On the surface, Seong seemed calm, but he was genuinely pleased with the rewards he’d earned. The elderly ghost let out a hearty laugh, much like a grandfather giving his grandson a cherished gift.

    “Ha-ha-ha, you seem to like it! That’s a relief! See you again next time!”

    “Thank you.”

    “No need to thank me! I’m the one who should be grateful! Ha-ha-ha!”

    The ghost vanished the same way it had first appeared, teleporting a short distance away before disappearing entirely, reappearing far off in the distance, then fading like a phantom from a horror movie.

    With the elderly ghost gone, Seong immediately checked his new rewards.

    『Explorer』

    →《Normal》

    →A title awarded to users who discover hidden treasures.

    →Increases the chance of receiving additional rewards upon clearing a dungeon by 5%.

    『Green Stag Leather Gloves』

    →《Rare+》

    →Gloves made from the durable and lightweight hide of the green stag, dyed a distinct green.

    →Increases attack speed by 5%.

    『Forest Hunter Set (4/4)』

    →Increases movement speed by 10%.

    →Increases attack speed by 5%.

    →Increases evasion rate by 5%.

    “Oh.”

    While the Explorer title seemed a bit lackluster, the Green Stag Leather Gloves and the Forest Hunter Set were undeniably useful.

    The set bonuses alone provided significant boosts: 10% increased movement speed, 5% increased attack speed, and a 5% boost to evasion. These were critical stats in a game like this.

    Including the individual item effects, Seong now had a total of:

    20% increased movement speed,10% increased attack speed,+8% defense, and+10% piercing power.

    Every single bonus was valuable.

    “I really hit the jackpot.”

    Seong silently acknowledged that none of this would have been possible without the ghosts’ guidance. Without the elderly ghost, he wouldn’t have known about this hidden dungeon. Without Hunter Apik, he wouldn’t have been able to hunt beast-type monsters so efficiently. Without the sword instructor’s memories, his swordsmanship would still be lacking.

    It was all thanks to the collective efforts of those ghosts.

    “Let’s see how these bonuses play out.”

    2.

    Seong returned to the rabbit hunting grounds, where several players immediately recognized him.

    “Hey, isn’t that the guy from earlier?”@@@@

    “That guy?”

    “The one who found a hidden piece in the training grounds.”

    “What? He got something at the training grounds too? I saw him get a title from the butcher shop!”

    “Damn, no wonder he was one-shotting rabbits like it was nothing.”

    “He’s insane. Is he some new recruit from a top-tier guild?”

    The players chatted amongst themselves, but Seong didn’t pay them any attention. He was already fully focused.

    The chatter of others was irrelevant.

    Drawing upon the memories of the sword instructor, Seong set his mind on replicating the same conditions he’d had when he first hunted rabbits, aiming to assess just how much the new bonuses improved his performance.

    As his concentration deepened, Seong moved.

    Bang!

    The sound of his feet hitting the ground was accompanied by a burst of dirt and debris.

    Seong’s increased agility had noticeably heightened his speed, far surpassing what it had been when he hunted the green stags. The boost felt much more significant than the 20% movement speed increase he expected—it felt closer to 40%.

    “What the hell?!”

    “Wha-what kind of speed is that?!”

    “I thought we all had the same beginner stats!”

    “How is he the same level 1 as us?!”

    Some players watched in awe, others in disbelief, and a few trembled with envy as Seong dashed across the hunting grounds at blinding speed.

    Completely ignoring their reactions, Seong gripped the Tiger’s Fang, its shorter length compared to the steel sword requiring a different approach. Rather than slashing, he opted for swift thrusts—exactly what the sword instructor’s memories advised.

    Thunk!

    The rabbit didn’t even have time to react before the blade pierced its throat, severing its head in a clean, instantaneous motion.

    The rabbit’s head rolled across the ground, the body falling lifelessly.

    Seong pivoted, darting toward another rabbit.

    Thud! Thud! Thwack!

    In a matter of seconds, Seong pierced the heads of five rabbits. The improved piercing power was palpable, making it easier to penetrate their defenses.

    Messages flooded his interface, notifying him of the critical hits and ‘One Strike!’ effects. He dismissed them all and sheathed the Tiger’s Fang with a smooth motion.

    “Oh, alright. Be careful on your way!”

    “You could’ve told us earlier, Mom. We could’ve prepared the meal ourselves.”

    “Hey! Don’t say that—it makes me sound like a bad daughter!”

    “Oh, weren’t you always like that?”

    “Mom!!!”

    Mina squealed in frustration as her mother and Seong ganged up on her, both laughing at her reaction.

    “But really, I just wanted to make sure my son eats well while he’s here! We ate out the first day, remember?”

    “Well, next time, let us know in advance, and we’ll handle the cooking.”

    “How dependable. Such a good boy.”

    “Wait, why are you looking at me when you say that?”

    “Oh, nothing. Anyway, I’m off now—don’t fight, you two!”

    With that, Na-gyeong left in a hurry. Unlike her usual calm and relaxed demeanor, she moved briskly, clearly running late.

    Watching her go, Seong felt a twinge of concern and clicked his tongue softly.

    “Let’s make sure to cook for ourselves next time.”

    “...Alright.”

    Feeling a little guilty, Mina responded meekly. Seong chuckled inwardly at her sulky demeanor and scooped a large spoonful of warm rice into his mouth.

    Mina, apparently just as hungry, started eating as well.

    While they ate in silence, Seong suddenly remembered something. Swallowing his bite, he spoke.

    “Oh, you were right about one thing.”

    “What? Oh! It’s fun, isn’t it?”

    “No, not that.”

    “Wait, what? You didn’t find it fun?”

    Mina, looking tense, stared at him, but Seong quickly reassured her.

    “No, it’s really fun. Super fun.”

    “Phew! That’s a relief. I mean, no one’s ever said Eternal World isn’t fun! So, what was I right about?”

    As Mina sipped a spoonful of the stew, Seong dropped the bombshell.

    “I can see ghosts in the game.”

    “PFFFT!!!”

    The doenjang jjigae she had just swallowed sprayed out at lightning speed. Seong instinctively channeled Hunter Apik’s reflexes, diving under the table to avoid the onslaught.

    “What the—?”

    Why did this work in real life too? It wasn’t as quick as in the game, but the movements were undeniably influenced by his in-game skills.

    Meanwhile, Mina coughed violently, choking a little before gulping down some water.

    “Phew! Sorry about that. Wait—what was that just now? How were you so fast?! That was insane!”

    She sounded astonished, almost as though she were seeing a completely different person. The Seong she knew had always been ordinary—except for his ability to see ghosts.

    Now, witnessing his lightning-quick movements, it was natural for her to be shocked.

    Seong stood up, brushing off his clothes, and frowned at the splattered stew. Mina, noticing his irritation, let out an awkward laugh and grabbed some wet wipes to clean the mess.

    “So, what do you mean by seeing ghosts in the game?”

    “Well, there are actual ghosts in the game. Like NPCs who died and left behind spirits—junk data, maybe? Something like that.”

    “Whoa.”

    “But that’s not the important part.”

    “What?! How is that not important? They probably help you find hidden pieces and stuff, right?!”

    Mina, well-versed in Eternal World, couldn’t contain her excitement. She knew how valuable hidden pieces were in the game.

    If ghosts held clues about hidden pieces, that information could allow someone to monopolize them.

    Yet, Seong didn’t seem to grasp the significance.

    “I can absorb the ghosts’ memories and experiences.”

    “WHAT?!”

    Suddenly, seeing the ghosts didn’t seem as important anymore.