ocean-life Chapter 43: The First Step of Expansion (2)
Chapter 43: The First Step of Expansion (2)
[Translator - Hestia]
[Proofreader - Kaya]
Chapter 43: The First Step of Expansion (2)
A concrete graveyard.
As dusk fell, casting a more eerie pall over the ruins, a few buildings still retained their original shape.
A 20-story hotel.
Before the Great Cataclysm, it was famous as a 3 Star hotel, but now it was better known as the Red Spider's hideout.
Lights strung all over the exterior walls scattered dazzling light.
And beneath them, people with spider tattoos were having a wild party.
"Enjoy! Whether we die today or tomorrow!"
"Ehehehe!"
Chaos brewed from a mixture of alcohol, drugs, and the simple beat of machine sounds.
A half-naked man, looking down at the scene from the lounge, pursed his lips.
"Tch. Those simple-minded bastards."
Scars were engraved on his exposed back.
Their shape resembled the eight legs of a spider.
The scars that gave birth to the organization name [Red Spider].
Kim Jaewoo, the boss of the faction that divided Ground Zero into three, glared fiercely.
"Boss. We have 10 days' worth of food left."
"It’s Chairman."
"Ah, yes. Chairman."
"Hyungtae, we're not gangsters. How long are you going to keep calling me 'Boss'?"
Clank, clank—!
The lounge windows rattled violently as if caught in a strong wind.
The killing intent of a 6 Star hunter.
The bald man shuddered at the ferocious aura mixed with mana.
"S-sorry. Chairman."
"We need to boost the morale of our guys. They've been a bit gloomy lately, haven't they?"
Kim Jaewoo flailed his arms exaggeratedly.
They had planned an attack after noticing the absence of Old Man Jeong from the Milky Way Pub, but...
Instead of grabbing Madam Oh Hyunjeong by the neck, they ended up losing a source of income.
"Hah. That damn bitch."
The Red Spider was a large organization with hundreds of members.
They weren't weak enough to collapse just because one [Crimson Lair] disappeared.
The problem was that they failed to take over the Milky Way Pub, and with a major funding route cut off, the Red Spider's prestige was also damaged.
"Who are the stiff-necked bastards these days?"
"The military guys and the Blue Shirts are gathering people."
"Take care of them by tomorrow."
With the attack on the Milky Way Pub ending in failure, the number of those who doubted the Red Spider's dominance increased.
This was the reason why they opened their coffers despite losing one of their main funding routes.
Their finances would become tighter, but they needed to show off in order to maintain the organization.
"Did you say 10 days?"
"Yes."
"I have an appointment with Chairman Im. Prepare some men."
"Are we getting support from the Nine Dragons Hall?"
"We're screwed because we couldn't take over the Milky Way."
The Nine Dragons Hall was a large criminal organization based in Hong Kong.
Recently, they had been in contact with the Red Spider to form an East Asian criminal network using the West Sea as a bridgehead.
"The Nine Dragons Hall is too big of an organization, Chairman."
"I know, damn it! Do you think I like joining hands with them so readily?"
It was a nice way to put it, a business proposal.
But it was practically like becoming a subordinate organization of the Nine Dragons Hall.
For a deal to be equal, both sides needed to have similar power.
Originally, he had planned to drag out the negotiations or even break them off.
"If only that idiot, Jo Seungchul, had guarded the gate properly."
Kim Jaewoo's eyes gleamed with murderous intent.
With the [Crimson Lair] shut down earlier than expected, a huge hole had been blown in their finances.
They needed urgent funds to maintain the organization.
And there weren't many places that would invest in an organization from Ground Zero.
In his previous life, the Red Spider had rejected the Nine Dragons Hall's proposal, but Yoojin's intervention had changed the future.
Creak—
"Boss! Something terrible has hap—"
"It's Chairman! You son of a bitch!!"
The hunter, hit by the glass cup thrown by Kim Jaewoo, choked and screamed as he collapsed to the floor.
Blood flowed from his torn forehead.
He was a 4 Star martial arts hunter, but he couldn't withstand Kim Jaewoo's strength.
"S-sorry. Chairman!"
"Forget it. Just tell me what you came for."
"There are reports of unrest in Gaesung."
"The human hunters?"
The Gaesung human hunters.
Their official name was the "5th Revolutionary Corps," but no one called them that.
An organization that used monsters they raised as their fighting force.
Although they had few members, the number and combat power of the monsters they controlled were significant, making them a force to be reckoned with.
"What are those Gaesung bastards up to now!"
"They're reportedly coming down to the border area."
"Those useless bastards."
"If they're human hunters, won't they feed us to their monsters?"
Even the Red Spider was terrified of the human hunters.
They would throw those who weren't part of the "5th Revolutionary Corps" to their monsters as food or force them into labor.
Kim Jaewoo had once thought of joining hands with the human hunters, but...
The knowledge contained in the Ring of Darkness is vast, but due to system constraints, there are intervals at which he can inherit it.
Two per 10 levels.
He deliberately doesn't inherit some spells so he can immediately acquire the necessary spells in a crisis.
〔You haven't done that until now, have you?〕
'I didn't have any magic to use.'
As a necromancer, he needs to learn the essential spells to level up.
'This time, I'll use...'
Bone Spike
Category: Necromancy
Rank: D
Creates upward-thrusting thorns using bone as a medium. Requires a bone at least 5 cm in size.
〔An attack spell that requires a medium? It seems worse than Bone Spear.〕
'Yeah. Aside from its faster activation speed and the ability to exploit openings, it's not better than Bone Spear.'
Bone Spear also has superior destructive power.
There's a reason why I learned this impractical spell.
It's a prerequisite for the next spell I'll acquire.
Corpse Explosion
Category: Necromancy
Rank: C
Infuses a corpse with spirit power and detonates it. Bones and flesh scatter, inflicting damage to the surroundings.
'Finally, I inherit this spell.'
The pinnacle of necromancer attack magic.
[TL/N: Huh?? That’s it?? Damn...]
Among spells ranked 3 stars or lower, it has the highest destructive power, and its spirit power consumption is not high considering its power.
It even has the advantage of being instantly activated as long as there's a corpse.
〔Isn't this an act of mocking the dead?〕
'I think it's already wrong from the point of raising them without their permission.'
〔The requirement of needing a corpse seems restrictive.〕
'Well. You'll see.'
Ghost Eye
Category: Necromancy
Rank: E
Shares vision with an undead under the user's control.
The third spell is a vision-sharing spell.
When used on a ghost, it can provide an advantage in information gathering.
'The remaining one is from alchemy.'
Ignition Circuit
Category: Alchemy
Rank: E
Engraves a magic circuit that reacts only to a specific wavelength.
'With this, the preliminary preparations are complete.'
Before fully preparing for battle, Yoojin activated his status window to check himself.
Name - Cheon Yoojin
Gender - Male
Level - 23 (2 Stars)
◎ Stats
* Strength: 107.5
* Agility: 100.1
* Health: 85.2
* Toughness: 79.4
* Spirit Power: 493.5
◎ Traits
Clear Mind [Unique] / Midnight Sun [Unique] / Guide of Death [Unique]
◎ Skills
Corpse Explosion [C] / Golem Creation [C] / Bone Spear [D] / Bone Spike [D] / Bone Armor [E] / Flesh Control [E] / Liquefaction [E] / Raise Undead [E] / Raise Dead [E] / Reinforcement Circuit [E] / Verdian Basic Spear Technique [E]
◎ Inscription
Inscription of Endurance
'These are quite the specs for someone who hasn't even been awakened for two months.'
His physical abilities were those of a low 2 Star martial artist.
His spirit power level was also top-notch among magic-type Hunters of the same rank.
'If I add up all the increased stats, it would be equivalent to a 3 Star.'
All thanks to Life Drain, which allowed him to exploit the vitality of monsters.
The number of spells he learned was steadily increasing as well.
'This is doable.'
The Red Spider?
If they fought within Necropolis, he was confident he could handle even a hundred of them.
Even if Kim Jaewoo, a 6 Star martial arts Hunter, came personally, protecting himself wouldn't be a problem.
-Kihihihit!
A ghost in the distance let out a shrill cry.
He immediately used [Ghost Eye].
Sharing vision with the ghost, he could faintly see Hunters walking between the bushes.
"Hey... ...field..."
"Hu... ...man...hunter..."
Judging from the shape of their mouths, they seemed to be saying "human hunter."
He immediately deactivated the vision sharing.
"The first guests have arrived."
【We should give them a grand welcome.】
Indeed.
He should make their welcome so memorable that none of them would even think of going back.
[Translator - Hestia
[Proofreader - Kaya]