Chapter 210

1.

When walking through a dark forest, one's senses grow sharper, small sounds become amplified, and you come face to face with the fear that something might leap out from any direction.

When that fear reaches its peak, a person can even hear the beating of their own heart from their very core and might even imagine sounds that aren't there.

However, this Forest Shrouded in Darkness was different.

None of that happened to Seonghyun.

It wasn't simply because Seonghyun had a stoic and calm personality.

While the darkness did sharpen his senses, there were no sounds to be heard.

‘That's strange.’

This place was clearly a forest.

A forest where dense trees blotted out the sky and darkness lurked all around.

Even though it was underground, no matter what anyone said, this was a forest.

However, the various background noises that should have been present were completely absent.

"......"

Because of this, Seonghyun stopped walking and carefully surveyed his surroundings.

He even closed his eyes to sense his surroundings.

But not only were there no signs of presence, there was no sound of small insects, no rustling of leaves in the wind, not even the sound of life itself.

In a forest, which could be called a treasure trove of life, not a single sound from any living creature could be heard.

Seonghyun opened his eyes again, looking interested. He glanced at the straight forest path ahead and gave a slight smile.

This had gotten interesting.

‘A forest with no life at all.’

The Forest Shrouded in Darkness. And the "long, thin man" and the "face-man."

While he had a rough idea, he would have to go and see for himself, right?

Normally, one would be scared, but Seonghyun, who had been friendly with ghosts since he was young, was pretty much immune to this kind of horror atmosphere.

The childish yet horrifying atmosphere from Helena's diary had been a bit scary, but he wasn't frightened at all in a dark place like this.

Just how long had he been walking along the forest path?

A message appeared before Seonghyun's eyes.

[You have entered the Hidden Field, 『Forest Shrouded in Darkness』.]

[You are the first to discover this Hidden Field!]

[A first discovery reward will be given.]

[Your vision in the Hidden Field, 『Forest Shrouded in Darkness』, has increased by 50%.]

[Rewards from the Hidden Field, 『Forest Shrouded in Darkness』, have increased by 50%.]

[The first discovery reward will last until the dungeon is first cleared.]

[The Hidden Field, 『Forest Shrouded in Darkness』, is a place constructed like a labyrinth.]

[It is a considerably vast field.]

[Please exit safely.]

The message announced that this place was a Hidden Field.

He had thought as much, but to think it was really a Hidden Field.

Seonghyun nodded as he looked at the final line of the message, which was slightly different from other hidden fields.

‘Please exit safely.’

It seemed the mission here was simply to escape the forest.

‘Something that targeted a young Helena must have dragged her here.’

And Helena had seen the "long and thin man" and the "face-man." It was written so in the diary.

‘So, shall I try to exit safely?’

It was supposed to be a vast field, after all.

Thinking this, Seonghyun lightly warmed up.

His body was already moderately loose from the previous battle.

A bit of stretching felt like it was clearing his mind as well.

‘Let's see just how vast this place is.’

The forest path still stretched before him.

Seonghyun kicked off the ground with great speed.

A deep footprint was embedded where he had stood, the earth sinking and kicking up behind him.

Kwaaaaaa---!!!

The ground shook from the powerful push-off as Seonghyun shot forward like an arrow along the forest path.

As he ran, the surrounding scenery and the rushing air were quickly pushed back.

He continued at high speed, but there was nothing of note to be seen.

‘Not yet?’

Some time had passed since he started running at a formidable speed, but there was still nothing to see.

Nor could he see the end of the forest path.

It seemed it was truly built like a labyrinth.

The path became winding and increasingly complex, with the dense trees surrounding him like walls.

It didn't feel as "official" as the labyrinth in the fifth labyrinth region, but as Seonghyun moved quickly along the path, he began to feel a little frustrated.

Every time he rounded a corner, he kicked off the densely packed trees.

The repulsive force he felt from his feet was no ordinary power.

‘I can’t break through that.’

Leaving aside the repulsive force, even though he kicked off powerfully, not a single scratch was left.

For that to happen at his level, he had to assume it was a path blocked by the system.

So, Seonghyun didn't even think about trying to break through the trees.

He had no choice but to follow the path and push through whatever appeared, be it traps or a boss.

As he ran with this newfound resolve, a sound began to be heard in the forest that had been completely silent until now.

It wasn't that the sound appeared suddenly.

‘Am I getting closer?’

It felt more like a sound he could hear because he was getting closer to its source.

The moment Seonghyun heard the sound, he prepared for battle.

Gripping his sword, ready to attack at a moment's notice, he kicked off the ground even harder and pressed forward.

Twuuung---! Twuuung---!!!

With every step Seonghyun took, kicking off the ground, he accelerated, as if ignoring air resistance and gravity.

He shot towards the source of the sound at an ever-increasing speed.

It wasn't long before he could see a faint light coming from the direction of the sound.

Confident now, Seonghyun moved even more swiftly.

He charged forward, intending to attack the moment he saw his target.

Finally, he passed through the forest and emerged into a place like a clearing.

The moment he came out, Seonghyun thought.

‘A boss room? Where's the boss?’

He looked around.

"???"

Dunga, dunga!

Uung! Duung! Duuuung!

There was the magnificent sound of drums and a blazing fire in the center.

Around it, people wearing clothes, masks, and hats made of wood and grass were circling.

"Horyat!"

"Horyat!"

"Huiyap!"

They circled the fire, letting out strange shouts. It could have been a ritual of some kind, but...

"Hahaha! Eat and drink!"

"Today is the day of the festival!"

"The day our noble lord has arrived!"

"It is the day our lord has come!!!"

They were happily raising food and goblets, shouting with excitement. The people circling the center also seemed to be dancing joyfully.

Seeing this, Seonghyun couldn't help but loosen his grip on his sword.

‘Wasn't the mission to get through the forest safely? And weren't the "long and thin man" and the "face-man" supposed to be the ones getting in my way?’

That's what he had thought, but... there was a village dancing and playing around a fire?

What in the world is this place?

"Huh?! Hey!!! Someone's here!?"

"What!?"

"Whoa!? It's real!"

"A guest in our village!!!"

"Hahahaha! This is a joyous occasion, a joyous occasion!!!"

"How many years has it been since the lord visited?"

"It's been at least 3,000 years!"

‘Is this for real?’

Seonghyun stared at them blankly as he heard their chatter.

‘Could they be monsters?’

No, that couldn't be right.

The marker floating above their heads was definitely the mark of an NPC.

So, they couldn't be monsters. Besides, they didn't fit the description of the "face-man."

It didn't seem to be the "long and thin man" either.

There weren't just men; there were women, too.

No, it was a real village where both men and women lived together.

As Seonghyun looked on awkwardly, bewildered, a system message appeared for him.

[You have arrived at 『Wood Drum Village』 in the Hidden Field, 『Forest Shrouded in Darkness』.]

[『Wood Drum Village』 is a safe zone.]

[This is a log-out enabled area.]

"...?"

Seeing that it was a safe zone, it seemed to be a real village.

As Seonghyun stood there with a confused expression, the villagers saw him and shouted.

"Welcome!!!"

"Hahaha!!! Another guest on the day our lord arrived!!!"

"This is also a joyous occasion!!!"

"Hahahaha!!! Let's eat and celebrate!!!"

"Today is a day of festival!"

The people shouted with even more excitement.

Watching this, Seonghyun, with a dazed expression, allowed himself to be led by some of the villagers who grabbed him.

There, he could see the village scenery.

Houses were all made of wood, and it seemed they lived solely with wood, as wooden objects were seen everywhere.

However, rather than the wood being carved to make things...

‘The trees have taken the shape of houses?’

The trees themselves had grown as if to become houses.

It was the same for other furniture and tools; they seemed to have become what they were as they grew.

Even a large statue at the very end of the village was made of wood.

It was a statue formed from a giant growing tree.

But somehow, the statue looked familiar.

It was a statue of a still-young girl.

And it was a statue of that young girl triumphantly placing her hands on her hips, her head held high with a proud expression.

Seonghyun had seen the subject of this statue before.

"Helena?"

He had wondered if the "lord" they mentioned was Helena, but to think it really was...

What is all this?

As Seonghyun stared at the statue, dumbfounded, the diary suddenly opened before his eyes.

『The dark forest is fun!

Thump-thump over there!

Thump-thump over here!

I won't get lost!

There are no face-men and no long, thin man!

Thump-thump the wood drums!

Thump-thump excitedly!

Let's all thump-thump together!

Wood Drum Village is the best!!!

But if I leave here, I might see the men again!

A new page suddenly appeared.

‘What was this about now?’

He had entered the dark forest and seen the "men," and by following the drum sounds, he had arrived at a village? And the last line...

‘If I leave here, I might see them again?’

Seonghyun hadn't seen them before he arrived.

Was it a trap, after all? Were they trying to make him feel safe by calling it a safe zone, only to spring a trap?

Just as he was thinking something was off, a message appeared.

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

[The Overlord Story Quest, 『Wood Drum Village』, has been generated.]

『Wood Drum Village』

→This is the fun and exciting Wood Drum Village.

→You can rest comfortably here.

→However, there are still unknown individuals, so ask the residents.

The quest had been newly updated. Seonghyun scratched his cheek as he looked at it.

You can rest comfortably here.

‘So, no trap then.‘

It seemed to be a village for inquiry.

From what he heard, it was an old village, and they seemed to remember when Helena visited.

So, he would probably be able to learn about Helena here.

Anyway.

‘Helena is over 3,000 years old.’

He seemed to have uncovered one of Helena's secrets.

Well, he'd have to ask about this again, too.

As Seonghyun thought this and accepted the guidance to take a seat, someone wearing the oldest-looking wooden clothes and mask approached him.

It was a powerfully built, burly man.

He approached Seonghyun and said,

"Welcome to Wood Drum Village!"

"Ah, thank you."

"Hahahaha!!! It just so happens that today is the festival commemorating the day our Lord arrived, so you came at a perfect time!"

"The Lord you speak of... is it the same person as the statue over there?"

"Hahahaha!!! You know well! That's right!!! It's the day we commemorate the arrival of our great and adorable Lord, Helena-nim!!!"

To be called a great Lord even at such a young age...

Considering the power Helena had displayed, it wasn't surprising.

‘Should I ask him a few things?’