How to Raise Your Skeletons

One day, a live broadcast popped up there.

[Passionate Han Live!]

> They look like skeletons, but… they’re not quite skeletons in this battle.

> Live! Don’t miss it—you’ll regret it if you’re late!

[Viewers: 124]

Since the streaming board was restricted to officially registered journalists certified by Korea’s Hunter Association, it was easy for the broadcast to be highlighted at the top when it started.

In the top left corner of the broadcast screen was a red “Live” dot.

“Huff! Huff! Hello!” Han, his face covered in dust, was filming himself. “Even on weekends, I don’t rest! I’m Passionate Han from HBS! Huff, huff!”

The title “Passionate” was a self-promoted nickname he’d been pushing lately. He preferred field reporting over editing second-hand information into articles.

> Oh, what’s this? A weekend stream?

> Yo, Han! Got another scoop for us?

> Why are you so out of breath? And what’s with the dirt on your face?

Reporters’ live broadcasts allowed for interaction with viewers. And since Han was a well-known journalist, viewers quickly joined as soon as he went live.

“Hehe, hurry up and join in! Today’s broadcast is one you’ll want to see. I’m seriously risking my life here. Can you hear the ground shaking?”

—Rumble…

—Boom! Boom!

The sound was akin to dynamite explosions, and the camera shook intermittently.

> What the heck? Is there a war going on?

> Look at the title. Skeletons that aren’t quite skeletons? What’s that supposed to mean?

> Stop teasing and just show us! I’m dying of curiosity!

> Is this a ranker fight again?

> Kim~ Soo Han Moo~ Turtle and Crane~ Folk tales~

Viewers reacted with both anticipation and confusion, some posting weird copypastas. Even so, Han remained patient. He knew good shows needed a buildup to make them even more impactful.

[Viewers: 532]

…

[Viewers: 1,052]

…

[Viewers: 1,335]

The viewer count quickly passed 1,000—a testament to the bustling traffic on the Hunter Board!

Han swallowed nervously.

Sometimes I feel more like a streamer than a journalist…

But what could he do? It was time for journalists to evolve with the changing world. And besides, he couldn’t bear to keep such an extraordinary battle between the two entities tearing apart the field to himself. This was why he loved his job: bringing such rare scenes to viewers at home in high definition.

“Alright, I’ll show you now. Honestly, I’m a bit scared myself. If something happens to me, will you all come to my funeral?”

> Huh?

> Is it that dangerous?

> Haha, just show us! We’ll judge after seeing.

> If this turns out to be nothing, I’m not watching HBS anymore.

> Haha, Han, thank you for your hard work. We’re counting on you for some quality info!

Glancing at the fast-moving chat, Han wideneied his stance. Luckily, the open field was in a lower area, making it easy to get a good angle from the ridge.

—Thump! Thud!

After securing the camera tripod firmly in the ground, Han turned the camera around.

“Alright, everyone, take a look!”

And then, the source of the explosive sounds came into full view.

—Whoosh! Swoosh!

A spear-wielding skeleton, shining with the light of the sun, launched attack after attack. And…

—Whip! Swoosh!

The skeleton archer dodged each assault while intermittently lreturning arrows.

—Crash! Kaboom!

Wherever they passed, the land turned into a wasteland. Giant trees split into splinters, and rocks crumbled into sand from the power.

“Now, do they… really look like skeletons to you?”

> ???

> What the heck?

> What is that?

> ??

The chat was instantly flooded with question marks. The explosive force was one thing, but the fact that both fighters were skeletons was a shock. Skeletons were typically E-rank monsters, the lowest tier of all.

> Is this CGI? Since when could skeletons move like A-rank or S-rank Hunters?

> Does that even make sense?

> The skeletons I saw summoned by necromancers were pathetic.

> Holy crap. If this is real, isn’t Han in danger?

> Watching this is giving me chills.

Everywhere the spear’s sun flare struck, the ground shattered as flashes of energy erupted. And every time an arrow imbued with moonlight fell, it echoed like a carpet bombing.

“I was just as shocked. Who would’ve expected a battle like this on a remote mountain trail…”

Han kept moving the camera, watching the scene wide-eyed. The skeletons were so fast that he could miss a critical moment if he weren’t careful.

“Huff, huff! Han, I told you to wait up… What is all this…?”

Kim, who had been following behind, gasped before falling silent. He, too, was taken aback by the battle scene. Terrified, he crouched down and gave Han a look of disbelief.

“What the hell… is this?”

“Shh, quiet. We’re live.”

“You’re crazy….”

Ignoring Kim, Han glanced at the viewer count.

[Viewers: 24,377]

Jackpot.

This was a jackpot of jackpots. If the numbers weren’t lying, he’d be looking at a bonus from HBS, maybe even a reward vacation.

The viewer count was climbing, and so was the chat’s intensity.

> Wow, their movements aren’t like skeletons at all. Look, they’re moving like they actually have muscles.

> Wait, what? How does it keep shooting arrows without drawing them?

> It fires before your eyes can even register it. Watch the clip in slow motion later.

> Is that even possible? Gives me goosebumps.

People analyzed the fight, some in awe.

> Guys, I’m an A-rank Hunter specializing in spears… And I say that skeleton is insane.

> Why?

> Its comprehension is insane.

> Comprehension, you say?

> A spear’s length usually limits its advantage to thrusting. But look at that—it switches from two-handed, overhand, and even underhand stances with expert ease, and the footwork is flawless. It even blocks arrows.

> Uh, can you explain in simple terms?

> Basically… you’d need to be an S-rank, maybe even at the Spear King’s level, to fight like that.

> That’s a stretch. The Spear King is in the top ten in world rankings. You’re the crazy one here.

> I’m serious… Sure, in terms of raw power, the Spear King is stronger, but in terms of its comprehension alone, they’re evenly matched.

Some even marveled at the skeleton’s spear-wielding technique.

People were captivated because battles like this were rare. Most rankers avoided fighting each other in the open since they didn’t want their skills exposed. Rankers rarely engaged in direct combat, protecting their stakes and avoiding unnecessary clashes.

This was also why the Berserker’s terrorizing incident gathered so much attention last time.

“Everyone, I understand the battle is breathtaking, but look over here!” Han momentarily turned the camera to capture a woman munching popcorn and a man intently watching the fight.

> ???

> Who’s that?

> Eating popcorn? Does she have nerves of steel?

Especially…

—Munch, munch.

Why did this person crunching popcorn seem so odd…?

> Wait…

With so many viewers, some recognized her.

> Hey, I know that person!

> ???

> Who?

> That person… yes! The guy from the article, “Unique Workshop in Goto Mall”! Demir’s Workshop, right?

> Oh? Right! Isn’t he the guy who built a building and made weapons with skeletons?

> Damn, isn’t that the person who recently crafted an S-rank weapon?

> No way, I thought he was a production-type hunter!

The chat exploded. Everyone was shocked. Until now, no one knew that the summoned creatures of Demir’s Workshop’s owner, known to be a production-type hunter, possessed abilities of that level.

“Ah…” Han’s jaw dropped. He’d heard of it before, but in the chaos, it hadn’t clicked.

“Hey, Han,” Kim spoke up.

“Yeah?”

“The fight’s nearly over.”

“What?” Han quickly turned the camera back to the battle.

Ultimately, ranged attacks couldn’t overcome close combat. Both fighters had battered each other to the point of shattering bones, but it seemed a tie was out of the question.

—Thud!

“It was a good fight, Eldrin.”

With a low voice, Sun Spear’s spear finally pierced Eldrin’s throat.

“…”

Eldrin let her bow slip from her hands in quiet resignation. The loser could speak no words. Bones rattled and fell to the ground.

It was a narrow victory for Sun Spear.

> Wow.

> It was short, but it felt like watching a full movie.

> I already saved the clip.

> Wow, both were insanely skilled.

> I’ve never seen archery like that, and the spearwork was insane.

> I’m a fan of this person now. Is this person a necromancer? Does he have a rank? He must be S-rank!

The chat exploded again. Everyone was chanting “Amazing!” as the comments scrolled faster and faster.

Han watched the chaos on his screen, pleased, until…

“Hey,” a man’s voice suddenly cut through the air behind him, appearing without a sound.

“…?”

Confused, he turned. Kim was already frozen, pale-faced, as if he’d seen a ghost.

What…?

Suddenly, Han’s heart dropped, and a chill ran down his spine.

Filming high-ranker training or battles was forbidden. If caught, you could vanish without a trace in the world of hunters. But he’d gone beyond just filming—he’d gone live.

I just wanted to capture the two skeletons fighting…

Ah. Should he have stopped the broadcast when he noticed Demir’s Workshop’s owner?

Yes, I admit it. Blinded by viewership, I couldn’t bring myself to stop. Ambition had clouded my judgment.

“Haha, do we still have rude folks who film without permission around this town?”

“I-I’m s-sorry…”

Han quickly stood from his spot and turned to apologize. However, he couldn’t help but freeze, just like Kim.

“B-Ber…”

The man’s entire frame was packed with muscle. A madman who’d chew through anyone—whether it be a person, a company, or even a ranker—if they dared cross him.

“Berserker…?”

The man who appeared behind him was none other than the world’s 20th-ranked hunter, Jang Daewoong the Berserker.