The Game of the Greatest Black Mage

[Translator - Prøks]

[Proofreader - Prøks]

Chapter 40

2.

The users of Oren Village couldn't contain their excitement.

It wasn't often that an event was held in a second village.

Moreover, it was a large-scale event!

There was no way they wouldn't be excited.

They could receive the quest just by going to the central plaza of the village.

The plaza, usually crowded with users, was now packed with people, leaving no room to even set foot.

"Ah! Don't push!!"

"Let's keep order!!"

"I'm participating in the event too!"

The crowd trying to get the quest to participate in the event.

"Wow, so many people! There are so many..."

"Looking for group 62!"

"Hey, what team number are you?"

"I'm on team 39."

The crowd that had already received the quest and was trying to meet with their group members.

"Huh, so many outsiders have gathered."

"Good fortune will surely come to the village!"

"It's all thanks to the village head, hahaha."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Even the NPCs were happy, thinking about the income that would be generated by the influx of users.

A middle-aged man with a sly look watched the crowded central plaza from a high-rise residence.

At first glance, he had a benevolent impression, but when he opened his small, narrow eyes wide, the malice hidden beneath them seemed to show.

The middle-aged man stroked his goatee.

It was a habit he often displayed when he had something up his sleeve.

"Kekeke, they're gathering nicely."

The middle-aged man looking down at the users from his residence with a sinister smile was none other than Oren Village's headman, Xyle.

Naturally, he was an NPC.

Some users treated Eternal World's NPCs like those in other games, but

He was incomparable to those ordinary NPCs.

He thought and acted on his own.

It wasn't for nothing that the genius Park Won had given the game the title "Another World, an Eternal World."

Xyle, thanks to his advanced AI, was truly like a 'person.'

He wouldn't hesitate to sacrifice others for his own greed.

He also didn't hesitate to trample on others, while outwardly trying to hide such actions.

If the users knew him, they would be surprised at how human-like he was.

However, perhaps because he thoroughly hid his ulterior motives,

None of the users knew his ugly side yet.

Even among the villagers, only a handful knew his true nature.

'If I gather the outsiders like this, I'll be able to obtain the treasure in that wicked Rox's tomb.'

According to what Xyle had learned, Rox's tomb was a giant labyrinth.

A dangerous place teeming with perilous traps and monsters.

It wasn't a place that Xyle, a mere village head, could easily go alone.

Even if he knew the way through the labyrinth.

But what if the outsiders rushed in like a pack of dogs?

There comes a moment when the labyrinth is empty.

Xyle was planning to seize that opportunity and search for the hidden treasure.

With a sinister thought in mind, Xyle looked around at the gathered users.

'These outsiders are the hunting dogs who will find my treasure.'

As Xyle was thinking this, he suddenly

Saw a user with eyes that momentarily glowed teal.

"Hmm?"

The user was staring intently at him as if he knew Xyle was there.

As Xyle met the user's gaze,

He felt an inexplicable chill run down his spine.

Despite having black hair and black eyes,

Just moments ago, they were clearly shimmering with an eerie teal light.

As he shuddered and stepped back,

The user disappeared into the crowd.

"Wh-What was that?"

Was his spirit weakened, causing him to see things?

Or could it be...

'Is he someone who came here coveting my treasure?'

As that thought crossed Xyle's mind,

He shook his head, trying to deny it.

That couldn't be.

He was the first to discover the map leading to Rox's tomb.

That was an undeniable fact.

In other words, only Xyle knew where Rox's hidden treasure was.

'There's no way he could know.'

Xyle reassured himself and calmed down.

3.

The user with teal glowing eyes who briefly made eye contact with Xyle.

Who else could it be but Seonghyun?

Seonghyun avoided Xyle after their eyes met.

His impression of Xyle, from their brief encounter, was simple.

'He looks really greedy.'

Should he say he had a typical swindler's face?

He had an impression of someone full of greed.

Exactly as the Ghosts had said.

It seemed the saying "There are no bad children under a good father" was wrong.

It was strange that the son was so different when the former village head was said to be so kind and wise.

He wasn't particularly curious about Xyle's scheme.

He already knew it.

The quest was his priority.

'Anyway, I received the quest.'

『Rox's Tomb』

→《Rare》

→It is said that Xyle, the village head of Oren Village, has been troubled by something lately.

It's none other than Rox's tomb, which was recently discovered in Oren Village.

Rox was a mage who was active in Oren Village a long time ago, and despite his outstanding skills, he had an evil heart.

The tomb of the wicked mage Rox is causing great anxiety for the long-time village head, Xyle.

You will help Oren Village and secure Rox's tomb.

Perhaps you will find something valuable in Rox's tomb.

→ Level restriction: 50 or lower, users who have not undergone their second class advancement.

→ Reward: 10 gold + items obtained from Rox's tomb.

→ This quest will be carried out in pairs of 2.

Caution!

* Seonghyun's current group number is 99.

* If you do not enter with your group member, you will be expelled from Rox's tomb.

* However, you will not be expelled if your group member dies.

The quest details were quite thorough.

It was even a Rare ranked quest.

Moreover, it recognized items obtained from Rox's tomb.

No wonder the users were going crazy.

However, to Seonghyun, who knew the truth of this incident,

It was nothing more than a shallow trick.

'He wrote it so transparently.'

If he hadn't heard it from the ghosts, Seonghyun wouldn't have known either.

Furthermore, he had also heard where Rox had hidden his items.

This time, Seonghyun's goal was to obtain Rox's hidden treasure before Xyle.

However, he was concerned about having to move with a group member.

Rox's tomb, like other dungeons, had a party system.

Fortunately, it was a 2-person group.

It was better than forming a party and entering directly.

'Where should I look?'

Since quite a few users had already departed,

There weren't that many people left in the plaza.

Even so, it was still bustling.

While looking around to see if anyone was looking for group 99 among them,

Seonghyun spotted a strange person.

A user wearing a large straw hat, with long hair like a horse's tail, a twig in their mouth, and laughing "Huhuhu."

They were wearing clothes that resembled a Hanbok, with a long sword at their waist, one hand resting on the hilt.

They had the appearance of a nameless warrior.

If you passed by them briefly, you might mistake them for an NPC.

However, judging from the icon above their head that symbolized a user,

They were definitely a user.

'Hmm, they seem to be role-playing.'

As Seonghyun thought so and was about to move on,

"Huhuhu, I am the Joseon's Best Swordsman. The one who is in a group with me, come out immediately."

"Hmm."

He should avoid them.

They didn't seem to be in their right mind.

As Seonghyun tried to slip away and find his group member,

"Huhuhu. The member of group 99, come out quickly."

Flinch.

Seonghyun turned his head again with a look of disbelief and looked at the self-proclaimed Joseon's Best Swordsman.

Noticing Seonghyun flinching, they laughed "Huhuhu" and met his eyes.

With a strange exclamation of "Oh?", the self-proclaimed Joseon's Best Swordsman strode towards him.

Seonghyun squeezed his eyes shut.

He didn't want to get involved with this kind of person, except for his sister.

Actually, he didn't want to get involved with his sister either.

But they were family.

As Seonghyun stood there, resigned,

The self-proclaimed Joseon's Best Swordsman approached and looked at him.

And he saw something quite unexpected.

'A woman?'

He couldn't tell from afar, but up close, it was clear.

This person was a woman.

She had disguised her voice to sound deep and masculine, and her appearance was also androgynous, so he hadn't realized.

Gender couldn't be customized, so she must have cross-dressed.

As soon as Seonghyun realized this, he knew.

'This person is serious.'

Not about skills or anything like that, but about being the Joseon's Best Swordsman.

It was true madness.

Sensing that, Seonghyun clenched his jaw and looked at the Joseon's Best Swordsman with a resigned expression.

They were in the same group anyway.

There was no avoiding it.

"Are you in group 99 as well?"

"Indeed, you are my partner. Hmmhuhuhu, don't worry. You've been grouped with the Joseon's Best Swordsman, Kim Chegeon."

"..."

Kim Chegeon was her nickname?

Wasn't that a real historical figure?

He seemed to remember him being known as the Joseon's Best Swordsman in various works of fiction.

To use that person's name as a nickname and call herself the Joseon's Best Swordsman...

'Will I be able to film a video?'

Seonghyun briefly considered it, but it didn't seem so bad.

The Rapid Guild had also asked him to film with a concept.

If he was with this kind of person, he might even learn something.

Perhaps.

After a moment of contemplation, Seonghyun asked the Joseon's Best Swordsman, Kim Chegeon,

"I need to film a video for a guild request. Would you mind being in it?"

"Ohho!? You're with Mupa! As expected, your skills seemed extraordinary! Ah! I permit the recording. It's not like it's being used for anything bad, so I don't mind."

As Kim Chegeon gave her permission,

A message appeared before Seonghyun's eyes.

[User 『JoseonBestSwordsmanKimChegeon』 has agreed to the filming.]

He was dumbfounded by the nickname as soon as he saw it.

Her nickname wasn't Kim Chegeon, but JoseonBestSwordsmanKimChegeon.

How could someone's nickname be JoseonBestSwordsmanKimChegeon?

Who would have imagined this?

'She's crazy.'

Seonghyun briefly praised her in his mind, and

Asked as if to suggest they get going,

"Shall we go then?"

"Hmmhuhuhu, of course."

That strange way of speaking was a bit off-putting, but still,

'Judging by her gait, she seems skilled.'

He could tell from recalling the memories of the former instructor Eddie, the hunter Apik, and the mercenary group.

It was the gait of someone trained in martial arts.

Since she seemed quite skilled,

'Is this good luck?'

A slight doubt arose, but

He brushed it aside and headed towards the location marked as Rox's tomb.

Naturally, they formed a party.

[You have formed a party with 『JoseonBestSwordsmanKimChegeon』.]

[As set, the party window is activated, excluding classes.]

『Seonghyun - Lv.34 - (????)』

『JoseonBestSwordsmanKimChegeon - Lv.36 - (????)』

Like Seonghyun, Kim Chegeon was also hiding her class.

'What's this?'

4.

The path to Rox's tomb wasn't exactly smooth.

Not only was it quite a distance, but the path was also treacherous, and

"Kiak! Kihaak!"

"Kerheuk! Kerruk!"

Annoying goblins even appeared.

However, Seonghyun and Kim Chegeon strolled leisurely as if they were on a walk, unfazed.

If goblins appeared, they would simply cut them down and move on.

In the process, Seonghyun witnessed Kim Chegeon's skills.

She lowered her stance, almost as if she were about to fall forward, then pushed off the ground with her toes, instantly accelerating with explosive speed.

Using that momentum, she slid across the ground and drew her sword.

A thin line appeared on the goblin's neck, and

Soon, its head rolled off.

Thud, Roll.

[Acquired experience points from a party member's hunt.]

"Kerruk!?"

The other goblins, startled, tried to flee, but Seonghyun naturally blocked their escape route with a casual walk and swung his sword.

Seonghyun also swung the Apprentice Hero Hindel's Sword, slicing through the goblin's torso in a single blow.

[Critical Hit!]

[The effect of 『One Strike!』 is activated!]

[Experience points acquired.]

The two of them each defeated a goblin with a single strike.

However, both of them were relaxed, not even needing to catch their breath.

This wasn't even considered exercise for them.

'She's even more skilled than I thought.'

There was no trace of skills in the movement she just displayed.

She moved using only her stats.

Seeing that she was even more skilled than Manhu, whom he had partied with before, it seemed she was indeed a formidable expert.

Although Seonghyun didn't know for sure, Manhu was also considered quite a skilled player.

Kim Chegeon was simply overwhelmingly superior compared to him.

Kim Chegeon was also surprised.

'To cut it down in one strike with such movement.'

She was also an expert who could fully utilize her stats.

It wasn't for nothing that she called herself the Joseon's Best Swordsman.

She had confidence in her skills, but seeing Seonghyun's abilities, she realized he was by no means beneath her.

However, there was one thing that bothered her.

"I know this is rude, but I have a question. May I ask?"

"Yes? What is it?"

"Are you, by any chance, not a swordsman?"

She was asking if his class wasn't a swordsman type.

It was a rude question.

Prying into his class while he was hiding it.

However, Seonghyun answered as if it wasn't a big deal.

"Yes, I am not a swordsman."

"...!!"

Kim Chegeon's eyes widened in genuine surprise at his answer.

Then, as if in gratitude, she bowed her head slightly and lowered her large straw hat.

"Thank you for answering."

"It's nothing."

At Seonghyun's reply, Kim Chegeon couldn't help but admire him inwardly.

'He's really not a swordsman.'

He was clearly using his stats better than she was, but she had asked just in case, as his stats seemed much lower than hers.

To think he really wasn't a swordsman.

Indeed, the world was vast, and there were many skilled people.

She had thought that few could match her when it came to the sword.

Kim Chegeon looked at Seonghyun with burning determination, thinking she needed to work harder.

'Why is she looking at me like that?'

Of course, Seonghyun was anxious as he saw Kim Chegeon's gaze, but

After a small commotion and walking a bit further,

They soon arrived at the entrance of a huge cave swarming with users.

『Event Dungeon - Rox's Tomb』

*Caution: Upon entering, everyone will start at a different location.

[Translator - Prøks]

[Proofreader - Prøks]