Ranker Who Shatters Myths - Chapter 253

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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 253

Two Faces (3)

[The Jade Emperor’s soul has suffered a fatal blow and is facing annihilation!]

[The Jade Emperor’s last remaining obsession deeply resents the annihilation it must face before the ‘crown’.]

[The Jade Emperor seeks beings from the Outer Sea.]

[The Jade Emperor wishes to offer himself as a sacrifice.]

[The Jade Emperor proposes not a deal but subjugation…]

[The Jade Emperor offers as compensation…]

[Warning! Something wearing the skin of Xuanhu Jinchuan gazes upon the Jade Emperor.]

[Something wearing the skin of Xuanhu Jinchuan accepts the Jade Emperor’s deal.]

[The Outer Sea writhes!]

* * *

‘…Finally.’

Bull Demon King tightly closed both eyes.

The moment his wife and son were dying flashed before his eyes. The memory of that day when the castle burned was still vivid.

‘This moment.’

It was the moment he had longed for so much.

The annihilation of the Jade Emperor, who could be called the source of all this chaos.

Though he was happy that he had finally gotten his revenge, he didn’t feel particularly refreshed or satisfied.

Because he had no family to share this moment with.

Rather, a sense of emptiness seemed to dominate him.

Just then,

“Wukong!”

“Youngest, you finally did it.”

“Kekeke! As expected! This proves the law of total character that I’ve been researching so much. What is the law of total character? It’s the principle that a person with worse character will inevitably be devoured by someone with less bad character…”

“Shut up, you guys! My ears are ringing so much I’m going to die!?”

Jiaoma Wang, Roc King, and Sha Wujing approached Son Wukong with joyful faces.

The legions of 【Heaven】 were already showing signs of defeat as the Jade Emperor faced annihilation.

General Irang and Leijinzi’s faces even showed resentment. Some were completely subdued by Sha Wujing’s curse incantations.

[You have achieved victory in the war against 【Heaven】!]

[You have succeeded in creating a great myth. The ending of 【Journey to the West】 begins to change drastically.]

[A new chapter is being written.]

[You have gained a massive amount of karma.]

[You have recovered a considerable amount of lost karma.]

…

[The great name of ■Heaven■ Son Wukong begins to shake the Heavens once again!]

[Divine factions with deep grudges against Son Wukong fall into deep worry.]

[The Divine Society, 【Asgard】 looks upon Son Wukong with displeasure.]

[The Divine Society, 【Olympus】 does not announce any particular stance…]

[The Divine…]

…

[【Malaach】’s secretary, Metatron confirms the balanced scales and withdraws interest from the Surface!]

…

[The demon factions drool heavily while examining 【Heaven】’s rebellion. A considerable number of societies are considering invasion.]

[The dragon factions are curious about the treasures Son Wukong might have acquired.]

[The giant factions…]

…

And even the various reactions from the Heavens.

Bull Demon King realized at that moment that the name Son Wukong would shake the Heavens once again.

Like in the distant past when he first earned the name Great Sage Equal to Heaven.

Or like when he first sat on Buddha’s throne as a demon and earned the Buddhist title Victorious Fighting Buddha.

“Ah, stop clinging to me already!!”

But Son Wukong didn’t seem to care about such things and was only focused on peeling off his brothers.

Of course, that was only on the surface, as the smile never left his lips.

『…』

Bull Demon King pressed his lips tightly together.

A sight that contrasted too much with himself.

He would have been among them once.

“Big brother.”

Just then, Son Wukong suddenly looked up at Bull Demon King.

The other brothers also looked in his direction.

But…

‘Why?’

The gazes of Jiaoma Wang and Roc King, who should surely resent him, were very warm.

As if nothing had happened. Just like during their sworn brotherhood in the past.

‘You guys…’

Just as Bull Demon King unconsciously stiffened,

[Beings from 【Gehenna】 attempt to manifest!]

Son Wukong’s group stopped approaching and suddenly grayish smoke gathered in front of Bull Demon King, taking the form of a monster.

Whoosh!

It had the head of a horned goat, but boasted a much more sinister temperament.

A being with sulfur fire dripping through cracks in its split skin.

It was Molec.

[Molec]

A forgotten god of the ancient Canaan and Phoenicia regions, known to have received human children as offerings from believers as proof of their faith.

Always wreathed in hellfire and known to bring about the world’s destruction.

-Origin: Scripture ‘Leviticus’

『I never thought I would meet the Seven Great Sages and Three Law Kings that I had only heard about in rumors. Let me introduce myself for the first time. I am Molec, who has visited the Surface in the capacity of 【Gehenna】’s envoy.』

Molec bowed slightly with a very polite posture.

But Son Wukong only quietly furrowed his brow.

Whoosh!

His Golden Eyes of Truth blazed brilliantly.

“So you’re the demon god who led big brother to 【Gehenna】.”

『Oh my. I didn’t know that stories about me would reach the ears of the Great Sage Equal to Heaven himself. As it happened, I was fortunate enough to form a connection with Bull Demon King and serve him.』

Molec curled up the corners of his mouth.

『Our 【Gehenna】 is a refuge for victims who have been abandoned by the world and have nowhere to rely on, or who are full of dissatisfaction but have nowhere to vent it.』

“…”

“So naturally, I believe Bull Demon King was also able to form a connection with our 【Gehenna】.”

Son Wukong quietly observed the uninvited guest Molec as he spoke.

After all, he too wanted to know what kind of place 【Gehenna】 really was.

Before his fall from heaven, he had only barely heard rumors that ‘such a place existed’ in the underworld.

Since its reality was unclear, he hadn’t paid it any mind, but he never dreamed it would be a place where beings like Molec existed.

Molec was the former chief deity of the destroyed society, 【Ammon】.

The intimidating aura and dignity he exuded were certainly not to be taken lightly.

He had actually expended considerable effort in subduing the soldiers of 【Heaven’s Cult】.

Moreover,

[Attempting to reveal the true nature of the smoke with Golden Eyes of Truth!]

[Failed.]

[Retrying!]

[Failed.]

‘I can’t see exactly what that smoke is either. It’s certain that it’s an existence no less formidable than big brother or Molec…’

For Son Wukong’s group, they naturally had no choice but to be wary of these beings. They couldn’t even tell what intentions they harbored.

If there was any consolation, it was that the emotions they showed toward them seemed closer to goodwill.

Of course, even that seemed to come with conditions.

As if they would never allow them to approach Bull Demon King, they were cleverly blocking the middle ground.

“In that spirit, I would like to make a proposal to Great Sage Equal to Heaven and your companions as well…!”

“No. Wait.”

Son Wukong cut off Molec’s words mid-sentence while wearing a good-natured smile.

“First, I have a conversation I want to have with big brother. Could you step aside for a moment?”

“Hmm! But Bull Demon King finds meeting with you all burdensome,”

“Don’t tell me you think,”

Son Wukong tilted his head crookedly.

“that I’m in a position to be ‘asking’ you for favors?”

“…”

“Move aside. Unless you want to end up like the Jade Emperor.”

The smile completely vanished from Molec’s lips as well.

His gaze sank heavily.

But beneath it, heat boiling like the sulfur fires of hell stared directly at the Golden Eyes of Truth.

For just a brief moment, a tense staring contest unfolded between the two,

Pfft!

Molec soon returned to his good-natured smile, shrugged his shoulders, and stepped back.

“You certainly have as fiery a manner of speech and behavior as I’ve heard. Indeed, you seem like someone who would fit perfectly in 【Gehenna】. Then we’ll step aside for a moment so you brothers can have your conversation.”

Molec scattered into sulfurous smoke again and disappeared with his companion.

While casually dropping hints about their own business.

Son Wukong looked at Bull Demon King, who remained stubbornly silent, and said:

“How long are you going to stay that big? My head’s about to fall off from looking up all the time, so please shrink down a bit.”

Bull Demon King snorted lightly in displeasure, then was soon enveloped in light and shrank to human form.

A middle-aged man with striking jet-black eyes.

Son Wukong grinned.

“Now we’re finally at eye level. Wouldn’t it be so much better if you went around like this normally?”

“…What is your reason for calling me? I told you I’ve already severed brotherly ties with you all.”

Bull Demon King’s gruff voice.

Jiaoma Wang and Roc King looked back and forth between the two with worried faces, but didn’t intervene.

This was ultimately something the two of them had to resolve.

Son Wukong said with a chuckle:

“Does a past oath disappear just because one side unilaterally cuts it off? Like it or not, brothers are brothers.”

“You…”

“Please come back now, big brother.”

Bull Demon King’s expression hardened.

“Have you already forgotten what I said? I resent you,”

“I know. I know. You resent me. In a way, isn’t all of this happening because of me?”

“…”

“So I’m asking you to give this younger brother a chance to make up for it.”

“…!”

For a moment, Bull Demon King’s pupils wavered.

“Honestly, you felt it too, didn’t you? When we were fighting the Jade Emperor, our teamwork was the best.”

“…”

“I only learned for the first time that big brother and I work so well together. So if we start over, we’ll be able to get along well.”

“…”

“So please come back. I want it, Bokhe wants it, and Ryo wants it too. Not to mention Gushen and Isan who aren’t here.”

Behind Son Wukong, Jiaoma Wang and Roc King nodded.

“That’s right. I want big brother to lead us again. Actually, I’m more than a little worried about leaving the leadership to our youngest brother…”

“What? Look at this guy? I saved you completely and now you’re talking nonsense?”

“Did you save me? My Chosen One saved me.”

“What, ‘my’ Chosen Oneeeee?”

Though Jiaoma Wang got sidetracked into bickering with Son Wukong, Roc King gently grasped Bull Demon King’s hand firmly.

“None of us resent you, big brother.”

“…Third brother. I,”

After long deliberation, Bull Demon King tried to remove Roc King’s hand. He thought this was for the best, even though it pained him.

But,

“I’m here too. Shall we go together?”

This time Lee Hyeon suddenly appeared from behind and spoke to him.

Lee Hyeon also looked quite rough, covered in dust all over.

“What? Kid, why do I sense so much of big brother’s divine power from you? It wasn’t just sharing divine power, was it? Huh? The divine power is growing? And why is big brother’s also…!”

Son Wukong pointed accusingly, but Lee Hyeon snorted.

“Why do you think? It’s because we made a Chosen One contract.”

“What, you bastard!? Hey! This won’t do. Cancel! Cancel! Big brother, you don’t have to come back, so just cancel the Chosen One contract,”

“Don’t you know the saying ‘a man’s word is his bond’? How can you be a man and go back on your word?”

“This bastard!?”

Whether Son Wukong was jumping around in fury or not, Lee Hyeon ignored him and looked at Bull Demon King with a grin.

“Look here. You’re never bored when you’re with me, right?”

Bull Demon King couldn’t decide for a moment whether he should laugh or not.

“You’ll have even less time to be bored from now on. What’s the point of holing up in the underworld? Are there any other entertainments besides soaking in sulfur fire hot springs without any incidents or accidents?”

Bull Demon King briefly recalled the moments he had spent with Lee Hyeon.

Times packed full of incidents and accidents without a moment’s boredom, just as the boy said.

And everything leading up to this moment.

Come to think of it, none of it would have been possible without Lee Hyeon.

Noisy and boisterous, but a kid he could never hate.

Therefore,

‘…I see.’

Bull Demon King finally realized belatedly why this child, this human, this Chosen One weighed so heavily on his mind.

‘He’s similar.’

To his son, Honghaega.

-Father? Father!

-Pahaha! What’s that!

Even after entering Buddhism, the lingering image of his son who always gave him bright smiles seemed to overlap with Lee Hyeon.

Was that the reason?

For the first time, a slight smile appeared on the Bull Demon King’s lips.

After losing his family. The first genuine smile that came from his heart.

‘This is… what I wanted.’

The Bull Demon King tightly closed both eyes.

Trickle-

A single tear track crossed his cheek in that moment.

Son Wukong and Jiaoma Wang who had been bickering, Roc King, and Lee Hyeon all quietly looked at the Bull Demon King.

The sound of the Bull Demon King’s quiet sobbing gently echoed throughout the dungeon.

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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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