Chapter 76: A Tiger Leaves Its Skin Behind in Death, but Humans...(2)

[Translator - Hestia]

[Proofreader - Kaya]

Chapter 76: A Tiger Leaves Its Skin Behind in Death, but Humans...(2)

“Are we replacing bones again this time?”

“We'll be doing that, and there’s something else I’ll use it for too.”

The first step of the procedure was the same as when Jo Seungchul was transformed into a Dark Minion.

A few of his bones were replaced with pieces of [Scrap Metal Filled with Obsession].

As Shin Joonseok engraved magic circuits onto the steel, he let out a low hum.

“Is this the right direction? It’s different from last time.”

“You remember.”

“Oddly enough, I remember everything you make me do.”

“You’re going to steal all my expertise at this rate.”

“Is that okay?”

Yoojin chuckled at Shin Joonseok’s joke and replied, his lips parting once more.

“We’re synchronizing the flow of spirit power with the outside.”

“By ‘outside,’ you mean…? Oh!”

Smart.

A mind so keen that explaining one thing lets them grasp ten more.

Combine that with their overflowing passion for learning, and it’s a pleasure to teach this alchemy… no, this partner.

“Outside?”

“You’re not trying to hold onto thin air, are you?”

The youngest team members tilted their heads in confusion, unable to follow.

They’ll understand once they see it.

After finishing the engraving of the magic concentration circuits, Shin Joonseok placed two cheap iron swords and a piece of armor—purchased from the Hunter Market—in front of him.

“Can you replicate these?”

“That much is a piece of cake.”

[Alchemical Formula]

[Analyze]

Yoojin used the basic alchemy skill he had also learned.

He analyzed the form and structure of the two swords and the armor using magic.

[Alchemical Formula]

[Metal Manipulation – Form Transformation]

Shin Joonseok then infused mana into the [Scrap Metal Filled with Obsession], making it malleable.

Recalling the structures of the weapons and armor vividly in his mind, he shaped the material into identical forms.

This technique, which allows manipulation of metal based on the user's mental image, is highly complex. Still, he managed to replicate the swords and armor flawlessly without a single deviation.

"Replicating items like this is truly a unique and fascinating experience."

“Impressive. The craftsmanship is so perfect I’d question if it’s really your first try.”

Yoojin grasped one of the replicated swords, letting out an exclamation of admiration.

“What? You can copy items now?”

“I should’ve trained to be an alchemist instead.”

As Kang Minyeong and Lee Seongmin muttered enviously, Shin Joonseok gave them a disdainful glance.

“You do realize, though, these weapons are practically useless in actual combat, right?”

Even if you understand and replicate the structure using magic, it doesn’t mean the copies will perform the same.

For starters, the materials themselves are different.

The processes of tempering or casting, typically involved in refining iron, had been skipped entirely.

Moreover, essential procedures for Hunter weapons, such as embedding magic circuits, had not been carried out.

“If you swing it around carelessly, it’ll snap in half instantly.”

“Nothing comes easy, does it?”

“Hyung, don’t act like that thought never crossed your mind.”

“Hmm, I fail to see your point.”

“Sunbae-nim, you’re not planning to bow out of this alone, are you?”

Kang Minho found himself pulled down to their level by the two others.

Yoojin chuckled softly, then proceeded to equip Song Myeongseok with the replicated swords and armor that Shin Joonseok had created.

[Alchemical Formula]

[Enhancement Circuit Activation]

The armor and swords forged from [Scrap Metal Filled with Obsession] were connected to the replaced bones through circuits.

Upon engraving the enhancement circuit, Yoojin immediately infused spirit power into it.

Swishhhhh!

With a surge like a tidal wave, spirit power began circulating throughout Song Myeongseok’s bones, using the magic convergence array as its central node.

The reaction mirrored what had occurred when Jo Seungchul was promoted to a Dark Minion.

‘It can’t end here.’

Yoojin adjusted the direction of the spirit power slightly upward.

The enhancement circuits connected to the shoulder armor naturally guided the energy.

The flow continued to circulate through the armor crafted from [Scrap Metal Filled with Obsession], moving from one shoulder to the other, and then back into the bones.

The dual swords in his hands followed the same process.

The spirit power recognized the swords and armor as extensions of Song Myeongseok’s body.

〔So that’s why you didn’t just use pre-made equipment—this was the purpose.〕

‘If I’m not going to arm him with unique-grade artifacts, this is the next best option.’

[Scrap Metal Filled with Obsession] is particularly compatible with undead.

The key to the procedure was ensuring that Song Myeongseok’s soul perceived the metal-crafted weapons and armor as part of his own body.

Once that step was complete...

Clang—Clang!

The shoulder armor, connected by the enhancement circuit, began reshaping itself to fit Song Myeongseok’s physique.

The swords he was holding—more accurately, the metallic fragments shaped like swords—partially merged with his hands, transforming into gauntlets akin to those of a knight.

Whoooosh!

A blazing blue ghostly flame erupted where his eyes should have been.

[Skeleton Warrior (Song Myeongseok) has exceeded his limits.]

[He has been promoted to Skeleton Knight.]

This marked his evolution from a low-tier undead into a mid-tier undead with self-awareness.

“Do you recognize me?”

[Cheon Yoojin.]

“Yes, it’s good to see you, Supernova of Arhan.”

[Yes, my lord.]

His response was slightly delayed.

Unlike Jo Seungchul, who had been undead for a while, Song Myeongseok retained some resentment towards Yoojin, having been resurrected so soon after his death.

“Oh, don’t worry. We’ve got plenty of time for you to adjust.”

Yoojin wasn’t concerned about lingering grudges from when Song Myeongseok was alive.

The bond connecting their souls overrode such emotions.

No matter how strong his will or fury, it was no match for Yoojin, who had reached the pinnacle of 9 Stars.

[Kraaaaaah!]

The Skeleton Knight (Song Myeongseok) let out a piercing scream, vivid enough to resemble a living human’s cry of anguish.

Instead of handling the physical bones, Yoojin directly stimulated the tether of their connected souls.

“What’s wrong? Feeling unsteady, are you?”

[Hrrrk, hrrrhhh.]

‘Don’t worry. I’m not going to erase your sense of self or anything like that.‘

What good would it do to strip the free will of someone with the talents of an 8 Star?

He’d just end up as another generic Skeleton Knight.

“However, we should establish a proper chain of command.”

Yoojin smirked, curling one side of his lips into a sinister grin.

＊ ＊ ＊

【I pledge my loyalty.】

A solemn vow, resonating deep within the soul.

Though there had been minor disagreements, Song Myeongseok quickly relented and set aside his stubbornness.

He knelt on one knee, holding the blade with its edge pointed toward himself—a classic gesture of fealty one might associate with a knight’s oath.

It was a dignified sight.

“Very well. I accept.”

Yoojin replied, though his response was far from formal, bordering on flippant.

〔Contractor, what will you do if he changes his mind later?〕

‘That vow is etched into his soul. Having already submitted, it won’t be easy for him to go back on it.’

Yoojin’s dominion over the undead was absolute.

As long as he remained conscious and his control remained intact, Song Myeongseok would be incapable of breaking the oath he had just sworn.

[Skeleton Knight (Song Myeongseok)]

- Race: Undead

- Rank: ★★★★

◎ Stats

Strength: 651 / Agility: 560 (-100) / Stamina: 473 (+200) / Endurance: 444 (+250) / Spirit Power: 375 (+100)

◎ Traits

▷ Heavenly Bone [Unique] / Dual Wielding Virtuoso [A] / Transcender of Boundaries [B] / Undying Entity [C+] / Commander of the Undead [C+] / Weapon Master [C+]

◎ Skills

▷ Lightning Step [A] / Spectral Blade [A] / Dual Blades [B] / Dark Aura Manipulation [B]

A dazzling array of traits and skills.

Heavenly Bone was famous in its own right, but having an A-rank trait like Dual Wielding Virtuoso was unexpected.

〔Dual Wielding Virtuoso?〕

‘It’s a trait that allows the left and right hands to act independently, enabling completely different techniques to be executed simultaneously.’

With Dual Wielding Virtuoso paired with Weapon Master, it made sense for Song Myeongseok to specialize in dual swords.

His skills were equally extraordinary.

Both Spectral Blade and Lightning Step were techniques that had earned him infamy before Yoojin’s regression.

It was clear he hadn’t obtained them on his own—they were undoubtedly investments from Arhan.

‘The low proficiency is likely because both skills depend on aura manipulation for their true potential.’

Even Dual Blades alone was an incredibly potent skill.

The brilliance of his abilities stood in stark contrast to Yoojin’s current team.

‘My kids are scraping by with D or E-rank skills at best.’

Arhan had spared no expense on this promising recruit, only for him to die prematurely.

Looking at the skill setup, it was easy to imagine how devastated Arhan must have been by Song Myeongseok’s death.

〔They must view you, the contractor, as their mortal enemy.〕

‘They brought it on themselves.’

Yoojin thought, remaining unbothered.

While his clashes with Arhan were happening much sooner than they had in his previous timeline, he had gained far more in return.

He had eliminated a future executive of the Nine Dragons Hall.

And he had revived the corpse into a loyal subordinate.

If the enhancements continued as planned, Song Myeongseok could potentially surpass a Doom Knight and become a Hell Knight, much like Park Haneul (the previous Fafnir) had in the prior timeline.

‘They really are the gift that keeps on giving.’

With so much gained, Yoojin resolved to repay the favor—by granting them a swift and merciful death when the time came.

Buzzzzzz— Buzzzzzzz—

[Incoming Call – Chairman of Seongcheon Corporation]

Chairman Jin Seonghyun

About a month ago, Chairman Jin Seonghyun, a businessman, approached Yoojin with a request to save his daughter, who was suffering from Muscle Contraction Sclerosis.

Following the treatment, he showed consistent goodwill towards Yoojiin, even providing information about how the Arhan Guild had begun observing him closely.

“Cheon Yoojin speaking.”

- Ah, Mr. Priest! First, congratulations on conquering the double dungeon. I hope you didn’t get hurt?

“I’m perfectly fine. Thank you for your concern.”

- Haha, I’d love to meet in person and hear your tales of valor, but… I must speak to you urgently.

“It’s related to the Arhan Guild, isn’t it?”

- You’ve already guessed? They’re attempting to approach your teammates’ relatives.

Tsk.

‘How predictable. Their methods never change.’

Before regression, Yoojin endured countless experiences with this exact tactic from the Arhan Guild.

If someone resisted joining their guild, they’d start targeting the person’s family and associates, throwing money around to apply indirect pressure.

This strategy was effective enough to bring hunters unwillingly to the negotiation table.

“That’s manageable for now. Let me know when they escalate to the next phase.”

- The next phase?

“When the Nachal Guild gets involved.”

- You know about them as well?

“I have a knack for picking up stray bits of knowledge.”

The Nachal Guild.

Although it’s called a “guild,” it’s infamous in South Korea as a criminal organization.

Based in Busan, they’re a ruthless group that will do anything for profit.

‘In truth, the Nachal Guild is a pet project nurtured by Arhan’s vice chairman.’

In this era, very few people know of the connection between Arhan and Nachal. Even Chairman Jin only confirmed this classified information through a discreet informant.

- I see. That individual does hold you in high regard, so it makes sense that you’d know.

Yoojin didn’t bother to correct Chairman Jin’s misunderstanding.

There was no reason to explain that the source of his knowledge was his future self.

“When that time comes, please notify me.”

- It’s a privilege to assist you, Mr. Priest. I feel honored.

“Thank you. I’ll count on you.”

Click.

〔Aren’t you worried that the families of those small humans might be harmed?〕

‘There’s no immediate danger.’

As long as the Nachal Guild remains uninvolved, the situation won’t escalate to life-threatening levels.

Though their relatives might suffer emotional distress from being pressured or bribed by Arhan, it’s not a matter of life and death.

‘I was already planning to pay them a visit, so this works out.’

In this life as well, his relationship with the Arhan Guild had become irreparable.

They must think the difference in power is insurmountable.

But…

There’s no need to confront someone head-on when you’re in a different weight class.

‘I’ll chip away at them, step by step.’

Armed with knowledge and power from the future, they won’t even realize who’s slowly dismantling them.

Yoojin chuckled.

＊ ＊ ＊

With a deafening sound—!

A whirlwind of mana tore through the room, shattering the glass windows into fragments.

An overwhelming bloodlust permeated the manifested mana.

Caught in the storm of blue currents, chairs, desks, and everything else were ripped apart.

Crack—

Even the nameplate that read [Arhan Guild Vice President – Baek Seonghyeon] was splintered into dozens of pieces.

The man who had unleashed the storm stood amidst the chaos, his eyes cold and devoid of emotion.

‘Cheon Yoojin. That man ruined everything.’

The double dungeon project built with the power of the Romanov clan was flawless in design.

No anomalies were expected.

Although Jang Miseon had recently surpassed Song Myeongseok in sparring, their abilities were nearly indistinguishable.

With the monsters from the double dungeon joining the fray, the outcome should have been inevitable.

‘The guild invested so much into Song Myeongseok.’

The A-rank skills Spectral Blade and Lightning Step were provided to him.

All the investments made in his potential had crumbled like a house of cards.

The official report?

Baek Seonghyeon dismissed the neatly fabricated report as nothing more than empty lies.

‘Ridiculous. Since when has Song Myeongseok ever been a paragon of righteousness?’

Song Myeongseok’s image was partly his creation but also a product of the guild's PR efforts.

The ambition lurking behind his ever-smiling eyes had been evident to Baek Seonghyeon for a long time.

‘Now that things have come to this, I’ll need to target those around him. And if that doesn’t work, move on to the next step.’

Cheon Yoojin was more than a super rookie—he had even surpassed Song Myeongseok.

If someone with the makings of a Martial King continued to grow, he would become a grave threat to Arhan Guild’s future.

Knock. Knock. Knock—

“Vice President. A representative from the Romanov clan is here to see you.”

“Let them in.”

The secretary opened the door but gasped, quickly covering her mouth.

The state of the room was appalling.

Everything—the chairs, desks, plants, even the PC—had been swept away by the blue currents and reduced to debris.

A middle-aged man with blond hair, blue eyes, and fair skin marked by a crow tattoo walked in, wearing a faint smile.

“You seem to be quite upset.”

“My self-discipline is lacking. I apologize for this unsightly display.”

“Think nothing of it. Venting emotions is part of the journey toward higher planes, isn’t it?”

The Romanov clan’s envoy—the one responsible for creating the double dungeon in Daegu at Arhan Guild’s request—snapped his fingers.

[Wind Curtain]

A 3 Star spell designed to block projectiles using a barrier of wind.

The envoy cast it with a mere snap, bypassing any incantations or mana rearrangement.

Baek Seonghyeon glanced at the wind barrier now encasing the room and suppressed a groan.

‘This isn’t just simple chantless magic.’

The spell’s structure had been manipulated to enclose the room, preventing sound from escaping.

‘The Romanov clan, descendants of the Mage King Dmitri, truly operate on a different level.’

Baek couldn’t help but shudder at the boundless power they wielded.

“I’ve blocked the sound from leaving this space.”

“Thank you.”

“So, does this mean you failed to retrieve the key from the double dungeon?”

“The Phoenix destroyed it.”

“What a shame.”

The envoy let out a sigh.

The red crystal core extracted from the double dungeon was a treasure even the Romanov clan held in high regard—something that should have been secured at all costs.

“I understand.”

“Are you leaving immediately?”

“Yes. I need to report this matter to the head.”

Baek Seonghyeon’s brow twitched.

The Arhan Guild had been discreetly fostering ties with the Romanov clan.

The destruction of the red crystal would undoubtedly tarnish the guild’s reputation in future dealings with them.

“I wish you peace until we meet again.”

The envoy spun on his heel and left without hesitation.

Even so, Baek Seonghyeon couldn’t stop him.

There was no way to replace the destroyed red crystal.

‘Cheon Yoojin…!!’

In the end, Baek Seonghyeon had no choice but to simmer in his frustration, repeating the name of the man who had caused all this turmoil.

[Translator - Hestia

[Proofreader - Kaya]