This time, they were not goblins.
Skeletons were swarming in from every direction.
Before I knew it, the scenery had changed into a wasteland.
A chilling wind blew from somewhere.
As the wind passed through the spaces between the skeletons’ bones, it made a strange sound, like a ghost whistling.
At the same time, a new Status Window appeared.
【Measuring time. 00:00:00】
“Measuring time?”
At a glance, there seemed to be hundreds of skeletons.
Cha Jun-hyeok adjusted his grip on his sword and shouted,
“Catch them!”
SLASH—!
BOOM!
Following the fluid movement of his sword, the skeletons’ bodies were cut apart joint by joint.
And the bones seemed about to clatter down to the ground, but then...
BWOOO───!
A horn sounded from somewhere.
[Huh? The bones are reattaching!]
“What is this?!”
“Cha Jun-hyeok! I will try!”
This time, Lee Se-a stepped forward.
“Reverse Regeneration!”
Holy light stretched out from her hand.
The skeletons touched by that light instantly turned into ash.
“It worked!”
However.
This time too, the sound of the horn was heard.
BWOOO──!
CRACK! CRACK!
[Huh? They are growing back!!!]
The ash became bones again, as if regenerating from cells.
The problem was that each individual particle regenerated into a separate skeleton.
“Ahhh! The number only increased for no reason!”
[I will try!]
Before the bones could fully regenerate, Chae Seon-hwa hurriedly fired a great number of spheres of spiritual energy.
BOOM! BOOM!
BA-BA-BA-BA-BANG—!
Thick smoke rose with a great blaze.
[D-did it work?]
“Oh, as expected!”
“That is right! Bones should be cremated!”
The three looked ahead with eyes full of expectation.
However...
CLATTER! CLATTER!
What appeared before us were skeletons whose entire bodies were blazing with fire.
They were skeletons brimming with strength, as though they had received a buff in hell.
WHOOSH—!
Every time they swung their swords, sparks scattered in all directions.
[Eek!]
“What do we do?”
“H-homeowner!”
With the situation becoming more and more complicated, the three panicked spirits looked at me with desperate eyes.
“......”
Even the Tower veteran was flustered, so there was no way I would have some special solution.
The only method worth trying was...
“Exorcism.”
<Exorcism can only be used once per day. If you use the skill now, skill usage will be restricted until tomorrow. Would you like to cast Exorcism?>
Since skeletons were undead Monsters, I had wondered if it might work. Fortunately, Exorcism was effective.
“Cast it.”
The moment I finished speaking, an endless list began to appear.
1. Skeleton
2. Skeleton
3. Skeleton
4. Skeleton
5. Skeleton
‧
‧
‧
298. Skeleton
299. Skeleton
300. Skeleton Captain
‧
‧
‧
422. Skeleton
423. Skeleton
424. Skeleton>
Because there were so many numbers, it took quite a while for red arrows to appear above each skeleton.
However, there was one strange name mixed into the middle.
“Skeleton Captain?”
Surely...
“Number 300, Skeleton Captain.”
Would it work?
The skill description had said it compared the level gap between the spirit and the caster.
The odds were fifty-fifty.
But no matter how much it was the captain of the Boss Floor, if it was still a Tutorial Floor, I thought something might happen.
If it did not work, I planned to designate another skeleton, and while the enemies were stopped, we could at least run away appropriately.
It felt like we needed to come up with a strategy.
That was why I had cast Exorcism from the start as well.
<Target selected.>
<Casting Exorcism.>
WHOOOOO!
It worked!
An oddly familiar sound came from somewhere.
And once again, a pitch-black space appeared.
[Grrrr...]
A Demonic Beast that looked as though it had truly walked out of hell appeared, pouring red lava from its eyes.
The arrow pointing to the Skeleton Captain was at the very back of the enemies.
After grasping the situation, the Demonic Beast began leaping over the skeletons’ heads.
SHWAAAK—! BANG!
The skeletons the Demonic Beast used as stepping-stones stood frozen and were driven into the ground without moving.
Then, as if using a spatial leap, the Demonic Beast arrived right in front of the Skeleton Captain.
[Kyaaaaaak─!!!]
In an instant, its body grew three times larger, and it swallowed the Skeleton Captain whole.
CRUNCH—! CRACK—!
A terrifying sound rang out as it chewed even the bones.
Even the wind blowing across the wasteland was still at this moment.
Having completed its mission, the Demonic Beast turned away aloofly and looked at me.
...What was this?
Was I supposed to praise it?
While I was gathering my thoughts, I heard something like sobbing beside me.
[S-s-s-s-s-scary...!]
Cha Jun-hyeok approached as if to comfort Chae Seon-hwa, who was trembling.
However, Cha Jun-hyeok’s legs were also shaking mercilessly.
“...Is that perhaps a Grim Reaper?”
“N-no!”
Why were they like this?
Surely, I had used this once before...
Ah.
Before, I had used it when the spirits were not present.
So today was the first time the room-corner ghosts saw the Demonic Beast.
They were already timid spirits who were afraid of ordinary ghosts.
If left like this, they might develop lasting PTSD.
I clapped for the Demonic Beast, which was still looking at me.
Then the Demonic Beast wagged its tail.
From a distance, it almost looked like a dog.
Surely not.
Had it come out for a walk after a long time and did not want to go home?
I looked at the Demonic Beast and waved my hand.
Go.
Go now.
Your work is all done.
Go home now.
Whine—!
I clearly heard such a sound.
And then.
FLASH!
A pitch-black space opened again.
The Demonic Beast slowly moved its feet and entered.
After seeing the Demonic Beast off, I looked around.
Before I knew it, all those countless skeletons had vanished.
【Elapsed Time 00:03:17】
【The sixth wave has ended.】
【Evaluation: L. Score Earned: 1,000 points.】
“What? Evaluation L? And the score is 1,000 points???”
[What is L?]
“Surely... Legendary-Grade?”
【Player Jack Rich_07】
―Title: L-Rank.
―Clear: Tower 1st Floor to 9th Floor S-Rank, Event Floor SSS-Rank.
―Tutorial Boss Floor: L-Rank.
【Each evaluation will be reflected in the final rank at a ratio of 1:1:2.】
【Rank Measurement has been completed.】
【Player Jack Rich_07’s rank is L-Rank.】
“L-Rank?!”
“What in the world...!”
Cha Jun-hyeok and Lee Se-a’s eyes widened at the same time.
[Why? Is it bad if L-Rank appears?]
“It is not that it is bad if it appears... it is that no one has ever gotten it!”
[Really?]
“The current World Rank 1 is probably SS-Rank.”
[Then our homeowner is...?]
The three spirits and one cat all looked at me at the same time.
However, the System voice had not ended there.
【Tutorial clear complete.】
【For future clears, a skill suited to the player’s rank will be issued in advance.】
“Ah! A skill draw!”
“Whoa. Then is the draw L-Rank too? What is even happening?!”
[Wow!]
【Please select one number from 1 to 10.】
If it was something like this, then naturally.
“Number 7.”
【Necromancer L-Rank Skill Number 7 is “Spirit Embodiment.”】
[...What?]
“Huh?!”
“What?!!!”
Spirit Embodiment?
FLASH!
【Issued.】
【Ending Tutorial.】
<Would you like to exit Gwanaksan Tower’s 10th floor - Tutorial Boss Floor?>
“Is there a hidden exit here too?”
“Of course!”
Cha Jun-hyeok snapped his fingers with a confident face.
Snap!
But nothing changed.
“...Huh?”
“Good grief, Cha Jun-hyeok! The homeowner has to do it! Homeowner, try snapping your fingers once.”
Like this?
Snap!
Then the wasteland vanished, and the forest usually visible when entering Gwanaksan Tower appeared.
“Homeowner, you have now graduated from the Tutorial! Congratulations on becoming an official player!”
Rustle, rustle.
As we pushed through the grass and walked along the forest path step by step...
A brightly shining Tower appeared ahead.
“Here it is, homeowner!”
Creeeak—!
The moment I opened the Tower’s door, dazzlingly bright light poured out.
<You have discovered the hidden entrance of Gwanaksan Tower’s 10th floor - Tutorial Boss Floor.>
<Additional rewards will be issued according to causality.>
<You have obtained the Skeleton Captain’s Horn.>
[Spirit Embodiment?!]
[What does it say?]
[Homeowner, is that real?]
Even after we came home, the spirits’ attention was naturally on the new skill I had obtained.
You can embody a bound spirit.
However, it is only possible when the Embodiment Gauge is at 100%. Check Spirit List.
Duration: 3 hours.
Restriction: Can be used once every two weeks.>
Embodiment Gauge?
“Spirit List.”
Bound To: Lee Ji-hu>
The gauge was 0%.
Chae Seon-hwa and Lee Se-a were the same.
Bound To: Lee Ji-hu
Class: Healer
Rank: S-Rank
Titles: Light of the World (Healing Power +10%), Savior of Lives (Mental Fortitude +5%)
Stats: Vitality [18,000] Mana [6,805] Mental Fortitude [2,381(+5%)] Healing Power [15,356(+10%)] Attack Power [3,979] Defense [750] Strength [350] Agility [17] Intelligence [4,537] Evasion [11]
Skills: Healing 5(D), Area Healing 3(A), Purification 2(S), Shield 1(A), Regeneration 3(B), Reverse Regeneration 5(D), Protective Zone 2(A), Spring of Healing 1(S, Sealed)
Skill Selection Ticket Fragments: 51>
<The Spring of Healing skill can be activated.>
“Lee Se-a, what kind of skill is Spring of Healing?”
[Ah, that? It can temporarily set up an area where potion flows.]
[Huh? Then injuries heal automatically?]
[Well, according to the description? I have never used it, so I do not know. Ha... I thought I would obtain it within this year.]
[Why? How many fragments were you short?]
“Nine fragments. Is that right?”
[That is right!]
I took Spirit-Exclusive Skill Selection Ticket Fragments out of my Inventory.
“Activate it.”
<Using 9 Spirit-Exclusive Skill Selection Ticket Fragments.>
FLASH!
[Huh?! The skill...!]
[Lee Se-a, you should truly be grateful to our homeowner. He found your cat for you, completed your skill for you, where else in the world would you find a homeowner like this?]
[That is right!]
<Affiliated Spirit Lee Se-a’s Spring of Healing skill has been activated. Would you like to preview the skill?>
“Preview.”
[It is starting!]
Limp, limp.
Lee Se-a, her entire body covered in wounds, gathered both hands at the center of the screen.
<Spring of Healing>
Then a huge fountain appeared.
Water overflowing from the transparent blue fountain quickly soaked the ground.
And the water that touched Lee Se-a’s feet instantly climbed up her entire body.
WHOOOSH—!
Her whole body healed as though washed clean.
<The range of Spring of Healing is a radius of 50 cm.>
<The time limit is 5 minutes.>
[Wow, so that is what it was! Not bad!]
[It is really good.]
[If you fight there, you would never die, right? Is that not a complete zombie zone?]
As everyone praised Lee Se-a’s skill like that, Nabi somehow howled with a triumphant expression.
“Meow—!”
[Our La Vie en Rose is even good at foreign languages.]
[Ah, right! Homeowner! What about Spirit Embodiment?]
For now, I read the words in the skill description exactly as they were.
“Spirit Embodiment. You can embody a bound spirit. However, it is only possible when the Embodiment Gauge is at 100%. Check Spirit List. Duration, 3 hours. Restriction, can be used once every two weeks.”
[Embodiment Gauge?]
“Right now, all three of you are at 0%.”
[How do we fill it?]
There was no separate explanation for this.
Remembering how I had checked the explanation of the Skill Exchange Ticket before, I pressed the item name on the Status Window.
<The Embodiment Gauge increases according to a spirit’s loyalty.>
“A spirit’s loyalty?”
[Huh?]
[Loyalty?]
[How do we prove that?]
However, there was an unexpectedly simple method.
When the spirits killed Monsters in the Tower...
<Affiliated Spirit Cha Jun-hyeok’s loyalty has increased by 1%.>
The gauge began to fill nicely.