Broken Ranker Devours Myths - Chapter 21

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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 21

Adaptation (2)

 

 

 

“Thunder…?”

Z Team had already retreated quite a distance from the castle walls.

They knew well the fact that zombie hordes would swarm out once they began entering the city.

More precisely, the semi-zombies that should not be killed if possible.

They were essentially the biggest culprit making this dungeon impregnable.

So Team Leader Jeong thought Lee Hyeon and Kim Min-jeong wouldn’t even properly pass through the castle gate and would retreat.

‘Then I was planning to leave just those guys behind and have only us escape the dungeon…’

But then some strange sound was heard.

When he checked toward the castle walls, something like flashes were also flickering.

What was happening?

“You have binoculars, right?”

“Here they are.”

 

[Moon-Viewing Fox Mirror]

No matter where in the world you move, the moon always follows you and illuminates the world mysteriously.

-Origin: Legend ‘Moon-Viewing Custom’

 

Team Leader Jeong looked toward the castle walls through the binoculars his subordinate handed him and gaped.

“The castle walls collapsed…? What the hell are those guys trying to do?”

The explosive sounds reminiscent of thunder were no longer heard, so he couldn’t tell what item they had used.

But it seemed they had used some kind of explosive item.

The zombie horde was uniformly struggling under fallen rocks.

The ones not crushed tried to find the cause, but were lost and wandering aimlessly due to lightning fires springing up everywhere.

Lee Hyeon and Kim Min-jeong were leisurely breaking through between them.

“Team Leader!”

“Wait. Not yet. It’s enough to go in with some time gap.”

Team Leader Jeong took his eyes off the binoculars and stopped his subordinates with a calm tone.

“I don’t know what item they found, but they didn’t just come without any preparation, right?”

As expected, it seemed they couldn’t just stay put.

“Chief Seo Ae-ri.”

Team Leader Jeong turned his gaze to one side.

There were two men and women sitting widely apart from the other team members.

They were leaning against rocks or trees, yawning lazily. They clearly looked uninterested in this raid.

The female team member whose name was called didn’t answer and just stared at Team Leader Jeong with a sullen expression.

As if asking why he called her.

Team Leader Jeong was instantly annoyed, but asked with a forced smile.

“Could you perhaps identify what that item is?”

Chief Seo Ae-ri was an analyst.

Someone who identified unexpected situations or sub-quests during dungeon raids and provided solutions.

However,

“You could just ask over the radio, couldn’t you?”

Chief Seo Ae-ri was negative and uncooperative about everything.

“…For more reliable strategic analysis,”

“I came along because you said you were going on a dungeon raid after a long time. But if we’re just going to sit here wasting time like this, I’ll just leave. Please do your political fighting without me. Well then.”

“Chief Seo? Chief Seo!”

Chief Seo Ae-ri just used a skill to disappear outside the dungeon, regardless of what Team Leader Jeong was saying.

“What the hell…!”

Team Leader Jeong stood there dumbfounded for a moment, when the man who had been with Chief Seo Ae-ri shook his head.

“Geez, crazy bitch. No social skills whatsoever. That’s why she’s stuck in a place like this. What does that make our team leader when she just leaves like that in front of other people? Team Leader, don’t worry. You have me, don’t you?”

He had a peculiar appearance, fully armed with all kinds of swords.

The great sword on his back boasted an enormous size approaching 2 meters,

And various large and small swords hung around his waist, making it hard to guess his fighting style.

His eyes were also extremely sharp like blades, preventing people from easily approaching him.

“Chief Lee Gi-seon.”

Team Leader Jeong looked at the man with suspicious eyes.

Actually, if you thought about it, he had an even more unruly personality than Chief Seo Ae-ri.

“I’ll go check it out myself. As you know, even if I’m not as good as Chief Seo, I’m quite knowledgeable about items too, right? I’m also curious about what that is.”

Team Leader Jeong was suspicious of why Chief Lee Gi-seon, who constantly had conflicts with team members, was suddenly being so cooperative,

But still nodded since his skills were trustworthy.

“Good. Then I’m counting on you. If you find out anything, contact me right away.”

However,

“Huh? I never said I’d inform you?”

“…What?”

Rather, Chief Lee Gi-seon tilted his head as if asking what he was talking about, then chuckled.

“I only said I’d check it out, I never said I’d help you, Team Leader. Find out on your own. Well then, bye.”

“…!!”

Swoosh!

Chief Lee Gi-seon waved his hand with a sly smile and then vanished.

Only then realizing he had been played, Team Leader Jeong’s face turned bright red.

“Even these crazy bastards… me…!! Arghhhh!”

Team Leader Jeong irritably kicked rocks and drew his sword to wildly swing it around.

Crash!

The other team members couldn’t say anything and turned their heads away.

‘Those lunatics really…!’

‘I knew Z Team was where all kinds of weirdos gathered, but…’

‘I need to somehow leave this team quickly.’

‘If he acts like that, we’ll have to take all that hysteria today!’

The team members sighed deeply, thinking their luck had run out for the entire day.

 

* * *

 

At that moment.

Creeeeak-

Lee Hyeon and Kim Min-jeong were crossing the collapsed castle walls and entering downtown.

Behind them, several zombies couldn’t get their bearings due to the castle wall debris Lee Hyeon had left scattered around.

 

[You have entered the City of Hameln.]

[The influence of the flute sound becomes much stronger.]

[The item’s duration has been reduced by 10 more minutes.]

 

[01:26:21]

…

 

“Senior, the lightning aside, what exactly was that movement skill…?”

“Breath of Dueoksini. I improved it.”

“That was something that could be improved!?”

Kim Min-jeong was well aware of Lee Hyeon’s signature skill, Breath of Dueoksini.

A skill that generated stronger lightning energy the more intense emotions were displayed, ultimately wrapping around condensed lightning power.

The sight reminded her deeply of a Fire Goblin that was said to breathe lightning when swinging its club.

But Breath of Dueoksini was a destructive ultimate skill or near-instant death technique, not such a fast movement skill.

Yet he answered so matter-of-factly that she didn’t know what to say.

‘What on earth did he go through during this time to make something like this possible…?’

In some ways, it seemed much faster than her own movement skill.

 

[Peach Blossom Remnant Shadow]

In shamanism, peach blossom arrows bring seduction and death. Where that evil energy passes, traces remain like fallen red petals.

-Origin: Folk tale ‘The Story of Janghwa and Hongryeon’

 

‘The magic power consumption also seems much less than before. Now he really seems like he’s become a goblin.’

Kim Min-jeong intuitively had that thought.

Today would be full of surprises because of Lee Hyeon, not just once or twice.

Meanwhile, Lee Hyeon was also clearly feeling the effects of Samadhi Divine Wind.

‘As I thought, I was right. Just mixing Condensed Lightning and Samadhi Divine Wind, these two alone are incomparable to before.’

It felt good as wind explosively flowed out with each step he took.

Most importantly, all this wind consumed almost no magic power.

Because he was utilizing the aftershock generated when Condensed Lightning burst forth.

‘If needed, I could intentionally create dust clouds to obscure vision, or use it with Steps of Eodukseoni too.’

It finally felt like his skill tree was beginning to take shape.

“It’s the Bell Tower now, Senior.”

Finally, their destination came into view.

The Bell Tower standing alone and tall in the city center.

“Right. Let’s go. First, let’s silence that flute sound.”

Lee Hyeon had pondered just one thing for the past three days.

 

―How can I silence the flute sound first?

 

Of course, the flute’s curse didn’t work on Lee Hyeon.

But there was Kim Min-jeong who would be with him, and the zombified citizens would interfere, so countermeasures were necessary.

 

[You have entered the city center and are receiving stronger influence from the flute sound.]

 

So the place he chose was precisely this Bell Tower.

Located in the middle of the city and boasting the greatest height.

Thud!

Lee Hyeon and Kim Min-jeong kicked off the outer wall a couple times and reached the top where the bell was in one go.

The panoramic view of the fairy tale city spread out before their eyes.

“You should hurry! The zombies are already swarming this way!”

Kim Min-jeong carefully observed the outside situation while taking out the cello case she had brought separately from her inventory.

Not all the zombies in the city had been at the castle gate. Far more zombies had been wandering the city and began moving after sensing Lee Hyeon and Kim Min-jeong’s presence.

Click!

Inside the cello case was the sniper rifle Mk12 frequently used at Blue Thunder. Various other firearms filled it as well.

If Lee Hyeon’s main equipment was an axe, Kim Min-jeong was a magic gunner whose main equipment was magic guns like this.

Clack! Clack!

Kim Min-jeong attached a scope and even a silencer, then shouldered the Mk12 and aimed the muzzle downward.

 

[Janghwa’s Tears]

Enemies pierced by bullets containing the resentment of sisters who died unjustly are struck by evil energy and gain misfortune.

-Origin: Folk tale ‘The Story of Janghwa and Hongryeon’

 

“I’ll start.”

“Please do.”

Kim Min-jeong pulled the trigger toward the male zombie caught in her scope.

 

[‘Legend: The Story of Janghwa and Hongryeon’ activates, firing evil energy!]

 

Bang!

The male zombie hit in the left shoulder by the magic bullet rolled on the ground.

He instinctively tried to get up, but soon convulsed due to the misfortune spreading through his bloodstream.

Kaaak! Kaak!

The legend Kim Min-jeong possessed was .

The magic bullets containing the resentment of the wronged sisters had power, but the misfortune that occurred after hitting was also very strong.

Bang! Bang! Baang!

Each time the magic gun fired, zombies approaching the Bell Tower fell backward,

and meanwhile Lee Hyeon activated the [Tiger God’s Protection Charm] he still hadn’t returned to Im Won-young.

Crackle!

 

[‘Sacred Relic: Tiger God’s Protection Charm’ summons the 4 vengeful spirits residing within!]

[Iol refused the summoning.]

[The summoned Spear Ghosts are imbued with lightning attributes.]

 

Lightning energy burst from the ring on his left index finger, and soon Spear Ghosts with hideous expressions appeared.

「The one Tiger God told us to help…」

「Your command…」

“Ring the bell here. With all your strength until I tell you to stop.”

The city’s Bell Tower was a tool for announcing time.

Therefore, the bell sound could reach far places in the city.

Meaning it could easily drown out the gentle flute sound!

「We receive your command…!」

「Please speak well of us to Tiger God, that we carried out the command properly…!」

The Spear Ghosts, strengthened by being imbued with lightning energy, rang the bell with all their might.

DONG! DOONG!

At that moment, bell sounds several times louder than usual rang beyond the city and even past the castle walls,

 

[The bell rings!]

[The flute sound cannot be heard by people. The curse begins to weaken.]

 

The zombies’ movements stopped.

As if by magic.

Simultaneously,

 

[The item’s duration is greatly extended.]

[03:14:41]

…

 

[The Citizens of Hamelin who had fallen under the curse begin to escape from their collective hallucination symptoms!]

 

CLAAAAAANG!

Crack—

The black curse that had been enveloping the zombies burst outward.

“Huh, what…?”

“Why, why am I doing this here…?”

“■■! ■! Why are you all out here too?”

“I definitely came out to look for my son who disappeared because of the flute…?”

The citizens who were regaining consciousness began to wander in confusion.

“Really, this actually worked…”

Kim Min-jeong let out a hollow laugh as she retrieved her magic gun.

The curse that no one had been able to solve for the past 10 years, Lee Hyeon had resolved it so cleanly…!

‘As expected, senior’s intuition is still the same. It’s Jet! Jet has really returned!’

Kim Min-jeong unconsciously clenched her fists.

Thump! Thump!

Her heart that had first started beating was now pounding rapidly.

When following behind Jet.

It was the heart that always raced when chasing after her leader.

Crackle!!

Similarly, Lee Hyeon was surveying the surroundings while wrapped in blue-white lightning just like Jet used to do.

He was judging that it was still too early to rejoice.

Since this was still just a temporary measure.

‘I need to find the flute’s new owner, the hidden boss.’

Lee Hyeon tracked where the curse that had escaped from the zombies was flowing with his golden-locked eyes.

 

[Activating ‘Sacred Relic: Golden Eyes Mirror’ to search for the point where the flute’s sound waves and the bell’s sound waves collide.]

 

Black haze visible only through the Golden Eyes Mirror flowed in one direction like rainwater draining into a sewer.

 

[Location discovered!]

 

That place was the epicenter of the curse.

It was the epicenter of the sound.

There was a manhole where the haze was spiraling down and disappearing.

‘Underground waterway!’

Whoosh!

Lee Hyeon immediately launched his body,

“Senior!?”

Kim Min-jeong looked up at Lee Hyeon who had flown into the sky.

 

[Dueoksini’s Sigh (B+) releases fury at maximum output!]

 

It was as if a new sun had appeared in the sky. The Fire Goblin was trying to manifest.

Rummmmmble!

Lee Hyeon became a massive lightning bolt itself and struck down into the ground. The ground shattered and the earth’s surface flipped over.

He pierced through the earth and burrowed deep inside.

A world of underground waterways that no one had searched for appeared—pitch black and filled with stench and curses.

Bang!

When Lee Hyeon raised his head, in front of him was a man wearing a black robe pulled deep over his head, looking flustered.

 

[You have entered the Boss Room.]

[Hidden boss discovered!]

 

In that man’s hand was a black flute.

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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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