Awesome Shut-In Necromancer

---

The times are changing once again.

Self-proclaimed experts began to indulge in outrageous predictions, and the once-silent doomsayers stirred back into action, amplifying people’s anxieties.

Amidst this chaotic situation, there was ultimately one focal point for the citizens’ interest: their own Hunters.

– Aren’t there any rising rookies lately?

– I heard another S Rank was just released in the U.S.

– Here we go with the comparisons again. Our talent pool is simply too small for this.

As the threat from dungeons and monsters increased, the only ones who could reassure the citizens were the high-ranking Hunters.

Because of this, posts searching for and analyzing talented newcomers proliferated in various communities every day.

– Have you heard about Baek Seo Ha?

┗ Aren’t you tired of hearing about Baek Seo Ha all the time? Bring some news about other people!

– This time, I heard about Kim Seung Min.

┗ Who even is that?

┗ He’s a conditions dungeon survivor. Haven’t you seen the news?

┗ He’s a front-line fighter using a sword and seems skilled, plus he has decent titles. He’s likely to hit B Rank or higher.

It wasn’t just Korea; the whole world was more desperate than ever to find talented individuals.

Consequently, it had become all too common recently for other countries to subtly poach talent from abroad.

[B Rank Hunter Choi Jeong Soo transfers to the U.S. Sempton Guild.]

[Magic Class Special Rookie Han Soo Min is reportedly undergoing naturalization in China. The Hanra Mountain Guild that was in contact with her got stabbed in the back.]

[Once again, contract violations have arisen; the Black Tiger Guild stated they are ready for legal disputes.]

– Is it just me, or do all the good ones leave for foreign countries the moment they show potential? Traitors!

– Wouldn’t you do the same? Lol Honestly, if it were me, I’d drop to my knees and run.

– Wow… This is just too much lately. It seems like this needs to be addressed at a national level.

However, the government was also in a burning position.

They weren’t just sitting back and doing nothing like the rumors said. It was just that there was, quite frankly, nothing they could do.

So as the Hunter scene in Korea became more congested, there were three newly rising stars that appeared as a glimmer of hope.

– From now on, I’m going to trust only those who stick to the national pride route.

– What good does it do to call back those whose hearts have strayed? Just root out the traitors.

– They keep saying the talent pool is terrible, but honestly? It’s not looking that bad these days.

The first was Song Ha Yeon, a Summoner Class Hunter who recently ranked up to B Rank.

“She’s the most famous around those parts lately.”

“From what I saw in the video, it seems she’ll definitely make it to A Rank.”

“She stands out distinctly among Hunters of the same class.”

In fact, among the Summoner Class Hunters in Korea, Song Ha Yeon had already gained fame, especially after being directly mentioned in an interview by the S Rank Hunter Helena, which made her popularity soar day by day.

The second was a classed Druid named Goo Sung Hak, who had just ranked up to A Rank mere days ago.

“Goo Sung Hak is the real deal. His skills are something else.”

“Putting Baek Seo Ha aside, the one with the highest probability of reaching S Rank at this point is definitely Goo Sung Hak.”

“The fact that the Mu-Hun Guild wanted him speaks volumes. No further words needed.”

Currently, the Mu-Hun Guild was recognized as the undisputed number one guild in Korea, so to have them make an effort to recruit him meant his abilities were already well-proven.

And the last third star; this person had only recently begun to be mentioned, and there was almost no information available about this newcomer.

“I heard her name is Baek, something? Oh, she excelled in that conditions dungeon.”

“To be honest, I don’t know much about her, but those who have seen her say she’s pretty amazing.”

“They say she was incredible even in her apprentice Hunter days.”

The information people knew about her was limited.

She was very young.

Despite being Korean, she bore an exotic appearance.

And…

“I heard she’s a disciple of Song Ha Yeon. They apparently explored dungeons together for a while.”

“No wonder, I heard she uses similar techniques as well.”

“Seems like Song Ha Yeon really is impressive. Watching both a master and disciple making names for themselves already.”

At the same time, behind these misunderstandings, the two people at the center of the rumors were engaged in a heated debate.

– No matter what, that’s just a bit…

– If I say do it, just do it. Why all the chatter?

– Is it even necessary to clarify our relationship? People will naturally understand over time.

– So you want me to sit back and listen to rumors about being your disciple until then?

– Honestly, most people wouldn’t believe it anyway.

Under the factual violence of Song Ha Yeon, Baek Eun Ha could only curl up in her blanket to suppress her anger.

#

After clearing the Special Dungeon, I went through a setback and lethargy from the backlash of using the Book of Death.

Though that time felt wasted, it gave me a chance to think and ponder various things.

The first conclusion I reached was simple.

‘The efficiency is way too poor.’

Even though I just barely crossed level 20, my growth rate had drastically declined.

And the backlash I faced when using the Book of Death, etc.

If I were to level up like this, it would take ages to reach the point I genuinely wanted.

Just running lower C Rank dungeons with Song Ha Yeon simply wouldn’t cut it.

The monster population in the small dungeons was woefully insufficient from my perspective, and there was a hard limit to the number of dungeons a two-person party could take on.

‘…A different method is necessary.’

So, I decided to seek advice from Seo Ha.

“How do I level up quickly?”

While resting her chin in thought, Seo Ha gave me a troubled smile and replied.

“To be honest, I think there’s no other way than to hunt a lot of monsters…”

“Ugh.”

I had hoped it would be something else, but the common sense was common sense. I pressed further, trying to figure out a rough estimate.

“What about me? I’m currently level 58, and I awakened two years ago, so…”

I had anticipated it, but Seo Ha’s response was shocking.

“I think it’ll take at least two more years to hit level 50.”

“R-Really?”

“Right now, it’s tough for even a guild’s entire party to take dungeons together as they used to. You can’t join a larger party, so you’re stuck with small ones. And I’ve minimized this estimate.”

Upon hearing that, my expression stiffened involuntarily.

Based on my previous pace, to regain some of my old strength and skills, I would need to level up to at least 50.

And that would still be far from my prime—two years?

‘Do I really have to live as a laughable joke like Hans during that time?’

That I could not accept. My remaining shred of pride wouldn’t allow it.

‘…Absolutely not.’

So, I resolved to take extraordinary measures, albeit reluctantly.

#

“Um… I’ve read the information you provided well. However, we prefer to form parties with members who can often synchronize…”

“Ah, uh. Yes…”

Tick.

Ting.

Ding-ding-ding.

“Um, I’m sorry, but parties of medium scale or larger almost never assemble as a one-time thing. Since systematic strategies are needed, we probably can’t accept if there are restrictions in that regard.”

“Ah, well…”

Knock.

Ding-ding-ding.

“Ah, your specs were impressive, but we have our own structure…summons can be tricky to coordinate, so we’re leaning towards other positions. I wish you luck finding another party. Have a great day!”

“…Um, have a great day too.”

Thud.

With that third failure, I hit the call end button on my smartphone, savoring the bitterness of defeat.

‘Blind fools…’

It felt quite irritating to see them brush off a high-performance, low-cost talent without a second thought.

I felt drained and collapsed onto my bed.

‘…Maybe it really isn’t meant to be.’

To gain more experience points, I needed to join a larger party and tackle medium-scale dungeons.

But a party willing to take in someone with mental penalties like me was hard to come by.

Just making a simple phone call was exhausting; I wondered if I’d really fit into a medium or large party.

As I closed my eyes to recover my energy, messages from Song Ha Yeon kept pouring in.

Ding.

“Is that really you, Master?”

Ding.

“Are you really okay with not traveling with me?”

Ding.

“There’s really nobody else who would do what I do—get you rides, take care of you, and maintain distance. Hunters are such lone wolves.”

As I read her messages and didn’t respond, one final message appeared.

Ding.

“Parties that are doing fine won’t want someone like you…”

“…This is ridiculous.”

I felt the heat rising and put my phone down.

No matter what happened, I would find a party and get back at Song Ha Yeon.

So, I began scouring recruitment sites, desperately searching for a party.

Eventually, I found one. A party that had the rights to explore a C Rank medium dungeon.