NSE-Chapter 32

Chapter 32

Amid the melee.

A Wraith Knight blocked the way ahead.

―……A human?

The knight looked at him and at Cedric standing beside him, puzzled.

Just then.

―Snooort!

Two Orc chieftains charged in as if throwing themselves forward.

Second Brother Urkan and Third Brother Dekum.

The best warriors among the Orcs.

Their axes collided with the knight’s sword.

Thud!

Despite the overwhelming Level gap, the chieftains weren’t easily pushed back.

‘This is what gear does.’

The knight’s hands and feet grew flustered.

Openings showed here and there.

Cedric and Kim Min-woo.

For the two of them, stabbing into openings was so easy it was yawn-inducing.

Squelch!

―Gah!

Between the armor.

When he thrust the silver-plated sword toward the seam near the heart, the Wraith Knight looked like he was dying of joy.

Cedric’s spear also craftily pierced the knight’s body.

Under the joint assault of four, the guy’s body melted away without lasting even a minute.

Just then.

Elrum’s eyes flared blue.

The moment he thrust his staff forward.

Whoosh!

Hundreds of Undead rose from the ground.

More than two hundred Ghouls.

And on top of that, nearly ten Dullahans.

“Cough, break through!”

Elrum shouted, his face deathly pale, perhaps because he had used up all his Mana on this single spell.

The Ghoul and Dullahan horde carved a path, paying no heed to the arrows pouring down.

The Chimeras and Wraith Knights lent a hand too. A strong will to break through only a single direction, regardless of being attacked from all sides, could be felt.

‘Well, figured as much.’

Even without the Elves, he’d have secured the edge.

Nearly two thousand Orcs. Nearly half of them armed.

Even if they’d fought normally, it would have been hard for Elrum’s side, never mind being ambushed on top of that. The odds had already tilted to this side.

In a situation of being surrounded and heading to ruin, how many choices could he even have? A single-point breakthrough at most.

‘The more they do that, the more their soldiers melt away, you know.’

It was the same now.

Bulldozing through only one direction?

It meant being infinitely vulnerable to backstabs. Every time the Orcs, screaming, brought their axes down, Elrum’s minions were dying off limply.

‘Time to wrap this up.’

Unlike Elrum, his own Mana pool was fresh.

On top of that, upon seeing the message that the guys had set out, he had canceled the summoning of the Skeletons who had been in the Forge.

Meaning summoning was possible as much as he liked.

Now was the time to use the Skeletons he had been saving.

Pure-white hands abruptly grabbed the ankles of those breaking through with all their might.

Elrum’s army staggered.

On top of that, a Skeleton horde was also summoned in front and charging in.

“N-Necromancer?”

Elrum’s eyes trembled, flustered at the unexpected sight.

The Skeleton army was charging at his army as if on a suicide run.

Though their armaments and Levels were poor, the problem was the very fact that it dragged out the time.

“Damn it! Why are they coming back to life again!”

A guy he thought he’d killed moved again and clung on like a tick.

He couldn’t ignore them even if he tried. Each time, they were holding onto his whole body and dragging him.

Orcs latched onto the henchmen who had slowed down like that.

Elrum’s forces dwindled rapidly.

“Cough, break through! Break through, I said……!”

When he had barely cleared away the Skeleton horde like that.

“I-I made…….”

A hopeless sight appeared.

Once again, a thousand Skeletons were blocking his way.

“A-Ah…….”

Despair settled in Elrum’s eyes as he looked around. Dullahans, Ghouls, Corpse Collectors, Wraith Knights, all of them.

Altogether, not even twenty remained.

Because of breaking through the path.

Because of taking arrows.

Because of the time dragging on.

They had all died.

Behind, Orcs were approaching, drooling heavily.

‘Feel a bit sorry.’

Top-Grade Mana Potions had to have a pretty amazing effect, after all. One bottle could fill Mana to full in the low-level range. Unfortunately for Elrum, Kim Min-woo was rich in Potions.

―Snort! Kill all except that human!

The Orcs faithfully carried out his instructions.

Before long, only Elrum and the swarming Orcs remained on the snow-covered ground.

He approached the guy.

“Gasp. Gasp.”

He saw Elrum gasping, perhaps because his chest, where the arrow had hit, was painful. He looked at Kim Min-woo with bloodshot eyes.

“Y-You were the one…… who united the Orcs……!”

“Yeah.”

“Cough! Spare me. If you kill me…… it will truly become irreversible!”

“If I don’t kill you, can it be reversed?”

“Y-Yes! The Apostle doesn’t know about this yet. If I report it well, the Apostle will surely forgive you.”

“Doesn’t know yet, you say?”

Nod!

Elrum, nodding vigorously, said.

“That’s right. Your Undead are special. Reviving, no less! You will surely be able to play a major role in the Fortress too. Then all sorts of rewards…….”

He cut the guy’s neck.

[You have defeated Necromancer ‘Elrum’!]

[Your Level increases by 2!]

‘Oh.’

Even though he’d only landed the last hit, the Experience was tremendous. It was indeed worthy of a high-level Named.

The rewards didn’t end there.

A book glowing beside his corpse.

Seeing it, Kim Min-woo’s eyes instantly turned serious.

‘A Bound Skill Book!’

Skill Books tended to drop while hunting monsters.

The Skill Books that dropped that way had random Classes. Their effects themselves weren’t that outstanding.

‘Because only basic Skills drop.’

For a Necromancer, Summon Skeleton or Summon Skeleton Mage.

For a Swordsman or Mage, things like Swordsmanship Mastery or Elemental Mastery.

Such things were usually called ‘Basic Skills.’

Since they dropped from monsters day in and day out, trading was active, and even if you couldn’t get one, you could find it quickly by running Synthesis.

‘Skills that, literally, give you just the basics when learned.’

In other words, it also meant Skills that did ‘only the basics.’

To do the work of two or three people instead of one, you had to learn special Skills besides those.

The representative method was precisely Awakening Achievements. If you attained a high Achievement, they handed out Skills at Level 1 that even top-tier Awakened couldn’t obtain.

‘That’s why they go crazy over Achievements.’

Kim Min-woo was the same.

That was why he’d learned the diabolical Skill called Death Lord at Level 1, hadn’t he?

Another method was precisely obtaining Bound Skill Books.

Bound.

Put simply, items that can’t be traded from the moment they’re obtained.

As such, they had powerful effects. When obtained, the Class and usable Level were matched.

Meaning there was no unfortunate situation where you obtained a Bound Skill Book but couldn’t learn the Skill because the Class was different or the Level fell short.

‘On top of that…….’

Far better Skills than Basic Skills appeared from Bound Skill Books.

‘Rankings split on how many such Skills you have.’

Given the strong effects, the drop rate was extremely low. You could say they almost never dropped from ordinary monsters.

‘As expected of a Named mob.’

The last hit had been worth it.

With a satisfied heart, he picked up the Bound Skill Book.

[You obtain a Bound Skill Book.]

[You obtain the Necromancer Skill Book, Bone Exchange(B)!]

‘……Hm?’

Bone Exchange?

He looked over the contents.

[Bone Exchange(B)]

[Level Restriction: Level 75 or above]

[Allows swapping a Summon’s bones part by part. However, exchanges exceeding Capacity are impossible. Capacity is proportional to the Summon’s average Level.]

[Applicable Summons]

[Skeleton (Capacity 0/25)]

[Skeleton Mage (Capacity 0/17)]

[Cedric (Capacity 0/75)]

‘Oh.’

He could roughly guess what the effect was. A Skill that gave some effect when you swapped bones for others.

‘This looks like it’d suit me really well?’

Can’t I just buy bones with money?

[Would you like to learn this Skill Book?]

“Of course.”

A Skill that looked, at a glance, overflowing with effects.

There was no reason not to learn it.

[You learn Bone Exchange(B)!]

Just then.

Urkan approached.

―Snort! Eldest Brother! Long-ears over there want see Eldest Brother! So not kill for now!

As he said, far away.

Robed figures were huddled together.

“Good job. Don’t just go swinging your axe carelessly like that. Except for the Witch’s or the Ice Dragon’s forces.”

―Snort! Urkan smart! Remembers everything Big Brother said!

“I’ll go and come back, so wait.”

―Snort! Understood!

He approached the Elves.

Then one of the Elves stepped forward as representative.

“Pleased to meet you. My name is Elise, a Forest Keeper of the Mother Tree.”

“I’m Kim Min-woo. Thank you for your help. Thanks to you, the fight ended easily.”

Having received help, he bowed his head politely first.

Elise nodded and said.

“I’ve heard rumors about you. That you’re forming a Resistance Army against the Witch.”

“That’s right.”

“Could we Elves also join the Resistance Army?”

He tilted his head.

Elves were a race famous for being lofty and closed-off.

Yet they came rushing in eagerly to help first, and on top of that asked to join the party?

Without being in dire straits, there was no reason to act like that.

“Lady Elise, before that, I’ll ask one thing. Are the Elves, by any chance, also being attacked by the Witch?”

“……Yes.”

“The situation must not be good.”

“……That’s also right.”

“I’m sorry. It’s true we received help, but I don’t think that alone makes it easy to decide on joining.”

“……Is that a refusal?”

“No. Not a refusal, but that I think more discussion is needed.”

“Please tell me.”

“The Dwarves supply armaments to the Orcs, and in return are guaranteed safety. I imagine the Elves want something similar?”

“Correct.”

“Then, in return for being guaranteed safety, what can the Elves give our Resistance Army?”

“We can support with troops and give you a map depicting the surrounding terrain.”

“How large a force?”

“About what you see here…….”

“Not enough. Not even close.”

He shook his head.

It was true the Elves had helped, but all they’d done was send about thirty to shoot arrows.

By contrast, if they helped the Elves?

Given how tough the situation looked, hundreds of Orcs would die.

Trading that for a single map and thirty Elf troops?

Both were useful things, but.

‘Still, the cost-benefit doesn’t add up.’

The worst of the worst trade.

The help received now was at best the kind to be wrapped up warmly by handing over a bit of Dwarven gear, not the kind that justified scattering Blood Money in all directions.

“……Then, on top of that, we could supply fruit, medicinal herbs, and so on…….”

“Lady Elise. Do you think our Resistance Army’s Blood Money is that cheap? Cheap enough to ask hundreds of Orcs to die for this much help?”

Her words caught in her throat.

“Since we’ve received help, we’ll repay it too. We’ll give you Dwarven gear, so please head back now.”

Where do they think they can freeload.

He turned around without hesitation.

That moment.

“……Wait a moment!”

Elise ran over hurriedly and grabbed his shoulder.

“Please tell me what you want.”

“The Mother Tree’s Divine Fruit. And a large-scale supply of Potions. I’d have to get this much at least.”

Divine Fruit was a highly effective fruit that very occasionally grew on the Mother Tree.

On top of that, Elves were a race renowned for alchemy. That is, they were good at turning out Potions and such.

Both were representative items to extract from Elves.

‘It’s not exactly price-gouging either.’

Honestly, he thought you needed to get at least this much to risk your life guarding them.

Otherwise the Dwarves would feel very wronged.

“……!”

Her ears twitched.

The Elves behind her were equally shaken.

“Divine Fruit! No, Lady Elise!”

“On top of that, we don’t even have enough Potions for ourselves! Never mind a large-scale supply!”

The Elves objected in shock.

He looked at Elise.

“If you don’t like it, you can decline.”

“……The Divine Fruit is a precious treasure.”

“Our lives are just as precious.”

“……Aren’t you fighting the Witch?”

He chuckled.

This Elf was mistaken about something.

“So? We are indeed a group fighting the Witch. But we aren’t the Elves’ babysitters.”

“But if we fall, the Resistance Army will too……!”

Fall, huh.

Seeing such words come out, the Elves’ situation seemed very urgent.

And yet they were tossing out a proposal like that?

They say a race’s traits don’t go anywhere.

True to a lofty race.

“Is that so? You’ll buy us plenty of time until you’re on the verge of falling. We’ll put that time to good use.”

The Elves murmured.

Is he really not going to help?

The mood seemed like it.

Then what about us?

He could practically see what those guys were thinking.

When the teeth are gone, the gums go cold.

Roughly that kind of feeling, trying to cling on.

‘What is this, a hostage game?’

Elves?

Naturally, it’d be nice to have them.

But he wouldn’t die without them.

All the more so now that the Orcs had gathered and his own bargaining value had gone way up.

Perhaps realizing the seriousness of the situation, Elise said with a stiff face.

“……Give us a moment, just a moment to think. We need time to decide too.”

“I’ll give you five minutes. After that, I’ll reject any proposal. Then take the gear and leave.”

Elise and the Elves, nodding, talked from a distance.

Loud voices rang out, so a heated debate seemed to be underway.

When exactly 4 minutes 55 seconds had passed.

Elise approached.

“……We accept. However…… a large-scale supply of Potions is realistically difficult. We lack alchemists to make them.”

“Then you just need to make some.”

“……What do you mean?”

“Alchemists. We have lots of promising saplings on our side.”

And what’s more, their number exceeded a thousand.