The White Church of El Dorado Continent.
Aurel, the church’s chief vice-high priest, was descending underground with high-ranking priests.
As they descended step by step, darkness swallowed all their senses.
A chilling cold seemed to embrace the air, making it frigid, and the silence of death settled like a heavy weight.
This feeling continued for a while.
It had been a long time since everyone silently descended the stairs.
At the very bottom of the stairs, a colossal iron gate appeared.
The iron gate was blocked by layers of iron locks.
It was clearly an unusual space.
In front of the iron gate, inquisitors stood guard.
“You have arrived, Chief Vice-High Priest.”
As they bowed their heads, Aurel gently raised his hand.
“You always work hard.”
After the greetings, the inquisitors began to move in earnest.
“Chief Vice-High Priest, we will now open the iron gate.”
At the inquisitor’s words, a high-ranking priest behind Aurel exclaimed.
“Everyone, imbue yourselves with Holy Power! Weakness will bring death. May the one and only Goddess bless us, and only then shall we advance without fear!”
A faint light burst out in the gloomy space.
It felt comforting.
But that comfort was short-lived.
The inquisitors were releasing the gate’s seals one by one.
The first lock was released.
An unknown sound began to break the terrifying silence.
The second lock was released.
A slight dampness and the smell of rot stung their noses.
The third lock was released.
It felt as if time had stopped in this place, reminding them of the absence of space.
The fourth lock was released.
The scent of death lingered. For some reason, they felt loneliness and helplessness, as if hope was being stolen in the darkness.
Finally, the last lock was released, and the massive iron gate slowly opened.
Only darkness existed.
At this moment, it was death.
The sensation of life’s fragrance completely extinguished, entering the embrace of death, was the only thing that awakened their bodies.
“Everyone, steel yourselves.”
A brief admonition from Aurel, the chief vice-high priest, followed, and everyone began to pass through the iron gate.
The interior was monotonous.
It was arranged with various objects resembling stones.
The priests familiar with this place swallowed nervously and walked out with tension, while those who were there for the first time looked around with curiosity.
This was the most heavily guarded place in the church.
It was a place where those who once threatened the continent were sealed and monitored.
The stone-like objects were all seal stones.
If even one were to break, the repercussions would be significant.
Therefore, the church managed it with great effort.
After passing the seal stones, another iron gate appeared.
The iron gate was not as large as the previous one.
The priests following Aurel came forward and began to open the iron gate.
The iron gate opened with a loud noise.
And inside, an unexpected being was present.
“Hah!”
Some of the priests, seeing this for the first time, stopped in their tracks, surprised.
*Grrr-*
Inside another iron gate was a monster.
But it was no ordinary monster.
A being never seen before in this world was before their eyes.
It looked like a mixture of several monsters.
*Kuaaak-*
The being had a truly grotesque appearance.
Its head resembled a lion’s, but its distorted face looked bizarre. The protruding muzzle revealed ferocious teeth.
Its crimson eyes held madness, resembling a demon.
What about its body?
Rotten flesh was crudely stitched to its bones, and it had multiple arms.
The sight of larvae crawling between them was truly horrific.
Torn wings on its back displayed a formidable presence.
However, the two wings were different.
One resembled that of a bat, while the other had black feathers, like a bird’s wing.
Beneath its ragged torso were legs, too many to count.
It had a horrifying appearance reminiscent of a centipede.
The eye in the center exuded an ominous aura that one should not gaze upon for too long.
*Kyaaak-*
The tail behind it was like a venomous snake, carrying deadly poison.
Even now, its tail threatened the priests.
Fortunately, the being was bound to a pillar with chains.
“Chimera…!”
A creature created by an amalgamation of various monsters.
The existence of a so-called chimera.
Why was a chimera here?
After a brief moment of thought, Aurel spoke.
“It is said that our church began creating this after the emergence of Celestria, the Empress of Darkness, a 7-star being in the past.”
It had no name.
They just called it a chimera.
A 7-star being that appeared suddenly in the distant past trampled the continent.
At that time, the church and nations did not possess the power they have now.
Without the ability to respond, the entire continent was on the brink of disaster.
Of course, everyone joined forces to barely seal it.
That’s what the records clearly stated.
But there was no telling when such a being might reappear.
Therefore, the church decided to execute a forbidden act.
Aurel continued to speak.
“This is because it is a means for us to approach our church’s goal.”
He explained that it was an experiment to prepare for future situations and to gain immense power.
Therefore, they were creating monstrous creatures by combining monsters.
For a church that only served the Goddess, this was akin to violating a taboo.
“Wh-what is this…?”
One priest froze, utterly shocked.
Not only was the church experimenting with monsters, but they were also creating a life form.
By anyone’s standards, Aurel’s words and actions were closer to the ideology of a heretic than a church.
However, none of the inquisitors around moved.
Even the priests who knew about this place simply nodded, seemingly unfazed.
Only the priests who came here for the first time experienced momentary confusion.
Their expressions suggested they had seen something they shouldn’t have.
But Aurel, unfazed, continued his work.
After all, the priests gathered here today were not ordinary priests.
They were so-called high-ranking priests.
They would soon become Arch-Priests.
Among them, a select few would aim even higher, towards becoming Cardinals.
Therefore, it was even more necessary for them to realize this reality beforehand.
Aurel was unconcerned, as they were the ones who would support the church in the future.
“May the Goddess guide the humble beings onto the righteous path. Marvel at her benevolence, behold her kind smile, and give thanks for her generosity.”
A brilliant light erupted from Aurel’s hand.
“……!”
Along with the light, the chimera’s thrashing movements began to slow down.
But that was all.
Soon, it struggled against the chains and showed more vigorous movements.
“Tsk, not yet.”
Aurel clicked his tongue and sighed briefly.
What was the point of creating a chimera if they couldn’t control it as they wished?
If they could truly master this chimera, the church would gain immense power.
This was the power the church needed, as they aimed to conquer the Demonic Realm using the Sail Kingdom as a foothold.
‘If only I could control this fellow…’
If they succeeded, they planned to gradually expand to other high-ranking monsters.
If the best and worst monsters were born, all nations would come under the church.
But that was still a distant dream.
For now, the chimera right before them remained unyielding.
Furthermore, it felt increasingly difficult as they combined more monsters.
“Tsk, bring that fellow here.”
As Aurel ordered, two priests behind him brought a man forward.
The man was bound.
“Ngh! Ugh…!”
His mouth was gagged, so he couldn’t speak.
“He was captured as a hunter who entered the church’s territory.”
A hunter, not an adventurer.
In other words, he was from Earth, another dimension, not the El Dorado Continent.
“Begin.”
At Aurel’s command, the priests dragged the hunter near the chimera.
Even though it was bound by chains, the chimera could move its head. So, it bit the man approaching it.
“Ugh…!”
The man could not even cry out in pain.
Black blood began to overflow from the bite marks.
The man struggled for a moment longer.
Soon, he quieted down. He was dead.
But the death bestowed by the Death Knight was another life.
The dead man let out a strange sound and rose from his place.
“A common ghoul.”
Aurel clicked his tongue again, seeing this.
The chimera also had the Death Knight fused with it.
Thanks to this, the chimera retained the Death Knight’s skills and traits.
Occasionally, powerful ghouls were born from those who met their end at the hands of a Death Knight.
The most prevailing theory was that individuals with more pain and hatred became stronger ghouls.
“We have been torturing him continuously.”
But was the hatred insufficient?
Or was it because of the chimera, not a true Death Knight?
The man became a common ghoul.
A common ghoul was useless even if fused with the chimera.
An inquisitor beside him drew his sword.
Then, he swung the sword towards the ghoul who was once a hunter.
“We will continue to search for hunters from Earth!”
Hunters from Earth.
Their numbers on the continent were very small.
However, they possessed a different kind of power than the adventurers on the continent.
Therefore, they had hoped for entirely different ghouls to be born, but they kept failing.
‘I shouldn’t have sent that guy back then…’
He forgot the name.
But the story was famous: the Saintess, at the church’s request, sent a hunter back to Earth.
He was from Earth, but had no power.
At best, he was evaluated as equivalent to the lowest Iron rank among adventurers, so the church paid little attention to him.
Having been in the church for a long time, many knew him, making it difficult to expel him. Since he lacked power, it was also awkward to use him as an experimental subject, so they sent him back to Earth.
‘At least Kim Suho should have been used as an experimental subject.’
Aurel let out a regretful sigh.
Kim Suho, who was from Earth and the only one to become a Paladin of the church.
Aurel, the chief vice-high priest, also remembered his name.
However, the church refused to use him as an experimental subject, stating he had a separate purpose.
And he was also sent back to Earth.
He didn’t know what that purpose was.
Perhaps only those above him, the Cardinals or the Pope, knew.
“Well, there’s no point regretting it now.”
It was in the past.
So, he focused his efforts on solving the problem at hand.
He raised his hand towards the chimera once more.
* * *
“Maru, make some ramen now.”
Maru, the black skeleton dark knight, nodded.
He had instantly gone from level 1 to level 4.
In effect, he was like my subordinate, a B-Rank Hunter.
“Reassuring.”
After ordering Maru to make ramen, I looked at my smartphone.
Yes, it was thanks to this game.
Thanks to it, I could exist as I am now.
While it was technically inaccurate to call it a game, I casually called it a game.
“But I should also enter dungeons and earn money.”
Originally, I intended to buy skill books, but now I had Maru.
Simultaneously, despite being F-Rank, I possessed the skill Goddess’s Heal.
‘With just Maru, dungeon攻略 would be easy.’
If I could command a skeleton of this caliber, joining a party would be easy.
“……”
I stared at my smartphone.
It felt like a better idea was about to come to me.
Currently, my dungeon in the game was located on the El Dorado Continent.
And Celia offered sacrifices to me to gain traits and skills. Furthermore, I obtained a demonic sword this time.
“If I could obtain other items?”
Obtaining a demonic sword meant that other items were also possible.
Currently, El Dorado Continent was richer in mana than Earth.
Therefore, there were specific herbs, elixirs, and artifacts found only there.
Because of this, every guild trained its members and conducted various education sessions, preparing them for the day they might travel to El Dorado.
Kim Suho was an example.
With just a supplementary holy sword received from the church, he easily reached A-Rank Hunter, didn’t he?
“If I were to bring continental items and distribute them on Earth?”
Of course, not everyone desires strength.
At the very least, releasing luxury goods would bring in a considerable profit.
Along with money, invisible power would follow.
If that happened, no one could dare to look down on me. Even those who used to torment me would have to bow their heads.
As I thought this, I recalled Jinsoo Kang’s expression at the Awakened Center.
My activities would increase from now on.
Naturally, my stories would spread around.
Graduating from the academy doesn’t end bad relationships.
If my current self were to be known, those past enemies would surely appear to try and drag me down again.
No, it’s a certainty.
Those I know are never the type to let things go quietly.
“I need to utilize this more from now on.”
I gripped my smartphone tightly.
Of course, I had no intention of executing my goal immediately.
This also required power to achieve.
Without power, I would simply be swept away by the pack of hounds rushing at me.
“Still, let’s prepare little by little.”
* * *
Jinsoo Kang.
He graduated from the Hunter Academy as part of the 14th class and is currently working at the Awakened Center.
Despite graduating from the academy, his grades were in the lower-middle range.
And all the guilds Jinsoo Kang wanted to join were top-tier guilds with high recognition.
If he joined them, he could show off his abilities and even lord it over others.
However, his abilities were too lacking to work as a hunter in such guilds.
Becoming a government-affiliated hunter with authority was even more impossible.
Nor did he consider mid-to-small guilds from the start.
His pride wouldn’t allow it.
Ultimately, he chose to become a public official hunter.
Although the workload might be overwhelming, like at the current Awakened Center, it was safe, and above all, he could wield authority. Of course.
“Oh, you’re a hunter from the Divine Guild. Please come this way!”
He could only exert authority over those below him in rank.
Still, it was better than nothing.
If he had joined a mid-to-small guild, he would have been the one bowing his head.
Jinsoo Kang was satisfied with his current position.
‘I wonder if there’s anything interesting happening.’
The other day, his academy classmate, Kanghyeon Lee, had come here to undergo a mana test.
Kanghyeon Lee, who couldn’t escape being the last at the academy without a Status Window. Seeing him made Jinsoo Kang feel relatively superior.
But then, Kanghyeon Lee suddenly gained a Status Window.
He knew he was working as a porter. He thought he would die somewhere while working as a porter, but he never expected him to gain a Status Window.
Still, he didn’t care much.
Even with a Status Window, not everyone became stronger.
“Idiot. Getting a Status Window isn’t the end.”
If that were the case, everyone would be working as hunters of the upper ranks, like B-Rank or A-Rank.
Jinsoo Kang sneered.
Kanghyeon Lee, who gained a Status Window, received an F-Rank in his mana test.
Students who graduate from the academy are automatically promoted to at least D-Rank.
This acknowledged their four years of effort and also indicated they were high-caliber personnel.
But what about Kanghyeon Lee?
He was judged as F-Rank after graduating and not having a Status Window.
Even when he gained a Status Window and underwent a mana test, he was still F-Rank.
“How much of an idiot does that make him?”
“Yes?”
Jinsoo Kang’s subordinate responded to his unintentional muttering.
“Oh, it was just me talking to myself.”
He casually brushed it off and looked around.
“Huh?”
Jinsoo Kang’s expression turned surprised.
A familiar face had come to the center.
‘Isn’t that Kanghyeon Lee?’
Why did he come here again?
It hadn’t been long since his mana test.
But why?
Jinsoo Kang stared intently at Kanghyeon Lee.
And he noticed one difference.
‘A Skeleton?’
It was a white skeleton!
And that skeleton was following Kanghyeon Lee.
Kanghyeon Lee was talking to another staff member at the center.
After a short while, Kanghyeon Lee went back outside the center.
Jinsoo Kang was curious.
What exactly had happened?
Fortunately, Jinsoo Kang himself worked at the Awakened Center.
He immediately reviewed Kanghyeon Lee’s records.
There, a shocking fact was written.
‘Kanghyeon Lee is a Necromancer?’
It stated that Kanghyeon Lee was a Necromancer.
Although it was written that he could only summon one skeleton.
It was undoubtedly an insignificant ability, but Jinsoo Kang was shocked to his core.
Kanghyeon Lee, who had just gained a Status Window a short while ago.
But how much time had passed before he gained a new skill?
‘Could it be… am I going to be caught up by him?’
The fool he always thought was behind him was now close.
He felt anxious.
He absolutely wouldn’t tolerate falling behind him.
So, Jinsoo Kang made a decision.
He searched for Kim Suho’s name in his smartphone contacts.
Then, he sent a text message.
Kim Suho was the one who tormented Kanghyeon Lee the most during their academy days.
Therefore, Jinsoo Kang had expectations.
‘Surely, there will be some reaction.’
As expected.
A short while later, he received a call from Kim Suho.
“Just as I thought!”
Jinsoo Kang grinned sinisterly.
Kim Suho, this guy isn’t exactly saintly either.
It was time to torment Kanghyeon Lee again.