LIGHTNOVELSTORY Chapter 12
Chapter 12
In games, trials usually involved tough quests, fierce monsters, or powerful guardians to defeat.
However, the trial of ‘The Overlord’s Chamber’ was a completely different beast.
These questions weren’t the kind that could be solved with brute force or even typical gaming knowledge.
Normally, players would need to scour Hindel Village’s library or pore over ancient texts to even begin answering them.
The difficulty level was intentional—this hidden piece was designed to be nearly unobtainable, its class reserved for only the most tenacious and knowledgeable players.
But for Seonghyeon, these questions were merely tedious.
Not difficult, just annoyingly long.
He sighed as he looked at the final question.
[444. Which of the following is NOT one of Helena’s thoughts when she was pierced by Hero Hindel’s sword?]
[1. Let’s not cause others any more pain.
2. That ridiculous Hero sure got lucky!
3. I’m so tired now.
4. This ending feels lonely.
5. At least I can finally rest happily.]
Four hundred and forty-four questions.
While the answers hadn’t been difficult for Seonghyeon, the sheer length of the trial had consumed considerable time.
Perhaps this meticulous structure was a reflection of the care taken by Helena’s followers.
Each question revealed Helena’s anguish and sorrow, requiring a profound understanding of her life and struggles to answer correctly.
It was their way of ensuring only someone truly worthy could inherit her legacy.
‘It’s finally over.’
With a calm finger, Seonghyeon selected the correct answer: 2. That ridiculous Hero sure got lucky!
As soon as he did, the cyan gemstone at the center of the chamber began to shine, flooding the space with an almost blinding light.
Seonghyeon watched in awe as the light surrounded him, much like when he had absorbed Helena’s memories and experiences.
The light took the form of Helena herself, stepping forward and embracing him before merging into his body.
Kwoooom!
A burst of cyan energy erupted from Seonghyeon, filling the chamber with its brilliance.
Countless ghostly apparitions swirled above him, ascending toward the heavens in an almost reverent display.
It was a spectacle fit for a king—or perhaps an emperor.
Seonghyeon could feel power surging through him, a palpable increase in his stats.
As the memories of Helena fully synchronized with him, Seonghyeon raised his hand experimentally, and the ghostly apparitions obeyed his command.
They weren’t like the spirits he usually saw—these felt grander, more otherworldly, yet eerily similar.
The cyan light carried an aura of omnipotence, as though he could overturn the world with a mere thought.
The ghosts moved at his will, their presence permeating his senses.
And then, the ethereal voices of the spirits rang out in unison:
-Ahhhhh———!
-It has awakened———!
-Our God———!
-Revere him———!
-Welcome him———!
-Our sovereign———!
The proclamation wasn’t chaotic; it was solemn, like a divine edict spreading through the world.
The cyan light spilled into the surroundings, briefly painting the world in its hue.
For a fleeting moment, Seonghyeon felt truly omnipotent.
Had he ever experienced anything like this before? The sensation of absolute power?
As he basked in this newfound omnipotence, a series of messages appeared before him.
[Congratulations! You have advanced to the Almighty-ranked class, Overlord!]
[You are the first player to successfully change classes in the beginner village!]
[You have obtained the title: ‘Supernova.’]
[Congratulations! You have successfully advanced to an Almighty-ranked class!]
[You have obtained the title: ‘Omnipotent.’]
[Congratulations! You have successfully advanced to the highest-ranked black magic class!]
[You have obtained the title: ‘Sovereign.’]
[As an Overlord, you have gained exclusive skills.]
“Amazing.”
It wasn’t awe—more like a sigh of relief, tinged with satisfaction.
As the messages scrolled by, the omnipotence faded, along with the cyan light that had surrounded him.
The ghostly apparitions vanished, and even the real spirits seemed puzzled, tilting their heads before returning to their original places.
The transient sense of omnipotence was gone, but Seonghyeon wasn’t disappointed.
He understood that the overwhelming power he had just felt was merely a glimpse of the Overlord class’s full potential.
It might take time—years, perhaps—but one day, he would reach that pinnacle.
‘One step at a time.’
Taking a deep breath, Seonghyeon looked over the messages again.
‘Quite a haul.’
The titles and new skills were impressive, though they felt underwhelming compared to the omnipotence he had just experienced.
Still, he recognized their value and began to examine them carefully.
『Supernova』
→《Unique》
→Awarded to the first player to change classes in the beginner village.
→ +50% experience gain below level 100.
→ +10% skill mastery gain after level 100.
『Omnipotent』
→《Legendary》
→Awarded for advancing to an Almighty-ranked class.
→ +10% to all stats.
→ +10% to all attack power.
『Sovereign』
→《Legendary》
→Awarded for advancing to the highest-ranked class of a category.
→ +30% movement speed for subordinates.
→ +20% attack speed for subordinates.
→ +10% attack power for subordinates.
→ Increases morale during large-scale battles.
“Wow.”
Even Seonghyeon, who had tried to temper his expectations, was impressed.
One Unique title and two Legendary titles—all with exceptional effects.
‘Not bad at all.’
Finally, he checked his updated stats.
【Status Window】
『Seonghyeon』
『Lv 1』
『Class』: 『Overlord』
『Titles』: 『Sovereign (Legendary)』… +10 others.
『Stats』:
→ Strength: 15 (13+2)
→ Agility: 17 (15+2)
→ Stamina: 12 (10+2)
→ Intelligence: 23 (20+3)
→ Wisdom: 23 (20+3)
→ Mental Power: 23 (20+3)
→ Dexterity: 4 (3+1)
『Bonus Stats』: 0
You are currently in the beginner village.
You cannot gain experience points.
“Insane.”
Could a level 1 character really have these stats?
No.
To reach this level of power, a player would need to be at least level 12, if not higher.
Starting with such an advantage, combined with the Almighty-ranked Overlord class, was beyond extraordinary.
‘I love it.’
With a grin, Seonghyeon turned his attention to the new skills.
『Legion of the Dead』
→《Almighty》
→[Lv 1][Growth-Type]
[Passive][Complex]
All death originates from the Legion of the Dead.
They are eternal and undying.
→ Exclusive skill for Overlords.
→ Raises soldiers based on the rank of the deceased, consuming mana.
→ Controlled soldiers grow individually.
→ Destroyed soldiers are resurrected by consuming mana.
→ The Legion pledges absolute loyalty to their Overlord.
『Aura of Death』
→《Legendary》
→[Lv 1][Growth-Type]
[Passive][Active]
[Cooldown: 30 minutes]
[Duration: 3 minutes]
All undead offer their blood and bones to the Sovereign.
The Sovereign uses the undead as sustenance to achieve immortality.
→ Exclusive skill for Overlords.
→ Consumes the essence and bodies of undead within a 30-meter radius.
→ Converts consumed essence into nourishment.
→ Living beings touched by the aura experience excruciating pain.
『Wrathful Souls of the Dead』
→《Legendary》
→[Lv 1][Growth-Type]
[Instant Effect][Active]
[Cooldown: 30 seconds]
The vengeful spirits of the dead can be stopped by no one.
→ Exclusive skill for Overlords.
→ Throws a spear formed from vengeful souls, dealing dark damage to enemies.
→ Ignores all defenses.
→ Enemies pierced by the spear lose their sight, cursed by the spirits’ wrath.
“Wow.”
The skills were even more impressive than the titles.
One Almighty-ranked skill and two Legendary ones.
At a glance, they included a necromancy-based skill, a drain ability, and an offensive attack skill.
‘Every single one of these is incredible.’
Seonghyeon couldn’t help but smile at the thought.
And what’s the point of acquiring new skills if you don’t try them out immediately?
Time to test the power of the Overlord—the one who had been called the Demon King.
As Seonghyeon made his way toward the hunting grounds, a small ghost silently clung to his back, following him closely.
Or rather, it wasn’t exactly following him; it seemed tethered to him, almost like an extension of his presence.
The ghost—a woman with flowing crimson hair and dark, gleaming eyes—smiled faintly, as if she had expected this all along.
4.
Oh Jinhyuk sat alongside Assistant Manager Lee Wonsang, watching the footage of Seonghyeon’s gameplay.
After witnessing Seonghyeon successfully change to the Overlord class, neither of them could muster any words.
It had actually happened.
What do we do now?
Dozens of thoughts raced through Jinhyuk’s mind, but none seemed adequate for the situation.
“This isn’t possible… This cannot be happening…” Wonsang muttered, his voice trembling.
“…”
Jinhyuk glanced at Wonsang, who seemed utterly disoriented, his disbelief bordering on despair.
As much as Jinhyuk shared the shock, Wonsang’s reaction was far more extreme.
Apparently, Wonsang had truly believed it was impossible for anyone to unlock this class.
And now? His faith in that impossibility had shattered.
‘Looks like I’ll have to report this myself.’
Wonsang had been counting on Seonghyeon’s failure during the trial to make reporting a mere formality. But now, with Wonsang incapacitated, Jinhyuk had no choice but to handle it.
Taking a deep breath, he initiated a call.
The ringtone sounded briefly before an irritated voice answered.
“What is it? Who told you to call me during my day off?”
The voice was sharp, understandably annoyed.
Anyone would be upset if their vacation was interrupted by a work call.
Jinhyuk steeled himself.
“Ah, Team Leader. This is Oh Jinhyuk from the management team.”
“What?! Jinhyuk, under Wonsang? Fine, what’s so urgent you had to call me on my day off?”
“I’m very sorry to disturb you, but we’ve just witnessed a player successfully change to the Almighty-ranked Overlord class in the beginner village.”
“In the beginner village? Wait—are you talking about the hidden piece in Hindel Village?!”
“Yes, exactly!”
“Ugh… Of all the things…”
Jinhyuk shuddered. How could the Team Leader recognize the hidden piece so quickly?
Before he could fully process his amazement, the Team Leader barked another order.
“Put Wonsang on the line.”
“Yes, sir!”
Jinhyuk handed the phone to Wonsang, who flinched like a startled rabbit.
“Eek!”
Despite his fear, Wonsang reluctantly took the phone, clutching it like a lifeline.
“This is Assistant Manager Lee Wonsang speaking… Yes, sir! No, no, sir! That’s not what I meant… I’m sorry, sir! Yes, sir! But there’s also… I mean… no, I can’t explain it well… You want me to… now? But you’re on leave! Oh, I’m sorry, sir! No, I didn’t mean to—yes, sir! I understand!”
After several agonizing minutes, Wonsang hung up the phone, his face pale and drawn.
Jinhyuk sighed and offered a silent prayer for his senior.
The Team Leader was clearly planning to cut their leave short and return to the office.
When Wonsang finally turned to speak, his voice was hollow.
“…He told us to stay late.”
“Wait, us? Both of us?”
“Yeah, both you and me.”
Jinhyuk’s expression turned as pale as Wonsang’s in an instant.
5.
Meanwhile, the lively beginner hunting grounds—normally filled with frolicking rabbits and bustling low-level players—suddenly grew dim.
Dark clouds gathered overhead, casting an ominous shadow over the area.
Players stopped their hunts and looked up at the sky.
“What’s going on? Is it going to rain?”
“Looks like a sudden shower.”
“Hunting in the rain sucks. Should we head back to town?”
“Yeah, there’s a café in the village square. Let’s wait it out there.”
“Good idea. The rain usually doesn’t last long in the beginner areas anyway.”
One by one, players began leaving the hunting grounds.
The previously overcrowded area quickly emptied, leaving far fewer players than rabbits.
Not everyone left, though. A few die-hard hunters remained, determined to continue their grind despite the weather.
Seonghyeon took in the scene and nodded to himself.
‘With fewer people around, it’s safe to use my skills.’
After all, outside of butchering, the skills obtainable in the beginner village were limited. Using high-level skills in public would draw too much attention.
But with so few players remaining, there was little risk of being noticed.
The skill Seonghyeon decided to test first was Wrathful Souls of the Dead, an offensive ability.
According to its description, the skill created a spear from vengeful spirits, which could be thrown to inflict dark damage.
Curious, Seonghyeon activated the skill.
As he did, he felt his mana draining, while cyan energy coalesced in his hand, forming a spear.
The spear, glowing with an eerie light, looked sharper and deadlier than any mundane weapon.
‘This looks like something straight out of a fantasy manga.’
It was stunningly designed—a skill he would definitely enjoy using often.
He wondered if it would launch itself, but quickly realized he had to throw it manually.
‘So it’s a javelin-throwing skill.’
Seonghyeon wasn’t familiar with throwing weapons, but thanks to Helena’s memories, he recalled how she had used this skill.
Following her example, he pulled the spear back, twisting his waist and throwing it with all his strength.
The spear flew straight and true, streaking through the air like a cyan comet.
It struck a distant rabbit squarely in the head, killing it instantly.
[Critical Hit!]
[‘One Strike!’ effect triggered!]
The rabbit collapsed without a single visible wound, as though its soul had simply been extinguished.
Seonghyeon stared, impressed.
‘The power is no joke.’
Above the fallen rabbit, a faint cyan glow appeared, catching his attention.
Curious, he inspected the glowing mark.
[‘Legion of the Dead’ can be activated.]
[Would you like to raise this entity as part of your Legion?]
‘Oh?’