The Second Life of a Legendary Necromancer

Chapter 27: Faction, Conflict (2)

“The setup is roughly complete.”

With cooling fully prepared, Yeonwol possessed combat power that was exceptionally strong for his level.

Mad had a skill called ‘Roar.’

Its effect was to draw the enemy’s attention and lower their morale.

When Roar attracted the monsters, Eltis would unleash ‘Shout of Courage’ to gather their aggro and endure the attacks with his sturdy defense, enabling them to handle multiple monsters simultaneously.

Adding Cooling’s ranged nuking attacks like Frost Breath and Icicle made for a solid strategy.

It was regrettable that gear could not be equipped on Cooling or Mad. Human-shaped summons could wear players’ gear and benefit from additional stats.

Conversely, beast-shaped summons had superior specs even without gear.

What if, in the future, he could recruit a special blacksmith to create equipment exclusive to beasts? His combat power would rise significantly.

“Should I contract a blacksmith to craft beast-specific equipment?”

Not a bad idea.

He decided to seek a blacksmith later when he had the resources.

After completing the alchemy synthesis, Yeonwol went to Artisan Street to prepare his own equipment.

Since he lacked the Heavy Armor Mastery skill, wearing heavy armor would hinder his speed and fail to provide adequate defense, so he had to focus on light armor.

He purchased a relatively lightweight full set of light armor called the ‘Arturin Set,’ which had a level 50 strength requirement.

With gloves, boots, and top and bottom pieces all equipped as the Arturin Set, he no longer looked like an alchemist.

“The Arturin Set is the best among level 50 light armors.”

It wasn’t popular now, but later it would be considered essential for beginner guides, praised for its efficiency up to level 100.

Finally, he purchased a low-grade magic belt. Alchemists needed portable pouches to carry potions and other items on their belts.

They had to be ready to toss reagents and metals into the alchemy kit for synthesis at any moment.

Opening the inventory during combat was nearly impossible.

With that, his hunting preparations were complete.

He had already chosen his hunting ground.

It was the ‘Blade Canyon,’ home to level 100 monsters known as ‘Kalgalquirs.’

Considering that Yeonwol’s combat power was 99, it seemed doable.

However, while his stats were impressive, they were not comparable to a typical level 100 player.

The difference between combat power 99 and 100 was substantial. At level 100, players underwent a ‘First Advancement,’ learned new skills, or enhanced existing ones.

They could also equip level 100 restricted gear with additional options, significantly increasing their power.

“Moreover, my stats are scattered across Wisdom and Spirit, so my effective combat power is probably around level 90.”

While reaching combat power in the 90s at level 50 was remarkable, challenging Kalgalquirs still seemed excessive.

Even with three level 70 summons, it would likely be a grueling battle.

Still, the reason Yeonwol was eager to head to this hunting ground was simple.

“Soon, the Blade Canyon will be occupied by the Red Berserker Guild.”

Guilds frequently occupied hunting grounds and dungeons.

While the world was vast enough to offer alternatives, Blade Canyon ranked among the top ten level 100 hunting grounds for efficiency.

Though better hunting grounds would emerge later as more areas were explored, for now, this was the best spot.

It was convenient for hunting, and the rewards were absurdly good, making it a prime target for guilds to claim.

Historically, guilds that occupied this place often fought each other in PK wars for ownership, but it never lacked a master.

Yeonwol’s targets here were the Kalgalquir accessory set and a hidden skill.

Since no guild had claimed the Blade Canyon yet, he needed to hunt there freely while it was still open.

Once a guild took over, independent players would be required to surrender the accessories and equipment they obtained, creating unnecessary hassle.

“If I’m going, it has to be now.”

As Yeonwol expected, a tense standoff between major guilds over Blade Canyon had already begun.

“What the hell? You guys again? I told you if you came back, I’d kill you.”

“Hah, and when was it you ran off with your tails between your legs?”

“That was a strategic retreat because we didn’t have enough people.”

The Free Maker Guild.

And the Red Berserker Guild.

Both were among the top ten guilds in the Kingdom of Watyrion.

Each boasted thousands of members.

Some of their members were high-ranking players over level 200.

Occasionally, such high-ranking members would descend on lower-level hunting grounds to wreak havoc, spreading their guild’s influence.

For now, the confrontation involved mid-level players in the 110s rather than top-level members, as the dispute arose among guild members out hunting.

“It’s already a mess.”

Yeonwol didn’t disdain their antics.

Humans were creatures of greed, eager to claim anything as their own.

Such desires often became the driving force that made them stronger.

Yeonwol himself was a very greedy person.

“Though I don’t care about land.”

His greed was directed solely at power, stats, levels, and items.

For now, there was no full-blown guild war.

They were just trading barbs without drawing weapons, while other players fled to avoid the big guilds’ notice.

Yeonwol moved deeper into the hunting ground.

The canyon’s narrow and winding terrain made it possible to avoid confrontations with a bit of luck.

[Strengthened Spirit]

[Goblin Soul Flame]

[Soul Armor]

[All-Seeing Eye]

He activated various buffs and took out a potion.

It was an alchemist-exclusive buff potion with the restriction “usable only by the creator.”

Most alchemists created personal-use potions with such restrictions, as it significantly boosted their effectiveness.

[Lesser Strength Potion (Yeonwol)]

*Effect: Strength +20, Agility +4 for 30 minutes.

*Restriction: Creator Yeonwol.

Despite being a strength potion, it also boosted agility, making it highly efficient. Although alchemists could stack multiple buff potions, Yeonwol’s proficiency allowed only one for now.

After advancing a bit, a nimble, mantis-like creature appeared before him.

-Kirik! Kirik!

The 2-meter-tall Kalgalquir, with its blade-like arms, roamed alone, making it easy to hunt. However, it had a unique characteristic.

It wore a ‘Shield Skin,’ much like a magician’s protective barrier.

Yeonwol smirked greedily and drew the Blue Sea Blade.

“Hand over that shield.”

Yeonwol aimed for the Kalgalquir accessory set, known for its ridiculously overpowered ‘Shield’ option.

For a level 50 player to enter a level 100 hunting ground was not just unusual; even for Yeonwol, who had optimized his stats, it was a daunting challenge.

But with the proper exploitation of the Shield Skin’s traits, it wasn’t impossible.

Shield Skin had the distinct characteristic of rapidly regenerating at the cost of mana.

In other words, Kalgalquirs continuously regenerated their shields, making them tough to kill without sufficient damage.

However, for players with overpowered stats, they were easier to hunt than other level 100 monsters.

This was because, even when considering both HP and Shield, Kalgalquirs had lower total HP than other monsters.

If players could burst them down quickly, their shield regeneration became irrelevant, making them relatively easy targets.

This was the key reason Blade Canyon was such a popular hunting ground.

Conversely, players with weak damage output struggled, as the shield’s rapid regeneration required far more hits to defeat the monster.

In most cases, Yeonwol would have been at a severe disadvantage.

[Shield Penetration Potion (Yeonwol)]

*Description: A potion made to penetrate shields. Explodes with devastating power upon contact with a shield.

*Effect: Applying this to a weapon increases damage to shields by 15% for 30 minutes.

*Restriction: Creator Yeonwol.

Yeonwol applied the Shield Penetration Potion to his weapon.

While it seemed impressive, its practical effect wasn’t as significant. The shield accounted for only 50% of the Kalgalquir’s total HP, so the actual damage increase was less than 7.5%.

Even so, it was remarkable. But for a level 50 to challenge a level 100 monster, it was still insufficient.

However, there was a loophole.

Even if the shield had only 1 point remaining, the 15% additional damage would apply fully!

Even if the remaining HP was 50 points and the shield had only 1 point left, Yeonwol’s damage would still fully apply with the 15% bonus, even adding extra damage to the HP.

Crash!

As Yeonwol’s Blue Sea Blade struck the Kalgalquir, an effect like a translucent blue glass shattering appeared, dealing massive damage.

“Shave off the shield completely. Then, strike with the most powerful skill when the shield starts regenerating.”

When the shield regenerated from 0 to 1 point, Yeonwol chained his Overwhelming Strength and Sea-Splitting Blade, instantly reducing the Kalgalquir’s HP by more than 30%.

Despite only attacking the Kalgalquir a few times, each hit dealt damage comparable to that of a high-level player.

-Kirrek!

The Kalgalquir let out a pained screech, writhing in agony, but Yeonwol stepped carefully, focusing on evasion.

Then, when the shield regeneration timing aligned again, he activated another skill.

Crash!

-Kirre…

With that, one Kalgalquir was easily defeated.

[Your level has increased by 2 stages.]

[You overcame an overwhelming level difference and claimed victory!]

[Some of the experience has been converted into stats.]

Without any assistance from his spirit summons, Yeonwol had successfully hunted a level 100 monster.

It was a remarkable feat, yet Yeonwol remained calm.

In his previous life, he had overcome even greater level gaps.

He had done so by exploiting various items and systems.

Moreover, every one of these hunting techniques was developed by Yeonwol himself.

No other player had ever needed to hunt using such crude methods.

Using these techniques often reminded him of his weak self from his past life, which was not a pleasant memory.

“Not bad.”

The experiences of his weaker past self were now propelling his rapid growth in this life.

“Oh, right. Since it’s come to this, I might as well share my past life know-how on Eltube.”

Since his techniques were designed for weaker players, sharing them could raise the average skill level among users.

He decided to capitalize on the growing attention his Eltube channel was receiving.

“These techniques are simple enough for anyone to follow.”

After testing the waters by hunting one Kalgalquir, Yeonwol observed his surroundings.

It was early morning.

During the day, there were usually too many players around, making it awkward to summon his spirits.

Summons cloaked in a faint violet aura stood out too much in mid-tier hunting grounds.

“If my hidden class gets noticed, it’ll become a hassle. Especially since summoning-based hidden classes draw even more attention.”

Though it wouldn’t be a huge issue if discovered, Yeonwol preferred to avoid attention for as long as possible.

“There’s hardly anyone watching now. If I’m going to use them, now’s the time.”

Yeonwol summoned all his spirits and hunted with them.

While he could manage hunting alone, it was much easier and more efficient with his summons.

The more he hunted, the more Yeonwol realized the absurdity of his Overwhelming Strength skill.

Though it had a cooldown of over a minute and consumed an enormous amount of MP, Yeonwol was now certain.

This skill was an eternally viable powerhouse.

“Even though it’s low-ranked, its power is undeniable.”

Its low rank likely stemmed from the fact that it had limited impact when used alone and had a long cooldown.

However, the skill’s game-changing aspect was its ability to be stacked with other skills.

For example, combining it with an S-rank skill could significantly amplify the latter’s power.

As a skill earned for reaching 100 Strength, its performance was outstanding.

The Goblin Soul Flame was another versatile tool.

Though its extreme MP consumption limited its use, its “lifesteal” function, which absorbed the enemy’s HP to heal the user, was highly coveted and provided excellent sustainability.

“Whew… I need a good rest.”

After hunting Kalgalquirs in succession, Yeonwol sat in a corner to recover. He wrapped bandages soaked in herbal ointments around his wounds and waited for his mana to recover.

Ordinary players would have resumed hunting as soon as their mana replenished.

But Yeonwol couldn’t do the same.

He had pushed too hard and lost all three of his spirit summons while hunting the Kalgalquirs.

“If I were a Tamer, this would’ve been disastrous.”

But Yeonwol was a Necromaster.

Dead spirits could be resummoned as long as his MP recovered.

After fully restoring his MP, Yeonwol re-synthesized Mad, then filled his MP again to resummon Eltis, and finally restored Cooling.

Only after refilling his MP again was he fully prepared for battle.

With each break like this, he could hunt faster than even most level 100 parties.

Though Blade Canyon was vast, and encounters with other players were rare during early morning hours, Yeonwol occasionally ran into a few while hunting.

Fortunately, these players didn’t seem to recognize how exceptional and rare summoning-based hidden classes were.

“That guy has three summons?”

“I’ve never seen that violet aura before. Is it a hidden class? He’s wearing a mask. Is that trendy now?”

“Pfft. He doesn’t seem famous, yet he’s masking his face just because he has a hidden class?”

“Yeah, but these days, people are targeting hidden classes. Better be cautious.”

“Oh, right. Did you hear about that? The ‘Hidden Class Killer’ who steals stats and skills by killing their owners?”

“Well, doesn’t concern us.”

Ignorant of the significance, those players found Yeonwol peculiar but didn’t pay him much attention.

“…I’ll need to be more careful from now on.”

If anyone curious about his summons had taken a screenshot and shared it on community boards, it could have caused unnecessary trouble.

Still, Yeonwol was fortunate.

The advent of Tamer classes had normalized the presence of non-human companions like monsters or spirits, making his summons less suspicious.

“Thanks to the Tamer class, some players just gloss over my uniqueness.”

Yeonwol stayed in Blade Canyon and hunted for two weeks straight. He logged out minimally and took brief naps during mana recovery breaks.

After about two weeks of such relentless hunting, his level reached 80.

As he became more adept at hunting and his spirits leveled up, his hunting speed improved, though the experience gain rate gradually slowed.

If he told others he had gone from level 50 to 80 in just two weeks, they wouldn’t believe it. Most ordinary players spent months stuck in the level 50 range.

But Yeonwol knew that the real grind began at level 100. Beyond that point, the experience required for each level increased exponentially, making such rapid leveling impossible.

He had also collected enough Kalgalquir accessories.

He obtained three rings, two necklaces, and one bracelet, equipping the rings and one necklace while planning to sell the extra necklace at the trading post.

The total shield value granted by these accessories was 250.

Though it seemed low, it accounted for 15% of his total HP and could be replenished using MP, effectively extending his survivability.

“The Kulrak accessory set should go to Eltis.”

Despite diminishing efficiency at this hunting ground, Yeonwol couldn’t leave yet because he hadn’t obtained his second target: a skill.

Every field hunting ground featured a field boss version of its monsters, a more powerful variant.

He had to hunt it, but it hadn’t appeared yet.

“Tsk, waiting longer feels like a waste.”

With that thought, Yeonwol decided to hunt for just one more day.

That evening.

“Damn it, the field boss has appeared!”

“I heard its level is over 120. Damn it.”

“Ugh, that shortcut’s blocked now. Guess today’s hunting is over.”

“Well, someone will probably organize an attack group soon enough.”

Seeing players scatter in panic, Yeonwol finally smiled.

“That one’s mine.”