Awesome Shut-In Necromancer

---

At first, I thought it was just someone’s prank.

Ten years ago, on that day when everything flipped upside down, my brother looked completely different from the boy who had gone missing; his mannerisms were utterly transformed too.

But after going through a series of complicated procedures, Baek Seo-ha had no choice but to admit the truth.

This pitiful girl was indeed her brother, Baek Eun-ha.

Simultaneously, she had to receive a shocking revelation from the doctor overseeing the examination.

“It seems that… she might have subconsciously suggested memories to protect her mind from unbearable circumstances.”

“……”

“Social Anxiety Disorder has firmly established itself, and most of her testimonies don’t quite add up. She appears to be in a significantly unstable mental state.”

“…So that’s how it is.”

It wasn’t difficult to speculate what had happened to my brother over the past decade.

After all, similar cases were reported all around the world.

‘Returner.’

Ten years ago, on the Day of Change.

Wanderers sent to another world due to an unknown power, returning to Earth unknowingly.

Based on the testimonies, it was analyzed that each of them was sent to vastly different places.

Though each had unique experiences, there was one memory they all shared.

They had no idea why they ended up in those settings, nor how they managed to return to Earth.

And the cases of those who came back to Earth fell into two categories.

They either adapted to the foreign world and gained immense power, or they somehow survived but suffered tremendous pain in the process, damaging their minds.

My brother belonged to the latter category.

“To regain strength…”

Even now, he mumbled incoherently about power, but seeing him mere a coward, trembling behind an old man, I could easily guess the torment he went through.

‘Brother…’

And Baek Seo-ha made a resolve.

What had happened had already occurred, but from now on, she must take care of this unfortunate being.

#
Lord of the Underworld.
The dread of Amsterdam.
Commander of the Immortal Legion.
Living Death, and more.

I had dozens of such titles, but the first thing I felt upon returning to Earth was an overwhelming sense of loss.

‘My power is gone.’

To be honest, I had suspected that there was a possibility of this happening. However, when it actually happened, I couldn’t help but be shocked.

‘Damn it, can it really vanish so cleanly without a trace?’

The power I had achieved didn’t come from merely stacking mana or mastering some techniques. It was a level of power derived from a much higher plane.

The fact that it could disappear so easily likely indicated the fundamental laws of a dimension acting against it.

‘Well, there’s no monsters or gods on Earth.’

Balancing the world. From that perspective, it might not be strange at all.

Sorting through this thought took a second.

As I finished my contemplation, I was met with a sight I hadn’t seen in ages—people with black hair and eyes.

They were all staring at me as if seeing something marvelous, each one clutching a smartphone tightly.

‘So, that’s the situation.’

It wasn’t hard to understand.

However, comprehending what would transpire next was not easy for even the Lord of Death.

Click!

Yikes!

‘What, what is this?’

Something felt off.

The moment I faced the flash of a camera, I felt a heavy thud deep in my chest.

And it wasn’t just that.

Looking around at the myriad people surrounding me, recognizing the curiosity and fear in their eyes sent me into a panic.

With a cry too pitiful for a legendary hero of my time, I exclaimed:

“EEK!”

Click!
Click!
“They just appeared out of thin air!”
“What? Is this a shoot? Is it a Hunter?”
“How cute!”

Cute?
Did someone just say cute?
That was a word that certainly did not suit me.

In the midst of thrashing emotions hammering my brain, I finally managed to acknowledge my current appearance.

“……”

And just like that, I lost consciousness, unable to withstand the overload of information.

What I recalled afterward was rather hazy.

Emergency responders and police had rushed in upon receiving reports, assessing the situation, and when I woke up, I couldn’t gather my thoughts, barely answering questions.

In the end, I somehow managed to overcome the obstacles and meet my sister, Seo-ha.

‘What kind of joke is this?’

There were three confirmed issues.

First, all my power had vanished.

Second, my body had transformed into that of a useless girl.

Third, my mental state was bizarre.

I was somewhat prepared to tackle the first issue; however, the next two were simply incomprehensible.

‘This can’t just be brushed off as trivial side effects, right?’

Sure, Serejia had mentioned something about side effects, assuring me that there wouldn’t be any serious problems.

But look at my current self!

Just encountering an ordinary person left me paralyzed with fear and unable to engage in meaningful conversation.

In an instant, I had been forcibly turned into a social outcast.

“…It’s okay now, Brother. Let’s go home.”

No, it’s not okay at all.

Fortunately, there was no artificial emotional shift with my sister Seo-ha, but I greatly disliked this state that happened against my will.

‘Well, I suppose it doesn’t matter.’

I didn’t just parade around in style.

I had long contemplated ways to regain my lost power and was convinced that based on that, I could definitely shake off all these absurd side effects.

Thinking this, I swallowed my embarrassment and snuggled into my sister’s arms while burying my face, heading back home.

And.

Exactly one year after that day of return.

“Brother? Did you stay up all night again? Are you still sleeping?”

Yawn. “Uh… yeah…”

“I’m going to the Guild meeting, so wake up, eat the food I prepared in the fridge, and do some exercise at home.”

“Uh-huh…”

“And make sure to wash up before I come back. You won’t want me to force you to wash.”

“…Got it.”

I had become a perfect Hikikomori, defeated by the world.

#

Today’s meal was delicious again.

Lately, my daily routine had been extremely simple.

First, I’d wake up late for lunch and eat the food Seo-ha made.

Rustle.
Rustle.

Then I’d grab some snacks and drinks, head to my room, and turn on the computer.

Since it’s summer, I turned on the AC, and wrapped myself in a blanket just in case I caught a cold.

A total luxury.

“If it’s too hot, I lose focus, and if it’s too cold, my controls dull.”

This had become a vital concern for me, who was on the verge of making life-altering decisions.

After gaming a bit, when hunger struck, I’d eat cup noodles or order delivery. When I’d get tired, I’d watch cartoons or streams.

Crunch!
Phew!
Hooong!

Chewing on potato chips, I watched a stream where a low-tier Awakened One was testing out new skills at a training ground.

“Did you all see that? That’s the ‘Double Slice’ that only masters can do, right? Ah, have you all seen it before?”

– Is he for real? 😂

– Are you talking about the ‘Double Slice’ that C-ranks don’t even do in front of kids?

– Even my cousin who just Awakened said he didn’t want to show it because he was embarrassed.

“Come on, you’re making it sound like it’s easy. Not everyone can do it, you know?”

– True that; non-Awakened ones probably can’t do it, so that might be accurate.

– 😂

– Lucky you for Awakening. It’s rough being a non-Awakened one!

– Same here.

– Rock!

“Ahem. Anyway, I’m soon to shed my trainee status and head into a dungeon.”

Watching that absurd comedy, I similarly chuckled to myself.

“That’s not how you do it.”

Sure, it’s called Double Slice, but that’s the same as slicing in the same spot twice. At least I had seen much more refined techniques from the same discipline.

“I used to swing a sword all day, hoping to try it out once too.”

Well, it’d be too high a level for those of us struggling to use proper techniques, not skills provided by the system.

As I wallowed in nostalgia, the familiar sense of powerlessness washed over me again.

Sigh.

What good was it to criticize like this?

That aspiring Hunter streamer couldn’t even compare to the lowliest bug that I had become.

In fact, it might be insulting to even compare to him, as he was diligently earning money while I was just a freeloading loser.

“Who even cares?”

Feeling down, I instinctively booted up the game once more.

Games were great. An incredibly convenient escape route.

In that moment, as I focused on it, I no longer had to think about anything outside.