2.
Before heading straight to the next area, Seong decided to take a break—it was lunchtime, after all.
While eating, he chatted with his friend, Lee Geon-dong, over the phone.
[“What? Is that for real?!”]
“Yeah, do you think I’d lie to you?”
[“Well... yeah, kinda. You’ve tricked me before.”]
“When have I ever lied to you?”
[“Fair point.”]
Seong chuckled, sending over the raw video files for Geon-dong to edit. Geon-dong’s enthusiasm was evident as he realized the footage could potentially land in the hands of the Rapid Guild.
[“Any deadlines?”]
“Not really.”
[“Got it. The sooner, the better, though, right?”]
“Quality first, though.”
[“Duh! Quality is a given!”]
Seong reminded him that the guild might reject the video if it didn’t meet their standards, but Geon-dong brushed it off, confident in his editing skills.
[“Seriously, though, thanks. Getting an opportunity like this with the Rapid Guild is no joke.”]
“It’s nothing.”
[“Nothing? Dude, you hate asking for favors, so this is a big deal. I owe you one—no, I’ll get you some whiskey if this works out!”]
“Whiskey? Alright, I’ll hold you to that.”
[“Leave it to me! I’ll get this done in no time!”]
As the call ended, Seong shook his head with a small smile. The notoriously stingy Geon-dong offering whiskey? He must have been really grateful.
When Seong stepped out of his room, he ran into his sister, Yu Mina, who had just finished using her capsule.
“What were you up to?” she asked.
“Sending some footage to a friend for editing. He’s hoping to pitch it to Yujin.”
“Yujin? As in that Ahn Yujin?”
Mina frowned. Both she and Seong knew how strict Ahn Yujin could be, especially when it came to guild matters.
“She’s only accommodating because it’s us. If it’s not up to snuff, she won’t even hesitate to reject it,” Mina warned.
“I know, but it’s still a good opportunity.”
“Fair enough.”
Even Mina had to admit it was a rare chance. The Rapid Guild wasn’t just any organization—it was ranked third in Eternal World’s guild rankings and was rumored to be on the verge of overtaking second place.
The two siblings headed to the kitchen when their mother called for lunch.
Sitting at the table, they ate the feast their mother had prepared.
“Mom, I’ll be stepping out for a bit. You two finish your lunch,” she said before leaving.
As they ate, Mina turned to Seong with curiosity.
“So, how’d you manage to get a knighthood in the Dune Wild Trail? I was going to ask yesterday, but then you ran off drinking.”
“A friend just got discharged from the military. I had to go.”
“Still, how’d you get it? Without the right NPCs, it’s nearly impossible.”
Seong gave a casual answer.
“I cleared a hidden mission in the Hall of Knights, which was part of a hidden field.”
“Wow, no wonder you were quiet for five days.”
“Something like that.”
“Ugh, why don’t I ever find stuff like that?”
Mina pouted, throwing in some unnecessary aegyo. Seong frowned but nodded reluctantly, knowing she’d only double down if he didn’t.
“Seriously, though, that ability of yours is so broken.”
“Then learn to see ghosts yourself.”
“...If only I could.”
Their playful banter continued until Mina asked, “So, is it time to head to the next area?”
“Yeah, I was about to leave when Mom called for lunch.”
“Oh? Do you know where you’re going? The fifth region has a lot of cities.”
Seong shook his head. He planned to head to the nearest city with transportation but was curious if Mina had any recommendations.
Noticing his expectant look, Mina teased, “Aww, look at my little brother relying on me. It’s adorable.”
“If you don’t want to help, then don’t.”
“Alright, alright! Jeez, you’re so scary.”
She explained, “The fifth region’s theme is labyrinths, right?”
“Yeah, I’ve heard.”
“Then you should head to Pentagrid. The labyrinth there is underground, so it’s not as annoying to navigate. Plus, the NPCs there are quirky, which makes questing fun.”
“Quests?”
Mina nodded. “You’ll need to do them unless you want to spend ages in the labyrinth city. Questing is the most efficient way to get things done.”
Her explanation intrigued Seong. Questing wasn’t his main focus, but it sounded like Pentagrid had a higher quest density than other cities.
“Also, there’s been an interesting development in Pentagrid,” Mina added.
“Oh? What’s that?”
“Apparently, there was an NPC murder recently. It triggered a rare, chain-linked quest of rare grade.”
“A murder, huh?”
Mina smirked. “With your ghost-seeing ability, wouldn’t that be a breeze for you to solve?”
Seong couldn’t help but smile. The idea of uncovering a mystery that no one else could solve was tempting.
“You’ve been a big help this time.”
“Of course! Your amazing sister always delivers.”
After finishing their meal, Seong cleaned up, washed the dishes, and prepared to return to the game.
‘Pentagrid, huh? Let’s see what this city has in store.’
With anticipation, Seong stepped into the capsule, ready to explore the fifth region.
3.
The caravan to the fifth region's first city, Pentagrid, was packed with players, each seated closely together like cargo. The wagon was a necessary means of travel from the Dune Wild Trail to the next region, and the number of passengers reflected this.
Unlike the journey from the beginner village to the first town, the atmosphere now was entirely different. The players no longer looked like rookies; their demeanor was sharper, more refined, shaped by the harsh challenges they had endured in the Dune Wild Trail. While they weren’t veterans yet, they were certainly beyond their beginner days.
Most players traveled in groups, seated with their teams or parties. Lone players were a rare sight—teamwork was now the norm for progressing efficiently and safely. Yet, amidst the bustling wagon, one figure stood out: a lone man clad in a black robe.
It was none other than Seong.
‘Maybe I should’ve just brought my familiars,’ he thought.
In an effort to avoid drawing attention by traveling alone, he had inadvertently done the opposite. A solo player wearing a black robe, clearly identifying him as a dark mage, screamed suspicious. The other players kept stealing glances at him, their eyes flicking toward the indicator above his head to check if it was red, marking him as a villain.
The tension in the air was palpable, and it was soon broken by a nearby group’s conversation.
“Hey, so we’re headed to Pentagrid, right?”
“Yeah, that’s the next stop.”
“I’ve heard the labyrinth theme there is pretty interesting. I’m kinda excited.”
“Be careful, though. A lot of players accidentally wander into high-level zones and end up dead.”
“Eh, we’ll be fine. As long as we have the tower’s map, there’s nothing to worry about.”
Seong’s ears perked up at the mention of a map. He hadn’t heard anything about that from his sister, Mina.
“You mean the map from the Tower of Magic?”
“Yeah, that one. It shows your current location and even keeps a record of where you’ve been.”
“That sounds super useful. So, can anyone get it?”
“Not quite. You can only access the tower that matches your magic attribute. Plus, only mages are allowed entry, and even then, they have to pass a test.”
“What?! That’s so restrictive!”
The players seemed to have done their homework, discussing valuable tips about Pentagrid. Seong mulled over whether he’d need to visit the Tower of Dark Magic.
‘Wait... the Tower of Dark Magic means...’
Before he could finish his thought, one of the players mentioned it aloud.
“You’re a dark mage, right? So, are you planning to head to Overpalace?”
Seong flinched at the name Overpalace, causing the group to glance in his direction.
“Of course, Overpalace is the go-to for any dark mage. But did you know?”
“Know what?”
“Overpalace is stricter than any other tower. More than half of the applicants fail their entry test.”
“Seriously? That’s intense.”
“Yeah, plenty of dark mages don’t make the cut. Not me, though. I’ll pass for sure.”
The speaker seemed confident, even glancing toward Seong with a smug expression. Whether intentional or not, it felt like he was silently comparing himself to Seong.
Before the tension could escalate further, a commotion erupted outside.
Updat𝒆d fr𝒐m freewebnσvel.cøm.
The caravan’s horses neighed loudly, and the wagon came to an abrupt halt.
“What’s going on?” one player muttered.
A commanding voice echoed from outside.
“This is the Overpalace Pentagrid Branch Leader. Halt the caravan immediately!”
The once-relaxed atmosphere inside the wagon was instantly shattered. Whispers of confusion and unease spread among the passengers.
“Why is the Overpalace Branch Leader here?”
“Is someone in this caravan involved in a crime?”
Seong’s heart sank.
‘No way... it couldn’t be, right?’
From his seat, he could see dark mages in imposing robes marching toward the caravan. Their presence exuded authority, and even players who didn’t know much about Overpalace could sense their significance.
The passengers were visibly nervous. Overpalace was notorious for its immense power and the fearsome reputation of its members.
One of the chatty players from earlier nudged the self-proclaimed Overpalace applicant.
“Hey, you said you were joining Overpalace, right? Do something!”
“W-what am I supposed to do?!”
The boasting player, now trembling like a leaf, was clearly out of his depth.
As the Overpalace mages reached the caravan, their leader stepped forward and bowed deeply toward someone inside.
“We are honored to be in your presence, esteemed one! I am Belmor Arcadius, Branch Leader of the Pentagrid Overpalace. We have prepared a separate carriage for your convenience.”
“E-esteemed one?!”
“Someone like that was on this wagon?!”
The passengers looked around in disbelief, their gazes eventually landing on Seong.
‘Seriously?’ Seong sighed deeply, standing from his seat.
All eyes were on him as realization dawned.
The Overpalace leader bowed again, his voice filled with respect.
“It is a great honor to host you at our Pentagrid branch, esteemed one. Rest assured, we will ensure that your every need is met during your visit.”
The passengers were stunned. Even the boastful player from earlier was pale-faced and speechless, while his teammate muttered under his breath.
“Who... who did you just try to show off to?”
The self-proclaimed Overpalace applicant had no response. He simply sat frozen, trembling as the weight of his mistake sank in.