Chapter 136
I immediately opened my status window to check my increased energy.
[Hunter: Joo Donghoon]
[Title: Skeleton King]
[Energy: 2,220/2,220]
[Unique Ability: Cursed Necromancer]
[Rank: S]
[Effects]
You are a Necromancer, a profession that deals with dead souls. You can subdue your opponents with terrifying evil spirits and toxins. However, you are cursed.
You can only summon skeletons.
……
“Kyaa.”
I exclaimed.
Energy exceeding 2,000 just from item effects.
I couldn’t help but be amazed.
It felt new.
‘It feels like only yesterday that I was splitting 100 energy just to use it.’
Now, it felt like I could use it freely without any burden.
‘Especially.’
My skeletons were now made of dragon bones.
Since they wouldn’t break easily, there wasn’t much need to use energy.
And that wasn’t all.
The rate at which energy replenished was also faster.
The amount of energy recovered per hour wasn’t a fixed value, but a percentage.
Back when my maximum energy was 100, I thought it recovered 10 per hour.
But in reality, it recovered 10% per hour.
[Energy: 2,220/2,220]
In other words, with my current energy pool, I recovered 222 energy per hour.
It was an unbelievable speed compared to the past.
Besides—
[The Essence of Water laments.]
I had obtained another Essence.
Having directly experienced the power of the Essence of Fire, I knew better than anyone just how immense and terrifying the power of a single Essence was.
[The Essence of Water asks if it really has to watch this weakling’s actions.]
However, the Essence of Water didn’t feel as friendly as the Essence of Fire.
[The Essence of Fire tells it to shut its mouth and go to sleep since it’s being noisy.]
Kya.
As expected of the Essence of Fire.
It had always been like this.
It had been fond of me from the beginning and sharp and chic toward all other beings.
[The Essence of Water displays ‘???’.]
[The Essence of Water asks if you have the authority to say that.]
[The Essence of Fire sighs deeply.]
[The Essence of Water bristles.]
The two began bickering.
Woo-oong!
I grabbed the staff made of blue and red.
The faint vibrations I felt—
the sensation of two energies colliding—felt mysterious.
[The Essence of Water makes a face as if it doesn’t understand why it’s being picked on the moment it arrives.]
[The Essence of Fire says it was very quiet when you weren’t around. It says you’re just spoiled and noisy.]
[The Essence of Water asks. Wanna fight?]
Crack! Crack!
The vibrations of the staff intensified.
Uh?
“Hey, you guys…?”
[The Essence of Fire smirks.]
[The Essence of Fire says it won’t hold back. It says it will instantly burn down such crude water droplets with the flames of Karmic Fire and evaporate them forever.]
“…Hey? Just a moment.”
[The Essence of Water scoffs.]
[The Essence of Water says it will extinguish your hot-air-spewing, not-even-hot fire in an instant.]
Doo-doo-doo-doo!
The ground began to shake.
No.
To be precise, it only looked like the ground was shaking.
Just like the Elder—
because these were two forces that didn’t affect reality physically and were only visible to me.
‘But.’
I felt dizzy, as if something tremendous was happening due to the chaos caused by the two beings.
“Stop! Stop it!”
I swung the staff roughly.
At the same time, I tried to control its energy.
It wasn’t easy.
I forcefully suppressed them.
[The Essence of Water says. This impudent brat is at it again… Huh?]
“Hmm?”
My eyes widened.
The rampaging blue energy suddenly disappeared for a moment.
What is this?
Is it actually working?
Hoo-oong!
I swung the staff again.
[The Essence of Water frowns.]
Hoo-oong!
[The Essence of Water says what are you doing so messily. It tells you to stop.]
Hoo-oong!
[The Essence of Water tilts its head. Hey?]
The blue energy within the staff gradually diminished.
Meanwhile, the red energy intensified.
[The Essence of Water says. Wait? Why are you only suppressing my energy?]
[The Essence of Fire praises you. It says there’s no need to rely on such low-grade Essence of Water forever.]
[The Essence of Water points its finger. You goddamn… Are you really going to be this unfair?]
Hoo-oong!
When I swung it again, the message was cut off.
The struggling blue energy faded further.
That’s right.
[Item: Sealed Spirit of Seven Essences (2/7)]
[Rank: Godslayer]
[Type: Weapon]
[Description: Fragments of the Seven Essences that even the primordial Gods feared. The seal will be released when all Essences of all attributes are gathered. Currently contains the Essence of Fire and the Essence of Water.]
[Effect 1: Transforms into the shape desired by the user.]
[Effect 2: Absolutely indestructible.]
[Effect 3: Uses the power of the collected Essences.]
[Effect 4: Increases Energy by 2,000.]
Effect 3.
The one who used the power of the collected Essences—
was me.
In other words, the choice of which energy to use was entirely up to me.
If I increased the ratio of Fire, Water wouldn’t be able to exert its power.
‘A convenient means of control.’
An unexpected result.
‘I don’t know what kind of beings they are.’
They were beings that even the primordial Gods feared.
Should I stop here?
No.
Even if they were Godslayer-rank beings—
since they touched me, they had to pay the price.
My creed doesn’t discriminate between opponents.
“First, I’ll have the Essence of Water sealed for a moment.”
[The Essence of Water glares.]
“It’s only temporary. But if you keep getting worked up or cause trouble, I’ll keep you sealed in the future.”
[The Essence of Water says try it if you can…]
[The Essence of Fire turns the space into a sea of flames.]
[The Essence of Water panics. It shouts that it’s filthy and tells you to release the seal quickly…]
Hoo-oong!
I swung the staff again.
“It won’t be undone.”
I declared firmly.
I deliberately ignored the messages that followed.
It seemed the Essence of Fire was tormenting it somewhere I couldn’t see.
Honestly, that was good news for me.
Being able to control absolute beings with something this trivial—
that was Heavenly Luck.
Woo-oong!
As I stared blankly at the staff, now completely red—
Woo-oong!
Three unidentified gates opened in the air.
One just to the left.
One 200 meters away on the right.
And one in midair.
“Ugh!”
“Ugh!”
Thump, thump!
Six hunters tumbled out of the gates.
“No, Vladimir!”
Olena, who had fallen, sprang up and shouted angrily.
“How can you send us away so recklessly?”
“I know, right? You sent yourself safely to the ground—why throw us into the air?”
Maximilian also huffed.
“Hahaha, sorry.”
Vladimir appeared right next to me, smiling awkwardly.
“I’m not good at adapting multi-skills… but it really works? Wow. As expected of SS-rank!”
Apparently, Vladimir had obtained a dedicated weapon capable of operating spatial magic in multiple ways.
His gaze lingered lovingly on his staff.
“Oh?”
Then it turned to me.
“Hey, Hoon! You’re awake?”
“Hoon?”
“Team leader!”
“My friend.”
The other team members brushed themselves off and approached.
Zhang Wei, Olena Zelenska, Capu, Myoi Hana, Maximilian, Vladimir Rodygin.
My colleagues.
My peers.
“As expected, Myoi Hana’s medical skills are amazing. In the end, she saved both of them.”
Zhang Wei smiled softly.
Swish!
He extended his spear elegantly.
It was a design I had never seen before.
“My friend, this is the SS-rank dedicated weapon I obtained this time. It amplifies energy and pairs well with Master’s Transformation Spear. Thanks to it, I think I’ll be able to judge even more evil people.”
“Hehe, I got the Ancient Grimoire – Water (SS-rank). It contains magic formulas I’ve never seen before. It’s a reward that would shake the academy, but I want to research it on my own first. I want to improve my skills.”
Olena smiled as she spoke.
‘Ah.’
I understood what they were doing.
“I got an orb.”
Maximilian stepped forward with a grin.
“It stabilizes energy when you carry it. Since obtaining it, the duration and power of my aura have increased noticeably. It’s a precious Treasure.”
These people…
“Hoon, I had dedicated artificial lenses implanted. They analyze information and weaknesses of any object. For an explorer, it’s incredibly satisfying.”
They shared their rewards freely—
SS-rank items they didn’t need to reveal.
“I just got a healing staff. It’s a dedicated weapon. It amplifies healing abilities and has a revival skill called Recovery.”
To them—
I was still the Team leader.
“Hey, Team leader. I also got a dedicated weapon. As you can see, it supports multi-casting. No, maybe triple-casting? It’s insane. With some practice, you’ll see three Vladimirs at once. Doesn’t that make you feel secure?”
Even if Theme 2 ended.
Even if Delilah’s trials were over.
I would always be their Team leader.
I could feel it.
“……”
Every one of them was amazing.
I was amazing too.
Just months ago, they were like the sun to me.
Rankers above A-rank.
Provisional rankers with connections to multiple rankers.
Yet now—
they only looked at me.
Their eyes were filled with trust.
‘But strangely.’
I didn’t feel burdened.
Instead, warmth filled my chest.
Friends.
To someone who hadn’t had a real friend in twenty years—
had I finally found them?
Thud, thud!
I tapped the staff on the ground.
Pazik!
Blue and red energies surged in opposite directions.
“Everyone must be curious.”
[The Essence of Water asks when you’re going to threaten it again and release the seal already.]
[The Essence of Fire says it’s acting up again.]
“Of course you are. My appearance back then—when I was briefly possessed and caught the dragon—must have looked absurd.”
“……”
Silence fell.
And since ancient times, silence has meant agreement.
“It’ll take time to explain everything, but—”
I smiled.
“I promise. I’ll tell you everything, slowly.”
There was nothing to hide.
Delilah had already seen everything.
The examiners must have as well.
It was only a matter of time before the truth spread.
Still, I was grateful they hadn’t pressed me.
It made me trust them even more.
“Well, I’m glad you’ll tell us. Hahaha!”
Vladimir broke the silence first, laughing loudly.
“Then do it before this trial ends, Team leader. I’m dying of curiosity.”
“Hoo… honestly, I was too.”
Olena sighed.
“I thought Hoon was some kind of god. You caught the Toxin Mist and a dragon. It doesn’t make sense.”
“Keke, Team leader is the most amazing person I’ve ever met.”
Buzzing—
Just as the atmosphere warmed again—
Swish!
Someone appeared in the air.
A sturdy man wearing black dress pants and a neatly tucked white shirt.
“Have you all talked enough?”
Senior Examiner.
Red Eye Magic Swordsman Luka.
“I’ve given you as much consideration as possible. Let’s start preparing. We’re already far behind schedule.”
His words marked the beginning of Theme 3.