NoveLight ™
Kalak, with his heart pierced, was left with almost no strength remaining.
But that didn’t mean he would simply die.
His body trembled with fear, but he quickly distanced himself from Kaishak and pulled out a potion from his inventory.
Healing in an instant was difficult, but this would allow him to endure for a while.
If he could fend off Kaishak’s relentless attacks and hold on...
He might be able to buy some time.
But Kaishak didn’t chase.
"...?"
Kalak, confused, stared at Kaishak.
The heavy, oppressive air pressing down on him was unlike anything he had ever felt.
An unimaginable pressure.
Kalak immediately tried to move to escape.
No, he attempted to move.
Before his will could reach his feet, a massive hand grabbed his neck.
Thud!
"Ughhh!"
The pressure on his throat was so intense that he couldn’t even twitch a finger. The force coursed through his body, locking him in place. A chilling sensation spread through him, and all he could do was tremble—unable to resist in the slightest.
Had he been poisoned?
No, Kalak soon realized.
It felt like the massive maw of a monstrous mole had suddenly opened before him.
What followed was a vision of something dripping and filled with sharp teeth.
Crack! Chomp!
The next sound he heard was his body being consumed, his head disappearing without a trace.
[You have gained experience!] [Level Up!] ×2 [You are now level 36.] [You have eliminated a notorious opponent.] [You have obtained the item: Belt of Giant Strength.]
As the system messages and items dropped before Seong, the necromancer, Barfur, who had devoured Kalak’s head, threw the corpse aside like trash. With his bloodstained fangs bared, he snarled at Uz.
She was the only one left.
Uz could feel every hair on her body standing on end in the presence of Barfur’s overwhelming aura.
Even Kim Che-geon, who wasn’t the target, felt his body trembling uncontrollably.
What about Uz, the direct target?
She would surely die.
She would die without being able to fight back.
‘A monster has been born in Rapid Guild.’
Though Eco Willow wasn’t a weak guild, the difference was staggering.
Surrendering would be humiliating, but Uz had no room for such thoughts.
Her pride? What was that?
Dying in her current state would be a huge disadvantage, and Uz knew that well. She quickly began thinking of a way out.
"Wa, wait!!"
Panicking, Uz unconsciously switched to a formal tone.
But Seong, instead of stopping Barfur, simply observed the scene with a calm expression.
He appeared completely indifferent, as if he had nothing to do with it.
Seong’s cold, emotionless gaze was more chilling than any hostile expression Uz could imagine.
"I... I know the secret of this place! Please, will you listen?!"
Seong remained silent, but to her surprise, both Kim Che-geon and Barfur looked at her in astonishment.
Did she really want to live this badly?
Seong muttered as if in contemplation.
"Hmm."
"Y, You won’t lose anything by listening!!"
"Hmm, well then. You can tell me about Locks being a dark mage, the secret paths in this maze, and... Oh! Also, the conspiracy involving Chief Zyle. Anything else, I’ll listen to."
"Eh?"
Uz was taken aback by Seong’s response.
She had intended to share information about Locks and Chief Zyle, but Seong had raised the stakes.
How did he know about the maze paths?
That was information Uz didn’t know herself.
She stood there, stunned, as Seong observed her with curiosity.
"Y, You knew from the start...!!"
"If that’s all the information you have..." Seong’s sentence trailed off as Barfur moved.
Uz quickly began casting spells.
She couldn’t just die here.
She had to escape, somehow.
But as she struggled, Kim Che-geon, holding a sword, appeared before her and said,
"Did you forget about me?"
"AAAHH!!"
Just as she tried to cast magic, Kim Che-geon’s sword struck her.
Many of her spells were canceled, and the resulting backlash hit her full force.
This was the phenomenon known as mana reflux.
When a mage is attacked while casting, their magic becomes vulnerable, and the damage is reflected back onto them.
As the mana reflux hit, the damage hit Uz hard.
"Ugh."
Blood spilled from her lips as she struggled to maintain consciousness.
But she couldn’t escape. Behind her stood a shadow, one she hadn’t noticed until now.
"Ah."
A sigh of regret.
As that sigh echoed, Barfur opened his massive maw and took a bite out of Uz’s body.
With the same horrific strength that tore Kalak apart, Barfur’s jaws shredded through Uz.
She, too, met the same fate as Kalak.
Chomp!
[You have gained experience!] [Level Up!] [You are now level 37.] [You have eliminated a notorious opponent.] [You have obtained the item: Book of Flame Magic.]
Two shining items glittered with a golden hue, their effects and names not at all ordinary.
Seong, inspecting the items, could see their significance.
Belt of Giant Strength
→ Unique
→ Usable only by warrior-type characters.
→ A mystical belt infused with the immense strength of giants.
→ The secrets behind its creation and the giants who made it are known by few.
→ Wearing it grants the power of a giant.
→ +20% Strength.
→ +5% Attack Power.
Book of Flame Magic
→ Unique
→ Usable only by mage-type characters.
→ A grimoire inscribed with various spells to enhance flame magic.
→ A rare artifact even in the Flame Tower, highly coveted by pyromancers.
→ Reduces casting time of fire spells by 20%.
→ Increases fire spell damage by 10%.
"Wow."
Seong couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration at the items’ options.
Unique items, no less.
Even for notorious players, the chances of dropping the best items weren’t as high as one might think.
Yet these items had dropped?
How many people had they killed to earn such drops?
Seong couldn’t help but be impressed as he held out the Belt of Giant Strength to Kim Che-geon.
This feels right.
Although technically, Seong had taken both down, there was a reason he was offering the belt to Kim Che-geon.
Both items weren’t particularly useful to Seong and couldn’t be used by him anyway.
If he was going to sell them, it would be better to give it to her first and then take all the dark mage items from this place for myself.
This was the plan in Seong’s mind.
It worked out well.
Originally, he had planned to offer some gold in exchange for any hidden pieces, but with these two appearing, it felt like easy money.
However, Kim Che-geon’s response was unexpected.
"No, I do not need it."
"...?"
So, she was still after the hidden pieces, it seemed.
Seong closed his mouth, feeling disappointed, and Kim Che-geon, noticing his misunderstanding, waved her hand.
What was going on?
Seong felt confused.
“Ahem, I’ve heard of your abilities and fame, Seong-nim. I only provided a small amount of assistance this time, so it would be inappropriate for me to accept such an item.”
"Ah, I see."
"And I do not intend to take any rewards from here, either."
"Excuse me?"
She was willing to refuse everything, including the rewards?
Hearing this, Seong gave her a puzzled look.
As he looked at her, all the undead around them slowly gathered around Kim Che-geon.
Kerrrk. Kerrihoo. (Protect our lord.)
Take the life of the one with greed.
Greed? Heh, heh!
How dare you covet our master’s belongings.
The air around her started to feel increasingly oppressive, and Kim Che-geon shuddered in fear.
Was this the kind of pressure one would feel when Seong was their enemy?
At this moment, just holding back her fear was a victory.
While she was barely holding her ground, Seong cast a cold gaze at the undead.
At that moment, the undead, who had been ready to pounce, immediately stepped back and bowed their heads to Seong.
The undead that had been ready to obliterate Kim Che-geon were now docile, acting like tame lambs.
The overwhelming combat power and sheer numbers alone were enough to make Kim Che-geon tremble with fear.
But it was Seong’s intelligence and the absolute obedience of his undead that made her terrified.
She vowed to never make Seong her enemy.
‘I don’t even want to imagine that.’
Shivering, Kim Che-geon swallowed hard as Seong looked at her with a calm expression.
"Are you alright?"
"I’m fine. Haha, the greatest swordsman of Joseon should not be so shaken."
"Ah… Is that so?"
Seong said nonchalantly.
Kim Che-geon quickly tried to steer the conversation elsewhere.
"Ahem, anyway, what I wanted to say is that I have an offer for you, Seong-nim."
"Hmm, I see."
Seong gave her an expectant look, prompting her to continue, and Kim Che-geon, calm as ever, began to remove her straw hat to speak.
However, as she removed it, she revealed a beautiful woman who, though dressed as a man, was unmistakably feminine.
Seong had known she was dressed as a man, so he wasn’t shocked by her beauty, especially since his older sister, Yu Mina, was also stunning, which made him less sensitive to such things.
But what struck him was this:
‘Wait, she’s not even Korean?’
She called herself the greatest swordsman of Joseon, yet she looked like a Western woman.
Even when standing at the edge of a bungee jump, she looked unmistakably Western.
Seong was taken aback; this was truly puzzling.
Different countries had different settings and time zones in the game.
He had always thought the server he was on was optimized for Korea, but seeing a Western person using a Korean name for their character left him speechless.
Seong couldn't help but think, This isn’t normal.
While he was thinking this, Kim Che-geon politely removed her hat, bowed her head, and spoke.
"I will give all the byproducts and hidden pieces from this place to Seong-nim. But... would you be able to help arrange a position with the Rapid Guild for me?"
"Help arrange a position?"
Seong tilted his head in confusion.
The Rapid Guild? What was she talking about?
It didn’t make sense for her to ask for a position when she clearly knew Seong was a rookie.
It wasn’t a big request, though.
And, as Seong suspected:
"I’m not asking for a specific high-ranking position in the Rapid Guild! I have no intention of being so shameless. I just wanted to ask if it’s possible for me to at least have an interview."
"Hmm."
"If that’s not possible, then I would like to add Seong-nim as a friend."
It wasn’t a particularly difficult request.
Kim Che-geon might not know it, but Seong was essentially part of the Rapid Guild due to his sister, who was one of its top officers.
Even the guild leader was a close friend of his sister.
Kim Che-geon seemed skilled enough to be a good addition to the guild.
Her job might not be perfect, but that was up to the guild to decide, not Seong.
As Seong nodded to indicate his understanding, Kim Che-geon continued.
"Ahem. It might be shameful, but I think it will be easier for Seong-nim to help if I tell you my job."
"Hmm."
Seong was curious but didn’t feel the need to push. As he remained silent, Kim Che-geon closed her eyes in embarrassment and spoke.
‘What kind of job could be so shameful?’
The job she revealed made Seong blink in surprise.
Seong-Lv.37-(????)
Joseon’s Greatest Swordsman Kim Che-geon-Lv.38-(Samurai)
"??????"
Seong’s face twisted in confusion.
Her nickname was Joseon’s Greatest Swordsman, but she looked Western, and her job was Samurai?
It was a bizarre mix.
How could someone have such mismatched characteristics?
Seong was too bewildered to even speak.
Kim Che-geon lowered her head in resignation.
"I know. It’s a shameful job. But remember, once I’ve earned a worthy job, I will switch immediately!"
"...I see."
Seong had no idea what this had to do with him, but he nodded politely to move the conversation along.
"Ha ha! Then... let’s add each other as friends and work on clearing the graveyard."
Seong hesitated for a moment, but in the end, he added her as a friend.
[You are now friends with Joseon’s Greatest Swordsman Kim Che-geon.]
The notification felt more embarrassing than he’d anticipated.
5.
As the hindrances disappeared, nothing could stand in the way of Seong and Kim Che-geon.
The remaining players, most likely already dealt with by Uz and Kalak, didn’t even cross their paths.
Seong, wanting to conserve his mana, used some of the undead who were loyal to him and swept through the minor demons, Kaishaks, turning them into more undead.
As he continued, he could turn the Kaishaks, who had already been killed by other players and were floating around as ghosts, into more death soldiers by using Ed Moar to fill their soulless bodies.
By the time Seong found the hidden area, he had converted as many as ten Kaishaks into part of his Legion of Death.
Their eerie chuckles as they grouped together were a bit bothersome, but their formidable combat power made them quite useful.
"Wow! As expected of Seong-nim. You found the path so quickly!"
The ghosts helped guide them, and they were incredibly fortunate to have their help.
Without it, they never would have found their way.
Leaving Kim Che-geon’s praise behind, Seong knocked on the secret door and activated the mechanism to open it, revealing an ancient wizard's laboratory.
The dusty, disorganized laboratory showed signs of long neglect. Various potions had dried up, sticking to the bottom of beakers and flasks, and near the desk, a rotting skeletal corpse lay on the floor.
It seemed like this corpse belonged to Locks.
As Seong carefully observed, two books and a dark, obsidian-like stone were placed neatly on the desk where Locks had collapsed, along with a handwritten letter in front of them.
‘I have finally completed it.
By refining dark magic, I have created the ultimate stone that transcends the limits of dark magic items!
To create this, I have endured... (omission)
Thus, I shall name this stone the Dark Magic Refining Stone.’
After reading the rather lengthy passage, Seong picked up the two books and the stone.
[You have discovered a hidden piece in Event Dungeon – Locks' Tomb!]
[You have found the hidden piece by locating the secret door.]
[Your title, Explorer, has evolved into Treasure Explorer!]
[You have acquired the hidden piece: *Dark Mage Exclusive Rare Skillbook: Skillbook - Corpse Poison]
[You have acquired the hidden piece: *Dark Mage Exclusive Epic Skillbook: Skillbook - Exploding Poison]
[You have acquired the hidden piece: Epic Grade Item: Dark Magic Refining Stone!]
The familiar flood of reward messages appeared, and Seong couldn’t help but smile.
Not only had he found videos of Uz and Kalak’s demise, but he also received their unique items and hidden pieces.
‘A three-in-one deal.’
6.
On that late, quiet night when the players had disappeared, Chief Zyle, accompanied by one of his trusted subordinates who handled his dirty work, made his way to Locks’ tomb.
The foreigner who had taken the quest had long since left.
He knew that the foreigners inside the tomb had already emerged.
By now, the traps and monsters inside the tomb should have been cleared.
Even if that wasn’t the case, he trusted his reliable subordinate to handle it.
"Heh heh, let’s go."
"Yes, Chief."
Locks’ secret treasure would be his, all his!
Zyle, having already known the path and with no traps or monsters in sight, quickly arrived at the secret door.
But then...
"No... this can’t be!?!"
The secret door, which should have been firmly closed, was wide open, and the treasure inside was gone.
All that remained was dust and dried-up potions.
Nothing could be salvaged.
Zyle, who had hoped to profit from the foreigners’ work, slumped to the ground, bowing his head in defeat.
"Impossible…"
The words of a greedy man, now helpless, were nothing more than pathetic.