The Game of a Legendary Genius Dark Mage

Chapter 30

3.

Sekan Village.

The atmosphere was anything but cheerful.

A year had passed since the village elder’s death, and the mood had remained somber ever since.

Although the residents still worked hard to live their lives, the village carried the weight of perpetual mourning.

A pervasive air of tribute and sorrow lingered throughout.

Some NPCs even harbored resentment toward players, blaming them for not arriving in time to save the elder.

This hostility discouraged many players from visiting Sekan Village.

Why endure such unwelcoming behavior when there were countless other places to explore?

Occasionally, a few curious players came by, hoping to find a hidden piece buried in the village’s mysteries, but all left empty-handed.

In stark contrast, one player arrived at the village with a lively stride.

“This feels entirely different from Persville.”

It was Seonghyeon, who had just stepped into Sekan Village.

Despite the heavy atmosphere and wary gazes from some NPCs, he didn’t mind.

After all, a dungeon left behind by Hero Hindel lay somewhere nearby.

What else mattered?

Walking through the village with a positive mindset, Seonghyeon observed several details.

“The vibe is definitely different in the second village.”

He wasn’t just referring to the NPCs.

The players themselves seemed more seasoned.

In the first village, many were still fumbling around, adjusting to the game.

But by the second village, most had settled into the rhythm of gameplay.

While Seonghyeon had no interest in party play, the difference was noticeable.

“Now, I just need to find the elder’s ghost…”

A village elder who had died of illness would likely be near their home or a location of personal significance.

Of course, there were exceptions, like the wandering ghost of the Hindel Village elder, but Seonghyeon had a shortcut—something akin to a cheat code.

It was simple:

“Excuse me.”

-Oh my, oh my! You can see me? What an extraordinary guest we have in our village!

Seonghyeon spoke to a nearby ghostly woman.

Without hesitation, he asked, “Do you know where the elder’s ghost might be?”

-Ah! You must mean the elder! Of course, I do. She’s sitting right over there on the bench in front of her house in the village square.

“Thank you very much.”

Asking other ghosts—why hadn’t he thought of this earlier when searching for Hindel? Ghosts knew their own kind best.

With the elder’s location confirmed, Seonghyeon headed straight for the village square.

Sure enough, sitting on a bench in front of a large mansion—the elder’s former home—was an elderly ghost.

The ghost had the appearance of a kindly grandmother, her traditional attire exuding an old-world charm that marked her as a figure of significance.

Her warm, gentle smile conveyed the respect and affection the villagers must have felt for her.

As Seonghyeon approached, the ghost turned her gaze toward him and greeted him with a welcoming smile.

-Greetings, hohoho. Never did I imagine conversing with the living after my death.

“Pleased to meet you.”

-What brings you to seek me out?

“I’m here to learn about the cave where Hero Hindel sealed a monster during his lifetime.”

-Hohoho, of course, I can tell you about it. Let me show you.

As the elder ghost prepared to share the information, Seonghyeon naturally absorbed her memories and experiences.

He saw her childhood recollections of discovering the cave with friends, and her memories of the monster sealed within.

The exact location was clear in his mind.

The elder ghost, far from being surprised, chuckled as if she had expected this all along.

-You truly are a remarkable guest.

[You have exhibited extraordinary abilities beyond your current stats due to ‘Unknown Power.’]

[Wisdom permanently increased by +5.]

Having received her memories and knowledge, Seonghyeon bowed deeply.

“Thank you. I’ll be on my way now.”

-May fortune be with you.

With the elder ghost, Gwen, seeing him off, Seonghyeon set out with purpose.

“The village’s dreary atmosphere wasn’t just because of Gwen’s death.”

Looking at the oppressive mood surrounding Sekan Village, Seonghyeon had his suspicions.

The despair that hung over the village seemed far too pervasive to be merely the result of a respected elder’s passing.

With Gwen’s memories in mind, the cause became evident.

“The demn beast, Barfur.

The monster sealed by Hero Hindel.

It was the source of the miasma spreading over the village.

Gwen’s memories revealed both its name and the location of its seal.

The stories passed down among village eldoers described Barfur as a beast that sowed malice and misfortune in human hearts.

The village’s current state was a reflection of its power.

“At least it’s weakened.”

In its prime, Barfur was far beyond Seonghyeon’s ability to handle.

Even Hindel, despite his strength as a hero, had only managed to seal it.

“But that was a long time ago.”

Decades of wear and tear had weakened the seal, and the passing of time had diminished Barfur’s power.

Years ago, when Gwen first became the village elder, the seal had already begun to erode. A passing mage had reinforced it, but now, it was once again failing.

Mina had called this a “lost hidden piece,” but it was more likely tied to a village event.

“If Gwen were still alive and Rapid had succeeded back then, a task force might’ve been formed to take Barfur down.”

This time, however, there would be no task force.

“The seal hasn’t broken yet, so I can handle it alone.”

Well, not entirely alone.

[The undead stored in the Underworld have finished growing according to the Overlord’s level.]

Seonghyeon smiled at the message as he entered a forest that seemed no different from any other.

But in its center, a faint shimmer was visible—a transparent barrier.

Two stones, one black and one white, stood side by side, marking the entrance.

Gwen’s memories provided the solution to bypass the barrier.

“Three taps on the black stone, four on the white.”

Following the sequence, Seonghyeon tapped the stones in order.

The barrier rippled like water, then silently parted, like curtains being drawn aside.

Despite the passage of time and the weakening of its power, the opponent was still a formidable demon beast.

Even Seonghyeon, who usually maintained a calm and composed demeanor, couldn’t help but feel a tinge of tension.

The beast, Barfur.

Weakened or not, it was undoubtedly stronger than the village boss monsters found in second villages like Sekan.

Still, Seonghyeon steadied himself, recalling the memories of hunter Apik, former guard captain Eddy, and Helena.

Flooded with their knowledge and experience, Seonghyeon’s teal eyes glimmered faintly as he stepped forward.

Tap, tap.

The barrier parted, revealing a dark cave.

It didn’t look artificially made.

Stalactites hung from the ceiling, stalagmites rose from the ground, and the uneven floor made walking difficult.

As Seonghyeon ventured deeper into the cave, a cold, damp breeze brushed past him.

It was an unpleasant wind, carrying with it a black mist-like energy.

[You are exposed to Magi.]

As expected, a notification appeared, causing Seonghyeon to frown.

[Magi has no effect due to the authority of the 『Overlord』.]

“Huh?”

Normally, this was where players would be hit with numerous debuffs.

But as an Overlord, even the Magi had no effect on him.

This changed everything.

Both strategy guides and Mina had emphasized that the difficulty of fighting Barfur lay in its oppressive Magi.

But if that didn’t affect him, the battle might be easier than anticipated.

As Seonghyeon pondered this, something shot toward him from the depths of the cave at a rapid pace.

Saaah!

Thanks to the memories of various ghosts and Helena, he instinctively switched to battle mode, drawing the Steel Sword and Tiger’s Fang while readying himself to open the Underworld.

It was a textbook example of perfect preparation.

What appeared was a specter enveloped in teal light, exuding a sinister aura.

[Lv.35 Specter of Barfur]

“Kyaaahhhh!”

The specter lunged at him, forcing Seonghyeon to leap back toward a direction free of stalactites and stalagmites.

Pop!

The mole-like claws struck the spot where he had just been, shattering the cave floor with a deafening crash.

Boom!

A crater formed where the blow had landed, and Seonghyeon felt a chill run down his spine.

The physical power of the specter was terrifying—one hit could easily end him.

Taking a deep breath, Seonghyeon prepared to summon his Legion of the Dead from the Underworld.

But then he froze.

“Huh?”

He locked eyes with the Specter of Barfur, which bared its fangs and snarled.

Beside it, a translucent figure trembled nervously—a ghost that looked identical to the specter but had pixelated, distorted legs.

It was the ghost of Barfur.

“Why are there two of them?”

Seonghyeon couldn’t comprehend the situation.

The specter had a visible name and level, marking it as a monster.

The ghost, however, had no such indicators and resembled a typical NPC ghost.

The ghost suddenly began chastising the specter, smacking it repeatedly.

“Oh my goodness! How dare you attack such an esteemed guest! Stop immediately, you fool!”

“Kyaaahhh!”

“Ahh, I’m losing my mind! My sincerest apologies for this disgrace, my lord!”

The ghost repeatedly bowed in apology while the specter snarled and prepared to attack again.

What was this madness?

Before Seonghyeon could process it, the specter lunged at him once more.

Saaah!

Its ghostly agility made it a formidable opponent, and even with preparation, dodging was a challenge.

Seonghyeon relied on Apik’s and Eddy’s memories, predicting the specter’s path and narrowly evading its claw.

The specter struck the ground again, using the rebound to leap toward Seonghyeon.

It was relentless.

But Seonghyeon had an edge—his borrowed experience outmatched even the specter’s battle instincts.

Kicking a stalactite, he spun mid-air, dodging another strike.

Boom!

The specter slammed into the wall, leaving a gaping hole.

At that moment, Seonghyeon’s eyes glowed teal, and an idea crystallized in his mind.

Recalling Helena’s memories, he realized the specter was a type of undead.

And that made it…

“A perfect candidate for the Aura of Death.”

As his teal eyes glowed brighter, the Aura of Death radiated from Seonghyeon’s body.

The teal mist rapidly spread, engulfing the specter.

The specter writhed, teal energy seeping into its form.

[You can now use 『Legion of the Dead』.]

[Would you like to raise the Legion of the Dead?]

Seonghyeon smirked, his voice resonating with authority as he called out to the ghost of Barfur.

“Come forth.”

“Yes, my lord! Of course!”

The ghost obeyed instantly, lunging at the specter like a loyal servant.

Teal energy gathered in Seonghyeon’s hands, forming into another glowing heart.

As the heart pulsed, the specter and ghost merged, enveloped by black shadows.

When the glow subsided, the newly formed undead bowed before Seonghyeon.

“My new master, my god, I am at your service.”

[Through ‘Unknown Power,’ you have converted a powerful entity into part of your Legion of the Dead.]

[Specter of Barfur has joined your Legion of the Dead.]

[You have subjugated an undead of higher level than yourself!]

[You have gained the title 『Exalted Commander』.]

[You have gained experience points.]

[Level up!] ×5

[Additional stats have reached 100.]

[You have gained the title 『The Patient One』.]

[!! WARNING !!]

[The undead soldier’s level exceeds that of its master. It may disobey commands!]

Disobey?

Seonghyeon glanced at the specter-turned-servant, now groveling and trembling like an overzealous sycophant.

That didn’t seem likely.

With a smirk, Seonghyeon realized he had gained more than he expected—a powerful ally, increased levels, and new titles.

“Master! My physical body lies deeper within. While it may be difficult to utilize now, preserving it could prove invaluable in the future!”

The specter eagerly offered information, divulging secrets without hesitation.

Seonghyeon’s grin widened.

“Even better.”