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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Hestia]
[Proofreader - Kaya]
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Chapter 6: Undeadog (4)
Sophia descended the stairs, covering her nose and mouth.
She retrieved a round chip from inside her coat and placed it on the bridge of her nose.
Infusing it with mana, a blue membrane expanded, enveloping her entire respiratory system.
"Why is the smog so thick...?"
Scanning her surroundings, she was startled to see Frank flaring his nostrils, inhaling deeply.
"It's got a bitter tang."
"Are you insane? Put on a purification mask, now!"
"Mask? Don't have one."
"Unbelievable!"
Who in the city doesn't carry a mask? Suppressing her frustration, Sophia searched her belongings.
She pulled out a spare chip and firmly pressed it onto Frank's nose. A translucent mask, similar to hers, formed over his face.
"Why the fuss?"
"This is spell smog."
"Spell... what?"
"Smog. How can you not know this?"
"My memory's a bit hazy."
Sophia's eyes reflected sympathy, attributing his forgetfulness to the side effects of memory reset.
"Let me explain."
She waved her hand in the air, causing the dense black smoke to swirl in response—an unusual behavior for typical smoke.
"When mana stones aren't properly refined... You do know what mana stones are, right?"
"Frank's not an idiot. They're the stones that come from slaying mana beasts. The essence of magitech. Needed for making necroshells too."
"Exactly. Using unrefined mana stones produces this spell smog."
"Is that a big deal?"
"Of course. Prolonged exposure to this smog causes undead to rapidly develop mana poisoning, turning them into Mad Eaters."
"Ah..."
"It's highly illegal. They’ve even sealed off all the windows here to prevent it from leaking out. Hmm... Is this an automated factory?"
She glanced around the smog-choked space, frowning.
‘Surely, they wouldn't have humans working in such conditions. It must be operated solely by machines.’
As they ventured further inside, they spotted Baek Ho. He stood close to the CEO, both locked in a tense stare.
'What's going on here?'
Baek Ho's right hand slowly emerged from his coat pocket, revealing a silver revolver.
"W-Wait a minute!"
Sophia's loud exclamation drew everyone's attention. Two Reapers wearing gas masks stepped in front of her, blocking her path.
[D!]
She sent a message to Baek Ho.
[What are you doing here? You should be focusing on the mission!]
-[Look beside me.]
Sophia shifted her gaze. She saw pools of blood and lifeless bodies sprawled on the floor. Near the smog-emitting machinery, several individuals were huddled, their bodies curled up. None of them wore masks.
"What in the world..."
Had they exposed all these undead to the smog?
Swallowing her rising anger, she reminded herself of her duty. She needed to act rationally and consider the most logical course of action in this situation.
[If you're thinking of helping them, I advise against it.]
-[Why?]
[Look closely. Their bodies bear gang symbols. Even if you save them, they'll inevitably return to this life.]
She subtly warned him about potential conflicts with the gang that had rented them out.
"Well, well, well.~"
The CEO waved his revolver, eyeing Sophia.
“That your Reaper, Sir Necromancer? You’ve got yourself a premium one, huh?”
Baek Ho didn’t even glance at him, continuing to type on his SmartCore.
- [I can be pretty stubborn.]
[Huh?]
- [I don’t take orders well.]
[Wait, what;;]
- [I’ll listen to you ‘after’ we get out of here. But right now, I need your help.]
[D;;]
- [Saving them comes first.]
Sophia met Baek Ho’s gaze.
Usually cold and detached, his eyes now trembled.
It was as if his pupils were boiling over with barely contained fury.
‘So he’s reached his limit…’
Knowing the backstory of Commander Baek… Baek Ho… and the entire Baek family, she understood.
Honestly, it was impressive he’d held back this long, even after Frank had shown up.
[Fine.]
As Sophia replied, Baek Ho finally spoke.
“Break it.”
The moment he said it, Frank lunged to the side—and swung his fist straight into the wall.
The punch was backed by mana-infused necroshell.
KA-BOOM!
The concrete wall burst open.
A rush of black Spell Smog gushed out with the wind.
“No!”
The once-smug CEO’s expression twisted.
Now it was only a matter of time before the air sensors picked it up.
This wasn’t just about a few undead dying.
It wasn’t like putting down a third-rate necromancer, either.
If the place got sealed by the authorities, the financial damage would be catastrophic.
“Seal that wall—now! Hurry!”
At his command, the hired Reapers threw themselves into action.
Frank extended his arm to block them.
Two of them threw punches and kicks that landed directly on his body.
THUMP—!
But they were the ones knocked back.
They looked stunned, scanning Frank’s body.
Through the open sides of his sleeveless coat, they saw it—His massive frame was cloaked in a dark bluish sheen.
Mana had been channeled into every single muscle.
Only now did they realize that bulk wasn’t for show—it was battle-forged.
“That kinda stung!”
Frank clenched his right fist.
Mana wrapped around his necroshell.
The joints of his fingers interlocked, morphing the hand into a hammer-like lump of steel.
“Changing arm… Man, I’m jealous.”
A long-haired man with a scar across his forehead stepped forward.
He pulled a hand axe from his belt.
“No point in wearing ourselves out. I’m only in this for the payout.”
“Too bad.”
“Yeah, I figured… Then so be it.”
The scarred man stomped the ground and shot forward like a spring.
He raised his axe high and brought it crashing down—
CLANG!
Blocked by Frank’s forearm.
This time, he slashed with his opposite hand—aiming for Frank’s neck.
But Frank didn’t flinch.
He trusted in his body’s durability and focused entirely on the counterattack.
Just as the edge of the axe was about to land—
The scarred man’s hand suddenly stopped.
Sophia had seized his wrist.
‘…When did she get there?’
THUD!
Frank punched him in his chest.
His body lifted off the ground—and went flying.
He twisted midair and landed cleanly.
The blow had been strong, but it didn’t seem to do much damage.
“Be careful. He’s not some low-tier fighter.”
“Got it.”
The scarred man lowered his body into a combat stance.
The other two Reapers also drew their weapons and stood beside him.
“Block it! Now!”
The CEO screeched, watching the black smog pour out of the collapsed wall.
He was starting to panic.
“I said block it!”
He shouted again, swinging his prosthetic arm up and down.
A black orb embedded near the wrist—what had looked like a mere decoration—flared to life with a glow.
The undead who had been following Baek Ho to the exit suddenly stopped.
Their heads snapped toward the wall all at once.
Eyes wide, they broke into a sprint.
There was a strange stiffness to their movements—like puppets with tangled strings.
It was the Vessel implanted in their bodies. It had received a command they couldn’t resist.
“Damn it!”
Baek Ho stretched out his hand.
Black mist unfurled from his palm, wrapping around the undead.
Some froze in place, but most didn’t stop.
How they reacted depended on the necromancer’s skill—the one who had planted the Vessel.
-Screeeeech!
A few of them shrieked horribly.
Their eyes were bloodshot, saliva dripping uncontrollably from their mouths.
The forced command had begun to erode their humanity.
Combined with mana poisoning, they were turning into Mad Eaters.
-SKREEEEE!
One of them lunged at Frank, mouth gaping.
CRACK!
Frank’s punch crushed its skull.
There was no hesitation in his strike.
A Mad Eater could never return to who they were.
To him, it was nothing but a soulless, moving corpse.
He ended it in one blow.
“Tch.”
The scarred man joined the chaos.
Using a Mad Eater as a shield, he leapt forward, his mana-infused hand axe carving through the air—again aiming for Frank’s neck.
CLANG!
Sparks flew as it met Sophia’s dagger.
She locked eyes with the scarred man.
His gaze was slightly unfocused, detached.
True to a Reaper, he showed no fear of death.
What unsettled her more was the overwhelming sense of boredom in his eyes.
“You don’t belong in a place like this.”
“Funny. I was thinking the same about you.”
They clashed again—shoving each other back, only to dash in once more.
They slashed, stabbed, struck—Exchanging several blows in the blink of an eye.
“That worthless bastard!”
The CEO fumed.
‘Special forces, my ass! Can’t even beat some doll-faced girl and he dares ask for that kind of money?’
He raised his revolver and aimed it at Sophia. Finger on the trigger.
Through his sight—Black smog swirled violently along the edges of blades and axes.
Steel clashed with steel, coated in mana.
Those two were moving faster than any normal human.
He couldn’t get a clean shot on Sophia.
“Shit!”
He swung the barrel toward Frank instead.
Frank was busy holding off two Reapers while shielding the incoming crowd.
‘Now that one’s got plenty of target space!’
Just as he was about to pull the trigger—
BANG!
A gunshot rang out from behind.
A translucent shield burst from the CEO’s shoulder, spreading to protect the back of his head.
“Heuk!”
The CEO gasped and turned around.
Standing in the swirling smog was Baek Ho, with a revolver in his hand.
If not for the auto-defense module embedded in his shoulder blade, his head would’ve exploded on the spot.
“You think I’ll go easy on you just because you’re a necromancer?!”
The CEO fired at Baek Ho.
A flash of blue streaked through the air.
Baek Ho dove to the side, narrowly dodging it.
The shot slammed into the ground nearby, punching a deep crater from the mana.
Baek Ho fired back.
He ducked behind cover and pulled the trigger again and again.
His aim was dead-on, but not a single shot landed.
Every round was blocked by the CEO’s defensive barrier.
‘How much did this bastard dump into his gear...?’
A revolver loaded with mana rounds, a black crystal used to control low-tier undead, a shoulder module that deployed a barrier—
He wasn’t a real Reaper, just someone playing dress-up with enough cash.
Baek Ho ducked behind cover, marveling at the power of money.
He reached into his pocket and slid fresh rounds into the cylinder.
“Die already!”
The CEO’s revolver never stopped.
He kept firing relentlessly, no sign of reloading.
Thud— Thud—
Bit by bit, Baek Ho’s cover was being chewed away.
At this rate, it was only a matter of time before a bullet tore through him. He needed another plan.
“D!”
Sophia shouted.
But the scarred man stepped in to block her path.
He swung his mana-infused hand axe forward.
“Eyes on me, or I’ll be hurt, miss.”
Sophia bit her lower lip, hesitating.
Should she unleash her full power and take him down quickly?
Or trust Baek Ho to handle himself and hold her ground?
“...Haa.”
She chose the former.
Staying by Baek Ho’s side as backup might’ve failed, but protecting his life came first.
Just as she reached to disengage her mana limiter—
“Gah!”
A scream erupted from somewhere else.
An undead entangled with Frank collapsed, a hole torn through its waist. The shot had come from the CEO.
“Block it! I said block the damn thing! Forget the necromancer—the bigger priority now is sealing the hole in the wall.”
BOOM—
Another burst of light from the revolver.
This time, it was Frank’s arm that caught the blast.
“You son of a—!”
The CEO cursed and tried to pull the trigger again—But then, something felt off.
A chill ran down his spine.
“What…?”
The Reapers, who had just been locked in battle, suddenly froze. Their eyes shifted—not toward him, but past him.
As if the smoke itself had whispered their names.
The CEO turned, slowly, instinctively.
Through the thick smog, Baek Ho stood—silent, and unmoving.
The man who’d been hiding behind cover moments ago, seemingly helpless—was now standing wide open… like he ‘wanted’ to be seen.
And something about him was different.
The revolver was gone. His right hand was empty, stretched forward.
Then—
Baek Ho curled his ring finger inward.
“Open the Gates.”
At Baek Ho’s low voice, the space around his palm began to ripple.
This time, he placed his thumb over his ring finger.
Black mist crept up along his arm, slithering toward his hand before coiling in his palm.
“Descend.”
His hand turned pitch black—like it had been dipped in ink.
The CEO scowled.
He had no idea what Baek Ho was doing, but it didn’t worry him.
‘Controlling Reapers—that’s where a necromancer’s real power lies. And this punk thinks he can win with some flashy hand signs? Cute.’
With a sneer forming, the CEO began to pull the trigger.
But Baek Ho spoke again.
『The Venomfang of the Hornless Dragon.』
“…What?”
A chill rippled across the air.
It came from above.
The CEO instinctively looked up—and froze.
A black rift had opened in the air.
Something looked back through it.
Slitted yellow pupils stared directly down at him.
The eye of a massive reptile—no, something ‘demonic’.
‘What the hell is that?!’
He tried to scream. But Nothing came out.
He tried to pull the trigger. But His finger wouldn’t move.
Goosebumps exploded across every inch of his skin.
He felt like his body wasn’t his anymore—like something had seized it.
It wasn’t just fear.
This was something primal.
A human reaction to absolute, unrelenting terror.
“…Ah.”
He barely managed to exhale when something ‘shot’ from the black void.
Crunch!
His barrier shattered like thin ice.
A massive fang plunged straight through his gut.
“Guhk!”
Blood erupted from his mouth.
The neural pain inhibitors kicked in, but pain outpaced them all the same.
He collapsed, hitting the ground hard.
At the moment his skull struck the floor, the fang and the void dissipated into smoke.
“Hoo…”
Baek Ho lowered his arm.
Watching the CEO writhe on the floor—half his stomach torn open—he gave a little parting gesture of victory.
Spat.
“Holy shit…”
Sophia’s eyes widened.
What Baek Ho had just used was Barigyo’s Art—a high-tier necromantic technique.
A fresh academy graduate wasn’t supposed to be capable of such a thing.
Even most seasoned necromancers couldn’t pull that off.
The man with the scar was just as stunned.
His bored expression had vanished—replaced by something sharper. Intrigued.
“How old is that guy? Is that even possible?”
From the CEO’s torn gut, liquid mana crystals spilled out, mixing with the blood.
The black gem embedded in his prosthetic arm lost its glow.
One by one, the undead bound to Frank collapsed where they stood.
“We should leave. Now.”
The scarred man slid his axe back into his belt.
“Why? …Don’t tell me—LifeGuard?”
Sophia’s question was met with a nod.
“Exactly.”
“What level?”
“Platinum.”
Right then, the CEO’s ruined body let out a deafening blast.
WEEEEE-OOOOHH—
A piercing siren shrieked through the air, followed by a cold, mechanical voice.
-Warning. Life-threatening danger detected for the insured party.
With the alert, the CEO’s body suddenly stiffened.
The nanodrugs coursing through his system rapidly flash-froze his vital organs.
“Whoa…”
Frank’s jaw dropped in awe at the sight unfolding in front of him.
He knew exactly what was happening.
LifeGuard service.
A premium life insurance program designed to preserve a client’s life at all costs—an essential luxury among the upper class in the city.
WEEEEE-OOOOHH—
-Rescue team arrival estimated in 242 seconds.
Baek Ho winced, swallowing down the blood rising in his throat.
‘So the bastard had LifeGuard coverage, huh?’
If he’d known that bastard was covered, he wouldn’t have burned so much mana pulling that off.
{⚠ WARNING ⚠}
{Severe damage to heart detected.}
{Mana levels: 81% → 42%}
{Estimated full recovery: 21 hours}
{Rest is strongly recommended.}
Baek Ho waved the system alerts out of view.
“We need to move.”
Sophia said as she approached.
Baek Ho nodded.
He had no intention of sticking around to get tangled up with a LifeGuard extraction team.
“Hold up.”
Baek Ho called out to the scarred man and the other two Reapers as they made their way toward the exit.
“Lend me a hand.”
“What do you need?”
Baek Ho pointed behind them.
The people who had been charging toward the wall moments ago were now groaning on the ground, collapsed in piles.
Even with Frank carrying several over his shoulders, they were still short by a lot.
“I’ll compensate you.”
“…Understood.”
The scarred man gave a nod and motioned for the others to help as they began gathering the unconscious.
As they headed for the elevator, he looked back one last time.
Through the thick haze of smog, he saw Baek Ho kneeling among the downed undead, channeling dark mana into their bodies.
“Guhh…”
“Aaagh…”
The ones who’d been dead moments ago began coughing, gasping for breath.
Low-grade scrap implants embedded in their bodies sparked back to life.
Creeeaak. Clank.
With jerky, rattling movements, the undead slowly rose to their feet.
Like resurrected machine-skeletons dragged from a scrapyard…
Baek Ho moved like a twisted reaper, not to take lives—but to return them.
“Rescue team arrival in 88 seconds.”
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Hestia
[Proofreader - Kaya]
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