Damn Necromancer-Chapter 300
Chapter 300: Reorganization
〈The remaining personnel is a total of twenty.〉
The Demon God’s voice rang out.
The remaining time is two days.
‘It says twenty, but the proper opponents are already all dead.’
Carnos, Elise, Wraith.
Everything worth salvaging from the Ranking Battle has been salvaged.
‘The rest are small fry; it doesn't matter if they bite each other to death or not.’
For the personnel to survive and leave here, just himself and Andromalius were enough.
There was no reason to keep them alive in the first place.
If left alone, it would be fortunate if they didn't come running to steal the treasure map later, anyway.
He looked at the three souls.
Iron Blood King Carnos.
A Berserker who gets stronger the more he fights and the more he gets hurt.
‘This is Cedric’s.’
Witch of the White Night Elise.
‘This is Merhen’s.’
The remaining one, Formless Sword Wraith…….
‘Who do I give this to? If I had to choose, it’s on Cedric’s side, but.’
Assassin.
It doesn't feel like a perfect match with a warrior…….
Still, Cedric was better in terms of compatibility than giving it to Merhen.
“Cedric, Merhen. Receive one of these each for now.”
The Secret Book unfolded, and the red soul was sucked toward Cedric.
Kuuung―!
Cedric’s ribcage opened.
The Iron Blood King’s soul seeped between the ribs. Blood-red radiance blazing like lava flowed along every bone joint.
[Devouring the soul of a High-ranking Being.]
[Legion Commander ‘Cedric’s’ status rises.]
Blue eye glints fluctuated violently.
Bone fragments broke, reassembled, and broke again. A groan, unsure if it was pain or ecstasy, leaked from between the skeleton’s jaws.
Keueueu―!
Blood-red patterns bloomed along the spine.
Patterns resembling a warrior's scars wrapped around the vertebrae and spread out. The shoulder blades thickened.
The arm bones became thicker.
The Berserker’s power was being engraved on every finger joint.
Jjeoeok―!
The earth split.
Cracks extended in all directions beneath Cedric’s feet. Just from the pressure spewing from his body.
[Inheriting a portion of authority.]
[Bloody Battle Reinforcement.]
[Upon entering combat, basic stats increase slightly.]
[Creates ‘Bloody Battle’ stacks every time damage is taken. Attack/Defense increase by 3% per stack. Max 50 stacks.]
[Stacks disappear upon combat end.]
If Drakan was the spear opening the battlefield, Carnos was the axe enduring to the end and running wild.
Those two stuck to one body.
―Master.
A heavy voice rang out.
It was a tone much rougher than before.
―My blood boils.
Cedric looked at the hand holding the spear.
Red patterns were pulsating like veins over the bone armor. Drakan’s dragon scales and Carnos’s blood patterns. Two powers coexisted in one body.
Kim Minwoo nodded.
“Next.”
His finger snapped again.
The frost-light soul flew toward Merhen.
Merhen’s ribcage opened.
The Witch of the White Night’s soul dug in between the ribs. Light mixed with cold and divinity flowed along the pale bones.
[Devouring the soul of a High-ranking Being.]
[Legion Commander ‘Merhen’s’ status rises.]
Silver hair danced in the empty air.
Blue pupils were dyed white, then settled back into deep indigo.
―U, um…….
A low moan leaked out.
Frost flower patterns bloomed along her shoulders. Next to the angel wing pattern wrapping her collarbone, crystals resembling snowflakes were engraved.
[Inheriting a portion of authority.]
[Ice Domain.]
[A wide-area cold field is automatically activated at all times.]
[Enemy mana consumption increases within the domain, movement speed decreases by 30%.]
[Ice/Cold type magic effects of self and allies significantly increase.]
‘Nullifying magic with Divine Tongue, and freezing to death with Ice Domain.’
A hell for mages was completed.
Merhen raised her hand.
Golden patterns and frost-light crystals shimmered simultaneously on her palm.
―Minwoo.
A calm voice. A minute tremor was mixed within it.
―Now I, can freeze things too.
Kim Minwoo smirked.
“Try using it.”
Merhen reached out her hand.
Instantly, the surrounding air froze. Grass and rocks within a ten-meter radius bloomed with white frost flowers.
Cedric lifted his spear.
Blood-red patterns pulsated.
Just from the pressure spewing from the spear tip, cracks formed on the frozen earth.
Kim Minwoo looked at the two Legion Commanders.
Cedric harboring Drakan’s power and Carnos’s madness.
Merhen holding Rafaela’s divinity and Elise’s cold.
“Good.”
The corners of his mouth slowly went up.
“Now only Wraith is left.”
It was when he tried to make Cedric absorb it.
[Currently in 2nd Seal state!]
[Capacity limit is full!]
[Upon releasing more seals, total soul capacity increases!]
A message popped up.
“Uh-oh?”
―Is it not working?
“Yeah. Says your capacity is full.”
―Makes sense. Right now, I do feel like I'm swollen almost to the point of bursting.
“It seems it's a structure where I have to raise the level and unlock up to the 3rd seal to absorb more. Same for you, Merhen.”
1st seal at level 200.
2nd unlocked at level 500.
‘If it's 3rd…… it must be around 700 or 800.’
His current level is 680.
His level jumped by 50 in this Ranking Battle alone.
‘Until the 3rd seal, I really have to go crazy one more time.’
Well, it wasn't bad.
Since assassin wasn't a job group that suited Cedric and Merhen that well in the first place.
Vulcan is the same.
It seemed a completely different Legion Commander was needed…….
“Merhen.”
―Yeah, Minwoo.
“Did you say the remaining Legion Commander was a vampire, Olivia?”
―That’s right, her.
“What’s her job?”
―Hmm. It’s mixed with this and that. Hides well. Uses a sword, drinks blood well too. Likes stabbing from behind.
“Similar to an assassin then, right?”
―To some extent?
“Then I should give this to her.”
Assassin and Vampire.
It was a type perfect for devouring Wraith’s soul.
Someday, he would go to carry out the fourth arrangement.
When he recruits Olivia then, he just has to hand it over.
The owner of the soul stored in the Secret Book was decided.
＊ ＊ ＊
Not long after, the red sky split open.
〈Upper Ranking Battle Ends.〉
The Demon God’s voice resonated throughout the Demon Realm.
〈Recalculating Demon Lord rankings according to proxy death order.〉
[Death Confirmed: Drakan (Astaroth), Rafaela (Beleth), Carnos (Baal), Elise (Marbas), Wraith (Gamigin)…….]
System messages were engraved in the empty air.
The spectator seats stirred.
Baal’s eyes narrowed. Agares bit his lip. Marbas’s hand trembled violently, and Gamigin’s face itself was hardened.
〈New Rankings Confirmed.〉
[1st Place: Vulcan]
[2nd Place: Paimon]
[3rd Place: Baal]
[4th Place: Amon]
[5th Place: Marbas]
.
.
.
[Unfathomable Achievement!]
[Your summon has ascended to the highest position in the Demon Realm!]
[Title, ‘One Who Has a Great Demon Lord as a Summon’ is generated!]
[You have gathered all three treasure maps!]
[The three treasure maps merge into one!]
The rankings were completely reorganized.
The most notable change was the shift in the rankings of the top-ranking Lords.
As the proxies they were most confident in met death one after another, the rankings of the top Lords were pushed back significantly.
On the other hand, among the Lords ranked 6th and below, there were plenty who were lucky enough to receive benefits.
This was because the structure shifted rankings based on when the proxies died.
A few lucky Demon Lords who encountered Kim Minwoo or other powerhouses late smiled inwardly.
While Baal and the other top-ranking Lords had no choice but to swallow the bitter pill.
〈I will give you one week.〉
〈Demon Lords whose rankings have swapped, finish the organization quickly.〉
The Demon God’s calm remark followed.
What changes when the ranking changes?
The most representative thing was precisely territory.
The core resource sites of the Demon Realm, places called so-called ‘Honey Lands’. Mineral veins with condensed mana, habitats of high-ranking demonic beasts, and strategic points where dimensional gates were dense.
The ownership of all of that is redistributed according to ranking.
Vulcan, who became 1st, obtained the authority to swallow the existing 1st, Baal’s territory whole.
Of course, there was no way Baal would hand over his territory intact.
He would tear away every single asset he could, and try to take as much of the infrastructure he had built as possible. 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚
Even so…….
One week was woefully short.
Most of the things belonging to Baal’s territory would pass over to Vulcan’s possession. Being pushed back in ranking meant the decline of power.
No matter how much one struggled, the damage could not be prevented.
“Please be careful.”
Andromalius approached carefully and spoke.
“The resentment of the Demon Lords will be reaching the ends of the sky. Because thanks to you, the rankings have fluctuated massively for the first time in hundreds of years. Although there are those like Paimon who got lucky…….”
“Just because they got lucky doesn't mean they'll help me.”
“That’s likely. They will watch the situation for now. Until you and Vulcan truly become the trend.”
Kim Minwoo nodded.
“Since the Ranking Battle is over, the proxy protection regulations will be lifted sooner or later. Naturally…… the Demon Lords who hold a grudge against you will start to move.”
Andromalius’s voice lowered.
“Although their influence has decreased significantly……. The potential that has continued for hundreds of years does not collapse in an instant.”
His finger pointed at the empty air. Toward the spectator seats.
“Their power is still close to their peak. What they lost is territory and resources, not the power of their main bodies.”
Kim Minwoo’s eyes narrowed.
“So……?”
“I am telling you to be careful. They say a cornered beast is the scariest.”
Andromalius shrugged his shoulders.
“Especially Baal. That man’s pride pierces the sky. He will never forget this humiliation.”
Kim Minwoo smirked.
“Tell him not to forget.”
He slung Hell Rhapsody over his shoulder.
“Because I won't forget either, anyway.”
Baal is an opponent that must be dealt with.
Why?
‘Ten legacies worn by the Death Lord.’
Among them, Baal possessed the belt.
That was not all.
‘He said he knew the locations of two legacies.’
Lastly…….
The bastard's hair, bones, and teeth become good materials for Spirit Elixirs.
‘Can’t leave him alone.’
A walking gold mountain.
Baal was such an existence.
So one of the two must die, or be killed.
＊ ＊ ＊
“Yo, Vulcan. You look great, huh? Must be nice becoming 1st?”
“……Well, it is nice.”
Twitch.
Vulcan’s lips kept twitching.
“I kept my promise?”
“Fine. I admit it. Master kept the promise. So from now on, I too…… shall offer my loyalty sincerely.”
[You have gained Vulcan’s sincere loyalty!]
[Vulcan’s loyalty is fixed at 100!]
“Right, let’s do well.”
Pat pat.
After patting his shoulder to encourage the guy, they talked about the territory to be newly acquired.
“So, there’s a problem?”
“Yes. I am a beggar.”
“Uh, I know. And……?”
“No soldiers either. Balrogs were almost all exterminated in the past. They say even if I get territory right now, protecting it is the first problem.”
“Who told you all that?”
“Some guys who came to visit.”
It was then.
Andromalius, who rose smoothly from the floor, grinned and said.
“I heard a bit of the story. I think I can solve Lord Vulcan’s difficulties…….”
“You?”
“Yes. I am rich, you see. No, to be precise, I became rich now.”
“Hoh. How did you earn money?”
“There is an excellent means called gambling in the Demon Realm.”
“Must have bet on me?”
“Yes. Fortunately, the result was successful.”
“Then how about investing a bit in Vulcan here?”
“I intend to. Aren't we already, one body?”
“So how much do you have?”
“Well, not much. At most…… about 10 percent…… of the Demon Realm's total assets?”
At the angel investor who appeared out of nowhere, Kim Minwoo and Vulcan opened their eyes wide.
