Chapter 21: Skeleton Mage Summon

EX-grade skill.

This skill could definitely summon three from the start.

Nevertheless, I summoned only one.

The reason was simple.

To overwhelmingly defeat Deputy Team Leader Noh Youngjin and show the difference in power.

Of course, for me, it was a tremendous adventure.

If I said I would use only one and lost the spar, I would receive even greater ridicule.

But the result was astonishing.

Far from losing to Noh Youngjin, I overwhelmingly won.

Shuuuuuu…

The black smoke covering the training ground slowly dispersed.

The view revealed thereby.

There lay a man collapsed.

The man’s name was Noh Youngjin.

He was the deputy team leader of the Gaon Team and my sparring opponent.

Piiiiiiik!

Ju Namgyu, who was watching the spar, blew the whistle and shouted.

“S-Spar ended! Seo Juwon wins due to Noh Youngjin’s combat incapacity!”

Ju Namgyu declared.

My victory.

He declared that I had won the spar.

“Waaaaaaaah!”

Cheers erupted from among the team members.

Team members running over with excited faces.

They quickly surrounded me and began pouring out congratulations.

“Seo Juwon, congratulations! Beating the deputy team leader! Amazing!”

“Juwon-ssi, congratulations! Honestly, I didn’t think you’d win! Anyway, really congratulations!”

“Winning with just one skeleton! Really incredible! You’re really strong!”

“Amazing, Seo Juwon! Eunbyeol will be proud of you as her dad!”

“Seo Juwon! I respect you, man! Now you’re the second-in-command in our team! The strongest after the team leader!”

“Seo Juwon! Seo Juwon! Seo Juwon!”

The senior team members surrounded me and spouted all sorts of words.

People smiling broadly while congratulating me.

But I was still dumbfounded.

I won……?!

It was unbelievable.

Me beating Deputy Team Leader Noh Youngjin.

Winning so easily.

It felt like a dream or reality.

Unbelievable, but it’s true.

But all the evidence spoke of my victory.

Ju Namgyu’s victory declaration.

The team members’ congratulations.

The skeleton mage still standing firmly.

And even Noh Youngjin being carried out on a stretcher.

All of it was unanimously saying that I had won.

I really won…….

I smiled in a daze.

Because I was only now realizing the reality.

I won thanks to the skeleton.

Honestly, in this spar, I did nothing.

All I did was summon one ‘Skeleton Mage’ with the skill I learned last time.

And that guy led the entire spar.

It autonomously shot fireballs to drain the opponent’s stamina, made them slip with ice bolts, and then cleanly finished it.

There was no control from me.

I just told it to fight at the beginning.

EX-grade, what on earth is this.

The reason the skeleton could fight so well was simple.

Because the skill’s grade was ‘EX-grade’.

What is this EX-grade.

I still don’t know.

Even asking the hunter community or the people at Myth Guild, no one knew.

Nevertheless, one thing was certain.

It’s tremendously strong.

That this EX-grade was truly powerful.

Perhaps even more than the current highest grade, S-grade.

In pitch-black darkness.

Noh Youngjin ran like mad.

“Huk! Huk!”

His breath reached up to his chin.

His heart pounded as if it would burst.

His legs ached, and his body was in a state where collapsing right now wouldn’t be strange.

Nevertheless, Noh Youngjin could not stop.

Because terrifying things were chasing from behind.

Clatter! Clatter!

The things chasing from behind were surprisingly skeletons.

Skeletons chasing with bone swords or casting magic in their hands.

Chased by what seemed like over 100 skeletons, Noh Youngjin ran like mad.

Damn it!

What on earth is this.

Noh Youngjin gritted his teeth and ran with all his might.

However, the persistent pursuit could not be shaken off, and the skeletons caught up right behind.

“Get lost! I said get lost!”

Feeling the terror of death, Noh Youngjin let out a monstrous scream and ran.

But the skeletons, without blood or tears, did not stop the chase.

Now the clatter sound came from right behind.

The terror of death approaching nose-to-nose.

Noh Youngjin ran, feeling extreme fear.

But…….

Thud.

His leg tripped on something, and he fell kwadangtang just like that.

Damn it.

Get up quickly.

I have to get up.

Noh Youngjin tried to stand up to survive.

But…….

..?”

In front of him who had fallen, a person’s foot was visible.

A foot wearing jeans and sneakers.

Noh Youngjin, face down, slowly raised his head.

He looked from the legs, stomach, chest to the face.

‘……!”

And the moment he saw the face, Noh Youngjin was shocked.

The identity of the man standing in front of him.

“Se, Seo Juwon……!”

It was because it was the necromancer Seo Juwon.

Seo Juwon smiling brightly, unlike himself who was feeling the terror of death.

He smiled satisfactorily and said.

“Deputy Team Leader, you’ve worked hard all this time. Farewell.”

“Wh, what nonsense……!”

Noh Youngjin tried to jump up and argue.

But the skeletons that had caught up by then overwhelmed Noh Youngjin, and his body was torn to shreds into rags.

“Kyaaaaaaaah!”

Noh Youngjin bolted upright.

But the surroundings were quiet.

It wasn’t in darkness, nor was it a skeleton den.

Hospital……?

The surrounding scenery clearly told him this was a hospital.

Ha, thank goodness.

It was a dream.

Really thank goodness.

It was a really horrific dream…….

“Are you awake?”

At that moment, a sound came from the right.

Turning his head immediately, Team Leader Ju Namgyu was slowly approaching.

Deja vu?

Noh Youngjin, drenched in cold sweat, felt a strange sense of familiarity.

Because it seemed like he had experienced this situation before.

“Ah, Team Leader. Where is this?”

“It’s the hospital.”

“The hospital?”

“Don’t you remember? The spar with Seo Juwon.”

“Ah.”

Noh Youngjin, with a blank expression, finally came to his senses.

All sorts of memories rushed into his mind like photographs swish.

Spar…….

Ju Namgyu’s words were right.

He had definitely sparred with Seo Juwon.

And lost so futilely.

To the point where he couldn’t even properly use his hands.

“Noh Youngjin.”

“Yes, Team Leader……. “

“You lost.”

To Ju Namgyu’s words, Noh Youngjin could not refute.

Because he had clearly lost.

Because it was a perfect loss where he couldn’t find any fault.

Ju Namgyu said.

“I’m not trying to instill a sense of defeat in you, Noh Youngjin. Of course, I’m not mocking you either.”

“Then what……. “

“It’s to make you acknowledge it now. The fact that Seo Juwon is stronger than you, Noh Youngjin.”

Ju Namgyu continued.

“So don’t touch Seo Juwon anymore. You’re no longer the deputy team leader, and you’re not stronger than that guy either.”

“This isn’t to mock you either. I’m saying this because if you pointlessly provoke him more, you’ll end up more broken, Noh Youngjin. So just live quietly as a team member. That’s the last advice I can give as the team leader.”

Ju Namgyu said to take care of his body and left the hospital room.

With the click of the door closing, the room became quiet again.

There, Noh Youngjin looked down at his body.

His body in patient clothes was wrapped tightly in bandages.

Not to mention the dark red blood seeping into the bandages.

Don’t touch Seo Juwon anymore. You’re no longer the deputy team leader, and you’re not stronger than that guy either.

Ju Namgyu’s words spun round and round in his head.

It was so infuriating but undeniable.

Because he had lost to Seo Juwon.

And because of that, he had to step down from the deputy team leader position.

“Haa, damn it.. “

Noh Youngjin gritted his teeth and thump thump punched the innocent bed.

Tears fell drop by drop from his eyes filled with injustice, anger, and frustration.

However, besides shedding tears, there was nothing he could do.

Necromancer Seo Juwon.

Because he had been mercilessly defeated by him.

After winning the spar against Noh Youngjin.

The way the senior team members looked at me changed.

Before, it was just the look of a cute and admirable junior, but now it wasn’t.

They now looked at me with eyes of respect.

It wasn’t my imagination.

In fact, they asked me to tell them the secret to my strength, asked about item settings.

They even begged for tips on how I controlled the skeletons.

It was somewhat burdensome, but considering their position, it was a natural reaction.

Because I beat Deputy Team Leader Noh Youngjin.

At least in terms of skill, since I beat Noh Youngjin who deserved respect, it was understandable that senior team members wanted teachings.

While spending such a dazed yet grateful daily life.

I visited Daphne Entertainment with Eunbyeol.

Because composer Nam Seungha had called Eunbyeol, saying he would start working in earnest.

“Hello.”

“Hello, Sisters, oppas!”

We entered the spacious conference room of Daphne Entertainment and said.

Then, not only Nam Seungha at the head seat but also about 10 team members welcomed us with happy faces.

“Father, Miss Eunbyeol. Come in.”

“Hello, Father!”

“Ah! Eunbyeol, hello? You came looking pretty today?”

“It’s Eunbyeol! Eunbyeol, hello! I missed you!”

“Eunbyeol, hello. Our Eunbyeol, didn’t you miss uncle?”

“Father, sit inside! Eunbyeol, sit next to him!”

The team members welcomed us as if we were VIPs.

There were graduates from prestigious universities, music colleges, and even those who studied abroad, yet they welcomed Eunbyeol like this.

It was really embarrassing to the point of not knowing where to put my body.

“Thank you everyone. Ah, and we brought some snacks.”

“Huh? Suddenly snacks?”

“Ah, we’re starting work in earnest today, and it felt sorry to come empty-handed. I bought them from the most famous snack shop in Gangnam, so they’ll be delicious.”

I said that and distributed the snacks I brought.

It was from the most expensive place in Gangnam, so it cost a fortune, but I willingly spent the money to look good to the team members.

“Oh my, Father. I’ll eat well!”

“Father, I’ll eat well!”

“Oh my, Eunbyeol is giving it directly? Thank you!”

“Thank you, Father. I was just low on sugar, perfect. I’ll eat well.”

When I handed out the luxurious snack boxes one by one, the team members were even happier.

When Eunbyeol toddled around distributing them, they smiled broadly.

Of course, not everyone was happy.

“I’m good.”

Kwak Daesu, who had been blowing cold winds from before.

He pushed the snack box in front of him to the side.

Then a team member said.

“Hey, Daesu oppa. Father specially bought them, at least taste it. It’s thoughtful.”

“I’m good. I hate sweet things.”

“This isn’t that sweet. It’s moderately sweet and popular?”

“I said I won’t eat!”

Kwak Daesu said with a fierce face.

Silence fell over the conference room.

The one who broke the heavy silence was Nam Seungha.

“If he doesn’t want to eat, just leave it. We’ll eat among ourselves.”

“Ah, yes. Teacher.”

With Nam Seungha’s words, the situation was barely resolved.

Of course, Eunbyeol was sulking, and I didn’t feel good either.

Even if they don’t eat what I specially bought, they could at least say thank you.

“Now then, since Father and Miss Eunbyeol are here, let’s get to the main talk.”

Nam Seungha continued.

“As I said before, this time our Daphne Entertainment is planning to launch the rookie girl group Daisy.”

“And the track that will be Daisy’s double title song has arrived from Sweden. Today, we’re thinking of listening to it.”

Nam Seungha said that, then asked for understanding from me and Eunbyeol, and played the song on the laptop.

Soon, sweet accompaniment began to flow from the laptop.

The moment the track that our Eunbyeol would write the melody for started playing.