NOVEL NEXT Chapter 47
“Ugh.”
Screech!
Thud.
Jackson, possessed by evil, swung his sword with trembling arms, but it was effortlessly stopped by Penelope’s arm.
Clack!
Somehow regaining his senses, Jackson jumped back, letting out a resigned laugh.
“I never thought I’d end up like this here.”
“……”
“No matter how I think about it, the escape seems impossible.”
“Hurry up and make your choice if you know.”
However, Jackson did not give up. He began to draw up all the magic power in his body.
“…This is my first time using this skill in real combat.”
Did he still have something left? Watching the situation seriously, Jackson activated his final skill.
“Call of the Fallen.”
Boom!
Yellow magic power instantly filled the area, and Jackson’s eyes began to turn red.
This was different from a mere enhancement skill.
The magic power flowed out indiscriminately, as if in a frenzy.
‘Is it a berserk-type skill?’
In short, it seemed Jackson was prepared to use his last desperate attack with no intention of surviving afterwards.
“I will never die easily.”
Quite a formidable presence. Observing this, I hurriedly ordered Penelope.
“Finish it now.”
“Understood.”
Crash!
With a sudden lunge, Penelope swung her leg to chop Jackson down.
However, her timing was slightly off.
Just before the final strike could be made, Jackson’s skill activated first.
Thwack!
Crunch!
The powerful shield charge broke Penelope’s attacking leg, and the blade that followed severed his shoulder completely.
Penelope, having abandoned her attack, turned to me with an expressionless face.
“I’m lacking in power. Can you increase my output?”
“Th-This is the best I can do right now.”
“How much weaker have you become?”
I guess an A Rank is still formidable; Jackson’s final maneuver was truly impressive.
Feeling the force of his own power, Jackson let out a wild laugh.
“Why not try hiding again like a mouse? I could easily crush that cocoon right now.”
Crash!
Clang!
In response to Jackson’s charge, Penelope countered, but she was already at a severe disadvantage in terms of strength.
Having lost two arms in addition, Penelope looked at me with dissatisfaction.
“I cannot win in this human form. I will return to my true form.”
“I can’t handle that right now…”
“If I become incapacitated like this, I believe the current lord would be easily killed.”
It felt unpleasant, but that was true. With a mindset of whatever happens, I complied with Penelope’s request.
“Ugh, I’ll allow it.”
“Thank you.”
Whoosh.
Zzzzz!
As Penelope stepped back, her entire body was instantly covered in black webs.
Simultaneously, my magic power and morale began to be drained at a tremendous speed.
“Ugh.”
Was I lacking strength too? Not to mention, I was losing vitality as well. I felt a slight dizziness and collapsed onto the floor.
As the size of the cocoon started to grow, I hurriedly cut off the connection of power.
It wasn’t perfect, but this should be enough.
“What on earth are you doing…?”
Fssh!
[Kririk. Kreeek.]
What emerged from the two-meter giant cocoon was a spider, entirely covered in black exoskeleton, exuding a terrifying aura.
Clearly, there was no longer any trace of humanity left.
Due to a lack of power, it didn’t reach its original size, but it unmistakably resembled the Predator, who ruled the black forest.
Overwhelmed by its presence, Jackson shouted in anxiety and charged forward.
“Increasing its size is pointless!”
Clack!
Clang!
But it wasn’t just the size that changed. Jackson’s piercing attack that had easily cut through Penelope just moments ago bounced off without even scratching the exoskeleton.
“This is absurd…!”
In response to Jackson’s shock, Penelope unleashed a fierce onslaught as if to take revenge for the earlier blow.
Boom!
Crack!
Bang—!
“Arrgh!”
Jackson, matching the ferocity with all his power, began a furious battle.
Swoosh!
Clang!
Rustle!
The fight had escalated to the point where it was damaging the surroundings.
With Jackson neglecting defense, Penelope began to sustain injuries as well, but Jackson was the one truly suffering.
“Blade of Struggle!”
Boom!
His final desperate strike bore little significance.
The state that Penelope was in possessed strength at least on par with top-tier A Rank hunters.
For Jackson, who was honestly just average among A Ranks, this was a daunting opponent.
Whoosh!
Crackle!
Eventually, Jackson could hardly resist, ending up bound in spider silk in a pitiful state.
“Huff. Hah. Ugh.”
Holding my dizzying head, I approached Jackson to deliver an ultimatum.
“Time’s running out. Choose in 10 seconds.”
“…W-wait a moment.”
I was no longer willing to give him any leeway for counterattack. Seeing my determined gaze, Jackson began to spit out words in desperation.
“If you kill me, you won’t be safe either. I don’t know who’s backing me up, but…”
“Still dragging this out till the end.”
Whooooosh!
“Cough! Hah!”
I picked up the fallen Jackson’s sword and stabbed it straight into his heart.
With the ring’s power almost gone, I had no time to listen to further nonsense.
Realizing his imminent death, Jackson muttered his final words infused with curses through fading vision.
“Hades…! Cough! I won’t let you all… go free…”
Whoosh.
As I looked at the crumbling Jackson, I fell silent for a moment.
‘Hades?’
He seemed to have said something, but my head was too dizzy to comprehend.
Disregarding any interest, I reached into my pocket to take out the B Rank boss monster, the Doppelganger, that I had obtained last time.
“Seriously, hurry up with the choice.”
Whoosh.
Removing the sword from his heart, I inserted the Doppelganger’s magic stone in its place while pouring in my morale to cast the spell.
“Undead Call.”
Whoosh.
With the strong physique and soul of an A Rank hunter, and the high-grade magic stone filled with prepped morale.
With this level of materials gathered, I should be able to create a pretty decent Undead by my standards.
After a moment of contemplation, I finally made my decision and proceeded with the incantation.
‘…A knight doesn’t quite fit.’
The name “Death Knight” is too grand for such a shabby specimen.
Weren’t they referred to as tireless champions in the world?
In that case, there was just the right being.
A high-ranking Undead of the Skeleton line, known as the Hell’s Champion, possessing exceptional melee combat abilities and outstanding durability.
Whoosh.
Whack!
Crack!
As Jackson’s corpse twisted and transformed due to the morale flowing from the stone, it took the form of a warrior clad in morale-tainted bones, filled with a burning soul within.
“Doom Warrior.”
Whoosh.
From the completed body, a tremendous amount of morale burst forth, and before long, he was reborn anew as the Lord of Death, shedding the old skin of existence.
I asked that Jackson,
“How do you feel?”
[…….]
There was no reply. The soul had significantly deteriorated.
I threw one last glance at the completely Undead Jackson and soon restored him through Necromancy as a conduit.
It wouldn’t exhibit powerful strength due to being created with weak consciousness, but he could be simply summoned, which would be quite helpful in various ways.
Once all the fighting ended, Song Ha Yeon, who had been watching from a corner, hurriedly approached and spoke to me.
“Are you alright?”
“Can’t you tell?”
“You clearly said you’d take care of it quickly, yet I was on the edge of my seat worried I’d die. Honestly thought you would lose.”
“Oh, that’s just because my level is low.”
No matter how much an A Rank Hunter one is, I honestly didn’t expect to struggle this much.
‘…This is pretty much average A Rank skill.’
As I reflected on the battle with Jackson, I stored the memory in a corner of my mind.
‘It’s not easy.’
From this battle, I had grasped a sense of scale.
The highest-ranking A Ranks, considered close to S Rank, and the S Rank hunters who had long transcended human standards.
In my current state, facing them would not only mean an impossible victory but a serious concern for my own life.
I scrunched my face at the rising displeasure.
‘I need to level up more.’
Having fought, the reality hit home.
In this world, there are far too many beings capable of assessing my life.
And I truly disliked that fact.
“I noticed those transactions over there are done. Are you going to head back soon?”
As soon as I heard Song Ha Yeon’s words, my consciousness suddenly began to blur, and the strength that had been supporting my body began to fade away.
“Uff.”
I panicked and slumped to the floor.
Thud!
“Master?”
Song Ha Yeon questioned with curiosity, but I was in no state to respond normally.
“…I can’t move.”
Thinking back, it made sense.
I had used the Book of Death twice and had expended a considerable amount of power to summon Penelope’s true form.
To make matters worse, the ring’s effect had just worn off. I let out a silent wail of exhaustion and pain.
“Ugh. I knew this would happen. Are you okay?”
“Uff. I feel like I’m going to die…”
Seeing me struggling with a pained expression, Song Ha Yeon summoned two Skeleton Mashers and lifted me up as if transporting a patient.
“…Please don’t scold me later for this?”
Thus, I was carried off in a laying position by the Mashers.
“Uuff. Stay further away…”
“I’ve already moved ten meters! If I go further, I won’t be able to control it properly. Please just bear with it.”
“Urgh.”
Somehow, it felt rather humiliating.