The Saint Who Levels Up Through Necromancy

[Translator - Hestia]

[Proofreader - Kaya]

Chapter 65: The Assault on Yeonpyeong Island (2)

Crack—

The neck of the Rerik caught in Fafnir's hand was snapped in the opposite direction.

【This area is all cleared up.】

"Don't let your guard down. The second wave will be here soon."

【Persistent, aren't they?】

"Their territory has been invaded. They'd be fools to just take it lying down."

Yoojin infused his eyes with spirit power.

'I won't be shedding any tears of blood this time.'

He traced the flow of the spiritual veins and selected a suitable site near the coast.

The spirit power concentration was only 1.

Well, he had to be satisfied with meeting the minimum requirements for construction.

Yoojin immediately began construction of the Black Spire.

The materials needed for the structure were scattered all over the coast.

He laid the foundation of the Necropolis without difficulty.

"Ugh. I feel like I'm going to pass out."

【Aren't you going to get addicted to those potions?】

"Damn it. I need to increase the amount of spirit power quickly."

No.

Actually, it was a bit difficult.

Even with the bonus stats and Life Drain steadily increasing his spirit power, the Black Spire's construction consumed so much that he had to drink potions like water.

Next time, he'd have to ask Shin Joonseok to add some strawberry flavor or something.

【Can he even do that?】

"My business partner will figure out a way."

【That's not the same as being able to do it.】

"Giving him the idea is enough."

He uttered words that would make countless engineers in this world shed tears of blood, then took a breath.

A whitish smoke slowly spread from the tip of the spire.

It was a fog that boosted the stats of the undead.

Conversely, it imposed a debuff on the living, limiting their visibility.

【Are you ready to greet the enemy?】

"Ready? This is just the beginning."

Easy for him to say.

He turned all the remaining corpses from the Black Spire's construction into Armored Zombies.

【You can't fight the Reriks with those corpses.】

"I know. 2 Star Armored Zombies are only good for holding the line."

The Armored Zombies had a lower ascension level than the Reriks.

They could win against monsters like Fafnir or enemies with higher ascension levels.

But even if they were painstakingly created, expecting that kind of performance from low-level undead was just wishful thinking.

【Why not make more corpses like Jo Seungchul?】

"I think you're forgetting. I'm also a 2 Star."

He had used the [Scrap Metal Filled with Obsession] for an unconventional procedure.

Thanks to awakening Jo Seungchul's latent potential after their union, he was able to strengthen him into an intermediate undead.

Attempting the same with a Rerik corpse was impossible.

【So even the Master has things he can't do.】

"I'm not omnipotent. I'm always aware of my limits."

Yoojin always assessed himself objectively.

Even if it seemed like he was walking a tightrope in every situation after his return.

He only took action after coldly assessing the possibilities.

Bzzt—

The linked Black Spire sent a signal.

"Get ready. We have visitors."

【How many are there?】

"About 300."

【Since they're the Necropolis' first customers, I'll go greet them first.】

"Go easy on them."

Winning the fight wasn't the problem.

The key was to repel the Reriks while protecting the [Black Spire].

Fafnir would be the vanguard, exhausting their forces.

The basic strategy was to defend against the tattered Reriks with Armored Zombies and Blood Golems.

【Haha. Don't worry, I won't overdo it.】

Fafnir charged fearlessly into the fog.

A moment later.

A red glow began to spread through the whitish smoke.

＊ ＊ ＊

At the beacon mound located in the center of Yeonpyeong Island, reptilian monsters twice the size of ordinary Reriks were gathered.

"Intruders have entered the island."

"How long has it been? For humans to set foot in our territory?"

"Ten days."

"What? It hasn't been that long."

"Murian's memory is always like that."

"Kararararak!"

The five Rerik brothers.

They weren't actually "brothers," but a term referring to the variants born among the Reriks generated over 20 years.

"We sent 300 for reconnaissance."

"That many? What if the human who came in after so long dies right away?"

"There's no way they're that weak. Let's wait a bit, and when more ships arrive, we'll kill them."

The five Rerik brothers exchanged meaningful glances.

Yeonpyeong Island was a space separated from the continent.

To escape the island, one had to fly in the sky or have the means to cross the sea.

The intelligent monsters found this situation extremely frustrating.

"More blood! Slaughter!"

"We can't be satisfied here. Kararak!"

The five Rerik brothers were 5 Star.

A high rank rarely seen from a 3 Star Gate.

A limited space, an island.

The Gate that turned Yeonpyeong into an erosion zone had been generating monsters for over 20 years.

With nothing left to eat, the Reriks maintained their population through cannibalism.

Five variants were born in the process.

Like the One-Eyed in the Borderland, they possessed strength and abilities that transcended their species.

It was only natural for them to turn their attention to the continent.

"We won't make the same mistake."

"If we rashly kill all the humans, we'll have no way to leave."

"Karak, we know."

This wasn't the first time humans from the continent had coveted Yeonpyeong Island.

Amsang.

Nine Dragons' Hall.

Red Spider.

And even the 5th Revolutionary Corps (Human Hunters).

"To eat more humans, we have to go outside."

"Alright. We'll endure."

The five Rerik brothers slaughtered all the humans who landed on the island and chewed their bones clean.

A delicacy they had never tasted before.

However, the number of humans visiting the island dwindled.

The five brothers realized that to enjoy more of this delicacy, they had to cross the sea to the land beyond.

"We'll wait until a big ship arrives."

The most powerful of the five brothers, Baltak, smacked his lips and warned the others.

＊ ＊ ＊

[Level Up!]

Fafnir grinned confidently and tossed a Rerik corpse onto the ground.

【Heh heh heh. They were nothing special.】

"Exactly 300."

【Was your intuition really that accurate, Master?】

"No, not really," Yoojin said, stroking his chin.

【What's on your mind?】

"I thought it would be 'around' 300. But for there to be no error at all...doesn't that seem artificial?"

Monsters act on instinct.

They are half-formed creatures born from the Gate, their will stripped away, driven only by hatred for humans and a hunger to consume.

【Now that you mention it, that is strange. For exactly 300 to come at once...it's as if someone gave them orders...!】

"You're just noticing now?"

【Did they already use their Individual Traits?】

"No. If they had, there would have been ships coming and going from the pier."

Yoojin had glanced at the southern pier before landing, but there was no trace of humans.

It wasn't time yet, according to the date he saw in Memento.

'Even so, I can't let my guard down.'

It would be a month before the Human Hunters received the 'blessing' of the constellation from the altar.

The fact that they had built an altar meant they had either subdued or driven out the Reriks on Yeonpyeong Island.

'They'll be here within a week at the earliest, two weeks at the latest.'

He needed to secure Yeonpyeong Island and prepare for the Human Hunters before they gained a foothold.

In a head-on battle, Yoojin would surely lose.

The best course of action was to fortify the island and prevent the Human Hunters from landing.

'In this case, the only assumption I can make is...variants.'

Based on the countless experiences he had accumulated before his return, he was able to approach the truth through reasoning alone.

He couldn't know the exact number of Rerik variants, which was five.

But it seemed certain that there was a monster with 'intelligence' behind the recent attack.

"I need to change the plan."

【Master, what are you going to do?】

"Since they're trying to test the waters, we need to be proactive."

He would use Fafnir as the attacker.

Yoojin and Jo Seungchul would defend the Black Spire and expand the Necropolis' territory.

【The original plan was to defend the Necropolis and wear down the monsters' forces.】

"That's right."

【Wouldn't it be dangerous for you if I leave the territory?】

"Don't worry. I have a plan."

Armored Zombies were no match for the Reriks.

Not in numbers.

Not in quality.

They were at a disadvantage in every way, but such situations were when a Necromancer truly shined.

'I have four skill slots available to learn new spells.'

His level had risen to 37 during the spider hunt.

He had raided the Arhan Attack Team and the Gate, and thanks to the experience gained from the battles on Yeonpyeong Island, he had just broken through level 40.

A spell suitable for the current situation would be...

[Acquired Bone Wall.]

[Acquired Reinforcement Circuit.]

"Gah, Gahhhh."

It still hurts like hell.

Instead of lessening the pain, his Unique Trait [Clear Mind] made him feel it even more vividly.

He shook off a teardrop that had welled up in his eye and checked the spells.

[Bone Wall]

Category: Magic

Rank: C

Creates a solid wall by layering bones reinforced with spirit power.

Effects vary depending on the form of construction.

[Reinforcement Circuit]

Category: Alchemy

Rank: E

A spell that inscribes the Reinforcement Circuit, the foundation of alchemy.

Good.

The descriptions were exactly as Yoojin remembered them.

'With the new holy spells added, I can defend myself indefinitely.'

Yoojin separated the bones and flesh of the teal-colored corpses and used [Raise Dead].

The teal-colored, or rather, now skeletal Reriks were revived as Skeleton Mages.

The ones that breathed fire also had an aptitude for 'magic,' so they could be made into magic-type undead.

"You take control of these guys."

【Thank you, Master.】

He handed all 50 Skeleton Mages over to Jo Seungchul and created 40 more Armored Zombies.

In the process, he used up all his spirit power.

He had been so close to exhaustion that he couldn't even count how many potions he had taken.

"Ughhhh."

He needed to become a 4 Star quickly and eat the Inseolsam.

Life Drain could be a substitute, but it was only a stopgap.

If he kept doing this, there would be something wrong with his body.

'Because I'm building up a tolerance to potions, too.'

He shouldn't be converting potions into life force, and then into mana, unless it was an emergency.

But considering the future scenes he had seen with [Memento], he had no choice but to push himself.

He renewed his resolve and wiped the potion from his mouth with his sleeve.

【Are you alright?】

"No. But I have to do this."

【Next time, I'll bring you some fresh ones.】

"Ah, right. I need to absorb their stats too, so please."

He hadn't been able to drain the Reriks' life force in the midst of the fighting.

"The visible corpses have been exploded or turned into undead. I need to snatch up any remaining life force and convert it into stats."

【Should we start searching the coast then?】

"No. Head to the center of the island."

【But you said there might be variants there.】

"Exactly. That's why we need to check the places where variants are likely to be."

The variant Reriks, the ones with intelligence, were most likely in the center of the island.

That's where the Rerik horde had come from when he'd first built the Black Spire.

"The one giving the orders will be in that direction too."

【Heh heh. Master, your insight is incredible. To have figured that out in such a short time.】

"Just don't die. I can't conquer this island without you."

Even with Fafnir's [Life Force Vessel], if he was completely destroyed, regeneration would take a considerable amount of time.

The life force required for resurrection was also immense.

【If I have the chance, I'll capture that variant for you.】

"Yeah, if you can manage it."

Yoojin chuckled.

About 30 minutes after Fafnir left the Necropolis, the Black Spire sounded another alarm.

'This time it's the coast. About 300 more.'

Khehehe.

Just as he'd expected.

He had deliberately sent Fafnir out as a vanguard to see how the Reriks would react, and they hadn't missed the opportunity to attack.

"I don't know if it'll be the same with larger numbers, but..."

Seeing that they had sent a similar number as the first attack, he was certain that there were variant Reriks mixed in.

'They must be trying to figure out my strength and how I'll respond.'

Even after creating the Armored Zombies and Skeleton Mages, he still had over 100 corpses left.

It was too late to set up remote explosions like he had during the spider hunt.

Well, even with just corpses, there was always a way.

He would show them why a Necromancer was called a one-man army.

"Move their corpses here."

Yoojin lined up the Rerik corpses in the direction of the enemy's advance.

"Kararararak!"

"Karak!"

The Rerik horde approached the Black Spire, tearing through the gray mist.

With their reptilian heat-sensing and tactile senses, the fog didn't slow their advance much, even though it disrupted their vision.

[Using Bone Wall.]

Kwa-du-du-deuk!

Bones erupted from the Rerik corpses, absorbing spirit power and growing dozens of times larger.

The sharp, thorn-like bones intertwined and piled up, transforming into a four-meter-high wall.

If he had time, he would increase its durability with Reinforcement Circuit, but...

'Right now, I'm going to test something else.'

[Using Midnight Sun.]

[Spirit Power → Holy Power]

[Using Unholy Shock Shield.]

The holy shield was superimposed onto the Bone Wall.

The Skeleton Mages fired magic from behind the bone wall.

[Ice Arrow]

[Wind Slash]

...

There were gaps here and there in the bone barricade.

The wall was taller than the Skeleton Mages, so these were holes intentionally created for magic attacks.

"Karak, break the wall."

Enraged by the one-sided attack, the Reriks charged towards the Bone Wall.

Their claws were as sharp as well-honed swords.

They would easily tear through mere bones and shatter the corpses behind the wall.

A Rerik roared and swung its arm.

Kwa-jik!

The moment its claws touched the Bone Wall...

With a flash from the [Unholy Shock Shield], spike-shaped bones sprang out from the Bone Wall.

Pwack!

The Rerik's forearm was pierced, the spirit power of the Bone Wall combining with the reflected damage of the Unholy Shock Shield.

"Kararararak?!"

The Rerik stumbled back, blood dripping from its arm.

"Definitely effective."

Just as he'd calculated.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

Yoojin cackled as he watched.

[Translator - Hestia

[Proofreader - Kaya]