Broken Ranker Devours Myths - Chapter 2

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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 2

Guide Lee Hyeon (2)

 

 

 

It was absolutely no coincidence that Lee Hyeon found the Monkey Den.

‘Hyung said so back then. That it didn’t seem like the monkeys just gave him the Golden Eyes of Truth as a gift.’

 

-You who passed our qualification test are worthy of taking this power, something like that?

-Maybe?

-Hyung.

-Yeah.

-Stop reading so many comics. Live in reality.

-…This bastard?

-You’re not even in middle school, and this whole ‘I am the chosen one, kuhaha’ thing is a bit much.

-Want to die?

 

Though he had brushed it off jokingly at the time, Lee Hyeon never took Moon Su-chan’s words lightly.

Because he never knew when that memory might bring Moon Su-chan a new opportunity.

And,

Based on their memories, Lee Hyeon and Moon Su-chan had reached several conclusions.

 

1. The monkeys gave Moon Su-chan the Golden Eyes of Truth for a definite purpose.

2. That purpose was probably connected to the original owner of the Golden Eyes of Truth, namely Son Wukong.

3. As long as he possessed the Golden Eyes of Truth, the chances of meeting Son Wukong someday would increase.

4. Son Wukong was not as far away as one might think. There was a high probability he was in Korea.

 

So Lee Hyeon collected all the legends and myths of Son Wukong scattered around the world and analyzed them thoroughly.

Thanks to this,

He was confident he could perfectly clear any dungeon related to Son Wukong.

This was exactly why he could pass through the Monkey Den without harm.

And above all,

He had perfect ‘eyes’ as well.

 

[Golden Eyes of Truth (F)]

Eyes said to have been obtained when the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, Son Wukong, barely escaped after being trapped in the flames of the Eight Trigrams Furnace.

The higher the proficiency, the more hidden truths of the world can be seen.

-Type: Sacred Relic, Divine Authority

-Origin: Myth ‘Journey to the West’

*Grade has drastically decreased due to inability to use magic. Only limited functions (Danger Detection, Riddle Solving) can be used.

 

Moon Su-chan had become the best scout in the Thunder Unit, no, in the world, with just the Golden Eyes of Truth.

No matter how much magic was lacking, the Golden Eyes of Truth were still the Golden Eyes of Truth.

Moreover,

 

-These eyes, if you had them, they’d be absolutely amazing… Combined with your characteristics, you’d probably devour everything in your path, you know?

 

Moon Su-chan had long been saying repeatedly that the Golden Eyes of Truth would suit Lee Hyeon well.

At the time, he had thought ‘That guy just doesn’t want to work and is dumping everything on me,’

But looking back now, Moon Su-chan must have seen something from that time.

“…”

Therefore,

Lee Hyeon was determined to find clues related to the ‘main body’ this time no matter what.

Crack.

His fist clenched tightly.

 

* * *

 

A few hours later.

Rumble!

Two trees that had been firmly blocking the path like doors fell over.

 

[You have entered the Boss Room.]

[This place is full of many riddles. Solve all the riddles and meet the hidden master.]

 

“It’s the Boss Room!”

“What? We’re already here?”

“It was hidden in a place like this? No wonder we couldn’t find it all this time…!”

The party discovered a new clearing hidden in one corner of the jungle and burst into exclamations.

The resistance from zombie monkeys had grown fiercer as they approached the center, leaving everyone looking tired, but their faces were still full of smiles.

Not only had they opened a Boss Room that even headquarters couldn’t open for the past year,

“This looks like some kind of temple, doesn’t it?”

“Legend? Myth? Whatever it is, wow! Bonus!”

“Haha! Everyone worked hard.”

The clearing boasted an enormous scale.

Stone monuments lined up like walls along the perimeter were covered with murals depicting monkeys waging war, and a bronze brazier on the altar in the center was spewing flames.

Especially around the bronze brazier, eight giant monkey statues stood as if guarding it.

Anyone could see it looked like a primitive tribe’s ritual site.

“This place is also full of monkeys.”

“Who are the monkey gods?”

“Hanuman?”

“There’s also Son Wukong!”

“Son Wukong is more of a trickster than being worshipped as a god. Maybe it’s something like Fuga or Mashu?”

“Whatever it is, it’s definitely a jackpot.”

Temples based on mythology were worth whatever price they commanded.

However,

Even after achieving such an accomplishment, Lee Hyeon wasn’t showing off and was carefully examining the Boss Room.

“What are you looking around for so much? Like someone searching for something.”

Im Won-young approached Lee Hyeon’s side.

Lee Hyeon gave a slight nod.

“The strategy isn’t finished yet, so I was checking if there are other traps.”

“It’s a riddle quest, right? Then we could rest for a bit before doing it.”

“We don’t know what form it might take.”

A blunt answer.

Im Won-young let out a hollow laugh.

“Hunter Jang, by any chance, weren’t you called a workaholic when you were in Blue Thunder too?”

Lee Hyeon silently stared at Im Won-young.

“Don’t say anything to Manager Min. I asked her all those questions because I was curious about Hunter Jang. Many of my colleagues were also in Blue Thunder.”

“…”

“How about joining White Burn?”

Lee Hyeon shook his head.

“I’m sorry. With this body, I would only be a burden.”

“Did you eat some persimmons? Your answers are so sharp. Don’t be like that and think about it slowly. We’ll help with curse treatment somehow, and any other support you want…”

“I’m sorry.”

“You really must have eaten persimmons.”

Im Won-young let out a hollow laugh.

But looking at Lee Hyeon with his firm eyes made her want him even more.

‘This person is really the main figure of that Gangneung incident? The monster genius of the 17th class.’

In fact, Im Won-young could never forget the major incident from four years ago either.

Many of her friends and colleagues had been sacrificed at that time too.

The Gangneung incident. The so-called dungeon was still talked about like a legend in the hunter industry.

A 4-star dungeon was dangerous enough that if a break occurred, it could cause a supranational disaster.

So when the Ice Palace appeared in the middle of Jeongdongjin, not only Gangneung citizens but residents throughout the East Coast were ordered to evacuate.

The government issued mobilization orders to all Korean guilds while requesting overseas aid and focusing on creating a large-scale raid team.

‘That’s when the Thunder Unit was dispatched.’

The Thunder Unit’s mission was to delay the break as much as possible until the main force arrived.

However,

‘The problem was that the break began progressing much faster than the government predicted.’

If left alone, a major disaster would occur, so the Thunder Unit had no choice but to attempt the raid.

And,

They succeeded in the raid after paying enormous sacrifices.

The spotlight the Thunder Unit received from domestic and international media was tremendous.

Heroes who saved Gangneung without major civilian casualties.

Especially the responsible agent known to have led them, codenamed ‘Jet’, was almost deified.

But proper personal information was never disclosed, and afterward, no media coverage of his activities appeared, so he was naturally forgotten…

‘The military didn’t intentionally bury it. In reality, he was discharged due to aftereffects, so there were no rumors to spread.’

With such a career, various organizations would have competed to recruit him,

But Manager Min said she didn’t know the exact reason Lee Hyeon chose to become a civilian.

Not only herself but also her colleagues.

All contact was lost as soon as he was discharged.

‘There must have been some reason. A reason he couldn’t stay in military organizations.’

If Manager Min’s words were true, it meant Lee Hyeon had worked as a guide for four whole years with disabilities that prevented him from using basic mana and one leg properly.

This alone showed tremendous mental strength.

How much blood and tears must he have shed to overcome two flaws that would be fatal for a hunter?

Im Won-young wanted to grant almost anything Lee Hyeon requested.

But Lee Hyeon cut her off like a knife before even properly hearing the conditions.

Im Won-young’s face burned with embarrassment.

“Or…!”

She was still trying to persuade him somehow,

Flash!

‘…What?’

Im Won-young momentarily saw Lee Hyeon’s eyes glow bright with golden light.

And,

“Team Leader.”

“Yes?”

“I think it’s going to be dangerous soon. This place isn’t a temple.”

“…What did you say?”

The words Lee Hyeon suddenly threw out made Im Won-young’s face harden.

 

* * *

 

Lee Hyeon examined the Boss Room more carefully with his Golden Eyes of Truth opened to the maximum.

For a moment, his eyeballs hurt as if they might burst, but now wasn’t the time to worry about such things.

‘Stone statues covering their eyes, nose, and mouth with both hands, murals depicting myths without gods, braziers burning without offerings…’

Originally, he had been looking around hoping to find clues related to Son Wukong,

But strangely, the Boss Room was full of contradictory things to be called a temple.

Even though gods should be perfect by nature.

Which meant?

“This place is…!”

Just as Lee Hyeon was about to say something, his eyes suddenly stung painfully.

A reaction that appeared when unexpected situations occurred.

Lee Hyeon hurriedly turned his gaze in another direction,

Thwack!

In that instant, he could see a hunter wandering near the entrance get hit by an iron arrow and have his head shattered.

 

[A riddle has begun.]

[From now on, combine the scattered clues to defeat the monkeys.]

 

Im Won-young, who had turned her gaze following Lee Hyeon, shouted urgently.

“Everyone into battle formation!”

However,

Hoooooo!

Suddenly, the sound of a horn echoed along the ceiling.

An echo resounding through the forest.

And,

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom…!

The moment the sound of war drums announcing the start of battle was heard, the hunters felt a spine-chilling tension.

“Everyone duck!”

Lee Hyeon confirmed the murals moving strangely and shouted urgently.

Swoooosh!

Then an enormous number of iron arrows filled the ceiling like a downpour and fell toward the hunters.

“Tower Shield!”

The tankers including Manager Min rushed forward desperately and stacked their tower shields like castle walls.

Clang clang clang clang!

Fortunately, most of the iron arrows bounced off without penetrating the shields, but the power contained in the arrows was considerable, causing several tankers to lose balance and stagger.

Hunters who couldn’t hide behind the tower shields in time ran desperately looking for cover.

“Thank you, Team Leader.”

“No. It’s our fault for bringing Hunter Jang to such a dangerous area. Damn it.”

Lee Hyeon barely managed to avoid disaster by hiding behind a pillar in the corner with Im Won-young’s help, but two more hunters who couldn’t do the same died.

Im Won-young clenched her teeth, blood vessels bulging around her eyes.

She hurriedly pulled out a cigarette from her chest and put it in her mouth. It wasn’t to show off. It was to activate her skill.

The moment she lit the cigarette, smoke spread thickly like fog.

Whooooo!

 

[‘Legend: When Tigers Smoked Tobacco’ is activated. Two Jangsan Tigers are summoned.]

 

Two tigers with long white fur stood tall, baring their teeth.

Krheng-heng-heng!

The two Jangsan Tigers burst into the Boss Room and tried to destroy the traps,

but the problem was that the traps didn’t end there.

Thud-thud-thud-thud!

With the sound of hooves pounding the ground, ancient chariots burst out from the murals.

Leading with three horses each, Monkey Warriors on the chariots struck the Jangsan Tigers in succession, binding their ankles,

Bang! Bang!

The remaining two ancient chariots made a wide detour and collided directly with the Tower Shield.

“B-block it!”

But the formation shield crumbled all too easily.

Moreover, Monkey Soldiers continued pouring out from the murals behind them, ravaging the Hunters.

As expected, they were armed with sturdy armor and weapons, making them difficult to deal with.

“Ugh, ahhh! Gah!”

“Why are there so many… Krahhh!”

“Everyone snap out of it! Fall back as much as possible!”

The Hunters were all elite members that White Burn took pride in, but the Monkey Soldiers were far more vicious and cunning.

Moving in groups of four, they hunted the Hunters one by one, and when counterattacked, they would leap into the trees and disappear, making skills useless.

Eventually, the force of over thirty members was reduced by nearly half in an instant.

At this rate, it would be total annihilation.

“These bastards!”

Im Won-young fired off skills frantically to somehow kill the monsters, but it wasn’t enough to turn the tide of battle.

Unlike their small elite force, the enemy was legion-sized.

At this level, it seemed like it would be 3-star difficulty, not 2-star, or even higher.

‘I need to find a way somehow…!’

At that moment, Im Won-young could see Lee Hyeon suddenly sit on the ground and remove the military backpack he had been carrying.

What was he trying to do in such an urgent situation?

But Lee Hyeon focused entirely on what he was doing with indifference. His two eyes were now emitting brilliant golden light like the sun.

Paaah!

 

[‘Sacred Relic: Golden Eyes Mirror’ has been used beyond allowable limits. Your mental strength cannot handle it.]

[Warning! If the Sacred Relic overheats beyond its limits, your mental barriers may weaken and become contaminated by the Sacred Relic.]

[Warning!]

…

 

[Accelerating calculations based on discovered information. Seeking escape route.]

 

Like a soldier maintaining perimeter watch, constantly surveying the surroundings while taking from his bag,

‘…A gun?’

And it was an HK416 that he had often used during training at the Military Academy.

Click! Click!

Lee Hyeon assembled the gun parts in an instant and even attached a scope.

That wasn’t all.

On his left belt, he hung a KA-BAR Combat Knife, Kukri, and such, while on his right he equipped flash grenades, smoke grenades, hand grenades, and the like.

The appearance of a soldier heading out to war.

‘This was why he brought the military backpack!’

Clack!

The final sound of pulling the slide snapped Im Won-young out of her momentary daze.

At that moment, she could realize.

‘This person, could he have been waiting for this moment?’

Whether it was intentional or coincidental was unknown,

but the emotion flickering in Lee Hyeon’s eyes was definitely ‘elation.’

Indeed, Lee Hyeon was delighted.

‘These phenomena. I’m certain. I’ve reached the final gateway to where Son Wukong is.’

It was exactly as Moon Su-chan had told him.

An opportunity grasped after a long wait, after four years.

He absolutely couldn’t let it slip away.

Lee Hyeon’s head now ached as if it would split, but he brightened the Golden Eyes of Truth to maximum while looking at Im Won-young.

Her help was essential to pass through the gateway.

However,

“Hunter Jang, do you have some method?”

Im Won-young asked first. With a serious expression.

Lee Hyeon nodded heavily.

“Yes. I do. However, it’s closer to a personal method.”

“Still, Hunter Jang would have much more experience with ‘this side’ than I do.”

Im Won-young took a long deep breath, then held out the brooch, which was a communication item, and said.

“If I were to transfer command to Hunter Jang, how about it? Do you think we could get out of here?”

“…”

Lee Hyeon looked back and forth between the brooch and Im Won-young with indifferent eyes for a moment.

Tension crossed Im Won-young’s face.

“If it ends with just getting out, there will be many people cursing at me.”

“…?”

“We need to at least clear it.”

“…!”

Im Won-young’s face brightened.

—————
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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