Ranker Who Shatters Myths - Chapter 110

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Broken Ranker

Devours Myths

 

Chapter 110

ASTRA (1)

 

 

 

Somewhere on the slopes of Dobong Mountain.

 

Lee Hyeon was breathing deeply.

“Whoo…….”

Crackle! Crackle-crackle!!

Blue-white lightning sparking with each exhale.

At the same time, a perception field spreading in concentric circles.

The demon’s senses.

In other words, the Art of War could expand the realm of consciousness called ‘me’ in this way to read all mental images within range.

Lee Hyeon called this place the ‘consciousness space.’

‘This range is also the range of attack. It’s the area where my will can operate.’

Lee Hyeon focused on the colors of the mental images caught within the field.

‘So the wider the range becomes, the more I can secure an advantageous position in future battles.’

Whiiiiing!!

 

[Using ‘Sacred Relic: Golden Headband’ to accelerate thinking speed!]

 

The Golden Headband emerged from his head and spun roughly.

At the same time, the world’s time slowed down.

Lee Hyeon planned to test everything he had learned in the Tower of Five Elements during this time.

Not only the Art of War obtained from Son Wukong, but also what he gained from Sha Wujing and the Peng Demon King…….

Since he had newly acquired titles, many things had changed and he needed to quickly regain his senses.

Of course, if he used full power, the surroundings wouldn’t survive, so he would focus only on manifesting his will as much as possible.

Still,

‘Rather, doing this is better for increasing precision and control.’

Crackle-crackle-crackle!!

At that moment, lightning bolts fell from the ceiling of the dome-shaped consciousness space.

Extremely fast and fierce lightning bolts.

Flash-

Lee Hyeon swung his axe and struck them down mid-air.

Then the lightning bolts split into dozens of branches and scattered in all directions.

Then new lightning bolts spread from the impact points.

Bang! Bang! Baang!

Each time he struck them down, new lightning bolts appeared and instantly filled the consciousness space.

Lee Hyeon concentrated on training to dodge and strike down all attacks using only the demon’s senses.

The collision between unpredictable will and his own new will.

This alone was tremendous training.

Rumble-rumble-boom!!

Sweat instantly beaded on Lee Hyeon’s forehead.

And…….

Not far away.

Son Wukong and the Peng Demon King sat side by side on tree branches, watching Lee Hyeon.

They were back in animal form.

「The Seventy-Two Transformations? You’re already starting to teach him? You’re really ruthless…… He just came out, let him rest a bit.」

The training Lee Hyeon was doing was one of the various arts that comprised the Art of War.

The seventy-two Seventy-Two Transformations that Son Wukong learned from his first master, Patriarch Subodhi.

The Peng Demon King worried that Lee Hyeon might get too tired, but,

「Who’s teaching what?」

Son Wukong crossed his arms and snorted instead.

「What?」

「I never taught him that.」

「……Does that make sense? That’s clearly the ‘Thief’ formula of the Seventy-Two Transformations.」

「That’s why I’m even more bewildered.」

「……!?」

The Peng Demon King finally understood Son Wukong’s meaning belatedly.

「He really figured that out on his own?!」

「More precisely, while he was pondering how to handle the Art of War, he seemed to peek at my mental image and roughly imitate it…….」

Son Wukong narrowed his eyes.

「While fumbling with it, it became the Thief formula. Actually, if you look closely, it’s different from the Thief formula.」

「…….」

「But the essence of the incantation is almost identical. He intuitively grasps the core of the art.」

「……Something he created just for his own training became the essence.」

The Peng Demon King muttered in disbelief.

「That kid, is he really human?」

「He is. You can smell soul scents better than me, can’t you?」

「That’s why I’m asking.」

The Peng Demon King chuckled and muttered.

「Then he’s really naturally gifted…… Could this be related to the legacy that child possesses?」

Dokkaebi. Among them, the legacy called Dueoksin certainly had many mysterious aspects.

A form that gathered all the world’s anomalies.

Or a phenomenon.

So perhaps that’s why he absorbed the Art of War so quickly.

‘Actually, neither I nor Master Sha were different.’

Just as Lee Hyeon formed a master-disciple relationship with Son Wukong,

He also formed a new relationship with Sha Wujing and the Peng Demon King, not as disciples.

 

[You have formed a ‘Zhiji (Kindred Spirit)’ relationship with two beings. You have acquired a qualification higher than disciple status.]

[As an additional reward, Curse Immunity (SS) has been upgraded to Curse Assimilation (SSS).]

[As an additional reward, Heat Immunity (SS) has been upgraded to Heat Assimilation (SSS).]

 

Zhiji.

A word meaning intimate friends among ‘friends.’

A relationship formed through bonds, just as Lee Hyeon had wanted.

‘Moreover, if you become a disciple, all possibilities are limited to that god, but this has no such compulsion…… From that child’s perspective, it’s much better.’

Even if he meets other Seven Great Sages in the future, there would be no problem inheriting their power.

Of course, it’s nearly impossible for a mortal to accommodate such diverse divine powers at once.

However,

‘That child did it. Rather, he achieved the assimilation stage. I don’t even know where his limits are. No, there might not be any at all.’

That might be the terrifying aspect of the Dueoksin legacy.

‘How is it that such a legend has never been rumored until now…?’

The Bull Demon King briefly wondered, but lightly shook his head.

「So in the end, that training wasn’t something you made him do, but something he took upon himself?」

Son Wukong silently nodded his head.

The Bull Demon King let out a hollow laugh.

「What a truly obsessive training maniac. How long has it been since he took the disciple exam… He really takes after his master.」

「Being able to take initiative in self-discipline is a blessing. It means he can see the path he needs to take.」

「Right. Of course it would be.」

The Bull Demon King answered that way and there was a moment of silence.

Son Wukong was the same.

An awkward atmosphere flowed between the two.

「……」

「……」

No matter that they had been lovers, and sworn siblings before that.

Still, the two had separated long ago and were meeting again like this.

Naturally there was awkwardness when they were alone together.

Then Son Wukong, who had been watching Lee Hyeon’s training, spoke first.

「You came because you had something you wanted to ask, didn’t you? Ask away.」

「……You,」

The Bull Demon King was about to say something when Son Wukong suddenly stood up.

「Wait.」

「Hm?」

The moment the Bull Demon King turned his gaze that way,

Son Wukong struck down lightning with a hideously contorted face.

「You rat bastard, no matter what happens I will definitely turn you into turtle soup!」

Crash!

Where the lightning struck. A tree fell and Sha Wujing appeared in the form of a baby turtle.

「Kekeke! As expected, senior brother’s keen eye cannot be hidden! I cast a curse to erase my presence and even cognitive interference, so how on earth did you know! I was even holding my breath so you wouldn’t hear my breathing!」

「Is that what’s important right now?」

「Well, it’s not important! The problem of my frustrating senior brother is what’s important!」

「What did you say?」

「No, what exactly are you two doing sitting side by side like that? It’s not even a date, just sitting there all wishy-washy… You should at least do some wall-slamming or sweet talk, show some manly behavior! How frustrating!」

Son Wukong wasn’t curious about the meaning of the words that Sha Wujing, who was practically a slave to modern cultural content, was spouting.

It was obviously going to be useless chatter anyway.

「None of that matters, just die!!」

「I refuse! I’ve finally met a disciple I like, no wait, now he’s a junior brother. Anyway, I just met our junior brother, so why would I die! I’m going to live for a long, long time! Until I see that hopeless Son Wukong come to his senses and become a proper man!!」

「Stop talking nonsense and just die!!」

Rumble! Flash! Flash!

Sha Wujing running away and Son Wukong chasing after him.

The area around the peak became noisy.

「……Is it okay for me to stay here?」

While the Bull Demon King scratched her cheek with her wing with a troubled expression,

Son Wukong returned only after a long while, looking exhausted.

Leaves and branches were stuck here and there on his body. It seemed there had been quite a breathless chase.

「Huff! Huff! That bastard, isn’t he really a rat instead of a turtle!? How is he only so quick when he’s running away? Just wait until I catch you, I’ll really…! Ugh!!」

Son Wukong vented his frustration while vowing revenge that he had never once succeeded in achieving.

Then he asked the Bull Demon King with a blank expression.

「What did you want to ask?」

「Oh, no. Nothing.」

The Bull Demon King shook her head vigorously.

In fact, in this kind of situation it was difficult to ask anything seriously.

Moreover, the question she wanted to ask was very sensitive.

In the Tower of Five Elements, when Lee Hyeon said he wanted to become his successor. The reason Son Wukong couldn’t answer rashly and hesitated.

She wanted to ask if it was because he thought of ‘that child’,

‘……It’s better not to ask now. We separated in the past because of that incident too.’

It was when the Bull Demon King was putting it off for another time.

「Hm?」

Son Wukong, who had been swallowing his anger again with his arms crossed, turned his head to one side.

In the distance. Someone was running this way.

He thought it might be Sha Wujing, but it wasn’t Sha Wujing.

It was a human.

And a very familiar one at that.

「That human, wasn’t she definitely someone from the kid’s company? Her name was…? Seo something?」

Chief Seo Ae-ri.

She was a member of Z-Team.

‘How did she know about this place? Her face looks quite urgent.’

Chief Seo Ae-ri’s mental state was quite shaken.

It seemed something had happened at the company.

Since there had been a warning message from the just a little while ago, he had a bad feeling about something.

Son Wukong started running toward where Lee Hyeon was.

Whoosh-

 

* * *

 

Z Team and ASTRA exchanged light greetings.

Fortunately, Kim Min-jeong and Manager Eom Ki-seon were fluent in English.

“I never thought we’d meet like this at White Burn instead of Blue Thunder, Twin-shot.”

“I didn’t expect you to remember me. It’s an honor. I’m also glad to meet you after such a long time.”

“Haha. Such a beauty isn’t easily forgotten, is she?”

Twin-shot.

It was the codename Kim Min-jeong used during her Blue Thunder days.

At first it was based on the legend of Janghwa Hongryeon, but later it expanded to mean that consecutively fired bullets create the same point of impact.

It was now a name that remained mostly as a memory,

but hearing it after such a long time felt strange.

Michael Shepherd was still the same.

Maybe it was because he was Black and aging wasn’t easily visible on him, but his build had become much more solid than before and his eyes were deeper.

He was Eom Ki-seon’s former superior, and one of the few people in this world with prophetic abilities.

He was called ASTRA’s brain and was smart enough to deserve it. Even during the Blue Thunder days, he was the most guarded target.

‘As expected, this won’t be easy. I can hardly tell what he’s thinking.’

It seemed she shouldn’t deal with him using past data.

‘It’s also bothering me that Manager Eom evaluated him as trash.’

Michael also extended his hand to Eom Ki-seon, who was standing stiffly next to Kim Min-jeong.

“Long time no see, Knight. I heard you went to your homeland Korea after discharge, but do you know how surprised I was to hear you were on Z Team?”

“……Yes. It’s been a long time, Michael.”

Kim Min-jeong was able to see Eom Ki-seon’s serious demeanor for the first time in a while, when he was usually like a thunderbolt.

‘No. This isn’t serious.’

Eom Ki-seon’s hand gripping Michael Shepherd’s hand was tense with strength.

‘……He’s being cautious, no, he’s afraid. Of this person.’

Eom Ki-seon was being more cautious of him than necessary.

As if placed before a natural enemy.

To Executive Director Ho, each individual is human after all.

It was the same when greeting other ASTRA team members.

“Hey, Bro. It’s been a while.”

“Our Knight, you’ve got quite the swagger now.”

“Even your eyes look different?”

“……Yeah. Meeting everyone in a place like this. Good to see you.”

While the ASTRA agents who knew Eom Gi-seon were pleased to see him, Eom Gi-seon’s eyes were rigid.

How should I put it, like treating a neighborhood kid?

There was a subtle attitude of looking down on him.

The fact that they called Eom Gi-seon by his codename rather than his real name revealed such perception.

Especially a person named Donovan Black was the most severe.

He even forcibly put his arm around his shoulder and chatted away with a grin.

‘This is to suppress Gi-seon. This is.’

There was no way elite agents like ASTRA would show such sloppy behavior while on a mission in a foreign country.

When she realized it was all intentional acting, Kim Min-jeong’s face hardened stiffly.

So she was about to say something,

“Well, since everyone knows each other somewhat, it should be comfortable to talk. While we’re at it, let me ask you one thing, Twin Shot.”

Michael spoke first, twisting his lips as he threw out the question.

Kim Min-jeong narrowed her brows with an uneasy feeling and asked back.

“What is it?”

“I heard Korea is trying to restore Blue Thunder.”

They’re asking about this right off the bat as soon as we meet?

A sudden question that caught her off guard.

“……So what?”

Kim Min-jeong answered as calmly as possible.

However,

Michael’s voice, which had suddenly sunk deep, felt as dark as an abyss.

“Does Korea perhaps want to make an enemy of the United States?”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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