NOVEL WEB Chapter 3
Chapter 3
“Wow.”
Seonghyeon muttered calmly, staring at the steel sword radiating brilliance.
The effect certainly felt special. At the same time, messages began to appear before him.
[You have discovered the ‘Steel Sword’ in the tutorial.]
[Item acquired: ‘Steel Sword.’]
[You have been recognized for your keen insight in finding the ‘Steel Sword.’]
[Title acquired: ‘Keen Insight.’]
Not only had he obtained the Steel Sword, but he was also rewarded with a title. The rewards were far more generous than he had anticipated.
‘What are the effects?’
‘Steel Sword’
→ Normal+
→ A sword crafted from steel.
→ Stronger and more durable than a standard iron sword.
‘Keen Insight’
→ Rare
→ Awarded to users who demonstrate exceptional perception by acquiring the Steel Sword in the tutorial.
→ Critical Hit Rate +10%.
It was impressive.
The sword was valuable, but the title’s effect was even better. A 10% increase in critical hit rate was a significant advantage.
Seonghyeon nodded, his face calm as usual.
“Holy crap… It’s really the Steel Sword!”
“How can someone just confidently grab a Steel Sword like that…?”
The nearby players erupted in disbelief. One shouted, while another questioned the absurdity of the situation.
Seonghyeon hadn’t deliberated over his choice; he had simply walked up and grabbed it. And yet, it was the Steel Sword.
Even the NPC instructor, Gruger, was stunned. His eyes widened to the size of saucers as he stared at Seonghyeon.
‘Incredible.’
To choose so quickly with such precision—it was astonishing. Even Gruger doubted his own ability to make such a swift selection.
However, his surprise didn’t last long.
While insight was admirable, it had little to do with actual combat ability.
Gruger, an experienced warrior, could see it plainly: Seonghyeon’s physique and demeanor were unremarkable.
And Gruger’s assessment was correct.
Seonghyeon had never excelled in physical activities. He wasn’t particularly skilled or unskilled—just average.
‘Even with the Steel Sword, he’ll probably need at least ten strikes.’
Gruger predicted that Seonghyeon’s lack of talent would show when he attempted to defeat the scarecrow.
Seonghyeon, meanwhile, had similar thoughts.
‘This won’t be easy.’
He was acutely aware of his own limits.
The Steel Sword would help him, but landing a decisive strike on the scarecrow seemed unlikely.
With that in mind, he gripped the Steel Sword.
“Hold on! Not like that!”
“Hm?”
“You’re holding the sword all wrong! Watch me and copy what I do.”
The ghost of the former instructor, now standing nearby, began demonstrating the correct technique.
Seonghyeon was about to dismiss it—no matter how well the ghost explained, talent couldn’t be taught.
But then, he felt it.
‘What’s this?’
A strange sensation flowed into him. It wasn’t strength, exactly, but more like… memories. Or experience.
Unlike real-world ghosts, this game-world ghost seemed to transfer its accumulated knowledge and skills to him.
The ghost’s countless hours of wielding a sword had somehow become part of Seonghyeon.
As if he were the ghost himself, vivid memories and muscle movements flooded his mind.
‘So, this is how it’s done.’
Guided by the ghost’s memories, Seonghyeon adjusted his grip on the sword.
Suddenly, the weapon felt lighter—more natural.
‘Incredible.’
For the first time, holding a sword felt instinctive to him.
“Haha! That’s it! You’ve got it now!”
The ghost exclaimed enthusiastically, thrilled to see its techniques passed on.
Nearby, Gruger watched in disbelief.
‘What… What’s this?’
The previously average-looking Seonghyeon now exuded a sharp, focused aura.
Gruger’s stern expression softened into astonishment.
“Master…?”
The resemblance was uncanny. Seonghyeon’s stance mirrored that of Gruger’s revered late master.
Though Gruger had no way of knowing the ghost’s presence, the sight left him shaken.
Even the other players turned their attention to Seonghyeon, captivated by his transformation.
“Over here! Aim for this spot!”
The ghost pointed at the scarecrow’s weak point—the junction between its neck and torso.
Seonghyeon swung the sword, following the ghost’s guidance.
The blade traced a precise, silver arc through the air, slicing cleanly through the scarecrow.
Swish.
The scarecrow’s upper half toppled to the ground.
Seonghyeon sheathed the sword with an air of calm mastery, his demeanor that of a seasoned swordsman.
“Holy crap, he took it down in one strike!”
“What the heck?! That’s insane!”
“Wait, doesn’t this mean he’ll become a top-tier player?”
The players around him were stunned, their reactions ranging from awe to disbelief.
‘I… actually did it.’
Internally, Seonghyeon was as surprised as they were. But outwardly, he maintained his composed façade.
“Well done! You’ve exceeded my expectations!”
The ghost praised him, and Seonghyeon couldn’t help but feel a bit embarrassed by the attention.
Gruger, however, was the most astonished of all.
‘This… This is impossible.’
The feat itself was incredible, but what shocked Gruger most was the uncanny resemblance to his late master’s swordsmanship.
“You’re remarkable—no, outstanding!”
“Hmm?”
“To think I’d encounter such a genius in this place!”
Gruger handed Seonghyeon his rewards, clearly impressed.
[You defeated the scarecrow in a single strike.]
[Title acquired: ‘One Strike!’]
[You achieved a significant milestone in the tutorial.]
[Tutorial rewards upgraded.]
[Acknowledged by Instructor Gruger.]
[Title acquired: ‘Instructor’s Commendation.’]
[Tutorial rewards received.]
[Rewards upgraded: 10 Silver Coins, ‘Training Certificate,’ and ‘Gruger’s Recommendation Letter’ acquired.]
“Take this as well,” Gruger said, handing him the items.
“Thank you.”
“No, I should be thanking you. You’ve opened my eyes.”
“Pardon?”
“Haha! Never mind! Oh, and that recommendation letter will let you go straight to the village chief.”
Hearing that, Seonghyeon’s eyes lit up.
Skipping the tedious beginner quests to meet the village chief was a significant advantage.
‘This is all thanks to the ghost.’
He had never expected to gain this much. Not just the titles and rewards, but also a newfound strength.
[You demonstrated abilities beyond your current stats using an ‘Unknown Power.’]
[Strength +3, Agility +2 permanently increased.]
‘What’s this?’
Seonghyeon was startled by the message. This kind of hidden reward hadn’t been mentioned anywhere.
0.
The AI managing Eternal World, Immortal, monitored everything within the game.
When a player named Seonghyeon obtained the Steel Sword and defeated a scarecrow in one strike, Immortal flagged it as unusual.
The feat itself wasn’t unheard of, but the data didn’t align.
Seonghyeon’s stats indicated such an action should have been impossible.
For a moment, Immortal observed as Seonghyeon’s synchronization rate with the game spiked to an unprecedented 100%.
[Unexplainable phenomenon detected.]
Unable to comprehend the anomaly, Immortal labeled it as “Unknown Power,” as per the guidelines set by Park Won, the game’s creator.
[Rewarding the player accordingly.]
This report, along with the anomaly, was promptly sent to E-World’s User Management Team, causing an uproar.