How to Raise Your Skeletons

Chapter 28: Reward Time

—Vwoom!

As the light faded, a resplendent staff floated before me.

[Congratulations!]

[You have acquired an S-rank item!]

A staff…?

My heart raced.

Honestly, I didn’t really have a primary weapon.

Initially, necromancers used staffs as their primary weapons. However, after the old man taught me ‘All Techniques,’ I could use various weapons such as swords, spears, bows, shields, and staffs because I had to master them all.

I feel like a jack-of-all-trades.

Indeed, ‘All Techniques’ essentially meant being a jack-of-all-trades. And at the pinnacle stood the old man.

Anyway.

Since it was a staff, there was a high chance I could use it as necromancers typically did.

Well, not bad.

It was better than selling it. An S-rank weapon could change a hunter’s life, and getting an S-rank weapon that suited you was as tricky as catching a falling star.

I reached out and grabbed the staff, and the information appeared.

[Item: Staff of the Fire Dragon]

[Rank: S]

[Type: Staff]

[Description: A magical staff imbued with the power of the legendary Red Dragon.]

[Effect 1: Increases energy by 100.]

[Effect 2: Reduces skill cooldowns by 20%.]

[Effect 3: Increases fire-attribute skill power by 100%.]

“Oh.”

I quickly read the description. Its effects were simple, but the content was anything but.

First off, my energy increased by 100.

A regular hunter’s base energy was around 100, so my energy was now doubled. Energy was a hunter’s lifeline. The more, the better.

But more than that.

Its third effect caught my eye the most.

This is totally for mages.

Specifically, fire attribute mages. A 100% increase in fire-attribute skill power meant the caster’s firepower doubled.

It might seem unimpressive for an S-rank item.

But I didn’t think so. At one glance, I could tell this item became more broken the stronger its user became. For example, using a low-level Fireball would result in two Fireballs. But what if it was a skill used by a ranker, such as Hellfire or Meteor Strike?

That’d be insane.

Such overpowered skills usually had long cooldowns. Some could be used once a day, others once a week.

This effect practically allows the caster to use such skills one more time with zero energy.

Fire-attribute rankers would die to get their hands on this.

It’s pretty good.

Though it’s not an effect I can use directly, it would fetch a high price if sold.

But how much should I sell it for?

I took out my smartphone and opened the Hunter Board app. It was the largest hunter community in the country, providing real-time information.

[Welcome to the ‘Hunter Board.’]

[‘E-rank Mercenary Accepting Requests’ (Lv.8) logged in.]

I hummed and quickly wrote a post on the ‘Free Board’ where most users gathered.

– I got an S-rank staff and need an appraisal.

– Energy +100, skill cooldown -20%, and fire skill enhancement +100%.

Despite the brief description, many commented.

> Yeah, right.

> Lol, looks unimpressive. Try a more convincing bait.

> Look at his ID. E-rank mercenary? How could an E-rank mercenary get an S-rank item?

> True. It’s the same old bait.

> Ignore the troll.

“These bastards.”

But it was understandable because I wouldn’t have believed it either.

I had to re-upload.

“Show item info,” I shouted as I touched the staff.

[Visualizing information for ‘Staff of the Fire Dragon’ (S-rank).]

[Item: Staff of the Fire Dragon]

[Rank: S]

[Type: Staff]

[Description: A magical staff imbued with the power of the legendary Red Dragon.]

[Effect 1: Increases energy by 100.]

[Effect 2: Reduces skill cooldowns by 20%.]

[Effect 3: Increases fire attribute skill power by 100%.]

The information visible only to me before now floated in the air. This was an effect of the system, which allowed you to make an item’s information visible by saying “Show item info” out loud.

– Reuploading with video proof.

– Here’s the item info.

– I filmed it to avoid doubts about editing.

I re-uploaded it with a video this time.

A few minutes later, the board was on fire.

> Seriously?

> Whoa, it was legit?

> This looks friggin’ real. Unless someone’s a top-notch video editor, it’s the real thing.

> Hello, I’m a CG expert. There is no way current tech can edit this precisely. It’s real.

> Wow, S-rank in real life.

> But what’s with the unimpressive stats?

> Do you even know how to evaluate items? This is a jackpot.

The small post quickly became a hot topic and reached the top posts. And it wasn’t just the board buzzing; the journalists hunting for hunter-related scoops couldn’t miss this.

[A mysterious S-rank item makes an appearance on the Hunter Board!]

[S-rank ‘Staff of the Fire Dragon’ appears! Will fire-attribute rankers gather for this?]

[A-rank hunter Lee Sohye the Flickering Flame from the Parang Guild evaluates: “An attractive weapon for fire attribute hunters.”]

[The poster’s info is still hidden.]

“Uh, what?”

This isn’t good. I was too short-sighted. I underestimated the response as I didn’t expect it to blow up this much.

Fortunately, the Hunter Board, which was run by a private corporation, didn’t disclose member information. The board’s trust in security had attracted many hunters. The board handled info-sensitive rankers and S-rank hunters while also respecting low-rank hunters’ data.

However.

[You have a new message.]

[You have a new message.]

[You have a new message.]

…

—Ding! Ding! Ding!

My phone kept ringing with message notifications since I couldn’t hide my ID information.

I quickly deleted the post before things escalated.

Figuring out the price for this item wasn’t the important thing anymore. I wasn’t ready to draw mass attention yet.

Wait.

Not only that, but I also realized I didn’t need to sell it. Boney 5 was a mage with the Fireball skill, so I considered giving it the item because the staff’s third effect would be wasted if I used it.

But first.

I wondered if skeletons could equip items because I’d never tried before.

Barely scraping by, I couldn’t even afford good gear for myself, let alone my skeletons.

“…”

[Hunter: Joo Donghoon]

[Energy: 10/120]

My energy had recharged to 10.

Let’s check it out.

[Using skill ‘Summon Awakened Skeleton’ (D-rank).]

[Consuming 10 energy.]

[Summoning ‘Bonehead 5.’]

I summoned Boney 5 with the remaining energy.

—Creak!

It appeared, wielding a bone staff.

“Boney 5.”

—Creak?

It tilted its head.

I handed over the gleaming S-rank staff.

—Creak!

And it took it eagerly.

[‘Boneyhead 5’ equipped ‘Staff of the Fire Dragon.’]

“Wow, it works?”

I was stunned.

This was huge. Necromancers’ undead servants typically couldn’t equip items. With an already broken class, allowing this would be overpowered. Imagine an undead army equipped with S-rank items.

“Wow…” I was amazed.

Wait, then I’d need more than ten items for my undead.

“No, not just ten.”

With accessories, clothes, and weapons, there were so many ways to get stronger.

“…”

And now, I was in conflict. Should I sell my first S-rank item or give it to Boney 5?

Honestly, this was the most challenging decision for me to make.

Boney 5 clattered its teeth, hugging the staff.

Was it refusing to let go?

“No, that thing’s very expensive. Give it back.”

I reached out, but it dodged my hand.

“Hey!”

—Creak.

It drooped, looking pitiful, like it would whine if it had a mouth.

“Haah,” I exhaled softly. “Yeah, at least you can use it.”

Though I was living on a tight budget, it wasn’t that urgent. I could now handle D-rank or C-rank dungeons without much trouble. I could definitely cover my living expenses.

“Fine, you can keep it.”

—Clack, clack, clack!

It clattered its teeth rapidly.

I felt extorted, but it was the right choice. If Boney 5 grew stronger or underwent a true awakening like Sunny…

I might have to search for S-rank items in that case.

[You have a new message.]

[You have a new message.]

…

Like those people who were still messaging me.

Alright, enough of this.

I turned my attention back to the remaining rewards.

The staff was from the achievement reward. This should be the dungeon clear reward.

—Ring!

[Receiving rewards!]

[Congratulations!]

[You have acquired the item ‘Roots of Racial Conflict’ (A-rank).]

[This item has a connection to your profession.]

“What’s this?” Job-related?

I grabbed the roots floating in the air.

[Item: Roots of Racial Conflict]

[Rank: A]

[Type: Medium]

[Description: Roots that can uncover the secrets of hidden ruins.]

[Effect 1: Can unlock the dungeon ‘Forest and Stone.’]

[Effect 2: Bound to the hunter ‘Joo Donghoon.’]

[Effect 3: This item can only be activated for hunters C-rank and above.]

“Huh.”

Another medium item.

I recalled Gi Soyul’s words.

“Mediums are also a kind of fortuitous opportunity. As you delve into them, linked quests appear. And those linked quests increase in rank, eventually reaching S-rank and above. Every medium I know has done that.”

This was probably another profession quest, like ‘Trace of Ancient Desert.’

Honestly speaking, I felt instinctively that this would involve another one of my skeletons.

What if all ten of my skeletons were absolute beings of their worlds? That’d be overpowered.

But why?

It would be a good thing, but it was also a burden. Why was this mysterious system favoring me?

“…”

Pondering briefly, I shook my head.

There was no reason to overthink this. If an unknown transcendent wanted to help me get stronger for whatever reason, and if that reason might be to use me…

Then I’ll use them too.

My goal was to be a ranker. I didn’t know if I’d come up with more goals afterward, but that was all I was aiming for now. Until then, whatever it took, I’d follow along.

“That’s the last reward.”

I dismissed the status messages that filled my entire vision.

I had cleared a dungeon and used up all my energy.

Time to rest.

Just in time, I sensed Gi Soyul approaching from afar.

Tomorrow, I’ll start training again. I’ll work hard and do my best to grow stronger.

____