The Game of a Legendary Genius Dark Mage - Chapter 222

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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 222
222
Leon’s eyes widened in surprise as he examined the credentials Yoo Sung-hyun had presented, but he quickly regained his composure.
A warrior of such caliber could certainly earn a knighthood.
The refined aura and the imposing presence that radiated from him.
Neither aspect seemed insignificant.
To think that a foreigner could achieve a knighthood.
Truly extraordinary.
After Leon elevated his assessment of Yoo Sung-hyun further.
He nodded.
“Yes, then you are worthy of receiving my letter of recommendation.”
With a letter of recommendation.
The possibilities certainly increased.
Leon held this thought and conversed with Yoo Sung-hyun.
Yoo Sung-hyun listened to his words and nodded in agreement.
Everything unfolded as I desired.
After hearing Leon’s plan, I was certain it was an excellent approach.
I learned about Ragna Ecrion.
What manner of person he was and what he was currently doing within the Equinox Knights.
As I heard facts that even Leon’s subordinates were unaware of.
I thought he was far more formidable than I had anticipated.
From what I heard, he was essentially at a level comparable to Carmine, the worst of Pentagrid.
If there was a difference.
‘It was that he concealed it thoroughly.’
Carmine, who descended into madness from a sudden outbreak of insanity, and Ragna Ecrion, who refined that madness and built his strength through skill.
I naturally felt he would surpass even Carmine.
Of course, since their levels differed, that was only natural.
What I meant by skill was something like control.
Carmine didn’t simply grow stronger from having a higher level.
‘His actual skill itself seems to be exceptional.’
Certainly, this level of ability was worthy of consideration.
As I expressed my satisfaction.
Leon explained his plan in meticulous detail.
How to draw out Ragna.
After that, there was discussion about needing to deal with Ragna alongside his allies.
But I could handle that alone when the time came, or even my Minions could manage it.
So I didn’t dwell on it.
I simply nodded after hearing the first stage of this plan.
As I nodded.
A Hidden Chain Quest notification appeared before my eyes.
[Hidden Linked Quest, 『Equinox Knights Entrance Examination』 has been created.]
I’d already received a letter of recommendation anyway.
Should I head to the Knights Order to enlist?
Come to think of it.
‘I’ve obtained the rank of knight, but this will be my first time actually joining an order.’
Thinking it might turn out to be more interesting than expected.
Yoo Sung-hyun shook hands with Leon.
2.
[The eternal world, Eternal World, awaits you.]
Reading the farewell message, Yoo Sung-hyun stepped out of the Capsule.
Meeting Leon and receiving the Hidden Linked Quest had gone well enough.
But there was one thing I hadn’t anticipated.
First, searching for Wehad’s diary had taken up some time.
The hour had grown late, and it was nearly time to log off.
‘The knight’s examination being in four days is a bit much.’
I’d have to wait three more days.
It was somewhat disappointing.
But that’s how the regular schedule works.
What could I do?
I’d just have to be patient.
In the meantime, I figured I could hunt around the area casually.
It would be a good opportunity to master my newly acquired skill, Lord of Darkness.
Yoo Sung-hyun accepted this and moved on.
As I stepped outside.
I ran into my older sister Yoo Mi-na, who had just returned home.
“You’re back already?”
“Yeah, since the power’s out anyway, I just went out and did my thing. Sung-hyun, you came back pretty quick?”
“Yeah, something felt off about the Capsule Room.”
“Huh… normally people don’t notice that, but of course our Sung-hyun would!”
“What?”
Even the best Capsule at the Capsule Room felt stiff compared to the one at home.
The responsiveness was noticeably sluggish.
Not dramatically so, just very slightly?
But others didn’t feel it?
How could that be?
“It can’t be. It felt really stiff to me.”
“Yeah, most people don’t notice that—you’d have to be at our level to feel it. The control lag is only about 5% worse than usual, so it’s genuinely hard for ordinary people to detect.”
“Oh? Really?”
At least to my perception, it felt worse than that.
But since my sister said so, I nodded in agreement.
That seemed to be the case.
Yoo Sung-hyun let it pass at that.
Yoo Mi-na chuckled softly as she watched him, then asked.
“So where are you now? Hexia?”
“No, I came to Sysvalt.”
“Sysvalt? Why there? Oh, you do have a knight’s title, right? Are you taking the Knights Order exam?”
Yoo Mi-na laughed as if joking and was about to enter the room.
But then.
“Yeah, I’m taking the Knights Order exam.”
“…What??? You were serious???”
Her reaction was far from ordinary.
Was there something about the Knights Order?
Yoo Sung-hyun asked back, finding her reaction strange.
“Why?”
“Well, since you have a knight’s title, you should be fine, right?”
“Why do you say that?”
“Well, usually when a player enters the Knights Order, they start with dog training. Or the hazing is absolutely insane.”
What could be so bad that she’d say it like that?
Yoo Sung-hyun was about to ask out of curiosity.
“They say managing horses is obvious, so you have to clean up horse manure, and then there’s armor maintenance and laundry duty like it’s the military.”
“Ah….”
The moment she mentioned it being like the military, Yoo Sung-hyun’s expression hardened noticeably.
It had been less than a month since Yoo Sung-hyun’s discharge.
It made sense.
Running like the military, huh.
To be honest, Yoo Sung-hyun’s military service hadn’t been particularly difficult.
But considering the medieval setting.
It would likely be far worse, not better.
He even felt like just giving up.
“Still, since you have a knight’s title, they shouldn’t treat you like that, right?”
“Th-that should be the case, right?”
Yoo Sung-hyun asked back, somewhat frightened now.
Yoo Mi-na merely shrugged, as if to say she didn’t know.
Surely he wouldn’t have to do military service even in a game?
With such thoughts, Yoo Sung-hyun felt a slight unease creeping in.
3.
The City of Knights, Sysvalt, didn’t hold regular knight exams.
Knight exams were held irregularly.
Today was one such occasion.
A knight exam that happened once a month, if that.
However, such an opportunity never came for the users.
The knight examination was restricted to official knights only, and even then, without a letter of recommendation like today’s test, participation was impossible.
Thus, users were effectively barred from participating.
Except for today.
Among the gathered knights, several watched in amazement as Yoo Sung-hyun openly revealed himself.
“Huh? A foreigner?”
“A traveler bearing a knight’s title?”
“I never would have imagined it.”
Some knights couldn’t help but admire Yoo Sung-hyun.
Yet many others felt jealousy watching him.
“How dare such a lowly foreigner appear at this sacred knight examination.”
“Whose letter of recommendation did he bring?”
“I’m certain it came from someone with no sense of honor.”
I understand those who climbed from squire to knight through sheer effort.
But that gives them no reason to belittle others.
Some of the older knights clicked their tongues at the young knights speaking so openly.
Yoo Sung-hyun, however, paid them no mind.
There was simply no reason for him to care what they thought.
Not that he deliberately ignored them.
Rather, their jealousy only heightened his sense of accomplishment at what he had achieved.
As the knights stirred up such minor commotion around Yoo Sung-hyun.
The sound of someone entering the Training Grounds echoed through the space.
‘They’ve arrived.’
Three knights radiating their aura without restraint.
Not a soul present was unaware of their identities.
The commander of the Solaris Knights.
The commander of the Valkyrie Guard.
And the commander of the Equinox Knights.
With all three gathered in one place.
Every knight present watched their entrance in composed silence.
Their overwhelming presence drew gasps of admiration from several younger knights.
Among them, Yoo Sung-hyun’s gaze fixed on Ragna Ecrion of the Equinox Knights.
The purpose of this Quest.
As Yoo Sung-hyun continued to observe Ragna Ecrion.
Ragna Ecrion’s eyes met his in return.
What thoughts each harbored remained unknowable.
‘Formidable.’
‘Impressive.’
Both Yoo Sung-hyun and Ragna Ecrion exchanged subtle acknowledgments before turning their attention elsewhere.
Yoo Sung-hyun had no need to reveal himself just yet.
Ragna Ecrion’s target wasn’t necessarily Yoo Sung-hyun, after all.
So he looked around at the others.
Not long after, Aizel Rictbert, the commander of the Solaris Knights, stepped forward and addressed them.
“I hope that in today’s test, you’ll all display your abilities to the fullest and manage to apply to the Knights Order of your choice.”
Though not a large number, they were all individuals who had received recommendation letters for admission to one of the three premier Knights Orders of Sysvalt.
Everyone listened intently to Aizel Rictbert’s words and nodded.
Each harbored the determination to stand out to one of them and gain entry into a Knights Order by any means necessary.
And in that moment, Aizel Rictbert called out.
“The first test will be conducted through duels. Receive your matchup assignments and wait for your turn!”
At that proclamation, everyone moved in perfect unison.
They received pre-prepared assignment sheets and would conduct one-on-one duels with whoever drew the same number as them.
What was interesting was that normally in such cases, even if there weren’t many people, multiple matches would proceed simultaneously.
But this test conducted only one duel at a time.
With fewer than twenty participants, such an arrangement was feasible.
When Yoo Sung-hyun drew his number as well.
‘Hmm. Number one.’
The first match, then.
Whether that was good fortune or bad.
Well, getting it done early and resting afterward wouldn’t be so bad.
Yoo Sung-hyun thought as much and waited.
“Duelists number one, come forward!”
At the call of a knight announcing numbers from the stage, Yoo Sung-hyun stepped forward.
And the knight facing Yoo Sung-hyun was one of the young knights who had criticized him earlier.
Since he hadn’t paid much attention, Yoo Sung-hyun didn’t even know who he was.
But the other certainly did.
“Haha, fortune smiles on me. To be matched against a foreigner, no less. This will be pitiful.”
“…?”
At such a cheap provocation, Yoo Sung-hyun tilted his head slightly in bewilderment.
He couldn’t fathom what the man was saying.
When Yoo Sung-hyun failed to respond.
The young knight, apparently growing heated, spoke again.
“Ha! You don’t actually think a foreigner like you could defeat a ‘true’ knight, do you? Let me show you real swordsmanship.”
Watching the young knight emphasize the word ‘true’ with particular force, Yoo Sung-hyun simply drew his blade without reacting, his expression calm and composed.
And the young knight, interpreting Yoo Sung-hyun’s demeanor as provocation.
Drew his own sword, his face flushing red as a kimchi pancake.
No further provocations or crude remarks were exchanged.
Only their blades pointed toward one another.
Once both had drawn and readied their swords.
The knight standing on the stage raised his hand to signal the beginning of the duel.
At the same moment.
Boom—!
Deep footprints carved into the Training Grounds floor.
Yoo Sung-hyun shot forward like a blur.
The Young Knight barely had time to react before Yoo Sung-hyun planted his front foot beside the Young Knight’s feet, reversed his grip on his sword, and drove the hilt into the Young Knight’s abdomen.
Crash—!!!
But the sound that erupted was nearly deafening.
As if a bomb had detonated, the Young Knight’s breastplate warped grotesquely, and he was hurled out of the Training Grounds.
Normally, when a victor was decided, thunderous cheers would erupt.
But they didn’t.
Instead, the crowd fell silent in shock.
“V-victor: Yoo Sung-hyun.”
The referee knight called out a beat too late.
“Woooooaaahhhhh!!!”
“Ooooaahhhhh!!!”
“Woooooaaahhhhh!!!”
“Absolutely insane!!!”
Several knights erupted in cheers.

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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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