How to Raise Your Skeletons

Behind him, a mountain of mined minerals was piled high, and others struggled to haul more on carts.

“…Wow, you managed to mine all this so quickly?” I asked, astonished.

“Of course! We gathered everything we could. The majority of the tribe participated in the mining,” he said with a grin.

They were now mining minerals and loading all of them into my bag.

My bag, an S-rank dimensional space, was incredibly vast. It could easily hold all the minerals here and still be only half full.

“Take as much as you can carry. The minerals in Titan’s mine are limitless; they’ll regenerate over time. Besides, we’re not equipped to handle all of it right now.”

“Wow, I appreciate this.”

To the dwarves, it was just keeping their promise, but it moved me. They would be reigniting their forges again soon, yet they willingly handed over these precious materials.

And it wasn’t just the dwarves who touched my heart.

“Benefactor.”

“We elves will also lend a hand.”

“The Forest Tribe wants to show our gratitude too. You mentioned needing textile materials last time, so we’ve gathered some for you.”

Behind the hard-working dwarves, elves arrived with carts filled with spiderwebs, silkworm cocoons, and wool. The line was so long it seemed endless.

“…This is more than just ‘some,’ isn’t it?”

“We couldn’t let the Rock Tribe outdo us. The entire tribe worked together to collect them.”

The sincerity in the elves’ eyes was evident. It meant they gathered it willingly, not just because Eldrin ordered them to.

“Hoho, how incredible,” the summoned old man chuckled, watching the scene. He looked genuinely impressed. “You always manage to squeeze every last drop from a dungeon visit. It’s something worth watching.”

“…That’s a compliment, right?”

“Indeed, what else could it be? My disciple, do you know the greatest driving force behind a person’s growth and strength?”

“What is it?”

“Desire. And your desire, or rather your endless greed, is so impressive that even the heavens would be astonished. As your teacher, how could I not be pleased?”

“…”

That sounded like a backhanded compliment.

“But what they’re doing for you must be genuine. After all, they’ve gained peace in exchange for a small price.”

“Well, I guess it’s a win-win for both sides.”

“Exactly. So that’s why I call it justified greed. In any case,” the old man smiled, “I’ve assessed Eldrin’s archery skills. Not quite on par with me, but if she refines her skills, she could quickly regain her former glory. As for Demir, well, he’s not under my jurisdiction.”

Eldrin and Demir’s awakenings were reversed with the dragon’s disappearance. They were now back to being ordinary skeletons. However, having achieved true awakening, their souls remained embedded in the skeletons. Simply put, they were now in a state similar to Sunny.

[Receiving rewards!]

The basic dungeon rewards framework was similar to the Ancient Desert.

[Technique increased by 2!]

[Strength increased by 1!]

[Dexterity increased by 1!]

[Constitution increased by 1!]

…

Each skeleton’s stats increased significantly. And next up:

[The leader of the Forest Tribe, ‘Eldrin,’ has acknowledged you as her true master!]

[The leader of the Rock Tribe, ‘Demir,’ has acknowledged you as his true master!]

[All stats increased by 10.]

Demir and Eldrin recognized me as their true master.

[‘Eldrin’s’ memories and will are inherited by ‘Bonehead 3.’]

[The name of ‘Bonehead 3’ changed to ‘Eldrin.’]

[‘Demir’s’ memories and will are inherited by ‘Bonehead 6.’]

[The name of ‘Bonehead 6’ changed to ‘Demir.’]

I don’t know why it proceeded randomly without order, but it was clear now. My skeletons were once significant figures in their past lives. By resolving their ‘resentments,’ they naturally became my subordinates. In other words, I had to resolve the ‘resentment’ of ten beings.

How did I know that? Of course, because I received a new medium item.

[Receiving rewards!]

[Congratulations!]

[You have acquired the item ‘The Officer Crying for Peace’ (S-rank).]

—Ring!

[This item has a connection to your profession.]

‘The Officer Crying for Peace?’

I touched the horn-shaped object.

[Item: The Officer Crying for Peace]

[Rank: S]

[Type: Medium]

[Description: A source that can uncover the secrets of hidden ruins.]

[Effect 1: Can unlock the dungeon ‘Rise and Fall.’]

[Effect 2: Bound to the hunter ‘Joo Donghoon.’]

[Effect 3: This item can only be activated for hunters A-rank and above.]

“This time it’s A-rank.”

Since I was currently B-rank, I couldn’t enter right away.

Even if I were able to enter the dungeon immediately, I wouldn’t. After a big run, taking a break and reorganizing, physically or mentally, was essential.

Who will it be next?

Boney 1? Boney 4? Boney 5? I had no idea how the sequence was determined, but one thing was sure of: I couldn’t predict it until I was inside the dungeon.

“This is the end of the rewards.”

There was no additional achievement reward for clearing the ‘Immeasurable’ stage. It seemed achievement rewards could only be received once.

“Quick, move it!”

“The benefactor is waiting!”

“Make sure we elves don’t fall behind.”

Both tribes continued to move materials enthusiastically.

[Time remaining until the dragon is completely sealed.]

[00:60:00]

An hour remained before the dungeon would be fully cleared. Once the remaining time ran out, I’d return to Earth.

Maybe I should recheck Eldrin and Demir’s stats?

—Whoosh!

I swung my staff to summon the two.

From now on, I’d refer to them casually. That was what they wanted.

“Being from beyond this world… No, Master. It’s an honor to serve you, the benefactor of our tribe.”

Upon completing the quest, the dignified Eldrin and the hearty Demir knelt before me.

“I, Demir, shall also consider you my master. So please feel free to speak casually to me.” The dwarf’s typical serious tone hadn’t changed, but there was a clear sign of respect.

—Thud!

Demir also set his bone hammer down. He moved to Eldrin’s side and bent his short legs in a bow, a gesture showing that they would serve me wholeheartedly.

I decided to accept it casually. It might feel awkward initially, but we would be in a relationship where I had to manage them anyway.

“Alright, let’s do our best together.” That was my first official greeting to both of them.

Much had changed in their information.

First, Eldrin.

[Name: Eldrin]

[Energy: 200/200]

[Unique Ability: Great Skeleton]

[Class: Archer]

[Rank: B]

[Strength: 40] [Dexterity: 42] [Constitution: 37] [Magic Power: 35] [Technique: 42]

[Skills]

– Intermediate Rapid Fire (Lv.6)

– Hundred-Mile Eyes (Lv.1)

– Venomous Arrow (Lv.1)

– Moonlight Descent (Lv.1)

– Ritual Spellcasting (Lv.1)

– Summon Skeleton (Lv. MaX)

Wow.

I was impressed. The Secure Vision skill had now transformed into Hundred-Mile Eyes, and Poison Arrow had become Venomous Arrow.

Two new skills had been added. Moonlight Descent involved raining down arrows like a carpet bomb under the moonlight. Ritual Spellcasting was like a ritual in which one could make a sacrifice to achieve a desired outcome. If my guess was correct, Ritual Spellcasting could be incredibly overpowered, considering it was able to seal the Giant Magic Dragon once the price was paid.

Next up, Demir…

[Name: Demir]

[Energy: 200/200]

[Unique Ability: Great Skeleton]

[Class: Blacksmith]

[Rank: B]

[Strength: 32] [Dexterity: 30] [Constitution: 30] [Magic Power: 30] [Technique: 40]

[Skills]

– Intermediate Smelting (Lv.4)

– Intermediate Weaving (Lv.4)

– Intermediate Item Crafting (Lv.6)

– Intermediate Alchemy (Lv.3)

– Summon Skeleton (Lv. MaX)

Nothing had particularly changed in Demir’s skills; just that his levels increased by 2 each. But Demir’s potential wasn’t just in skills. He was the being worshiped as the god of blacksmiths in his world. The knowledge he held alone showcased immense production power. Having witnessed it firsthand, I was confident that would be the case.

I need to quickly increase his proficiency to reach a higher level.

With all the materials here, that wouldn’t be a problem. We could quickly reach an advanced level.

As I joyfully examined the status screens, both races quickly loaded materials into my bag.

“Benefactor, here you go.”

“We’ve finished.”

Representatives from both tribes handed me the bag and bowed.

—Thud.

I took the bag and slung it over my shoulder. Thanks to the dimensional space, its weight was manageable.

[Remaining Time – 00:00:20]

There were about 20 seconds left.

It was finally time to leave. Why did it feel so bittersweet? Could I have gotten attached to this world in such a short time?

“I wish you the best of luck in the future for the harmony you’ve achieved here.”

Adios.

I saluted with my right hand.

“…”

Both tribes saluted silently in return, facing me as I slowly disappeared.

[Congratulations!]

[You have completely cleared the stage!]

Then, with a bright white light shooting up to the sky… the world shimmered.

“Ah, this is nice.”

Upon returning to the open clearing, I sniffed the air.

How long had it been since I last smelled the scent of Earth? The pollution cutting through the forest air, the harmful fine dust—everything was just as it should be.

“Ahhh.”

There’s nothing like home.

To sum it up, this dungeon was a jackpot. I grew so much I could go on and on about it. I reached B-rank, gained incredible materials, and my skeletons were slowly regaining their original forms.

The problem is there’s still so much to do.

Even so, the mountain of becoming a ranker still stood tall. 1,000 rankers—all S-rank. Chosen from among the many S-ranks, they represented the top of the elites.

“Haah,” I let out a sigh.

I felt like I’d achieved so much with just this, but I had to wonder just how many more monsters there must be in the world.

Still, there was no need to rush. Honestly, how long had it been since I properly awakened my abilities? Less than six months? I was climbing the ranks incredibly fast.

“Yes. Keep it up, Joo Donghoon!”

Step by step, I encouraged myself and headed straight home. I planned to rest thoroughly without a single thought today. I was mentally exhausted, and after a cup of instant noodles, I wanted to sleep for over 12 hours.

—Creak!

I opened the basement door.

“What the?” I frowned.

Ignoring the stale smell, it looked like a bomb had gone off in my house.

“What’s going on?”

All the windows were shattered, the mattress was cut in half, the furniture and my tools were strewn everywhere. It looked like a robbery had taken place. More than that, what was even more shocking was—

“Money?”

Stacks of fifty-thousand won bills were scattered all over. From a glance, there were about four to five million won*.

≈ $3000-3800 USD

Who the hell did this?

As I looked around, I noticed something unfamiliar.

“What’s this?”

There was a piece of paper stuck to the back of the door. Curious, I read it.

Hey, Joo Donghoon. Nice to meet you. Sorry about the rough introduction, but I’ve compensated you, so try to be understanding. I’d advise against reporting this to the police though. If you do, I can’t guarantee your safety. If you’re upset, find me and face me like a man. I’ve arranged a modest group of hunters, and everyone here wants to meet you. I’ve attached the location below.

Yours truly, Shin Jongoh.

“…”

Shin Jongoh? Who the hell was this guy?