NoveLight ™
Seong was momentarily speechless, staring blankly at Seong, unsure of how to respond to the baffling situation.
Seong, in turn, was beginning to understand the reality of his current situation.
‘Ah, I guess I’ve drawn more attention than I thought.’
It finally dawned on him.
While he had noticed how players and NPCs constantly made a fuss over him, he hadn’t grasped the full extent of it.
Although he was aware that the Overlord class was extraordinary, he had never actively flaunted it.
It didn’t occur to him that people might try to recruit him.
As Seong’s expression showed signs of realization, Seong cleared his throat and introduced himself once again.
“Allow me to reintroduce myself. I am Seong-yeong, a scouter for the Sick Brothers Guild. I sincerely apologize for disturbing you, but I’ve come here to extend an invitation to join our guild.”
“Ah, I see.”
“I don’t want to interrupt your hunting, so I’ll make this quick and just leave my business card.”
“Business card?”
“Yes, here it is.”
Moving swiftly, Seong handed Seong his card with practiced ease.
Inwardly, Seong was cheering.
‘This is it!’
But he remained cautious—despite the confident demeanor, there was always the possibility of rejection.
“By the way,” Seong ventured hesitantly, “have you received any offers from other guilds?”
“No, none so far.”
“Ah!!”
Hearing this, Seong celebrated internally.
‘I’ve got him!’
This was a huge win.
While recruiting the female player from the Special Class Training Grounds earlier had been a bonus, Seong had always been the main target.
Based on what he had gathered, Seong was someone who had mastered all skills in just one day—a golden fish of the highest caliber.
‘He’s already at least Epic tier.’
This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Meanwhile, Seong found himself bewildered by the scouter's enthusiasm.
He understood why someone might be excited about recruiting him, but he was still unsure if it warranted such fervor.
‘Am I really that impressive?’
While he acknowledged the financial stakes involved in gaming, the extent of it was still beyond his grasp.
Noticing Seong’s thoughtful expression, Seong’s eyes glimmered with determination.
Unlike most other scouters who would persistently push for an immediate contract, Seong had a different strategy.
He was a specialist in the art of recruitment.
“Well then, if you’re interested, feel free to contact me anytime. I can guarantee you the best conditions in the industry! Thank you so much for your time. I’ll take my leave now!”
Like a whirlwind, Seong came and went, disappearing almost as quickly as he had arrived.
Seong blinked a few times, staring at the now-distant figure of the scouter before looking at the business card in his hand.
Business Card:
Sick Brothers Guild – Global Ranking: 12th
Scouter: Seong-yeong
Game Messenger Code: iliilillili
“???”
Judging by Seong’s behavior, Seong initially assumed it was a small-time guild. But to his surprise, it was one of the top-ranking ones.
‘No, that’s not really it.’
This was only the first scouting offer he had received—it didn’t warrant such dramatic praise.
Still, being approached by a prestigious guild was undeniably significant.
Seong mulled over the implications, staring at the card thoughtfully.
‘The 12th-ranked guild… That’s impressive.’
Even with his limited understanding of Eternal World, Seong knew enough to realize how big of a deal this was.
He recalled hearing news about how top-tier guilds held influence comparable to large corporations.
The promise of “maximum benefits” was hard to ignore.
‘Does that mean salaries in the millions?’
He wasn’t sure how much his sister earned, but it couldn’t hurt to consider.
Though tempted, Seong shook his head, reminding himself not to get ahead of reality. Expectations often led to disappointment.
‘I’ll think about it later.’
He tucked the business card into his inventory and turned his attention back to his original goal.
‘Time to find that hidden piece.’
With his mana partially replenished, he felt ready to proceed.
With Kahku’s warning, Seong set off.
0.
The Perceville Plain stretched between two dense forests, bordered on either side by towering cliffs.
Though part of the plain, these forests and cliffs were distinct enough to be treated as separate hunting grounds by players.
The goblin village Seong had decimated was located in one of these forests.
Following Kahku’s memories, Seong navigated a winding path, carefully retracing steps described in the ghost’s experiences.
The journey was challenging, with the dense trees blocking out most sunlight and creating a disorienting environment.
Without Kahku’s guidance, he would have been hopelessly lost.
‘No wonder this remained undiscovered.’
The map left behind by Kahku had proven invaluable.
After some time, Seong finally arrived at his destination—a massive cliff face with no visible entrance.
At its base lay an enormous boulder, seemingly immovable.
‘This is it.’
According to Kahku’s memories, the treasure was hidden behind the boulder.
Instead of attempting to move it, Seong walked straight toward it.
Just before colliding with the rock, he phased through it, entering the concealed entrance.
‘A magical barrier. Clever.’
Even if someone stumbled upon this place, they wouldn’t be able to find the entrance without prior knowledge.
Inside, Seong found a sprawling cave, its walls lined with glowing crystals that illuminated the interior.
The air was clean, with a faint, pleasant aroma—likely due to Kahku’s fastidiousness.
At the end of the path stood a massive door flanked by two goblin statues clad in armor and wielding spears.
Seong approached cautiously, readying his Steel Sword and Tiger Fang Dagger.
The statues groaned as they came to life, stone grinding against stone.
Initially stiff and mechanical, their movements grew more fluid as they adjusted.
The guardians had awakened.
Without hesitation, the goblin statues charged at Seong, recognizing him as an intruder.
[Lv. 20 Goblin Statue]
[Lv. 21 Goblin Statue]
They were nine to ten levels higher than him, but Seong didn’t flinch.
After all, he had already defeated Bejirone, a Level 30 enemy.
As the goblin statues charged, Seong stepped back to observe their movements.
Though not particularly fast, their immense weight made them highly intimidating.
Whoom! Crash!
The first goblin statue swung its spear downward, creating a massive crater in the ground where Seong had just been standing.
‘One direct hit, and I’m done for.’
Recognizing the threat, Seong simultaneously dodged and summoned a Bone Arrow, firing it at the charging statue.
The arrow flew with precision, striking the goblin statue squarely in its forehead.
[The effect of 『One Strike!』 is activated!]
However, instead of lodging into the stone, the bone arrow shattered into powder upon impact.
While no critical hit registered, a faint crack formed in the statue's forehead.
‘Hmm, it works, but barely.’
As the cracked statue paused, the other one that had slammed the ground earlier charged at him again.
Seong realized he couldn’t afford to stay on the defensive.
Instead of retreating, he decided to advance.
‘They’re not living beings—curses and death aura won’t work.’
This drastically limited his options. Spells like Death’s Aura, Curse of Agony, and Pain Numbing Poison were all ineffective.
In this scenario, only direct confrontation would suffice.
The goblin statue swung its spear toward Seong as he rushed forward.
Whoosh!
Seong ducked low, sliding under the strike to close the distance.
Just as he reached the statue’s chest, the cracked statue thrust its spear toward him.
Dodging while crouched was difficult, but Seong’s Emerald Eyes flared brightly as he tapped into the experiences of his predecessors—Drill Sergeant Eddie and Hunter Apik.
Channeling their memories, Seong twisted his body like a snake, narrowly avoiding the spear.
Now inside the statue’s guard, Seong planted his Steel Sword firmly for stability and lunged with his Tiger Fang Dagger, aiming for its core.
The dagger’s penetration effect worked wonders, sinking deep into the statue's heart.
Thwack!
[Critical Hit!]
[The effect of 『One Strike!』 is activated!]
Although he couldn’t carve through it effortlessly, the dagger drove in like a chisel through tough wood.
Retrieving the dagger quickly, Seong leaped back and summoned another skill.
In his palm, a green ethereal spear began to form, glowing ominously as it coalesced.
Without hesitation, Seong hurled the spear mid-air, twisting his body for maximum force.
Whoosh!
The Spear of the Restless Dead whizzed through the air, striking the crack in the statue’s chest with pinpoint accuracy.
Crack!
The spear drilled through the goblin statue, emerging from its back in a burst of emerald light.
[Dark damage is applied.]
[The goblin statue’s sight and senses are impaired for 10 seconds.]
‘Huh? Even non-living beings are affected?’
Surprised but pleased, Seong saw the potential advantage.
The second statue, unaffected by its ally’s plight, charged him once more.
While its speed wasn’t extraordinary, the weight behind its movements created a terrifying presence.
Whoosh!
As its spear swept past, the air itself seemed to shatter, producing an ear-splitting crack.
But Seong, calm and focused, darted under its guard again, dagger at the ready.
This time, the statue anticipated his approach, swinging its knee upward to intercept him.
Seong responded with precision, thrusting his Tiger Fang Dagger into its knee.
Thwack!
The dagger sank deep, and using the force of the impact, Seong withdrew it while retreating.
With a deft motion, he summoned another Bone Arrow, firing it at the cracked forehead of the first statue.
Snap!
The arrow shattered on impact again, but the crack widened further.
Damage was accumulating steadily.
Seong knew he couldn’t give the impaired statue time to recover.
Closing the distance quickly, he reached the first goblin statue just as it regained its bearings.
The second statue lunged to protect its ally, thrusting its spear recklessly toward Seong.
But this time, Seong activated Blood Curtain, a protective spell.
A crimson shield enveloped him just as the spear struck, deflecting the attack.
Meanwhile, Seong’s Tiger Fang Dagger plunged into the crack on the first statue’s forehead.
Crunch!
The statue’s head crumbled under the force, its massive frame collapsing into rubble.
[You have defeated a significantly higher-level monster!]
[You have achieved a new milestone!]
[Title Acquired: 『Hunter of the Strong』]
[You have gained experience!]
[Level Up!] x3
The second statue, undeterred, charged with renewed vigor.
Seong summoned a final Spear of the Restless Dead, aiming it at the exposed chest of the remaining statue.
The spear pierced its core, shattering its internal structure.
As the light faded from its eyes, the second statue crumbled to dust.
[You have defeated a significantly higher-level monster!]
[You have gained experience!]
[Level Up!]
[You have reached Level 15.]
With the guardians vanquished, Seong approached the massive door of the treasure chamber.
Placing his hand against it, a message appeared.
[Hidden Piece: Kahku the Treasure Goblin’s First Vault is now open.]