NOVEL WEB Chapter 2
Chapter 2
Seonghyeon replayed the video, but the ghost was still there. Checking other videos, he noticed the same phenomenon—they also had ghosts.
Were these… paranormal videos?
‘This is fascinating.’
He had seen ghosts in reality, even in videos before, but those were always real-world ghosts. Never had he seen anything like this in a game.
Yet here they were in Eternal World.
The ghosts appeared as if they were NPC spirits—dressed in medieval clothing and roaming about.
What could this mean?
He wasn’t entirely sure, but one thing was certain.
‘They really are ghosts.’
It wasn’t just a hunch; Seonghyeon was confident.
He was the only one who could see ghosts, no matter how many shamans or experts his family sought.
Given his unique ability, he trusted his instincts.
He considered a few possibilities:
First, could other players see these ghosts too?
The lack of any mention in the comments or reactions ruled that out.
Second, perhaps NPCs and players couldn’t see them?
That seemed likely, as neither reacted to the ghosts, even when passing through them.
Finally, were they hidden NPCs?
No, that didn’t fit either.
‘Other NPCs and players have icons or names above their heads.’
The ghosts had none of these markers.
Judging by his observations, they were unequivocally ghosts.
Ghosts… in a game.
Could his sister’s wild theory actually be correct?
‘Turns out, Mina’s onto something.’
Or maybe the game itself was simply extraordinary.
The more important point was this: ghosts existed within the game.
‘And all ghosts are friendly toward me.’
Every ghost Seonghyeon had encountered in real life had shown him kindness.
It was reasonable to assume the game’s ghosts would behave similarly.
If these in-game ghosts liked him and were willing to help…
Could they reveal hidden secrets only they knew?
Things other players could never find?
People often said the dead didn’t speak.
But if he could talk to the dead…
‘I could learn so much.’
The thought brought a smile to his face.
Anticipating what awaited him, Seonghyeon drifted off to sleep, eager for the next day.
3.
After a restful night—something he hadn’t experienced in the military—Seonghyeon woke up to a bright morning.
The day began with a delicious breakfast prepared by his mother, Na Kyung. After eating and washing up, he returned to his room.
‘Alright…’
Time to log in.
Thanks to his sister, Mina, he already knew how to use the capsule and access the game.
She had drilled the instructions into his head so thoroughly it was impossible to forget.
With the game boasting over 2 billion players worldwide, Seonghyeon found himself genuinely excited.
He was especially curious about the in-game ghosts and whether they could lead him to hidden treasures.
By the time he was up, Mina was already logged into her capsule, immersed in the game.
Soon, Seonghyeon followed suit, climbing into his own capsule.
As he initiated the login process, a sensation of being drawn somewhere enveloped him.
Floating weightlessly in a void, he was eventually transported into a pristine white room.
Once inside, his feet gently touched the floor, and words appeared before him.
[Welcome to Eternal World.]
[No registered account found.]
[Would you like to create an account?]
[Yes / No]
“Wow!”
The text floating in midair amazed him.
How did they even create something like this?
It was even more vivid and immersive than the videos had suggested.
Without hesitation, Seonghyeon selected “Yes.”
A full-body mirror materialized in front of him.
[Please customize your avatar.]
[You may also choose your desired race and ethnicity.]
[Note: Avatar gender must match the user’s gender.]
[Commands can be issued via voice or cursor.]
Seonghyeon wasn’t overly concerned about his appearance, but his military buzz cut did bother him.
“Hmm, can I make my hair longer?”
Upon his request, an array of hairstyles appeared before him.
“Wow, there are so many options.”
True to his calm nature, Seonghyeon only expressed mild surprise.
He selected a hairstyle resembling how his hair used to look before the military and nodded approvingly.
“I’ll go with this.”
[Finish customizing?]
[Yes / No]
Seonghyeon promptly chose “Yes” and moved on to the next step: selecting his starting area.
Thanks to Mina and his prior research, the choice was obvious.
“Hin del Village.”
He skimmed through the descriptions and quickly skipped past them. He already knew the details and could revisit them anytime.
When prompted to choose a character name, he went with something simple.
[Enter your character name…]
“Seonghyeon.”
The system registered his input before the prompt even finished appearing.
Finally, a confirmation message popped up:
[Character creation complete.]
[A playable character is available.]
[Log in as ‘Seonghyeon’?]
[Yes / No]
Without hesitation, Seonghyeon nodded.
[Welcome to Eternal World, the eternal and alternate reality.]
[Best of luck, Player ‘Seonghyeon.’]
The message disappeared, and a new world unfolded before him.
Sunlight beamed down brilliantly, accompanied by a gentle breeze carrying the sounds of chirping birds.
Chirp~ Chirp-chirp!
The scents of flowers and grass wafted through the air, brushing past him with a refreshing warmth.
‘Incredible.’
Despite his composed exterior, Seonghyeon marveled at the game’s unparalleled realism.
As he surveyed his surroundings, a rough-looking man glared at him.
Seonghyeon immediately recognized the face.
It was Gruger, the tutorial instructor for Hin del Village. Known for his fierce demeanor, he was notoriously strict and demanding.
In a gruff, sharp tone, Gruger addressed him:
“Welcome, rookie outsider.”
“Hello,” Seonghyeon replied politely.
“I’m Gruger, your instructor. I’ll be training you.”
“I’m Seonghyeon. Nice to meet you.”
“Hmm, you’ve got manners for an outsider.”
Apparently, many players didn’t bother greeting NPCs, often dismissing them outright.
Gruger nodded approvingly before explaining the task.
“To leave this place, you need to destroy a scarecrow—like those over there.”
Following Gruger’s gesture, Seonghyeon saw other players wielding weapons, striking scarecrows with determined effort. Despite their forceful attacks, the scarecrows remained sturdy.
“Now, pick one of the iron swords over there and destroy a scarecrow.”
A quest window popped up:
[Mandatory Quest: ‘Tutorial’]
Objective: Select an iron sword from the rack and destroy a scarecrow.
Reward: 1 Silver Coin, Training Certificate.
Understanding the task, Seonghyeon was about to reply when something caught his eye.
In the weapon rack’s vicinity, a faint, translucent figure hovered—indisputably a ghost.
The ghost wore an outfit identical to Gruger’s.
‘Was it a previous instructor?’
If so, this might make things much easier.
Seonghyeon already knew about a hidden piece in this tutorial: among the iron swords was a steel sword with superior durability and attack power.
The problem was that all the swords looked identical, making it nearly impossible to distinguish them.
But if the ghost was a former instructor, it might know the steel sword’s location.
Approaching the weapon rack, Seonghyeon discreetly addressed the ghost.
“Hello?”
“Gah! Crap! You—can you see me?!”
Startled, the ghost cursed but quickly softened, its gaze filled with friendliness—just like the ghosts in the real world.
Seonghyeon nodded and quietly asked, “Do you know which one is the steel sword?”
The ghost beamed with pride, nodding enthusiastically.
“Of course! As the instructor before last, I know it well! Follow me!”
“Thank you.”
Guided by the ghost, Seonghyeon followed it to a specific sword.
“This is it—the steel sword!”
Without hesitation, Seonghyeon grabbed the indicated weapon. The moment he did, a radiant light emanated from the blade.
“Th-The steel sword?!”
“He found it just like that?!”
The other players were stunned. Seonghyeon had uncovered the hidden piece with apparent ease.