Awesome Shut-In Necromancer

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“…Hah, this is unpleasant.”

“So there is certainly something here, isn’t there?”

“There’s still one remaining over there.”

For some reason, one Flame Scorpion stood dumbly in place, not following its companions.

While those at the front shared glances, one Hunter stepped up and spoke.

It was none other than Sanada, known as the Swordmaster of Japan.

“No need to panic. It’s just a malicious prank.”

Swish!

Swoosh—!

The moment the sword was drawn went unnoticed, but soon several lines were drawn across the Flame Scorpion’s body, and it was swiftly severed.

Truly, a skill worthy of being called a Swordmaster; the atmosphere, once tense, began to soften among the Strategy Team.

However.

Clunk.

Clunk clunk clunk.

Swish.

Swoosh swoosh.

The severed body of the Flame Scorpion slowly started to crawl northward as if it were still alive.

“……”

Creak!

Swoosh!

Boom!

Crumble!

With his pride wounded, Sanada unleashed a storm of sword strikes, finally stopping the Flame Scorpion’s movements.

As they witnessed the scene, most of the Hunters in the Strategy Team turned their gazes toward one woman.

It was Yesiel, known as the Saintess of France.

“Hey Saintess, aren’t those undead?”

“I heard that the Hunter from Korea, Chae Hwa In, is also a Necromancer.”

“Perhaps it’s targeting us.”

Yet, the very subject, Yesiel, replied with a serious expression and hesitance.

“…I-I’m not sure.”

“What do you mean by that? Isn’t sensing Death Energy your specialty?”

“Yes. If those monsters were undead, I would have noticed the moment we encountered them. But…”

“You couldn’t feel any Death Energy?”

Yesiel nodded softly.

“There’s a sense of something off, but for some reason, I couldn’t feel enough Death Energy to call them undead. Even during battle, there were no signs responding to my Divine Power.”

That was an exceedingly strange statement. Then what was the abnormal vitality those monsters displayed earlier?

“I’m not sure, but we should be cautious.”

The Hunters tightened their expressions and readied their stances.

After all, night was falling; they could no longer charge ahead recklessly.

However, hours later, they would realize firsthand that the true battle was just beginning.

“Two o’clock! Ambush! This time, it’s Sand Snakes!”

Boom!

Bang!

Crack crack crack!

Based on the outside, it was just about dawn?

In the meantime, the Hunters of the Strategy Team had been plagued by various ambushes, barely getting any proper rest.

The exhaustion on their faces spoke volumes.

Kiee!

Cough hack!

Thud.

Thud thud.

After hastily finishing another battle, the Hunters began to vent their frustrations with exasperated words.

“…What an absurd war of attrition. Are they not aiming to clear the dungeon?”

“Dammit. We can’t use this place anymore.”

“Although I have wide-area recovery skills, if this keeps going on, it’ll be dangerous.”

It was such a malicious act.

Regardless of the circumstances, both sides were supposed to clear the dungeon, yet things were being further complicated.

“…Hah, can a high-rank Necromancer really summon this much forces all by themselves?”

“Are they really trying to cause a Break?”

“That might be their intention. Creating chaos across the U.S. and hiding in the confusion would be a valid choice.”

In the face of the unexpected situation, the Hunters’ minds began to list plausible worst-case scenarios.

Regardless, they could not continue suffering like this.

At this point, the U.S.’s S Rank Hunter, Mikael, who had remained silent, turned to Team Leader Jacob.

“Jacob, it might be time to make a choice.”

“……”

Hearing Mikael’s words, Jacob pondered for a moment before ultimately issuing the final ultimatum.

“From now on, we’re changing our top priority. It doesn’t seem like this will end otherwise.”

“That does seem prudent.”

“…It’s unfortunate, but there’s no choice.”

With that, the members of the Strategy Team, fully equipped in the early morning, headed for the depths of the dungeon.

To properly deal with Chae Hwa In and Baek Eun Ha.

#

“The reactions are starting to come in.”

Signals were sent from Undead laid out for the purpose of detection.

The Strategy Team, unable to withstand the continuous assaults, began to move.

I rose from the back of a Lizard Wolf, which had been serving as my chair, and conducted a final check on my powers.

‘Faster than I expected, but it should be sufficient.’

Hundreds of Undead lined up, centering around where I stood.

Most were merely resurrected monsters from the dungeon, but some included the special entities that the Hunters from the Strategy Team had encountered earlier.

‘I confirmed they can withstand Divine Power after all.’

Their names were Demi Undead.

It could be said they were a kind of half-dead body, created by combining Khan’s magic with my Necromancy.

They possessed the Undead’s innate life-sustaining powers while not reaching complete death, thus allowing them to resist Divine Power to some extent.

‘They come with many downsides and are not great value for cost, but…’

Since the Strategy Team had someone who primarily dealt with Divine Power, there was no way around it.

I couldn’t let the Undead army I painstakingly created vanish like snow melting away.

[Gruooor!]

[Kiee!]

[Grrk, cak!]

As I watched the army roar with my movements, I let out a deep sigh with a dissatisfied face.

‘I could have commanded thousands back in my prime.’

Of course, each was powerful, but nonetheless, it was a reminder that I hadn’t fully regained my strength yet.

However, it wasn’t all bleak.

By hunting down monsters from the S Rank Dungeon consecutively, my level had skyrocketed, enabling me to draw out new things from the Book of Death.

“Extraction, Materialization.”

Whoosh!

Fwoooosh!

“…Kurdalia.”

As I chanted the incantation, a staff imbued with a sinister aura appeared, which I had been holding before.

It was the emblem of the Lord of Death, once used as my main weapon during my time in Thebes.

A staff specially designed for Necromancers, crafted from materials found in myths, such as a dragon’s heart and Fenrir’s teeth.

Without it, it would have been hard to control hundreds of Undead at this level at this point.

Moreover, the power I prepared didn’t end there.

Rather, the real strength was over here, not over there.

Grr!

Grrr!

[Grraaar!]

“Stay still for now. That’s an order.”

Three Undead with different appearances, though varying in type, emitted an ominous Death Energy that was incomparable to regular Undead.

With the assistance of Kurdalia, they were the trump soldiers made from monsters residing in this dungeon.

Chae Hwa In, watching them again with apprehension by my side, spoke up.

“…Are you sure you haven’t regained your strength?”

“Of course. Given my original abilities, this is mere child’s play.”

However, to the Hunters they would face, it certainly wouldn’t feel that way.

I received the Hunters’ movement routes through the reconnaissance Undead and spoke to Chae Hwa In.

“I’ll say this again, but before targeting our revenge target, the Hunter known as the Saintess must be incapacitated first. Those things have no resistance to Divine Power, so if they clash with her, they’ll just be wiped out.”

“…I’ll remember that properly.”

In reality, I felt they could be dealt with even without such cautions, but there was no reason to take the difficult path when there was an easier one right in front of me.

“Then it’s settled. I’ll hold them off; you just need to go and give those Americans a good beating and bring them back.”

After that, we could guide the situation according to plan.

At my confidently spoken words, Chae Hwa In nodded without hesitation.

And not long after, the Hunters from the Strategy Team finally revealed themselves before us.

Surprised or incredulous expressions adorned their faces.

I activated the power of the ring I had been saving, greeting them while seated on the back of the Lizard Wolf.

“Welcome, you fools.”

How dare they ignore my words and hastily accuse me as the culprit; it was time to make them pay for such foolishness.