The Game of a Legendary Genius Dark Mage

Chapter 15

The message announcing a clue’s discovery appeared before Seonghyeon.

In Eternal World, this was a famous trigger among players—a signpost pointing toward a hidden piece.

All the hidden pieces Seonghyeon had acquired so far came through memories or assistance from ghosts.
But now, he’d obtained one using a “regular” method for the first time.

Despite having played the game since the beginning, the experience felt fresh and thrilling, like he was truly playing the game anew.

Feeling a subtle excitement, Seonghyeon glanced at Chief Palm, his cheeks slightly flushed.

Palm let out a soft chuckle.

“You’ll need to go to Persville to learn more about Garik.”

It was his way of saying, “Off you go.”

Seonghyeon bowed deeply in gratitude.

“Thank you. I’ll head there now.”

His tone was calm, but there was an undeniable fervor in his farewell.

Watching Seonghyeon’s retreating figure, Palm murmured softly.

“Though the world has changed, this village remains the Hero’s birthplace. As its chief, forgive me for being unable to wholeheartedly celebrate your emergence. Yet others will feel differently—they will accept and rejoice in your presence. I look forward to that day.”

“What?”

Seonghyeon turned back just as he was about to exit the room, but Palm’s figure was already engulfed in light and fading from view.

2.

Clunk, clunk.

The jarring sensation of a swaying motion stirred Seonghyeon awake.

As his eyes opened, he was greeted by the bright daylight and a rapidly shifting landscape.

The sky was vividly blue, stretching endlessly above fields of grass and farmland. The earthy scent of soil mingled with the refreshing aroma of vegetation, carried by the breeze.

Looking around, he realized he was in the cargo bed of a carriage.

The bed wasn’t empty; several other players were riding alongside him.

The bumpy ride over the dirt path added to the rustic charm of the moment, eliciting exclamations from his fellow passengers.

“Wow—!”

“This is amazing!”

“Just opening the door at the chief’s house puts you right in a carriage? This transition is incredible!”

“…”

Though Seonghyeon didn’t voice his thoughts, he shared their sentiment as he looked up at the sky.

The presentation was top-notch.

Opening a door and immediately being transported to a moving carriage? It was a strikingly immersive transition.

Judging from the other players’ conversations, they were likely from different starter villages. After all, Seonghyeon had been the only one in Hindel Village.

The excitement on their faces was palpable—leaving the starter village filled them with anticipation.

Seonghyeon couldn’t help but share their excitement.

‘New areas to explore, new opportunities to level up.’

As he thought about the possibilities, he overheard players chatting nearby.

“Hey! What class are you going to choose?”

“Haha! Obviously a mage! They’re the stars of any party. Their firepower is unmatched!”

“You just don’t want to use your body, huh?”

“Shut up! What about you?”

“Me? A warrior, of course! The manliest class out there.”

Listening to their cheerful banter, Seonghyeon realized how early he’d made his class advancement.

He was likely the first player to advance in the starter village, something his title confirmed.

Unlike them, he didn’t need to complete any quests to unlock his class or spend gold.

Advancing a class required 10 gold, equivalent to around 100,000 won in real-world currency.
Although players could gather the gold through quests, it was far easier to grind for gold by hunting rabbits in the starter village.

‘Saved myself some money.’

By skipping the advancement quest, Seonghyeon had saved both time and gold.

Now, he could focus on something else.

‘Gravekeeper Garik.’

The name itself suggested he’d be at a cemetery.

Though Seonghyeon didn’t yet know what task Garik might have for him, he found himself looking forward to it.

This would be the first hidden piece he uncovered on his own.

The thought filled him with a sense of romanticism about the journey.

As he pondered these things, a player shouted, “It’s Persville!”

“Whoa! Look at that!”

In the distance, a large wooden palisade came into view.

The village was noticeably bigger than the starter villages, marking it as the first destination for players after completing the tutorial phase.

0.

The bustling central square of Persville was like a marketplace.

The sheer number of people moving through the area created a lively, chaotic energy. No one paid attention to anyone else, each person focused on their own path.

A fountain stood at the center, surrounded by players and NPCs alike. The air was filled with various voices shouting over one another.

“Goblin hunting! Looking for party members!”

“Undead cleanup at the cemetery! Party recruiting!!! Agility-focused Level 7, no class yet!!!”

“Hey, guys!!! Aspiring warrior here!!! Looking for a party!!! Let me join!!!”

“Party recruiting!!! Level 9, just about to advance! I’ll be useful!!!”

“Urgent! Looking for players to hunt orcs!!!”

“Apples! Sweet, juicy apples! Only 1 silver each!!!”

For players arriving in Persville for the first time, the central square could be overwhelming.

The noise, the movement, the sheer sensory overload—it was enough to leave anyone dizzy.

But Seonghyeon remained calm. He had expected the chaos and quickly maneuvered out of the central square.

‘Phew.’

Even so, he couldn’t help but feel drained by the vibrant energy of the square.

Time to focus on the task at hand.

Gravekeeper Garik.

The name alone was enough to suggest he’d be at the cemetery.

For Seonghyeon, cemeteries were a treasure trove.

With a sense of eager anticipation, he headed toward the cemetery.

‘Come to think of it, they said undead monsters spawn there, right?’

In larger villages like Persville, cemeteries were often extensive. Because of this, undead occasionally appeared, leading to frequent quests from gravekeepers to clear them out.

Even back in the central square, there had been players advertising for undead-cleaning parties.

Cemeteries were clearly popular hunting grounds.

Finding Gravekeeper Garik in such a large cemetery might seem daunting, but Seonghyeon wasn’t worried.

‘If I can’t find him, I’ll just ask another gravekeeper.’

He wasn’t concerned in the slightest.

If anything, he was more excited about what awaited him after finding Garik.

Most cemeteries were located on the outskirts of villages, and Persville was no exception.

It wasn’t long before he arrived at the cemetery’s entrance.

From afar, the massive burial grounds were visible, with guards stationed at the gates and NPCs milling about nearby.

‘Oh.’

Several of the NPCs appeared to be gravekeepers.

Seonghyeon walked straight toward the cemetery. The guards didn’t stop him, their primary role seemingly to prevent undead from escaping rather than controlling who entered.

Without difficulty, he entered the cemetery and approached a group of NPCs carrying shovels and other tools.

Who else could they be but gravekeepers?

Approaching confidently, Seonghyeon asked, “Are you all gravekeepers?”

“Huh? An outsider?”

“Hoho, what’s someone like you doing here?”

“Ah, you’re here for a favor, aren’t you?”

Their reactions suggested they were used to giving quests to adventurers.

Unfortunately, none of them introduced themselves as Garik.

“Actually, I’d like to ask you something.”

“Oh? Well, if it’s something we know, we’ll tell you.”

“Haha, what’s got you so curious?”

The gravekeepers’ unexpectedly amicable demeanor put Seonghyeon at ease.
Had they been more closed-off, things might have turned more difficult.

Judging by their reaction, asking about Gravekeeper Garik’s whereabouts didn’t seem like it would cause any issues.

With that assessment, Seonghyeon decided to proceed.

“Do you happen to know Gravekeeper Garik?”

“…Ah?”

“…Ahem.”

“Garik, you mean the old man?”

The atmosphere shifted subtly—not hostile or tense, but awkward.
The gravekeepers scratched their heads, as if trying to handle an uncomfortable topic.

Was something wrong?
Perhaps Garik had left the area or gone somewhere far away?
If that was the case, it was just a matter of finding him, which wouldn’t be an issue.

“He’s passed away.”

“He went last year.”

“He was an inspiration to all of us gravekeepers.”

“What?”

Passed away? Gravekeeper Garik?

Seonghyeon’s expression turned blank as he processed the news, and a system message popped up.

[Gravekeeper Garik has passed away.]
[The clue continues.]

The clue continued.
Garik’s death didn’t mean the hidden piece was irrelevant—it was still tied to the storyline.

But how could a clue connected to Garik’s death lead to a hidden piece?
Seonghyeon found himself momentarily at a loss.

‘This is tricky.’

He quickly recalled memories and insights, using his experience to assess the situation.
In moments like this, the memories of Hunter Apik proved invaluable.

“Do you know where Garik lived when he was alive?” Seonghyeon asked.

“Garik’s old room?”

“Well, it’s been a year since he passed.”

“Oh! Isn’t it still abandoned? We haven’t had any new gravekeepers to take it over.”

“That’s right! It’s still just sitting there.”

[You have obtained a clue about Garik’s old room.]

As expected, a system message confirmed the discovery.
Once again, Apik’s memories had proven useful.

As Seonghyeon thanked the gravekeepers, he overheard an interesting comment.

“By the way, another outsider was looking for Garik, too.”

“Yeah, a few days ago.”

“About five days ago, wasn’t it?”

Could he already be too late?

No.

If someone had already claimed the hidden piece, the clues wouldn’t still be appearing.
But it did mean that someone else was ahead of him by five days.

‘I need to hurry.’

Losing out to someone else at this stage would be the worst-case scenario.

Just as Seonghyeon prepared to leave, a voice called out behind him.

“Looking for me?”

He turned to see an old man covered in dirt, holding a shovel.
His legs appeared faint, flickering like broken pixels—half-transparent and ethereal.

It was the ghost of a gravekeeper.

‘Found him.’

Seonghyeon immediately recognized this was Garik.

1.

What does it feel like to go to work despite having taken leave?

There’s no need to elaborate—it’s nothing short of disastrous.

One look at Team Leader Ji Hyejeong’s grim expression and pale complexion told the whole story.

“Oh my gosh, Team Leader Ji?! Y-You’re supposed to be on leave—!”

“Huh? Team Leader Ji?! W-Why are you here?”

“Ahhh!”

“Screee!”

The other team members reacted as if they’d seen a ghost.
And in a way, they weren’t wrong—their team leader had returned from leave with a vengeance.

With her expression akin to that of a grim reaper, Ji Hyejeong stalked through the hallway. No one dared to greet her or say hello.
She didn’t look remotely fine.

When she finally reached the Player Management Team, the atmosphere froze.

Everyone exchanged uneasy glances, silently asking, Who summoned her?

The silence was palpable, with even gulps of saliva feeling like disruptions.

Amidst the tension, only two people—Assistant Manager Lee Wonsang and Employee Oh Jinhyuk—stood up to greet her.

Ji Hyejeong was usually impeccably dressed in formal attire, but today’s outfit was markedly casual:
A pair of shorts, a T-shirt layered under a shirt, and a teddy bear headband perched atop her head.

The headband was the only sign she had just come from an amusement park.

“Alright, give me a situation report.”

“I-I’ve got everything prepared!”

Assistant Manager Lee Wonsang hurriedly handed over a tablet containing all the relevant files he’d organized earlier.

To be working immediately after arriving—her dedication was impressive, if daunting.
Yet for Lee Wonsang, the knowledge that it was all because of him weighed heavily.

As Ji Hyejeong silently reviewed the files, her expression grew progressively sterner.

Even for someone like Lee Wonsang, it was hard not to feel intimidated.

“This ‘Unknown Power’—are we sure it’s not cheating?”

“Yes, absolutely! We’ve already verified it through Immortal.”

“And they obtained a hidden piece without any prior indicators?”

“…Yes.”

“And advanced to the Almighty class in the starting zone?”

“…”

Lee Wonsang’s words grew quieter with each statement.
After all, the accomplishments he was reporting were nothing short of extraordinary.

Ji Hyejeong’s sharp gaze softened slightly. Her stern frown relaxed into a neutral expression.

“Fine. If it’s not cheating, then it’s unlikely one of our staff leaked classified information.”

“Y-Yes! Immortal’s calculations account for that as well.”

“Alright, so what’s this player doing now? I see they’ve received a clue about Gravekeeper Garik from the Hindel Village chief.”

“Oh, you don’t need to worry about that!”

Interrupting her mid-sentence, Employee Oh Jinhyuk quickly spoke up.

Fortunately, Ji Hyejeong wasn’t the type to get upset over interruptions. She simply gestured for him to explain.

Nervously meeting her gaze, Oh Jinhyuk steadied himself and continued.

“That hidden piece has already been discovered by another player. If you look here…”

“Oh?”

“Hmm.”

Oh Jinhyuk brought up a prepared screen, displaying a Level 30 player who was nearly finished with the hidden piece questline.

Their name was Vegron, a dark mage who appeared to be progressing along the necromancer skill tree.

“A Level 30 dark mage named Vegron. Based on their skill tree, it seems they’re specializing in necromancy.”

“So, they’re the one pursuing Garik’s hidden piece?”

“That’s correct.”

A Level 30 dark mage.

While Seonghyeon’s achievements were undeniably remarkable, Ji Hyejeong found herself reassured.

After all, a Level 1 player fresh out of the starting zone would struggle to compete with someone who had been steadily progressing.

Even with an Almighty class, obtaining a hidden piece required following a sequence.

It simply wouldn’t be possible.

As Ji Hyejeong began to relax—

[User ‘Seonghyeon’ has permanently increased their stats using an ‘Unknown Power.’]

A warning message from Immortal appeared on the screen.

It shouldn’t have been possible—yet a sense of unease settled in.

Why did she suddenly feel so anxious?