The Second Life of a Legendary Necromancer

Chapter 5: A Fixture of the Beginner’s Zone (2)

A sudden “buckler boom” erupted in Elthera Online.

The administrators of Elthera’s official website publicly announced that [Yeonwol did not use cheats], making the equipment he used trend across the game.

Everywhere you looked in the city, people were carrying bucklers.

“Parrying isn’t just about blocking; it’s a highly advanced skill that counters attacks!”

“Haven’t I always said the buckler is the most overpowered shield?”

Naturally, a wave of buckler enthusiasts sprang up.

Self-proclaimed martial arts experts on Eltube tested the buckler’s performance but failed to replicate the feats of the trending player in their videos.

In the end, the buckler wasn’t particularly effective against monsters. However, some Eltubers exaggerated its utility, wanting to boast that they could do what others couldn’t.

“Wow, the buckler is insane!”

“Look, it can even deflect attacks from huge bosses. Isn’t it great?”

“It’s actually usable! Seriously, guys, this buckler is the real deal!”

Uploading videos where they succeeded in three consecutive parries after dozens of attempts caused their viewership to explode.

The buckler became a hot item in every sense, and as the world sang its praises…

Clang!

“This piece of trash.”

Yeonwol, the very person who sparked the craze, threw the buckler into the trash bin.

The buckler he had selected solely to counter Khazaram was virtually useless against mid-sized or larger monsters.

This was because parrying didn’t work on beasts with overwhelming strength.

“How was your first death?”

After dying to the Tutorial Boss, Khazaram, and resurrecting at the temple, beginners were greeted by priests who uttered those words.

According to the game’s lore, players were immortal beings from another world, and temple NPCs instructed them about the “death penalty.”

“Ugh…”

“It still stings where I got cut. Am I imagining it?”

In this world, dying didn’t feel much different from reality.

This was due to the 100% sensory realism.

“Your first death, blessed by the gods, was likely painless. But it will be different from now on. You will fully experience sensations, including the pain of death. The more you grow, the more agonizing death will become.”

The priests preached to the beginners.

“N-no way I can fight…”

“I feel like I’m gonna throw up…”

“I only came here because the scenery looked pretty…”

Though they didn’t actually experience pain, some players developed trauma from their first death and outright gave up on combat.

Most of them, unwilling to quit the game, switched to crafting or long-range classes instead.

This explained why Elthera Online had a relatively high ratio of crafting classes compared to other games.

As Yeonwol stepped away from the altar of resurrection, another priest approached him, delivering a similar sermon.

“Once you reach Level 10, you must choose a class. After that, dying will result in a 48-hour lockout from this world, a three-level loss, and drops of some equipment and skill proficiency…”

Yeonwol briskly walked past.

“Hey, at least listen to the explanation!”

Inside, dozens of beginners were gathered around a large globe, agonizing over their decisions.

This was where they chose their starting city.

“Let me pick my city already!”

“Wait your turn!”

“Ugh, which one should I start in? Going to the city where my friend is sounds good, but considering NPCs and the field, that one might be better…”

“God, they’re taking forever.”

The bustling globe presented a tip Yeonwol knew others didn’t.

By simply talking to any priest, you could skip the line and choose your starting city faster than anyone else.

“Priest, I’d like to decide my kingdom and city of origin.”

“Oh? Very well. The regions with many of your homeland’s people are highlighted on this map for your reference.”

Ignoring the map that displayed “Korean-recommended areas,” he focused on his plan.

He had two approaches.

First, grind levels relentlessly.

Second, build a strong foundation and level up gradually.

The conclusion was simple.

In the future, every skilled player would agree.

“Starting with a solid foundation is the way to go.”

Grinding levels mindlessly wasn’t ideal.

Yeonwol had an optimal hunting route, and following it could make him a top-ranking player in no time.

But rushing levels led to roadblocks later.

Levels alone wouldn’t suffice for long-term growth.

In this game, foundational stats and abilities were far more important than sheer levels.

“Starting in the city of Kalun in the Duchy of Lorenz should work best for now.”

As he searched for Kalun, Yeonwol frowned.

“Huh.”

Eighty percent of the map was greyed out.

This indicated unexplored areas yet to be visited by players.

[Western Continent, Duchy of Lorenz, Kalun City]

[Uncharted territory. Cannot be set as a starting point.]

Kalun’s location was greyed out, with red text declaring it uncharted.

This detail had slipped his mind. In the future, Kalun would be bustling with novice players due to its hidden treasures and opportunities. For now, it was inaccessible.

An unexpected obstacle.

He mentally reviewed the list of items he needed to obtain.

“The Netherlord Sword Heltherun, the Red Dragon Heart, the All-Seeing Eye, the Four-Thought Ring, the Archlich’s Legacy, the Drop of Divinity…”

Each item had caused catastrophic disasters in the game or reality.

These treasures weren’t obtainable yet, except for one.

“…This works out. I can pursue that item and experience death as planned.”

Yeonwol quickly decided.

“I’ll start in Karnel City of the Kingdom of Watyrion.”

The priest’s eyes widened in shock.

“That’s not possible! Monsters there are at least Level 70. It’s not suitable for beginners!”

[Warning! This region is challenging for beginners to adapt to without assistance! Proceed anyway?]

Neither the priest’s nor the system’s warnings deterred Yeonwol.

“I’ll go.”

“If that’s your will…”

“Unsuitable for beginners?” he thought.

“What does that matter? This place has an overpowered skill that even beginners can easily obtain.”

“Level 70 monsters? Child’s play.”

[Moving to Karnel City in the Kingdom of Watyrion.]

[Welcome to Karnel City, the Great Lake City!]

[Experience the civilization that thrives along the Kettlik River!]

Opening his eyes, Yeonwol found himself in the familiar cityscape.

Most players would lose themselves marveling at the city’s grandeur.

But Yeonwol walked decisively toward a specific corner.

There, he found a rickety ladder, climbed it, and reached the top of a tower.

At the summit sat a locked chest.

Normally, a special key was required to open it, but Yeonwol flipped the chest over.

“The wandering gambler Pirefin. That guy hid these all over the city back in the day.”

Click!

Pressing a button on the underside, he unlocked the chest.

[Obtained 100 gold!]

For Yeonwol, 100 gold was significant, equivalent to about 100,000 won in real currency.

“Whoever found this in my past life must’ve been lucky.”

He called up the system map.

[Karnel City is designated as a neutral city. The entire map view is available even for unvisited locations.]

This city, primarily frequented by European players after escaping beginner zones, was a hub for mid-tier adventurers.

Though technically a starting city, no one actually began their journey here.

With players flocking to it around Level 70, the city boasted impressive scale.

“Map icons, show general stores.”

A list of general stores appeared on the hovering map.

The city had dozens of them.

Yeonwol picked one at random and spent all 100 gold on oil and matches.

He then noticed some change from his purchase and, after a brief moment of deliberation, decided to buy a “mask.”

It was a simple black mask that covered the entire face, resembling something from the Venice Carnival.

While it had a touch of gold embellishment, it wasn’t overly flashy, perfectly suiting Yeonwol’s taste.

Yeonwol headed to the temple near the northern city gate.

Temples, scattered across the city, served as resurrection points for deceased players.

Near the city gate, a considerable number of players were gathered, forming parties before heading out to hunt.

However, since most monsters in the area were Level 70 or higher, some questioned why someone dressed as a beginner like Yeonwol was there.

“A newbie? Here?”

“He won’t even be able to hunt here.”

“Did he actually set this as his starting city? The system gives multiple warnings.”

“He’s screwed. If he doesn’t have connections, he’ll probably have to delete his character.”

“This game doesn’t allow character deletion. I heard even beginners trapped in forbidden zones couldn’t get their characters erased.”

Players who had just managed to escape beginner status at around Level 70 clicked their tongues at him.

No one recognized Yeonwol’s face.

When recording the raid video of Khazaram, he had intentionally avoided showing his face.

Above the heads of the party-seeking players were translucent messages of various kinds.

[Level 71 Warrior, Level 69 Archer, Level 70 Mage here! Looking for a Cleric to hunt in the Kezz Goblin Camp!]

[Seeking a Thief to quickly clear out Adolan’s Treasure Vault!]

[Doing the City Security daily quest! Hook order follows standard rule: first come, first serve.]

Foreign abbreviations were neatly translated into Korean memes.

There was no language barrier to worry about in the game.

None of them wanted Yeonwol in their parties, and Yeonwol didn’t particularly need them either.

‘I wasn’t planning on stepping outside the gate anyway.’

He followed the inner wall of the temple’s back, entering a forested path.

This was a location seldom visited by players.

With no visible monsters or dungeons, who would bother exploring this part of the inner city wall?

Walking through the forest for a bit, he paused, noticing some weeds growing atop a rocky area.

“As expected, no one has picked them yet, so they’re still here.”

The rocky hill nearby was scattered with weeds ignored by both players and NPCs.

But Yeonwol knew.

Each weed was a treasure—no, a diamond in the rough!

These weeds were actually called “Black Soulgrass,” and about three years from now, an alchemist would discover their ability to create potions with tremendous stat-boosting effects.

In the future, they would become so rare that even top players couldn’t find them, with their scarcity surpassing that of “Thousand-Year Ginseng.”

Yet here they were, scattered like ordinary weeds!

‘No one has advanced scouting skills yet, so they don’t know the true nature of these herbs.’

Though tempting, they couldn’t be harvested by hand.

Since ordinary people wouldn’t recognize their value, Yeonwol decided to obtain his target skill first and borrow the necessary equipment from the village.

Continuing forward, Yeonwol soon found a small, nearly hidden hole in the city wall partially obscured by foliage.

It blended into its surroundings so well it looked like a stain at first glance, and only upon close inspection could it be spotted.

[Discovered Rare Dungeon: The Maze of Kaladoro.]

[Recommended for groups of 4 or more players, Level 80 and above.]

There was no first discoverer’s reward, indicating that a few players had already ventured into the dungeon.

Still, it didn’t matter.

Without a special method, the “true boss” of this place could not be found.

Yeonwol entered the maze.

In other games, he might have been restricted due to his low level, but Elthera Online imposed no such limitations.

‘Starting at the red square pattern carved on the entrance floor, walk seven steps forward, light a fire, and wait 15 seconds.’

Click!

Striking a match he had bought earlier, Yeonwol followed the instructions.

After waiting seven steps ahead, the floor suddenly gave way, and he was transported in an instant.

Thud!

A brief descent.

He landed in a hidden basement shrouded in earthy tones.

At the center of the map stood a massive monster!

[Hidden Boss of the Dungeon: Kaladoro has appeared!]

[First Discoverer Reward! Fame increases, and Agility rises by 2.]

[Lv89. Kaladoro with Blue Eyes]

The boss was a rock golem covered in black powder, with striking violet eyes.

One of Kaladoro’s defining traits:

If struck with fire or lightning skills, the powder coating its body would explode, causing massive damage to attackers!

Even melee attacks could occasionally spark explosions, making the raid in his previous life a grueling ordeal.

But there was a loophole.

While the explosions dealt significant damage to the attackers, they also inflicted slight damage to Kaladoro itself.

Whoosh!

Yeonwol coated his Blue Sea Blade in oil and lit it with the match.

‘Death. I must first overcome it.’

He had died once before.

It was horrifying and painful, but after experiencing it, he realized something.

‘Dying isn’t such a big deal.’

Steeling his resolve, Yeonwol charged at Kaladoro.

Using the only skill currently available to him, he activated it.

[Sky Thunder Flash!]

A skill that generated a small gust of wind as he dashed a short distance to strike the enemy.

Given his low level, it wouldn’t deal much damage, but hitting the target was his only objective.

Boom!

The ignited Blue Sea Blade touched Kaladoro, triggering an explosion that darkened his vision.

[You have died!]

[As a beginner, the death penalty does not apply.]

[Without a registered respawn point, you will be sent to the nearest temple!]

One of the resurrection rules of the game:

‘Beginners who haven’t chosen a class can resurrect endlessly without penalties!’

Opening his eyes at the temple, Yeonwol grimaced.

The sensation of his entire body being obliterated was excruciating.

Though his wounds disappeared upon resurrection, the lingering aftereffects remained.

‘It’s bearable.’

Without hesitation, he ran back to the dungeon.

One unique feature of Elthera Online:

Bosses didn’t immediately regenerate all their health even if a player left.

Like players, bosses recovered HP gradually over time.

Considering Kaladoro’s recovery rate, Yeonwol needed to strike him again within 10 minutes to meaningfully reduce his HP.

It took about seven minutes to re-enter the hidden passage and find the shortcut to the boss room.

‘That’s enough time.’

Re-entering the boss room, Kaladoro, still wounded, widened his violet eyes as the same opponent returned.

For a golem to have visible eyes was amusing, but Yeonwol murmured sarcastically.

“How does it feel to face Resident Evil? Terrifying, right?”

Igniting his sword once more, Yeonwol prepared himself.

Kaladoro, seemingly enraged, raised its massive fist to strike, but Yeonwol darted into its reach first.

Whoosh! Boom!

[Kaladoro: HP 98.1%]

[You have died.]

Reopening his eyes, Yeonwol smirked, realizing his strategy was working.

He dashed back to the dungeon, using the shortcut to re-enter the boss room.

Whoosh! Boom!

[Kaladoro: HP 97.2%]

He repeated the process.

[You have died…]

[Kaladoro: HP 96.1%]

And again.

Yeonwol continued the cycle—over and over.

Until?

The boss monster fell.

[Kaladoro has been defeated!]

[You have gained 9 levels!]

[Jumping level up! Excess experience is converted into stats!]

[As the first to defeat Kaladoro, you obtain his power, ‘All-Seeing Eye,’ as a skill!]

[Receiving consecutive powerful attacks has increased your physical and magical defenses!]

The onslaught of overwhelming messages blurred his vision with darkness once more.

Defeating Kaladoro had led to yet another death.

But since he was a beginner, he would simply resurrect at the temple.

As he waited, the darkened vision persisted unusually long.

‘Could it be?!’

Just as Yeonwol reached a realization…

“Come to me, one accustomed to death.”

Suddenly, a massive skull filled his vision entirely.

[…Due to repeated deaths, you are growing closer to death itself.]

“Gah!”

Startling awake at the temple, Yeonwol broke into a cold sweat yet couldn’t help but laugh.

“In my past life, no player died as frequently as I did in succession.”

Thus, an event triggered by “repeated death” was something only Yeonwol could experience for the first time.

“…This proves my plan is working perfectly.”

Yeonwol was now certain of his strategy.