Record of a Thousand Lives c6

I should be in India at about this time. Since I can’t really work during my trip, I decided to TL in advance, and schedule the posts like so. I can’t really schedule posts in Reddit, though, so it would be amazing if someone just went on and… well, you know, post the chapter there or something.

Author: Flatter

The Author of this story, Flatter, has full rights over this story, and I am translating this work with his permission.

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Chapter 6. Necromancer Cla.s.s Advancement (1)

Boss monsters.
They were an existence far stronger than normal monster, which made it so that a single individual was unable to fight it alone.

The four people, unlike Kang Yoonsoo, were unable to close their mouths because of the pressure that exuded from the Giant Hobgoblin.
They were so surprised, their legs refused to move.
Right then, the Giant Hobgoblin struck down with its machete.
Crack–!
Hong Garam’s body was instantly split in two.

“W, what the h.e.l.l!”
“Kyaaaa–!”
“W, we need to run!”

The three people quickly ran for the exit.
But the Giant Hobgoblin was faster.
It blocked the exit with its giant body, and roared a furious roar towards those who slaughtered its race.

“Kurororok–!”
“s.h.i.+t, we have no choice but to fight! Hey, Kang Yoonsoo! Come over and help!”

Choi Chang Suk shouted out urgently.
But Kang Yoonsoo simply stood up slowly, and walked deeper into the cave.

“Useless b.a.s.t.a.r.d!”

With a swear, Kim Minsoo took out his sword.
He charged out and made a low swing with his sword.
He was trying to run out by moving through the Giant Hobgoblin’s ankle.
But once the Giant Hobgoblin slammed its machete down, his body was pierced just like that.

“Kyaaa–!”

Lee Yuri screamed at the violence in front of her.
At the same time, she felt a shock coming from her back.
Choi Chang Suk had kicked her away.
She hit the ankle of the Giant Hobgoblin, and was killed by its machete.

While the monster was occupied with Lee Yuri, Choi Chang Suk quickly ran.
When he was about to reach the exit, the machete grazed his back.
He grit his teeth, and activated his skill.

“Mercenary’s Fighting Spirit!”

His eyes took on a crimson hue.
He put all his strength into his sword, and swung it.

Clang–!

The machete hit the sword, and let out sparks in midair.
Choi Chang Suk was pushed away by the shock, and was shot out of the cave.
He hit the dirt floor, and rolled.
His sword broke, and his sword hand was burning with pain.

“U…urk……”

Choi Chang Suk stood up with much pain.
His comrades were all dead.
He had to live alone in the continent now.
His eyes s.h.i.+ned with a hateful light.
The face of the one who ran away while he and his comrades were in danger was nailed in his mind.

“Kang Yoonsoo……. That b.a.s.t.a.r.d, I’ll kill him.”

Choi Chang Suk began to hobble away from the cave.
Right then, he could feel a weak shock from his back.
Stab–
A giant machete pierced through his stomach.

“Kuh–!”

Choi Chang Suk knelt down as he spat out blood.
The Giant Hobgoblin took out its machete from the body.
The Boss Monster would not allow a single survivor.
The Giant Hobgoblin walked back into the cave.
.
.
.
Kang Yoonsoo arrived at the end of the cave.
There was an altar created out of oxidized bones.
On top of the altar, there was a rusted box.
The thing that Lee Yuri detected as ‘something amazing’ was actually something in this box.

Kang Yoonsoo touched the box gently.
The box, which didn’t even have a keyhole, seemed to be made so that one couldn’t even open it.
But when a person’s hand touched it, the box began to tremble.
Soon, a dark fog streamed out of the box, and flew upwards.

Paa–!

The black fog took on a human-like shape.
A voice filled with evil resounded through the cave.

[Weak…… foolish…. Being!]

The darkness shouted out loudly.

[I am the soul of the last necromancer, Nakron! You think a weak little being like you would be able to take away my secret records I left for my future disciple?!]

A long, long time ago, there used to be five legendary heroes who managed to fend off an attack from Pandemonium.
Out of the five, there was Nakron, who was the darkest, and the evillest of the lot, but at the same time was the one who fought for the sake of the world.
Kang Yoonsoo had awakened the corrupt soul of Nakron.

[If you wish to open this box, you must destroy the child of the fire dragon from the moonless desert, and defeat the emperor of ice in the world of snow……..]
“The one who killed you was the King of All Creation.”
[W….hat?]

The ancient hero, Nakron, said this with a confused voice.
On the other hand, Kang Yoonsoo was very calm.
He taught the ancient hero the ancient history that was hidden away from everyone.

“You did not die due to the curse from the Great Demon of Pandemonium. The King of All Creation, Siryan, was feeding you poison without you knowing. As you, who wished to become the lich in the future, posed to be a threat, Syrian decided to betray you, and kill you.”
[…What a foolish child! There’s no way that’s possible! Siryan is my friend, and my ally. He is the only one who ever trusted me!]
“There is a way this is possible. As evidence, your bloodline was severed, and the Reorkan Empire achieved eternal peace. You have been recorded down in history as the most vile of the five heroes, and Siryan was recorded to be the greatest of the heroes. If you still can’t believe me, you may try to find his soul from the lands of the dead. He’s still not dead.”
[What…..! No way!]

The darkness let out a voice of astonishment, condensed into a small ball, then expanded immensely.

[Siryan…..! You b.a.s.t.a.r.d!]

After shouting out a ear-piercing scream, Nakron disappeared.
The box opened.
Inside, there was a single leather book, and a black ring.

[Necromancer Cla.s.s Advancement Book]
The book created by the Last Necromancer, Nakron. The book contains details of the secret techniques of the necromancer. One may gain the secret skill of the necromancer with any cla.s.s, and may advance into becoming the Last Necromancer if he/she does not have a cla.s.s.

[Ring of Life Suppression]
Rank-Unique
Mana Increase: 325
Contained Skills: Elemental Creation, Soul Collection
The ring created by Nakron, in order to destroy the Elemental King. It contains the hate of the elementals who decorated the world. Using precious, powerful items, one would be able to create elementals with the ring.
Also, it is possible to collect the soul of a living being to seal it in the ring. The soul in the ring will constantly be in immense pain. The creator, Nakron, cannot be sealed in the ring.

[Elemental Creation]
Skill Level-lv1 (00.00%)
Available Elementals-Salamander (requires dragon’s breath), Icicle (requires eternal ice crystal), Bright (requires lightning golem core), Sharpness (requires spirit sword).
Creates elementals by consuming precious materials.

[Soul Collection]
Skill Level-lv1 (00.00%)
Limited Uses-4 times
It is possible to collect the soul of the recently deceased. The collected soul may be used to increase the stats of the user, or be used to create a Soul Weapon. Occasionally, it is possible to use the soul as a reinforcement, or even insert it into a puppet.

A rank of an item was divided into Normal-Rare-Unique-Legendary.
A normal item was exceedingly common, rare items could be exchanged for a high price, unique items were extremely precious, and legendary items were able to change the entire map of the continent by itself.

This item wasn’t actually something one could attain so easily.
One had to do things like kill the hatchling of Dragon Ignus in the desert of ruin, steal the heart of the Ice Emperor in the Aician Mountains, and more, in order to undo the seal on the box.
As Kang Yoonsoo was someone who lived a thousand lives, he was able to unseal the box by forcefully tearing Nakron’s soul away from the box.
Kang Yoonsoo put on the Ring of Life Suppression on his hand.
As his Power Gauntlet didn’t cover his fingers, it was possible for him to put on the ring.
He then opened the leather book.
A bright light came from the book.

[Would you like to advance into becoming the Last Necromancer?]

The cla.s.s “Last Necromancer” was truly excellent.
His experience grew the more corpses he revived, and it was possible to revive as an undead after death.
It was possible to easily subdue a high cla.s.s undead, and his mana would multiply several times.

Of course, there were side effects.
Every time he revived corpses, his skin would rot, and turn into an undead.
But if he turned into an undead with the price of turning his back to humanity, it was possible to make use of extremely powerful, corrupt mana.
Kang Yoonsoo could remember becoming a lich and reviving a whole battlefield in his past life.

But Kang Yoonsoo said this:

“I refuse.”

A long time ago, he created an undying army as a lich.
But he was still killed by the Demon Emperor.
The terminal’s voice recognition system took in his voice.

[You have refused to advance. Would you like to inherit the secret techniques of the Necromancer?]

“Yes.”

The book disappeared, and the light that came from it was absorbed by Kang Yoonsoo.

[You have inherited the Necromancer’s secret techniques.
A new stat was created.]

[Ma.s.s Revival]
Skill Level-lv1 (00.00%)
Mana Cost-All
Revives all the undead around the user as an inferior undead. After the battle, the undead monsters can be stored away into a summoning dimension.

[Corpse Explosion]
Skill Level-lv1 (00.00%)
Life Cost-10 days
Explodes a certain corpse with great force.

[Life Drain]
Skill Level-lv1 (00.00%)
Life Cost-3 days
Drains the target’s health and life force.

Kang Yoonsoo walked outside.
The Giant Hobgoblin, which had been waiting outside, stood up.

“Krrrr…..!”

The Boss Monster glared down at Kang Yoonsoo.
Kang Yoonsoo looked around and examined the hobgoblin corpses around him.
He slowly raised his arm.

“Ma.s.s Revival.”

The b.l.o.o.d.y corpses rose up as bones.