Broken Ranker Devours Myths - Chapter 23

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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 23

Adaptation (4)

 

 

 

Team Leader Jeong had been in a state of confusion for a while now.

Because incomprehensible system messages kept appearing.

 

[The sound of the flute can no longer be heard. The curse begins to weaken.]

[A Hidden Boss has appeared.]

[The flute has been destroyed.]

 

And so on.

But the most shocking message was something else entirely.

 

[The flute’s curse no longer dominates the dungeon.]

[Clear Rate: 29.6%]

 

“What the hell is going on! How long have they even been in the city for the curse to disappear!? And what’s this about a Hidden Boss!”

Team Leader Jeong had only one reason for sending Lee Hyeon and Kim Min-jeong into the city alone.

To screw them over.

These bastards had pulled this stunt to humiliate him, so he really intended to make them pay.

Then, when they were truly in crisis, Team Leader Jeong planned to save ‘only’ Kim Min-jeong.

If he did that, she wouldn’t dare talk back to him anymore.

As for Lee Hyeon, that thorn in his side, he could easily dispose of him by disguising it as an ‘accidental death.’

He already had experience dealing with a few rebellious bastards from his previous team in the same way.

But contrary to his expectations, the situation began to take a strange turn.

“T-Team Leader! Shouldn’t we hurry to the city right now?”

The other Z Team members were equally dumbfounded.

The clear rate, which had been stuck for 10 years, was rising at an incredibly fast pace.

 

[Clear Rate: 33.9%]

 

Their hearts grew anxious.

If the raid report only recorded that they waited around without contributing anything, they wouldn’t be able to avoid disciplinary action.

“That’s right!”

“We need to check what’s happening!”

“There’s been no communication through the comm device either! It might be such an urgent situation that they can’t even request rescue!”

Team Leader Jeong finally snapped back to his senses.

“R-Right! Let’s hurry! If there really was a Hidden Boss, then Section Chief Jang and Manager Kim might be in danger too! They’ll need support! Hurry!”

“Order confirmed!”

“Order confirmed!”

Z Team began running in perfect coordination.

They were more confident than anyone when it came to clearing a dungeon without the flute’s curse.

Even while running using movement skills, dungeon messages continued to appear.

 

[The Hidden Boss transitions to Phase 2.]

[Citizens awakened from zombification are confused and panicking. Calm them down.]

 

‘Damn it, damn it…! It’s really Jang Lee Hyeon! It’s all because of that bastard! Ever since he suddenly appeared…’

Team Leader Jeong thought all this chaos was entirely Lee Hyeon’s fault.

Everything had started going wrong ever since that guy suddenly appeared.

Just then,

 

[A hidden new has been opened.]

[An epidemic may break out. Be careful.]

 

‘A new page? An epidemic?’

The new dungeon message made his eyes flash with alertness.

Page, not Phase.

It meant new completion conditions had been added to the Quest.

Sure enough.

 

[Completion Conditions]

1. Defeat the Piper. (clear!)

2. Find the missing children.

3. Safety of Hamelin citizens.

4. Prevent the epidemic. (new!)

 

A new fourth condition had been added.

And then,

 

[Rat Swarms begin to appear!]

 

Squeak squeak! Squee-squeak!

At a distance not far from the castle walls, the sound of rats suddenly began to be heard.

…But the sound was much louder than expected.

“Everyone, prepare for combat!”

Team Leader Jeong instinctively sensed danger and shouted urgently.

The moment the team members tensely grabbed their weapons with anxious faces,

Squee-squee-squee-squeak!

From the forest surrounding the fields, from the castle walls, from the cracks in the rocks, an enormous swarm of rats appeared. No, they poured out.

Each one larger than a human forearm, these black creatures moved in units of tens of thousands, creating an illusion of a black tsunami rushing toward them.

“Rotten rats! They’re Rotten rats! Run toward the castle walls no matter what!!”

 

[Rattenplage (Plague of Rats)]

Characterized by swarming in groups ranging from hundreds to tens of thousands. Like locust swarms, they gnaw and devour everything in their path, leaving behind terrible plagues and curses in their wake.

Particularly, if an attack fails once and they become thoroughly enraged, the curse intensifies.

-Origin: The saying ‘Die Pest an den Hals wünschen (May the plague befall your neck).’

 

Individual Rotten rats weren’t that strong.

They were creatures that could be taken down with a single sword strike.

But the problem came after they died.

The putrid poison that burst out when they died was extremely severe. It was known to be capable of corroding even metal.

But what if they moved as a collective?

It would literally be a plague.

That’s why the manual stated that if five or more Rotten Rats were discovered, they should immediately flee the area…

“Get away! Get away from us!”

The Rotten Rats had already completely surrounded Z Team.

“Damn it!”

“Die!”

Flash! Flash!

Boom!

The team members unleashed all kinds of skills to somehow shake off the creatures.

Over a hundred died in an instant, but that only served to provoke them further.

Far more creatures poured into the empty spaces than those that had died.

“N-no…!”

Z Team was completely swept away by the black tsunami.

Team Leader Jeong flailed until the very end, screaming curses.

“Jang Lee Hyeon! Jang Lee Hyeon! Because of you, this happened… Urgh!”

But he too was completely submerged before long.

 

[Monster Rush begins!]

 

* * *

 

The number of curse mages hiding in the city’s underground waterways was sixteen in total.

They were all friends who had been born and raised in the same hometown.

■■ was one of them.

‘■■■’s psychic link has been severed. I’m the closest one to that location. Then there’s a high chance they’ll target me next…’

The underground waterway where not a single ray of light penetrated.

■■ layered multiple curses he had learned from the old man.

Sound waves, detection, specification, tracking, observation, persistence…

Though they were very small curses, when the pieces were fitted together like a puzzle under delicate calculations, they became a strange curse.

It was a detection curse he had recently researched and created on his own.

Whoosh!

■■ surveyed his surroundings through senses enhanced by the curse.

He didn’t forget to suppress his presence either.

『Is everyone safe? Can you see anything?』

『Can’t see anything.』

『Same here.』

『Same here too.』

『Everyone answer once.』

『I’m still okay.』

『Me too.』

The friends took turns conversing through their psychic link, but soon realized something strange.

『I can’t hear ■’s response. ■? Answer me, ■!』

『…』

『Damn it.』

『That bastard like a Rotten Rat. Where the hell did he go?』

■■ bit his lower lip tightly.

Another psychic link had been severed.

『That’s already the fourth one! Where the hell did he hide…』

『■■■■? Damn, again!』

■■ felt a chill run down his spine.

The conversation was cut off while they were talking through their psychic link?

That meant his friend had been taken out before even noticing the outsider’s appearance.

It was just as ■■ was about to say something.

Splash.

A very light footstep sound detected from far away.

‘They’re here!’

■■ snapped to attention.

He briefly considered calling his friends through the psychic link,

‘No. It’s better to catch them first. They probably don’t know I’ve noticed them yet.’

■■ approached while suppressing his presence even more…

“I wondered how you discovered my presence. So you scatter decoy curses randomly around the area and then track and observe what gets caught? Interesting.”

■■’s spine tingled.

The voice piercing his ears sounded so eerie.

Like a ghost.

So he hurriedly turned toward that direction and tried to unleash curses,

Thud!

But Lee Hyeon’s hand, emerging through the darkness faster than that, covered his face.

“Thanks to you, I learned something good, so rest comfortably…”

Suddenly, a magic circle appeared above Lee Hyeon’s head and began rotating.

‘Got him!’

■■, who had volunteered to become bait himself, cheered inwardly.

Dozens of layers of curse formulas gathered together as curses poured down like a waterfall.

 

[‘Curse: Blindness’ pours down!]

[‘Curse: Sensory Dulling’ pours down!]

[‘Curse: Powerlessness’ pours down!]

…

[Curse Mage 15 activates ‘Skill: Curse Chain’ to attempt binding the target!]

 

■■ knocked Lee Hyeon’s hand aside and created plenty of distance.

“Hah! I don’t know what method you’ve been using to erase your presence until now, but do you think you can remain unharmed while carrying all these curses on your body…?”

■■ expected Lee Hyeon to be crushed by dozens of curses and buried face-first in the sewage.

But his voice trailed off midway.

“This is an interesting device in its own way.”

The chains made of curses were swaying.

 

[All curses are nullified due to Curse Resistance (S)!]

 

Crack!

The curse chains shattered.

So easily.

“…!”

“You materialized curses into ring forms and connected multiple ones like a long chain? Then you wrap the opponent tightly to bind them. You’re like the others, but all the mages are quite skilled. I’m really learning a lot.”

“How… how is this possible…?”

■■’s voice trembled finely.

Lee Hyeon shrugged his shoulders.

“My curse resistance is pretty strong.”

Then he threw the axe he was holding at the curse mage.

Whoosh!

The curse mage hastily ducked to avoid the axe,

Swoosh—

Crack.

Lee Hyeon, who had flown in at some point, covered his face with his hand again.

This time there wasn’t even a chance for the curse to activate.

Lightning energy had already penetrated deep into his body, forcibly shutting down the switches of his mana circuits.

Crackle!

“Just sleep for a bit. When you wake up again, everything will be over.”

■■ didn’t even have a chance to respond.

His mind became dizzy.

And he fainted from the impact striking the back of his head.

Thud!

 

* * *

 

[Curse Mage 15 has been eliminated.]

 

Thump.

Lee Hyeon clicked his tongue lightly while looking at the curse mage who had fainted in his arms.

The hood that had been pulled deep over their head flipped back, revealing their face.

A young girl with a youthful face.

She looked to be about 15 years old at most.

No matter how much they were classified as ‘monsters’, it felt awkward to harm someone with a minor’s face.

“So the missing children were actually hidden boss mobs and minions. What kind of twisted fairy tale is this, really.”

Lee Hyeon clicked his tongue lightly.

 

[You have successfully solved the dungeon’s hidden mystery.]

[Achievement condition 2 has been completed. You have partially acquired ■■■■’s karma.]

[Clear rate: 41.5%]

 

“Come to think of it, the citizens would all be their parents or relatives, so how could they show such hostility…? Is this all because of too?”

He didn’t know exactly what relationship the Piper and the children had.

But he could guess the facts to some extent.

「It’s obvious. The Piper was the only friend to children who were disappointed in greedy adults, and they’re taking revenge for him who died unjustly… something like that development.」

Son Wukong grinned on top of Lee Hyeon’s head.

「But that’s not exactly content you’re interested in, is it?」

“Right. Achieving 100% completion of the conditions is the priority. And,”

Lee Hyeon smiled slightly while looking at the message that appeared before his eyes.

 

[Through ‘Sacred Relic: Golden Eyes Mirror’, you found clues to ■■■■ mythology in Curse Mage 15’s curse.]

[You have partially acquired ■■■■’s karma.]

[Assembling the clue fragments collected so far. Analyzing the content.]

 

“This is the most important thing.”

Lee Hyeon could glimpse Son Wukong’s mythology in the curse mages’ curses.

Like the flute’s curse, all of their curses were connected.

If his prediction was correct, the owner of this was…

‘To complete Son Wukong’s mythology, this is an absolutely essential fragment that cannot be missing.’

And it was also an essential item that would turn his S-rank Curse Resistance, which was close to immunity but not quite there yet, into ‘Complete Immunity’.

It was precisely to obtain this that he had left Kim Min-jeong and Z Team above and entered the sinkhole alone.

「Make sure to find it. Don’t miss it.」

“Of course.”

Since this fragment was precious to Son Wukong as well, his voice was very serious.

Lee Hyeon nodded and lit up the Golden Eyes of Truth.

Whoosh!

With the Golden Eyes of Truth, the structure of the underground waterway was as good as being entirely in his head.

The curse mages he had knocked unconscious were also gathered in one place with only their magic sealed, so there was no worry.

‘First, I’ll keep moving until only the Hidden Boss remains.’

Flash!

Lee Hyeon moved his steps again.

A night goblin was prowling through the darkness.

 

* * *

 

[Curse Mage 10 has been eliminated. Clues to ■■■■ mythology found in the curse.]

[Curse Mage 13 has been eliminated. Clues to ■■■■ mythology found in the curse.]

…

 

“Damn it, to a mere outsider…!”

Occasionally there were curse mages who could detect Lee Hyeon’s presence.

Thump!

 

[Curse Mage 4 has been eliminated.]

 

Each time, Lee Hyeon felt a chill run down his spine,

 

[Through ‘Sacred Relic: Golden Eyes Mirror’, analyzing curse magic installed throughout the underground waterway.]

[Some clues about curses have been acquired. The combination of clue fragments collected so far is being completed.]

[You have partially acquired ■■■■’s karma.]

 

But instead he smiled each time.

New stimulation always served as a good foundation for growth.

‘Were there this many varieties of curses? There are many I’m seeing for the first time.’

 

[‘Curse: Self-Harm’ has failed to activate!]

[Your understanding of curses increases slightly.]

[‘Curse: Hungry Ghost Thirst’ has failed to activate!]

[Your understanding of curses increases slightly.]

…

 

[Based on increased curse understanding, the proficiency of Curse Resistance (S) has increased slightly.]

…

[Analyzing.]

…

 

‘The techniques are also very diverse. It really would have been trouble if they had all gathered together. Well, thanks to that I’m gaining even more.’

Crackle!!

 

[The Rotten Rats targeting you have been completely eliminated.]

[All plague bacteria have been eradicated by Dueoksini’s Collar.]

 

In the process, the Rotten Rats that could be called the rulers of the underground waterway also burst apart one after another from the lightning.

While they were beings that drove citizens and Hunters into terror on the surface, they posed no threat whatsoever to Lee Hyeon.

In this underground waterway, Lee Hyeon was practically invincible.

‘Still, they’re all impressive. To be able to grow this much without any proper teacher. Their teamwork too, it’s just like watching Blue Thunder.’

Just as he was receiving strange emotions from them,

Lee Hyeon had already subdued all the Curse Mages and arrived at the Underground Waterway Central Area where the Hidden Boss stood.

A circular clearing so vast in width that one would wonder if such a place could exist underground.

The creature was right in the center of it.

The creature had also realized that all of its comrades’ Psychic Links had been severed.

‘I’ll strike in one blow.’

While the creature was showing an opening, right now…

Ding!

That was when it happened.

 

[Monster Rush begins!]

[The plague of rats covers the city.]

[The Black Death spreads.]

 

In the darkness, Lee Hyeon raised his head.

‘Has it started?’

Though it was a moment he had expected, he was still a little worried about Kim Min-jeong.

But he wasn’t concerned.

The woman he knew would be able to handle it well enough.

So,

‘Shall I obtain it now? Sha Wujing’s fragment.’

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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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