"Wow."
The rewards for just the sub-quest had been remarkable, but completing the main quest left Seong awestruck.
"No wonder players are obsessed with main quests."
Updat𝒆d fr𝒐m freewebnσvel.cøm.
Even setting aside the Dark Castle itself, the two rewards were astounding: both items were Almighty-grade, one of them an exclusive Overlord item.
Seong glanced at Noctrynnium, who stood silently nearby, as if waiting for him to examine the rewards.
"Guess I’ll start with the skill," Seong thought.
The skill had to be another dark-aligned ability, further solidifying his build.
『Fallen Thorn of Midnight』
→ 《Almighty》
→ [Lv Max][Complete]
[Instant Effect][Active Skill]
[Cooldown: 30 minutes]
"The thorn that falls within midnight’s shadow will bloom into a black flower."
The skill wasn’t necessarily designed to complement his current build, but it was a powerful area-of-effect attack nonetheless.
Seong’s mind raced. The "eruption" effect mentioned in the description likely referred to a secondary explosion, which added to its destructive potential.
Satisfied with the skill, Seong closed the menu and moved on to the next reward: the exclusive item he had received.
『Overlord’s Codex』
→ 《Almighty》
*"A codex passed down from ancient times, its origins unknown even to the first Overlord, Helena, who created the Overlord class.
Although Helena was largely self-taught, she admitted that without this codex, her growth wouldn’t have been so rapid."*
*Skill grades available: Unique or lower.
*Legendary-grade skills become available at level 100 increments."...What?"
Seong’s eyes widened. The codex’s abilities far exceeded his expectations.
Even compared to The Codex of Despair, this was on an entirely different level.
As he stared at the item in awe, a system message popped up:
[You have acquired 『Overlord’s Codex』. You may now select a desired dark magic skill to learn.]
[Do you wish to proceed?]
[Yes / No]
Seong let out a quiet laugh of disbelief.
"This is insane. Can I really build my entire dark skillset with this?"
[You may select a dark magic skill tailored to your current build.]
[Searching for compatible skills...]
[Matching skills found. Displaying list.]
『Maw of Darkness』
『Frost of Shadows』
『Wriggling Darkness』
『Black Sun’s Domain』
...
A long list of compatible skills appeared, leaving Seong speechless.
"This is broken. Seriously."
He couldn’t believe such an item existed, allowing him to perfectly customize his build. The skills weren’t excessively powerful individually, but they were all synergistic with his current abilities.
Among the options, one skill caught his eye:
[You have acquired the Unique-grade skill 『Wriggling Darkness』 through 『Overlord’s Codex』.]
『Wriggling Darkness』
→ 《Unique》
→ [Lv Max][Complete]
[Instant Effect][Active Skill]
[Cooldown: 3 minutes]
"Perfect choice."
As Seong smiled in satisfaction, Noctrynnium spoke up.
"Lord, I must inform you of something. While I would like to explain the wandering ones further, a messenger from Overpalace has arrived near the Netherworld portal you created. They appear to be waiting for you."
"Hmm?"
The Overpalace messengers? The same ones he had encountered before? Why were they here now?
Noticing Seong’s confusion, Noctrynnium elaborated.
"The successors of the Hero and the Sage also seem to be nearby. Two messengers are blocking their path, while one awaits you."
The Hero’s successor and the Sage’s successor—Plinky, most likely.
"So the messengers are blocking the Hero’s successor? Because of the Hero?"
Seong frowned. While Plinky seemed eccentric and harmless, it was better to remain cautious.
"Even though I’m strong, there are still enemies far above my level."
The Hero’s successor, Luke, was one such example. Though not yet fully matured, his level was in the 250s—a gap Seong couldn’t overcome.
Despite the uncertainty, one thing was clear:
"Noctrynnium is incredibly useful. Just having him scout the area like this is a huge advantage."
With that, Seong decided to meet the Overpalace messengers.
Using the Netherworld skill, Seong opened a portal to the cave where he first entered. Noctrynnium followed, offering his assistance.
Upon arrival, a crow perched nearby caught Seong’s attention.
As he approached, the crow transformed.
Crack, snap, crunch!
Bones and flesh contorted with grotesque sounds, accompanied by a faint metallic tang of blood.
Moments later, the figure of a man wearing a familiar crow mask appeared.
His mere presence intensified the density of dark magic in the area, creating an oppressive atmosphere.
Anyone aligned with light magic would have found it unbearable, but for Seong, it felt invigorating.
[You are exposed to highly pure dark magic.]
[The dark magic is highly compatible with the Overlord.]
[All stats temporarily increase by +10.]
When Seong had first met Fiora in the past, the stat bonuses were percentage-based and significantly higher than what he received now. Even so, the current boost was nothing to scoff at.
The crow-masked man exuded a tremendous aura of power. Seong, seeing him again, felt a strange mix of familiarity and mild comfort.
The masked man bowed deeply and spoke in a formal tone.
"I am Kars Grimcrow, envoy of Overpalace, here to pay my respects to the rightful successor. Have you been well, my lord?"
"Well enough."
It hadn’t been long since their last meeting, so there was little reason for trouble to have arisen.
Seong paused briefly, reflecting.
"Hmm, well, maybe something did happen..."
Shaking off the thought, he refocused on Kars. The man’s unwavering loyalty was apparent, bordering on excessive. Yet Noctrynnium, standing beside him, nodded approvingly as though this behavior was entirely appropriate.
"So this is proper etiquette?" Seong wondered.
Not wanting to delve into something he didn’t fully understand, he decided to let it pass. His typically stoic nature, which friends often criticized as emotionally distant, now worked in his favor. If he had been more expressive, the situation might have spiraled into chaos.
Maintaining his composure, Seong addressed Kars.
"So, what brings you here this time? I heard there’s a Hero and a Sage nearby."
Kars straightened up, his voice filled with reverence.
"As expected, my lord sees all."
Seong inwardly sighed but didn’t bother correcting the assumption that he had personally discerned the situation. Noctrynnium had been the one to inform him, but admitting that felt unnecessary.
"I humbly report, my lord, that we received intelligence suggesting Hero Luke was heading to your location. We came to intercept him."
"He came specifically to find me?"
If the Hero was seeking him out intentionally, it was certainly concerning. The relationship between past Overlords and Heroes had never been cordial.
Could it be that Plinky had somehow tracked him down? Maybe one of the items Plinky had given him contained a tracking spell.
Seong’s mind raced through possibilities before he voiced another question.
"Did he locate me on purpose?"
Kars shook his head.
"Our findings indicate that is not the case."
"...?"
Seong’s expression grew puzzled.
"Based on our intelligence, Hero Luke was investigating the footsteps of his predecessor, Hindel. He appears to have learned that Hindel once visited Sermas, which led him here."
"So... he didn’t come for me?"
"That is correct, my lord. The Hero has no particular interest in your whereabouts."
Seong frowned. If that were true, blocking the Hero seemed unnecessary and, frankly, suspicious.
"Rest assured, my lord. We are handling the matter appropriately."
"If you say so..."
Though still uneasy, Seong decided to trust Kars for the time being.
"Should I leave this place now?"
"Yes, my lord. But before you go, I bring a gift from the Black Star."
Kars presented a small object with both hands, bowing deeply as he continued.
"The Black Star sends its regards and has ensured this time to provide you with something truly exceptional. Please, accept it."
Seong sighed inwardly. Why did Overpalace always insist on giving him gifts? While he wasn’t about to refuse, it was starting to feel burdensome.
He reached out and accepted the item.
[You have received the Almighty-grade item 『Primordial Demon’s Crest Ring』 from Kars Grimcrow, envoy of Overpalace.]
"...What?"
Seong stared at the ring, the weight of its significance sinking in. This was a serious gift, far beyond what he had expected.
3.
Main quests were the pinnacle of in-game content for any player’s class. The rewards were often so significant that they became every player’s dream.
Why?
Because completing a main quest not only elevated a player’s class rank but often showered them with high-grade skills and items.
The E-World User Management Team generally tolerated such events, viewing them as opportunities for players to grow significantly. After all, these quests were designed to be generous.
"What rewards has Seong received so far?"
Assistant Manager Lee Won-sang asked, his tone a mix of awe and concern.
Junior staff member Oh Jin-hyuk pulled up the records.
"Let’s see... Two Unique-grade skills, three Legendary-grade skills, one Almighty-grade skill, and two Almighty-grade items."
Eight high-grade rewards, six of which were skills and two Almighty items.
Even more concerning was the synergy created by the skill enhancement orbs. Originally designed to upgrade two Unique-grade skills, they had ended up boosting several of Seong’s skills to Unique-grade.
The unintended consequences made Lee Won-sang grimace.
"This... this is going to cost me a formal report, isn’t it?"
The mistake was a result of rushing to implement the enhancement orbs. If he had been more cautious, this situation might have been avoided.
[Immortal, can you calculate the power level of Seong’s current explosive build?]
Immortal quickly responded.
[The combined power of Seong’s skills 『Corpse Explosion』, 『Poisonous Lion’s Wrath』, and 『Toxic Detonation』 is estimated to be between Legendary and Almighty-grade.]
"...Oh, no."
The enhancement orbs had pushed an already powerful build into an entirely new league.
While Lee Won-sang brooded over his mistake, Team Leader Ji Hye-jeong approached him.
"Assistant Manager Lee?"
"Yes, ma’am."
Expecting a reprimand, Lee straightened nervously. However, Ji Hye-jeong’s expression wasn’t as severe as he anticipated.
"Your proposal for the enhancement orbs has received positive feedback. Senior Manager Lee Jae-kyung was particularly impressed."
She handed him a stack of reports, detailing how the orbs had strategically boosted Seong’s abilities while maintaining balance within the game.
Lee’s face lit up.
"Thank you so much, Team Leader!"
Ji Hye-jeong smiled faintly before turning serious again.
"However, have you reviewed the impact of Seong’s acquisition of the Dark Castle?"
"...No, ma’am."
Ji sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.
"It triggered a major in-game event. The oversight caused unnecessary chaos."
Lee’s relief evaporated as Ji handed him another document.
[Request for Support: Event Management Team]
Lee’s shoulders slumped. The earlier praise came at a cost—it was his responsibility now.
Ji left, while Oh Jin-hyuk approached Lee with a sympathetic look.
"Isn’t the Event Management Team brutal? Hang in there, sir."
Lee forced a laugh.
"Don’t worry. You’re coming with me, Oh Jin-hyuk."
"Wha... WHAT?!"
For once, Lee had the satisfaction of seeing someone else squirm. Of course, they were both heading straight into the fire together.