Chapter 13
Toward the Border Area (3)
“GRUAAAH!”
“KURRUK!”
An orc tried to overpower the Armored Zombie head-on.
Not long after their fingers locked in midair, crack— the orc’s hand twisted at a grotesque angle.
The orc glared with bloodshot eyes and tried to pull its arm back.
But the Armored Zombie didn’t let go. Instead, it yanked harder, throwing the orc’s stance into disarray.
“Kurrk! Monster, die!”
An orc behind them swung its glaive with all its might to save its comrade.
CLAAANG!
The iron-forged curved blade dulled on impact, yet the bone armor suffered only a tiny scratch.
“Not bad.”
Yujin calmly gave his evaluation.
Behind him, Kang Minho stared in shock.
“That enhanced zombie could probably overpower even a 2-star hunter.”
“I worked hard making it. Of course it should be that strong.”
The orcs, infamous as a natural warrior race, were being toyed with by a single zombie clad in bone armor.
“KURRRR!”
One orc delivered a full-powered strike.
Coincidentally, it hit the exact spot that had already taken damage earlier.
Crack—
The accumulated impact slightly split the bone armor.
“GRAAAAH?”
The price was steep.
The Armored Zombie turned its head at the damaged armor and reached out with its right hand.
The orc resisted the savage grip, but the moment the zombie applied force—
POP!
Its head exploded instantly.
〔No elegance whatsoever. It really resembles its master.〕
‘Then maybe the idiot who provoked it was the problem.’
As most of the orcs collapsed, the last survivor turned around and began running away.
The Baby-faced Team watched in amazement.
“I heard orcs never run away. What a complete lie.”
“I mean… I would’ve run too.”
“Run? I’d have pissed myself on the spot.”
“Minyoung, watch your language.”
“What? Did I say something wrong?”
A monster that ignored most attacks and could rip off an arm the instant it grabbed you.
Facing something like that was the peak of unfairness.
“Hyungnim, are you just letting that orc go? The zombies won’t catch it with their mobility.”
“Wait.”
[Furious Charge]
The Armored Zombie leapt with all its strength.
In an instant, it closed the distance and slammed its raised shoulder into the orc like a football player.
“KUH!”
The orc rolled across the ground with a dry scream.
Its back caved in from the explosive impact, and its chest was crushed badly enough for bones to protrude outward.
“GRUAAAH!”
The Armored Zombie lifted its foot to crush the orc’s throat.
“Stop.”
The moment Yujin gave the command, the foot hovering above the orc’s head withdrew immediately.
‘Its aggression has increased.’
The Armored Zombie modified through Bone Armor and Flesh Control had become far more vicious.
The increase in spiritual power strengthened the undead’s innate hatred toward the living.
〔If you lose control, your own servant might kill you someday.〕
‘You think I’d die because I can’t control my own undead?’
Some necromancers had overestimated themselves and died after creating high-ranking undead.
Not that it applied to Yujin, but caution never hurt.
‘Actually, this is good.’
Just look at the murderous aura radiating from the Armored Zombie.
Even orcs, creatures who lived for battle, had fled from that savage monster.
〔Tsk. Just don’t die pathetically.〕
Ignoring Chronos’s lament, Yujin raised his spiritual power.
[Using Bone Armor.]
The damaged armor of the Armored Zombie restored itself completely the moment spiritual power was infused into it.
“Now I don’t even know who the real monster is.”
Watching the bone armor regenerate, Kang Minho muttered in admiration.
Three Days After Entering the Border Area
“Is everyone prepared?”
At Yujin’s question, the entire Baby-faced Team nodded.
The orc settlement.
In Gate terms, it was a dangerous place near the upper end of 2-star difficulty.
Considering the border region north of Paju—
‘This is basically like raiding a 3-star Gate.’
Over the past two days, they had circled the settlement and reduced the number of orcs.
Using [Flesh Control] and [Bone Armor], Yujin had also created a new undead not recorded in the Library of Knowledge—
[Armored Zombie].
As a bonus, he had gained three more levels in the process.
The only disappointing part was that absorbing orc life force no longer increased his stats.
[All obtainable biological material from this species has been absorbed.]
[Stats will no longer increase.]
‘Well, it would’ve been stranger if there were no limits.’
Yujin wasn’t disappointed.
The remaining life force gathered during hunting had been stored for healing.
If an ally was injured, he could immediately restore them.
‘That’s supposed to be the priest class’s specialty.’
Yujin gave a bitter smile.
Come to think of it, hadn’t he gained divine spells too?
〔You need to visit the Pantheon to receive them.〕
What a useless constellation.
Once they finished business in the border area, he’d stop by the Pantheon.
“Protect yourselves.”
“We’re hunters too. Don’t worry about us.”
Even though he had healing methods, Yujin had never tested Life Drain for recovery purposes before.
He didn’t know if it could restore catastrophic injuries like severed limbs.
And this wasn’t the kind of situation he wanted to experiment in.
“Advance.”
“GRAH!”
Twenty Armored Zombies marched forward.
The orc settlement was located beside a river.
Because there were no large rocks or trees for cover, the advancing undead horde was clearly visible.
“Kurruk! Enemies!”
DONG— DONG—
The bell rang from the watchtower.
Orcs scattered throughout the settlement quickly armed themselves and gathered near the entrance.
[Using Bone Control.]
Cursed Fangs shot through the air.
THUD!
One pierced the neck of the orc ringing the bell, silencing the noise.
“Stop barking so loudly.”
Just as Yujin was about to retrieve the Cursed Fang—
FWIP! FWIP! FWIP!
Several arrows arced toward the group.
“Leave this much to us.”
[Shield Protection]
[Forced Aggro]
[Fire Bolt]
Kang Minho’s shield glowed green.
The arrows falling toward the party abruptly changed direction toward the shield.
At the perfect timing, a firebolt exploded among the clustered arrows.
BOOM!
Half of them burned into ash midair.
TING! TING!
A few arrows struck the shield, but—
“I’m fine. I can handle this.”
Bracing his legs firmly, Kang Minho blocked every attack without budging an inch.
〔He is fairly capable.〕
‘I told you. A guaranteed winning lottery ticket.’
Yujin controlled five Cursed Fangs simultaneously.
As long as the Baby-faced Team intercepted stray arrows, he could focus entirely on offense.
There was no longer any need to hold back while operating his magical weapons.
SHIIING!
The Cursed Fangs repeatedly sliced through the air, killing exposed orcs standing on towers and elevated ground.
Casualties piled up before the settlement’s orcs could fully gather.
Once the deaths exceeded twenty, the orcs’ patience snapped.
“Kurruk! We charge them directly!”
“Kurruk! Intruders! I’ll kill them!”
The orcs burst out through the crudely made gate.
“Go, my servants.”
[Furious Charge]
“GRUUUAAAH!!”
The twenty Armored Zombies slammed shoulder-first into the leading orcs emerging from the entrance.
CRACK!
Muscles tore and bones shattered with sickening sounds.
Some orcs swung their swords in sync with the charging zombies—
CLAAANG!
Instead, their glaives shattered against the bone armor.
The orcs flew left and right like bowling pins struck by a bowling ball.
“GRAAAAH!!”
The twenty Armored Zombies pressed forward, forcing the orcs all the way back to the settlement entrance.
“Kurruk! Push them back!”
“Ku-kurruk! These stinking monsters are too strong!”
“KURRUK! I’ll create an opening!”
Several orcs charged the Armored Zombies head-on with burning fighting spirit.
One by one, scars began appearing on the sturdy bone armor.
Some broke their own weapons from striking too hard.
Even so, the orcs clung barehanded to the zombies’ arms and legs, obstructing their movement.
“They really are battle-crazed monsters.”
Kang Minho clicked his tongue in disbelief.
Even the seemingly indestructible bone armor now showed multiple cracks.
At the rear, the orc chieftain shouted with veins bulging in his neck.
“Kurruk! Hold on, warriors! Just a little longer and the enemy—”
[Using Bone Armor.]
The cracks in the armor instantly repaired themselves.
The armor could be restored even from over a hundred meters away.
“Just a little longer what? I’m curious about the rest.”
“Kurruk, kurruk!”
“What? Things not going your way?”
“Kurruk! You fight dishonorably! Fight fairly!”
[Using Flesh Control.]
The chunks of flesh from fallen orcs suddenly attached themselves to the one shouting about fairness.
“KURRUK!”
“This is what fighting fairly means for a necromancer.”
SPLAT! SPLAT!
The orcs clinging to the Armored Zombies became sluggish as flesh stuck all over their bodies.
Trapped with nowhere to retreat, the orcs fell into chaos.
By the time nearly half of them had collapsed near the settlement entrance while being toyed with by Yujin—
“Kurruk! Smash the side! Make another path!”
The orc chieftain tried to destroy the settlement fence.
“So you finally thought of it?”
Yujin smiled brightly.
Yes.
That was the only possible solution to this situation.
‘It’s always satisfying when enemies move exactly as expected.’
[Using Bone Control.]
Once again, the Cursed Fangs danced through the air.
The orcs trying to destroy the fence collapsed while bleeding heavily.
“Well now. You’re really offering me your heads willingly.”
“KURRRRRK!!!”
The enraged orc chieftain grabbed the fence and swung his axe with all his strength.
The fence visibly shook after only a few blows.
The Cursed Fangs shot toward him.
THUD! THUD! THUD!
His rock-like skin tore apart.
Green blood poured onto the ground, yet he didn’t stop.
Finally—
Part of the fence collapsed, opening another route to Yujin besides the settlement entrance.
“…You’re not actually thinking you’ve won, are you?”
“Kurruk!”
“You could’ve just gone around to the riverside entrance. Why destroy a perfectly good barricade?”
This was why orcs were orcs.
Yujin clicked his tongue.
“Don’t expect reinforcements from behind. I already dealt with them.”
“KURRRRRK!!”
The orc chieftain gave himself over to rage once more.
[Berserk]
Excessive blood flow turned his skin red.
The pain-distorted expression on his face became intoxicated and hazy.
Meanwhile, the killing intent around his eyes intensified several times over, staining both pupils and sclera crimson.
A skill that numbed pain and reason, leaving only murderous intent toward enemies.
“I’ve been waiting for you to use that.”
The instant Berserk activated—
Yujin waited for the brief stiffness caused by the skill’s effect.
“If I pin both arms and legs, even Berserk won’t let you move.”
Not missing that tiny opening—
The five prepared Cursed Fangs pierced the orc chieftain’s limbs.
Perhaps because Yujin had poured in more spiritual power than usual, the black spikes tore through flesh and muscle before embedding deeply into the ground, restraining the chieftain completely.
“KURRRRRRRR!”
“What? Something wrong?”
The chieftain struggled while skewered by the Cursed Fangs.
His wounds widened.
Blood flowed like a stream.
Yet he continued glaring at Yujin with murderous eyes.
“Don’t feel too wronged. You’re not dying alone.”
Yujin used [Bone Control] on the Staff of Resentment in his hand.
If there were no teeth, gums would have to do.
If even one Cursed Fang came loose, the orc chieftain would break free.
He had no choice but to improvise.
‘End this quickly.’
Mana drained from him like a flood.
Controlling six separate mediums with Bone Control made his mouth go dry.
And without physically holding the Staff of Resentment, he no longer benefited from its mana amplification.
Even if he converted stored life force into mana, he would need to activate [White Night] first.
But doing that would interrupt the flow restraining the chieftain.
‘Aim for the heart. Pierce it in one strike.’
SHIIING!
The Staff of Resentment spun violently through the air.
Its sharpened end mercilessly pierced the chieftain’s chest.
[Level increased.]
[Current level is 19.]
The red light in the chieftain’s eyes faded.
“…Kuh.”
His vision shook from excessive mana consumption.
It was the second time he had experienced this since the Ancient Garden, but Yujin remained calm and activated [White Night], converting it into divine power.
[Using Life Drain.]
A strange divine spell that healed targets using stolen life force.
Since it replenished both life force and mana, it was the perfect recovery skill for Yujin, who was suffering mana exhaustion.
“Kurruk… the chieftain has fallen.”
“Kurruk… this is dangerous.”
The orcs’ morale shattered in the face of the one-sided battle.
Some turned to flee the battlefield—
[Using Flesh Control.]
“Where do you think you’re running?”
Before they could escape, the flesh of their fallen kin latched onto them and restrained their legs.
The settlement became a graveyard in an instant.
“Kurruk…”
When the final orc fell, the Baby-faced Team quickly began cleanup.
“Hyungnim, we’ve extracted all the mana stones.”
“Good work.”
That wasn’t empty praise.
Extracting mana stones embedded in monster hearts was exhausting labor.
- Blood Axe (Rare)
- 1 D-rank Magic Stone
- 427 E-rank Magic Stones
“E-rank stones are worth three times more than F-rank ones.”
“How much money did we make in just three days?”
Even exhausted, the Baby-faced Team couldn’t close their gaping mouths while calculating the profits.
“The real prize is this.”
[Blood Axe]
Grade: Rare [R]
Category: Axe
Restriction: None
Durability: 666/666
An axe forged through blood refinement. It contains shamanistic power that greatly increases the user’s strength.
The more blood absorbed by the axe, the stronger it becomes and the more additional options it unlocks.
- Strength +35
- Bloodsucking Stack – 0
[Strike Lv.20]
[Frenzy Lv.5]
[Vampirism Lv.10]
The weapon of the orc chieftain.
Because it was growth-type equipment, its value far exceeded ordinary rare-grade gear.
〔A sinister item reeking of blood. Truly low-class.〕
‘You really don’t know anything. This would sell for a fortune on the market.’
The Vampirism option absorbed blood to restore the user’s stamina and life force.
At the current value, the effect was minor.
But as the stacks increased, the options would strengthen too.
Practically speaking, it was close to a pseudo-Unique item.
It would sell for an enormous price.
‘Definitely worth raiding an entire orc settlement for.’
Now that he had checked the rewards, Yujin recalled the true purpose of coming to the border area.
He infused spiritual power into his eyes.
Spirit Vision.
Eyes capable of reading not only material objects but spiritual wavelengths as well swept rapidly across the orc settlement.
After scanning for a while—
‘Found it.’
Yujin quickened his pace.
