The Game of the Greatest Black Mage

Chapter 218

. With a sudden appearance, a young man spoke a name that caused confusion.

Behind him stood a woman wearing a grotesquely distorted doll mask, guarding him.

Luke, the hero, was surprised by their appearance.

But he was even more shocked by the name the young man mentioned.

To suddenly say the name of the previous hero.

Just as Luke was about to be on guard,

The will of all things in the world pressed down on him.

Kwa-gaaaang——!!!

“Ugh.”

An overwhelming pressure that made him feel as if his weight had multiplied by over a hundred.

Amid it, the woman with the distorted doll mask spoke.

“Don’t even twitch a finger.”

Her tone was arrogant and intimidating.

But it was her sharply honed aura that gave Luke goosebumps.

He immediately realized who the woman before him was.

Karina de Knockshail, the owner of the Dead Doll, one of Over Palace’s executors.

Luke knew she was one of the formidable strong.

Even Luke had no choice but to tense up at her appearance.

Yet the young man’s reaction remained the same.

His pupils trembled, voice shaky as if he was overwhelmed.

What had he seen to be like that?

Luke cautiously spoke.

“…I am Luke.”

“Ah.”

At Luke’s words, the young man came to his senses.

Had he been entranced by something?

He looked straight at Luke, no longer gazing into the void, and said.

“Excuse me. I am Seonghyun.”

“…You are…”

Kugugugugu——!!!

Just as he tried to speak more,

The pressure around grew thicker, and the spot Luke stood in sank.

It felt like a warning not to say more.

Feeling gravity strengthen, Luke coughed up blood.

“Kulkeok!”

Already injured and weak from being repelled earlier, his internal injury deepened.

Seeing Luke like that, the young man, no, Seonghyun, raised his hand to stop the woman.

Like magic, the heavy pressure lightened.

Seeing that, Luke became certain.

‘That one is the Overlord of this era.’

There was no other reason why someone like an Over Palace executor would follow the words of this immature stranger.

While Luke drifted into that thought,

Seonghyun too was lost in similar contemplation.

Or more precisely,

He looked toward a ghost behind Luke who, seeing he was recognized, looked both amazed and guilty.

A ghost with a familiar face.

Hindel, whom he had actually met in the past.

Seeing him, Seonghyun connected with the soul and asked through thought.

‘As you may have heard, my name is Seonghyun.’

-Haa… as you may also know, I am Hindel. I feel sorry to appear like this before a benefactor.

From those words, Seonghyun could feel Hindel’s guilt.

It was likely because of the sin he bore toward Helena.

He could not help but feel ashamed.

Looking at Hindel, Seonghyun fell briefly into thought.

The reason Hindel felt guilty was because he killed Helena.

But Helena did not mind much.

More than anything, she had even been glad to be freed by death.

Because of that, Seonghyun conveyed his thought to Hindel.

‘Helena is not particularly bothered, so please don’t worry. You know her personality, don’t you?’

-Hahaha…

In Hindel’s powerless laugh, there was a hint of sadness.

He knew her personality.

So why did he make such a mistake?

His expression seemed to be asking that.

It was understandable.

No matter what the circumstances were, it was true that he attacked Helena.

Because of that, Helena died.

So there was reason enough for him to blame himself.

-I still don’t know what I should say. I am ashamed.

At Hindel’s words, Seonghyun nodded in understanding.

And at the same time.

-So I wish to help the benefactor. I am willing to leave the successor.

At that, Seonghyun was a little surprised.

He was the guardian spirit of Luke, the hero who could be called his successor.

Yet he was saying he would even leave Luke.

Though surprised, Seonghyun nodded and did not refuse, reaching out his hand.

And Seonghyun absorbed Hindel’s memories and experiences.

[You have displayed abilities beyond your current stats with the Unknown Power.]

[Strength +15, Agility +2, Stamina +2, Wisdom +4, Intelligence +4 have permanently increased.]

A total of 27 stat points rose.

Enormous memories and experiences as well.

As Seonghyun absorbed the surging waves of Hindel’s experiences, he frowned slightly.

As expected, he could obtain some memories, but not in full.

In any case, after absorbing those memories, Seonghyun reached a hand toward Hindel.

There were eyes watching, after all.

-Ah! Thank you!

Just like with Helena, Seonghyun contained Hindel’s ghost, locking it into the hero Hindel’s necklace, then looked to Hero Luke.

Honestly, he had never imagined it would turn out like this.

It was an unexpected gain.

To obtain Hindel’s sword arts experience and some of his memories.

And he even got a glimpse of how he watched over Hero Luke after death.

‘Now I see why he so readily offered to help me.’

Of course, 90 percent of it was atonement for Helena.

It seemed that Hero Luke had also been quite frustrated.

The memories were nothing special, so Seonghyun looked at them too.

It was understandable.

Right in the middle of his growth period, wandering here and there like this.

There were reasons, but still.

He had definitely neglected training too much.

Anyway.

Having roughly settled the matter with Hindel.

“Hmm, hero, what brings you here?”

Now it was time to pay attention to Hero Luke.

His eyes flickered slightly at Seonghyun’s words.

But since he had revealed his name, there was no chance the hero’s identity was unknown.

Besides, wasn’t there an executor behind Seonghyun?

So it was natural.

At the same time,

“...I came to see you, the Overlord of this era.”

“Hmm, even if you came to see me, I don’t know much about Hindel’s history.”

“!?!?!?”

When asked why he had come,

He thought Seonghyun wouldn’t know.

But to think he would know as much as that.

To be honest, even Over Palace wouldn’t be able to know that much, he thought.

Seonghyun’s demeanor of surprise impressed Hero Luke greatly, and he swallowed hard.

If it were really that serious, then Seonghyun was probably already aware but pretending not to.

While Luke was lost in that thought,

Seonghyun thought it was a little pitiful not to say anything else.

So he said to him,

“Beware of the Rieszkan Kingdom.”

“...What?”

At Seonghyun’s words, Hero Luke flinched and trembled.

And the surprise was not only for Hero Luke.

Karina, who was protecting Seonghyun behind him, also seemed somewhat disturbed.

How did Seonghyun know?

That kind of disturbance.

But Seonghyun paid no mind.

Then, thinking that it might be enough,

He was about to leave when Karina suddenly stepped forward to protect him.

At the same time,

Kuuuung——!!!

Kwaaaang——!!!

Kwaaaaang——!!!

Three streaks of something fell from the sky.

Craters formed simultaneously around Hero Luke.

Three knights rose in a hero landing pose.

Each radiating strong energy.

Each one even stronger and fiercer than the energy Luke himself showed.

Watching that, Karina’s face visible through the grotesquely distorted doll mask twisted with anger.

At the same time,

A roaring surge rang out.

She pressed them down with a vicious, ominous navy-black aura.

Another thunderous wave crashed.

Karina’s pressure alone poured down from above like a fierce wave of energy, and the three knights simultaneously raised their hands to protect Hero Luke.

Crackle, crack!

A pressure so strong it felt as if space itself briefly warped.

Even with three protecting him,

Luke’s expression was not good.

A face that looked as if he might writhe in pain at any moment.

Karina spoke in a chilling voice as she looked at them.

“Do you even know where you are, for mere knights of Calibaron to trespass here?”

A voice that made it clear she would kill them on the spot if they did not answer.

At her question, one knight stepped forward as representative, bowed his head, and spoke.

“...We apologize, Executor and Master of the Dead Doll. We were forced to come because of our hero.”

“You set foot here for that kind of reason?”

At Karina’s words, the representative knight broke into a cold sweat.

Watching that, Seonghyun thought,

‘Isn’t that reason enough?’

He did think so,

But he did not say it aloud.

It was not the mood for that.

At the same time, Karina spoke to the knight.

“It seems the Rieszkan Kingdom wishes to be destroyed.”

“...!”

“!”

“!”

At her aura, which grew even fiercer, the faces of all three knights went pale.

She looked ready to kill them at any moment.

The instant all three thought of death,

Karina raised her hand to strike.

Seonghyun let out a quiet breath.

“Hmm.”

“...My apologies.”

Responding immediately to him, Karina withdrew the killing intent.

The three knights, who looked as if they might die any moment, collectively drew heavy breaths of relief, and Hero Luke had already fainted.

The three knights paid proper knightly respect to Karina and Seonghyun and spoke.

“...We are grateful for your mercy. We shall leave at once.”

It could be seen as humiliating.

Yet there was not even a hint of humiliation on their faces.

None of their pride or honor seemed broken.

They were simply relieved to have survived.

Karina still regarded the three with displeasure.

But even as an executor, killing a hero and three knights here would undoubtedly cause trouble.

Especially since she did not want any burden to fall upon Seonghyun, who was a traveler.

As if they knew that,

The three knights quickly hoisted Hero Luke and vanished from the spot in an instant.

“Hmph, quick to tuck their tails and run.”

Karina looked a bit sulky.

Seonghyun wondered if she was really the same person as a moment ago.

Anyway, peacefully?

In any case, it was resolved.

Seonghyun looked at Karina and said,

“I’m mostly done with matters in Hexia for now, so I’ll get going.”

Seeing Karina’s presence earlier, it was a little intimidating to even bring it up.

But it had to be said.

When Seonghyun said that,

Karina instead nodded as if pleased.

“Ah! I will make many preparations before you return.”

“Uh, yeah. Okay.”

What preparations was she going to make again?

It felt a bit burdensome.

But Seonghyun was not the type to refuse a favor.

Leaving Karina behind, he sifted through the parts of Hindel’s memories he could read and thought.

‘Let’s go to the City of Knights.’

There was something there Seonghyun wanted.

The next destination was set.

To the City of Knights, Sysbalt.

Just as Seonghyun was about to leave right away,

A capsule room alert rang in his ear.

[5 minutes remaining in your session.]

[Further charges will apply according to additional time used.]

Hearing an alert similar to those in internet cafés, Seonghyun chuckled, remembering this was a capsule room.

Come to think of it, time had flown.

The power outage at home should be over by now.

It would be better to continue from home.

‘Let’s head home for now.’

With that decision, Seonghyun exited the capsule.