Merhen (1)

It was a familiar place. Before he knew it, he was back in his room.

“Snowy.”

“Coo.”

“Whew...”

Kim Minwoo sighed in relief. When the Death Lord had captured him, Snowy had charged in despite his repeated instructions to stay hidden, only to end up trapped in a birdcage.

The Death Lord had probably recognized a good catch when he saw one.

A pitch-black, specially made birdcage.

One look had told Minwoo there was no way to open it, so he had simply gritted his teeth and pressed on with the trial. Fortunately, now that the provision was over, Snowy had returned safe and sound too.

“Do you know how worried Daddy was? Why did you have to jump in?”

“Cooo.”

Snowy affectionately rubbed its head against his cheek. He turned it over and inspected its body.

“At least you’re not hurt. You have to listen to Daddy from now on, okay?”

“Coo!”

Seeing it nod brought a fatherly smile to his face.

Really, how could anyone not adore this little thing? How was he supposed to resist buying it elemental items?

After gently stroking Snowy, he checked what he had gained this time. First up was the Death Spirit Sword.

[Death Spirit Sword]

[Grade: Legend+]

[A sword passed down through generations of Unorthodox Alliance leaders. Having absorbed the blood of a vastly superior foe, its growth potential has increased enormously.]

[Restriction: Kim Minwoo]

[Effect 1. Absorbs blood when you slay enemies the sword deems worthy. (0/10)]

[Effect 2. Absorbs a portion of health and mana when you wound an enemy.]

[Effect 3. ???]

“Huh?”

A lot of the wording had changed. Not only had its grade risen to a plus...

‘Its growth potential has increased enormously?’

What would have happened to the original Death Spirit Sword?

Perhaps it would have stopped growing after absorbing the blood of ten thousand enemies.

But things were different now.

‘Maybe...’

If he killed ten enemies the sword deemed worthy, it might reach Ancient grade.

He had no way of knowing its criteria yet.

‘Well, as for that...’

He would find out in time.

The equipment restriction had also changed from the Alliance Leader or the person who killed the Alliance Leader to his own name.

And on top of that...

‘... That second effect is fucking sweet.’

Wounding enemies would let him absorb health and mana.

Potions weren’t an unlimited resource, so normally, he had to rely on natural recovery.

‘So I’ve basically got a healing ability now?’

It didn’t matter even if the amount was small. Just having that function would be incredibly useful, especially for someone like him, who went around slicing off enemies’ heads with a sword.

Next, he checked his titles.

[New Title List]

[1. Fossil Class Year]

[An ancient academy. You became a student there.]

[Effect: Strength, Vitality +5]

[2. Master of the Banshee Queen.]

[You became the master of Merhen, the Banshee Queen.]

[Effect 1. Greatly increases the learning ability of all ghost-type undead.]

[Effect 2. Allows ghost-type undead to reach their ultimate form.]

[Effect 3. Increases the spellcasting speed of all magic-type summons by 20%.]

[Effect 4. ???]

[Effect 5. ???]

Fossil Class Year seemed like a bonus title awarded for entering a special stage.

The real prizes started with the second one.

Master of the Banshee Queen.

Its effects were every bit as impressive as Cedric’s title. Where Cedric provided powerful bonuses to skeletons, Merhen did the same for ghost-type undead.

Specters, banshees, reapers, and so on.

Most ghost-type undead were found in the mid-to-late game. Each one was fairly powerful as a result.

‘And increased spellcasting speed on top of that...’

A solid, reliable effect. What was more, it applied to all magic-type summons. His skeleton mages would benefit too.

‘Nice.’

It was a title that would only grow more powerful with time.

[3. He Who Took Balkan's Eye.]

[You took the eye of Balkan, the strongest balrog in the demon realm and a former legion commander of the Death Lord.]

[Effect 1. All stats +30]

[Effect 2. Exerts powerful intimidation on demon-type monsters.]

‘Wow.’

He’d thought Balkan was strong, and the title’s effects were no joke either.

An increase of thirty to all stats.

In one go, he’d gained the same bonus he’d fought tooth and nail for in the orc gate.

‘He really was that strong, though.’

Had they kept fighting, Minwoo would have lost in the end. The level gap had been that enormous.

‘The second effect’s pretty good too.’

It intimidated demon-type monsters.

‘There happens to be a gate that comes to mind...’

There was one with a suitable difficulty, full of rampaging demons.

‘The perfect place to put it to use.’

Nodding in satisfaction, he examined the next title.

[4. He Who Ended the Resentment.]

[Merhen languished in endless despair. You resolved her resentment.]

[Effect 1. Merhen’s interest in you deepens greatly.]

[Effect 2. Her interest occasionally creates special events.]

‘...?’

He could understand her interest deepening. He had certainly scored some points with her.

But...

‘What exactly does it mean by special events?’

He couldn’t make much sense of that yet.

“... I’ll find out when it happens.”

He checked the Part One list.

〈Part One List 9/10〉

〈Successor of the Death Lord〉

〈He Who Ended Eternity〉

〈The Warrior Whose Name Mutakta Remembered〉

〈Hero of the Northern Part of the Continent of Kaisar〉

〈He Who Became Master of a Divine Beast〉

〈Champion of the Dragon and Phoenix Gathering〉

〈Slayer of the Unorthodox Alliance Leader〉

〈Monster Among Beginners〉

〈The Necromancer Who Took Balkan’s Eye〉

‘Just one left now.’

One more entry would not only let him move on to Part Two, but also grant him a very special effect.

His heart raced as though a bundle of presents lay before him.

‘Now, then...’

It was time to summon Merhen, whom he had worked so hard to obtain.

[Summon Merhen (SSS)]

[Type: Active]

[Mana Cost: 100]

[Summons Merhen, the Banshee Queen. Merhen’s level follows her master’s. Her abilities are unlocked as her level increases.]

A straightforward skill description, almost identical to Cedric’s.

They were both legion commanders, so there probably wouldn’t be much difference.

Now, then...

“Come.”

[Merhen is summoned!]

[50 mana has been consumed!]

Banshees were ghost-type undead, and they usually looked horrifying.

Not only did they have patches of rotting flesh, but ghostly maggots crawled over them as well.

If he had to describe them, they looked a little better than specters, at least.

He had never seen a banshee that looked otherwise, so he had braced himself.

Yet the face that appeared was very familiar.

‘... Merhen?’

She looked exactly as she had in life, back at the academy.

If her body hadn’t been slightly transparent, he would have struggled to recognize her as a banshee.

An open black parasol rested in her hand. Beneath its round canopy, Merhen stared at him.

Then her lips moved hesitantly.

“I remember,” she said.

“Kern. The person who saved me.”

Apparently, she was saying that because his face as Kern had been identical to his current one.

“It’s Kim Minwoo, not Kern. Anyway, I’m your master.”

“... Master?”

“That’s right.”

“No. We’re friends. We promised.”

She shook her head, speaking firmly.

Friends, huh?

Did she need some attitude adjustment?

He examined her status window.

[Merhen]

[Class: Archmage]

[Level: 180]

[Skills: Archmage (SS), Cry of Terror (S)]

[Archmage (SS): An ability developed as Merhen awakened her talent. Allows her to wield not only death magic, but also magic of the four great elements.]

[Cry of Terror (S): Lets out a cry imbued with a banshee’s resentment. Enemies hit are inflicted with fear.]

[Loyalty: 100]

[Special Notes: Most skills and stats are sealed. She has already pledged her loyalty.]

[Strength: 180 (+90)] [Agility: 180 (+90)] [Vitality: 180 (+90)] [Magic Power: 540 (+270)]

‘Huh?’

He had checked her loyalty first, but it was already at 100. In effect, it was no different from her having already sworn an oath of loyalty.

Once loyalty reached 100, it became fixed and could no longer fall.

‘Guess she doesn’t need any training.’

Friend or subordinate, the formalities didn’t really matter. What mattered was whether she would carry out his orders without hesitation.

Merhen was already capable of that. At 100 loyalty, she would jump into a fire if he told her to.

All his hard work in the past stage seemed to be paying off here.

Well, he had certainly scored some points back then.

‘No need to straighten her out.’

Kim Minwoo gave her a warm smile.

“Right. We promised. We are friends. My mistake.”

“Yes. Minwoo. My precious friend.”

Merhen quietly approached and took his hand as she spoke.

He stared at her.

‘Her personality seems a little different.’

Merhen as a human and Merhen as a banshee seemed to have fairly different personalities.

Her human self had possessed a lively side, whereas banshee Merhen seemed rather quiet.

‘Well, she must have spent a long time as an undead.’

She must have lived at least several decades as an undead, with dulled emotions and senses.

It wasn’t particularly strange that she had grown quieter.

Looking at her, he asked, “But you remember all of it? You weren’t actually there yourself.”

“The memories suddenly popped into my head.”

“They did?”

“Yes. I know I hated the Death Lord... but I’m fine with you, Minwoo. So I want to stay with you.”

Just as he’d hoped.

Resolving her resentment had been worth it.

Despite his wielding the same power as the Death Lord, she said she was fine with him.

‘And an archmage, too...’

Banshees usually used magic related to death. They might use a variety of lower-level spells, but the higher the tier, the more their talents tended toward magic associated with their own species.

From the looks of it, Merhen had been no exception.

[She can now use more types of magic besides death magic!]

‘That’s what the message said, too.’

She had probably relied mainly on death magic.

But that had changed, with the addition of the four great elements, no less.

The four great elements usually meant water, fire, earth, and wind.

There was hardly any point explaining how incredible that ability was.

‘At SS rank...’

Her range would be wide, and her damage would be insane.

Just then, the door burst open.

Naye peeked her head through the doorway.

“You’re baaack!”

Her face lit up as she ran over. Wrapping her arms tightly around his leg, she puffed out her cheeks.

“Where on earth did you go? I waited for you every day.”

“Sorry. I was a little busy with work.”

Before undertaking the provision, he had already told his family he would be visiting a hidden gate.

Everyone had taken it in stride.

Everyone except this little girl.

‘Looks like she’s really been waiting for me.’

Well, from Naye’s perspective, she would have to return to America once winter break ended. She might have thought this was her only chance to spend time with him.

Then the child’s gaze turned to Merhen beside him.

“... Who’s she?”

“Oh, she’s a friend of mine.”

“Your friend?”

“Yeah. Say hello, Merhen. This is my little sister, Naye.”

“... Hello.”

Merhen gave a small, extremely awkward wave.

“Wow. You’re really pretty.”

“... Thank you.”

“So, will you play with me?”

“Huh?”

“I’m bored. My brother didn’t keep his promise. He said he’d play with me...”

Kim Minwoo scooped Naye up.

“I’m sorry. Were you upset?”

“... A little.”

“I’ll play with you as much as you want today. Want to see something fun?”

“Something fun?”

“Yeah. Something flashy and dazzling.”

Magic was usually like that. And SS-rank magic would surely be more of a spectacle than most fireworks displays.

Just as he had with Cedric, he needed to test how useful Merhen was.

It would be nice to fulfill his promise to play with Naye while he was at it.

“I want to see!”

“Then let’s go.”

It was time to test his legion commander’s abilities.