The Game of a Legendary Genius Dark Mage - Chapter 35

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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 35
Episode 35
First, I ended the battle and sent all the undead back to the Underworld.
They spouted endless declarations of loyalty and obedience as they departed.
I simply ignored most of it and sent them through.
Next came the rewards, I suppose?
There were so many rewards that I didn’t even know where to begin.
I was utterly at a loss.
Sung-hyun wore a deeply satisfied smile.
Jinu approached Sung-hyun with recognition.
“Wow, no way. Y-you’re Sung-hyun hyung, the rookie from Rapid Guild!?!”
Jinu gasped in admiration, his eyes wide as saucers as he stared at Sung-hyun.
Sung-hyun tilted his head in confusion.
How did he know?
Suddenly, Sung-hyun recalled the video he had sent.
“Ah.”
“I watched that video! It was amazing! Your swordsmanship was incredible even on screen, but seeing it in person is something else! I almost didn’t notice the undead!”
“Hmm?”
That was strange.
Had Sung-hyun actually wielded a sword in that video?
He didn’t think so.
Sung-hyun sensed the oddity.
Jinu laughed nervously.
Something felt suspicious, yet I detected no malice.
Should I press him on it?
That’s what Sung-hyun thought.
“Ah! I have somewhere to be, so I’ll be going now! Oh, this is the clear reward! Please take it! I feel bad taking it when I didn’t really do anything!”
With that, he handed over the clear gold and a single item in the form of a book.
A book-type item from a dungeon like this?
That made it even more suspicious.
Sung-hyun regarded him with narrowed, skeptical eyes.
Jinu laughed awkwardly and vanished.
What on earth was that about?
‘From the way he spoke, it seemed like he knew about Rapid Guild without even watching the video.’
The video clearly did not show Sung-hyun wielding a sword.
I had hidden my swordsmanship, after all.
So how did he know about Rapid Guild?
Questions bloomed in my mind.
But first, I examined the gold and item Jinu had given me.
’50 gold?’
The clear reward was definitely 20 gold.
Yet they added an extra 10 gold on top of that.
Since I received experience points as well, that’s a bonus of sorts.
That much is understandable.
But the other book-type items made no sense to me no matter how I examined them.
While dungeons do drop various items, it’s said.
Do they really drop things like this?
『Skill Book – Corpse Explosion』
→《Rare》
→Consumable
→Can only be used by Dark Mage class professions.
→A skill book containing the Corpse Explosion skill.
→Upon use, you can learn the Corpse Explosion skill.
‘Hmm. I know skill books are genuinely rare.’
Especially Rare-grade skill books—their prices alone are said to start in the millions.
Yet someone simply handed over such a skill book and left?
It was suspicious, certainly, but I sensed goodwill rather than malice or hostility.
There’s no point in dwelling on it further—I won’t uncover anything new this way.
If they approached with good intentions, I’ll surely encounter them again someday.
With that thought, I used the skill book immediately.
[You use the Rare-grade skill book, 『Skill Book – Corpse Explosion』!]
[You acquire the Rare-grade skill, 『Corpse Explosion』!]
‘Excellent.’
I never expected to learn Corpse Explosion so soon—the very pinnacle of Dark Mage and Necromancer skills.
I gazed upon the skill with considerable satisfaction.
『Corpse Explosion』
→《Rare》
→[Lv 1][Growth-type]
[Instant Effect][Active]
[Cooldown: 3 minutes]
→Exclusive skill for Dark Mage classes.
→Infuse mana into a corpse to detonate it, unleashing devastating damage in all directions.
→Range and damage vary depending on the corpse’s condition.
Truly excellent.
I don’t know what their intention was in giving this to me.
But I’ve confirmed it wasn’t malicious.
What else should I examine from the rewards?
There were too many items to know where to start, so I first looked at what I’d obtained from clearing the dungeon.
『Hobgoblin Warrior Adum’s Greatsword』
→《Rare+》
→A greatsword once wielded by Adum, the hobgoblin warrior.
→Its size is perfectly suited for human use.
→Warrior-class skill power slightly increased.
→Warrior-class buff skill effectiveness slightly increased.
‘Hmm.’
Underwhelming.
It wasn’t a low-tier Rare+ item, but still.
Clearly underwhelming.
It would be awkward for me to use.
And honestly, I had no desire to wield it anyway.
Deciding I should sell this instead,
I turned my attention to the next reward.
Next came one item each from the villain trio.
『Bow of Correction』
→《Rare》
→A bow that serves to correct one’s dexterity to some degree.
→Using this bow increases accuracy.
→Accuracy increased by 10%.
『Robe of the Swift Novice Flame Mage』
→《Rare》
→A robe favored by apprentice flame mages.
→Flame magic-class skill casting time slightly reduced.
→Flame magic-class skill power slightly increased.
『Ring of Speed』
→《Rare+》
→A ring imbued with mysterious protective magic that activates upon mere wearing.
→Movement speed +10% increased.
→Once per day, increases all speeds of the wearer by 10% for 10 seconds.
‘Excellent.’
One bow, one robe, and finally one ring.
I had no use for the bow and robe either.
These two would sell just fine as well.
But the Ring of Speed was different.
It was quite a valuable ring, comparable to a protective ring.
With effects I could use for quite some time.
I equipped the ring immediately and stored the rest in my inventory.
‘Is this the last one then?’
The class-exclusive skill I obtained after reaching level 30.
Its name was Lord’s Seal of Silence.
Anticipation stirred within me as I immediately checked the skill’s description.
『Lord’s Silence Edict』
→《Legendary》
→[Lv 1][Growth-type]
[Passive Effect][Active]
[Cooldown 10 minutes]
[Duration 5 seconds]
I shall mock the living who fall into an unspeakable curse, floundering slowly in the swamp of death.
→Exclusive skill for Overlords.
→Impose the Silence Edict upon an enemy, rendering them incapable of producing any sound.
→Enemies ensnared by the curse fall into a silenced state, temporarily sealing their mana.
‘Oh!!’
A silence-type curse skill.
Or more precisely, a mana-sealing debuff?
A skill capable of granting considerable advantage against opponents.
Though the duration was rather brief, if used just before an enemy unleashes their skill, it could cancel their ability—more than sufficient for such an effect.
Five seconds is enough.
Even if the opponent’s mental stat is high and they resist, I can seal their skills for at least two seconds.
‘This is truly excellent.’
Why are all the Overlord’s skills invariably this good?
Recalling Helena’s memories, I grasped how to employ it.
I’m certain I can use it effectively.
Though I have a promise with my sister, so I should hurry out.
‘I have sufficient time to test this.’
Sung-hyun smiled at that thought and headed out of the dungeon.
Two newly acquired skills and one item worth using.
I needed to test them all.
Sung-hyun’s memories of Jinu were already growing hazy.
5.
A user had logged out.
But instead of leaving the capsule, the user immediately logged back into the Eternal World.
The character selection screen displayed the character nicknamed Jinu and another character.
There, the user selected a different character.
A magnificent Fortress atop a cliff came into view, with a banner bearing the emblem of the wind spirit fluttering fiercely.
That grand Fortress upon the cliff was a natural stronghold.
Had anyone beheld it, they would have spoken thus.
The Fortress of the Rapid Guild.
Kim Jin-woo, who appeared at the Rapid Guild headquarters—that impregnable stronghold none dared breach—wore a playful smile, then shook his head with a gesture of mild boredom.
It was as though he found it all rather tedious.
A certain woman observed Kim Jin-woo’s demeanor.
Judging by her long robes and various items, she appeared to be a considerable mage user, and she regarded Kim Jin-woo with a questioning gaze.
He opened his mouth.
“Wow, the newbie really has a good sense, doesn’t he?”
“…A good sense?”
“Yes. The moment I made a slight mistake, he suspected me. During all that fumbling around while I was acting, there were no problems.”
“Hmm, that’s your mistake, but catching it immediately does show good instincts. What about skill?”
At the woman’s words, Kim Jin-woo’s expression hardened from a playful smile.
Kim Jin-woo, now wearing a serious expression, spoke as if somewhat incredulous.
“Legendary tier.”
“…That much?”
The woman knew well.
Kim Jin-woo’s evaluations were quite harsh.
Yet this Kim Jin-woo was calling someone legendary tier?
Just how skilled could this person be?
Unlike Kim Jin-woo, who rushed to judge directly with an alt character, the woman had watched the footage.
The overwhelming display of the undead legion was certainly impressive.
The proactive movements that no undead had ever shown before.
But wasn’t it ambiguous to call this skill?
If you considered it the performance of the class itself, perhaps.
But legendary-tier skill?
This was an expression from Kim Jin-woo, whose evaluations were notoriously harsh.
“The way he wields a sword is so good that I didn’t even think he was a Dark Mage. The undead act as if they have their own consciousness and were just praising the newbie hyung.”
“Hmm.”
“Anyway, this is absolutely a secret from Yoo-na noona.”
“I know. I don’t want to get scolded either.”
“Phew, then I should head out hunting. If I don’t want to get caught by the newbie hyung climbing back up, I need to work hard.”
As Kim Jin-woo spoke thus and set out for hunting with a serious expression, the woman swallowed and thought deeply.
If the newbie was at that level.
‘There would be no problem assigning him to that team.’
Lesil, the personnel manager of the Rapid Guild, murmured with a slightly impressed expression.
“Both siblings have this much talent. It’s really unbelievable.”
The older sister was among the top single-digit world rankers, and the younger brother had a class with an absurd tier, yet possessed skill that even Kim Jin-woo acknowledged.
The world felt truly unfair, but what could be done about it.
Lesil herself was also seen that way by others.
In any case, the team for Sung-hyun to join had been decided.
‘I should assign him to Luna’s team.’
The rookie team that could be called the most promising in the current Rapid Guild.
That’s where I planned to place Sung-hyun.
Then I would need to convince the guild master about it.
‘If I go to Yoo-na…’
Since it concerned her younger brother, I couldn’t predict what would happen.
6.
Though the Second Town practically forced party hunting upon its adventurers.
That didn’t mean hunting fields were entirely absent.
Among them, I chose the Common Cemetery—a place where Skeleton Mages frequently appeared.
After all, the best monsters for utilizing silence curse skills would naturally be sorcerers or mages.
Every town had a Common Cemetery field.
Particularly from the Second Town onward, skeletons appeared in diverse varieties.
Skeleton Mages, Skeleton Warriors, Skeleton Archers, and so forth.
A place teeming with variety.
There, I quickly spotted a group of skeletons containing a Skeleton Mage.
Three Skeleton Warriors, one Skeleton Archer, and one Skeleton Mage.
‘Excellent.’
They’d created such large groups to force party combat.
Though their numbers were considerable, it mattered little to me.
I could have summoned undead from the Underworld, but even without that, I could face them alone.
First, I grasped a teal-hued spear in the empty air toward the Skeleton Archer—the one most likely to prove troublesome—and hurled it immediately.
Simultaneously, I conjured bone arrows and fired them forth.
Whoooosh!
Thunk!
[Critical Hit!]
[The effect of 『One Strike』 activates!]
[Critical Hit!]
[Experience acquired!]
The teal spear and bone arrow, slicing swiftly through the air, lodged directly in the archer’s skull.
Its body crumbled to dust—instant death.
Evidence that my level and attack power had risen considerably.
Yet I seized a sword in each hand without hesitation.
In my right hand, the blade of Hindel the Apprentice Hero.
In my left, the fang of a tiger.
The moment I gripped both swords, I activated the Ring of Speed’s effect.
Pop!
My form shot forward faster than ever before.
Like an arrow loosed, I cut through the air and closed on the Skeleton Warriors, my blades flashing.
The shield-bearing skeletons hastily tried to block with their shields.
But with eyes gleaming teal, I swiftly thrust my longsword first, piercing through their guard.
Against skeletons, piercing strikes proved less effective than blunt force, though they weren’t entirely ineffective.
My longsword traced a keen, subtle blue arc, striking the Skeleton Warrior’s wrist with precision.
Crack!
[Critical Hit!]
[The effect of 『One Strike』 activates!]
The concentrated thrust was remarkably precise, leaving a long fissure across the Skeleton Warrior’s wrist.
And through that fractured wrist, the tiger’s fangs pierced deep as well.
Crack!
[Critical Hit!]
This time the wrist shattered completely, and the shield it held clattered across the floor.
With the Skeleton Warrior’s shield gone, the other two Skeleton Warriors rushed forward desperately—but it was already too late.
Sung-hyun’s longsword struck the Skeleton Warrior’s head with the flat of the blade rather than the edge.
Boom!
[Critical Hit!]
[You gain experience!]
The sheer destructive force of what should have been merely a flat strike reverberated through the air, and its body crumbled to dust.
Sung-hyun marveled inwardly at how completely it had been destroyed in a single blow.
Just now, I had amplified all my speed with the Ring of Velocity, delivering attacks far more rapidly and thus with greater force.
The effect was extraordinary.
By increasing my speed while simultaneously channeling the principle of weight—the heavy strike—from my swordsmanship, I unleashed an attack both swift and devastating.
A single blow was enough to shatter its skull.
At the same moment, Sung-hyun smiled as he observed the Skeleton Mage’s incantation directed toward him.
Finally, the opportunity to test it had arrived.
Sung-hyun raised his index finger toward the Skeleton Mage, brought it to his lips, and activated the skill.
“…What?”
The Skeleton Mage gazed at Sung-hyun’s form in confusion.
It attempted to complete its incantation without concern.
A chilling, ominous presence emanated from its spine.
Though the Skeleton Mage was undead itself, confronted with an aura far more chilling and sinister still, it found itself slowly turning its head without conscious thought.
Had something appeared behind it?
With that thought, it turned to look.
A figure stood there.
A shadow? No—this form sculpted from darkness itself had empty sockets where eyes should have been, resembling an endless abyss.
Infinite darkness filled the eyes of this darkness-wrought figure, and in that instant, it raised its index finger just as Sung-hyun had, bringing it to its lips.
Shh.
In that moment, darkness surged forth, grasping a teal-hued needle as it advanced upon the Skeleton Mage.
The Skeleton Mage, as though receiving an irresistible command from its master, found its legs immobilized.
It could only stand frozen in place, watching helplessly as the long, dark arm and needle drew near.
The darkness-wrought arm and the long teal needle that arrived next stitched the Skeleton Mage’s mouth shut, then vanished with a satisfied, grotesque smile.
Kekekekeke!
A chilling laughter echoed in its wake.
“…!!”
The Skeleton Mage felt its mana scattering and its body refusing to move, attempting to cry out—
But no sound emerged.
Silence itself.
Sung-hyun unleashed his skill upon the terror-stricken Skeleton Mage, targeting instead the two corpses beside the Skeleton Warrior and Skeleton Mage.
The lifeless bodies of the Skeleton Warrior and Skeleton Archer began to glow an ominous crimson.
As the pristine white bones ignited with scarlet flame, they swelled like an active volcano on the verge of eruption.
KABOOOOOM!
[Critical Hit!]×3
[The effect of 『One Strike』 activates!]
[Experience acquired!]×3
With a deafening roar that shook the very earth, the two corpses detonated in a cataclysmic explosion, billowing forth towering clouds of black smoke.
A most satisfying sight.
Both the corpse explosion and the Lord’s silence command proved remarkably effective.
The results aligned perfectly with my expectations.
Truly exceptional skills.
I had been granted yet another formidable weapon.
[A message arrives from outside.]
-Sung-hyun!! We need to get going soon!!
My sister’s voice.
Ah, has so much time already passed?
I found the trial equally satisfying, so I decided it was time to make my exit.

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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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