Damn Necromancer-Chapter 312

Chapter 312: Heavenly City (2)

[From the Heavenly City, the Diamond Sponsorship Certificate sent by 'Kim Minwoo' has arrived!]

Lee Seoyoon looked at the sponsorship certificate placed on her hand.

‘What is this?’ 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

A suddenly appearing sponsorship certificate.

Namgung Min also tilted his head.

“Hey, Noona. Wasn't this supposed to be given later?”

“Well, there must have been some circumstances.”

Soon after, Lee Seoyoon's eyes sparkled.

Heavenly City.

It was a place she had only heard about in passing.

The information she knew wasn't much.

The place Kim Minwoo had visited first.

An unreasonable place where the starting line changes depending on the sponsorship certificate. But at the same time, it is a place where numerous opportunities that do not exist on Earth lurk.

She could tell that just by looking at Seo Yerim.

Because after returning from the Heavenly City, her momentum had become twice as sharp as before.

‘If it's such a fun place......’

There is no reason not to go.

“Then I'm using this?”

“If I use it first, follow after that.”

“Well, whatever you say.”

The moment Lee Seoyoon used the sponsorship certificate like that.

The surroundings turned entirely into a pure white space.

[Checking qualifications......]

[You possess a Diamond Sponsorship Certificate.]

[Current Level 689.]

[No previous record of taking a test.]

[......Calculating.]

[The test will begin when the target 'Namgung Min' participates.]

“What is this?”

While she was tilting her head, Namgung Min was summoned next to her.

“Where is this?”

It was that moment.

[Please select the difficulty of the Initiate Test.]

[Phase 1, Bronze]

[Phase 2, Silver]

[Phase 3, Gold]

[Phase 4, Platinum]

[Phase 5, Diamond]

〈Tip 1. The difficulty you select first will be fixed as your maximum difficulty.〉

〈Tip 2. If you select a difficulty and fail, the same difficulty will never be activated again.〉

〈Tip 3. Once a difficulty is selected, the test will proceed with the same difficulty until you fail.〉

〈Example. Upon passing the Gold Grade Initiate Test → Proceed to Gold Grade Trainee Test〉

“Obviously Diamond. What about you, Noona?”

“Why even ask such a thing?”

Unless they were shot in the head, there would be no idiot who would choose a lower difficulty here.

[Both have selected the Initiate, Diamond difficulty test!]

Soon after, a certain teddy bear popped out into the pure white space.

―Eh? What is this?

The small teddy bear began to look around as if assessing the situation, and before long, its eyes met the two people's.

―What the, you didn't use a Job Change Ticket? Hey, you two!

“......What are you?”

―Me? I am the Re-evaluation Inspector Popo. You look like guys trying to enter the Heavenly City...... Who are you related to? How did you summon me?

“We never really called you, though?”

Namgung Min shrugged his shoulders.

―Liar. If you never called me, there's no reason for me to pop out here! Did you guys mess with something in the test or what?

“Well, we don't know either.”

Lee Seoyoon retorted cynically.

―Hmm. Wait a moment. Let me grasp the situation. Hello? This is Popo. I would like to contact Lord Jiphael. Ah, he is busy right now? Then how long should I wait......

Wondering what a ‘Diamond’ difficulty would be.

Just a single teddy bear pops out and that's it?

The anticipation that had swelled up was only for a moment.

“Ah.”

Namgung Min cracked his neck as if bored.

Crack.

“How annoying.”

It was before he even finished speaking.

Namgung Min's figure disappeared.

No, it didn't disappear.

It was just too fast.

―......Eh?

When Popo turned his head.

His dagger had already approached right before his nose.

“Just die.”

Leaving only a black afterimage.

The twin daggers crossed toward Popo's neck.

It will tear.

He was certain.

At that moment.

Popo's small body swelled up.

The figure that was a small teddy bear expanded in an instant. The brown fur was dyed pitch-black, and the cute eyes blazed blood-red.

The soft plush skin split open, and the darkness of the abyss leaked out from the gap.

Kururururu.

The space itself vibrated.

Popo's voice echoed in overlaps.

A dissonance of dozens, hundreds of voices overlapping.

―The sin of pointing a blade at an examiner.

The enlarged shadow pounced on the two people.

―Execution.

Peo-eok.

Namgung Min's body bounced away.

Even though he blocked by crossing his daggers, his arm bones screamed.

“Keu-heup.”

Lee Seoyoon's shadow blade grazed Popo's flank. However, the moment it touched the darkness, the blade itself melted away.

‘What is this?’

Her eyes were dyed with shock.

Darkness was swallowing darkness.

The shadows she had wielded as a Shadow Walker were nothing but prey in front of that existence.

Peo-eok―!

The moment the form of condensed darkness struck her body.

Lee Seoyoon's body flew up all the way to the end.

[Warning!]

[Difficulty changes from ‘Diamond’ to ‘Murderous’!]

[‘Murderous’ difficulty is applied.]

“.......”

Namgung Min stood up while spitting blood.

His broken arm drooped limply, but his eyes actually brightened even more.

His brain had already started spinning.

‘0.3 second delay after a left attack. The right is instant. The shadow arm deployment pattern has three branches―.’

Shuak.

Namgung Min kicked the ground.

This time, it wasn't head-on.

Digging into the flank, he squeezed in between Popo's shadow arms.

The tip of the blade grazed.

A single strand of fur.

It was merely a single strand of fur, but.......

“Got it.”

Namgung Min smiled.

He read the pattern.

He could see where the next attack would come from.

Top left. In 0.2 seconds.

The moment he twisted his body to evade and tried to thrust his dagger.

―Interesting.

Popo's voice rang out.

―Are you learning in real-time? Then how about this.

The pattern changed.

The shadow arm that had three branches split into seven.

The speed doubled.

The predicted 0.2 seconds dropped to 0.1 seconds.

“Shit―.”

Peok.

Namgung Min's flank was pierced.

Blood burst out.

Even so, a laugh leaked out.

“Ha, crazy.”

Every time he read it, it switched to a higher pattern.

An opponent where learning became meaningless.

It was the first time.

Meanwhile, Lee Seoyoon revealed her form from within the shadows.

Darkness condensed in both hands.

Twelve Shadow Blades floated up into the empty air.

“You said they all get eaten, right?”

Seueuk.

The twelve blades fired simultaneously.

Right before plunging into Popo's body, they all melted away.

It was an expected result.

“So.......”

The shadow expanded explosively from beneath Lee Seoyoon's feet.

The faint darknesses cast over the entire pure white space.

They all began to be sucked into her.

―Oh?

Popo's blood-red eyes took on interest for the first time.

“I don't usually fight like this.”

Lee Seoyoon's body was dyed black as if encroached by darkness.

Three clones popped out simultaneously.

The main body and the clones, the four of them surrounded Popo from all directions.

“But there's no reason to keep the rules in front of you.”

The four charged simultaneously.

Popo's shadow arms were swung.

Two clones melted away.

But the remaining two dug in.

―To attack with darkness in front of darkness that eats darkness.

Peo-eok.

Lee Seoyoon's main body flew away.

However, she was smiling.

“Who said I only fight with darkness?”

Namgung Min was behind Popo's back.

He had dug in while Lee Seoyoon drew attention.

The twin daggers crossed.

A thin wound was engraved on Popo's back.

A hairline mark without a single drop of blood.

That was all.

―.......

Popo slowly turned his head.

Namgung Min was smiling while covered in blood.

A broken arm, a pierced flank, cracked ribs.

Even so, only his eyes shone madly.

“Got it.”

Scratched it once.

That was enough.

Today's goal is achieved.

‘A single piece of this bastard's flesh. I'm satisfied with that.’

―.......

Popo's blood-red eyes looked at the two people alternately.

Lee Seoyoon stood up from among the remains of the melted clones.

Namgung Min, who did not let go of his sword even while dripping blood.

―Right. Emotion was mixed into the overlapping voice for the first time. It has to be at least this much to be a ‘Murderous’ Initiate.

Popo's blood-red eyes fixed on Lee Seoyoon.

The remains of the melted clones.

Popo's blood-red eyes fixed on Lee Seoyoon.

The remains of the melted clones.

A familiar smell rising from between them.

―......Huh?

The massive figure tilted slightly.

―This smell...... you are not a living being.

Popo's gaze moved down as if licking Lee Seoyoon's chest. The mark of the strike from earlier, crossing where the heart should be.

Black smoke was leaking out.

―You are an undead, aren't you?

Lee Seoyoon chuckled.

“Yeah. I am not human.”

―Even so, I see one more soul string.

Popo's gaze swept across the empty air.

As if following an invisible thread.

―The thing tied behind...... is a summoning circle. Traces of being connected to someone.

Popo's pupils grew round.

―Could it be, a Necromancer? Wait a minute. By any chance, is your master ‘Kim Minwoo’?

“......Why him?”

Lee Seoyoon narrowed her eyes.

―Oh?

Popo's blood-red eyes widened in surprise.

―Are you truly an associate?

In an instant.

The massive figure that had been dyed pitch-black shrunk.

The darkness of the abyss lifted, and the brown fur returned.

In the blink of an eye.

A small teddy bear stood in front of the two people.

―Man, if that was the case, you should have told me beforehand! Hehe, if I had known, I would have gone easy on you.

Namgung Min spat out blood-mixed saliva with a ptooey, as if dumbfounded.

“You, are related to that guy?”

―Of course! We are in such a wonderful relationship where we help and guide each other. Ah, I heard Kim Minwoo is quite active in the Heavenly City these days...... so he sent you to supplement his guild members!

Popo, clapping his hands with a smack as if he understood everything, grinned.

―Then I cannot just let you go. Since it has come to this, shouldn't you all receive better rewards as well! So.......

Popo's figure swelled up again.

―Try struggling properly once. To the point where I am surprised.

＊ ＊ ＊

Forest of Mist, the deepest part.

It was a forbidden realm where not even Amteron had set foot. Thick mist swallowed the vision, and a white veil where one couldn't see even an inch ahead surrounded all directions.

Even so, the large army of one thousand eight hundred did not scatter.

The reason was only one.

It was because of the man standing at the front.

“Phew.”

Kim Minwoo shook off the black blood.

Beneath his feet, tens of thousands of hybrid corpses were piled up like a mountain. Twisted limbs, crushed skulls, torn innards. The traces of slaughter faintly shone in the mist.

It was then.

The mist became even thicker.

No, it wasn't just becoming thicker.

It began to wriggle as if alive and condense into a single point.

Kururururu.

The earth resonated.

[You have hunted a certain level or more of hybrids in the Forest of Mist!]

[The Ruler of the Mist appears!]

The place where the mist lifted.

A massive figure revealed its form.

Twelve pupils stared in all directions.

Dozens of tentacles stretched out from the torso made of mist, and at the end of each, a mouth full of teeth flared.

A form that could not be defined, truly a crystallization of bizarreness.

Fear spread among the guild members.

However, Kim Minwoo was different.

His gaze pierced the monster's heart.

What was faintly visible between the mist.

A single stone statue in the shape of a human was embedded there.

A stone statue that looked to be of the exact same material as the Statue of the Vagabond.

“Oh. Do you give enhancement materials if I catch you?”

The corners of Kim Minwoo's mouth went up.

“I finally found it.”