Ch.133Resurrection Ritual Is Dangerous (1)

The memories after that were extremely blurry and difficult to make out clearly.

There were only two things I could recognize with certainty.

That the man ultimately failed to clear that massive gate, and that some powerful entity made contact with him after his defeat.

The memories cut off completely at that point.

However, through him, we were able to obtain an extremely important clue.

‘So the dungeon crisis isn’t something that happened only here?’

At first, I had considered various possibilities, but I gained certainty through the hazy memories contained in the wooden ornament.

Though I didn’t know the exact circumstances, the man was clearly in a position of confronting dungeons to counter a global crisis.

“…This is quite interesting.”

“Indeed, better results than expected.”

I clicked my tongue softly as I finished extracting the memories.

I wanted to run more tests, but the power that had been released was already disappearing.

Therefore, I decided to finish what needed to be done first.

“Gordon, let’s try once more.”

– Yes, Master. I am ready.

“If you can’t recall any useful information this time, you’re simply out.”

– T-that’s…

This was another attempt to recover Gordon’s memories after the previous failure.

However, since he had occasionally shown signs of trying to remember something, I decided to give it one more chance, just in case.

As I gathered my fading power and completed the ritual while sweating profusely, the powerful spiritual energy surrounding my body dissipated.

‘I didn’t want to use necromancy for a while, but…’

Today was unavoidable. It was an opportunity that might never come again, so I had to seize it.

And since I achieved results worth the risk, I have no complaints.

Collapsing from the rising exhaustion, I gave Gordon an order.

“You, come out and carry me home.”

Now it was time to organize the information I’d obtained and lock myself in my room for another week.

#

After the situation was resolved, the aftermath was handled quickly.

The world was shocked by the news that just three hunters had conquered an S2-rank dungeon, and the major guilds that had been fighting over my dungeon ownership went silent, offering no objections.

From what I heard, they had suffered significant losses trying to conquer the S4-rank dungeon, so they would likely need to focus all their efforts on reorganizing their guilds for a while.

“That’s what they get for being cocky.”

If they had entrusted it to me from the beginning, they could have conquered the dungeon without struggle or loss. Wouldn’t that have been better?

This is what happens when inexperienced people get too greedy.

As I rolled around on the sofa reading news articles, one caught my attention.

Just yesterday, S2-rank dungeons had appeared in both England and Spain.

Song Hayeon, who was also sitting on the sofa watching the news, noticed this and asked me:

“I thought it might happen, but more have appeared. How was the S2? Do you think other countries can clear them?”

“W-well…”

While we cleared it without much difficulty, in truth, it was an extremely dangerous level for Earth’s hunters.

It was clear that without a Seven Stars-level hunter, clearing it without major casualties would be nearly impossible.

Song Hayeon seemed quite curious about the S2-rank dungeon and continued to question me with a pleading expression.

“Come on, if you don’t know, who would? Please tell me a bit more.”

“S-stop clinging to me. I’ll kick you away.”

But thinking seriously about it, it was certainly concerning.

“…I don’t know about England, but Spain definitely won’t be able to clear it.”

Unless they borrowed strength from other countries, it would certainly be impossible on their own.

Based on my experience alone, that was clear, and since these two dungeons appeared even later, there was a high possibility they would be even more powerful.

“Is it that bad? Then Helena might be in danger too?”

“Huh? Why her?”

“She belongs to England, doesn’t she? I heard she’s entering this dungeon.”

Now that I think about it, that’s right. I had been so focused on the Hades issue that I’d momentarily forgotten Helena was a hunter affiliated with the Calliope Guild in England.

“W-why am I suddenly feeling anxious?”

Currently, I can’t use my powers due to the side effects of necromancy. And starting tomorrow, Helena will enter the dungeon and won’t be able to come out for a while.

If I were the leader of Hades, I would definitely conduct the resurrection ritual at this timing.

“But it should be fine, right? They don’t know you can’t use your powers.”

“That’s true, but…”

Something kept bothering me.

Especially how they had been vigorously active but recently minimized their movements.

To me, it felt like they were waiting for the right moment.

“C-can’t you just tell her not to go?”

“How could I do that? For an S2-rank, all high-ranking national hunters must participate. Unless she gives up her nationality.”

“Why at a time like this…”

Well, unlike me who had confidence in conquering dungeons alone, for other countries, these dungeons pose a major threat.

It made sense they would pour all their resources into it.

‘I have a bad feeling about this…’

No matter how much I thought about it, I felt uneasy, but there was nothing I could do.

In the end, I decided to let things play out as they would, went back to my room, turned on my computer, and immersed myself in gaming.

Deliberately suppressing the inexplicable feeling of unease.

#

“Wow, this is bad…”

In a small space within an old-fashioned traditional house, a woman repeatedly handled cards on a table with a grimacing expression.

Known to the public as the Magician, Korea’s S-rank hunter, Seo Min-ah.

She actually had a secret unknown to others.

She could glimpse the future slightly by using her awakened ability.

‘I’ve never seen such an ominous reading before.’

The future was extremely mysterious. And in most cases, it was better to leave it untouched than to interfere with it.

That’s why Seo Min-ah had never revealed her secret to anyone, including the government.

However, this time was different.

She could sense something approaching gradually that was incomparable to any crisis they had faced before.

‘I need to draw out more power to confirm this.’

Having made her decision, Seo Min-ah moved the cards again, summoning all the magical power she had cultivated through training.

Whoosh.

Fwish!

The cards floating in the air danced at a speed impossible to follow with the naked eye, and as time passed, several of them began to place themselves before Seo Min-ah.

Ping!

Ping!

Thunk!

Thunk!

Thunk!

“…Why is this so intense, seriously.”

Although she had used this ability many times before, she had never experienced cards showing such irregular movements and becoming embedded in the table.

This corresponded with how exceptional this matter was.

Whoosh.

Trickle.

Tick.

Gradually gathering her power, she slowly began to examine the cards stuck in the table to check the divination.

First, the first question.

“What lies ahead on our path?”

Ping.

As she drew the first card, a chaotic display of black colors disoriented her vision.

And within it, something was faintly visible.

At a glance, it took a human form, but it was clearly not human.

The fear felt just from encountering it through a mere card.

A form that stimulated primal human terror.

She couldn’t express the sensation properly, but she could barely extract the word closest to that feeling from her mind.

‘Death.’

It was gradually approaching this Earth.

Swallowing hard, Seo Min-ah continued without stopping and picked up the next card. Then she asked a question.

“Is this a future that can be changed?”

The card that appeared resembled the Joker commonly used in playing cards.

Its meaning was simple.

It cannot be stopped by ordinary means. However, there might be someone who could make it possible.

Feeling her breath becoming labored from using her ability to its limit, Seo Min-ah picked up the final card with her sweaty hands.

And she asked the final question.

“What should I do?”

Ping.

The card she turned over revealed the figure of a monarch looking down at Seo Min-ah with an arrogant expression.

However, uniquely, it took the form of a girl rather than an authoritative sage or heroic figure.

And she had dazzling silver hair flowing in the wind.

‘This child, could it be…’

The skeletons offering their bodies instead of a throne, and countless corpses attending to her like servants.

Coincidentally, Seo Min-ah knew very well a person who perfectly matched these hints.

“……”

Having made her decision, Seo Min-ah immediately put down the cards and prepared to leave the room.

In the now empty room, numerous magical card bundles dissolved into the air, disappearing like mist.