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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Hestia]
[Proofreader - Kaya]
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Chapter 42: The First Step of Expansion (1)
[You have completed the Black Spire.]
[The degree of completion is high. Performance increases by 50%.]
“Finally, the fifth one.”
A black spire, soaring as if to pierce the sky.
Yoojin couldn't hide his pride.
“Brother. Is this really the last one?”
“Have you ever seen me make empty promises?”
“Well, no.”
“Pack your things. We'll be heading back soon.”
After sending Kang Minho away, Yoojin placed his palm on the fabric structure.
[Establishing a network with nearby installed Spires.]
[Network number - 5]
[Reduces mana consumption of Necromancers registered in the territory by 30%.]
[Number of summonable undead increased by 30%.]
[Undead abilities increased by 30%.]
[Communication magic jamming is applied within the fog.]
The more Black Spires are linked together, the more buffs are given to Necromancers and the undead.
‘Right now, it's just about summoning restrictions and increasing combat power.’
If the number of Black Spires increases further, the corpses within the territory will automatically be revived as undead.
And the spirits of the deceased will flock to the area, further strengthening the deathly energy.
It even gives debuffs to the living.
The expression "City of the Dead (Necropolis)" was a perfect fit.
〔Then why not increase the number of those ominous towers?〕
‘Would I even be able to protect them?’
He scoffed at the idea—
‘Give up one or two Black Spires? Are you serious?’
As much as a network provides many benefits, the risks also increase.
If a linked Spire is destroyed, the remaining structures cease to function.
It takes time to recover from the shock.
‘With five, it would be about 2 hours.’
〔That's not very long, considering you called it a risk.〕
‘The more the number of links increases, the longer the downtime becomes.’
The more Spires included in the network, the longer the downtime.
If ten are connected, it's 10 hours.
If you connect up to the maximum number of 20 in the network, they become useless for three whole days.
High risk, high return.
Considering the dangers of the border region, connecting 5 to the network already is quite a gamble.
‘The Romanov family also neutralized the Black Spires first.’
In his past life, Yoojin turned his domain into a Necropolis.
The location was not suitable for defense, being wide open and bordering the Yesung River.
Magic hunters secretly traveled up the river and poured powerful magic into one tower, neutralizing it.
All the buff effects that had been cast across the territory were nullified.
〔Khahaha. How foolish. If it's such an important structure, you should defend it thoroughly.〕
"How do you stop someone who even uses Divine Relics?"
Gambanteinn.
A powerful staff specialized in magic nullification, a Divine Relic of Odin.
"Though what they used were replicas."
Even if they were imitations, they were still artifacts imbued with the concept of Odin's Divine Relic.
Using Gambanteinn, they neutralized all sorts of anti-intrusion spells that had been installed throughout the Necropolis.
That's why he was pushed back from Gaesung to Seoul.
It was the reason why Seoul became the backdrop for the final battle in his previous life.
〔So you're saying there's still a risk?〕
"I won't fall for the same trick twice."
Yoojin clenched his fist.
"Let's head back if you're all ready."
The faces of the Little Runts team lit up.
"We're finally returning!"
"Sob sob. I can finally eat home-cooked meals again."
"Goodbye, homelessness."
Everyone's faces were blooming, truly blooming.
【Master. Then I will guard the new territories.】
"No. You're coming too."
【Is it alright to leave the Necropolis empty?】
"Well, if it gets plundered, it gets plundered."
There's the network connection penalty, but he hasn't invested much, and it can be restored quickly if he sets his mind to it.
"I've already cleared out the nearby monster villages, so what could happen?"
【That sounds a bit too optimistic.】
"It's okay if one or two get destroyed."
That much is within his expectations.
If a monstrous being with overwhelming specs like One-Eyed appears, he'll have to give it up. What else can he do?
Even if Fafnir protects it, what can't be defended can't be defended.
"It'll be fine unless it's a variable of that level."
【Understood.】
Fafnir nodded.
＊ ＊ ＊
Kang Minyeong hummed a tune.
"Oppa, it's nice that we have less baggage this time."
"I didn't ask you to carry it, so why are you saying that?"
"The undead complained they couldn't fight because of the luggage, so I had a hard time!"
"You gained experience, so it was good, wasn't it?"
"You need to learn some sensitivity, oppa."
Blegh—
Seeing Kang Minyeong sticking her tongue out at him, Yoojin suddenly felt a renewed sense of emotion.
'She was expressionless when I saw her before.'
The target of a request and its executor.
They weren't exactly in a position to smile at each other.
It was strange to see someone he had killed with his own hands smiling playfully.
'The future is changing.'
Kang Minyeong's casual attitude made the change hit home.
Although it's not drastic enough to have a major impact on the world yet.
Yoojin's actions are steadily changing the future of destruction.
〔Do not be arrogant. The adversaries the Contractor must fight are not just insignificant humans.〕
'I know. The Seven Great Clans, and the constellations behind them.'
To secure a comfortable future, he needs to gain power equal to or greater than the Seven Great Clans.
Otherwise...
This world will not leave him alone.
'Change is just beginning.'
Recalling the scene of Seoul he saw just before his return, he spoke to the Little Runts team.
"You've worked hard, so take two weeks off."
"Really?!"
"Are you hoping I'll change my mind?"
The twins glared at Lee Seongmin.
"Hyung, then we'll gather at the Paju workshop in two weeks."
"No take-backs, okay?"
Yoojin smiled and waved his hand.
"If you stand there blankly, my joke might turn into reality."
"H-Hyung! See you later!"
Turning their backs in case he tried to stop them, the three quickly moved away.
Ah, well.
It's a bit lonely, though.
【Huhu. I am here with Master, am I not?】
"Thank you for being here, at least."
【You're not being honest. You can thank me more.】
‘Yes, yes. I'm so grateful I could cry.’
Around the time the Little Runts team completely disappeared from sight.
【Now, it's time to talk.】
"About what?"
【What Master will do after sending the Little Runts team away.】
‘He noticed, huh?’
Yoojin scratched his head.
"Spider hunting."
＊ ＊ ＊
Bzzt- Bzzzt—
A building with the words [Milky Way] written in cheap neon signs flickered repeatedly.
This was the place in Ground Zero where all the requests came and went.
"They put the door back on."
Creak—
A noise that grated on the eardrums.
He opened the door and entered. Unlike last time, a neatly organized store came into view.
Soft jazz music played in the background.
Over it, all sorts of people were spitting out their own stories.
【It's a cacophony.】
"That's the charm of our establishment."
The answer came from the inside of the bar.
Madam approached Yoojin with an alluring smile.
"We see each other often. I might start to get attached to you at this rate."
"Do you really feel that way, Madam?"
"Hoho, I'm human too, you know."
Madam laughed, covering her mouth.
She spouts such words with eyes as cold as midwinter.
Yoojin didn't reply and sat down in front of the bartender.
"We meet again, sir."
"I'll have the same as last time, please."
"Haha. Please give me a chance to show off my skills next time."
The old man placed a glass of milk on the table with a warm smile.
Madam let out a short sigh at the sight.
"You have no sense of style."
"I don't know much about the taste of alcohol."
"The Milky Way Pub is a bar, you know. That's a problem."
"I especially don't drink when I'm talking business."
At Yoojin's casual remark, the corners of Madam's eyes rose slightly.
"That's a bit interesting."
"How do you know what I'm going to talk about?"
"Well, you always bring up interesting topics."
She wants him to bring it up first.
‘Fine.’
He doesn't like to beat around the bush anyway.
"Are you getting along well with the Red Spider?"
"It's impossible to have a healthy friendship with them. You know that."
"I think they're lurking around the Milky Way Pub a lot."
"Well, it's a volatile situation."
As soon as the words "Red Spider" came out, Madam didn't try to change the subject and answered honestly.
"It seems like things didn't go as smoothly as you thought."
"Did you know? Spiders have eight legs."
"You're saying it's no use cutting off just one?"
"There's a limit to the number we can mobilize on our side."
Madam's position is that of a mediator.
She has a lot of connections, but most of them are with people who are only interested in money.
To completely eradicate the Red Spider, they would have to wage an all-out war, and they couldn't fill those numbers with mercenaries.
"If we go for localized battles, we'll be at a disadvantage."
"But the Red Spider won't attack head-on."
"That's thanks to you, Yoojin."
The early capture of the Crimson Lair, the source of bloodstones.
With the disappearance of the mineral worth more than gold at the same weight, the Red Spider suffered a major financial blow.
It wasn't enough to shake the entire organization, but they were desperately trying to secure blocked funds.
"I'll help you."
"Are you serious?"
"I'm not free enough to come all the way here to joke around."
Madam blinked her eyes in surprise at Yoojin's words.
"It will be different from the Crimson Lair incident."
"I know. I heard the Red Spider boss is a 6 Star martial arts hunter."
Yoojin glanced at the bartender.
Right now, he was an old man making cocktails, but his true identity was a hunter who had reached the very end of 6 Star.
The Red Spider attacked Madam because they were aiming for the old man's absence.
"That guy won't be able to move recklessly either."
"I told you, the Red Spider has eight legs."
"Wouldn't it be much easier if we cut off half of them?"
Whew—
Madam let out a sigh.
'This man. I can't tell where his limits are.'
As a 1 Star hunter, he slaughtered all the 3 Star hunters stationed at the Crimson Lair.
And he even performed miracles as a 'Saint,' of which there are only a few in the whole world.
'He'll cut off half of the spider's legs...'
Yoojin wasn't the type to come all the way to Ground Zero to lie.
If so...
Now it was time to strategize according to the request he had declared.
"Can I request a spider hunt?"
"The reward?"
"You must have already thought of something. Please tell me."
"The spider's vacancy."
A different choice than in his past life.
He would grow his power more aggressively and expand his influence within the Korean Peninsula.
Ground Zero was the starting point.
"I can't give you a definite answer. Ground Zero maintains a balance between three organizations."
Red Spider / Black Market / Milky Way Pub
There were large and small organizations, but Ground Zero was maintained because these three groups had a tight grip on the flow.
"But one side will take my side, right?"
"Of course."
Deal.
Yoojin smiled faintly.
"Don't you usually get called sly?"
"That's rude."
"Anyone would think so if they saw that smile."
'First Kronos, and now Madam. Why does everyone have something to say about my smile?'
His cheek muscles twitching at their perceived insults.
"What's the mood like among the hunters in Gaesung these days?"
"Those guys are the same as always."
"That's good."
The Gaesung human hunters.
A group of hunters who settled in Gaesung after the collapse of North Korea.
The members called themselves the "5th Revolutionary Corps," but outsiders often used the derogatory term "human hunters."
"Spread a rumor that the human hunters are targeting the Red Spider."
"Are you thinking of luring them towards the border area?"
"That's right. Find a suitable way."
"There's a farm managed by the Red Spider in the border area."
"We can target the area around there."
"You haven't actually... recruited the human hunters, have you?"
Instead of answering, Yoojin took a sip of milk.
The true purpose of heading south while building several Black Spires.
And...
It was also the reason why he gave the Little Runts team a vacation.
【Was that your goal from the beginning, Master?】
Only Fafnir, who knew the whole story, swallowed a groan and muttered with a sinking thought.
"It's too big a task for a 1 Star hunter to handle."
"I recently became a 2 Star."
"There's not much difference between the two, but since you say so, there shouldn't be a problem."
*Client: Oh Hyunjeong
*Request Type: Red Spider Hunt
*Difficulty: A
*Reward: Support Cheon Yoojin during the Ground Zero power redistribution
*Details
Reduce the Red Spider's forces by at least 1/3.
"Will this be enough?"
"I like it."
"The reward for fulfilling the contract is only valid for the living."
Yoojin chuckled at Madam's pointed reply.
"Don't worry. I'll come to collect it myself, on two feet."
Yoojin finished his milk and stood up.
"Oh, and send me the information on the Red Spider executives to my phone."
"The entire list?"
"Up to 5 Star hunters."
Yoojin's figure gradually receded.
Madam, staring blankly at his retreating form, rose from her seat.
"Old man. Get ready."
"Will it be alright?"
"He's the one who wants to do it. And... somehow, I think he'll pull it off."
A man who can't be judged solely by his rank.
Madam Oh Hyunjeong turned around as if to shake off her thoughts.
'Things are going to get busier.'
The rumor Yoojin requested.
To get the Red Spider moving, she also had to use all her skills.
'I'll trust you.'
If...
If the request unfolds as he intends, Madam was thinking of giving Yoojin even more.
[TL/N: 🌚]
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Hestia
[Proofreader - Kaya]
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