The Game of a Legendary Genius Dark Mage - Chapter 44

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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 44
Episode 44
0.
After leaving Rocks’ Tomb and parting ways with Kim Che-gun, what I did next was only natural.
Whenever I obtained rewards, checking them took priority, didn’t it?
This time, I’d acquired quite a haul.
There was a certain thrill in opening them up.
Within the dungeon, no particularly useful drop items had appeared.
Just a minor demon’s tail or so.
The first reward I examined was a title I hadn’t obtained in quite some time.
Since it was an evolution of an existing title rather than something entirely new, it felt a bit different.
『Treasure Explorer』
→《Epic》
→A title bestowed upon users who discover hidden doors within a Hidden Dungeon in a single attempt.
→Drop rate increased by 20% within Hidden Dungeons.
→Hidden door detection rate increased by 20% in all dungeons.
‘Hmm.’
It had evolved from Rare to Epic, and a new hidden door detection option had been added.
Though discovering Hidden Dungeons wasn’t particularly common.
The newly added option was a hidden door detection rate increase across all dungeons.
It was quite a useful option.
Lately, I’d been making good use of dungeons.
So then, should I check the next reward?
No, there’s something I need to do before checking rewards.
[You have acquired a Rare-grade skill, 『Corpse Poison』!]
[You have acquired an Epic-grade skill, 『Explosive Poison』!]
Without hesitation, I immediately used both skill books and acquired the two skills.
『Corpse Poison』
→《Rare》
→[Lv 1][Growth-type]
[Passive Effect][Active]
[Cooldown 3 minutes]
[Poison Duration 30 seconds]
→Exclusive skill for Dark Mage class professions.
→Infuses poison into corpses using mana.
→The poison spreads gradually, poisoning enemies.
『Explosive Poison』
→《Epic》
→[Lv 1][Growth-type]
[Instant Effect][Active]
[Cooldown: 3 minutes]
→Exclusive skill for Dark Mage class jobs.
→Detonates poison to inflict poison damage and explosion damage while spreading the toxin.
“Wow.”
Yoo Sung-hyun’s mouth fell open at these skills.
Even Corpse Poison alone was an incredibly useful effect.
Since it could be used as long as there was a corpse.
But on top of that, the effect of the detonating poison was practically broken.
Epic grade was already a high tier.
Yet despite being this good, it was merely Epic grade.
‘Multiple poisons would synergize together, wouldn’t they?’
If I used only Corpse Poison, poison would spread from the corpse.
That spread would certainly be slow.
But if I used the detonating poison instead?
The poison coating the corpse would rapidly detonate and spread quickly throughout the area, dealing both poison and explosion damage simultaneously.
And if I used Corpse Explosion on enemies already poisoned.
These were combo effects.
Corpse Explosion, Corpse Poison, Detonating Poison.
‘No matter how I use them, combos are possible.’
After acquiring the skills.
Yoo Sung-hyun visualized various combinations in his mind.
Then he pulled out the final reward.
An item that could be called Rocks’ final masterpiece!
『Dark Magic Refinement Stone』
→《Epic》
→A crystal created by refining dark magic to its absolute limit.
→Can elevate the grade of items related to dark magic.
→However, it cannot exceed Epic grade.
“Grade elevation?”
Could it really raise an item’s grade?
Yoo Sung-hyun’s eyes widened as he swallowed hard.
There was the drawback that it couldn’t surpass Epic grade, but still, that was remarkable.
And conveniently, I had one item in my possession.
An item meaningful to me.
‘Will this be enhanced too?’
With that thought, Yoo Sung-hyun pulled out a staff he hadn’t taken out in quite some time.
It was the staff he had received from the village chief of Hindel Village.
『Staff of the Forgotten』
→《Rare+》
→A staff now forgotten, its original user lost to time.
After countless ages had passed, the original owner’s identity remained unknown, but the faint power lingering in the staff was enough to suggest that its previous user had been a formidable Dark Mage.
→Mana recovery slightly increased after using Dark Magic skills.
→Power of Dark Magic skills slightly increased.
I wondered if this could be enhanced as well.
With that hope in mind, I reached for the Dark Magic Refining Stone.
Just then, a system message appeared.
[This item can be enhanced with the 『Dark Magic Refining Stone』.]
[For some reason, the Staff of the Forgotten trembles.]
[There may be additional effects.]
[Will you use the 『Dark Magic Refining Stone』 on the 『Staff of the Forgotten』?]
[Yes / No]
‘Hmm?’
What did that mean?
Additional effects might occur?
Come to think of it, the Staff of the Forgotten itself was presumed to be Helena’s staff.
In other words, couldn’t the Dark Magic Refining Stone draw out the hidden power within it?
With that expectation, I immediately used it.
I had no intention of using it anywhere else anyway.
I activated the Dark Magic Refining Stone at once.
A black mist-like energy began seeping from the Dark Magic Refining Stone, and the Staff of the Forgotten started absorbing it completely.
Unlike its initial absorption,
the staff gradually devoured the energy with ravenous hunger.
The Dark Magic Refining Stone rapidly lost its luminescence, cracks spreading across its surface before it shattered into powder in my grasp, scattering away.
Then a brilliant teal light erupted from the Staff of the Forgotten, and a system message appeared before my eyes.
[Congratulations! The Rare+ grade item, 『Staff of the Forgotten』, awakens the power that had been dormant within it through the 『Dark Magic Refining Stone』!]
[Through successive evolution, it surpasses the existing effects of the 『Dark Magic Refining Stone』.]
[The Rare+ grade item, 『Staff of the Forgotten』, completes its evolution into the Epic+ grade item 『Staff of the Apprentice Lord』.]
“Hah.”
A sigh escaped me.
Epic grade and above were supposed to be impossible.
Yet it evolved to Epic+ grade.
And its name—Staff of the Apprentice Lord.
As expected, it truly was Helena’s staff.
Without hesitation, I quickly examined the item.
『Staff of the Apprentice Lord』
→《Epic+》(Growth-type)
→Despite the countless ages that have passed, its power remains intact, revealing it to be the staff of a great lord.
→However, though the original owner’s identity is lost to time, the specific lord who wielded this staff cannot be determined.
→Mana recovery increased by 5%.
→Power of Dark Magic skills increased by 5%.
→If you meet special conditions, the item grows.
‘A growth-type item?’
It was a concept I’d never heard of before.
Growth meant that upon meeting special conditions, it would evolve into a Unique item, didn’t it?
I didn’t know for certain, but that seemed likely.
Yoo Sung-hyun blinked as he gazed at the staff.
‘Wow.’
I’d really obtained something incredible.
Looking purely at its effects, it fell short of Epic+.
But a growth-type item.
I’d originally intended to log out after checking the rewards.
How could I resist this?
A new skill combination and a new item.
I stowed all the swords away and drew only the staff, securing it at my waist as I quickened my pace, eager to test it immediately.
Like Sekan Village, this place was also the Second Town.
Since party hunting was mandatory in this town, I headed straight for the Village Square.
I could have gone to the Common Cemetery, but I didn’t.
After all, my purpose was to test the staff’s power and the poison, corpse explosion, and explosive poison.
The Common Cemetery, with only undead, wasn’t a particularly good hunting ground.
‘I need to find a party.’
Before meeting Kim Che-gun, I’d been somewhat reluctant to recruit party members.
In Manhu’s case, he’d tried to stab me in the back.
But that was like refusing to make kimchi out of fear of maggots.
After encountering Uz and Kallak, I’d come to think of it lightly.
‘Most of them were weak anyway.’
If Uz, Kallak, or Manhu had heard such a thought, they’d have been outraged.
But they were genuinely weaker than me.
I was vaguely aware of it.
Yet I often wondered if I was really that strong.
I’d never been particularly knowledgeable about games, and it had only been two days since I started.
Self-assessment was inevitably difficult.
When I looked at Kim Che-gun and others, I dimly sensed they were strong.
But I hadn’t truly felt it yet.
As I stepped out into the central square.
Despite the late hour, was it the aftermath of the event?
There were quite a few users present.
‘Oh.’
I let out a short exclamation and looked around.
There were still many seeking party members.
Most were older people, with those in their thirties to forties being the majority.
Occasionally, there were those who appeared to be in their late twenties.
“Looking for users to join the Red Goblin Settlement!!”
“Looking for users for the Sky Raccoon Den!! We’ve already found three!!”
“Looking for a user for the 2-person party dungeon Big Ant Nest! I’m a Rogue!! I know the geography and dungeons well!! Please!!”
These must be users playing after work.
Yoo Sung-hyun scanned through the crowd of people.
His purpose was roughly to find someone to go to a dungeon to test out skills.
As I was looking around like that.
One user stood out distinctly.
A user that others were gradually avoiding.
A Rogue user claiming to know geography and dungeons well, searching for a 2-person party.
‘Didn’t they say Rogues are somewhat disadvantaged early on?’
They said it was a somewhat ambiguous position.
A class capable of disarming traps, ambushing, wielding daggers, possessing quick mobility, and performing various tasks like pathfinding.
However, Rangers were far superior at trap disarming, and the same went for pathfinding.
Even in terms of mobility itself, speed-focused Swordsmen or Warriors could sometimes be faster.
In the early stages, there was no position as disadvantageous as this.
From the second class onward, once they learn concealment, they become a flying class, or so they say.
But the time before that is difficult?
That’s why everyone avoids them.
Even damage output and other things are ambiguous for this class.
‘Well, I can just fill in what’s lacking.’
With that thought, Yoo Sung-hyun approached the Rogue user and asked.
“Would it be possible to party with you?”
“Huh? Me, with me?”
“???”
Because they looked so desperate, I spoke to them.
Yet the Rogue user questioned back as if asking why they would party with them.
Should I party with someone else right now?
Such a thought suddenly bloomed, but Yoo Sung-hyun simply answered.
“Ah, this town is new to me, so I heard you know the geography well.”
“Huh? Ah! Ah ah! Hehehehe! Of course! I’ve cleared Big Ant Nest ten times! Let’s party then!”
“Ah, yes.”
The Rogue user, Nan Ji-ro, beamed at Yoo Sung-hyun with delight.
If this person is new to Oren, the Second Town, shouldn’t I, as a senior, guide them well?
They seem to be a user who hasn’t been playing for very long.
‘Of course a veteran like me should teach them, hehehehe!’
Nan Ji-ro, inwardly excited, resolved to teach Yoo Sung-hyun all sorts of things.
Unlike Nan Ji-ro, who was pleased and delighted.
Yoo Sung-hyun regarded Nan Ji-ro with some suspicion.
Another villain?
A thief user with an unusually flushed complexion.
Suspicious to anyone’s eyes.
And of all things, it’s a two-person dungeon.
The environment looked perfect for setting me up, but I didn’t pay it much mind.
If they attack, I’ll just subdue them.
With that, I accepted the party invitation.
『Yoo Sung-hyun-Lv.37-(????)』
『Nan Ji-ro-Lv.35-(Thief)』
“??????”
Question marks filled Nan Ji-ro’s face.
Didn’t he say this was his first time in Second Town?
Why was his level higher than mine?
As Nan Ji-ro pondered this, he blinked and looked at Yoo Sung-hyun.
Yoo Sung-hyun met his gaze as if asking what the problem was.
“Huh? Is something wrong?”
“Oh… um, Yoo Sung-hyun? You said this was your first time in Second Town…”
“Ah, I was in a different Second Town before. I only arrived in Oren recently.”
“Ah…”
Yoo Sung-hyun tilted his head in confusion as Nan Ji-ro’s face suddenly flushed with embarrassment and his posture became more respectful.
Why was he acting like that?
“Oh… I thought you were a beginner who just arrived in Second Town…”
“Ah! That’s understandable.”
“Yes, yes! Then, shall we go? I’ll show you the way!”
Nan Ji-ro respectfully guided Yoo Sung-hyun while thinking to himself.
‘I really put my foot in my mouth there, how embarrassing…’
Still, as I glanced at Yoo Sung-hyun’s appearance,
I could see he was wearing quite expensive items.
‘Looks like a student with some money at home.’
That’s exactly what it looked like.
The type who spends real money first.
Usually in such cases, their actual skill was somewhat lacking.
Nan Ji-ro judged Yoo Sung-hyun to be of that type.
It was trendy for those lacking confidence in their abilities to choose mage-class jobs.
So now,
‘I’ll need to take the lead and properly organize the front line.’
Even if my level was falling behind!
I’d change the stigma against thieves with my superior thief control!
With that noble purpose, Nan Ji-ro guided the way and arrived at Big Ant Nest.
True to its name, a massive cave entrance large enough to fit nearly five people.
It revealed just how massive the ants were.
And then came Nan Ji-ro’s explanation.
“Since this is your first time here, I’ll explain. The Big Ants that appear here travel in groups, but since the minimum party size is two, they’re relatively easy monsters.”
“I see.”
“Their defense is fairly strong, but they have a clear weakness—aim for the neck and you can dispatch them quickly. Haha! I’ll stand at the front and block them all for you!”
After listening to Nan Ji-ro’s explanation, Yoo Sung-hyun gazed at the Big Ant Nest and thought this would be perfect for testing.
Strong defense, but numerous enemies.
The ideal conditions for testing explosive-type skills.
Still, I should ask first.
Yoo Sung-hyun looked at Nan Ji-ro and spoke carefully.
“If they come out first, would it be alright if I test my skills first?”
“Huh?”
“Ah, I just acquired a new skill—it’s an explosive-type skill, so I was worried about catching you in the blast.”
“Oh! Yes, yes, of course. It’s actually better if you use the explosion first.”
Nan Ji-ro answered and nodded his head as if he found it somewhat amusing.
Every user wants to test newly acquired skills, but look at how unusually confident he is about explosions.
Explosive-type skills at this level aren’t particularly powerful in raw damage—they’re skills that deal wide-area damage.
Seeing Yoo Sung-hyun who didn’t seem to understand that aspect.
He was definitely some clueless young master.
By now, Nan Ji-ro was almost certain.
‘What if he’s disappointed?’
Nan Ji-ro worried a little.
He’d been through that himself once.
Yoo Sung-hyun’s level was higher than Nan Ji-ro’s, but he was confident he understood this game better.
And it was true.
Yoo Sung-hyun was only on his second day of playing.
And so they entered the dungeon.
As a thief, Nan Ji-ro should have taken the lead, but he didn’t advance first, respecting Yoo Sung-hyun’s request.
Not long after they both entered the dungeon.
True to the name Big Ant Nest, Big Ants swarmed and rushed toward them.
Their number reached a full six.
Nan Ji-ro, slightly startled by the considerable swarm, shouted to Yoo Sung-hyun.
“The neck is the weak point!”
Yoo Sung-hyun nodded and raised his staff, summoning bone arrows.
Before he could even be surprised by how much less mana it consumed than usual.
The bone arrows shot out rapidly the moment they materialized, striking precisely at the neck of the Big Ant in the center of the swarm.
Thunk!
[Critical Hit!]
[The effect of 『One Strike』 activates!]
The struck Big Ant staggered momentarily, caught off guard.
The damage was far greater than expected.
“Oh!?”
Nan Ji-ro was visibly startled, not expecting the first strike to land so effectively.
Yoo Sung-hyun paid it no mind and swept aside the obstruction before unleashing another spell in rapid succession.
The bone arrow was on cooldown, so Yoo Sung-hyun relied instead on the skill he had created—the vengeful spirits of the departed.
Gripping his staff, he channeled the skill, and teal-colored light coalesced in the air, forming the shape of a spear.
As Yoo Sung-hyun pointed his staff, the teal spear of light responded.
It shot forward like lightning toward his target, and the Big Ant, devoid of any will to evade, had its neck pierced clean through.
[Critical Hit!]
[You have gained experience.]
‘Huh? It’s already dead?’
Watching the Big Ant collapse after just two strikes, Nan Ji-ro sensed something was amiss.
Even accounting for its weakness, a Big Ant shouldn’t fall in merely two attacks.
Puzzled, he glanced toward Yoo Sung-hyun.
Yoo Sung-hyun himself seemed quite pleased with the result.
‘The damage output is higher than usual.’
The mana consumption was lower, and the damage dealt was considerably stronger than before.
Though the difference was subtle.
The effect of the Evolved Apprentice Lord’s Staff was undeniable.
Yoo Sung-hyun began unleashing his skills in earnest.
The moment the creature at the center of the swarm fell, he raised his staff and cast Poison Mist first.
Fssssss.
A verdant mist rose from the corpse.
Slow but relentless in its spread.
Sensing the poison as they charged, the Big Ants immediately scattered from the center of their formation.
As the gaseous toxin touched the ants’ bodies.
Skreeeeeee!
The portions where the poison made contact began dissolving the ants’ hardened exoskeletons.
“Kyeeeee!”
“Kyiiik!”
A potent acidic poison that melted flesh on contact!
The Big Ants writhed in agony as the dense verdant mist spread from the point of contact, dissolving their bodies in a horrific display, and they all desperately tried to escape the area.
But then, small flames suddenly ignited within the verdant mist.
Yoo Sung-hyun unleashed another skill against them.
The Big Ants cried out in unison as the dense verdant mist spread from the point of contact, dissolving their bodies in a horrific display, and they desperately tried to escape the area.
But then, small flames suddenly ignited within the verdant mist.
BOOOOOM!
An explosion erupted from within the verdant mist.
The massive explosion consumed all the Big Ants.
Engulfed in flames from the blast, the verdant mist didn’t dissipate but instead spread outward in all directions.
The green energy coiled around the giant ant, followed by a violent explosion.
But it was far from over.
From the two giant ant corpses created by the blast, brilliant sparks ignited once more.
Another explosion erupted from their center.
KABOOOOOM!!
The rumbling echoed through the cavern.
The entire cave trembled as if shaken to its foundations.
I could gauge just how devastating that explosion had been.
The blast rippled outward, conjuring thick black clouds that billowed upward, only to scatter into the void as wind swept through, as if they had never existed.
Where the black clouds had dissipated lay only the ravaged earth, torn asunder by the explosion.
“???”
Nan Ji-ro watched the spectacle unfold, then blinked and looked at Yoo Sung-hyun.
His posture became far more respectful than before as he spoke.
“Please spare my life.”
“What???”
It seemed he had thoroughly misunderstood the situation.

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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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