The Game of a Legendary Genius Dark Mage

3.

"This isn't just a difficulty drop... it's a complete game changer."

Lee Won-sang scratched his head nervously as he stared at Seong's screen.

Simultaneously, he reviewed the data on Azrapham and the Overlord's second job advancement quest.

One of the primary rewards for completing the second job advancement was a skill to command Demon Knights. The quest itself revolved around this theme.

But since Seong had already subdued a Demon Knight...

This wasn't just a case of reduced difficulty; it was as if he had already cleared the quest.

What am I supposed to do with this?

Of course, there was little Lee Won-sang could do at the moment.

Even if he ran a program to assign a new quest, that responsibility ultimately lay with Azrapham, the advancement NPC.

For now, all he could do was watch.

How many options could Azrapham provide?

"The Overlord class really operates on an entirely different level."

Unlike other classes, which typically gained upgraded versions during their second job advancements—normal classes evolving into rare classes, rare into epic, and so on—Almighty classes like the Overlord didn’t follow that path.

Instead, they introduced entirely new mechanics.

The Overlord was exceptional even among the Almighty classes.

The skill to command Demon Knights, granted at the second job advancement, was proof enough of its uniqueness.

Performance-wise, it was already at the pinnacle, so there was no need to choose a new path.

The Overlord was already the ultimate sovereign among dark mages.

As a result, even Lee Won-sang couldn’t predict what kind of reward would replace the usual one.

“Haah...”

“Senior, so what’s going to happen now?”

“I have no idea.”

“What? But since he’s already technically cleared the original quest, doesn’t that mean he’ll get an even better reward?”

“...What?”

Startled by Junior Agent Oh Jin-hyuk’s interjection, Lee Won-sang jumped out of his seat.

He had a point.

This was the foundational principle of Eternal World: rewards were proportional to effort.

Park Won, the game’s creator, had established this system as the ultimate joy for players, ensuring they were always rewarded fairly for their achievements.

In other words, the harder the challenge, the greater the reward.

If Seong had effectively completed the second job advancement quest ahead of time, then...

Lee Won-sang’s face turned pale as he scrolled through Azrapham’s options.

Then, one newly appeared choice caught his eye.

[Helena's Garden]

“...Oh no.”

It shouldn’t have appeared yet.

Helena’s Garden was a critical location for the Overlord class.

And it was being offered as a reward for a second job advancement?

“Isn’t that supposed to unlock only after completing the post-advancement exclusive quest?!”

Lee Won-sang needed to verify if this was an error.

If it was, he would have to block it immediately.

However, the great AI Immortal indicated there was no error.

In other words, Seong entering Helena’s Garden at this moment was legitimate.

Seong had subdued a Demon Knight, and the reward reflected that achievement.

This was entirely in line with the philosophy of Eternal World.

There was no way to prevent it.

Or... was there?

“Do I even need to stop him?”

Helena’s Garden was designed to unlock only after the second job advancement.

If Seong were to enter it now...

Could he pass the trials alone?

With the Crimson Demon Knight Valtar by his side, it might have been possible.

But the trials of Helena’s Garden could only be faced by the individual.

In his current state, could Seong overcome them alone?

"Hmm..."

Lee Won-sang didn’t know.

Even with Seong’s use of his mysterious power, the odds were uncertain.

Helena’s Garden was that difficult.

This realization allowed Lee Won-sang to breathe a small sigh of relief.

He calmed himself and refocused on the screen.

-“I shall guide you to the Garden.”

Azrapham’s voice echoed, signaling the next stage.

Beside him, Oh Jin-hyuk’s eyes sparkled as he looked up at Lee Won-sang in awe.

“Wow, senior! How did you know this would happen?! You’re amazing!”

Lee Won-sang stared at Oh Jin-hyuk for a moment, his face blank.

“Should I hit him?”

4.

Seong cast a cold glance, causing Azrapham to feel a chill down its nonexistent spine.

Though it lacked a physical back, the sensation was unmistakable.

Azrapham couldn’t afford to appear incompetent before Helena’s heir and its master—even though it had already done so. At the very least, it needed to salvage the situation.

As a servant and steward of the Overlord, it was Azrapham’s duty to assist.

It thought hard, trying to determine the best course of action.

No one could have anticipated that Valtar would already have been subdued. Normally, this altar was meant to prepare the heir to command a Demon Knight.

After much deliberation, Azrapham made its decision.

-“I shall guide you to the Garden.”

Azrapham’s words drew a slight tilt of Seong’s head.

The Garden?

Was there a garden here? Seong looked somewhat puzzled.

Meanwhile, Valtar reacted immediately, as if he recognized the place.

-“Ho? Could it be that place?”

-“Ah, as expected, Sir Valtar, you are familiar with it. Yes, I shall guide you there—to Helena’s Garden.”

“Helena’s Garden?”

-“Indeed, my lord.”

Helena’s Garden.

The name alone caused Seong to nod.

So the quest changed because I’ve already subdued the Demon Knight.

Seong didn’t think much of it; such things weren’t unusual.

But as he thought about Helena’s Garden, a question arose.

“Could it be really difficult?”

Second job advancement quests were often notoriously challenging, depending on the class’s grade.

The Overlord, being an Almighty-class, was undoubtedly no exception.

Failure seemed like a real possibility.

As these thoughts crossed Seong’s mind, Azrapham tilted its metaphorical head.

-“...?”

It found it strange that Seong wasn’t using honorifics when referring to Helena.

Even more puzzling, Valtar said nothing about it.

Could it be that Valtar’s loyalty had waned?

No, that couldn’t be.

Anyone who had served Helena would never lose their devotion.

So why was Valtar so indifferent now?

"What is going on here...?"

Since Valtar remained silent, Azrapham had no choice but to continue the guidance without comment.

As Azrapham crossed the altar’s threshold, the surrounding scenery began to shift.

What had been ominous stone surroundings transformed into a blooming garden filled with vibrant flowers.

Petals of blue, purple, and red swirled in the air, painting a picturesque scene of a mystical garden.

Despite the dreamlike atmosphere, the sky was heavy with dark, foreboding clouds.

Purple lightning crackled between the clouds, and the Gothic-style decorations adorning the garden gave off both beauty and unease.

Even the entrance to the garden, surrounded by massive flowers, made it clear this place was anything but ordinary.

As Seong prepared to step into the garden, Azrapham panicked and intervened.

-“Ah! My lord! Please, wait—allow me to explain...”

“Hm?”

-“Only you may enter this garden to face the trials. The Netherworld cannot be utilized, and Sir Valtar must remain here. Only you are permitted...”

“Ah, got it.”

-“Uh, wait—what?”

Before Azrapham could finish its explanation, Seong had already entered.

The gist was clear: he needed to face the trials alone.

There was nothing to worry about. Whatever awaited him inside, he would figure it out. Azrapham’s brief explanation was enough.

Seong’s abrupt action left Azrapham blinking in disbelief, the flame’s glowing "eyes" flickering with uncertainty.

Was it really okay for the very first heir to charge in like this?

Yet Valtar, standing nearby, didn’t seem particularly concerned.

-“S-Sir Valtar, aren’t you worried?”

-“Hm? About what?”

-“If the heir—our successor—were to be injured, or worse, fail the trial, they would never be able to enter this place again!”

Valtar, instead of offering reassurance, let out a hearty laugh.

-“Hahaha! Do you really think the Lord, who brought me to heel, would fail such a trial?”

-“W-Well, I suppose...”

-“Ah, but you wouldn’t know, Azrapham. You haven’t seen the Lord fight firsthand.”

At Valtar’s self-assured tone, Azrapham gulped nervously.

Could the successor truly possess such potential?

If so, it would indeed be a great blessing.

Valtar, however, was thinking back to what he had witnessed.

"What incredible movements."

Although Seong’s skills were not yet at his own level, his ability as a warrior was exceptional.

Valtar recalled the battlefield, where Seong’s mastery of the sword was on full display. Initially, Valtar had yielded under duress.

But now, he genuinely respected Seong’s abilities and was even awed by him.

Unlike Helena, Seong actively participated in battles, embodying the qualities of a true sovereign.

Though his swordsmanship was currently inferior to Valtar’s, his potential suggested he might one day surpass him.

As Valtar watched Seong enter the garden, he couldn’t help but feel pleased.

Azrapham, while not doubting Valtar’s words, couldn’t suppress its unease. Finally, it asked hesitantly,

-“W-What do you think?”

-“Hahaha! You’ll see soon enough. Our Lord is no ordinary ruler. And you’ll understand the greatness of one who bears Helena’s legacy.”

-“Excuse me?”

Valtar’s cryptic remark only deepened Azrapham’s curiosity.

Yet that curiosity soon turned into a sense of anticipation as it gazed at Seong disappearing into the depths of Helena’s Garden.

What exactly did Valtar mean?

5.

As Seong stepped into the garden, new sights greeted him—things that hadn’t been visible from outside.

What once seemed merely beautiful now brimmed with a dark, sticky aura that undulated ominously.

There hadn’t been any noticeable reactions yet, but the air was thick with tension, as if the situation could erupt into chaos at any moment.

Sensing this, Seong let out a low hum.

“Hmm.”

Even so, he neither worried nor felt particularly tense.

He had many powers at his disposal.

Casually, he drew the sword of Apprentice Hero Hindel from his waist and began strolling through the garden once more.

There were no enemies or monsters in sight.

Wouldn’t there usually be at least one or two in such a vast garden? Seong wondered as he continued walking.

Eventually, he spotted a wide, open lawn at the edge of the garden.

Standing in the center of the lawn was... something.

Seong approached the figure with confident strides, and as he drew nearer, he could make it out more clearly.

“Hmm???”

It was difficult to describe.

A shadow?

Or perhaps a beast in the form of a shadow?

It was hard to say for certain, but the entity appeared as a blurry mass of darkness, vaguely resembling a shadowy figure standing on two legs.

Its posture was odd, almost as if a quadrupedal beast had awkwardly risen to stand upright.

Thinking it might be an enemy, Seong adjusted his grip on his sword.

The creature turned to face him.

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Its eyes glimmered with a deep, dark blue light as it tilted its head quizzically.

“What is this?” Seong muttered, puzzled.

Just then, a system message appeared before him.

[You have encountered a Remnant of the Past.]

[This is the guardian of Helena’s Garden, the king of all doppelgängers, and Helena’s beloved pet: 『Elder Shapeshifter』.]

[The 『Elder Shapeshifter』 is currently in a remnant state, drifting aimlessly in this place.]

[Its strength is severely diminished.]

[The 『Remnant of the Elder Shapeshifter』 perceives you as an intruder.]

[The trial for your second job advancement begins.]

[Eliminate the 『Remnant of the Elder Shapeshifter』.]

Seong read the messages, then loosened his posture slightly, letting his sword hang in a relaxed grip as he prepared himself.

The Remnant of the Elder Shapeshifter responded in kind. It stretched its shadowy form, elongating its body unnaturally, before suddenly shifting into a perfect replica of Seong.

At that moment, Seong realized something.

The Remnant of the Elder Shapeshifter had copied his stats and skills entirely.

The air grew heavy with tension, as though a battle could break out at any moment.

And then, Seong noticed something peculiar.

Peeking shyly from behind one of the garden’s columns was a figure identical to the Elder Shapeshifter—but this one was a teal-colored ghost.