll just take an Awakening potion.”
[TL/N: This is not for awakening achievements but Staying awake]

As expected.

People only exert themselves when they’re pushed. Kim Minwoo nodded in satisfaction.

“And, you know?”

Kim Minwoo raised a finger to his lips.

Choi Yuna nodded frantically.

“Yes, yes! Since this is a personal order, only my dad and I know who requested it. Don’t worry. It’s top secret!”

“I trust you.”

“But, um…”

“Yes?”

“I haven’t heard that you entered any Gates. Where did you level up so much? Did you happen to find any Hidden Pieces in the last tomb?”

“Well, something similar.”

“Wow… I’m envious…”

Envy welled up in her eyes. Production classes could level up by attempting to craft items.

That didn’t mean they never entered Gates altogether.

As they progressed to higher-level Gates, the required party size increased.

As time went on, not just combat roles, but other classes also joined parties.

With the increasing complexity of battles, various elements became necessary.

As a result, production classes could also discover opportunities.

Discovering forgotten ancient crafting methods, recipes, or encountering special mentors; finding just one of these could change one’s life in an instant.

‘He’s probably enjoying all those hidden pieces right now, isn’t he?’

Envious.

In her heart, she wished she could join in.

Of course, she wasn’t crazy enough to say that out loud.

‘But at least I know something good happened…’

After setting the record, Kim Minwoo had been quiet for a while.

Naturally, speculation about his actions swirled across various communities.

Even so.

No one would think he was level 101 right now.

They would probably guess around the mid-50s at most.

Yuna’s smile twitched slightly at the thought of knowing information others didn’t.

When Kim Minwoo’s true abilities were revealed, it could potentially turn the world upside down once again.

“I’ll take my leave now. I need to make potions.”

“Sure. Take care.”

She walked out, handbag in hand, almost skipping.

* * *

[(Breaking News) Ilsung Group purchasing food and bones in bulk? Unusual activity!]

[(Breaking News) Auction house cleared out of D-rank skill books? Is Kim Minwoo nearing D-rank?]

[(Breaking News) Ilsung Group buying dragon bones! Expressing intention to Purchase Dragon Bones from Dragons Above Level 500! Experts believe this all revolves around Kim Minwoo…]

The news poured in.

It was understandable, considering the recent activities of Ilsung Group and Kim Minwoo had been caught in action.

The community forums were buzzing with activity.

― Where are all those who scoffed at Kim Minwoo for being quiet now? LOL Is he already close to D-rank?

― Seriously, buying D-rank skill books means he’s level 101, right? Just pre-purchasing them, nothing special kekekeke.

― Even if he pre-purchased, he’s already over level 51, right? It doesn’t make sense to buy D-rank if he’s not even close to it LOL.

― It’s possible. Isabella took roughly a month to get to that point, so there’s no way Kim Minwoo can’t do it.

―So what level is Kim Min-woo now? Is he going into Gates? If so, shouldn’t it be in the news?

― Buying bones after a long time. Did he get a soulbound skill or something?

―I think Kim Min-woo found a Hidden Gate? He said he found a Hidden Piece in the tomb last time. Is that what it’s connected to? I think it’s because of that that he’s using food. There’s no way he bought it to donate, right?

―Wow. Hidden Gate; he got his skills from there too;; so jealous. When will I ever get into one of those?

―Wake up to reality, Nothing ever goes as planned in this accursed world. If you get involved with your skills, it’s perfect for getting stabbed in the neck and dying, XDXDXD

―No, but seriously, what level is Kim Minwoo now?

―How the hell should we know??? But he’s probably around 60. I’ve even seen 70.

―Yeah, that seems about right. Honestly, even at level 51, he’s not as good as Isabella, just being blunt. Anyway, the leveling speed is insane. Already in the middle of E-rank, wow;;

―But what’s he going to do with the bones? I really don’t know.

―Looking at what he’s buying, they’re parts of monsters with special characteristics, but is he really going to make a summoner out of bones? Kekekeke

―Is that so? But if you assemble all those monster bone parts, isn’t it just a chimera? I can’t imagine what it would look like if they all came together LOL

―They can’t even combine. The balance is totally off. It’s just going to be a ragtag golem, that’s all ??

As the community users busily discussed Kim Minwoo, a massive news update shook the forums.

[BREAKING NEWS! Sword Sect breaks through the blockade! Heading towards S-rank Gate, the Dragon’s Tomb!]

[BREAKING NEWS! Korea Avengers formed? Includes top awakened individuals like Shin Chang, Dokma, and Kwonwang…]
[TL?N: None of the names here are confirmed]

― Damn. Isn’t the Dragon’s Tomb famous for its high difficulty?

― Yeah, it’s considered top-tier among S-ranks. Random high-level dragon species spawn as bosses. If you manage to kill one and bring back its corpse, it’s like hitting the jackpot LOL.

― Is this because of Kim Minwoo? Ilsung was buying dragon bones, right? LOL.

― Wow, they’ve gathered the Avengers. It’s like a gathering of all the top awakened individuals from past generations. Shin Chang, Kwonwang, Dokma, they’re all Sword Saint’s friends.

― The Avengers are insane LOL.

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