Chapter 3
The hillside neighborhood where twenty-year-old Do-jin lived was poor and shabby.
The mountain behind it was especially infamous as a gathering place for crows.
Their cries constantly irritated people passing nearby.
Apparently, even the crows had different groups.
Whenever those groups fought each other, the noise became even worse.
That was why it did not take Do-jin long to find what he wanted.
“...Found one.”
Do-jin approached a motionless crow.
It was unusually large, perhaps some kind of leader.
Its body was covered in wounds, as though it had been attacked by an entire flock before dying.
“...!”
Do-jin concentrated mana toward the crow's corpse.
A notification window immediately appeared.
[This corpse can be turned into a minion.]
[Would you like to subordinate it?]
[Yes / No]
“Of course.”
The moment Do-jin confirmed his choice, another window appeared.
[Currently Available Minions]
[1. Crow Skeleton - Bone Attribute: Available]
[2. Crow Zombie - Poison Attribute: Unavailable / Required Level: 5]
[3. Bloodsucking Crow - Blood Attribute: Unavailable / Required Level: 7]
[4. Crow Ghost - Soul Attribute: Unavailable / Required Level: 10]
“Since I have multiple Attributes, there are more types of undead I can summon. Looks like I'll need to level up first, though.”
Do-jin immediately selected Skeleton.
Another window appeared as if it had been waiting.
[You must speak an activation phrase to subordinate the minion.]
Activation phrase?
Do-jin thought for a moment.
Then he spoke.
“...Awaken.”
Death was an eternal sleep.
If so, what phrase could suit the undead better than commanding them to wake from that sleep?
At that moment, the dead crow began to change.
Pale green flames resembling ghost fire suddenly rose and covered the corpse.
Its feathers burned away first.
Then its skin disappeared as if erased.
Clatter.
The bare bones connected one by one under Do-jin's mana.
Soon, Do-jin could feel a thread of mana connecting himself to the Crow Skeleton.
[Minion List: 1 / 5]
[1. Crow Skeleton - Lv.1 / Soldier]
It was the moment Do-jin's first minion was born.
“Good. The basic preparations are finished.”
The Crow Skeleton landed on Do-jin's shoulder.
Death Energy invisible to ordinary humans seeped from its bare bones.
Like a pet bird, it affectionately rubbed its beak against him.
Do-jin decided to give it a name.
“Crows in mythology were often connected to the sun or death. They were also divine messengers who delivered oracles.”
Do-jin gently stroked the Skeleton Crow's tiny skull.
“So your name is Apostle.”
Then Do-jin shifted his gaze.
First, toward the stadium visible in the distance.
Then toward the other crow corpses scattered near his feet.
Those crows were smaller than Apostle, but that was a trivial issue to Do-jin.
“I should get used to the Necromancer fighting style first, shouldn't I?”
Green mana shimmered around him like heat haze.
“Awaken.”
A short while later, five Crow Skeletons spread their wings at once.
Their wings shone with a dark bluish light like ghost fire as they soared into the air.
They had returned from death and now flew around their master.
The sight resembled loyal subjects celebrating the arrival of their king.
“That makes five minions.”
Do-jin slowly searched his memories.
He needed to decide what to do next as a Player.
“There was a decent Arena around here, wasn't there? One that would be good for practicing how to command minions...”
“Are you an applicant?”
The twenty-first century had prospered after the Great Transformation, thanks to Magic Stones and Gold obtained from various Arenas.
The first things to appear when the Great Transformation began had been the Arenas.
Countless stadium-like structures had suddenly risen around the world.
At first, people viewed them with suspicion and caution.
But now, they were key facilities managed by national governments.
Players brought Magic Stones and Gold out of those Arenas.
Only Players were allowed to enter.
Even so, thanks to them, governments around the world could acquire these new-generation resources without much difficulty.
And except for a few special Arenas, most did not threaten human lives.
The world had therefore chosen to coexist with them.
Two years had now passed since the Great Transformation began.
Naturally, government departments and civil servants dedicated to Arenas and Players had already been established.
The civil servant sitting in front of Do-jin looked bored.
“Name, Lee Do-jin... Age, twenty...”
Without even taking his eyes from the monitor, he lazily accepted Do-jin's Arena application.
Just like always.
People with nothing sure swarm here like moths to a flame.
His rude thought was somewhat understandable.
Do-jin looked poor and unimpressive.
His T-shirt and jeans were so faded and worn that their original colors were hard to recognize.
His sneakers were practically falling apart.
He did not look like a Player at all.
“So, have you awakened?”
The Arena he managed was the lowest level, F-rank.
Most Arenas had Participants fight highly realistic monster illusions or models, so there was usually little danger of death or injury.
But even those did not appear in F-rank Arenas like this one.
That was why ordinary people frequently applied to enter them, hoping they might somehow awaken inside.
Newly awakened Players lacking experience also came to practice.
So many ordinary people think they might awaken just by entering an Arena filled with mana. How many of these people have I seen already?
That was why he asked the question without expecting anything.
It was only part of procedure.
Even if an ordinary person pretended to be a Player and applied, they would not be able to enter the Arena anyway.
That should have been the case.
“Yes.”
But the man standing before him was different.
