The Game of a Legendary Genius Dark Mage - Chapter 124

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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 124
124
2.
Five days had passed since Yoo Sung-hyun entered.
In the Dark Stone Chamber where not a single ray of light penetrated, the being who had been wielding only a sword came to a halt.
A visitor who had arrived days ago.
I had taken another look at them, seeing they were more diligent than any other visitor.
Yet I sensed movement from the visitor I had expected would never reach this place.
With white hair and a long beard left ungroomed.
I closed my eyes as I felt their presence.
“I must not harbor expectations.”
Even if they obtained the conditions and took the trial.
“They will not reach this place.”
If I do not expect, I will not be disappointed.
I had long since abandoned all hope and expectation.
That was what I had come to understand from dwelling here so long.
There was once a time when I held hope and expectation.
But recall when I was betrayed by them.
When a visitor came here in the distant past, they could not liberate me.
Since that abhorrent Skull Knight invaded, I had been trapped here all along.
All the more so.
I no longer wished to rely on anything.
The more I relied, the more I was wounded.
And so.
“They will not reach this place….”
I merely muttered words I did not even wish to speak.
Yet that too was brief.
The visitor who had entered the trial advanced to the next trial at remarkable speed.
“…?”
At first I thought it mere luck and was about to wield my sword again.
Yet they passed the trial once more and advanced to the next.
Already the third trial?
Had they not just entered?
The incomprehensible being tilted my head in bewilderment.
Had something gone wrong with my senses after so many ages?
No, that could not be.
It could not be.
Then why had the visitor already entered the fourth trial?
“??????”
Faced with this incomprehensible phenomenon, I could no longer wield my sword.
What on earth is this?
3.
A blade that traced its trajectory through empty air like lightning.
Yet it was far more than merely swift.
The sword gripped in both hands was heavier, faster, and sharper than anything else.
That blade carved through the air with exquisite precision, cleaving the void itself.
And where the trajectory’s end reached was the body of a golem covered entirely in mithril.
Shhhhk———!
With scarcely a sound, the mithril golem fell in a single stroke, meeting almost no resistance.
With what appeared to be merely a steel sword, I had honed my blade technique to its absolute limit and severed the mithril golem without opposition.
Boom——! Boom———!!!
Given its enormous size,
even being cleaved apart sent forth violent tremors.
One might have thought the tower itself was collapsing.
I had split the mithril cleanly in two.
Of course, it was merely a carapace that covered the surface.
Yet severing mana-infused mithril was still a remarkable feat.
I had certainly grown stronger.
To a degree that I could feel it myself.
‘At this level, I could have faced the Echo Willow elite with my blade alone when they attacked?’
I had barely won by using magic skills intermittently.
Now my abilities had risen to the point where I could win with swordsmanship alone.
I had absorbed all the memories of the Elf ghosts, after all.
It would have been strange otherwise.
In any case, I was satisfied.
The retainers waiting behind me all began to applaud.
-As expected!!! My liege!!! You’ve severed mithril with a single blade!!!
“Remarkable, my lord.”
-R-remarkable indeed!!!
“…Thank you.”
They hadn’t been like this originally.
Things changed a bit after Leonik arrived.
Praising one’s liege was also the duty of retainers, or so he said?
Finding it far too reasonable an argument, Nocturnium and Fiora joined in as well.
I thought I’d grown accustomed to it,
but hearing my retainers praise me like this made me embarrassed again.
In any case, I brushed it aside
and examined the messages appearing before me.
[You have perfectly cleared the Fifth Trial of the Knight!]
[You have cleared all trials in the hidden field, 『Knights’ Hall』!]
[You’ve cleared it in record time!]
[You’re the first among all users!]
A message confirming I’d passed the fifth trial of the Knights’ Hall.
Along with other phrases about record times and being first among users.
Yet I paid them no mind whatsoever.
I had a different objective, after all.
‘The memories from the Elf Knight Ghosts revealed it.’
That hidden trials existed beyond these tower tests.
A hidden mission.
Normally, it would be impossible to find.
But with the memories I’d obtained, I could locate it with ease.
First, I headed toward where the Mithril Golem lay split in two.
Upon closer inspection, its core had a socket-like indentation.
I pressed it gently.
Click.
An opening appeared like a fuel door, and inside lay a Mithril Key, safely stored.
‘Interesting.’
I’d followed the memory exactly.
Yet actually performing it felt slightly surreal.
In any case, I clutched the key and made my way to a corner of the first floor of the Fifth Tower.
A door that would never have been visible without careful observation and reaching this place.
I inserted the key into the keyhole on its handle.
Click—.
The sound of a perfect fit echoed.
Before me lay a dark stone staircase descending downward.
And as I opened the door.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
The torches hanging on the stairwell walls ignited one by one, illuminating the surroundings.
The dark stone stairs brightened instantly.
I let out a brief exclamation.
“Oh ho.”
Quite the elaborate setup.
This exceeded my expectations.
Since beginning Eternal World, I’d only witnessed such production quality during my second Overlord advancement or main quests.
Anticipation was warranted.
-There’s quite a powerful aura below, if I may say so.
“Judging by the sword it wields, it appears to be a swordsman.”
-Huh? Until now, the golems haven’t wielded swords!?
-Hmm, a sword-wielding golem is something I have no memory of encountering.
“Given the presence of a pulse, it would seem to be a living… entity, though I cannot yet be certain.”
The three subordinates each offered their opinions.
Yoo Sung-hyun nodded as if he understood.
Power analysis was certainly important.
Yet he wondered if he truly needed to know in advance.
Any other player would have had to enter without knowing anything.
Yoo Sung-hyun didn’t particularly concern himself with it and descended further.
Thump, thump.
He descended slowly.
As Yoo Sung-hyun walked, the torches placed along the sides ignited in sequence with his footsteps.
The flickering flames cast dancing shadows, creating an eerie sensation as if the entire surroundings were trembling.
Yet Yoo Sung-hyun was hardly one to be frightened by such things.
He had seen Ghost for far too long, ever since childhood.
Yoo Sung-hyun descended slowly without concern.
At the end of the stone staircase lay a Dark Stone Chamber.
As Yoo Sung-hyun reached this chamber.
The torches surrounding it all ignited at once, flooding the stone chamber with light.
Then a figure standing in the center of the chamber began to become visible.
“Hmm?”
With long white hair and an equally long white beard, the elderly figure appeared almost like an immortal sage.
Yet judging by the pointed ears and the keen gleam in those eyes, one could discern without doubt that he was an Elf.
Yoo Sung-hyun’s expectations were brief.
The sword tip trembled, and his pupils wavered visibly.
Why was he like that?
Unable to comprehend, Yoo Sung-hyun gazed at the elderly figure.
The Elder Elf’s lips parted carefully.
“…How did you arrive so quickly?”
“Pardon? I….”
The Elder Elf asked with genuine curiosity.
Had anyone ever passed the trial this swiftly before?
No, there had not.
Then what could this visitor possibly be?
Moreover, looking at the subordinates behind him, they were clearly Dark Mages.
Yet he had managed to overcome this trial so quickly regardless?
Setting aside the speed, he had never imagined a foreigner could overcome this trial at all.
It was a moment when his evaluation of Yoo Sung-hyun rose considerably.
Meanwhile, Yoo Sung-hyun.
‘What should I say?’
Aside from knowing the entire trial.
He had simply arrived quickly because he was strong.
Should he be honest about it?
Yoo Sung-hyun pondered for a moment before speaking.
“I came with a sword.”
“…Huh.”
Was that not the right answer?
As Yoo Sung-hyun thought this and scratched his head.
-Master, this fellow seems to have lost his mind.
“Even I can see his sanity has deteriorated over the long years.”
-How pitiful.
As his three retainers chattered away, Yoo Sung-hyun deliberately ignored them and asked.
“Have you remained here all this time?”
“….”
The Elder Elf fell silent for a moment at Yoo Sung-hyun’s words.
Then he closed his eyes gently, lifted his head, and spoke.
“Indeed. I have been trapped here ever since that cursed Skull Knight attacked this place.”
“Ah….”
-Kugh.
“Hmm.”
-Ah, ah. It’s Leonik’s fault.
At those words, Leonik flinched as well.
Fiora rebuked Leonik with a pitying tone.
Nocturnium nodded as if he understood.
In any case, Yoo Sung-hyun pondered what to say in response to the Elder Elf’s words.
The Elder Elf spoke first.
“The final trial is decided by swordsmanship between you and me. Since my liberation hangs in the balance, I intend to give my all—do not take this lightly, even if you harbor guilt. Should you defeat me, a great reward awaits.”
“…I understand.”
Though I had no such intention, Yoo Sung-hyun grasped his sword and nodded.
The Elder Elf felt something incongruous as he observed Yoo Sung-hyun.
“Huh, I suspected it when I saw that Skull Knight fellow behind you… so you are indeed a Dark Mage.”
“Yes, that is correct.”
“In this place, all magic and techniques are sealed—you can only fight with swordsmanship alone. Will that be acceptable?”
“Yes, it is acceptable. Please do not hold back out of pity for me.”
“Hehehe. How amusing.”
The Elder Elf said this while nodding his head.
So the challenger was turning my own words back on me.
A rather interesting challenger indeed.
Whether I lose or win here, I shall be liberated.
Yet I intend to savor this final moment with all my soul.
An unexpected visitor has appeared at last.
Meanwhile, Yoo Sung-hyun felt his competitive spirit ignite as he observed the Elder Elf.
Would there ever come another moment when I faced an enemy with nothing but swordsmanship alone?
That couldn’t be right.
My character was unmistakably an Overlord.
Helena from the past had given me swordsmanship skills, telling me to use them well.
But that was merely a supplement.
That’s why I was prepared to commit fully to this duel, relying purely on the blade as I was now.
‘Let me see the limits of swordsmanship.’
With that thought, I gripped my sword with all my strength.
I watched the Elder Elf approach with anticipation, curious to see what swordsmanship technique he would employ.
Then.
“I shall make the first move.”
The Elder Elf’s front foot slid forward smoothly.
In an instant, he pushed off with his back foot, sliding across the ground as if sweeping it, and rushed toward me.
Exceptional footwork.
I recognized how difficult it was to maintain such a low stance while charging forward.
Yet I didn’t falter. I watched the Elder Elf, pushed back with my rear foot, created distance, and prepared for the incoming attack.
Just as I anticipated, the Elder Elf swept his blade across the ground from that low stance.
The sword, which had been so low it nearly touched the earth, suddenly soared upward like a dragon ascending to the heavens, streaking toward me.
Watching that blade strike shaped like a dragon ascending the sky, I felt it was a remarkably troublesome technique.
Blocking it was impossible—the trajectory was too twisted, and I couldn’t avoid damage. Dodging was equally difficult—the speed was formidable.
‘I’ll use a different method.’
So I quickly twisted my body and kicked the flat of the blade in mid-air, using the recoil to propel myself away from that spot.
Whoooosh.
As if drawing two long lines across the ground.
I slid backward, stabilizing my stance as I was pushed back.
The Elder Elf looked at me with considerable interest.
“Ho! So you could evade that? Truly impressive.”
The Elder Elf offered his praise plainly.
But I responded to him.
“You’ll be even more amazed.”

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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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