Chapter 1
It has been 50 years since gates appeared in the world.
We now live in an era where mana engines and monsters are part of everyday life.
Hunters are the suppliers of mana stones, the new energy source.
They are also an indispensable force that protects people from monster threats.
Even though it is the number one profession in the world for death rate.
It is still the most admired job.
I am one of those hunters too.
“Grr! Rrr!”
“Huh? Huh?”
“One slipped through that side!”
A dog-headed beastman.
A kobold ignored the tanker line and rushed forward.
“Inhale.”
Then I guess it is time to earn my pay.
Click—
I opened the luggage carrier used for transporting cargo.
Inside were severed arms and legs.
It looks like I am hiding a crime, but I am not.
Look at the face.
It is not human. It has a pig’s nose.
It is the corpse of a D-rank monster, an orc.
Five seconds to reconnect the separated arms, legs, and torso.
I placed my hand on the cold skin.
“Open your eyes.”
[Corpse Creation]
A gloomy energy connected the divided body.
The orc sprang to its feet and trembled slightly.
“Grr! Grr!”
“Uuuugh.”
Like an actor frozen stiff from tension.
The orc moved rigidly, grabbed the kobold tightly, and fell forward.
Pinned beneath the corpse, the kobold stabbed wildly at its side with a dagger.
Stab, stab. The body swayed left and right, but not a drop of blood flowed.
Of course not. It is a zombie.
The orc zombie restrained the kobold’s arms so it could not move.
Then it bit into its neck.
Crunch!
[Experience has increased.]
[Level cap reached. Converted to accumulated experience.]
The message announced the kobold’s death.
“Stop.”
Corpses are all money.
If you eat everything, nothing is left.
The orc zombie stood up.
An E-rank day labor hunter gasped.
“Mr. Park. You are a necromancer?”
“Just a small trick.”
I am not a necromancer, which guarantees at least B-rank upon awakening.
I am in a similar field called Necrosmith.
“Mr. Kim, you did not know? Mr. Park is famous for being permanently E-rank.”
“Permanent E-rank?”
“He has been E-rank for five years. Famous at the Hunter Job Center.”
Damn it.
Thanks for the introduction.
“Grr! Grr!”
Barking sounds pierced my ears.
“More kobolds are coming!”
“Everyone, do as you trained! Tankers forward!”
“Y-Yes!”
“Hey, mage! Why are you preparing a fireball? Trying to roast the tankers?”
“S-Sorry!”
Clang—
Something dropped.
Sharp, nervous breaths echoed everywhere.
It was the first real combat for students from a small hunter academy.
Today I came as a shield for inexperienced hunters.
Catching the kobold that slipped past the tankers was part of the job.
“Mr. Park. Same job today?”
“It pays well.”
“It is annoying wiping the noses of brats.”
“No choice.”
A bitter smile formed.
Five years since awakening as a hunter.
After awakening, I entered gates five days a week.
An average hunter enters three times a week.
I worked nearly twice as hard.
Yet I have not reached D-rank.
“Still, your undead seems smoother than before.”
“Haha. Thank you.”
Not possible.
My undead can barely move their limbs.
They just charge blindly, knock enemies down, and bite.
That is the best they can do.
You think the undead are stiff because of rigor mortis?
[Corpse Creation]
Rank: E
Restriction: Necrosmith
Proficiency: 100%
Process materials judged as corpses into weapons or undead.
Undead created are influenced by the creator.
If granted a soul from another world, the creator inherits part of that soul’s abilities.
▷ Growth-type skill.
Necromancers can raise undead easily with mana alone.
My job requires actual crafting.
It feels like a downgraded version.
That would be fine.
The problem is this:
▷ Influenced by the creator.
It refers to things like athletic sense.
You know those kids who trip over nothing while chasing a ball?
That was me.
Cursed with terrible coordination.
Taekwondo.
Muay Thai.
Kickboxing.
Personal training.
I tried everything to fix it.
“Sorry, today will be your last session.”
“You do not seem likely to improve.”
“We will refund your registration fee.”
All failed.
“Uuuugh.”
The stiff orc zombie made me frown.
The reason I cannot reach D-rank is the promotion exam.
At level 50, you must take a promotion test.
Each class has different requirements.
For necromancer types, the D-rank exam tests “creation” and “control.”
Honestly.
If they told me to fight a monster one-on-one like a warrior, I would not complain.
“Another kobold slipped through!”
“On my way.”
The orc zombie moved stiffly and blocked it.
Please take hits moderately.
Repairs cost materials.
If repair costs exceed my pay, that is a problem.
***
[Hero’s Mausoleum]
Rank – E
Restriction – D-rank or lower (30)
That is the gate name the students are clearing.
“Ah! It hurts!”
“Hold formation!”
“Block the kobolds!”
Despite the grand name.
The main monsters are kobolds.
E-rank weaklings, equal to goblins.
“You! Work!”
The academy instructor shouted.
Why blame us for your poor training?
“Mr. Park. Can you only control one zombie?”
“I can control several.”
“Then why only one?”
“Cost efficiency.”
My undead are handmade.
If damaged, I repair them personally.
Unless I clear gates alone.
No reason to use many.
“Is not necromancy about numbers?”
“It feels cool, sure.”
But style equals expenses.
“You can just raise undead on the spot.”
“They require aging.”
That is why I carry corpses in a suitcase.
Without managing, performance drops.
Though it saves maintenance money.
Not meaningful for me.
A day labor hunter patted my shoulder.
“I was nervous seeing the gate name. Nothing special.”
Right.
I came not just for money.
“Mausoleum” is another word for “tomb.”
Maybe I could find a soul from another world.
That is why I entered.
But as you can see, only kobolds.
As we reached the end, the mood changed.
“Feels real at least.”
“No chatting during a raid!”
“S-Sorry!”
Excavated graves.
A kobold shaman sat on a coffin.
Ten kobolds guarded it.
“Grrr!”
The shaman raised its staff.
A magic circle formed.
Dangerous.
“Students, watch carefully.”
The instructor rushed forward.
A D-rank hunter.
[Howling Blade]
The vibrating blade cut through the fireball.
And sliced the shaman.
“Wow. D-rank is different.”
It is item power.
Necromancer plus Blacksmith.
Thanks to class traits, I recognized it.
The vibration neutralized the fireball.
The leftover force killed the shaman.
The students fumbled.
But no major accidents.
“We did it!”
“I cleared a gate!”
“I am a hunter now!”
Their cheers echoed.
I understand that feeling.
I felt it too once.
Back then, I did not know I would stay E-rank for five years.
“Tch.”
Bitter.
“No clear message. Eliminate remaining enemies.”
When a gate is cleared:
[You have successfully cleared the gate.]
[Rank—E ~ SSS]
Clear time determines rank.
Rewards are given.
This one took too long.
Bad rewards.
While students shouted.
I circled the grave.
Maybe I would find that soul.
Honestly, I doubted it existed.
No souls appeared when monsters died.
Sometimes I see spirits outside.
But they are not valid targets for [Corpse Creation].
“This time too, nothing.”
I approached the coffin.
Nothing.
“Uuuugh.”
The orc zombie approached stiffly.
Instinctively protecting me.
Well.
At least I have you—
【Who are you?】
The coffin trembled.
A genderless voice pierced my mind.
Not sound.
The thoughts of the dead.
Thump. Thump.
My heart pounded.
If that voice belongs to a soul from another world.
I might finally see a new aspect of [Corpse Creation].
After five years.
I steadied myself.
“Who are you?”
【My name is Isra. The strongest knight of the Enras continent. 】
