The Game of the Greatest Black Mage
Chapter 176

[Translator - Prøks]

[Proofreader - Prøks]

Chapter 176

“Haaaah.”

Seonghyun woke up with a long, drawn-out yawn.

He stared blankly for a moment before stretching his body.

After a light stretch, Seonghyun changed his clothes and went outside.

Lately, his body had been feeling sluggish.

Should he say it was becoming a little difficult to bear?

That’s how he felt.

He wasn't sure if it was because he had absorbed the memories of so many knights.

While he hadn't started going to the gym yet, he had taken to waking up in the morning for a jog.

Circling his neighborhood while breathing in the early morning air was more refreshing and pleasant than he'd expected.

Since he spent such long hours in the capsule, he now understood why people said that exercise was essential for the long run.

“Huuuh.”

As a cloud of white vapor escaped his lips, he inhaled the cool air deep into his lungs.

It felt like his mind was instantly awakened.

Even the blood circulating through him seemed to cool, giving him the feeling that it was waking up every corner of his body.

And this was only his first day.

He felt like he could get addicted to this.

‘I never used to like exercising.’

His personality hadn't changed. He was certain of that.

It was just…

‘I’ve come to understand the benefits of exercise.’

He was quickly realizing the benefits and enjoyable aspects of exercise that he had been unaware of before.

It wasn't a bad feeling.

No, it was actually a good one.

Getting healthier was a very good thing, wasn't it?

Seonghyun nodded to himself at the thought.

He had run about 5km this morning before returning.

For a first-time runner, it was quite remarkable.

His pace was also impressive, between 4 minutes 50 seconds and 5 minutes per kilometer.

It was a pace that would have been difficult without a fairly well-trained body, but Seonghyun accomplished it with ease, thanks to the memories and experiences of the ghosts.

Had Yoo Mina seen him, she would have been genuinely annoyed.

Fortunately, she wasn't there to witness it.

As he returned from what was, by his standards, a light run, the delicious aroma of food greeted him.

“Oh.”

“Oh my~! Seonghyun, you're back~? So diligent this early in the morning~”

His mother, Lee Nakyeong, greeted him with a pleased smile.

She seemed very proud to see him managing his physical fitness even while gaming and added another comment.

“Jogging is good for your health, you know~”

“Haha, it was really refreshing. I'm going to go wash up.”

“Alright~ Go on, then~”

“What, you went jogging this morning?!?”

Awakened by their voices, Yoo Mina opened her bedroom door and asked.

Seonghyun nodded nonchalantly.

“Yeah, I went for a decent run.”

“Oooh? Hehe, that’s great.”

Feeling a bit embarrassed by his mother and sister's praise, Seonghyun quickly entered the bathroom to take a shower.

When he came out after washing up, breakfast had been set on the table with perfect timing.

Since his family was already seated, Seonghyun sat down at the table without drying his wet hair.

“Ahem, Seonghyun, you worked hard this morning.”

His father, Yoo Gwangjin, spoke, sounding a little awkward.

Seonghyun also gave a slight smile at his words and nodded.

“Huh? Ah. Thank you.”

“Alright, let’s eat.”

Amidst the atmosphere of a normal meal, various conversations were exchanged.

It was a scene that could be called the very picture of an ideal family.

In the middle of it all, Yoo Mina asked as if she had just remembered something.

“So, did you catch that guy? Ca… Ca… What was his name again?”

“Carmin?”

“Oh!? So you did catch him?”

“No way…?”

“Hehe, the one I almost caught, you finished him off completely! That’s my little brother for you, hehehe.”

At her words, Seonghyun, who had been thinking ‘it couldn’t be,’ had his suspicion confirmed.

‘So it really was my sister?’

He looked at Yoo Mina with a knowing expression.

To think the user with a single sword was none other than Yoo Mina.

Wait.

That meant his sister had let the guy get away.

It was strange.

‘Would my sister really let someone she was about to catch escape?’

With that thought, Seonghyun asked.

“How did you let him get away?”

“Ah, that? Well, the system stepped in and blocked me. It asked me to please not kill him.”

“Huh?”

The system makes requests like that?

Then, he suddenly recalled similar incidents.

Hadn't Seonghyun himself experienced his skills being adjusted twice?

It was possible.

“I guess he was a boss that wasn't supposed to be beatable? But when I was about to get him, the system apologized and offered me a huge pile of rewards, so I accepted. It seemed like there was some plan, but seeing as you caught him anyway, I guess it’s a relief.”

“Hmm.”

To think there was a story like that behind it.

Hearing the history, it was more interesting than he thought.

Perhaps because the topic of the game had come up, his sister Yoo Mina began to ask more questions.

“Is it about time for your 3rd Class Advancement?”

The 3rd Class Advancement starts at Level 150 and takes place in the fifth region.

Seonghyun knew this, so he shook his head and replied.

“Mmm, not yet. Now that I’m in the 140s, leveling up has definitely gotten slower.”

“That part is the most annoying. So what level are you now?”

“141, I think?”

“Still, that’s fast. You can start preparing for your 3rd Class Advancement soon.”

At his sister's words, Seonghyun nodded as if thinking, ‘I see.’

Then, a thought suddenly occurred to him.

‘How do I start the 3rd Class Advancement?’

A dawning suspicion made him look at his sister, who was eating beside him.

Yoo Mina tilted her head as if to ask what was wrong.

“Why?”

“The 3rd Class Advancement… by any chance… do I have to do it in the first city I arrived at in the fifth region?”

“Yep, that’s right. Even if you moved to a different area for a bit, you have to go to the jurisdiction of your class in the city you first visited. In your case, Seonghyun, that would be Overpalace, right?”

“Ah…”

‘I guess I’ll have to meet Branch Manager Belmore.’

Even though it was a bit annoying and burdensome, the man was very helpful.

Thinking it couldn't be helped, Seonghyun scratched his head.

‘Anyway, I’ll have to go back to Pentagrid.’

As Seonghyun tried to ignore the thought and focus on his food, Yoo Mina spoke again.

“Ah, and this is usually when they say you’re no longer a rookie. The 3rd Class Advancement is the turning point where you start getting treated as an intermediate player.”

“Intermediate?”

“Yeah, because your class goes through a huge transformation starting from the 3rd Class Advancement.”

“Oh?”

“It’s rare, but there are even cases where your class’ rank increases.”

This was the first time Seonghyun had heard this, and he was a little surprised. A rare increase in class rank? Did that mean some Legendary-rank classes could become Almighty-rank?

As Seonghyun thought this, Yoo Mina must have read his expression.

“Yep, I hit Almighty-rank during my 3rd Class Advancement too. There aren’t as many born Almighty-ranks like you as you’d think. Though they say the new rookie who just joined is a born Almighty-rank as well.”

“The new person is an Almighty-rank?”

“Yeah. Still, there usually isn't a big difference between a born Almighty-rank and a class that leveled up to Almighty at the 3rd advancement. To be precise, there's almost no difference. But an Almighty-rank with ‘Lord’ attached is higher than a regular one. Like me or you. Did they say the rookie was a Lord, too?”

“Oho.”

As Seonghyun showed interest in the new information, Yoo Mina told him various other things.

And then.

“Anyway, I heard that even born Almighty-ranks go through a pretty big change at their 3rd Class Advancement.”

‘Well, I did get the Death Legion Commander at my 2nd Class Advancement,’ Seonghyun recalled. And wasn’t it not just Yoo Mina, but Helena too, who said he should look forward to his 3rd Class Advancement?

‘I should hurry up and get this class advancement done.’

Seonghyun smiled, his face full of anticipation.

‘Anyway, I need to level up quickly right now. And isn’t there a good quest just in time for that? I wonder if the spy I sent to Basilica is doing well?’

With those thoughts, Seonghyun finished his meal and got up from his seat. He couldn't stand the curiosity any longer.

“Thank you for the meal!”

Shouting that, Seonghyun quickly cleared his own dishes and hurried into his room.

Watching him, his family smiled with pleasure.

When had Seonghyun ever been so interested in something?

As they were fondly thinking how much brighter Seonghyun had become, his mother, Lee Nakyeong, suddenly asked.

“Oh my~! Honey, aren't you going to be late~?”

“Ah!?”

After that, his father, Yoo Gwangjin, hurriedly dashed outside.

To think he would almost be late just from listening so fondly to Yoo Mina and Seonghyun's conversation.

And so the family's morning flowed on.

1.

Basilica, the Mastermind of the Labyrinth.

A city that profited by killing all sorts of adventurers and outsiders in the labyrinth.

A trio had arrived there.

As the three of them, standing before the walls of Basilica, took off their deep hoods one by one, their forms were revealed.

A bat beastkin, a spider beastkin, and a snake beastkin with the head of a snake.

After about a day, Sibren and his party had arrived at Basilica.

Although they had returned to their own city, the atmosphere was frigid.

It was not a place where they would be welcomed or celebrated for their return.

It had always been that kind of city.

“Kuhuhu, this kind of atmosphere is actually more comfortable.”

“That's right.”

“…”

The bat and the spider said as much, but Sibren didn’t even pay them any mind.

A city that offers no faith or trust.

A city where everyone uses each other.

Wasn't it just what you’d expect from a place called the Mastermind of the Labyrinth?

As soon as the trio entered the city, they headed for the royal castle.

They were spies and assassins, but strictly speaking, their position was the same as that of Ninyaru's knights.

When they reached the castle, a figure in dark clothing guarding the front asked.

“Sibren’s squad. The mission?”

He looked like an assassin to anyone who saw him, and the sight of him guarding the palace entrance was quite unfitting, yet it was also a familiar sight.

As the gatekeeper asked his question, Sibren spoke softly.

“A success.”

“Sibren returned because he succeeded; do you think he would have come back if he failed?”

“What a pathetic question.”

The bat beastkin and spider beastkin at his side chimed in.

The brows of the guard at the entrance furrowed deeply.

It was an arrogant way to speak, but they weren't wrong.

So, with an annoyed tone, he let them pass.

Upon entering the royal castle, Sibren walked in with unshaken eyes and was able to reach the king's throne room.

Looking at the hall of the throne, with its massive pillars and the grand seat itself, Sibren trembled slightly without realizing it.

‘Impossible.’

He had considered attempting an assassination, just in case.

Impossible.

This king, too, was the absolute ruler of this city, just like Nyao, the king of Ninyaru.

Wicked red eyes, stretched long and horizontally, looked down on Sibren with arrogance.

A black snake beastkin with a small build sat on the throne.

As if to clearly show he was the king of this place, his unfiltered power radiated from him.

The heavy, oppressive air was difficult for even Sibren to bear.

It was a situation where his head bowed of its own accord.

The king asked.

“The information?”

“...I have brought it.”

At the same time, Sibren laid out the information he had brought—to be precise, the fake information.

Of course, he had skillfully mixed real and fake information so it couldn't be detected.

The black snake beastkin listened to the entire story first.

After checking for anything strange and finding nothing, he nodded his head. It seemed the mission had been carried out well.

Making that judgment, the black snake beastkin smiled and said.

“Yes, you have done well.”

“...Thank you.”

“According to that information, we must prepare for war soon.”

The black snake beastkin muttered with a foul smile.

Then he looked at Sibren and said.

“You prepare as well.”

“...Thank you.”

“The war is in 10 days. Complete all preparations by then.”

“Yes.”

After answering calmly, Sibren left the hall of the throne.

Fortunately, he hadn't been caught.

If he had been, he knew better than anyone the king's nature of never letting a traitor go unpunished.

And as Sibren left that place, he thought.

He had finally obtained the information.

He immediately reported it to his master.

The information was transmitted to Seonghyun, who was far away in Ninyaru, the city in the upper part of the Labyrinth.

As Seonghyun, who had heard everything, smiled, a series of messages appeared.

[You have cleared the Hidden Chain Quest, 『Basilica and Ninyaru』!]

[A portion of the rewards will now be given.]

[You have acquired a massive amount of experience!]

[Level Up!]

[You have reached Level 142.]

[The remaining rewards can be received from an important NPC.]

[The Hidden Chain Quest, 『War with the Mastermind of the Labyrinth』 has been generated.]

Now that he had the information, Seonghyun looked at Ninyaru's royal castle and thought.

‘I guess I should go give them the information, too, right?’

[Translator - Prøks]

[Proofreader - Prøks]