The Game of a Legendary Genius Dark Mage - Chapter 285

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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 285
285
1.
The entrance to the Cerul Spire Magic Tower was teeming with crowds.
Quite a gathering, despite level 220+ players not being particularly numerous.
The reason they’d assembled was disarmingly simple.
To catch a glimpse of the champion, Yoo Sung-hyun!
That final match had been inspiring enough to captivate countless hearts.
Having witnessed such a spectacle—one brimming with emotion and narrative weight.
The crowds simply had to gather.
Desperate to lay eyes on him in person.
“Move aside, please!!!”
“Huh?! Someone’s entering over there???”
“Wait, isn’t that just a mage?”
“No!!! I need to get into the Magic Tower!!!”
With so many people clustered together,
minor and major inconveniences inevitably arose.
Yet even those who suffered the disruptions couldn’t help but understand.
“Who wouldn’t rush to see him like that?”
“Honestly, I want to see him too.”
“Let’s just wait at the Magic Tower.”
“That was genuinely incredible.”
“When those two suns collided… I got chills, I’m telling you?”
Chaos had never been more absolute.
The gathered masses watched intently as people entered the Magic Tower.
Naturally, none of them resembled Yoo Sung-hyun.
Not even someone in a black robe appeared, leaving everyone disappointed.
Could he be receiving his reward on a different day instead?
As several people grew weary entertaining that possibility,
Yoo Sung-hyun was barely slipping into the Magic Tower, shielded by Fiora’s perception-blocking skill.
‘This crowd is no joke…’
Though Yoo Sung-hyun understood well that popularity wasn’t always a blessing,
this time felt unusually intense.
The finals must have resonated far more than expected.
After all, when had he ever broadcast himself fighting with such desperation and totality?
The vividness and vitality had transmitted to every viewer.
Yoo Sung-hyun could appreciate that much.
Though the inconvenience was unavoidable.
Thus, having entered the Magic Tower discreetly,
I made my way directly toward the Tower Master.
I could see Will Baghdad greeting them with quite a serious expression.
“Congratulations on your victory.”
For someone offering congratulations on winning,
his expression was remarkably grave.
Well, it couldn’t have been otherwise.
“I never imagined the Sword Saint would send his will like that….”
“I didn’t expect it either.”
“Unfortunately, since he didn’t openly use demonic energy, we lack justification. Even Over Palace would find it difficult to act.”
“I see.”
I hadn’t relied on Over Palace from the start anyway.
I let it pass without complaint.
In any case, once Sung-hyun arrived like this,
Will guided me to a seat and offered me a place to sit.
Once we both sat down,
he brought up the main topic of the championship.
“These are the championship prizes.”
“Excellent.”
Sung-hyun gathered all the weapons imbued with demonic energy.
A system message appeared.
[You have satisfied one of the succession conditions for the Necromancer Lord!]
[The following condition is now unlocked!]
[Obtain weapons imbued with demonic energy. (5 / 5)(Complete)]
[Destroy the heart of the demon race, the source of demonic energy. (Incomplete)]
“The heart of the demon race?”
As soon as Sung-hyun saw it, he tilted his head in confusion.
The weapons imbued with demonic energy had been the same,
but destroy the heart of the demon race?
It seemed to have little significance compared to being the lord of the spirits, the Necromancer Lord.
While Sung-hyun was puzzled like this,
Helena, standing behind him, nodded as if it made sense and kindly explained.
“Controlling spirits—that is, wraiths—is incredibly difficult. In the past, no one could do it, and the only beings who ever could were always the demon race.”
“Huh?”
The demon race were the only ones who could control spirits?
That made some sense.
Even if they were wraiths rather than souls, I could understand it a bit better now.
It was something only the demon race, who could be called evil, could do.
Sung-hyun listened quietly.
Will also chimed in.
“Precisely. Souls are said to be beyond even the gods’ control. It is known that only one’s own soul can be strengthened further. And the demon race were those most skilled in such matters concerning souls.”
“Even the gods cannot control them?”
“Yes. I cannot handle even the world’s will that transcends divinity.”
Watching Will answer so firmly.
I could do it, though.
I almost said that.
If it weren’t for Helena’s deep words.
-Actually, no one can handle souls. You can think of it as no one handles them the way Sung-hyun does. Even seeing souls was something no one—not even the demon race—could do. I didn’t say you had innate talent for nothing, you know?
Cannot handle even the world’s will that transcends divinity?
Then what exactly was I?
Such thoughts did cross my mind.
But since Sung-hyun had already categorized it as a superpower.
I could let it pass without dwelling on it.
When Sung-hyun’s concentration wavered for a moment and returned.
Helena explained again.
“The demon race handles the power that comes from corrupting souls—what’s known as demonic energy. Using that power, they’re said to control spirits, which are materialized souls.”
“Ah. So then?”
“Right, most spirits and wraiths possess power similar to that demonic energy. Originally, only demonic energy could control spirits and wraiths.”
Hearing Helena’s explanation.
Without demonic energy, spirits couldn’t be controlled.
Was she saying things were different now?
When Sung-hyun looked at them both with that expression.
Helena seemed somewhat embarrassed and averted her gaze.
Will spoke with a faint smile.
“It was Helena who established that spirits and wraiths, which could originally only be controlled with demonic energy, could now be controlled with dark power as well.”
“Ah.”
So if something that was impossible before became possible, I should credit Helena?
That seemed to be the case.
In any case, originally spirits could only be controlled with demonic energy.
So I wondered if that’s why I had to clear these conditions related to demonic energy now.
As Sung-hyun thought this.
Will nodded as if confirming the answer.
“Yes, so you need a process of understanding demonic energy, which can be called the source of necromancy. After that, if you draw out the Necromancer Lord’s power inherent in the Over Lord and inherit my Necromancer Lord, you’ll be able to draw out the true power of the Necromancer Lord.”
Only then did Sung-hyun nod as if he finally understood.
The reason for gathering five weapons imbued with demonic energy and the need to destroy the demon race’s heart as well.
As Sung-hyun sat there.
Will’s explanation continued.
“First, the task that must be done beforehand is gathering weapons imbued with demonic energy. When you combine five demonic weapons, you create a detector that can locate the demon race.”
“Oh?! So I just find them that way and eliminate them?”
At Sung-hyun’s words, Will shook his head.
“You cannot rashly kill the demon race once you find them.”
“What condition is there?”
“The heart of a demon doesn’t reside within a body like that of an ordinary living creature.”
“What? Then….”
“They keep it separate, much like a lich’s phylactery. So even if you kill the body, it simply resurrects from the heart—reckless attacks will only invite disaster. Since you can only pursue the demon’s physical form with the Demonic Weapons, you’ll need to set a trap to locate the heart.”
I focused intently on Will’s explanation.
This was what I needed to do now.
“Demons disguise themselves, so at first glance they might appear human or like ordinary creatures. But there are times when they inevitably lead you toward where their heart is hidden.”
Will spoke with meaningful weight to his words.
Helena seized the moment with evident amusement, stealing the next line.
“It’s when they’re trying to corrupt your soul!”
“Precisely.”
Will nodded in agreement with Helena’s words.
I tilted my head and asked, “If a soul becomes corrupted….”
“You can’t control an uncorrupted soul, but a corrupted one? That’s another matter entirely.”
“You can even kill the owner of a corrupted soul and turn them into a specter under your command. Since the Overlord is a foreigner, they likely cannot convert your soul into a specter—which is precisely why they find it so delightful to try controlling you.”
“Demons can’t help themselves when they see capable individuals. They’re desperate to make them their subordinates. Sung-hyun, just by lingering nearby, they’ll naturally try to lead you straight to where their heart is.”
“I share that assessment. The demons might even end up fighting each other over you.”
From that conversation, I gathered all the information I needed about demons.
I’d need to be extremely cautious.
While mulling this over, a sudden question occurred to me.
If I couldn’t manipulate souls, how could they corrupt mine?
Curious, I asked Helena about it.
-So Helena, if you can’t interfere with souls, how do you corrupt them?
-Actually, you don’t corrupt the soul itself—you corrupt the aura or energy it emanates. You still can’t directly affect the soul. So I create a similar wavelength using dark magic to control specters. Turns out dark magic is even more efficient than demonic energy for this purpose. The demons were so jealous when they found out, they nearly burst.
At Helena’s words, I let out a soft chuckle.
Now that I’d learned the next condition, I retrieved all the Demonic Weapons.
Today had been exhausting, certainly.
But wouldn’t it be wise to know where to go, even if we set out tomorrow?
As I spoke, I drew out the Demonic Weapons.
Will, as if he’d been waiting, unfolded a map.
Then we merged the Demonic Weapons together.
The demonic energy intertwined, transforming into the shape of an Orb.
The Orb’s demonic energy rose and pointed to one section of the map.
The nearest location of a demon.
None other than Heptarion, the Seventh City.
And even there, it was pointing toward the Magic Tower.
“Oh.”
At the sight, I let out an exclamation.
And even there, it was pointing to the Magic Tower.
“Oh.”
Yoo Sung-hyun let out an exclamation of admiration upon seeing it.
Will’s expression crumpled in displeasure instead.
Why was he reacting that way?
Yoo Sung-hyun looked at Will with evident confusion.
Will, noticing Yoo Sung-hyun’s bewilderment, explained himself.
“Hmm, it seems we’re in rather a difficult position. Though I did anticipate this much.”
“What’s so special about Heptarion?”
Since Yoo Sung-hyun still lacked knowledge of the geography in this realm.
He asked for clarification.
Will answered, his tone betraying considerable concern.
“It’s a city within the Riescan Kingdom—and one of the few places housing a Magic Tower, the Caliber Magic Tower.”
“Ah….”
The Riescan Kingdom again? Really?
The thought crossed my mind naturally, though I didn’t regard it as particularly grave.
But why was Will taking it so seriously?
As I blinked in contemplation.
Will offered further explanation.
“Since the Sword Saint just suffered defeat and withdrew, they’re likely preparing retaliation.”
“…Retaliation?”
With Over Palace present, I wondered if they’d truly be bold enough to act—unless their audacity knew no bounds.
“The Riescan Kingdom has no Over Palace branch within its borders. They’ve likely judged that within their own territory, they can handle matters themselves, and issued orders accordingly.”
“…So… what then?”
“Infiltration will prove exceedingly difficult. Not impossible, mind you… but thorough disguise will be essential.”
“Hmm, I suppose I’ll need to pose as a knight.”
“I’ll assist with that. I’ll need to draft a letter of recommendation.”
“Excellent.”
Thus my infiltration as a knight was decided.
And since disguising myself as a knight to enter a Magic Tower was entirely new to me.

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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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