Even after rewatching the video, Seong could still see the ghost.

    Out of curiosity, he started browsing other videos, and to his surprise, the ghostly figures appeared in those as well.

    Was this some kind of paranormal footage?

    ‘This is fascinating.’

    Seong had always been able to spot ghosts in videos, but those were spirits from the real world.

    Until now, he had never seen ghosts inside a game.

    But in Eternal World, there they were.

    Ghosts dressed in medieval attire, almost like the spirits of NPCs.

    What exactly was going on?

    He wasn’t sure, but one thing felt certain.

    ‘They’re real ghosts.’

    It was just a gut feeling—but Seong’s intuition when it came to ghosts had never been wrong before.

    Even the so-called gifted shamans his parents had dragged him to couldn’t see spirits.

    Only Seong could.

    So if his instincts told him these were real, then they probably were.

    He mulled it over carefully.

    First—could other players see them?

    Judging by the comments and reactions in the videos, no one had mentioned anything about ghosts.

    Second—were they visible only to NPCs?

    That didn’t seem to be the case either.

    NPCs passed right through the ghosts without acknowledging them, as if they didn’t exist.

    Lastly—could they just be hidden NPCs?

    But no—

    ‘Regular NPCs and players have icons or names above their heads.’

    These figures didn’t have anything like that.

    Given both his intuition and the evidence, Seong was convinced—they were ghosts.

    Ghosts inside the game.

    Who would’ve thought Mina’s joke might actually be true?

    ‘Maybe Mina’s more insightful than I gave her credit for.’

    Or was the game just that mysterious?

    Either way, the important part was this—

    There are ghosts in the game.

    ‘And ghosts have always been friendly to me.’

    No matter what kind of spirit it was, they’d always liked Seong.

    They were constantly eager to help him.

    It was just a hunch, but it felt certain that the game’s ghosts would be the same.

    And if the ghosts in Eternal World were willing to help him—

    Couldn’t he use them to find hidden pieces that other players couldn’t?

    The kind of treasures that only the dead would know about.

    After all, hadn’t people always said, “The dead tell no tales”?

    But if Seong could speak to the dead—

    ‘I’d be able to learn a lot.’

    Excitement sparked in his chest as Seong smiled to himself.

    Looking forward to logging in the next day, he drifted off to sleep.

    *****

    Seong woke up feeling completely refreshed.

    It was the kind of morning he hadn’t experienced in the military—light and easy.

    After enjoying a delicious breakfast prepared by his mother, Lee Nakyung, and taking a quick shower, he headed back to his room.

    ‘Alright...’

    It was time.

    Seong already knew how to enter the capsule and log into the game.

    Mina had made sure of that—drilling the instructions into his head so thoroughly he could practically recite them in his sleep.

    With Eternal World boasting over 2 billion players, it was impossible not to feel a tinge of excitement.

    Most of all, he was curious.

    What would the ghosts in the game be like?

    Could they really lead him to hidden pieces and secrets?

    By the time Seong was ready, Mina had already finished breakfast and disappeared into her own capsule.

    Seong followed suit, climbing into his capsule and logging in.

    At first, it felt like his consciousness was being sucked into something.

    Then came the sensation of floating, as though he was drifting through empty space.

    Moments later, he opened his eyes to find himself in a pure white room.

    As his feet gently touched the ground, letters began to appear before him.

    ________________

    [Welcome to Eternal World.]

    [No registered account detected.]

    [Would you like to create an account?]

    [Yes / No]

    ____________________

    "Oh!"

    Even just seeing the floating text windows in front of him was astonishing.

    How did they create something like this?

    It was incredible.

    It felt even more vivid than what he had seen in videos—like stepping into an entirely different reality.

    “Now that you understand, pick one of the iron swords hanging over there and destroy a scarecrow.”

    As Gruuger spoke, a quest window popped up.

    __________

    [Forced Quest: "Tutorial" has been created.]

    "Tutorial"

    → [Basics]

    → Select one of the iron swords displayed in the training area and destroy a scarecrow.

    → Reward: 1 Silver, Training Certificate.

    __________

    So this was how quests worked.

    Seong nodded and replied, “Got it.”

    He was about to walk toward the swords when he saw it—

    A faint, smoky figure.

    Transparent, yet undeniably human-shaped.

    A ghost.

    It was clearer than ever now that he saw it in person.

    Just like the ghosts in the real world, this one was definitely real.

    Which meant...

    ‘It might listen to me.’

    To top it off—

    The ghost was wearing the same uniform as Gruuger.

    A former instructor, perhaps?

    That could make things easier.

    Seong already knew about the tutorial’s hidden piece.

    Mina had told him about it, and it was no secret among experienced players.

    Apparently, there was a Steel Sword mixed in with the regular iron ones.

    It had better durability and higher attack power, but—

    The problem was that all the swords looked exactly the same.

    Some players with sharp eyes could pick it out, but most couldn’t.

    Seong glanced around.

    Several players were inspecting the swords carefully, but none seemed to have found the Steel Sword.

    But if that ghost really was a former instructor, wouldn’t it know which one was the Steel Sword?

    Seong approached the weapons rack.

    From a distance, Gruuger watched him with a frown.

    “Hmph. At least he has manners...”

    But his movements—his posture and stride—made it clear he wasn’t athletic.

    Gruuger had occasionally encountered outsiders who stood out—those who had trained in martial arts or played sports.

    But Seong didn’t give off that impression at all.

    Gruuger’s expectations dropped immediately.

    He was just another average outsider.

    Manners didn’t equate to talent.

    While Gruuger dismissed him, Seong quietly glanced at the ghost near the weapons rack and whispered under his breath.

    “Hello?”

    —“Wha—Holy sh*t! Y-You can see me?!”

    The ghost flinched and swore in shock.

    But despite the outburst, its eyes glowed with warmth and curiosity.

    Just like the ghosts Seong had met in the real world.

    Seong nodded and whispered again.

    “Do you know which one is the Steel Sword?”

    The ghost immediately broke into a wide grin, like a proud grandfather looking at his grandson.

    —“Of course! As a former instructor, I know it like the back of my hand! Not that one—over here!”

    “Thank you.”

    Seong quietly thanked the ghost and followed its directions.

    As he did, he couldn’t shake the odd feeling that lingered.

    ‘What is this?’

    Talking to the ghost felt different than it did in reality.

    He already knew Eternal World was incredibly realistic.

    But this—

    Even the ghosts felt more vivid here.

    It was a sensation unlike anything he’d experienced before, but Seong brushed it off.

    Ghosts had never harmed him before, and he knew instinctively—

    They wouldn’t start now.

    Soon, the ghost pointed to one of the swords.

    —“That’s the one! The Steel Sword!”

    “Got it.”

    Without hesitation, Seong reached out and grabbed it.

    The moment he touched the sword, the selection was locked, preventing him from choosing another.

    To the others, it looked like he’d casually scanned the rack, walked over, and picked a sword at random.

    Most of them assumed he wasn’t even looking for the Steel Sword.

    But then—

    A dazzling light burst forth from the weapon in Seong’s hands.

    “W-What?! That’s the Steel Sword?!”

    “No way! He just picked it like it was nothing?!”

    The proof was undeniable.

    Seong had found the hidden piece.