Chapter 209

6.

Just as the warning message had stated, it was indeed much harder than Phase 1.

After Narisha fell, the cat-masked Berto moved with far more complexity than before, and with the addition of sharp claws to its fangs, it became a trickier opponent to handle.

However, the fight felt much more comfortable than Phase 1.

He was fighting alongside his familiars, not alone.

It was only natural that it would be easier. Their teamwork was also quite good.

Since Seonghyun had already used most of his powerful skills, he was mainly providing support and cover.

As he calmly observed the situation, he noticed something strange.

Should he call them several strands of black shadow on Berto's back?

He could see thin, thread-like black shadows.

"Hm?"

As Seonghyun watched with a puzzled expression, the battle continued.

Only after about ten more minutes had passed was Berto finally defeated, all of its health depleted.

When he looked again, the thin, thread-like black shadows were gone.

‘Did I see it wrong just now?’

As Seonghyun had that thought, Berto spoke as it collapsed.

"Be... ware... of the dark......ness..."

With those words, it collapsed, its eyes now looking peaceful.

Seeing this, Seonghyun tilted his head in confusion.

Beware of the darkness?

Didn't the diary explicitly say to come into the darkness?

The cat had told him to come into the darkness, and the dog had agreed.

So why was it telling him to beware of the darkness now?

He had a feeling there was something more to this.

As soon as Seonghyun grasped this, a message appeared before his eyes.

[You have defeated the Hidden Raid Boss, 『Narisha and Berto』.]

[This is an 『Overlord』-exclusive Hidden Raid Boss.]

[The reward will be replaced with a special reward.]

[You have cleared the 『Overlord』 Story Quest, 『The Lost Cat and Dog』.]

[Acquiring rewards.]

[You have gained an immense amount of experience!]

[Level Up!] x5

[You have reached Level 165.]

[『Narisha and Berto』 have returned to 『Helena's Diary!』.]

[As a defeat reward, you can now play 『Diary's Memory 1』.]

[Playing 『Diary's Memory 1』 will lead to the next quest.]

[As a defeat reward, you have acquired the Legendary rank material item, 『Aura of Darkness』.]

There weren't many other rewards.

Aside from the massive amount of experience, there were two main rewards: the item called 『Aura of Darkness』 and the ability to watch the cutscene, 『Diary's Memory 1』.

“Oho.”

‘So this is how it connects.’

He figured they didn't give him Helena's diary for no reason.

It seemed the story would continue through this.

‘Where will the story quest lead?’

Helena would probably know, but...

"What does Helena say?"

Seonghyun asked the other familiars, just in case.

-H-Helena-nim s-said you can call her if you want to......

-Kwahaha! She said she's mentally prepared now.

-I-I heard that too, I did.

"I heard the same, my Lord."

It seemed Helena was finally ready now. After telling him not to call her for a while like some angsty teenager,

it looked like she had finished her mental preparations.

Then again, it was a diary she wrote when she was very young; it wasn't something to be embarrassed about for so long.

Still, Seonghyun shook his head.

‘Let’s not ask.’

It wasn't purely out of consideration for Helena.

While that was part of it, it wasn't the main reason. Seonghyun wasn't a fan of spoilers.

Forcing her to tell him just didn't feel right.

If it were a normal quest, using the ghosts' memories to clear it would have been fun, but this was a story quest, wasn't it?

It might even be a quest that connects to the main storyline.

So, he decided it was best not to ask.

‘This doesn't seem to be about a new familiar, does it?’

He knew there were familiars steeped in sorrow, but Helena's diary was from far too long ago.

It must have been from a time even before she was active as an Overlord.

Besides, none of the other familiars showed any signs of recognizing Berto during the fight.

Therefore, this probably wasn't related to the familiars.

And.

‘The fact that Over Palace gave me this means…’

It definitely meant there was something amazing waiting for him, on par with a new familiar.

Considering how they had carefully bided their time to find an opportunity that wouldn't conflict with the system before handing him the diary...

Wouldn't the reward be at least Almighty-rank?

A story quest that leads to an Almighty-rank item.

He wondered what could possibly be at the end of it.

Seonghyun looked down at the diary, his eyes full of anticipation.

Then, he thought.

‘Let’s play it.’

Hoping there might be a clue, he played 『Diary's Memory 1』.

The surrounding scenery melted away like snow, and in an instant, everything around him changed.

The scene began with a scene from young Helena's childhood, as she was playing and drawing in her diary.

The owners of this memory were not young Helena. It was Narisha and Berto.

"The kitty is Narisha! The doggy is Berto!"

The memory began with Helena giving them their names.

Narisha and Berto had been mere drawings, but upon receiving their names from Helena, they came to life.

As the drawings animated, an excited Helena played with them all day long.

It wasn't in this playground, but in fields, on hills, and in flower gardens that young Helena and her creations played happily together.

When evening came, Helena said she was going home, waving her hand and promising to play again tomorrow as she left.

It was a truly heartwarming sight.

‘To think they came to life just by being named... that's incredible.’

Of course, it was also a moment where he could feel Helena's immense power.

Bringing drawings to life simply by naming them... it was a ridiculous notion, really.

But this was a game, and Helena had become a transcendent being.

This scene clearly showed just how extraordinary she had been, even as a child.

After parting with Helena, Narisha and Berto waved endlessly as they watched her go.

Once the two were alone, the sun gradually set, and darkness fell.

"I'm excited for tomorrow."

"We're going to play with Helena."

"Tomorrow, we'll be it."

"Yeah, yeah."

Narisha and Berto waited for Helena, chatting excitedly about how they would play with her when morning came.

Although they could play just fine in the dark, Helena had to go home, so they had no choice.

They wished for the morning to come even a little bit sooner, but what approached them was not the morning.

【I shall take you.】

An ominous voice was heard, and a deep darkness settled around Narisha and Berto.

"N-no!"

"G-go away!"

Narisha and Berto resisted, but they could not fight against the deep darkness.

The darkness swallowed them both, and in their place, a single torn note remained.

『You can find us if you come into the darkness!』

The note, which looked as if Narisha had left it, was discovered by Helena when she arrived the next morning.

She looked towards the distant, deeply shadowed forest, tilted her head in confusion, and spoke.

"Narisha?"

And with that, the diary's memory ended.

As the cutscene finished, Seonghyun's ghost-like state returned to normal.

The original scenery reappeared, and a message popped up.

[You have acquired the keyword 『Darkness』.]

[You have acquired a clue about 『Darkness』.]

Seonghyun was lost in deep thought.

‘Hmm.’

So the one who suggested playing in the darkness wasn't the cat, Narisha. At the same time, he'd acquired a keyword and a clue about 『Darkness』. In other words...

‘There’s something that controls the darkness.’

This aligned with the threads of darkness he'd seen on Berto at the end, and with Berto's final words telling him to beware the darkness.

Is something that controls darkness targeting Helena?

That's how he had to see it.

‘It must have been after Helena's extraordinary power, even when she was a child.’

There were few clues so far, but at least the motive was clear.

And really, who wouldn't be tempted?

She had brought a drawing to life just by naming it.

If a child possessed such immense power, any remotely malicious person would want to steal it.

Of course, since Helena was perfectly fine now...

‘They must have failed.’

But considering this quest was continuing, could it be that a trace of them remained, or that a younger Helena had struggled against them?

Mulling this over, Seonghyun checked the item he received as a reward.

『Aura of Darkness』

→《Legendary》

→Material Item.

→Quest Item.

→A crystal of darkness formed from the condensed dark aura of an unknown being.

→The power of darkness remains strong within it.

A Legendary-rank material item, no less.

And it was also a quest item.

He'd have to hold onto it for now.

With everything he could do at the moment done, the diary of Helena in Seonghyun's hand began to glow.

A page that hadn't been there before appeared.

The drawing where Narisha and Berto had been torn out was restored, and as a new page formed behind it, he could read the entry written on it.

『It's so dark! I keep yelling, "Where are you! Where are you!" but I can't see them!

Did I get lost in the dark forest?

It's hide-and-seek, but it's too hard!

Kitty! Doggy!

Ugh, where are they?

It's too dark to see, but from far away, a man told me!

"The cat and dog went that way, he said."

It was a long, thin man! When I said, "Thank you!" he waved his hands excitedly!

It's dark! It's dark!

Hello to the face-man hanging from the tree, too!

The forest has so many strange things!

Kitty! Doggy! Wait for me, I'll definitely find you!』

‘Ugh.’

What is this now?

Seonghyun's mind went blank after reading the diary entry.

‘What on earth did it mean? A "long and thin man"? And a "face-man"?’

It truly felt like something out of a horror story, but as he read it, Seonghyun understood.

He had to go to the dark forest.

After reading the diary, Seonghyun looked up.

A new exit had appeared in the playground, which originally only had an entrance.

And a message appeared.

[The Overlord Story Quest, 『The Forest Shrouded in Darkness』, has been generated.]

『The Forest Shrouded in Darkness』

→Head to the Forest Shrouded in Darkness.

It seemed that going through there would lead him to the Forest Shrouded in Darkness.

This playground had originally been the small hill where Helena played with Narisha and Berto, and based on the diary's memory, the forest was indeed in that direction.

‘Should I go right away?’

With a bit of anticipation, Seonghyun headed towards the exit, wondering what the "long and thin man" and the "face-man" could be.

The forest, filled with trees that grew so tall they blotted out the sky, was exceedingly dark.

However, it was far too dark to be caused by the trees alone.

It was a dark forest where the darkness itself seemed to be alive and breathing.

Hanging everywhere were fruit-like objects.

And as if managing these fruits, a thin, needle-like creature moved about, piercing one of the fruits as if plucking it and bringing it to its mouth.

It was a thin spider with a human head.

Upon closer inspection, the fruit-like objects the spider was eating were revealed to be human heads.

The spider chomped on a human head and smiled brightly.

Sensing someone about to enter its territory, it slowly began to move.

Then, as if speaking to someone, it muttered.

"My Lord, an intruder has come."

The darkness that heard its mutter stirred for a moment, and then vanished.