The legendary Moonlight Sculptor

V53C6P1 - Grand-scale Investment

- In the end, he did appoint lords with the worst method. Is money really everything to him?

- Is Weed also blinded by money? I never thought of him as such.

- A disappointment… Seriously.

- They all change when they become kings.

- The true appearance is revealed.

The Arpen empire's lord appointment covered live by the broadcast station created a massive opposing public poll.

"We have 296 million gold for Ladin city right now."

"Yes. We have a gentleman for 320 million gold."

The lord positions were auctioned off for ridiculous amounts that the novice and common users could not even imagine.

- This is a total paper party.

- It's crazy. Weed's going to slide a portion of his own in the name of Arpen Empire.

- I didn't want to see this… It's discouraging.

- Weed is the same as the rest of them.

The lord position not only grants honor and authority, but also a significant amount of taxes monthly. That was why people paid such an expensive price for it.

- Still, he can't appoint a nobody as a provincial lord. If we speak in terms levels, the Hermes guild or those who had bribed their way into positions of authority are the highest. It is better than giving those high-level users the lord seats.

- If someone was appointed as lord out of a million users, the ones that did not would have opposed in any way.

- Let's play along for now. He did well up until now.

There were users in favor of Weed, but the live coverage of people buying their way into power led to huge voices of opposition.

- Can you not see with your own eyes that we have been played?

- Weed should just go ahead and govern the whole empire on his own. Then I wouldn't be ticked off this much.

- I'm seriously annoyed by this.

- I am a user of the Britten alliance territory. The Haven Empire receded and the Arpen Empire has come forth. What has changed though?

Weed led the undead in his quest to rid the monsters increasing in numbers under the influence of the dark dragon Kaybern.

"Rise and fight. Slaughter them all!"

Skeletons.

Then more skeletons!

To begin with, they were quantity over quality but were firmly systemized by fighting alongside sculptural creatures.

Warrior Bahamorg was at the head, Van Hawk and Torido led the led the forces together.

"Have faith in me and charge!"

"Forces of darkness. Offer your bones!"

"Blood. Fresh blood!"

Knight Sevil, swordswoman Vindex and barbarian warrior Gernica also supported on the sidelines.

"Having to ride alongside the undead, it goes against the path of the sword. This is to protect the people!"

"Anywhere is fine for me. If I get to fight, that is."

"Kuhuhu. Battles are always exhilarating."

The high elf Eltin fired magical arrows, and Geumin breathed fire.

Nurung dragged a large wagon and collected all the loot. Depending on the size of the monster cluster, White Tiger, Nile alligator and other sculptural lifeforms would join in.

"Break through. Faster!"

The roaming herds of monsters in the northern continent had increased tenfold from thousands in just a few days.

The advantage size of the undead force was such that the force could increase consistently or be maintained through battles.

If one were to fight in a narrow dungeon, he would leave a few and release the summoning of the rest. In the wide plains however, the more the merrier.

Death knight Durahan and the spirits were the core of the composition and on occasion, Doom Knights were summoned.

Countless numbers if undead resulted in a high efficiency in hunting speed.

< You have gained a level. >

A necromancer was suited for large-scale hunting!

'I don't have to enter a dungeon. It's great for wiping out clustered monsters all at once.'

- Monster spotted approximately 95 meters away.

- A swarm approaching from the rear.

That didn't mean hunting was easy. Beasts appeared frequently, stomping the weak undead in their paths.

*Roar!*

Due to Kaybern, monsters swarmed out from the deepest parts of the dungeons and crushed the skeletons. Weed channeled a magic spell.

"Thorns of viscid gore!"

Large monsters named Gogul were constricted in bloody thorns. It was a curse magic that reduced health points and restricted movement.

"Attack at once!"

The skeletal knights as a group threw themselves at the 5 Goguls at Weed's command.

*Kuuurgh!*

The Goguls' struggle sent the skeletons flying in different directions, but the skeletons regrouped at a menacing speed.

"This is the command from the overlord of death. I will rip you to shreds and feed on your remains. Kekekeh!"

"How are my joints? Aren't they beautiful?"

The tenacious skeletons restricted the Goguls' movements.

"Bahamorg!"

"I got it."

Bahamorg lifted his axe and charged, as Eltin the high elf fired his arrows imbued with the fire spirit from afar.

*Swish!*

Dozens of fire arrows travelled above the heads of the skeletons and landed on the goguls' bodies with precision.

- Why, you…!

Van Hawk followed up with cavalry comprised of death knights and doom knights, while Torido circled around back to the napes and sucked blood.

Goguls lost their vitality rapidly as the vampire sucked the blood out of them!

The levels of the Gogul were estimated around mid or high 600s, but they quickly fell to the composition and tactics of the undead without causing any significant damage.

"Return to the lands where you last breathed and walked. This is a dark place. A dark and corrupted land. Engrave the eternal rule of darkness to every being. Undead rise!"

Weed did not turn the Goguls into death knights. Several Goguls could be reborn into a bone dragon, but it required considerable exertion of control and mana.

His undead summoning had reached intermediate level 9, allowing him to control the beast-like Goguls while they were still alive.

Though, it had a limitation of expiring after 1 hour.

The body of the massive beasts would then lose their flesh and then rise to their feet in skeletal form.

- I stand in the presence of the honorable undead commander.

The Gogul's deep voice spread across the battlefield.

The skeletons, Death Knights and Durahans clashed their shields and shouted towards the Goguls that had joined their ranks.

"Alright. You smash into the enemy!"

- Understood.

5 Goguls stampeded over the herd of monsters near the Pahel river.

The charge alone destroyed the monster formation and decimated their morale.

"Deploy the undead!"

The entry of the undead, exuding the aura of death.

Living creatures could not exercise their powers properly, but the monsters fighting did not cease their endless charge towards them

"Mooooo!"

"That's the way. Nurung!"

Nurung added assistance by luring the monsters with its appetizing flesh and huge body.

Weed was having a blast increasing at least one level each day, but his mind wasn't clearing up.

'Even if I make progress like this, will I be able to defeat Kaybern?'

He already had subordinates like an ice dragon, a phoenix and baraags under his command. He had nothing to be ashamed of in terms of military strength.

In spite of that, it was extremely risky for him to deploy them into the Kaybern hunt.

'I cannot be preemptive about this. Even if victory is certain… A few of them will die.'

He was also concerned with having to fully commit to the power of darkness in his necromancy. Necromancers like the lich must offer the lives of themselves and others to obtain the power of death.

In the process, the user became evil and his honor and reputation declines; even his health points, faith, luck and strength stats.

Of course, Weed was different from Bard Ray with his high positive reputation. Some citizens of the north openly deified Weed. It could actually be achievable if he accumulated a little more accomplishment and reputation.

'It turns out it is undesirable to grow as a necromancer. I thought that the battle with a dragon would happen ages later.'

A shortcut existed for necromancers bypassing the limits of growth. There was the destructive method by Bar Khan Demoph the Undead King, but what controls the continent now is the Arpen Empire!

If the world belonged to the Hermes guild, he would be up for a mud fight. For all that, the situation did not call for.

< You have expedited the dungeon of the coiled snake.

You have completed the dungeon expedition in the shortest time.

Reputation is increased by 7,680.

Intelligence has permanently increased by 3 points due to experience in magic combat.

Rewards are doubled by perfect completion. >

When the monsters dwindled down, he proceeded with dungeon expeditions in his spare moments.

He cleared dungeons everywhere from the north to the central continent with Yurin.

The core of his training was the consistent accumulation of combat accomplishment!

'The basis of my quick growth rate is the stats that I stacked up since I was a novice player. For future investment, I'm going to stack up plentiful amount of combat accomplishment.'

His goal was to complete at least 4 dungeons a day. Even in the Hermes guild, no user had cleared so many dungeons.

A user chooses two or three dungeons depending on their growth and combat style and revolves around them.

The above method was thought to be safe and effective.

Weed was confident enough to survive through most situations, and his composition of sculptural creatures and the undead worked well in most dungeons.

"If time allows, I could become way more powerful than when I was the great king of the desert."

Intelligence and wisdom accumulating quickly was another advantage of combat achievements.

It was also essential for him to upgrade the power of his skills and expand his mana pool.

"In the future, it would be nice for me to fight like Bard Ray and spam various secret techniques in battle. Powerful spells should not be reserved, but utilized whenever available."

- Pocket Money : Castle Pormos had been claimed by the Black Lion guild.

Weed checked on the lord appointment regularly amid his swamped fights.

- Pocket Money : It seems that the response of the discussion boards and viewers pertaining to the Royal Road aren't so welcoming.

"As I expected… But just how bad is it?"

- Pocket money : They are criticizing the Arpen Empire on a public level. Most are central continent users and it is shocking that some are northern users.

"I can understand where they are coming from."

Weed could sympathize amply for this situation.

They had fought and won a difficult battle at Garnav plains, but the outcome was turning out to be rightfully suspicious campaign for money, recruiting rich lords!

'That is what it is, really. I was concerned that I could well be criticized in proceeding with this plan.'

All that the Arpen Empire had was just a large sum of land, its roots weaker than the Haven Empire in reality. Although he had started this for money, there was an urgency for provincial lords because it was impossible for him to directly govern the vast empire all on his own.

"Hmm. I guess it's unavoidable. I have no other choice but to host a festival, or an amusement facility like Puhol Waterpark."

Weed swore firmly to earn a fortune and turn a blind eye somehow.

'I did well up till now. Let me live for my needs just this once. Taking criticism will be for later…. I need to make what I can right now.'

Weed in spite of everything going on, decided to take his share. It was possible that he would be able to buy out dozens of buildings if the lord appointment ends successfully.

(To be continued…)