The Game of a Legendary Genius Dark Mage - Chapter 101

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 101
101
2.
Dune Wild Trail.
It had always been crowded, but this time it was beyond description—a sea of humanity.
Could a sea made of people look like this?
They surged forward like waves.
Countless people gathered in the wasteland, clustering together with those of like mind, the crowd churning with restless energy.
They grouped by guild, by party, and some shouted themselves hoarse recruiting new members.
The scene resembled a bustling marketplace, yet the players showed no particular surprise.
Dune Wild Trail had always possessed such qualities.
Those who had made it this far had long since shed their novice status.
This clamorous chaos had become their everyday reality.
‘There are so many.’
Yoo Sung-hyun was equally astonished.
Witnessing countless individuals unified by a single purpose, forming a massive collective—it was truly a sight to behold.
Since beginning this game, I had never seen such a gathering of this magnitude before.
It felt entirely novel.
All these people converging for a large-scale event.
I suddenly grasped just how extraordinary my Main Quest truly was.
Then I reviewed the Main Quest I had seen yesterday once more.
『Doom Knight’s Invasion』
→《Main》
→『Overlord』’s Main Quest
→After the Overlord’s death in ages past, some of her many subordinates floundered in their grief.
Her disciple, concerned for such comrades, gathered them and established Overpalace.
Yet many others could not be saved.
Some fled, some departed this world consumed by sorrow, and some lost their minds to despair.
Doom Knight was among them.
One who, driven mad by grief, had lost himself.
Thus he embarked upon the conquest of vast territories.
Dune Wild Trail was one such place.
The undead Doom Knight’s conquest was merciless; not a living creature remained, leaving only barren stone to form this sprawling wasteland.
Even after burning and destroying every village and city in the surrounding region, his sorrow could not be assuaged.
When nothing remained to destroy,
he shattered his own soul and fell into quiet slumber alongside his soldiers.
Yet after ages passed, the power of a former comrade was felt from the nearby lands.
Reacting to the power of the Dark Castle, Noctrinium, that bitter sorrow buried deep within awakened.
And upon realizing that living creatures once again inhabited this land to be destroyed,
he emerged anew upon Dune Wild Trail, leading his diminished forces.
However, unlike before, this was after the soul had been destroyed and consciousness lost.
Stop the greatly weakened Doom Knight and eliminate him to fully claim him as your own.
→Overlord-exclusive Main Quest.
→Reward: Overlord-exclusive skill, 『Knights of Ruin』, ability to appoint Doom Knight’s remnants as an additional Death Legion commander.
→Failure: Main Quest lost, Doom Knight lost, Overlord-exclusive skill, 『Knights of Ruin』 lost
‘No matter how many times I look at it, it’s incredible.’
Yoo Sung-hyun had a different purpose than others.
But for now, I should act alongside the rest of them.
So looking around.
Among the countless masses of people.
I could also see several guilds setting up their own camps at what could be called the front lines.
Flags bearing each guild’s emblem were erected in various places, fluttering in the western breeze, displaying their crests proudly and majestically.
Among them was an emblem I recognized.
‘That’s the Shik Brothers, isn’t it?’
One of the few guild emblems I knew besides the Rapid Guild.
I knew it because I’d received a scouting offer from them before.
Seeing it here like this felt oddly nostalgic.
Not that I’d go pretend to know them.
But when you encounter a familiar place, it naturally feels welcoming.
I turned my gaze away from the guild section.
‘The Rapid Guild isn’t participating separately, right?’
While it was close to an elite small-scale guild, it wasn’t lacking in capacity.
So why didn’t they participate?
Simple.
Because there was no one else besides me who could participate.
‘I heard Luna’s level still isn’t high enough.’
It was unavoidable.
Even Luna Team, the highest-leveled among the rookie teams, was apparently still in the level 70s.
When I met them a few days ago, they were in the level 60s.
That was a fairly rapid pace.
But I’ve been advancing at a monstrous speed.
So the gap simply couldn’t narrow.
That’s why Rapid decided to abandon dispatching altogether.
Of course, with my permission.
‘Yoo Mi-na must be having a rough time.’
Recalling the argument I had with her over the phone gave me a headache.
Anyway, for that reason, the Rapid Guild didn’t dispatch anyone.
They didn’t dispatch, but they did agree to provide full support for what comes next.
Plus, during yesterday’s call, I was able to secure additional terms as well.
Additional signing bonus and salary increase.
Most importantly, the broadcast ticket ratio had increased.
From the existing 10% to 30%.
A condition never given to rookies like Yoo Sung-hyun.
It was just one tier below the condition of Yoo Mi-na, one of the current single-rank top players.
I could sense just how much the Rapid Guild was betting on Yoo Sung-hyun.
After that, we discussed how to approach this large-scale event.
I was able to gain something more interesting than expected.
‘In any case, I should keep a reasonable distance.’
Getting tangled up with guilds for no reason might interfere with what Yoo Sung-hyun and the Rapid Guild were planning later.
As Yoo Sung-hyun tried to slip away.
Someone nearby who had been watching him called out.
Had they recognized Yoo Sung-hyun?
“Hey there, friend. You don’t have a guild?”
Apparently not.
An Uncle with thick stubble covering his face, bearing an honest appearance.
He looked to be in his mid-to-late forties.
His expression was quite guileless.
Yoo Sung-hyun answered without much wariness.
“A guild?”
“Yeah, I saw guilds over there and figured you didn’t have one since you seemed to be without company, so I thought I’d strike up a conversation.”
“Ah, I don’t have anyone to participate in this event with.”
I didn’t particularly need one anyway.
I had something to do later.
I had to keep my identity hidden for now.
All the more reason.
As Yoo Sung-hyun said this.
The Uncle burst into hearty laughter as if he’d expected as much.
“Hahaha! Then how about joining us unaffiliated folks?”
“Unaffiliated?”
“Yeah! For a large-scale event like this, having more numbers is definitely an advantage, so we unaffiliated people band together and fight against the guilds, you see?”
“Oh?”
It seemed like quite a decent strategy.
Indeed, being unaffiliated did come with such disadvantages.
Banding together temporarily like that seemed like a pretty solid approach.
However.
“I appreciate the offer, but I’ll have to decline.”
“Huh? Really?”
“Yes, I prefer to work alone.”
“Hahaha!!! That’s fair enough. Well then, let’s meet again if we get the chance next time.”
With such a cheerful response and words of encouragement, the warm-hearted Uncle bid farewell, and Yoo Sung-hyun went his own way.
The event will start soon.
As Yoo Sung-hyun disappeared into the crowd.
Uncle’s expression turned regretful, watching the direction where Yoo Sung-hyun had vanished.
“It would have been nice if we could do this together.”
He muttered his regret to himself.
Someone heard that and approached Uncle to ask.
“Sir, what’s wrong?”
As if they already knew each other, Uncle looked at him and answered.
“Huh? Oh! There was a young man alone, so I asked if he wanted to team up, but he said he preferred to go solo, so I let him go. It’s a shame though.”
“Ah, sir, your kindness is both a blessing and a curse.”
“Heh heh, we help each other to get by. But still, fighting alone is bound to be tough.”
“Well, even if fortune comes rolling in, he might not recognize it as such.”
“Hmm.”
He wanted to help in any way he could.
But pushing someone who said no to join forces would be coercion.
“And if he finds it too much to handle alone, won’t he come back to find you?”
“Hmm.”
“He seemed to have some skill?”
“Well, he didn’t really look like he had much.”
“Then once he realizes it, he’ll come back.”
“Think so?”
Uncle said that while scratching his shaggy head and nodding.
Would he really come back once he realized he couldn’t handle it alone?
When that time comes.
‘I’ll have to accept him then.’
Muttering such things to himself, Uncle returned to the unaffiliated group he had gathered.
Unaware of where Yoo Sung-hyun had disappeared into the crowd.
3.
Guilds gathered for the Calamity Legion event.
Among them, if you were to pick the highest-ranked ones, there were about three.
Eclipse Order, the 4th-ranked guild.
Tempest Wing, the 8th-ranked guild.
And Shik Brothers, the 12th-ranked guild.
These three were the only guilds with single-digit and double-digit rankings.
The only force that could even compare to them.
Was Echo Willow among the Karma guilds.
Excluding Echo Willow, which hadn’t appeared yet, the representatives of these three guilds came forward.
Jun-hyuk, bearing the expectations of Shik Brothers’ Korean branch.
Kurosawa Ren of Tempest Wing.
And finally, Merlin of Eclipse Order.
The moment the three gathered, the atmosphere swelled as if the very air around them had ignited with heat.
The guilds exchanged sharp glares, sizing each other up, while Jun-hyuk and Kurosawa Ren locked eyes with equally lethal intensity.
“Wahaha!!! What’s wrong on such a fine day? Why the grim faces? Isn’t this event fun?”
“…We didn’t come here to play, Merlin. We came to compete.”
“…That’s right. We’re here to see who comes out on top.”
Kurosawa Ren and Jun-hyuk spoke to Merlin with sharp edges to their words.
Yet Merlin merely laughed—wahaha!—and nodded as if amused by them both.
As though it didn’t matter in the slightest.
Kurosawa Ren and Jun-hyuk exchanged glances of exasperation at her carefree attitude.
Merlin spoke again.
“Competition is fun too!! Let’s enjoy it! Let’s keep it fair and square!”
“…Sigh.”
“…Hmph.”
In this moment, the hearts of Kurosawa Ren and Jun-hyuk—rivals who bickered constantly—found unexpected accord.
She was far too cheerful, overflowing with brightness.
It was simply her nature.
There was nothing to be done about it.
Besides, she wasn’t entirely wrong.
“Anyway, let’s have fun! Enjoy it! Honestly, winning or losing isn’t what matters—it’s how much fun we have!!!”
“We… believe winning and losing do matter.”
“That’s correct.”
“Ahahaha! So it’s first place or bust? Well, the more you catch, the better, right~ Getting something from the rewards is good enough!”
There was simply no reasoning with her.
They gave up trying to argue.
Merlin, with her boisterous nature, laughed—wahaha—and spoke.
“It’s a shame the Demon King didn’t show up. That would’ve been really fun.”
“Hmm, the Demon King….”
“Korea did produce quite the remarkable player, though.”
At the mention of the Demon King, Kurosawa Ren’s expression darkened while Jun-hyuk smiled with satisfaction.
The Demon King was, after all, a Korean player.
It was only natural that Jun-hyuk, being Korean himself, would feel a swell of pride.
Kurosawa Ren bit his lip, clearly frustrated by the fact.
But what could he do?
Yoo Sung-hyun’s nationality wouldn’t change to Japanese just because he wished it.
“According to our intelligence, the Luna Team he belongs to has only just reached the 70s in level. The Demon King probably isn’t much higher, I’d wager.”
“Well, that’s fortunate. At least you haven’t dropped to fourth place, Kurosawa.”
“Ha! Who do you think you’re talking to!”
“Wahaha! Come now, let’s all get along!”
Merlin interjected once more.
Their competitive fire extinguished in an instant.
Among these three, there was no question that Merlin was the strongest.
Kurosawa Ren and Jun-hyuk were merely vying for second place.
Neither harbored even a shred of ambition to surpass Merlin.
The gap between them was simply too overwhelming.
Yet such a powerhouse spoke in that manner.
How could one’s spirit not deflate?
“In any case, the Rapid Guild hasn’t even declared participation.”
“They definitely won’t be coming.”
“Wahaha! It’s really a shame, but there’s nothing we can do! Let’s at least enjoy ourselves among ourselves! Friendly competition, everyone! I’m counting on you all!”
“Sigh.”
“Anyway, how much time is left until the start? Ten minutes?”
“Right on! Then everyone prepare yourselves and I’ll see you later!!! Let’s engage in some good-natured rivalry! I’m looking forward to it!”
Merlin swept through with that declaration and was the first to leave.
Kurosawa Ren and Jun-hyuk, their spirits somehow dampened, likewise vanished back to where their respective guilds had gathered.
The event would commence soon enough.
As I waited there.
Ten minutes flew by like an arrow.
Then the system message appeared.
[A Large-Scale Event Quest has been generated!]
『Calamity Legion』
→《Large-Scale Event》
→From now on, the 『Calamity Legion』 will surge forth.
The 『Calamity Legion』, which had slumbered for ages, has awakened.
The 『Calamity Legion』 despises and abhors all living creatures.
The more 『Calamity Legion』 you eliminate, the more merit points you accumulate.
Merit point rankings are displayed in real-time—simply gaze upward at the sky anywhere in 『Dune Wild Trail』 to check your standing.
Please hold back their endless tide and restore peace to 『Dune Wild Trail』.
→Rewards: Experience from slaying 『Calamity Legion』, tiered rewards based on merit points, 1st Place—three Legendary-grade rewards, 2nd Place—three Unique-grade rewards, 3rd Place—two Unique-grade rewards.
The event had finally begun.
And between the horizons of Dune Wild Trail, something shimmered like heat haze, wavering indistinctly.
Was the haze undulating and writhing?
No.
“Gwuaaaaah.”
“Kieeeek!”
“Kyaaaaaaah!”
Countless undead things.
Entities with rotting flesh, others reduced to bare bone, still others with bodies entirely consumed, leaving only drifting spirits.
Unholy beings were rising and surging forth.
The Calamity Legion, pouring in like a tidal wave beyond counting.
Though countless users had gathered.
Looking at the number of calamity legions approaching that tidal wave, everyone had grown so weary that they couldn’t even muster a response.
Then, in that very moment.
Something materialized in the sky.
A burning black sun that obscured the bright daylight and drenched the entire area in darkness.
Darkness descended upon the world, consuming everything in black flames.
The black fire devoured everything greedily like a ravenous beast, scorching the surroundings and filling the world.
The scent of sulfur and burning ash wafted from all around, as the black sun and black flames consumed all light and life.
Had it appeared to lend strength to those wicked beings?
Everyone’s expression turned to one of despair.
Soon the entire ground turned black, and countless thorns rained down from the sky.
Whoosh! Thud! Crash!
Jet-black thorns poured down like rain.
All those thorns targeted not the users, but the calamity legions, and they were annihilated in an instant upon contact.
But that wasn’t the end.
The calamity legions that had pushed through the jet-black thorns and were about to charge forward.
Mere thorns couldn’t possibly overcome that tidal wave of calamity.
Yet the jet-black thorns began to writhe.
They fed on the calamity legions and drew in the darkness of the blackened earth.
Writhe, writhe—!
Soon the jet-black thorns became stems.
Sharp spines spread outward in all directions.
From somewhere, a fragrant flower scent bloomed abundantly.
Entranced by the sweet yet deadly floral fragrance, the calamity legions were drawn toward the jet-black thorns.
No, now toward the flower that had bloomed in jet-black.
The fragrant and deadly jet-black flower, like a mother embracing all things, gently spread the thorns that bloomed upon its petals far and wide, captivating everyone nearby.
Soon the jet-black flower that embraced everything.
Consumed the foolish prey that had been drawn to it.
Crunch crunch crunch—!
A harsh, tearing sound echoed out, and in an instant, the tidal wave known as the calamity legions came to a halt.
The jet-black thorns had momentarily stopped that tidal wave, and from the sky descended a figure clad in a black robe and wearing a mask as dark as jet-black.
“I, insane!!!”
“No, no way!!!”
“Uwaaaaah!!!”
Jun-hyuk of Shik Brothers couldn’t hide his shock, while Kurosawa Ren of Tempest Wing stared at the figure with an expression of disbelief.
And Merlin’s eyes sparkled as she reacted as if the one she’d been waiting for had finally arrived.
There was only one person who could make an entrance like this at this moment.
I had thought the level was low, but that must have been a miscalculation.
Or perhaps they had climbed up at an incredible pace in the meantime.
The three strong ones could quickly grasp this fact.
But aside from those three, everyone else was bewildered.
Who on earth is this person?
Countless pairs of eyes looked up at him.
The Demon King?
But surely he hasn’t reached that level yet?
Even with a high-tier class, is such a thing possible at this level range?
Above all, the techniques used by the Demon King typically emit a cyan light.
Yet what appeared now was pure darkness itself.
Who could this possibly be?
The emergence of another major player?!
As everyone stood in shock.
A simple-faced Uncle, genuinely startled, muttered to himself.
“Ah, that young man from earlier!?”
To think he was such a formidable figure.
On the verge of being knocked flat with astonishment.
An alert chimed through several people’s devices.
[Rapid Guild Real-Time Live Broadcast Notification]
[Death Legion VS Demon King]
A notification window announcing that he was the Demon King.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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