How to Raise Your Skeletons

Chapter 88: Into the Fray (2)

Throughout history and across cultures, there have always been many questions that spark curiosity. One of them is a question that asks about the ultimate champion: “Who is the strongest in the world?”

Beings ranging from the carnivorous tyrannosaurus rex of the Cretaceous era to the ancient megalodon shark of the ocean. In modern times, there were Bruce Lee and Mas Oyama. In contemporary times, there are Fedor Emelianenko and Francis Ngannou. These figures are often discussed by enthusiasts and debated in various online communities.

However, since the advent of the hunter profession in this world, such interesting questions no longer need debate. An absolute presence called the “System” has already settled the answer.

[World Ranking Board]

It was a massive, mysterious board that existed in the eastern United States. Only 1,000 hunters could be listed here. Thanks to this board, which updated automatically at the start of every month, people could narrow down the top 10 strongest individuals in the world.

[Rank 1 – ???]

First, Rank 1. The number 1 rank was denoted by question marks. No one knew who it was, and the board didn’t even display a name. Why this was the case or if this individual even existed remained a matter of controversy. But no one could ignore the significance of that symbol.

[Rank 2 – Jack Smith, the Demon King]

Next, Rank 2, the Demon King. He was an American hunter. The fact that the U.S. became the world’s number one superpower in terms of hunter prowess was thanks to this person. Not much was known about him, but rumors said he dealt with demons and frequented hell as if it were his own home.

[Rank 3 – Ha Sera, the Heavenly Demon]

Following that was Rank 3, a famous and proud figure who represented South Korea. Excluding the unknown Rank 1, she was essentially the world’s second-strongest after the Demon King. The fact that the global community considered South Korea to be the second-strongest hunter nation was solely because of her. She was a swordmaster.

[Rank 4 – Sophia Silverstone, the Sage of Oxford]

Oxford, the prestigious university in the United Kingdom, built a massive tower with government support. The tower was designed to gather hunters with magic-related abilities to grow and achieve synergy together. It was like a real-life magic tower. The head of that magic tower held Rank 4, known as Sophia the Sage.

[Rank 5 – Delilah, the Dungeon Maker]

Her alias was Mirage. She was a mysterious hunter from America. Almost nothing was known about her except that she could create dungeons.

Well. I’ll be meeting her soon, so I can judge for myself then.

Honestly, she was the one I was most curious about. How did she manage to impose restrictions on individuals and display system messages for each person?

I recalled a message I received in the past.

[You have learned information about the Dungeon Maker.]

[Warning! Warning! Warning!]

[If you disclose this information to non-rankers, you cannot participate in any of the Dungeon Maker’s content in the future!]

[The only exception is when recommending a candidate.]

[If the recommendation candidate discloses the information, the penalty will be imposed on the recommender!]

[Tip: Say “Register recommendation” to set a recommendation candidate.]

A person who could pull off such absurd feats—that was Delilah.

The remaining ranks were as follows.

[Rank 6 – Aria Yuel, the Paladin]

A holy knight who fought while healing herself. No matter how much she was hit, she wouldn’t die, earning her the nickname “Zombie.”

[Rank 7 – Nina Christine, the Grace of Yggdrasil]

A spirit summoner known to command the four great elements. She, too, was shrouded in mystery as her nationality and age were unknown. She was simply someone people talked about because her name was on the board.

[Rank 8 – Ichikawa Takeru, the Spirit Emperor]

He handled spirits and specialized in possession techniques. He was also the pride of Japan.

[Rank 9 – Ronnie Williams, the Roider]

He was a drug user. Sometimes he made and sold drugs for healing or buffs… Everything he sells is sold out instantly. There was even a rumor that he manufactured a drug that delivered heavenly pleasure, but that was unverified.

[Rank 10 – Chen Ziyi, the Spear King ]

And last but not least, we had Chen Ziyi, a spearman from China. The Chinese pronunciation is “Chénziyì,” but I’m just going to read it in a way that I’m comfortable with.

All of them were names I memorized without error in my head. Ever since I became a hunter after reaching legal age, these names had been etched in my heart as my idols.

“…”

These were the individuals who represented nations and were people’s dreams. They could also be called the strongest in the world.

And ultimately, my goal was to join them.

—Gulp!

I swallowed and looked at Jang Daewoong before me.

“Shall I tell you an interesting story? Yes, something you don’t know… No, something ordinary people would never know about rankers. Especially the high-ranked ones.”

Stories about rankers, as seen through the eyes of someone ranked 20th. My heart began to beat excitedly, just like when I used to marvel at dinosaurs as a child.

“Brother.” Jang Daewoong cleared his throat. “If I, ranked 20th, went head-to-head with Rank 19, who do you think would win?”

“What?”

What kind of question was that? Wouldn’t Rank 19 have a higher chance of winning? That was why there was a ranking system.

“No, actually, my question was a little unclear. I mean, do you think I’d have a chance at winning if I fought Rank 19?”

“Hmm.”

Now that was a different question. Imagine if victory were determined solely by a one-rank difference. The world would be quite boring, wouldn’t it?

After a brief moment of thought, I decided to give my vote to the Berserker.

“If you’re lucky or in good condition that day, I think you could win. After all, no one knows what will happen until you give it a try, right?”

“Haha, that’s my bro. Right? A real man would answer like that!” Jang Daewoong nodded, looking pleased.

I’ve noticed before that this guy seems really receptive to compliments.

“But you’re wrong, brother.”

“Huh?”

“Unless I use tricks or team up with someone, I will never be able to defeat Rank 19 alone.”

“…?”

It was unexpected for a muscle man like him to use the word “never.”

“The gap widens significantly once you enter the double-digit ranks.” Jang Daewoong chuckled, then called me again. “Brother.”

“Yes?”

“In the past three years, have there been any changes in the rankings within the top 10?”

“…Hmm, not that I’m aware of, no.”

Since I’d become a hunter, I always kept an eye on the world rankings. Even if I didn’t, it was a frequent topic on various sites and news articles, so there was no way I wouldn’t have noticed if there was a change.

“Right, none. As long as high-rankers don’t fight to the death, there won’t be any changes.”

“…Does that mean the skill level difference is firmly set?”

“Exactly.” Jang Daewoong nodded with a smile at my question. “Just as there’s no way I could defeat Ha Sera, no matter what I do, right now.”

Ha Sera, the Heavenly Demon. As her name was mentioned, Lee Sunah chimed in, “Skeleton King, want to hear something interesting?” She gave a mischievous smile.

“Hm? What is it?”

“A year ago, the Berserker stormed into our guild headquarters and demanded to see our Cult Leader, bellowing for a fight. It caused quite a scene.”

“Ahem, Black Sword, why bring that up now…” The Berserker stared at Lee Sunah, taken aback.

What was wrong with that? It wasn’t surprising. That just sounded like a crazy guy doing a crazy thing.

“At that time, the Cult Leader didn’t even draw her sword and just used one finger—”

“Hahaha, do you think I’m the same person as back then? Ahaha!”

Jang Daewoong cut her off and laughed boisterously, but it was too late. The meaning behind Lee Sunah’s words was already clear to me.

“Hm.” Lee Sunah wore a bitter smile. “Anyway, what I’m trying to say is…” She looked at me. “That’s the difference in skill among high-rankers.”

“That’s insane.”

It was hard to believe that a formidable guy like the Berserker was handled with just one finger. Not to mention that she was a swordsman, someone who specialized in using a weapon.

“The Berserker’s concern is probably the same as all of ours.”

“What do you mean by concern…?”

“The Skeleton King we’ve assessed is fearless. And bold.”

“…”

“We could say it in a way to put it in a positive light, but to put it bluntly… there are times when you can be a bit reckless.”

Fair enough. Ever since that encounter with the orc in the open clearing, I’ve faced a series of reckless challenges. I met the old man, obtained Sun Spear, slayed the Giant Magic Dragon, and endured the lich’s trial. They were unavoidable situations, but in any case, I have indeed been navigating a precarious tightrope.

“But Rank 5, Delilah, is truly in a different league. When we say to be prepared, we really mean it.”

“…”

—Gulp.

I swallowed once more.

It seemed strange for rankers like these to say she was “in a different league.” Perhaps the phrase “There is a sky beyond the sky” applied here. I even felt a surge of awe in my chest.

“In other words, don’t act cocky, right?”

“Oh, that’s reassuring.”

“What is?”

“That the Skeleton King is a very perceptive hunter.”

“Excuse me?”

“But I hold you in high regard. Remember what I said?”

“About…?”

“I said your potential… might even surpass our Cult Leader’s…”

Ah, right, I remembered. And only now did I fully realize how incredible a compliment that was.

“Take this.” Lee Sunah took something from her pocket and handed it over. “…This is the invitation letter from Delilah. The date is three days from now, and the location is the mysterious Mora Island in Gujarat, India.”

“Mora, you say…”

“White Swine has prepared a flight and transportation.”

“Yup, I arranged a private jet for your comfort.” White Swine tapped his forehead with his index and middle fingers, then flicked them skyward.

What’s this? A new greeting style, I guess?

“…Is that so?”

Finally, the long-awaited moment with the Dungeon Maker was approaching. Now, it finally felt real. My blood started pumping, and my palms grew sweaty.

I don’t know exactly why these people are helping me…

White Swine mentioned repaying the favor later, and the Fine Bow seemed to be offering his recommendation as a matter of duty. However, the rest seemed to be helping me out of pure goodwill.

But I’m grateful.

I was genuinely thankful, and I wanted to express my gratitude.

To do that…

First, I had to return alive. I had to withstand the trial and secure a spot on the ranking board. I needed to rise to “their level” to truly express my thanks.

“…”

Clenching my fists, I looked at them—Jang Daewoong, Lee Sunah, Yoo Sangdon, and Gi Soyul.

All four pairs of eyes focused on me.

My lips parted. “I will… absolutely pass the trial.”

Their gazes grew even more intense, but I didn’t avoid their stares.

“I promise you all. Returning alive? That’s a given. Becoming a ranker? That’s just as certain to me.”

“…”

“You may think I’m being overconfident. But my goal isn’t just to become a ranker.”

Indeed, being a ranker has always been my dream—to have my name among the top 1,000. There was a time when that was my only goal.

But now, that goal was right before my eyes, within my reach.

If that’s the case… Why not dream even bigger?

“I want to become Rank 1.”

I will grow stronger. Stronger than the four rankers here.

“I’ll grow as much as you all believe in me. I’ll become someone even greater. So you can boast proudly about recommending me today.”

This was a promise to them and to myself. This was my declaration before facing the trial and the deepest gratitude I could offer.

“I’ll give you a more proper thanks… after I return alive.”

I bowed my head to the four rankers.