Chapter 187

[Translator – Prøks]

[Proofreader – Prøks]

Chapter 187: Heavenly City (6)

“Uh oh….”

Ermian and the district heads were flustered. Honestly, they had charged in lightly. They thought there would be, at most, one or two casualties.

That was their mindset.

That complacency led to a fatal outcome. Before they knew it, the undead were multiplying endlessly.

Guild members who had shared life and death together turned into corpses and swung their swords at their comrades. It was a devastating blow.

“Form a defensive line!”

“Use protective skills!”

“Priests! Quickly block them!”

With chaos erupting everywhere, it was impossible to utilize magic effectively.

“Th-the skills aren’t working! Argh!”

Even the priests, the natural enemies of the undead, were powerless. The light attribute had no effect.

The curse continued to spread, gnawing at the bodies of the guild members.

A group of Skeleton Mages gathered together, forming a massive magic circle.

Thud.

Thud.

Sharp, thorny bones rained down from the sky, and the curse blinded the guild members.

Skeletons slipped through the chaos, launching coordinated attacks.

Shield bearers blocked the front, dispersing the impact.

Meanwhile, nets flew in, ensnaring the guild members.

A guild member, caught in a giant net, writhed.

But they couldn’t overcome the combined strength of several skeletons pulling on the net.

“Gah!”

The guild member fell.

―Neigh!

A giant horse made of blood reared up on its hind legs.

“He-help!”

They cried out desperately, looking around, but the help they so desperately desired never came.

Crunch!

The immense weight crushed the guild member’s face. Their body trembled for a moment, their face turned to mush.

―Groan.

They became one of the undead, twitching within the net.

Ermian was horrified.

‘This can’t be happening…….’

Was the Necromancer class this powerful?

No.

Ordinary Necromancers couldn’t control this many summons, nor could they utilize endlessly spreading curses, diverse magic, or powerful summons.

If they could, everyone would have chosen to be a Necromancer.

The shock was brief.

Ermian gritted his teeth and looked around at the district heads.

“We have to kill him!”

The district heads nodded with grim faces.

“Raaagh!”

With a mighty roar, Ermian charged at Kim Minwoo.

An immense energy surged from his gauntlets.

[Ermian uses ‘Heavenly Projection’!]

They decided to go all-out from the start. The other district heads felt the same.

The rulers of the 9th District, with an average level close to 1,000.

They approached Kim Minwoo with murderous intent in their eyes.

Shing.

He drew a pitch-black sword, like a shadow. Cedric swung his spear, and magic swirled around Merhen’s hand.

‘Nine of them.’

Not an insignificant number.

But he wasn’t too worried.

While winning quickly would be tough, holding out wasn’t a problem.

Besides…….

‘The stage is already set.’

In this kind of chaotic battle, the power of a Necromancer was beyond imagination.

The allied guild members were crumbling helplessly.

They were finally coming to their senses and trying to form a formation, but with their numbers dwindling and the undead increasing, this was a fight they couldn’t win.

‘The ones getting desperate are the allies.’

They were just a group gathered for temporary gain. How could the nine of them work together seamlessly?

If he just stalled for time, they would naturally fall apart, so there was no need to rush.

‘First, take down one of them with Dolsoe.’

The giant Bone Golem rose from the ground.

[Dolsoe uses ‘Provoke’ and ‘Defensive Stance’…….]

The attention of one district head was drawn.

But Ermian and the other district heads continued to charge, undeterred.

Just then.

“Don’t you dare touch our guild master!”

Amteron swung his greatsword with all his might.

Clang!

The greatsword collided violently with Ermian’s gauntlet.

“What are you doing!”

“Choose your side wisely!”

“You damn bastard…….”

“Well, who told you to attack?”

Amteron sneered.

Annoyingly, the difference in skill between him and Ermian wasn’t that great.

“Join us! I’ll give you anything! Anything you want!”

“Screw you.”

Amteron spat out thick phlegm. They excluded the Hamorn Guild from the alliance from the start, and now they wanted him to join?

‘Am I crazy?’

If he stalled for time, there would be plenty of them running away. Amteron had already made up his mind a long time ago.

Seeing this, Kim Minwoo smiled with satisfaction.

‘He’s got some sense.’

The good news didn’t end there.

The Hamorn Guild members also joined the fray, pushing back against the alliance.

“You bastard!”

“Die!”

He deflected the attacks of the district heads with his sword. Even though his level was lower, his stats weren’t far behind theirs.

[The Divine Beast merges with you!]

[‘Hayang’ shares attributes with her owner!]

[‘Absolute Zero’ attribute can be used!]

[Ice resistance increased by 120%…….]

Whoosh…….

An immense chill enveloped one of the district heads. Frost formed on his shield, and the cold air enveloped his palm. It was so cold that his spine tingled.

Kim Minwoo, dodging a mace and a whip from the side, rolled on the ground.

[Using Shadow Imprisonment (SS)…….]

[Translator – Prøks]

[Proofreader – Prøks]

The second effect of the Shadow Sword. As he rolled, he stabbed the man’s shadow with his sword.

The district head, who had been flinching from the cold, froze in place.

Slice!

Kim Minwoo stood up and cut off his head.

[“Deadly” modifier active!]

[Triple experience points gained…….]

[Level increased by 3…….]

‘Not bad.’

The “Deadly” modifier was causing experience points to pour in explosively.

“Watch out!”

“He has more shadow skills!”

The district heads shouted urgently.

Their eyes shook with fear.

A master of similar level had been killed without even a chance to fight back.

Would they be any different?

There was something else that shook their hearts.

The screams of their guild members.

The longer the fight dragged on, the more their forces dwindled, making them desperate.

Kim Minwoo grinned.

“Anyone else with the sense to join me now?”

Whether this persuaded them or not didn’t matter. If he took down two or three more, they would fall apart on their own.

‘I can’t kill them all if I want to grow the guild.’

One by one, the district heads began to hesitate.

* * *

“Kekeke. Look over there. Those bastards look like they’re about to kneel.”

Ermian gritted his teeth at Amteron’s wicked smile.

‘Damn it! If it weren’t for this guy!’

If they had all attacked together, they might have been able to take down Kim Minwoo.

But not now.

The guild members, who had numbered over a thousand, were already down to nearly four hundred.

The battle between the leaders had also been decided. Two district heads were already dead.

They were just circling around like scared puppies, hesitant to act.

‘It’s too late.’

Just then.

One of the district heads surrounding Kim Minwoo knelt.

“P-please spare me!”

Thud!

The sound of bodies hitting the ground continued, as if a plague was spreading. The allied guild members also dropped their weapons.

Their fighting spirit had long been lost.

The only reason they had held out this long was because their leaders were fighting. Now that even that flimsy reason was gone, there was no motivation to continue the battle.

In the distance, he could see the guild members belonging to the Red Flag. Their gazes were all fixed on him.

Their eyes were filled with desperation.

Please, let’s stop this now.

“Get a clue.”

“Damn it!”

Ermian growled.

He wanted to rip out the tongue of that smug lizardman.

After a moment of agonizing conflict,

Kim Minwoo approached.

“You’re the ringleader, right?”

“…….”

“I was quite surprised. You all swarmed in so quickly after I arrived at the Hamorn Guild.”

“What are you going to do?”

“Even after things have turned out like this, your eyes are still defiant. Is it because of your brother, Blood Wolf?”

Ermian laughed coldly.

It wasn’t entirely wrong.

Half the reason he became the leader of the top guild in the 9th District was because of his brother’s reputation.

He had gained a lot thanks to his brother. He had no intention of denying that.

“You attacked me first. You have to pay the price.”

“……Are you talking about merging the guilds?”

“Yes.”

“Hmph! The Red Flag doesn’t bow to anyone, even if the others do.”

It was Blood Wolf’s guild.

Submit to some naive newcomer who just entered the Heavenly Realm City?

That was an impossible story.

If that happened, Blood Wolf wouldn’t stay silent.

He might even kill him. For tarnishing his name.

There was a reason why the word “blood” was in their title. That’s why it was an option Ermian could never accept.

“Then what are you going to compensate me with?”

“We won’t touch you anymore. At least not in the 9th District.”

He failed to recognize a strong opponent.

He admitted it.

So he would correct his mistake.

That was the best Ermian could offer.

“So you’re saying you’ll touch me in other districts?”

“……The higher districts that the Red Flag manages are not under my jurisdiction. My authority isn’t that great.”

Kim Minwoo pondered for a moment.

‘Should I kill him, or not.’

His modus operandi had always been simple.

Double the favor.

A hundredfold the grudge.

If he had lost to the allied guilds today?

He would have become their slave.

A result no different from death.

They had placed that much weight on the scales.

Then, shouldn’t they also bear the consequences if they failed?

The only thing he was concerned about was the reputation of Blood Wolf.

He didn’t know much about him.

But the title of Seven Lords wasn’t given for nothing.

If he killed Ermian and a monster of that caliber came after him, it would be very dangerous for him too. Even considering the penalty, it was still a risk.

‘I can’t know if he’ll come or not.’

The district where Blood Wolf operated was one of the highest. If he came down to the 9th District, there would be many casualties.

Would he really do that?

Suddenly, Kim Minwoo chuckled.

‘Since when did I start overthinking everything?’

He had always been a challenger.

Hardships were just elements to overcome. Becoming enemies with Blood Wolf wasn’t much different.

‘Besides…….’

If he let Ermian go and spared the Red Flag now, would all this animosity disappear cleanly?

‘I don’t think so.’

It was highly likely that they would continue to bother him in the higher districts.

And he had no intention of tolerating that.

If it was likely that he would become enemies with the Red Flag anyway.

“I’ve decided.”

“Then I’ll be on my way…….”

Slice!

The giant werewolf’s head flew into the air.

Thud…….

Ermian’s head rolled on the ground, his eyes wide open.

“Eek!”

“H-he killed him?”

“Blood Wolf’s brother?”

The allied forces were terrified.

Amteron was equally shocked.

‘Crazy!’

The Red Flag Guild was the instigator.

They bore a much greater responsibility for this incident. Ermian had also been arrogant. But even considering all that, Kim Minwoo’s response was shocking.

“W-what if Blood Wolf comes looking for you!”

“There’s a penalty for coming down from the higher districts, right?”

“But even considering that, he’s a monster! He’s not one of the Seven Lords for nothing!”

“If he comes, he comes. So, are you going to betray me?”

Amteron’s lips twitched at the cold stare.

“Th-that’s not what I meant…….”

“Amteron.”

“……Yes, Guild Master.”

“It won’t be too late to think about the consequences in the future. So there’s nothing to worry about now. Besides…….”

“Besides……?”

“I was a bit short on levels.”

“……Huh?”

“These guys are considered PvP, so they give a lot of experience points.”

It was true.

The message that just popped up was…….

[“Deadly” modifier active!]

[Triple experience points gained…….]

[Level increased by 5!]

He had gained 5 levels just from killing one wolf guy. And the bonuses didn’t stop there.

[By reaching level 451, you have met the third trial condition of the Death Lord!]

[You can now be summoned at will!]

The third trial of the Death Lord was activated.

“……You killed him because you were short on experience points?”

“Well, that was one of the reasons.”

Amteron was dumbfounded.

[Translator – Prøks]

[Proofreader – Prøks]