Ranker Who Shatters Myths - Chapter 160
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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 160
Guam (5)
Lee Hyeon looked at the suspicious Ramon Marquez and seriously wondered if this might be a trap set by the Underground Cult.
Since they could devour Lee Gun-san’s human intelligence and impersonate them.
However,
‘No, those bastards are. Absolutely. ‘Gwiroae’ hasn’t made enemies with the Underground Cult yet. My relationship with the General has never been revealed either.’
Most importantly, all the food sent to Lee Hyeon had been in the form of code language.
A fact the Underground Cult could never figure out.
So there was definitely something between him and Lee Gun-san… But he couldn’t blindly trust someone who reeked of the Underground Cult’s ‘scent’.
As far as Lee Hyeon knew, every believer of the Underground Cult was a fanatic incapable of normal thought and behavior.
‘Besides, if he’s at that level, he’s at least a bishop or higher. If he’s an executive-level figure, he’s not someone to take lightly.’
Eventually, Lee Hyeon organized his thoughts and shook the bell placed on the table.
Ding.
“Did you call for me?”
Soon a server appeared and bowed politely.
“Can I participate in the betting too?”
“Of course. For our VVIP guests, we have specially prepared betting games with various options. Shall I guide you through them?”
“I’d like to place an order bet.”
Order betting.
A betting rule that allows you to demand whatever you want on the spot based on the match results.
“Yes. Please tell me what you’d like.”
“I’ll put up this sea stone as today’s final prize.”
Lee Hyeon took out a palm-sized blue gem from his inventory and placed it on the table.
It was characterized by a black pupil in the center, like a beast’s eye.
Instantly, the server’s eyes lit up.
It was an extremely rare magic stone, even considering all of Two Moon Strip, no, even including Hagatna Black Zone.
[Supreme Sea Stone]
A supreme magic stone made by processing the eye of a kraken, a sea monster and symbol of chaos.
It absorbs surrounding moisture and magic power to emit a blue light. Its absorption capacity and magic power amplification rate are more than 10 times superior to ordinary magic stones, making it considered essential material for crafting supreme-grade equipment.
-Type: Crafting material.
-Origin: Epic ‘The Saga of Örvar-Odds’
“Isn’t this… the sea stone that was originally displayed at Cielo Casino?”
“You have a good eye. That’s right. I brought it from there.”
The server unconsciously swallowed his dry saliva.
He had become so tense that he forgot he was supposed to be providing service.
“Putting this up as the final prize means…?”
“Simple brawls are boring to watch. If we’re going to enjoy this, the stakes should be bigger. Why? Is this not enough?”
“How could that be! Rather, all the gladiators will be delighted!”
The server urgently called his subordinates, worried that Lee Hyeon might change his mind.
It was chaotic as they brought a box with a silk cushion to respectfully transfer the sea stone.
Among the wealthy VVIPs, there were often cases of changing game rules like this.
The audience also tended to be more enthusiastic about these variations than simple fight games.
The rewards were certain, and the prize money at stake grew enormously.
“So, what kind of game would you like?”
“Let’s make it a group brawl.”
“You mean battle royale style? You’ll be able to see a faster and more stimulating game. There are currently 30 gamers remaining… It should be quite possible. Then I’ll prepare it.”
“And I’ll add one condition.”
“Please tell me.”
Suddenly, the server felt that Lee Hyeon’s eyes visible through the mask seemed ominous.
“I’ll participate too.”
“…What are you saying,”
Before the server could ask in surprise,
Crackle!!
Lee Hyeon had taken out his rune staff and struck it on the floor.
White electricity exploded, shattering the glass windows that had isolated the lounge from the outside.
Crash!!
“Kyaaaah!”
“Wh-what is this!?”
“That’s the VVIP room! Why suddenly…! Co-could it be terrorism!?”
The audience screamed in shock.
Then someone shouted.
“It’s Gwiroae! Gwiroae is there!”
“Wh-what? Gwiroae? The one who went around destroying only City Cartel businesses today…?”
“That’s right! That crazy dog!!”
“Wh-why is that person there…! Gasp! He-he’s flying in the sky!”
ᚱ.
[Moving along the ‘Trajectory of Radiance’!]
As the amethyst of the rune staff rotated, white electricity gathered together and opened a path from the lounge railing to the arena.
Lee Hyeon quickly slid along it and landed quietly.
Thud!
Crackle!!
Of course, the aftermath wasn’t quiet.
A white pillar shot up centered on Lee Hyeon, then collided with the ceiling and flowed along the walls, heating up the indoor air.
“…Lord Gwiroae? Haha. What kind of event is this?”
Ramon was surprised by Lee Hyeon’s sudden intrusion but tried to act as calm as possible while asking playfully.
He seemed to be urgently getting the exact details from the servers through his in-ear device.
Rather, the winner who had lost the audience’s attention was glaring at Lee Hyeon with obvious hostility.
“I thought we could have a more interesting game. Why? Is it burdensome?”
Behind the mask, Lee Hyeon’s eyes curved in an arc.
He had scratched the pride of Two Moon Strip’s greatest showman.
“Ha… Hahaha! How could that be? I have no choice now. If you’re going to enhance the atmosphere of the feast this much, I have no choice but to fan the flames to the end. It just so happens that the other gladiators have also expressed their intention to participate.”
Thud!
Ramon grinned, then immediately grabbed the microphone tightly and turned toward the audience.
『Señors, señoras!! Tonight, our Carnerium has met a myth!』
Ramon shouted, even making the brief silence that followed seem like part of his performance.
Instantly, the tension in the audience turned into cheers.
Ramon pointed at Lee Hyeon with his exaggerated physique.
『Behold! This hero who has even hidden his name declares that today he will stake his own treasure and leap into the bloody stage alongside thirty gladiators!』
Whirrrrrr!!
Suddenly the ceiling opened left and right, and something descended from above.
A transparent glass box.
All the spectators’ eyes widened in surprise at what they saw inside.
『That treasure is none other than the legendary treasure of the City Cartel! The symbol of Cielo that was reduced to ashes in just one day! The Kraken’s Eye!!』
Waaaaaaah!
The crowd erupted in explosive cheers, and bundles of money and wine cups flew through the air.
Some were screaming in disbelief that such a precious item had really been put up as a reward.
Thud thud thud!
Suddenly, the outer wall gates of the arena began opening all at once, and thirty gladiators appeared.
Each one emanated a fierce expression and intimidating aura.
『This is not a simple fight or game! This is a feast of blood and sacrifice permitted only by the gods!!』
Ramon snapped his fingers and declared the start of the match.
『Tonight! Will be a night when the history of Carnerium is carved! Witness it with your own eyes!!』
The iron bars that had been protecting the arena fell backward. The circular arena was now fully exposed.
Flash!
Flash!!
At that moment, the warriors all simultaneously unleashed their full power and rushed into the central arena.
All of them were Rankers or possessed comparable magical power.
It was an extremely disadvantageous position for Lee Hyeon standing in the center, but,
“Interesting. Nothing but moths who don’t know their place.”
Lee Hyeon sneered mockingly and struck his Rune Staff on the ground again.
ᚦ.
[‘Lightning Chains’ are being unleashed!]
Dozens of chains burst forth one after another from the white electric current that spread out in concentric circles.
“Gasp…!”
“Block it first!! Block and then engage!”
The gladiators had all agreed in the waiting room to eliminate Lee Hyeon first, then determine the final victor.
Knowing how remarkable Lee Hyeon’s performance against the City Cartel had been today, they wanted to eliminate the dangerous element first.
The problem was that all their intentions had been read by Lee Hyeon.
‘As expected… There are some among the fighters who smell of the Underground Cult. Are they Ramon’s pawns?’
It seemed Ramon had secretly planted them inside to manipulate matches.
He had apparently been using them to manipulate betting odds all this time…
‘Everyone has a plausible plan. Until they get beaten up.’
Lee Hyeon had no intention of letting that slide.
Whether they were Lee Gun-san’s contacts or pawns of the Underground Cult…
Once the match was ruined, their true faces would naturally be revealed.
Crackle!
Whirrrrrr!!
Through the roughly surging lightning, he could see Ramon retreating outside the arena.
A sneer crossed Lee Hyeon’s lips.
* * *
‘Ahem! Will this be alright?’
Ramon Marquez looked at the arena with somewhat anxious eyes.
In fact, when he recently learned that Gwiroae, who had been causing the biggest stir in Guam, was connected to ‘that person,’ he was incredibly shocked.
Still, he thought that if it was that mysterious person, it was certainly possible, so he accepted it.
So he had been thinking of accommodating Gwiroae as much as possible, even for that person’s sake…
‘Why is he suddenly acting like this? Does he have some other plan in mind?’
He could have just obtained the information he wanted and left, so why did he suddenly pull this stunt?
It didn’t seem like he would commit such an act on mere impulse.
Since the situation had already escalated, he had no choice but to blow things up big, but he couldn’t shake off the lingering uneasiness in his heart.
‘Could he have detected the scent of the cult from me…? No. That’s impossible. It’s a trace that no one has been able to read for the past ten years. Even those who came from the Vatican didn’t know this fact, so no matter how skilled Gwiroae is…’
Still, why did he feel so uneasy?
It was probably because this was a task specifically entrusted by that person.
He didn’t know the name, age, nationality, or identity,
But that person was his benefactor who had helped him safely escape from the fanatic group and become independent.
So he couldn’t harm Gwiroae and repay kindness with enmity. Ramon was so loyal that he hadn’t told even his closest people about that person’s existence.
‘I need to control things well so the match can end at an appropriate level.’
Ramon glanced up at the upper floor and exchanged looks with his staff.
The staff gave him an OK sign.
It meant they would send signals to the gladiators Ramon had planted whenever necessary.
Such group battles made match-fixing much easier.
‘No matter how skilled Gwiroae is… he won’t be able to handle all those kids. He’s accumulated plenty of fatigue from long battles since morning, and our kids were also promising talents that the cult once had high hopes for.’
Ramon’s kids might be inferior to Gwiroae in individual combat ability, but when it came to group battles, they shouldn’t be treated on the same level.
‘The audience reaction is also quite good…’
If Gwiroae lost? The City Cartel’s reputation would be buried beneath the slaughterhouse.
If Gwiroae won? It would become a legendary match talked about for years to come.
A business that would definitely yield only profit.
‘So let’s just make the match look plausible. If we do that, it’ll be profitable enough…!’
Just as Ramon’s eyes were about to sparkle,
Whoooosh!
“…!?”
Ramon’s eyes widened as he suddenly detected the hot wind that began swirling around Lee Hyeon.
Though he had given up his religious life now, he too was once a Ranker who had been a bishop.
He realized that something was going seriously wrong.
The Lightning Chains were standing rigidly upright.
As if they were about to pierce through the gladiators’ hearts in an instant.
ᚨ.
[‘Arrow of Demon-Breaking’ has been loaded!]
A newly appeared rune character.
But it was densely condensed with demon-breaking energy that would make any fanatic of the Underground Cult panic.
Lightning was the essence of demon-breaking attributes. This was its ultimate maximization.
On the other hand, what about the children’s magical power?
It was infinitely weak. Like fireflies.
If they took a direct hit from that…
‘Damn it!!’
Ramon urgently raised his hand and sent a hand signal.
It meant to stop the match immediately.
The staff were flustered by the sudden command, but followed orders and turned off all the lights at once.
Instantly, the arena was plunged into darkness.
“What the hell is this?”
“Turn on the lights! Lights! What are you doing! It was just getting interesting!!”
The spectators panicked, dropping their wine cups and bursting into curses.
But regardless of that,
Thud!
Ramon quickly took advantage of the darkness to prostrate himself in front of Lee Hyeon.
“P-please spare my ch-children…!!”
“……”
A moment of silence.
And then…..
“If you had been just a little later, I would have thought you were all cultists and tried to kill everyone. Fortunately, it seems that person’s judgment wasn’t wrong.”
Lee Hyeon’s low voice.
Between the flickering lightning, golden eyes glowed eerily.
In that instant, a chill ran down Ramon’s spine.
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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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