How to Raise Your Skeletons

On the third floor, in the conference room, Lee Sunah spread several documents out on the table.

“Here! This is the A-rank dungeon discovered recently in Geomdan, Incheon, Skeleton Lord. It’s the first of its kind in Korea and the third to appear worldwide.” She pointed to a specific section of the papers. “It’s a dungeon where we face an immortal army and must prevent the city’s fall.”

—Tap, tap.

She tapped that section twice, emphasizing her point.

“But there’s a problem with this one.”

“What kind of problem?” I asked as I skimmed the documents she laid out.

It seemed the Cult of the Heavenly Demon provided these materials. I was quietly impressed by the thoroughness of the information. None of this would ever be found on hunter forums or the internet.

As expected, a major guild sure is something else.

“One of the dungeon’s gimmicks restricts the number of participants and their unique abilities. Only five members can enter, and one must be a necromancer.”

“Ah, so that’s why.” I nodded in understanding.

Guilds usually guarded A-rank dungeons closely. There was no reason to bring in outsiders as high-rank dungeons yielded great rewards. It was the same reason Gi Soyul first showed interest in my rewards.

So why would they disclose this information to me? There had to be a compelling reason.

“I understand that you may think this dungeon would be too difficult since you’ve just reached B-rank…”

“It’s fine. I’m not the type to shy away from difficult dungeons. I’ve even been through a few S-rank ones,” I responded without much emotion.

Whatever the content of the dungeon, going through it alongside rankers was still a golden opportunity for me. There would be countless things to learn from Lee Sunah, ranked 509th worldwide.

Besides…

The old man had said:

“Hmph, those so-called A-rank hunters of this world, you ask? How can you compare your skills to such lowly trash? Have you no pride as a disciple of All Techniques? I don’t know how exactly this system works, but I’m certain your current strength far exceeds an A-rank.”

I only needed one thing: a legitimate reason to ‘awaken.’ I needed a valid excuse to tell the system to promote me to A-rank. And what better reason to provide than completing a high-rank dungeon?

“S-rank dungeons, you say? Haha! Seeing how you can make jokes, there was no need for me to worry in the first place!” Lee Sunah laughed, tapping the black sword at her waist.

She took my honest remark as a lighthearted joke. That left me with a bitter taste, especially since the Sun Spear and Giant Magic Dragon challenges were ranked ‘Immeasurable,’ far more formidable than any S-rank dungeon.

I shook my head, still remembering how brutal those experiences were. They were exhausting, so I couldn’t imagine doing them again.

“Anyway, I love your confidence! Since you accepted, shall we leave right away?”

“Today?”

“There’s not much time!”

“Okay then, let’s go.”

I was well-rested and ready, even if this seemed sudden. I’d never been one to shy away from a challenge.

“This is exactly what I wanted.” I nodded calmly.

Seo-gu, Incheon.

Five hunters gathered at the central ridge of Todang Mountain, fully geared and ready.

“Before we enter, shall we briefly introduce ourselves?” Lee Sunah, the team leader, smiled warmly.

It was a considerate gesture meant to make me feel more comfortable since I was meeting the team for the first time.

“I’m Lee Sunah, leader of the Black Sword Squad. I’m a swordswoman.”

—Shing!

She unsheathed her signature black sword, its sharpness cutting through the air, a sound that emphasized her high skill level.

“Everyone in the Black Sword Squad uses swords, don’t they? Haha!”

The next person to speak was a man with a giant physique. His presence was equally imposing.

“I’m Kang Jihoo, vice capt… I mean, vice leader of the Black Sword Squad. I’m an S-rank hunter. My hobby is, hmm… I like reading wuxia novels. My sword skills aren’t as good as the leader’s, but I’m pretty decent.” Kang Jihoo grinned, his confident expression hinting at a straightforward personality.

Two more hunters stepped forward.

“A-rank squad member, Kim Jinsoo. I look forward to working with you.”

“A-rank squad member, Kang Yoojung. Let’s do our best.”

Both of them introduced themselves in a crisp, formal manner.

I bowed my head slightly in return. “I’m a B-rank Necromancer, here on Lee Sunah’s recommendation.”

Though they all outranked me, I didn’t feel intimidated. After all, I was brought here because they needed me.

I’m pretty formidable myself.

I didn’t shrink before them. Even facing A-rank hunters, I felt no inferiority.

Taking in my appearance, the vice leader, Kang Jihoo, burst into hearty laughter. “Haha! You’ve got great spirit! I can see why our Captain took an interest in you.”

“Thanks. I’ll do my best.”

“You don’t have to worry too much. Our squad boasts a 100% dungeon success rate.”

After checking his gear, Kang Jihoo led the way to the dungeon entrance. The other members and I followed, all of us wearing expressions of readiness.

Finally, Lee Sunah gave a nod. “Shall we?”

* * *

[Entering the dungeon.]

When I opened my eyes, the landscape around me had transformed, and I felt the familiar feeling of a dungeon wash over me.

It was cold. Torches flickered, and someone sobbed softly nearby.

“Damn it, we’re done for. How can mere humans stop the Immortal Legion? How do we fight against beings that don’t die?” Rubbing his cold hands and sniffing his nose, a man muttered despairingly. He appeared to be a soldier of this unknown city. “Soon, we’ll all be dead. My child, my wife, me… Damn it. I still had so many things I wanted to do…”

Hmm.

I watched the scene unfold with curious eyes.

This is like…

Yes, it was similar. They were the beings of this new world, similar to the ones I’d seen in the medium dungeons.

“Isn’t it fascinating? Dungeons like this?” Lee Sunah approached me.

Though it wasn’t new to me after experiencing all kinds of worlds, I decided to keep quiet.

“The higher the rank of the dungeon, the more complex the mission and the more vivid the inhabitants. They’re almost lifelike.”

“…I see.”

“That’s why I think of them as NPCs—like ones from video games.”

“NPCs, huh…” I nodded, agreeing that thinking that way might make things simpler.

After all, no one knows.

Our world still held many mysteries. No one had been able to explain why certain people developed unique abilities, why dungeons appeared, or the nature of the worlds created within them.

Sticking to your interpretation is easier when there’s no clear answer.

Of course, I knew better. I had felt the emotions of Sunny, Demir, Eldrin, and the old man firsthand.

They aren’t just NPCs.

They weren’t pre-programmed beings. They were real, living entities capable of thought, sorrow, and emotion.

“Well, the mission should be starting soon.”

As Lee Sunah murmured beside me, a message appeared before us.

[Stage ‘Immortal Legion’ has begun.]

“Oh, it’s here!”

A notification marked the beginning of our task.

[Stage: The Immortal Legion]

[The ‘Immortal Legion’ has begun its invasion from the Frozen North.]

[Protect the city’s soldiers and stop the Immortal Legion.]

[The soldiers here will perceive you as fellow soldiers.]

Suddenly, the soldiers around us began to murmur.

“Look!”

“Look! Over there!”

The soldiers on the wall pointed outside the fortress wall, their voices trembling.

“It’s the undead legion! They’ve arrived at last!”

“Ah, ahhh…”

Fearful murmurs spread like wildfire. Worry, dread, and terror—all kinds of negative emotions washed over the soldiers within the fortress walls.

“Let’s go.”

I climbed the ladder to the top of the wall, eager to see with my own eyes how terrifying this undead legion was.

“…”

The sky was overcast, and raindrops began to fall.

—Drip, drop!

Standing atop the high walls, I immediately gazed outwards. A vast plain stretched before us, and on the distant horizon, countless figures were slowly approaching.

[You have witnessed the Ghoul Legion.]

“Groar! Groar!”

Rotting monsters that looked like zombies shuffled toward us, their flesh dripping off their bones.

[You have witnessed the Specter Legion.]

“Kyiiiiih!”

Black, shadowy spirits floated alongside them.

“Are we sure this is an A-rank dungeon? The power gap looks huge…”

At first glance, it seemed more like an S-rank challenge.

I felt a headache coming on.

But Lee Sunah merely smiled, finding amusement in the situation. “According to the intel we got from the guild, that’s only a portion of their forces.”

“…What?”

“The real heavy hitters haven’t shown up yet. Soon, we’ll deal with death knights, liches, and other high-level creatures.”

I sighed. Of course, for rankers, this must be child’s play.

Fine.

I grasped my staff, knowing that I had nothing to fear with a ranker on my side. Ranked in the highest place even among the S-rank hunters, an A-rank dungeon was just a playground for her.

But still…

I couldn’t shake the feeling of unease, a primal warning deep in my gut. Perhaps it was because of the condition that a necromancer was required for this dungeon. Something told me that my role in this was going to be critical.

“Th-They’re coming!”

“The Immortal Legion is advancing! Prepare for battle! Close the gates and ready the oil and fire!”

—Bwoooooo! Bwooo!

The horn signaling the start of war sounded.

“Skeleton Lord,” Lee Sunah called out to me.

“Yes?”

“There’s no need to worry too much here. The time for you to act will be when the lich appears later.”

“A lich?”

“Yes, that’s when the gimmick activates. It’s a kind of curse. If there’s no necromancer or if there are more than six people, it adjusts the group to five.”

Ah. So that’s what it was about.

Indeed, this was why large guilds had an advantage in having the benefit of information. Large guilds shared the knowledge they gained from clearing many types of dungeons or accumulated it by buying and selling information. An organization like the Cult of the Heavenly Demon probably knew most of the missions and info for famous dungeons, I assumed.

“The enemies have reached the walls!”

“Fire!”

“Stop them! Hold the line!”

Finally, the battle began. Taking advantage of the high ground, the soldiers launched a fierce attack on the ghouls and specters pouring in. Some shot arrows, others hurled obstacles. There were even those casting spells.

—Fwoosh!

“You demons! You think we’ll fall as you wish?”

“Fight! Don’t be scared! We can win!”

“Hey, you over there! Don’t cower in the corner, trembling! You’re not just protecting yourself but also your family!”

Commanders stationed everywhere shouted out. They kept issuing threats and encouragement to prevent morale from dropping due to fear.

“Well, shall I start moving too?”

—Shing!

The Black Sword, Lee Sunah, drew her sword.

“Oh, is the team leader stepping in herself? I could handle this force on my own.” The vice team leader smiled confidently.

Specters and ghouls were nothing more than a post-meal snack for an S-rank hunter like him.

“Yes, I want to show the Skeleton Lord.”

—Thud.

She climbed to the edge of the wall and coldly looked down at the monsters ahead.

The team members didn’t even bother drawing their swords as they watched her.

“The power of the Black Sword, that is.”

Ranked 509th, the Black Sword, Lee Sunah.

She lowered her sword.