Chapter 10
The moment I saw the message saying I had been promoted,
My vision blurred.
“Ha… my life.”
It had been four years since I first challenged the promotion exam.
Even hunters with mediocre talent usually advance within a year of awakening.
It took me four times longer.
But—
Now the real beginning starts.
【You can become the strongest in the world.】
“Because I have you?”
【That is correct.】
Sir Isra thumped his chest proudly.
【Do you know who I am? 】
“The self-proclaimed greatest swordsman on the continent.”
【Exactly! With Isra by your side, becoming the strongest is only natural!】
If I hadn’t settled the soul from another world into a zombie—
If I hadn’t met Isra—
I would never have passed with the highest rank.
And if…
If I found another soul from another world like Isra—
If I possessed it into an undead and inherited its talent—
How strong could I become?
The strongest in the world?
It didn’t feel so impossible anymore.
[As a promotion reward, new skills are granted.]
[Bone Metallurgy has been added.]
[Spiritual Circuit Engraving has been added.]
[Bone Metallurgy]
Rank: D
Type: Active
Proficiency: 0%
Refine bones into items.
When activated, bones will not shatter even when heated like metal.
Growth-type skill.
[Spiritual Circuit Engraving]
Rank: D
Type: Active
Proficiency: 0
Engrave spiritual energy circuits at a designated location.
When you rank up, you receive two skills of that rank.
I read them carefully.
“…Wow.”
【Is there a problem? 】
“No. They’re too good.”
Not a sigh of regret—
but admiration.
What caught my eye first was the phrase “growth-type.”
Growth-type skills:
- Increase proficiency three times slower than normal skills.
- At 100% proficiency, the skill rank increases.
- However, it cannot exceed the user’s rank.
- Higher tiers may require enlightenment.
They grow continuously instead of stopping at a fixed rank.
But they’re capped by your hunter rank.
The last condition doesn’t matter to me right now.
【Now that I think about it, all your skills are growth-type.】
Corpse Creation and Corpse Processing.
Both had been stuck at E-rank due to my rank limit.
[Corpse Creation has increased to D-rank.]
[You can now create more types of undead.]
[Corpse Processing has increased to D-rank.]
[You can handle C-rank monster materials without penalty.]
Finally.
The two skills that had been frozen at 100% proficiency had evolved.
I let out a long breath.
Not done yet.
[Additional reward: Evil Eye granted.]
[Additional reward: Domain of Death acquired.]
First, I checked Evil Eye.
[Evil Eye]
Rank: S
Type: Passive
Read the potential of corpses and the flow of mana with your eyes.
“S-Rank?!”
“WOOOOOO!”
【Have you abandoned humanity?】
I ignored him.
This time, I allowed myself to fully celebrate.
After shouting for a while, I calmed down.
“What did I get?”
“S-rank skill.”
【It is nothing special. 】
“You know how annoying that sounds?”
An S-rank skill book is Epic-grade.
Epic items start at tens of billions of won.
I had heard the additional rewards were amazing.
But experiencing it firsthand—
This was beyond expectation.
“It’s called Evil Eye. I can read corpse information and mana flow.”
I couldn’t feel its full effect yet.
【Ooooh! That is incredible!】
“Why are you more excited than me?”
【It synergizes perfectly with Heavenly Martial Body.】
“How?”
【To ascend, energy and body must harmonize.】
If I synchronize mana flow and muscle movement—
Training efficiency would skyrocket.
【You could read your opponent’s intent by observing mana output timing.】
He even suggested it bordered on precognition.
“Sure. Sure.”
【You doubt me?】
“A bit.”
【You will understand soon enough.】
Fine.
Even if I underestimated it—
An S-rank passive was absurd.
But what excited me just as much was this:
[Domain of Death]
Rank: D
Type: Passive
A subspace that stores corpses and the dead.
Capacity: 0/10
Growth-type skill.
I grinned.
“Congratulations. No more suitcase life.”
【Is that something to celebrate?】
“Or would you prefer being luggage?”
I tapped the suitcase.
【Excellent! I approve!】
I activated Domain of Death.
My shadow stretched unnaturally.
【Can I step inside? 】
Sir Isra stepped into the darkness and sank in.
[Domain of Death]
Stored corpses: 1/10
He wasn’t heavy at all.
Ten corpse capacity.
I could store hunted monsters whole.
Or pre-made undead.
This was perfect.
【It is quite comfortable. 】
“You can still talk?”
【I share your vision as well.】
“So you get to sightsee now.”
【Splendid!】
With the exam finished,
I pushed open the door.
Light flooded in.
And then—
“Find Hunter Park Minho!”
“Who is he?!”
“We have to find him first!”
People were running everywhere.
What the hell is going on?
Outside the Tower
The 10th of every month is chaos in the hunter world.
Promotion exam results are displayed on terminals throughout the Tower.
“I wonder how many A-ranks there are today.”
“Lee Seong-ah from Mir Guild is guaranteed S-rank.”
Headhunters gathered every month.
From A-rank and above, additional rare skills are granted.
Then—
A terminal flashed:
[E-rank Hunter Park Minho has received S-rank in promotion test.]
[Additional skills granted.]
“…What?”
“S-rank?”
“Not Lee Seong-ah?”
“Who’s Park Minho?!”
The area exploded in noise.
They thought Mir Guild’s rookie would dominate headlines.
They were wrong.
There was a hidden gem.
“Why not buy a lottery ticket if it guarantees a jackpot?”
“Find Park Minho.”
They didn’t care about my rank.
Low rank was better.
Untapped potential.
“Search the entrances!”
The Tower had dozens of exits.
They had no idea where I would emerge.
“Move!”
“If we stand still, we lose him!”
Meanwhile—
Mir Guild’s staff turned pale.
“What do you mean it’s not Seong-ah?!”
“…It’s Park Minho.”
“What?! Why are we just hearing this now?!”
Reporters smelled blood.
They began searching.
And I—
had just stepped outside.
