I Raided the Demon’s Treasury

Chapter 30

Raise Skeleton.

As the name suggests, it is the most basic spell of a necromancer that animates skeletal remains. Unlike other spells, it requires a ‘Dark Circle’ to cast.

Fortunately, Se-woon had recently formed his second mana circle using Black Tower’s training methods in the joint.

Dark mana flowed from Se-woon’s hand, infusing into the remains of a boar stripped down to its bones.

Crack!

The bones, freed from their meat and shattered into pieces, began to stir and draw towards each other. The vertebrae aligned one by one, and the legs joined seamlessly to the pelvic bone.

“Eek!”

“What, what is that!”

The people around Se-woon, who were busy butchering meat, couldn’t help but be startled.

Moving bones were something they had only seen in movies back on Earth, completely outside the realm of common sense.

Some even hurriedly drew their weapons, thinking a monster had appeared.

Crack, crack!

Meanwhile, the black energy infused into the bones brought all the pieces back together.

As the skull, lying separately in a corner was dragged along the ground and locked into place…

“Rise.”

(T/N): For a moment there, I was confused if I was reading Solo Leveling. LOL.

Snap!

“What on earth is that!”

“Did… did you do that?”

The boar’s skeleton rose to its feet as it extended its knees.

The boar, being one of the larger ones, still boasted an impressive size despite having lost all its flesh and hide.

Sizzle!

A crimson glow began to seep out from the pitch-black eye sockets of the skull.

As Se-woon remained silent, the people’s tension increased even further.

At that moment…

Thud.

“What on earth is happening…?”

“Is that some kind of magic too?”

“Well, common sense doesn’t really apply here anyway…”

The boar, or rather the ‘Boar Skeleton’ now, knelt and bowed its head before Se-woon.

A posture of complete submission.

Se-woon indicated his acceptance by stroking its forehead.

‘This should suffice.’

A skeleton, the most basic summon of a necromancer.

It has lower strength and defense compared to a zombie, but a boar is naturally a powerful monster, so even as a skeleton, it should have enough strength to pull a wagon.

Moreover, undead beings like skeletons have a significant advantage.

That’s stamina.

As long as they are supplied with mana, undead never get tired. In a situation where the wagon needs to be pulled all day, they are much more suitable than tamed monsters.

‘Just in case…’

Se-woon raised his hand once more.

Considering the amount of luggage on the outskirts of the village, it seemed impractical to accommodate everything in just one wagon.

“Rise.”

Crack!

Summoning another skeleton was simple.

Just like the first summoning, the bones of the boar aligned and rose under Se-woon’s command.

Soon, two skeletons stood bowed beside Se-woon.

‘This is the limit.’

A necromancer can summon roughly two skeletons per circle. With two circles, Se-woon could maintain a total of four skeletons.

However, the limit varies depending on the target of the magic.

While Se-woon could maintain four human skeletons, he could only manage two from stronger entities like boars.

“Eek!”

Noticing movement nearby, Se-woon turned his head, and naturally, the skeletons mirrored him.

A man nearby inhaled sharply and stepped back.

‘Well, that’s a normal reaction.’

A reanimated corpse moving would be hard for an ordinary person to accept.

However, these skeletons would be pulling the wagons built by the twin sisters, meaning they’d be right next to the people.

It was necessary to ensure that everyone understood these skeletons were safe.

“These are safe, so there is no need to worry.”

“R-really?”

“Feel free to come and touch them if you want.”

“I-I’m fine, really…”

“Then, may I touch them?”

Cutting through the crowd, Yoo Seo-ah appeared. It seemed she had been helping with food preparation alongside the other camp members.

She confidently walked up and stood in front of the kneeling skeleton next to Se-woon.

‘She’s nervous.’

Although she tried to hide it, Se-woon noticed the slight trembling of her hands.

No matter how confident she acted, she was still an ordinary person who had just arrived at the Tower. It was natural for her to be frightened by the skeletons.

But she bravely stepped forward because she likely understood Se-woon’s intentions.

“Eep!”

“Grk—”

A small gasp, only audible to Se-woon, escaped from Yoo Seo-ah.

When her hand touched it, the skeleton rose slightly from its kneeling position.

An average person might have recoiled in shock, but she stood firm, turning her head and tightly shutting her eyes to hide her fear from the others.

After a moment…

“Grk, grk—”

The skeleton began to nuzzle its skull against Yoo Seo-ah’s hand as if showing affection.

Realizing this, Yoo Seo-ah’s eyes widened in curiosity, and she started to gently stroke the skeleton’s skull with both hands.

“Wow, it’s like a pet!”

“Really?”

“Then can I try…?”

“Can I touch it too?”

“Amazing!”

As Yoo Seo-ah showed affection, the people’s anxiety melted away.

Seeing Se-woon nod, curious individuals approached and began to touch the skeletons.

Of course, the skeleton’s recent movement had been directed by Se-woon. Skeletons do not move unless explicitly commanded by their master.

Thanks to Se-woon’s quick thinking and Yoo Seo-ah’s assistance, the people’s anxiety about the skeletons dissipated as if by magic.

Shortly after, two young girls, having apparently heard the news, came running excitedly.

“Wow! It’s real! The skeleton is standing up!”

“Oppa, are these the ones that will pull our wagons?”

“They look strong! Maybe we can make the wagons bigger?”

“This one’s mine!”

“Then this one’s mine!”

“Sis, want to have a race? Let’s see whose wagon moves faster!”

“Deal! Just wait, my little cutie will be the fastest!”

“A creator relying on the user, not their creation! I will win with the quality of my work!”

“Ah, no! I will also win with the quality of my work, of course!”

Seeing the twin sisters mounting the skeletons brought smiles to the faces of the camp’s residents.

* * *

Darkness fell over the camp.

Since the final wave had ended just before sunset, it was decided to start the journey the next day.

Preparing for the move had been tiring, so everyone fell asleep earlier than usual.

‘Well-made.’

Before going to bed, Se-woon laid out the leather sleeping bag he had received from the people.

Usually, Se-woon would fall asleep using the wolf cloak worn on his back as a blanket, but it couldn’t compare to something made specifically for sleeping.

The sleeping bag fit his body perfectly, with a soft texture. The fluffy fur shielded him from the cold night air.

– The Constellation, ‘Hungry Prince,’ rubs his swollen belly contentedly, stating that it was a satisfying meal, and exhales deeply.

Since it was the last meal at this place, Se-woon made an effort to serve Beelzebub well.

Among the fallen during the final wave was ‘Red Claw, Yashak.’ Including Yashak, Se-woon burned various Red Monkeys he had defeated, using the Power of Gluttony.

As a result, his agility and intelligence significantly increased, and Beelzebub’s discontent vanished entirely.

For the time being, Beelzebub wouldn’t be whining about hunger.

‘The second chapter of the tutorial…’

Se-woon recalled his memories from before the regression.

Barely escaping death, he had embarked on the journey amidst those who had lost hope.

Maybe dying here would have been better.

He remembered leaving behind a camp teeming with corpses, thinking such thoughts.

‘The past is just the past.’

Se-woon shook his head briefly and began reviewing his upcoming plans.

Points to be cautious of in the second chapter, hidden pieces to find there, and more. The tutorial offered only one chance; missing it this time meant no coming back.

By the time the shining crescent moon hung directly above him, Se-woon had completed his preparations.

Just as he was about to drift into sleep…

– The Constellation, ‘Bowed Raven,’ lowers its beak and points at you.

‘Hmm?’

A message from Mammon, the Demon God of Greed, appeared.

Unlike Beelzebub, who would appear drooling at every opportunity, Mammon was usually quiet, so this caught Se-woon’s attention.

– The Constellation, ‘Bowed Raven,’ points at your sword and stirs feelings of greed.

‘So that’s it.’

The legendary sword, Durandal, which he discovered through a hidden piece in the Training Ground of the Forgotten Hero, naturally caught the interest of the Demon God of Greed. Mammon had shown significant interest when Se-woon first drew the sword in the joint.

However…

‘No matter how powerful a Demon God is, they cannot meddle freely with a player.’

They couldn’t just take it at will.

The Constellations at the top floor of the Tower fundamentally couldn’t interfere with players on the lower floors.

Even if they attempted to interfere, they would twist the laws of causality and greatly damage their own stature. That’s why many Constellations sought to exert influence through their followers below.

– The Constellation, ‘Bowed Raven,’ authoritatively mutters for you to offer the sword to it.

“Why should I?”

– The Constellation, ‘Bowed Raven,’ clenches its talons and furrows its brow in displeasure.

Se-woon’s demeanor was entirely different from when he first faced Mammon.

Confidence.

He exhibited no signs of being intimidated, even in front of a high-ranking Constellation like the Demon God.

Of course, there was a very good reason for this.

– The Constellation, ‘Bowed Raven,’ warns that if you refuse its command, it will revoke your access to the treasury.

“Go ahead and try.”

– The Constellation, ‘Bowed Raven,’ trembles with anger.

At first, Se-woon hadn’t realized it, but after using over twenty treasures, he came to understand the true nature of the power he wielded.

‘The Mammon’s Treasury I’m using is separate from Mammon’s actual Treasury.’

This was the conclusion Se-woon had reached.

Initially, he thought Mammon was allowing him to use the treasury out of mere curiosity, but that wasn’t the case.

Mammon hadn’t blocked Se-woon from using the treasury because he couldn’t in the first place.

Se-woon realized this due to the unique characteristics of the power he was currently using.

‘I could only summon the powers and not the actual treasures.’

In other words, the treasury Se-woon was using was the one Mammon owned before the regression. Upon regression, the physical treasury was lost, and only the inherent power remained, absorbed by Se-woon as an ability.

This was why Se-woon could stand confidently against Mammon’s threats.

– The Constellation, ‘Bowed Raven,’ spreads its wings threateningly in response to your arrogant attitude.

However, it wasn’t wise to completely antagonize Mammon.

Numerous Demon Lords were already taking an interest in Se-woon’s camp and making contracts with the people.

If Mammon ordered a withdrawal, even the 72 Demon Lords wouldn’t be able to defy the command of a Demon God.

Thus, Se-woon decided to bring up the clever plan he had prepared for this situation since obtaining Durandal.

“I’m not saying I won’t give it to you. But right now, Durandal is the strongest weapon I have.”

– The Constellation, ‘Bowed Raven,’ folds its wings and listens to your words.

“I understand that the Demon God has the power to replicate the strength of items.”

In fact, most of the treasures in Mammon’s Treasury were such ‘replicas’ created in this manner.

With that in mind…

“So, while the Demon God replicates Durandal, I will lend it to you.”

– The Constellation, ‘Bowed Raven,’ though slightly regretful, nods, finding it acceptable if it can add to its collection.

“However.”

This was where the real deal began.

In exchange for lending Durandal, Se-woon’s true desire was…

“Grant me access to the ‘real treasury.’”

It was the permission to use the actual treasury possessed by the current Mammon.