The Saint Who Levels Up Through Necromancy

Chapter 118

[Translator - Hestia]

[Proofreader - Kaya]

Chapter 118: Taming the Mad Dog (2)

[Using Unholy Shock Shield.]

X 5

Crash—!

The hexagonal shield, formed from condensed pale gray energy, shattered like a broken glass window.

It took only 0.3 seconds for all the layered barriers to be destroyed.

The daggers, which had pierced through the protective layers with great force, faltered and trembled.

"Damn it! What is this? It's reversing my power?"

A long shadow fell behind Kim Mijeong as she cursed.

[Unique Trait - The Thief's 7 Tools]

[5. The Spring that Bends Anything]

Fafnir, who had followed a step behind, unleashed dark aura.

Kim Mijeong twisted her body at a bizarre angle, deflecting the attack, and once again increased the distance between them.

The tool that had deflected Song Myeongseok's attack in the past.

This time, she applied the "trait" to her body, twisting it grotesquely.

‘Truly a mad dog.’

The [Unholy Shock Shield] has two effects.

It acts as a solid wall against ranged attacks.

And in close combat, it returns some of the impact to the attacker.

Just now, Yoojin deliberately opened a path for her to rush in before deploying the barrier.

However, as soon as some of the power imbued in her daggers was reversed, Kim Mijeong deployed layers of aura to neutralize the reflected energy.

"Seriously. I thought this would be easy, but it's not working."

【Master, do you like raw fish?】

[TL/N: I had a different kinda thought seeing ts????]

[PR/N: Nasty ahh.]

"I like it quite a bit. Are you going to buy me some?"

【I like eating things raw.】

"Ugh. You're so old-fashioned."

【If you include my past life, I'm almost 60 years old, so you have to understand.】

Fafnir threw a punch with a ferocious momentum that didn't match his casual tone.

[Kenex Combat Arts]

[Seventh Stance]

[Ten-Strike Flurry]

Tatata—Tang!

Would this be what it sounds like if you magnified the sound of roasting beans in oil 100 times?

Each time the auras, honed by their respective wills, collided, a deafening roar erupted, and large and small sparks flew in all directions.

Ignoring minor injuries, Fafnir steadily swung his fist, and Kim Mijeong, wielding daggers in both hands, parried with dazzling movements.

‘I need to find an opening and finish this in one blow...’

[Aura Blade]

[2nd Form - Blinding Strike]

Kim Mijeong, who had retreated again after the incoming sword attack, grumbled.

"Ugh! You guys haven't changed at all!"

【I was going to cut you into a pretty star shape. Just stay still.】

"I'll chop off your head and make it into a drinking cup."

Even as she unleashed her fierce words, Kim Mijeong's mind remained calm and collected.

She had already exchanged blows with these opponents.

Even though their strength and speed had increased with the buffs, it was still within her range.

‘Hmph. I've become quite accustomed to your movements.’

She hadn't been idle during the past three weeks.

She observed Fafnir's habits whenever he unconsciously revealed them while instructing Im Jaebaek.

She also watched Song Myeongseok's swordsmanship whenever he eagerly rushed in to deal with the monsters that spawned throughout the Necropolis.

‘Buffing the undead is unexpected, but it's still manageable.’

Cheon Yoojin.

Hasn't that man shown strange things more than once or twice?

She only needed to add the buffed increase to the enemies' movements that she had learned beforehand.

Of course.

Kim Mijeong, who hadn't received the buffs herself, had to deduce the increased stats while exchanging blows.

‘This is what makes it fun.’

The corners of Kim Mijeong's lips twitched upward.

A situation where she was slightly behind due to an unforeseen variable.

Her spine tingled, and goosebumps rose on her skin.

It wasn't even a life-or-death battle, yet her adrenaline was surging this much.

It felt like all the dissatisfaction she had accumulated so far was being resolved at once.

"It's going to be a problem if you're already satisfied."

As if reading her thoughts.

Yoojin spoke and simultaneously rearranged his mana.

[Dark Spear]

[Bone Spear]

The magic combination that injured Joo Yeongmin, the 3rd ranked Manhunter.

He clapped his hands together forcefully, mixing and rotating spirit power and dark mana.

The fusion of a 1 Star (Bone Spear) and a 3 Star (Dark Spear) spell.

Individually, they wouldn't even touch a hair on Kim Mijeong's head.

‘Dangerous.’

Her instincts screamed a warning, and she swung her dagger widely.

The red aura imbued in the blade severed [Cursed Fang] at that moment.

Due to the powerful recoil transmitted through her wrist, she infused additional aura, completely crushing the power contained in the magically enhanced weapon.

"What kind of nonsense is this?"

【Even I can't get used to our master's bizarre antics.】

Song Myeongseok, not missing a moment's gap, lunged in once again.

Kim Mijeong's lips twitched.

The gap revealed while deflecting the magic.

‘If you think that looks tempting, then that will be your end.’

Yoojin said, turning towards his subordinate.

Im Jaebaek, sensing the shift in the atmosphere, carefully handed over a document.

⋯⋯⋯

[Self-Geas Scroll]

Classification: Consumable

Grade: Unique

Durability: 10/10

A contract guaranteed by the Asgard Star Cluster. It declares restrictions on the user, and penalties are imposed when the contract is violated.

⋯⋯⋯

Yoojin unfurled the scroll, revealing the text he had prepared beforehand.

The content followed the typical superior-subordinate relationship.

Naturally.

Yoojin was the superior, and Kim Mijeong was the subordinate.

"What is this dog-like piece of paper?!"

Kim Mijeong exclaimed, snatching it from him.

"It's a Self-Geas Scroll, made by the Romanov clan themselves. I assure you, it's quite effective."

Yoojin explained calmly.

"Wow. You're really going to treat me like a slave?"

"I never said anything about slaves."

"What's 'obedience' if it isn't being a slave?!"

She retorted, throwing the scroll back at him.

Yoojin caught it with a smirk.

He knew the scroll had its limitations. It required genuine consent; forcing someone to sign wouldn't activate its magic. That's why it was rarely used. But in this situation, it was perfect.

"You made a promise, didn't you?"

He reminded her.

"You agreed to obey if you lost."

"Yeah, but this is ridiculous."

Kim Mijeong grumbled, crossing her arms.

"Fine. I'll be generous."

Yoojin sighed dramatically.

- Refusal is possible for missions deemed life-threatening.

- 10 days of autonomous activity are guaranteed per month. However, this clause is not valid in case of long-term projects when instead the autonomous activity time rolls over to the following month.

"Deal?"

"Deal?! Are you kidding me?!"

"Why? You'll receive proper compensation. And I won't overwork you."

Having 10 days off a month is a great deal.

It's almost a four-day work week.

What company offers such work-life balance?

【To think he'd use a peak 6 Star Hunter like this. He's our master, but he's truly ruthless.】

【Our master has always been like this. That's why he revived me only to exploit me to the bone, isn't it?】

‘These guys... Whose side should they be on? Can't they tell?’

Yoojin glared at the two undead, and they quickly averted their gazes.

〔A ruler oppressing the virtuous—it's the same now as it always was.〕

'Coming from someone who was a ruler in the past, that's rich.'

〔Kahaha! I, too, ignored all the advice not to devour my children.〕

'That sounds suspiciously like a curse.'

Yoojin thought, a flicker of unease crossing his face.

'But does Kronos have a point?'

He mentally listed his actions—

‘Regular paycheck. Decent work-life balance. Food, shelter... I even brought them back to life.’

He paused at that last thought.

‘Okay, maybe that one's a bit of a stretch.’

But then again, wasn't it true? He could have left them dead. Instead, he chose to revive them, to give them a second chance.

A flicker of something that might have been guilt, or perhaps just self-satisfaction, crossed his face.

Kim Mijeong, misinterpreting the flicker in Yoojin's eyes as a hint of murderous intent, quickly picked up the pen.

‘Better to sign this ridiculous contract than become another one of his undead puppets.’

She thought grimly.

The moment she wrote her name in the blank space, the scroll emitted a bright light.

Whoosh—

It burst into blue flames and was completely consumed.

⋯⋯⋯

[The contents of the contract have been confirmed.]

[Contracting Parties: Cheon Yoojin - Kim Mijeong]

[Contract Terms]

.......

"Welcome."

Yoojin said, with a smile on his lips.

"Welcome to Black Company."

"I can't believe I signed this ridiculous contract."

Kim Mijeong grumbled, pinching the bridge of her nose.

〔But why didn't you think she would refuse?〕

Kronos questioned, his voice tinged with curiosity.

'I told you, she acts on impulse and interest.'

Those ten consecutive matches? They were just bait, a way to pique her interest and make her overconfident. Kim Mijeong probably thought she had barely lost each time, but he had been holding back, toying with her.

'She probably thinks she has an advantage because of her unique trait.'

[The Thief's 7 Tools]

A trait that allows the user to exert control over their body and manifest various abilities.

It's not an exceptionally powerful trait, but she uses it to manipulate her aura as well, resulting in a versatile and unpredictable fighting style.

〔And yet you still held back?〕

'Knowledge is power.' Yoojin thought.

Information asymmetry, the advantage of a regressor—this was the perfect example of how to exploit it.

He had lured her in, this mad dog, with the promise of a challenge, the allure of the unknown. And now, she was his.

Even at this moment, she glared at Yoojin with a strange, almost obsessive look in her eyes.

[Translator - Hestia

[Proofreader - Kaya]