Absorbing the memories and experiences of ghosts?

Mina’s first thought was of danger—wasn’t this the kind of thing that could lead to losing one’s sense of self, like in those horror movies?

Her face darkened with worry, but Seong reassured her calmly.

“It won’t happen. Don’t worry.”

“But… what if it does?”

“No, it’s fine. The memories and experiences are completely separate from mine. They don’t even surface unless I actively choose to use them. It feels more like… gaining a talent.”

“Like a skill?”

“Well, I don’t know much since the only skill I’ve got is butchering, but yeah, something like that.”

“Oh, I see.”

If Seong said so, then that was that. Mina knew her brother well enough to trust him.

The idea of absorbing a ghost’s experiences was astounding, more than she initially realized.

“Seong, have you heard of something called synchronization rate?”

“Synchronization rate?”

“Yeah. It measures how much you perceive the virtual world as real. The higher it is, the more naturally you can move.”

“Oh, like feeling it’s my real body, so I control it better?”

“Exactly!”

Mina beamed at his accurate understanding.

Synchronization rate was essentially a measure of how much a player assimilated with the virtual world. The higher the rate, the closer they were to being like the world’s inhabitants.

While high synchronization didn’t guarantee physical mastery, it offered significant advantages.

But what would happen if a player absorbed the memories and experiences of those inhabitants?

The answer was simple.

“Ghost memories might increase your synchronization rate.”

“So it’s not just about gaining talents?”

“Right. While it’s partly about talents, it’s likely affecting your synchronization rate too.”

“Oh.”

Hearing Mina’s explanation made sense. Her expertise made her seem more impressive than usual.

Noticing Seong’s gaze, Mina’s shoulders rose with pride, her confidence visibly inflating. Seong shook his head, smiling to himself at his sister’s self-satisfaction.

Still, there was something else he wanted to ask.

“So, Mina, what do you think would happen if I got the Hero’s memories and experiences?”

“...Huh?”

Mina’s expression froze, then her eyes widened as if she had just realized something she’d overlooked.

“The Hero’s memories and experiences…”

Her voice trembled as she spoke.

“You might be able to change your class to Hero.”

“What?”

Seong hadn’t expected that. Changing his class to Hero?

“You know about the ranks in Eternal World, right?”

“Yeah, of course.”

From Normal to Rare, Epic, Unique, Legendary, and finally the highest tier, Almighty—Seong had read about the ranking system in the guides the night before.

The rankings applied to everything in the game—items, skills, titles, and even classes. It was foundational to Eternal World.

How high-ranking would the Hero class be?

Mina answered his unspoken question.

“The Hero class is rumored to be at least Legendary.”

“At least?”

“If it’s a fixed rank, why say ‘at least’?”

“Because no one’s ever unlocked it. It could even be Almighty.”

“Wow.”

“And you might be the one to get it.”

Mina’s words carried a weight that made Seong realize just how monumental this opportunity was.

The possibility of obtaining such an extraordinary class sent his heart racing with excitement.

At least Legendary. Maybe Almighty.

How could anyone hear that and stay calm?

Seong’s eagerness spurred him to eat faster, his chopsticks and spoon moving in a blur.

“Slow down,” Mina laughed, shaking her head.

“I need to hurry and find it.”

Watching him eagerly devour his food, Mina sighed. He was persistent—determined, even. She knew the feeling well; she had been just as hooked when she first started playing Eternal World.

Still, searching aimlessly wasn’t ideal.

“So, where are you planning to look? The whole village?”

“Oh.”

“If you head north of the village, there’s a Hero Hindel Memorial Hall. It’s where Hero Hindel and his companions are buried. Check it out.”

“Thanks.”

Finishing his meal, Seong stood to clear his dishes, but Mina stopped him.

“Leave them. I’ll take care of it.”

“Huh? Really?”

“Yeah, you brat. You make me out to be a bad sister, but when I’m nice, you’re surprised?”

“No, I’m just grateful! Thanks! I’ll head in now!”

Rushing to his room, Seong left Mina smiling fondly. As the one who had gifted him the capsule, she felt proud watching him enjoy it.

At first, he’d been indifferent, but now he was hooked.

She could hear the sound of the capsule opening, then closing as Seong logged back in.

Smiling at the memory of her own early days in Eternal World, Mina cleaned up the table, throwing out leftovers and washing the dishes.

“If I’m doing this, I might as well do it properly.”

After tidying up, Mina returned to her room and logged into her own capsule.

The game loaded quickly, and she found herself standing in a grand fortress. A flag with a distinctive emblem flapped noisily in the wind above her.

Flap, flap.

The fortress, an impenetrable natural stronghold, stood proudly beneath the banner’s shadow.

As Mina—or rather, Yuna, her in-game persona—arrived, the chatter in the area abruptly ceased.

“Gasp!”

“Ah…”

“...!”

Surrounding her were players clad in armor bearing the same emblem as the flag. The moment they noticed Yuna, the bustling crowd fell silent.

With a cold, expressionless demeanor, Yuna strode past them, heading for the largest door in the fortress.

Arriving at the entrance, she was greeted by two guards.

“Lady Yuna, you’re here.”

“The Guild Leader is in.”

“Let me in.”

With just those words, the two guards bowed their heads and opened the massive doors.

The room inside wasn’t overly lavish, but neither was it plain. A discerning eye would recognize that every item within was extraordinary.

As Yuna stepped inside, the doors closed behind her.

Amid the impressive furnishings, a woman with elegant features sat behind a large wooden desk, busily writing.

Yuna waited until the woman’s pen came to a halt.

“Guild Leader, I have something to discuss.”

“...You, Yuna?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, what could our guild’s pride and solo ranker, Lady Yuna, want to talk about?”

Though curious, the Guild Leader’s voice carried no sarcasm—only genuine interest.

Yuna answered directly.

“I have a user I’d like to recommend soon.”

“Oh? Let’s hear the details.”

In Rapid, the third-ranked guild in Eternal World, a stir was brewing.

Their top solo player, Yuna, ranked 9th globally, was about to make her first user recommendation.

1.

Seong opened his eyes in the beginner village, Hindel. It was the same location where he had last logged out.

[Welcome to another world, the Eternal World.]

The introductory message flashed as he logged back in. Despite having just exited, the feeling this time was completely different.

Perhaps it was because he had experienced it before, or maybe it was the anticipation. Regardless, he felt more excitement now than the first time.

"Mina said it’s to the north, right?"

A compass-like direction indicator appeared in his vision, and without hesitation, he headed north.

The wind roared as he sprinted with speed, shocking every player he passed.

“What the? How is he that fast?”
“He’s still Level 1, isn’t he? Can Level 1s even move like that?”
“Did he get some kind of title or something?”
“His gear looks different. Could it be his items?”
“Is that stuff even available in the beginner village?”

The players murmured among themselves, but Seong didn’t pay them any mind. His focus was entirely on reaching the north, where he hoped to find Hero Hindel’s ghost.

As he ran, he tried to calm the grin creeping onto his face.

Initially, he’d planned to search the entire village, but knowing that Hindel’s burial site was in the north made things much simpler.

"Ghosts like to linger near their graves," he mused.

If a body or grave wasn’t present, ghosts might wander freely, but when one existed, they often stayed close to it. It was as if they enjoyed watching those who paid their respects.

Even the old instructor ghost had stayed near the training grounds where he had spent his life.

Ghosts seemed to behave like bound spirits, tied to significant locations in their lives.

By that logic, Hero Hindel would likely be near his own memorial.

If Hindel’s spirit wasn’t there, Seong reasoned, then it didn’t exist in the village at all.

As these thoughts filled his mind, he hoped silently:

"Please let him be there."

The Hero class, at a minimum, was Legendary-tier, possibly even higher.

Even if he couldn’t unlock the class, absorbing Hindel’s memories and experiences alone would grant him incredible talents.

The mere thought of it filled Seong with anticipation. His heart raced as he finally reached the site—a vast cemetery-like area.

At the center of the cemetery stood a massive statue.

It was another likeness of Hero Hindel, but unlike the one he had seen in the Hunter’s Forest, this statue included Hindel’s companions.

Standing at the center was Hindel, not particularly large in stature but radiating a commanding presence. Surrounding him were the Saint, the Sage, the Knight, and the Elven Archer.

The statue exuded a majestic and awe-inspiring aura.

Seong stared at it, slack-jawed with admiration.

“Wow.”

Just as it had been in the Hunter’s Forest, there was an almost tangible power emanating from the statue.

Was it because it depicted Hero Hindel? Or was the statue enchanted in some way?

Seong couldn’t tell, but its craftsmanship was undeniably masterful.

As he stood in awe, he instinctively bowed his head in reverence.

[In honor of Hero Hindel and his companions.]

A small message appeared.

Even this was an Easter egg? No wonder the game was hailed as a masterpiece.

"Incredible."

Momentarily forgetting his goal to find Hindel’s ghost, Seong marveled at the design.

But he quickly snapped back to reality. It was time to search.

Looking around, he spotted several ghosts.

"One of them must be Hindel."

Most ghosts looked similar, so he assumed the one resembling the statue would be Hindel.

Seong thought about starting his search near the statue.

As he scanned the area, his attention was drawn to something unusual.

A ghost radiating a faint, turquoise glow.

Unlike the others, this spirit’s presence was overwhelming, as if it were on a completely different level.

The ghost’s long, crimson hair flowed neatly down her back, and even from behind, her elegance and beauty were evident.

The spirit’s ethereal appearance was unlike any other ghost Seong had seen, and he couldn’t look away.

She stood silently, gazing up at the statue of Hero Hindel. Her posture carried a sense of melancholy and sorrow.

"Who could she be?"

As Seong wondered, the spirit turned to face him.

Her black eyes sparkled with a faint turquoise light as she spoke, her voice cheerful yet commanding.

“Hello! Nice to meet you!”

“Hello. My name is Seong.”

Instinctively, Seong responded to her lively greeting.

But the moment she spoke, the other ghosts nearby began to tremble.

“It’s the Demon King! The Demon King is moving!”
“The Demon King has awakened!”
“Run for your lives!”
“How many centuries has it been since she last moved?!”
“Run! If she catches us, it’s over!”

The ghosts scattered in panic, their voices filled with terror.

Seong, who was usually calm and collected, swallowed nervously as he watched the chaos.

The woman turned to the fleeing spirits, her expression one of mild annoyance.

“Idiots. I’m not going to catch anyone.”

Then, turning her attention back to Seong, she introduced herself with a slight smile.

“I’m Helena. They call me the Demon King.”

Seong had set out to find the Hero, but instead, he had encountered the Demon King.