Broken Ranker Devours Myths - Chapter 13

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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 13

Condensed Lightning (3)

 

 

 

Kim Se-jeong couldn’t easily understand the current situation.

The opponent was a guide.

A guide who couldn’t even properly prepare decent equipment.

But such a person had defeated the boss monster alone…?

It felt too unrealistic.

However,

‘Those eyes…!’

Kim Se-jeong snapped to attention seeing Lee Hyeon’s gleaming eyes.

She realized that this was exactly what her lingering unease had been about.

Her instincts told her she had to do something.

“Guide-nim, I’m so glad you’re safe!”

Kim Se-jeong approached with a friendly smile.

Then she made an apologetic expression.

“I’m so sorry we came so late! We couldn’t find our way at all because of the Samadhi Divine Wind…! So we ran here frantically, but you’ve already… You went through all this trouble alone because of us…”

Lee Hyeon said nothing.

As if he would watch and see what excuses they would make.

“But how did you defeat the boss mob all by yourself? That’s really amazing. We were struggling with that creature too.”

Pfft.

Lee Hyeon let out a light sneer.

“You got lost?”

“Yes. We couldn’t distinguish anything visually, so it was difficult to pinpoint our location. Once again, I’m sorry…”

“The Samadhi Divine Wind was all deployed to face me, so the sand fog should have disappeared.”

“…”

“Well, whatever.”

Kim Se-jeong somehow felt that Lee Hyeon’s temperament had changed from before.

An inexplicable sense of pressure kept making her heart race.

“Since I’ve already cleared this place, I’ll take all the rewards. Please head down now.”

Lee Hyeon pointed toward the downward slope with his axe.

A declaration that he would monopolize the dungeon.

Kim Se-jeong, knowing how deeply interested Heo Se-woon was in this dungeon, was about to say something, but,

“What if we can’t do that?”

Heo Se-woon stepped forward with a sneer.

Lee Hyeon frowned.

“I defeated the boss monster alone…”

“You didn’t defeat it alone. We had already beaten it down, and you just delivered the finishing blow.”

Heo Se-woon continued in an incredulous tone.

“If we hadn’t drained all that thing’s strength, do you think you could have properly faced it?”

“…”

“So we should take the dungeon rewards, what are you talking about? Well, I’m not saying we’ll take everything, since you did work hard too, we’ll make sure you’re not disappointed.”

It was a declaration that they would determine his reward and he should step back.

Lee Hyeon gave no response.

Heo Se-woon thought Lee Hyeon was intimidated.

‘I can’t give all these good things to some nobody I’ve never heard of.’

In fact, Heo Se-woon had been aware of this dungeon’s secret from the beginning, though he hadn’t told his companions.

‘Great Sage Equal to Heaven Son Wukong. This is definitely a dungeon related to him…!’

Having thoroughly studied various myths following his Guild Leader brother, he well understood the significance of the term Samadhi Divine Wind.

‘Despite his fame, Son Wukong has never appeared even once. Even though apostles of the Jade Emperor and Guanyin Bodhisattva are already openly active.’

So if he could just obtain rewards related to him, Myeongga Guild’s prestige would rise tremendously.

What if he obtained a Sacred Relic?

‘I might even be able to surpass my brother!’

Heo Se-woon didn’t particularly like his brother.

He had always lived in his shadow.

But he knew well that his brother was remarkable.

The thought of overtaking such a brother and monopolizing the guild already made his heart race with excitement.

‘He seems to have good basic skills since he solo raided the Yellow Wind Monster, but being a freelancer with no backing is perfect. I’ll give him some money and send him away. A guy like him must be exhausted too, so he wouldn’t want to have conflicts with us.’

Heo Se-woon didn’t miss the fact that Lee Hyeon was currently quite fatigued.

Deeply sunken eyes, breath mixed with a metallic scent.

Even his slightly trembling fingertips.

He was pretending to be fine, but standing like that was probably extremely difficult.

‘Or should I just eliminate him to keep his mouth shut?’

Heo Se-woon momentarily thought that wouldn’t be bad either.

The reason the guide could display such martial prowess was surely because he possessed excellent items.

Since he wasn’t wearing protective equipment, his weapon was probably decent…

‘Wait. Isn’t that Taotie?’

Sharp-eyed Heo Se-woon didn’t miss the Taotie Pattern subtly embedded in Taotie’s Fangs.

The evil spirit’s pattern reminiscent of a demon mask.

It was definitely a creation of the master craftsman Taotie, which rankers couldn’t obtain no matter how much they wanted it!

‘I see. So that’s how it was.’

Heo Se-woon felt like a puzzle that had never been solved was finally coming together.

‘No wonder. I was wondering why someone with such skills was living as a guide… If his abilities are all thanks to a Taotie Weapon, it makes sense.’

Heo Se-woon thought things were going too smoothly.

Following traces of Son Wukong, now even a Taotie Weapon.

What had been a casual dungeon exploration had become such a treasure trove.

“…”

Heo Se-woon signaled to his subordinates with his eyes.

The raid party members who had worked with him for a long time understood the signal and slowly surrounded Lee Hyeon.

“Ah, and before that, there’s one thing we should settle.”

“Settle?”

“Right. When you killed the boss mob, our original share of the conquest dropped significantly. We need to make up for that with something else.”

The raid party members grinned as they pressured Lee Hyeon more and more. Some even openly drew their weapons.

Unlike the fatigued-looking Lee Hyeon, they were all fresh since they had time to rest and reorganize.

Heo Se-woon smiled coldly.

“Your weapon should be enough. How about it?”

“…”

Lee Hyeon silently looked around at Heo Se-woon and the raid party members for a moment.

Then he fixed his gaze on Kim Se-jeong, who was fidgeting anxiously behind the encirclement, unable to do anything.

“Is this the price for helping you?”

“…I’m sorry it came to this. But I promise I’ll keep my word about speaking well of you to the Guild Leader.”

“Forget it. You don’t seem to have any intention of doing that anyway.”

Lee Hyeon looked at Heo Se-woon and asked.

“What if I can’t accept any of your proposals?”

Heo Se-woon thought Lee Hyeon was bluffing and let out a sneer.

“Then things will get a bit rough for you…!”

Slash!

Whoooosh!

Heo Se-woon’s words couldn’t continue.

His left forearm was severed, bringing terrible pain.

“Do you know what the weakness of guys like you is?”

Lee Hyeon had already rushed right up to Heo Se-woon.

“Your tongues are too long.”

“Ugh, aaahhh! My arm! My aaarm!”

“Why can’t you ever think that I might attack first?”

Lee Hyeon forcefully pushed through Heo Se-woon without warning. Thanks to this, the encirclement was broken in an instant.

Crash!

A second consecutive axe strike headed toward Heo Se-woon’s neck.

A blow infused with blue-white lightning.

“Boss!”

“This crazy bastard!”

“Die!”

The raid members belatedly activated their skills to block Lee Hyeon’s attack or stepped forward to protect Heo Se-woon, but,

Whoosh!

In fact, that was Lee Hyeon’s fake motion.

The second axe strike wasn’t aimed at Heo Se-woon.

Behind him.

It was Kim Se-jeong, who was standing there stupidly.

“…!”

Thud!

The axe that left Lee Hyeon’s hand embedded itself in Kim Se-jeong’s crown.

She collapsed helplessly with her skull shattered.

Since she possessed a stealth skill excellent enough to fool [Combat Sense], he had dealt with her beforehand to prevent interference.

“Se-jeong!”

“Manager Kim!”

Moreover,

Whoosh!

Lee Hyeon quickly passed through the startled and confused raid members, approaching Kim Se-jeong’s corpse.

Then he retrieved the thrown axe while also cutting off Kim Se-jeong’s left hand to take [Eodukseoni’s Steps].

“Stop that bastard! He can’t get the ring…!”

Heo Se-woon, who belatedly realized Lee Hyeon’s aim, shouted urgently, but,

by then Lee Hyeon had already slipped the ring onto his index finger.

 

[You have acquired ‘Eodukseoni’s Steps’. You can use the bound skill ‘Shadow Step’.]

 

[Eodukseoni’s Steps]

The goblin Eodukseoni is so shy that it hides and lives in dark shadows. Therefore, they are quiet enough to leave no traces even where they have passed.

-Type: Item. Ring.

-Origin: Folk tale ‘Shadow Stepping’

 

Whoosh…!

Lee Hyeon’s presence disappeared, buried in darkness that suddenly rose from the shadows.

“…!”

“…!”

“Find him! Hurry up and find him!”

The raid members, who knew well how dangerous [Eodukseoni’s Steps] was, were only bewildered, but,

Splash!

it was already too late.

Before they could even find Lee Hyeon, the back of the neck of the raid member at the very rear split open, spurting blood.

A strike that penetrated through the gap in the helmet. It was instant death with the carotid artery severed.

“Hye-jeong!”

“Damn it!”

“You cowardly bastard! Come out…!”

Another shadow flew between their shadows.

Whenever a hot wind blew, a blue-white flash would inevitably come, targeting only their necks.

Flash!

Thud! Thunk!

“Aaahhh!”

“Guhk!”

“N-no…!”

None of the raid members could properly read Lee Hyeon’s presence.

Among them were skilled individuals whose abilities originally surpassed Lee Hyeon’s, but they only swung at empty air before losing their heads.

“This doesn’t make sense! Even if he took [Eodukseoni’s Steps], he shouldn’t be able to do this much in an instant…!”

Heo Se-woon felt like he might be under a goblin’s spell.

Lee Hyeon’s presence was that elusive.

Even when he sharpened his senses to try to read it, it was impossible to follow.

Just when he thought Lee Hyeon appeared here, he would suddenly appear over there targeting another member.

Even Kim Se-jeong, who had been the ring’s long-time owner, couldn’t use the skill this skillfully.

How could he possibly show greater proficiency than the original owner?

Had he really become an Eodukseoni?

‘At least this!’

Heo Se-woon hastily activated an item he had brought for emergencies from his inventory.

 

[Bound Grass Oath]

It is said that those who receive kindness appear as spirits even after death to repay that kindness.

However, those who abuse this force the dead to serve them by making them indebted even in death.

-Origin: Folk tale ‘Chunqiu Zuoshi Zhuan’

 

Swish!

Grass grew from the sandy ground trying to grab the invisible Lee Hyeon’s ankles, but,

Slash!

the blade wind accompanied by the axe cut through it far too easily.

‘N-no!’

Heo Se-woon’s complexion turned pale as his last hope vanished helplessly.

Finally,

Crack!!

The last remaining raid member collapsed with his skull shattered along with his helmet.

Where the shadows had receded.

Lee Hyeon revealed himself, half-wrapped in darkness.

Flash! Flash!

Contrasting blue-white lightning was crackling above his shoulders.

“You… how… how did you…?”

Lee Hyeon didn’t answer.

Instead, he smiled.

If that bastard hadn’t tried to pull his nonsense, this good item would never have rolled into his hands.

They didn’t know it, but Lee Hyeon had actually given them several chances.

It was because of his beliefs.

The belief that civilians were people he had to protect.

It was both the pride and teaching of the Thunder Unit.

But when they crossed the ‘line’, the story changed from that point on.

Enemies were targets that must be annihilated.

From that point, he only pursued efficient movements.

The reason he secured the ring first was exactly because of that.

 

[Fatigue: 89]

 

Because if he fought an all-out battle in his current state, he would be in danger.

Eliminating troublesome targets first and securing their weapons.

And conversely turning them into his own advantages was the most basic of Battle Tactics fundamentals.

‘Steps of Eodukseoni… Maybe because I comprehended Condensed Lightning, it matches perfectly with me.’

Thanks to that, Lee Hyeon could now show stealthy movements too.

Condensed Lightning, which used to be accompanied by tremendous thunder sounds when swung, had become silent. Depending on how it was used, it seemed like it would become a very efficient weapon.

Crackle!!

Condensed Lightning sparked up greatly as if representing Lee Hyeon’s feelings.

Conversely, Heo Se-woon’s complexion turned pale.

Step!

Lee Hyeon took a step.

Heo Se-woon unconsciously stepped backward.

“You’re going to… kill me…?”

Step!

He took a second step,

Heo Se-woon retreated again.

“Do you know who I am? I’m Heo Se-woon! The younger brother of Myeongga Guild Leader Heo Se-hwi! If you kill me! Do you think my brother will just sit still!?”

Heo Se-woon’s face reddened at the fact that he had lost in the battle of wills.

He felt self-loathing at the fact that he, who was on the verge of A-rank which was said to be the strongest among Hunters excluding Rankers, was showing such a shameful appearance.

Still, his only thought was that he had to survive somehow. If he escaped from here, he could get revenge as much as he wanted.

“If you don’t want to be marked by Myeongga and have your family ruined, get on your knees right now and beg for forgiveness…!”

Thunk!

A hand axe that had flown in at some point was embedded in Heo Se-woon’s forehead.

Just before the focus disappeared from his eyes, his violently shaking pupils asked.

Why aren’t you afraid?

Until now, just mentioning the name had made even the most skilled Rankers back down.

What exactly are you that you’re not afraid even of the name Myeongga?

Lee Hyeon’s answer to this was very simple.

“Myeongga?”

Snicker.

A light chuckle escaped.

It was close to mockery.

“So what?”

“…!”

An attitude showing he had nothing to fear at all.

Only then did Heo Se-woon realize.

That his opponent was someone on whom such things didn’t work.

But it was too late a realization,

Thud!

And after that came pitch-black darkness.

—————
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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