[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-damn-necromancer":3,"chapter-damn-necromancer-damn-necromancer-chapter-66":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Damn Necromancer",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":20,"prevChapterSlug":21,"totalChapters":22,"novelImage":23},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":17,"translator":18,"content_hash":19},1212594,1580,"Chapter 66","damn-necromancer-chapter-66",66,"\u003Cp>[Translator – Prøks]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Proofreader – Prøks]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chapter 66: The Trial Grounds (3)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Stats capped at 100.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘This means I can’t even benefit from my title effects.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[‘Law of Victory’ is activated!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[All stats increase by 30%!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[All damage increases by 30%!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even with the boost, all his stats remained locked at 100, confirming that Idric had at least a 300-level advantage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This indicated he was in the level 400s at minimum.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Three minutes.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed manageable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had faced greater challenges before, like the Mutakta at level 1.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was a true monster, yet he survived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, his stats were significantly higher than back then.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I can do this,’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Idric advanced, his steps steady and menacing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His sword was enveloped in a dark aura, contrasting sharply with his basic sword, which felt heavy due to the curses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Remaining time: 03:00]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Curse of Fatigue has been applied!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Curse of Endurance has been applied!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The unpleasant itchiness returned, but now he also felt dizzy, as if he had a severe cold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sword in his hand felt heavier, and his limbs were sluggish.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Idric’s blade cut through the air, aimed directly at his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He twisted his neck to dodge, then quickly ducked as he swung at his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He struck the ground with a powerful downward slash, causing debris to fly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘This isn’t just about avoiding his attacks, I need to deflect them without taking direct hits.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he let him hit him directly, his basic sword would shatter in no time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Idric’s sword was about to strike his face when he barely managed to deflect it with a twist of his blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The impact sent a jarring shock through his arm, causing a cut on his hand that began to bleed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sword screeched, threatening to break.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I can only take about ten hits like this.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite deflecting, the curses made it difficult to move quickly, and the fatigue slowed his reactions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I need to go on the offensive.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He swung his sword at Idric’s legs, hoping to destabilize him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He chose to counterattack, his sword aiming for his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Given his advantage in stats, he expected to win this exchange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I anticipated that.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He thought, bending backward to avoid his blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His sword brushed past his hair before striking the ground with a thunderous impact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he was still recovering from the swing, he drove his blade downward, aiming to exploit any opening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He spun his body like a top, using his heel as the pivot point, and his sword sliced through Idric’s waist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blood spurted from his side, and he staggered back, clutching his injury.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Through the eyeholes of his mask, he saw his eyes narrow in confusion and anger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘At least that’s a relief.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite his level and stats, Idric’s skill was surprisingly lacking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He seemed more like a well-trained city knight, but not much more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he had the skill level of a top-tier knight captain, he would have had to sacrifice at least a limb or two to survive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But his inexperience with the amplified stats gave him an edge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Even better, he seems unfamiliar with the increased stats.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His mind couldn’t keep up with his boosted physical capabilities, making him sluggish and predictable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That made it easier to deal with him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had prepared for the worst, considering the possibility of losing all his limbs and relying on his indomitable spirit to survive, but this encounter was turning out to be manageable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Just two arms.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His sword was already beginning to crack, and there was no avoiding the inevitable break.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d have to parry or deflect at some point, and that would likely lead to the sword shattering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After that, sacrificing his arms would be a logical step.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He glanced at the countdown timer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>2 minutes and 45 seconds remaining.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Idric’s scowl deepened as he lunged at him again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had to be careful and strategic to survive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[01:45]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first visible cracks appeared on his sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[01:00]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed like he could only take three more hits before the sword shattered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[00:30]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He sacrificed his left arm to avoid a fatal blow to his neck. A significant trade-off, considering the consequences if he hadn’t.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[00:15]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sword shattered into pieces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[00:02]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He sacrificed his other arm to dodge an attack. The curses had slowed his reactions, making it nearly impossible to completely avoid damage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[00:01]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Idric’s sword swung for his neck, but as he dodged, it aimed for his heart. He twisted his torso just enough to avoid a critical strike, barely escaping death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the sword pierced his side—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[‘Initiate – Lethal’ difficulty trial has concluded.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Your body has been fully restored!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Processing results.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Time stopped, and he felt the pain and injuries vanish as if they had never happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Difficulty: Lethal]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Achievement: High]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Title obtained: ‘The Monster of the Initiates’]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[You’ve passed the Initiate-level trial!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Level insufficient! Cannot attempt the Apprentice-level trial! (Minimum required level: 300)]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[You have obtained a pass to the Celestial City.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[New entries added to the ‘Legendary Beginnings – Part One’.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[‘Lethal’ difficulty. You’ve received a special reward.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[You have obtained an ‘Achievement Vending Machine’.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Achievement Vending Machine?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He muttered, looking at the small object that appeared in his restored hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was like a tiny toy vending machine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Curious, he examined its details.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Achievement Vending Machine]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Rank: Special]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[A cute vending machine.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Effect: Double your achievement points upon earning.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He rubbed his eyes and then looked again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was this thing really saying it could double achievement points?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Achievement points were invaluable, allowing for limit-breaking, skill book purchases, gear upranks, and a multitude of other uses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were worth hundreds of times more than money.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A vending machine that could double achievement points?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And it wasn’t a one-time-use item?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘This is insane.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He quickly tucked the cute vending machine into his inventory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With this, every point he earned would double.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was like printing his own currency.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Next, he pulled out the Celestial City travel pass to check its details.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Celestial City Travel Pass]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Rank: Special]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[A pass given to those who pass the Initiate trial. Allows travel to the Celestial City to take additional trials. Can be activated once every six months.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Effect 1. Allows travel to the Celestial City upon use.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Effect 2. Each travel allows for one month of activity time.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Celestial City.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It could be the city where angels like Jiphael lived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>* * *\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seo Yerim was undergoing her own re-examination.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a snap of PoPo’s fingers, a bow appeared in her hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>―Now we’ll begin the re-examination. The subject is simple: ‘Balloon Target Practice.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Where are the balloons?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as she asked, balloons began appearing throughout the white space, as if bubbles were rising from boiling water.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There had to be thousands of them, floating in every direction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>―Can you see the balloons ahead?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She squinted at the colorful balloons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were many red ones, followed by orange, then green, yellow, and blue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Rainbow?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The arrangement of colors resembled a rainbow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>―Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet. Among them, there are only five violet balloons. Indigo has 200, blue has 1,000, and so on. Red is the most common.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>―You have five arrows. You need to pop the balloons. Preferably, the rarer ones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Re-examination: ‘Rainbow Balloons’ begins!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Your average stats are fixed at 10!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Skills cannot be used!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[You cannot move more than 10 meters!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As if to emphasize the restrictions, a strong wind gusted through, sending the balloons swirling and colliding with one another.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Here are the rules.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[You start with 100 points.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[You must use all five arrows to pop balloons.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Only violet balloons give points; all others result in point deductions.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[The lower the balloon’s rank, the greater the point deduction.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[If an arrow misses and hits nothing, there is a significant point deduction!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seo Yerim nodded as she read the message, understanding the challenge ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So, I just need to pop the five violet balloons for a perfect score, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>―Yes. However, it’s not as easy as it sounds. In my thousand years of observation, no archer has ever achieved a perfect score.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was clear why.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finding the violet balloons among thousands of others was already difficult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if they found them, the wind could cause them to overlap or shift position, making precision shots almost impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘And I have to account for the wind.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She realised how tricky this re-examination would be.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So, what was the highest score ever achieved?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>―99 points. A very close shot, but they accidentally popped an indigo balloon along with a violet one, losing one point.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And the achievement rank for that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>―SS rank, I believe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is there a higher rank than S?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>―There are SS, SSS, and even higher, though I’ve never seen those. But Jiphael mentioned they existed, so I’m sure they do.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Even higher?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Indeed, the world was larger than she’d imagined.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seo Yerim realized just how much of a small fish in a big pond she might be.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The strength Kim Minwoo had displayed in the previous gate was beyond anything she’d imagined.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She knew there were levels beyond S, but the idea that there might be ranks higher than SSS seemed almost inconceivable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It made her wonder if all of Earth’s awakeners were just frogs in a well, blind to the vast world outside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘This isn’t just a typical isekai scenario. It’s something entirely different.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How had Kim Minwoo managed to connect to this place? He was like an onion—each layer revealed more surprises.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“PoPo.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>―Yes?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If I hit all five balloons, could I achieve an SSS rank or higher?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>―To reach that level, you’d need to achieve feats that could change the world itself. Even here in the Trial Grounds, there’s no setting for such a stage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>PoPo took pride in his position, yet even he admitted it was impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed like there really was a limit to what could be achieved in the Trial Grounds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seo Yerim felt a pang of disappointment but knew she’d still need to focus on the task at hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There’s no time limit, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>―Correct.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seo Yerim carefully observed the balloons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The structure was deliberately designed to make the challenge as difficult as possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Red balloons were large, while violet balloons were much smaller—about the size of a mandarin orange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, indigo balloons were often attached to the violet ones, requiring precise aim to hit only the violet balloon without hitting others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After identifying the five violet balloons, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Okay.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With her stats capped at 10 and no skills available, she had to rely solely on her natural talent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Can I do this?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She wondered, recalling the conversation with Minwoo in the hospital room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>―In my view, you’re destined for greatness with a bow, he had said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let’s do this.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She whispered, releasing the first arrow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The arrow zipped through the balloons, threading the needle between them, and hit a violet balloon, bursting it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She barely paused before firing three more arrows in quick succession.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each arrow burst a violet balloon without hitting any other color.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘One more.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The final balloon had the most indigo balloons attached to it, making it the trickiest shot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the one where most failed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seo Yerim took a deep breath and released the final arrow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It cut through the air, swerved to avoid other balloons, and hit its mark.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The violet balloon popped, leaving the other balloons intact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>PoPo clapped like a delighted seal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>―Wow! Perfect score! Congratulations!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Your examination has concluded.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Your score is 100.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[You receive an SSS-rank archer skill book!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘SSS-rank…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seo Yerim clenched her fist in triumph.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Minwoo had been right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was destined to become a great archer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Translator – Prøks]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Proofreader – Prøks]\u003C\u002Fp>",1972,"2026-06-03T14:21:21.387Z","2026-06-03T14:21:27.249Z",1,"novelbin.me","6fe657bb8744e20e6fa09bc145190f6d572bd2f9e2900e6bb05013dac3ac46b7","damn-necromancer-chapter-14","damn-necromancer-chapter-13",362,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fdamn-necromancer-cover.jpg"]