NoveLight ™
0.
A massive black fortress, its dark sheen resembling polished ink, loomed imposingly.
To anyone with an eye for aesthetics, it was a breathtaking masterpiece—a structure that would compel awe, admiration, and even a moment of silence.
Its exterior, painted in somber hues, lacked any reflection of light, exuding an aura of quiet menace. Each brick seemed to carry an ominous energy, as though whispering a warning to those who dared to approach.
It was a fortress designed to allow no intruders.
Yet, as if defying that very notion, a delicate black paper bird glided effortlessly through the foreboding shroud that enveloped the fortress.
The bird flew with purpose, passing through the dense barrier of shadows and delving deep into the heart of the dark stronghold.
It reached the innermost chamber, the throne room—a cavernous, silent hall where the air hung heavy with solitude.
An empty throne sat in the room’s center, overlooked by an elderly figure standing quietly before it.
Could he be called an old man?
Though his face bore the deep lines of age, his skin was unnaturally smooth and unblemished, akin to polished ivory.
He was an enigma, a being whose age, gender, and essence were impossible to define.
When he extended a hand to his side, the black paper bird perched on it as though it had always been meant to do so.
Moments earlier, it had been soaring through the throne room—now, without any noticeable transition, it was resting obediently on his palm.
Without a word, the figure unfolded the paper bird and read its contents.
As he finished, his gaze shifted toward the long-abandoned throne.
For a moment, sadness flickered in his eyes, and he closed them, retreating into a brief silence.
When he reopened them, a tempest of emotions surged within—longing, greed, and something else, undefined yet smoldering.
"Go to Sekhan Village," he commanded.
It was a single sentence.
But that one utterance sent the shadows within the throne room into a frenzied celebration, rippling as though in exaltation.
The shadows writhed and roared in voices that seemed both human and inhuman, their chants reverberating through the hall like a sacred hymn.
As swiftly as the cacophony had risen, it subsided, leaving behind an eerie stillness.
The sole occupant of the chamber, his eyes still burning with resolve, turned and spoke once more.
"The time has come to dedicate the Overpalace to our Lord."
The Overpalace, dormant for so long, stirred.
Its master, one of the Nine Heroes, the Black Star, rose from his seat, his movements heavy with purpose.
1.
Upon returning to Sekhan Village, Seong headed toward the central plaza.
More people had gathered compared to earlier.
When he first arrived, it had been an early morning, closer to dawn than daybreak.
That timing had allowed him to converse privately with the former village elder, Gwen.
Now, however, the plaza teemed with life.
Players filled nearly every corner, creating a scene of bustling chaos.
The noise was deafening, even for someone as composed as Seong, who found himself frowning slightly.
"Looking for teammates for the Adum Cave! Three slots filled, two more to go! No rogues needed!"
"Recruiting for Jakal Forest! One slot left—need a melee warrior!"
"Party for Persi Hill! I’m a skilled ranger! Please join!"
"Party for the outskirts of Purva Mountain. Just need one more—let’s go!"
"Please, someone invite me to a party! I graduated from the intermediate rogue school! Why won’t anyone talk to me?!"
Finding a party in this cacophony seemed like a daunting task.
"Maybe I should just go solo," Seong thought.
Even in Sekhan Village, where party play was nearly mandatory, there were likely solo-friendly hunting grounds.
Perhaps he should escape this madness and venture out on his own.
As he deliberated, he sensed someone approaching him from behind.
Turning, he saw a young male player cautiously drawing near.
The player looked youthful, possibly fresh out of high school, or perhaps just barely an adult.
In the brief moment before the other could speak, Seong’s gaze swept over his equipment.
"Not bad."
Though slightly inferior to Seong’s gear, the player’s equipment was predominantly rare-grade, indicating some level of skill or resources.
Seong, however, assumed the player had earned it rather than purchased it, a small but inconsequential misunderstanding.
"Are you looking for a party?" the young player asked nervously.
"Yes, for now," Seong replied.
"For now? Oh! Then, would you consider joining ours? We’re short one member."
Seong glanced toward the group behind the young player.
The party consisted of four members: a female archer, a male mage, and another male who appeared to be a swordsman.
Adding the young player, their party was complete with four members already.
As Seong considered the invitation, he noticed something strange.
Behind the trio, the ghost of a small child was furiously punching and kicking the air in their direction.
Seong blinked in surprise.
"Is something wrong?" the young player asked, misunderstanding Seong’s reaction. "Oh! Do you know them?"
"No, this is our first meeting," Seong replied calmly.
"Ah! These are my party members!" the player explained.
The ghost child locked eyes with Seong, as though recognizing him, and immediately rushed over.
"Oh?"
Seong’s lips curved into a faint smile.
So, they were player killers.
Even without the ghost’s testimony, their behavior seemed suspicious.
The archer stood with folded arms, her smile failing to mask the cold glint in her eyes.
The mage wore a similar smile, though his gaze was calculating.
Meanwhile, the swordsman tapped his chin as though working through some internal equation, his eyes gleaming with thinly veiled greed.
Seong didn’t need the memories of Apik, the hunter, to recognize the stench of danger.
He had encountered such looks before, in the experiences of the ghosts he’d met—eyes clouded with avarice.
"Did you just meet these people?" Seong asked the young player.
"Yes, I just joined them. They were looking for one more member."
"I see," Seong replied, his decision made.
"Where are you headed?"
"To Adum Cave. It’s a five-person dungeon."
"Perfect. Let’s go."
Seong accepted the invitation with an outward calm that belied his intentions.
Behind him, the ghost child stomped the ground in frustration.
The ghost’s cries, of course, went unheard by the party.
2.
The party Seong joined was headed by the youthful player named Jinwoo.
Jinwoo, level 23, was slightly lower than Seong’s level of 25.
His nickname and level aside, Jinwoo casually shared that he had just turned 20, barely stepping into adulthood.
Seong introduced himself, providing his nickname and level as well. The other three suspicious members followed suit, greeting them warmly.
"Oh my, nice to meet you! I’m Amir, an archer, level 26," the woman said with a cheerful tone.
"Ahem, I’m Nuel, a mage. Level 27," said the male magician, his voice dripping with self-importance.
"Haha, what a delightful coincidence to party together! I’m Manhoo, as you can see, a swordsman at level 29. The three of us already knew each other," added the third member, his smile broad and seemingly inviting.
Their introductions felt polished and natural—too natural.
It would have been convincing to most.
But not to Seong. With the instincts of a hunter, the facade barely registered as a distraction.
[Amir – So, are we really doing this?]
[Nuel – We outnumber them, so it’s the logical move.]
[Manhoo – Look at that Seong kid’s gear before running your mouths, you idiots. At least use your eyes for once.]
[Amir – Sorry...]
[Nuel – He’s got epic-grade stuff. Did you see that?]
[Amir – Wow... Manhoo, you’re amazing for noticing that so quickly.]
[Manhoo – Shut up and follow my lead.]
The three of them were already plotting through messages, just as Seong had anticipated. Their eyes were on the loot.
[Amir – He doesn’t suspect anything, does he???]
[Nuel – How could he? We’ve never been caught before.]
As Amir and Nuel joked around, Manhoo’s gaze flicked to the party interface, irritation flashing in his eyes.
『Jinwoo – Lv.23 – (Shield Warrior)』
『Seong – Lv.25 – (????)』
『Amir – Lv.26 – (Archer)』
『Nuel – Lv.27 – (Elemental Mage)』
『Manhoo – Lv.29 – (Swordsman)』
The lack of a visible profession for Seong gave Manhoo slight pause, but he brushed it off. Judging by the dual swords on Seong’s hip, he figured Seong was a dual-wielding swordsman.
Manhoo sent another message to his accomplices:
[Manhoo – Make sure you act convincingly. Don’t get us caught, you morons. Jinwoo is a shield warrior, and Seong is likely a dual swordsman. Don’t underestimate him. When I give the signal, Nuel and Amir, you’ll initiate the attack.]
[Amir – The signal is when we dissolve the party and form our own, right?]
[Manhoo – Don’t ask stupid questions.]
[Nuel – Understood.]
[Amir – Got it...]
What they didn’t know was that Seong was already aware of their plan.
After all, who would suspect that a fellow party member might turn on them?
Especially when the system showed no hostility icons above their heads.
Manhoo’s scheme was well thought out.
If they attacked another player first, they’d accrue infamy. Accumulating too much infamy would eventually bar them from entering villages and even lead to imprisonment by guards at the village gates.
But there was a loophole: letting a dungeon’s traps or monsters kill the target didn’t count as an attack.
It wasn’t the first time Manhoo’s party had used this tactic.
In fact, they’d already taken out five or six players using the same strategy, looting their gear afterward.
Manhoo couldn’t resist one last haul before joining a mid-sized guild where he’d have to put on a clean face.
"What a lucky break this is," Manhoo thought, chuckling to himself as he eyed Seong and Jinwoo at the entrance to Adum Cave.
Jinwoo’s equipment was fully rare-grade, and Seong’s gear was even more impressive, with a mix of rare and epic-grade items. The sword on Seong’s left hip, in particular, caught his attention.
"That sword’s got to be epic or higher."
Manhoo’s confidence in his combat abilities made him certain of victory.
As the group entered Adum Cave, however, Manhoo began to notice something wasn’t right.
"W-wait... what?" he muttered.