NoveLight ™
3.
Adum Cave.
A 5-player dungeon populated by goblins and hobgoblins, known as one of the more challenging areas in Sekhan Village.
The hobgoblins, being higher-tier monsters, commanded groups of goblins with alarming efficiency.
The cave was riddled with traps and poison, making it a deathtrap for unprepared adventurers.
This difficulty was precisely why Manhoo and his party had chosen it as their hunting ground.
Here, they could isolate and eliminate their marks under the guise of dungeon hazards.
Their usual tactic involved letting their targets fall into traps or get overwhelmed by monsters. When the dust settled, the loot would belong to them.
However, this time, things weren’t going according to plan.
"Wow, for a five-player dungeon, this is way too easy," Seong commented, his tone calm.
"??????"
"?!?!?!?"
"!!"
"Wha—Seong hyung! You’re amazing!" Jinwoo exclaimed, his eyes wide with admiration.
Seong casually sheathed his sword, unfazed by the situation.
The group had just encountered a horde of goblins led by a single hobgoblin. While hobgoblins typically posed a significant threat due to their ability to command goblins, this group was no match for Seong.
With precise movements, Seong cut through the goblins and their leader as if they were nothing.
"Is this all?" he muttered, his tone almost disappointed.
"Wow, that was incredible!" Jinwoo repeated, practically bouncing with excitement.
"Yes, well... impressive," Amir added, her voice tight.
"R-right, very impressive..." Nuel stammered, glancing at Manhoo.
Manhoo clenched his teeth, barely containing his frustration.
Seong’s weapon, Hindel’s Apprentice Sword, was indeed extraordinary. Its stats far outstripped the steel sword he had previously relied on, but even so, his dominance in the dungeon was unusual.
The traps and monsters that should have posed a threat were dealt with effortlessly.
Manhoo’s party, meanwhile, was left stunned.
Their expectations had been completely overturned.
『Jinwoo – Lv.23 – (Shield Warrior)』
『Seong – Lv.25 – (????)』
『Amir – Lv.26 – (Archer)』
『Nuel – Lv.27 – (Elemental Mage)』
『Manhoo – Lv.29 – (Swordsman)』
Manhoo stared at the party window, his mind racing.
Seong was lower-level than the rest of the group. Yet, somehow, he displayed an overwhelming level of skill.
What’s more, his abilities weren’t reliant on visible skills or buffs.
Manhoo couldn’t see the faint turquoise aura emanating from Seong’s sword—an effect only perceptible to those with keen senses.
"He’s just lucky," Manhoo told himself, biting his lip.
In all his time running Adum Cave, he’d rarely seen only a single horde of goblins spawn at the start.
But that’s all right, he thought. The dungeon would surely throw more at them.
"He’ll get overconfident, and that’s when we’ll strike."
As expected, three more goblin hordes appeared further into the cave.
But once again, Seong took the lead.
Moving with agility and precision, he cut down the goblins with a blend of slashes from his sword and well-placed strikes from a dagger in his off-hand.
The rest of the party barely had time to react before the hordes were wiped out.
Not a single goblin remained after five minutes.
"Wow! You’re incredible, hyung!" Jinwoo exclaimed again.
"Hmm, nothing special. We should stay cautious, though. Things could get dangerous if we’re careless," Seong replied, brushing off the praise.
Manhoo, Amir, and Nuel stood frozen.
They couldn’t believe what they were seeing.
Seong showed no signs of exhaustion or injury, despite having single-handedly dealt with three waves of enemies.
Jinwoo, who should have been tanking or drawing aggro, had been little more than a spectator.
Manhoo’s lips curled into a grimace as Amir and Nuel sent him frantic messages:
[Amir – What do we do? This doesn’t make sense.]
[Nuel – This is bad. Should we just let this go?]
Manhoo frowned but responded confidently:
[Manhoo – There are still traps. He can’t fight those with his sword. Just wait.]
Their plan hinged on Seong being caught off guard by the dungeon’s numerous traps.
Manhoo believed it was only a matter of time before Seong tripped a particularly deadly one.
That belief, however, was shattered moments later.
"Oh, a trap. I’ll disarm it before we move on," Seong announced, crouching down.
"W-WHAT?" Jinwoo’s jaw dropped. "You can disarm traps too, hyung?!"
"Of course," Seong replied nonchalantly, working quickly and efficiently.
One by one, Seong identified and disabled every trap in their path, even spotting some from a distance.
"Be careful, Jinwoo," Seong said as he finished. "There might still be more dangerous traps ahead."
"Yes, sir! I’ll be careful!" Jinwoo replied, saluting comically.
Meanwhile, Manhoo’s group stared in disbelief.
The last trap Seong had disarmed wasn’t just any trap—it was one of the most dangerous in the dungeon.
Their expressions hardened as the realization hit: they were running out of options.
[Amir – What now? This is impossible.]
[Nuel – Should we just call it quits? There’s no way we can handle him.]
[Manhoo – We attack in the boss room.]
Manhoo’s eyes burned with greed as he glanced at the Hindel’s Apprentice Sword hanging at Seong’s side.
There was no way he was walking away from this without trying.
Unbeknownst to Manhoo, Seong had already guessed their plan.
4.
Adum Cave, Boss Chamber
One of Sekhan Village's most challenging dungeons, Adum Cave culminated in a climactic boss fight.
The boss was none other than Adum, a hobgoblin warrior.
Unlike the child-sized goblins, hobgoblins were as tall as adult humans and far more dangerous. Their humanoid shape, cunning intelligence, and adeptness with weapons made them formidable opponents.
Adum was no exception.
Accompanied by four hobgoblins, the boss demanded a full party of five to be defeated effectively.
The group entered the boss chamber and immediately saw the massive hobgoblin seated at the center of the spacious natural cavern, exuding a regal aura.
[Lv.35 Hobgoblin Warrior ‘Adum’]
Around him, four other hobgoblins stood guard:
[Lv.32 Hobgoblin]
[Lv.31 Hobgoblin]
[Lv.30 Hobgoblin]
[Lv.30 Hobgoblin]
Jinwoo gulped audibly, gripping his shield tightly.
"Wow, four hobgoblins and Adum? This is insane!"
The tension in the air was palpable.
Seong glanced at Manhoo’s group, observing their reactions.
They hadn’t made their move yet.
"So, they’re waiting? Fine. I’ll take the initiative."
Seong gripped the hilt of Hindel’s Apprentice Sword at his left hip and sprinted forward, his body lowering for a burst of speed.
Jinwoo, startled, hurried after him, raising his shield defensively.
Surprisingly, Manhoo also advanced, albeit with a calculated pace.
As he ran, Manhoo couldn’t help but notice something strange.
"He’s faster than me?"
Despite being a higher level and presumably having better stats, Seong moved at a speed that defied logic.
"How is this possible?"
The truth lay in Seong’s mastery over his abilities—his seamless integration into Eternal World. Every action was calculated and precise, maximizing his stats and skills.
Seong reached the hobgoblins first, drawing his sword in a flash.
Srrring!
[Critical Hit!]
[The effect of 『One Strike!』 is activated!]
The blade’s sharp edge left a crimson streak across the neck of one hobgoblin, blood spraying like a fountain.
The hobgoblin staggered but didn’t fall, its tough muscles keeping it alive despite the critical hit.
"Krrrk! Kehhk!"
Before the wounded hobgoblin could recover, Jinwoo barreled into it with his shield.
"Take this!"
BAM!
The impact sent the hobgoblin flying, tumbling across the ground.
Meanwhile, Seong shifted his focus, pulling a second weapon—a dagger resembling a tiger’s fang—from his left hand and rushing the next hobgoblin.
The creature swung its club in desperation.
CLANG!
The weapons clashed, the sound of steel reverberating through the cavern.
But Seong didn’t stop.
With fluid movements, he darted inside the hobgoblin’s guard and unleashed a flurry of dagger strikes.
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
[Critical Hit!]
[The effect of 『One Strike!』 is activated!]
Each strike hit a critical point, leaving the hobgoblin trembling and on the verge of collapse.
Seong finished it off with a decisive slash from his sword.
Srrring!
[Critical Hit!]
Another hobgoblin down.
The remaining two hobgoblins roared and charged at Seong, their rage palpable.
Even for someone as skilled as Seong, taking on two hobgoblins simultaneously seemed like a tall order.
But just as the hobgoblins closed in, a massive shadow loomed over Seong.
With a deafening roar, Adum swung his colossal sword down.
BOOM!
Seong leaped out of the way just in time, the blade smashing into the ground where he had stood moments before, sending shards of stone flying.
Adum’s presence had entered the fray.
As Seong prepared to engage the boss, a sudden surge of heat flared behind him.
It wasn’t from the hobgoblins or Adum.
A system message appeared.
[Party member 『Nuel-Lv.27』 attacks you.]
[Entering full hostility.]
[Party member 『Nuel-Lv.27』 has left the party.]
[This player has infamy. Attacking them will not increase your infamy.]
Seong sidestepped the fireball aimed at his back, the motion so smooth it seemed almost preemptive.
"H-how did he dodge that?!" Nuel stammered, his voice trembling.
Jinwoo, shocked, shouted, "Attacking your own party member?! What are you doing?!"
Seong, unbothered, smirked.
"So, you’re finally showing your true colors," he said calmly, his tone laced with amusement.
His words rattled Manhoo’s group.
They hadn’t expected their betrayal to be anticipated so easily.
Manhoo tried to rally his party.
"It’s fine! He’s just one guy! There’s no way he can—"
Manhoo’s words were cut short as Seong chuckled softly.
"One guy?"
Behind Seong, a massive turquoise portal appeared, emitting an ominous glow.
From it emerged a horde of goblin undead, their bodies shrouded in shadows and pulsating with turquoise energy.
Twenty undead goblins poured out, surrounding Seong in a protective formation.
And then, a chilling laugh echoed through the cavern.
A figure larger and more menacing than the hobgoblins emerged. Cloaked in darkness and exuding a murderous aura, Barfur, the Death Warden, stepped forward.
[Lv.40 Death Warden – Barfur]
The oppressive presence of Barfur silenced the cavern.
Manhoo and his party froze, their bodies trembling uncontrollably.
Even Adum, the dungeon’s boss, seemed insignificant compared to the overwhelming power of Seong’s undead army.
Manhoo’s greed had led him into a nightmare he couldn’t escape.