Ber expected it.
The reaction of the guardian who received the true ability of the Shadow Lord, ‘Shadow Extraction’.
-Oh my god, awesome!
-You’re giving me this incredible ability as a reward?
-Last quest gave me stat points as a reward, but this time they’re giving me a rune stone that can be used to learn skills?!
-Wow! Is it okay to just spread it like this?
Then Bert thought of saying this.
‘Kehem. That’s why I told you. This shadow dungeon contains everything you need for your lordship!’
Ber said with a very cocky expression, the corners of his lips twitching.
[Ahem! This level-up system was originally a supplementary device for the stable growth of the little monarch. It is an improvement of the system used by the lord in the past, in order to fully accept the power of the great monarch within the weak human body… … .]
Suho cut off those words and opened his mouth.
“Hey, what is it? It’s a summoning skill?”
[… … !]
The expression on Suho’s face was one of obvious disappointment.
Ber was surprised.
What kind of nonsensical reaction is this!
[W, what are you talking about! How can you react like that even after receiving such tremendous power!]
“No, but the summoning skill is… … .”
Suho explained.
How are summoning skills treated among hunters these days?
The dungeon beyond the gate was a truly terrifying place.
If they let their guard down even for a moment, the demons’ claws would tear the hunters’ necks apart.
The floor and ceiling were full of dangerous traps.
In a place like that, no one could take responsibility for one’s life.
It didn’t matter to the combat hunters because they were physically strong, but the physical abilities of the magic hunters weren’t much different from those of ordinary people.
In particular, magic hunters with summoning skills were more vulnerable.
Since they left all the fighting to their summoned creatures, they were nothing more than helpless burdens that followed them around.
“That’s not all. It consumes a lot of magical power, and it’s hard to find useful summons. And even if you do manage to get them, they’re not as strong as you might think.”
[No way-!]
Ber stamped his feet with a very angry and sad expression.
Where has the image of mocking Suho’s weak fighting prowess gone? Now he himself has become even more irritated.
Suho felt a little sorry at that sight.
“Well. I’m sorry, but what can I do about that being the reality? Well, but it’s definitely a good thing that you’ve gained the skill.”
[No! Stop pretending to be considerate and comforting me! I’m telling you, this is really good!]
“Huh? Your speech seems to have changed?”
[Swish swish.]
It was the moment when Ber’s concept, which had been a historical drama throughout, collapsed.
“Okay, okay. Anyway, I accept the compensation.”
A rune stone appeared in Suho’s hand.
[Rune Stone: Shadow Extraction]
When you break a rune stone, the skill is absorbed.
Suho broke the rune stone without hesitation.
[Learned ‘Skill: Shadow Extraction’.]
Swaaaah!
At that moment, a shadow rose from under Suho’s feet, wrapped around his entire body, and then disappeared.
Pfft!
A skill window opened up before my eyes.
[Skill: Shadow Extraction Lv.1]
Shadow power.
No need for mana.
Extracts mana from dead bodies and turns them into shadow soldiers.
The chance of extraction failure increases in proportion to the target’s ability and the time elapsed since the target’s death.
Number of extractable shadows: 0 / 3
“… … Create shadow soldiers?”
After confirming the contents, Suho’s gaze naturally turned to Ber.
A shadow demon with black steam boiling up all over its body.
[you’re right.]
Ber’s mouth was torn open.
[This is the skill that creates soldiers just like me. Shadow extraction is the essence of the power that made the current Shadow Lord Seong Jin-woo into what he is today.]
At that moment, Suho realized.
Numerous goblin corpses surround him.
For the past four hours, black smoke had been rising from the corpses that had been killed by his own hands.
[This is a target from which shadow extraction is possible.] [This is a target from which shadow extraction is possible.] [This is a target from which shadow extraction is possible.]
Every time I looked at the black smoke, the same messages came to mind over and over again.
‘A shadow soldier… … Is he some kind of necromancer?’
The concept of creating soldiers from corpses was similar to the necromancers commonly seen in games.
‘I guess it’s not that great after all.’
I saw it on the internet before.
There are several types of summoning skills.
Summoning and taming spirits from nature.
Or taming and using living animals.
Of all the professions, the one that was the worst was the necromancer.
‘Because there are many restrictions.’
First of all, the part where there had to be a corpse was the biggest problem.
‘I have to hunt down that corpse first like I do now. I can only control someone weaker than me.’
I thought that in order to know for sure, I would have to try it myself.
“Shadow extraction.”
The following message came to mind at Suho’s words.
[Specify the command for the Shadow Extraction skill.]
“Do I need to assign separate commands to skills? Hmm… … .”
Suho thought about it for a moment.
But then, next to me, Berga was twirling his body with his eyes sparkling.
[Ahem. Ahem.]
“Why? What do you have to say?”
When Suho looked up, Berga pretended not to know anything.
[Ah, ahem. No. Kook! Cooler country! Cooler countrykookkookkook!]
“… … ?”
Why are you coughing like that all of a sudden?
Suho opened his eyes slightly.
I didn’t know what he was saying, but I blurted it out without hesitation.
If it’s a command, it’d be better if it was intuitive.
“Get up.”
[Kiheeeeet!]
Then, as if he had been waiting for this, Ber clenched his fist and said something strange, “This is it!”
and.
Something strange happened.
Keeheehee-!
Suddenly, the goblins’ laughter echoed through the air.
Shadows began to stir from the corpses of the goblins that had fallen to the ground with him.
As if alive!
‘oh my god.’
Suho’s eyes grew wide and he looked around.
Hehe! Keuk keuk-!
From all sides, there was a ceaseless stream of vile, mischievous laughter, and pitch-black hands were reaching out from the shadows.
The hands began to crawl out of the shadows, touching the ground, like demons coming back from hell.
[Shadow extraction succeeded.]
Chook! Chook!
[Keeruk!] [Keeruk!]
So three of them.
Black goblins, their entire bodies made of boiling black steam, appeared before Suho.
[Shadow Goblin Lv.1]
General grade
The sight of three shadow goblins lined up, waiting for the guardian’s command…
“It doesn’t look that strong after all.”
[… … .]
At this point, Berdoo could also begin to notice.
Even though it was the same shadow power, the difference in level was too extreme compared to when Shadow Lord Seong Jin-woo used it.
That’s understandable. When Sung Jin-woo first gained the power of shadow, he was at level 50, and now Su-ho is only at level 7.
Even if the skill is the same, if the player’s level is low, the performance is bound to be weaker.
[That, originally… … the soldiers who just extracted the shadow are a bit weaker than when they were alive.]
“And the size is also a bit smaller?”
[That, that’s right… … .]
“Of course, your strength will also weaken?”
[Just a little bit?]
“Speed too… … .”
[… … .]
Ber muttered in a crawling voice.
[Shadow Power is affected by the Intelligence stat and level. This would be a really good skill later on… … It’s really an incredibly good skill… … . Ha, I don’t know how to explain this… … .]
“Yeah, yeah.”
Suho looked around at the shadow goblins waiting for his command.
And then I got ready to go back.
[Oh no! Wasn’t the atmosphere right now one where you could command?!]
Bert is startled.
At that moment, a loud noise came out from Suho’s stomach.
Gulp!
“… … I starved for two days.”
Suho said seriously.
Ber was overwhelmed by the solemn atmosphere.
[Yeah, that’s right.]
Whether they were hunters or shadow lords, they all did it to survive.
[You can come in here at any time if you use the Shadow Dungeon key anyway. Let’s rest for a bit.]
At Ber’s words, Suho took out the key to the Shadow Dungeon and inserted it into his shadow, just as he had when he came in.
[Do you want to exit the Shadow Dungeon?] (Y/N)
“I’m leaving.”
Click.
The moment he turned the key, a shadow swallowed Suho up.
Swaaaah!
[Exited the Shadow Dungeon.]
* * *
As soon as Suho returned to the real hospital, he collapsed onto the bed.
Fluffy.
‘Ha. I really had a hard time.’
Suho lies down on the bed for the first time in a long time and lets out a deep sigh.
In reality, it was only 4 hours, but it felt like 4 full days had passed.
Although all of my stamina returned as I leveled up, I was mentally completely exhausted.
At that moment, the hospital room door opened and people in suits came in.
“Excuse me. Is this the hospital room where Mr. Seong Su-ho is admitted?”
‘hmm?’
Suho immediately realized who they were. In a situation like this, there was only one person who would come looking for him.
“I came from the Hunter Association.”
also.
People in suits approached Suho and bowed their heads.
“Mr. Seong Su-ho, first of all, I would like to thank you.”
“Huh? What did I do to deserve gratitude…?”
Suho made a puzzled expression.
“Thanks to you, Mr. Suho, many people have saved their lives. I would like to thank you on behalf of all of them.”
“Well, it wasn’t like I did anything that great.”
“That’s a great thing.”
suddenly!
‘Oh, that’s a surprise.’
The man who seemed to be the highest in rank thrust his burdensome face toward Suho.
Then he showed a warm smile on his lips.
“Mr. Seong Su-ho, you are truly admirable. In this tough world, a young man who risks his life to save people! Keuheuk!”
“Uh, ah, no… … over there?”
I was so touched that I felt burdened by the sight of the big man taking out a handkerchief and wiping away his tears.
“Ahem.”
The employee next to him patted his back as if he was familiar with him and spoke.
“Team leader, stop crying and get to work now.”
“Oh, right. Haha. These days, as I get older, I just cry a lot. Seong Su-ho, I am Han Jae-hyeok, the team leader of the Hunter Association. The reason we came is… … .”
chuck.
Team Leader Han Jae-hyeok smiled broadly as he held out the thick horsepower measuring device he had brought.
“To measure Mr. Suho’s magical power.”
There was no doubt that Suho had awakened. He was found unconscious in the Korea National University Art Museum, which had become a field dungeon.
Even around there, there were pieces of corpses that were confirmed to be from demons scattered around.
“Reporters keep asking for information so they can write articles.”
Han Jae-hyuk added, winking.
“Oh, yes.”
Suho obediently raises his hand over the mana meter.
Then, the magic stone embedded in the center began to emit a soft light.
Let’s wait a moment, the measurement results came out.
“Hmm. Hoo, this is… … .”
Team leader Han Jae-hyeok, who checked the results, rubbed his chin as if it was unexpected.
But Suho’s expression didn’t change, as if he wasn’t curious about the results at all.
It was natural. The status window in front of him was already telling him about his magical power.
“Magic power level 46. You have become an E-class Awakener.”
The employees who were present did not show it, but they were secretly disappointed by this result.
I expected that a hunter who was active like this right after awakening would naturally be of a fairly high rank.
But it’s only an E-class?
But Team Leader Han Jae-hyeok was different.
‘The value of a Hunter is not in his rank. Rather, if he were an E-rank and saved people while risking his life, that would be more amazing.’
Team leader Han Jae-hyeok smiled warmly and patted Su-ho on the shoulder with his thick hand.
“Mr. Seong Su-ho, I look forward to your continued good work.”
“Oh, yes.”
Knock knock.
After finishing their work, the association staff gave a brief greeting and left the hospital room.
Then, as if he had been waiting, Berga peeked his face out from Suho’s shadow.
[Okay! Now, let me explain. About what happens next… … .]
Knock knock!
“Suho!”
Then the hospital room door opened again.
Ber retreated back into the gloomy shadows.
