The Game of a Legendary Genius Dark Mage - Chapter 149

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

Episode 149
149
4.
The Labyrinth City’s Labyrinth was merciless to players.
Monsters would spring forth without warning.
Many players perished, caught off guard by traps that lurked in the shadows.
But what made it truly cruel was something else entirely.
The Labyrinth never stopped changing.
A path that twisted just yesterday
might stretch straight today.
Or it might be blocked entirely.
Because of this, rogues and mages were essential to enter the Labyrinth.
Without a map provided by the Magic Tower and rogue-class skills to disarm traps and navigate, one could only become lost in its depths.
If a player entered the Labyrinth without a map,
they could not escape unless they died and respawned in the Village.
And yet.
“If we go this way, monsters will appear.”
“Ah, thanks.”
Before Nocturnium, none of the Labyrinth’s tricks mattered.
A spirit of the Dark Castle.
More precisely, as a spirit of the earth, the Labyrinth, and the Manor, this place was like his own home.
Like a fish in water, Nocturnium guided the way with ease.
And seeing this, Fiora and Leonik
-You seem excited, sir.
“Excited, am I?”
teased Nocturnium lightly.
“Hmph, hmph.”
There was no hiding it from those two.
We had been companions for years.
It was only natural.
Meanwhile, Yoo Sung-hyun
‘Wasn’t his expression blank?’
had no idea.
His usual rigid, businesslike demeanor remained unchanged.
Where was the excitement in that?
When Yoo Sung-hyun seemed puzzled,
-His heel angle while walking is slightly higher than usual, sir.
-A-and his gait is also moving a bit more briskly.
“…Ah.”
An ordinary person would have questioned what nonsense that was.
Because Yoo Sung-hyun had transcended the limits of ordinary human perception—his dynamic visual acuity and field of vision had become something monstrous.
I could understand it.
I grasped roughly what the sensation felt like.
Indeed, even now Nocturnium’s heels lifted slightly higher than before.
Because of that, her footsteps carried a faint, quickened rhythm.
Truly minimal, though.
In any case, sensing that difference, I nodded in acknowledgment.
‘True, I’ve managed to accomplish things before, but here I can truly perform at my peak.’
When Nocturnium gestured, the trap as well.
Dissolved completely, allowing passage through.
It was a display worthy of being called the Labyrinth’s master.
I marveled at it.
In any case, she’d mentioned there were monsters ahead.
I prepared for combat lightly.
After all, I had something to test.
As I readied myself for battle.
My three retainers also began preparing for combat.
But I raised my hand to stop them.
“I’ll handle this alone.”
I’d come to test the staff’s power.
If my retainers joined in, that opportunity would diminish.
Speaking thus, I commanded them to stand down.
They all relaxed their stances.
My orders were absolute, after all.
Having thus restrained my retainers, I moved toward the location Nocturnium had indicated.
There were indeed monsters there.
Living Armor—a monster commonly found in labyrinths.
Certainly, in classic fashion, the hollow suit of armor moved of its own accord.
Perfect timing.
‘Let me test it lightly with the blade.’
There was no better opponent to experiment with my enhanced stats.
As the hollow armor moved.
I moved in kind.
Gliding across the polished stone floor of the Underground Labyrinth, I felt distinctly faster than before.
‘Oh?’
My body stretched like taffy.
Moving my feet at considerable speed once more.
Afterimages trailed behind me like phantoms.
It was partly the effect of Shadow Drift.
But with the increased speed, the number of those afterimages had grown dramatically.
The Living Armor caught sight of the afterimage that appeared alongside Yoo Sung-hyun’s enhanced form and mistook it for him, swinging its sword.
Clang—!
It struck the empty ground instead.
As the weighty morning star crashed down, stone fragments scattered in all directions.
Yoo Sung-hyun dodged the debris and lightly swung his blade toward the Living Armor.
After all, it was merely armor itself.
The Living Armor possessed excellent physical defense.
Yet when Yoo Sung-hyun’s sword struck, the armor around its arm was cleaved clean through like tofu.
Shring—!
A cutting sound that didn’t feel like metal being severed.
Yoo Sung-hyun’s eyes widened in astonishment at the performance.
‘Definitely… I’ve grown stronger.’
I could accept the increase in raw power.
But I clearly felt a significant improvement in speed, maximum health, and the fluidity of my movements.
And I hadn’t even used any sword techniques.
The ease with which I could wield the blade was largely due to the boost in agility and stamina.
Recognizing this, Yoo Sung-hyun immediately activated a skill against the Living Armor.
Though it was merely an empty suit of armor.
The Living Armor was ultimately a magical construct.
Because of this, its magical defense far exceeded its physical defense.
Yoo Sung-hyun unleashed Dark Orb against the Living Armor.
Whoooosh—!
The surrounding darkness swirled violently.
Gathering into the palm of my hand.
Then, as I extended my hand, I released the Dark Orb.
The black projectile surged toward the Living Armor like a cannon blast.
The Dark Orb tore through the air and struck the Living Armor directly.
Boom—!!!
Fragments of the Living Armor scattered explosively in all directions in an instant.
The breastplate—what could be called its upper body—vanished completely, while the remaining parts were torn to shreds and scattered everywhere.
Nearly a one-hit kill.
Yoo Sung-hyun exhaled a hollow sigh upon witnessing it.
“Huh.”
Dark Orb had always been a skill with considerable power.
But this was extraordinary.
At this rate, I could afford to obtain the skill I’d been saving from the Overlord’s Grimoire, along with the unique-grade skill book I’d acquired from defeating Kyou, and perhaps even the Grimoire of Despair.
‘Let me finish the Research Lab this time and acquire skills as well.’
There’s a saying that hoarding can turn into waste.
But since I could obtain new skills from the Research Lab.
To build accordingly, it was right to save the Overlord’s Grimoire for now.
After all, leaving something behind didn’t mean it would disappear.
My current skill inventory was abundant and extensive.
There was no pressing need to use them immediately either.
To put it bluntly, the unique skill book I’d obtained from Kyou was something I could sell off without hesitation.
In any case, the power of the newly evolved Sovereign’s Staff of Helena that I’d confirmed was formidable.
-Magnificent, my Lord!!! Absolutely splendid!!!
-Y-you’ve really, truly become even stronger! Lord!
“I am grateful, Lord.”
My retainers offered their praise.
Satisfied, I entrusted Nocturnium with guiding the way once more.
We were heading directly toward Melicia’s Research Lab.
Thinking it was farther than expected, I decided to walk at a leisurely pace.
I encountered quite a few monsters and hunted them steadily.
I gained considerable experience and collected various items along the way.
Most of them were crafting materials, though.
How much time had passed?
Following Nocturnium’s guidance via the shortest route, we arrived.
“We have arrived.”
I watched as Nocturnium guided me toward a blank wall.
I could have been bewildered.
But I already possessed Melicia’s memories.
So I knew.
‘This is how you manipulate this, isn’t it?’
First, I touched a hidden brick, then I pressed several spots on the floor.
When I naturally pressed those locations.
Soon after, I heard the sound of mechanisms engaging.
Criiiiick.
The sound of massive gears and numerous smaller cogs interlocking and turning echoed out.
Groooowwwl.
Following that, a heavy wall dragged across the floor, revealing an entrance.
And as that entrance opened.
An old, weathered door made from warped planks of what appeared to be ancient wood emerged.
This was Melicia’s Research Lab!
Once I obtained what I needed, I could enjoy exploring the Labyrinth.
Just as I thought this and moved toward the door.
[You have discovered a Labyrinth-type Hidden Dungeon, 『Mad Alchemist’s Laboratory』.]
[You are the first to discover this Hidden Dungeon!]
[First Discovery Reward has been granted.]
[Experience acquisition rate increased by 50% in the Labyrinth-type Hidden Dungeon, 『Mad Alchemist’s Laboratory』.]
[Reward acquisition rate increased by 50% in the Labyrinth-type Hidden Dungeon, 『Mad Alchemist’s Laboratory』.]
[It’s a Hidden Dungeon!]
[The effect of the title ‘Treasure Hunter’ activates.]
[Drop rates in the Hidden Dungeon increase by 20%.]
[Hidden door detection rate increases by 20%.]
[First discovery rewards persist until the dungeon is cleared for the first time.]
“…?”
What in the world is happening?
According to Melicia’s memories, it was just a research lab.
Yet it had transformed into a Hidden Dungeon.
I was startled at first, certainly.
But it made sense.
‘The NPC owner died, so they converted it into a Hidden Dungeon to make use of it?’
The probability was quite high.
It would have been wasteful to simply abandon the research lab after the NPC’s death.
But then.
‘The Mad Alchemist’s Laboratory, no less.’
The name alone was far from ordinary.
I had memories of it too, so I fully agreed.
In any case.
‘It’s become a Hidden Dungeon….’
As I stood there in such an awkward position.
Nocturnium lowered his head apologetically and spoke.
“…I apologize, Lord. I cannot detect anything beyond that door at all.”
“It’s a Hidden Dungeon. That’s to be expected.”
“…I apologize.”
Nocturnium seemed even more frustrated, having wanted to be of great help this time.
Though his presence here had already been invaluable.
Regardless, I scratched my cheek somewhat awkwardly.
The reason was none other than Melicia.
I pondered what to do about this situation.
‘Melicia had been researching chimeras and homunculi.’
It wasn’t for nothing that she studied fragments of the dragon’s heart.
She was conducting research to see if they could be incorporated with chimeras as well.
That’s why I thought it might be helpful.
‘If I could raise the chimeras through the Death Legion, it might work.’
I had intended to quietly dispose of the chimeras in the test tubes to obtain them.
Unfortunately, I’ll have to fight and defeat them one by one.
Actually, that’s even better.
Now that it’s become a Hidden Dungeon.
The rewards should be considerably more generous.
I approached the door with optimism and grasped the handle.
[Opening this door will grant you entry to the Labyrinth-type Hidden Dungeon, 『Mad Alchemist’s Laboratory』.]
[Will you proceed?]
[Yes / No]
*Warning*
-We recommend using all buffs in advance.
As expected, chimeras and homunculi were roaming freely inside.
And if memory served me correctly.
‘Those things would be here too, wouldn’t they?’
I shook my head grimly, steeled myself mentally, and selected accept.
The interior of the laboratory revealed itself—far more expansive than what was visible from outside.
Countless flasks lay shattered and broken across the floor, while chimeras greedily devoured the chemicals scattered about.
A three-headed rooster-form chimera.
Something resembling a Living Armor, but with a floating helmet and staff—a Living Armor retrofitted into a magical variant.
And a chimera of extraordinary design: a serpent’s head, a wolf’s torso, the talons and wings of a raptor, all fused into one grotesque form.
Over fifty such chimeras prowled throughout the laboratory.
Watching each creature’s distinct personality, I couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity.
Was it like this from the very start?
Now I understood why the warning had been issued.
As I stepped through the door.
Every chimera’s gaze locked onto me, and they rushed forward in unison, drool streaming from their mouths.
‘This is why she’s called the Mad Alchemist.’
I muttered a small complaint about Melicia.
Then I prepared for battle.
“Let’s go.”
-I shall wield my blade for my liege!!!!
-I-I’ll do my best too!
“I too shall give my all.”
My three retainers and I moved forward.

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