Ranker Who Shatters Myths - Chapter 171
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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 171
Deep Sea Dungeon (4)
“Is that so? I understand. Do as you please.”
Ramon was flustered by a reaction completely different from what he had expected.
“You mean… you won’t raise any objections?”
“What objections? You also have the same blue ribbon as us, don’t you? And you even have two of them. So what’s the problem? Or is there something else you’re hiding?”
“How could there be?”
“Then that settles it. Now, we’re busy with work, so please leave.”
A clear order to leave.
There was even a hint of mockery mixed in at the end.
In the end, Ramon had to come out as if bewitched by something.
Outside the building, Esteban and his colleagues were waiting with cigars in their mouths.
Slightly frowning faces.
Seeing Ramon’s expression, they realized that things had taken another strange turn.
“The same reaction again?”
Ramon silently nodded his head.
Esteban spat out a curse.
“Damn it. I have no idea what these bastards are thinking.”
Right after Lee Hyeon had gone to the Deep Sea Dungeon first,
the sponsor alliance formed a raid team. Esteban was at the center of it.
Although the organization had been quite busy with work lately, it seemed like following Lee Hyeon would lead to better opportunities.
Fortunately, they didn’t seem to have much complaint about Lee Hyeon entering first, contrary to their agreement.
‘Well… this alliance itself wouldn’t have been formed without Gwiroae in the first place. We wouldn’t have even thought about doing business in Hagatnya.’
As Lee Hyeon had noticed, Esteban was a man who knew how to make the best use of opportunities.
So he had spent enormous amounts of money to select a raid team to support Lee Hyeon, but…
‘The Hagatnya companies that I thought would be obstacles are giving permission too readily.’
The place Ramon had just visited for negotiations was the same.
They only heard mocking answers telling them to do whatever they wanted if they were going to do it.
“Did you ask for the reason?”
Ramon smiled bitterly and shook his head.
“Not at all. Nothing.”
“It’s territorial behavior. Isn’t this too dangerous if it continues like this?”
The Hagatnya companies clearly knew something.
It just wasn’t clear exactly what that was.
“It’s dangerous. So we need to visit one more place.”
“Is there still a place left to go?”
“There’s exactly one place left.”
The place Ramon headed to with a nod was Black Maria.
A place with business operations large enough to be counted among the top five in Hagatnya.
“…Will that place even properly deal with us?”
“We still have to try. Besides, Gwiroae told us. If the territorial behavior seems too severe, go find Black Maria.”
“Gwiroae said that…?”
Esteban’s eyes widened as if surprised.
And soon he could realize once again how amazing Lee Hyeon was.
Because the person who met them was Luciano.
The butcher of Iloilo City. Black Maria’s vice president.
“So you’re Gwiroae’s friends. I heard you’ve been busy gathering people here and there to raid the Deep Sea Dungeon?”
Since they hadn’t expected such a big shot to come out personally, tension clearly appeared on both men’s faces.
On the other hand, realizing that rumors had already spread throughout Hagatnya, they decided to be brazen instead.
And…
“Could you tell us the reason?”
“Yes. We understand that raiding the Deep Sea Dungeon is originally an absolute taboo in Hagatnya. That’s why even the periodic explorations involve heavy surveillance among each other.”
“You know too well. And yet you still want to attempt it?”
“Because Gwiroae wants it.”
“True. We can’t stop a client who wants to do it. Providing customized service is also the essence of our business.”
Luciano laughed heartily while twisting his lips.
“But unlike such a major client, is it okay for sponsors to approach so humbly? If you reveal your shortcomings too much, you’re likely to get devoured.”
“On the contrary, I think it’s more stupid to get hurt while pretending to know when you know nothing. And,”
Ramon calmly met Luciano’s intense gaze.
“We believe we can form a good partnership with Black Maria. If so, who would dare target us?”
“Partnership? Hahahaha! That’s quite a welcome sound to hear!!”
Even after speaking, Ramon swallowed dry saliva inwardly.
He wondered if Luciano might point a gun at him, saying he was crawling up without knowing his place.
However,
“The rampage of the Deep Sea Dungeon has been getting worse recently. To the point where people are saying a third break might really occur.”
Luciano explained the reason while laughing pleasantly.
Just from that, Ramon and Esteban realized that Gwiroae had already firmly established himself as a major player in Hagatnya.
“A third break means…?”
“The first when Guam was initially devastated, the second when even the US military had to pack up and retreat. And now would be the third.”
“……”
“Deep sea creatures that used to appear once or twice a year at most have appeared more than ten times in the past month or two. We’ve been troubled by this as well.”
Ramon momentarily recalled the highest-grade sea stones that Lee Hyeon had brought after robbing the cartel’s casino.
Those were also relatively recently harvested, right?
“Still, since so many high-quality sea stones are pouring out, everyone’s keeping quiet about it. It’s also why I’ve had to leave my post urgently several times.”
“……”
“The Deep Sea Dungeon is no longer a place that can be raided. Going in would be perfect for returning to the Virgin’s embrace.”
Luciano continued while twisting his lips.
“And then recently, Gwiroae, who’s been causing us many headaches, volunteers to go in himself? From other companies’ perspective, it’s like a competitor disappearing on their own, so there’s no reason to object, right?”
Esteban looked at Ramon. Ramon was silent for a moment.
Luciano also observed Ramon like that. As if testing him.
Ramon soon bowed his head slightly.
“Thank you. It must have been awkward content to share with outsiders, but you told us readily.”
“To form a good partnership, you have to give that much first. But it seems you still plan to continue with the raid?”
“Yes. We plan to explain the situation to the companies and proceed together only with those willing to participate.”
“Even though you might die?”
“Because Gwiroae is a born gambler.”
Luciano looked into Ramon’s eyes and smiled.
Matador.
True to his nickname, they were the eyes of a player who had stepped into the arena.
‘There are many capable people around Gwiroae. Does he have good fortune with people?’
In Guam, there are limits to success by being outstanding alone. Because you only get used as a freelancer.
But if you establish your own foundation, the story becomes different.
The foundation becomes a business, and the business becomes a corporation.
So suddenly he became interested.
“By any chance, does that raid team still have spots available? We, I mean I, would like to get involved.”
“……You mean personally, Lord Luciano?”
This time it was Ramon’s turn to be surprised.
“It’s been too long since I’ve been in the field and my body has gotten stiff, and if the Deep Sea Dungeon gets ruined, it would be quite troublesome for me too.”
Ramon and Esteban could tell from every word Luciano spoke which path they should take.
His natural spirit was truly remarkable.
“There are still many spots available… but Esteban here is the leader. Would that be alright with you?”
Esteban looked at Ramon in surprise, but the fire burning in Ramon’s eyes showed no signs of dying out.
The authority held by a raid team leader is absolute.
No matter how skilled an expert might be, they must never infringe upon it. This was a question of whether he could handle that.
Luciano’s lips curved slightly. It was a look that Ramon found quite pleasing.
“Of course. I don’t have such a nasty hobby of stealing meals prepared by others.”
“Then I’ll be counting on you.”
“Likewise.”
Ramon and Luciano shook hands like that.
And……
That night.
There was one more unexpected organization that inquired about joining the raid team.
‘This place too?’
It was none other than Zeus’s Sons.
* * *
[Steps of Eoduksini and Trajectory of Radiance combine to enable stealthy movement.]
[Your presence cannot be detected.]
[Activating Dueoksini’s Swift Thunder!]
Whooosh-
‘It’s incredibly huge. I feel like Gulliver who came to the land of giants.’
Whoosh-
Lee Hyeon very naturally passed through the castle and entered the inner citadel area.
Since everything was made to giant standards, the ceiling height was too high and the corridors were much longer.
You had to run for quite a while just to get around one section of corridor.
Only after combining magic with movement skills did he finally have the leisure to examine the castle’s structure.
「Everything is so big that my neck hurts. These guys must eat tremendous amounts too, right? Then how much would the dessert portions be? Should I drop by the kitchen briefly when I have time?」
‘No. You know better than anyone that we don’t have time for that, Great Sage.’
「Tch.」
He could see numerous dungeon giants busily moving about.
From servants working in the castle to residents, all were armed.
The smell of blood hung ominously in the air.
“How much food do we have left?”
“At most five days… at least, tonight.”
“Damn it. This should normally be harvest season, but they suddenly started acting up…!!”
“Anyway, weren’t those crops also contaminated by the sea monsters’ blood and became inedible? Let’s not dwell on it.”
“But at this rate, we won’t die fighting, we’ll starve to death!”
And he could also hear about their dire circumstances.
“In the end, we’ll have to slaughter even the goose.”
“It was such a grateful creature that laid golden eggs for us… Damn it, but there’s no choice. Right now we need to gather strength somehow.”
“We’re even melting down all the gold and silver coins from the sacks to make armor and weapons.”
It seemed the goose that laid golden eggs symbolizing , and the sacks containing gold and silver coins had all been used up.
Thanks to that,
Lee Hyeon and Son Wukong could clearly understand how far the adaptation had progressed.
「This isn’t a war that’s been going on for just a day or two. But it seems the sea monsters have been acting up even more in recent days?」
‘It seems the Jiao Demon King’s rampage is getting more serious. We need to hurry.’
「This guy, really. Why is he having such violent nightmares? Even after being sealed, he’s just causing trouble for everyone around him, sheesh.」
A complaint that wasn’t quite a complaint.
Lee Hyeon smiled bitterly as he read the sad undertone beneath Son Wukong’s voice.
From the first floor to the second floor, from the second floor across the drawbridge to the commander’s palace deeper inside.
Occasionally he saw places like kitchens and libraries. The library in particular boasted a vast scale that seemed unsuitable for giants who appeared specialized only in fighting.
‘This seems to be it.’
Then Lee Hyeon, properly utilizing his Golden Eyes of Truth, finally succeeded in reaching a certain door.
Many thoughts were directed toward this place.
As if something very important was here.
And,
[You have discovered a location with strong connection to a Sacred Relic.]
Even the Golden Eyes of Truth confirmed it.
Although golden light had illuminated the entire giant world since climbing above the clouds, this room had particularly stronger light.
“I hear two more Sea King entities appeared just now. I’ll go out and see.”
“But Your Majesty the Queen! It’s too dangerous for Your Majesty to go!”
“Stand aside. If I, the king, don’t lead by example personally, what soldier or subject would offer their loyalty?”
When Lee Hyeon heard the stern voice from the door, he hastily pulled his body back.
Bang!
Soon the door opened and a female warrior armed in iron appeared.
‘She’s huge.’
At a glance, you could tell she had an atmosphere indicating noble status compared to other guards or subjects.
But the dignity she exuded far surpassed other warriors.
Even among giants, she had an exceptionally tall height that seemed to reach 15 meters, with broad shoulders and a solid build.
The woman called queen, despite the restraints of those around her, strode across the corridor with a massive halberd slung over her shoulder.
Lee Hyeon found his gaze strangely drawn to her.
「Why? Did you fall for her?」
‘Well… maybe I did.’
「Huh? What? That’s your type?」
Son Wukong, who had jokingly teased him, was slightly flustered. Lee Hyeon’s eyes were really glazed over.
‘I have a thing for big and sturdy ones.’
「……You’re completely smitten, aren’t you?」
‘I’m already curious how far Master Taotie has progressed with the weapons I left with him. I think the forms should be mostly completed by now.’
「Crazy bastard.」
Son Wukong let out a hollow laugh.
But Lee Hyeon imagined himself standing majestically with a massive axe no less impressive than that halberd, and unconsciously drooled.
‘Ah, of course I don’t mean romantic interest. I’m not thinking about dating yet.’
Lee Hyeon dismissed it lightly like that and entered the room through the slightly open door gap.
The room was very spacious. It seemed to be a precious royal warehouse, filled with crude but splendid objects.
However,
Among them, the chest placed on the central platform caught his eye.
A golden treasure chest that looked like something often seen in fairy tale illustrations.
Zing! Ziing!
[The Golden Key is reacting.]
Lee Hyeon’s eyes lit up as he stood before the Treasure Chest.
Clack!
Then the Treasure Chest reacted even more intensely. Now it was even trembling violently.
Just as he was about to take out the Golden Key and insert it into the keyhole,
“…….”
Lee Hyeon’s movement stopped for a moment.
His eyes turned coldly calm.
And,
「Kid.」
‘Yes. I know.’
Lee Hyeon raised his head and looked around.
At the same time, a voice could be heard.
『Oh my… Did you stop what you were doing because of me? I feel bad for interfering.』
Despite the words, the tone didn’t sound sorry at all.
It was a familiar voice.
Definitely the voice of the queen who had just left with her subjects moments ago.
『Go ahead and finish what you were doing. I don’t know why everyone is so obsessed with finding that chest… There won’t be anything you’re looking for in there. It was originally an empty chest. Long before I became king.』
“…….”
Lee Hyeon tensed up completely.
The giants who neither learned nor knew how to use Magic Power. The queen was the same.
But how could she read through his Stealth Technique and even send telepathic messages like this?
Moreover,
‘Where is she?’
He couldn’t even sense her exact location.
『Not planning to open it? Then I’ll open it for you.』
At that moment, a halberd appeared above Lee Hyeon’s head, tearing through space.
Swooooosh!
“……!!”
As he hastily dodged it, the halberd mercilessly split the Treasure Chest in half.
Crash!!
The halberd simultaneously embedded itself deep into the floor.
The destructive power was so tremendous that cracks appeared in the walls and ceiling. The castle shook greatly.
And inside the Treasure Chest that fell to the floor, there really was nothing.
But his surprise at that was only momentary.
Son Wukong suddenly spoke with a stern expression.
「…Strange. Why do I smell that Misfortune fellow from that Axe Technique?」
An unexpected remark.
Behind the Mask.
Lee Hyeon’s eyes widened slightly.
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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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