The Game of a Legendary Genius Dark Mage

Chapter 8

I never imagined I’d manage to take down three at once.

Feeling satisfied, Seonghyeon opened the title he had just earned.

『Hunter』
→ 《Rare》
→ A title granted to a user who slays 30 beast-type monsters in a single strike.
→ Increases movement speed by 10% when hunting beast-type monsters.
→ Increases speed by 5% when pursuing a target.

“Oh!”

This wasn’t just a title for hunting.

So taking down beast-type monsters counts as hunting, huh?

And an additional speed boost when chasing something, too.

It was a satisfying title.

After confirming the effects, Seonghyeon closed the title window and looked ahead.

Two massive trees blocked the way, and beyond them loomed the silhouette of something enormous.

It seemed he’d reached just in front of the boss.

Although it was a bit regretful to break the flow here, there was no choice.

Clearing it would void the first-clear rewards.

‘Let’s butcher first.’

With the ‘Skilled Butcher’ title and the Excellent Butchering Kit, he processed the carcasses with ease.

The speed was on a completely different level compared to using just a normal-grade butchering knife.

Breaking down multiple green deer didn’t take more than a few tens of minutes.

‘I’ve caught quite a lot.’

There were roughly ten green deer in total.

While it wasn’t an overwhelming number, it seemed he had earned the title because he had taken down twenty rabbits previously.

Now, all that was left was the boss visible in the distance.

Seonghyeon’s gaze fell upon the creature presumed to be the boss.

It had a colossal frame and sported a mix of golden and black fur.

Even without a closer look, its patterns were unmistakable.

‘Taking it down in one strike might be tough…’

Seonghyeon scratched his cheek awkwardly as he observed the tiger lying ahead.

There was no point in wondering whether he could do it or not.

He simply had to press forward.

BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM!

Kicking off with explosive force, Seonghyeon sprinted ahead.

As he entered the vast clearing that seemed to be the boss room, a message appeared.

[Field-Type Hidden Dungeon: 『Hunter’s Forest』 Boss, Tiger, awakens.]

So it was a tiger after all.

Unlike the green deer, it carried no additional descriptors.

Just the fact that it was a tiger was more than enough to serve as a boss in this beginner village.

Its size was immense, surpassing even the tigers Seonghyeon had seen at the zoo.

It looked as though it had bulked up significantly, far beyond any ordinary tiger.

The beast was easily twice Seonghyeon’s size.

‘This won’t be easy.’

There wasn’t enough strength to slice through such a massive creature in one go.

It wasn’t just Seonghyeon’s judgment. The memories of his previous drill instructor and the experiences of the hunter Apik confirmed it.

But there was no need to take it down in a single strike.

“Grrrrrraaaaargh!”

The tiger’s mighty roar reverberated through the forest.

In that moment, Seonghyeon felt his sprinting legs falter slightly.

[You have been exposed to the 『Fear』 of the boss, Tiger.]
[Your movement speed decreases.]

So it had abilities like this?

He had heard that a tiger’s roar carried infrasonic waves that could paralyze humans.

To see it implemented like this was impressive.

He had thought such abilities were reserved for dragons in fantasy movies or novels, but apparently not.

A reduction in movement speed didn’t mean he couldn’t move.

Despite the brief hesitation caused by the roar, Seonghyeon quickly regained his stride and moved away from his position.

Moments later, the tiger’s massive front paws slammed down where he had been.

BOOM!

A cloud of dust erupted from the impact, and Seonghyeon, slashing his sword in wide arcs, cleared the dust cloud from his vision.

As the tiger charged again, Seonghyeon attempted to dodge to the side, just as he had with the green deer.

But the tiger’s glinting eyes revealed its cunning.

It had anticipated his sidestep and spread its paws wide, aiming to snatch him up.

However, Seonghyeon had already noticed and abandoned his attack, lowering his stance even further to slip away, using his momentum to glide past the beast.

Swishhhhhh!

The tiger’s reactions were quicker than he had expected.

Even with the notification of reduced speed, Seonghyeon felt that he hadn’t slowed down much.

‘It’s the Hunter title’s effect.’

The movement speed boost against beast-type monsters seemed to offset the 『Fear』.

It was a relief.

If not for that, he would’ve been hit for sure just now.

And even one hit would likely spell disaster.

He had to avoid being struck at all costs.

“Grrrrrrrrr.”

The tiger growled low as it glared at Seonghyeon, seemingly displeased by his evasive maneuvers.

Its eyes didn’t carry the gaze of prey being hunted.

They held the sharp focus of a predator on the hunt.

Seonghyeon recalled the memories of the hunter Apik.

How had Apik dealt with a tiger?

The vivid recollections and experiences surged to the surface.

Patience was key.

Rushing an attack would only lead to being devoured.

The right moment had to be seized for an accurate strike.

When attacking a charging beast larger than oneself, the best strategy was to use its strength against it.

The combination of these memories and experiences lit a faint teal glint in Seonghyeon’s eyes.

The tiger flinched momentarily, seemingly caught off guard by the ghostly teal glow.

Perhaps feeling humiliated, it roared furiously.

“Grrrrraaaaaaaaagh!”

The deafening roar shook the forest, but this time, Seonghyeon’s body did not falter.

With the memories and experiences supporting him, he stood firm, calmly waiting for the right moment.

The tiger charged at him again, its speed overwhelming.

But relying on his reflexes and accumulated experience, Seonghyeon dodged each strike, maintaining the distance between them.

“Graaargh!”

The tiger roared once more, spreading its front paws wide as it lunged at Seonghyeon.

In that instant, the teal glow in Seonghyeon’s eyes flared as he shouted internally.

‘Now!’

Rather than dodging, he charged straight at the oncoming tiger.

To any observer, it would have seemed suicidal.

But Seonghyeon’s eyes gleamed with determination.

Reaching the tiger’s front, he slid across the ground, lowering his stance to the extreme and raising his sword.

His strength alone wouldn’t suffice?

Then he would use the tiger’s strength as well.

His blade wouldn’t have been able to penetrate the tiger’s thick hide and rock-solid muscles on its own.

But the combined force of the charging tiger and his own momentum changed the equation.

The unwavering edge of the Steel Sword found its mark, piercing the tiger’s core with precision.

Squelch!

[Critical Hit!]
[『One Strike!』 effect activates!]

“Krrraaaaaargh!”

As the critical hit notification appeared, accompanied by the sound of air being forcefully expelled, Seonghyeon released his grip on the sword.

Sliding smoothly underneath the tiger, he escaped as the creature collapsed to the ground. The Steel Sword, which had pierced its heart, sank even deeper into its body as the beast fell.

Though the tiger’s strength seemed to drain away, its body going limp, Seonghyeon remained vigilant.

The memories of the hunter Apik warned him: predators often feigned death to deliver a final, devastating blow.

He decided to wait a little longer.

Finally, with a heavy thud, the tiger’s paw—its claws now retracted—fell lifelessly to the ground. A notification window popped up.

[You have cleared the field-type hidden dungeon, 『Hunter’s Forest』!]
[The first-clear reward will remain available until you fully butcher the boss, the tiger!]
[You have defeated a beast-type monster boss in a single strike!]
[You have achieved a dungeon milestone.]
[You have earned an achievement reward.]
[Dungeon rewards have been enhanced!]
[Items obtained: 『Tiger’s Fang』, 『Tiger’s Paw』, 『Green Deer Breastplate』.]

“Oh?!”

So it wasn’t just about butchering the tiger?

Even with the enhanced dungeon rewards from the achievement bonus, Seonghyeon hadn’t expected such a haul.

Apparently, the rewards for butchering and clearing the dungeon were separate.

His eyes sparkled as he delayed butchering the tiger to examine the newly acquired items.

『Green Deer Breastplate』
→《Rare》
→ A breastplate made from the antlers and hide of a green deer.
→ The hide is tougher than that of a normal deer, and the antlers make it far sturdier than regular leather armor.
→ Defense +8% increase.

『Tiger’s Paw』
→《Rare+》
→ Boots resembling the claws of a tiger.
→ While it’s unclear whether they’re made from an actual tiger’s paw, they’re as swift and durable as one.
→ Movement speed +10% increase.

『Tiger’s Fang』
→《Epic》
→ A short sword resembling a tiger’s fang.
→ Superior in durability and quality compared to ordinary steel swords or iron blades.
→ Possesses exceptional piercing power, as if capable of penetrating anything.
→ Penetration power +10% increase.

“An epic item, too?”

He’d heard that hidden dungeons were lucrative, but not to this extent.

And it wasn’t over yet.

When Seonghyeon equipped all the items, another notification appeared.

[You are now wearing the 『Forest Hunter Set』.]
[Set effects are revealed.]

『Forest Hunter Set (3/4)』
→ Movement speed +10% increase.
→ Attack speed +5% increase.

Even a single epic item would have been a blessing, but now there were set effects too!

Although it was a bit disappointing that he only had three out of the four pieces, there wasn’t much he could do about it.

For now, this was more than enough.

Satisfied after confirming the rewards, Seonghyeon prepared to butcher the tiger. As he moved closer, however, his eyes caught sight of a massive boulder-like structure near where the tiger had fallen.

“What’s this?”

Lifting his gaze, he realized it wasn’t just a boulder.

Sunlight streamed through the forest canopy, illuminating the spot where a statue stood—an image of the legendary hero Hindel.

The figure looked upward toward the heavens, radiating an aura of sanctity and splendor that was almost indescribable.

“Wow.”

It struck Seonghyeon anew that this truly was the Hero’s Village.

The statue of Hindel—the hero who had defeated the Demon King.

Though the story seemed clichéd, the statue’s grandeur left no room for doubt or criticism.

Mesmerized, Seonghyeon gazed at the heroic figure, which looked like it had been plucked straight from a fairy tale.

Then a thought occurred to him.

‘They said the Demon King and the Hero died here, right?’

If so…

‘Could the hero’s spirit be lingering here too?’

Seonghyeon recalled something he’d learned about spirits: they didn’t always remain in the world due to regrets or unfinished business.

Sometimes, they simply wandered naturally.

Though some spirits carried deep resentment or lingering attachments, not all did.

‘There’s a chance the hero’s spirit could be here.’

He resolved to ask his sister about it later.

With that thought, he finished butchering the tiger, storing its hide and meat in his inventory before leaving the area.

Since the dungeon was cleared, it was time to claim his reward from the old ghost.

As he exited the dungeon and began heading back to the village, he spotted a familiar spirit lingering near the entrance to the Foggy Forest.

It was the old man’s ghost.

“Ah?”

“Oh-ho! You’re back! Splendid work, lad! You handled it so quickly!!!”

The ghost recognized him immediately.

When Seonghyeon nodded, the old man cackled in delight.

“Ah, then let me show you where our family heirloom is buried!”

The ghost led him further into the forest.

“Here! This is the spot! Dig here, and you’ll find it!”

“Hm.”

Though it was a bit challenging to follow the ghost deeper into the foggy woods, Seonghyeon eventually arrived at the indicated location.

Using his old butchering knife, now overshadowed by his Excellent Butchering Kit, he began digging.

It wasn’t the ideal tool for the job, making the task laborious, but eventually, he unearthed a wooden box.

He couldn’t help but think, Why would someone bury an heirloom like this?

Still, he refrained from saying anything aloud.

“Heheheh! Go ahead, open it up!”

“Thank you. I’ll accept this gratefully.”

Given that it was called a family heirloom, Seonghyeon expected something exceptional.

When he opened the box, he found a pair of leather gloves matching the green hue of his current armor.

“Huh? This looks familiar.”

[You have discovered a hidden item!]
[You have earned the title 『Explorer』.]
[You have obtained the hidden item: 『Green Deer Leather Gloves』.]
[The 『Forest Hunter Set』 effects are now fully activated.]

“Oh.”

So, it had been here all along.

If he hadn’t found it, it would’ve been a real shame.