Broken Ranker Devours Myths - Chapter 36

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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 36

Goblin Market (1)

 

 

 

Myeongga Guild.

One of the top five large guilds in South Korea’s Hunter industry.

Heo Jae-woon, the leader of this place, had one weakness.

“I have a scoundrel of a younger brother. A greedy bastard who can’t rest unless he does exactly what his older brother does.”

Heo Jae-woon examined the hand axe in his grip from various angles.

“Yet he absolutely hates making any effort. He never thinks about the time and effort I put in to obtain something, and every time he gets fixated on just the results, whining for me to give him the same thing.”

The blade was razor-sharp, well-honed on the whetstone.

“Then this bastard went and caused trouble. He rushed into a dungeon that his older brother was planning to investigate more thoroughly first, you see? And of course, he took along the fossil that his brother had carefully stored away in the safe.”

Swish…

Swish…

The person who had to listen to his words was tied firmly to a chair, breathing only shallow breaths.

“In his mind, he thought there was something there, so he went in with his raid party members, thinking he’d beat his older brother for once… Oops. But there, he ended up—”

“—dying.”

The bloodied man forced his head up.

Having endured so much torture, his swollen eyes were unrecognizable from their original state.

“I told you… I don’t know… anything like that… I don’t even know… who your brother is…”

Heo Jae-woon bent his knees to meet the man’s eye level—Go Jin-woo.

He brought the sharp hand axe to Go Jin-woo’s chin.

Drip—

Blood flowed from the slightly opened wound.

“You don’t need to know. He was my brother, but he got himself killed stupidly. Even brilliant geniuses disappearing overnight is commonplace in this business, isn’t it?”

Heo Jae-woon smiled.

A cold smile like a demon.

“But I hate it most when my things disappear. So just tell me. Where is it, my property?”

The axe blade grazed over Go Jin-woo’s neck skin. Even though his carotid artery could be severed at any moment, Go Jin-woo didn’t tremble.

“I said I don’t know… anything like that…”

Heo Jae-woon’s lips twisted.

“Such rare and special loyalty in times like these. You really won’t open your mouth easily. Can’t be helped. Let’s start with one finger.”

The smile disappeared from Heo Jae-woon’s face.

“Please cherish that loyalty until the very end. It wouldn’t be fun if you talked too easily from the start.”

Heo Jae-woon raised the hand axe high.

Go Jin-woo squeezed his eyes shut.

During his Thunder Unit days, he had received training to endure torture.

‘Lee Hyeon, you damn bastard. Because of you, I’m going through this terrible ordeal right now.’

But he didn’t have the confidence to watch his own body parts being cut off without flinching.

‘So you absolutely must not come here. Got it?’

Heo Jae-woon boldly swung down the hand axe.

Crack!

 

* * *

 

「That brooch belongs to the doctor who was treating you…?」

“Yes. It seems Jin-woo hyung has gotten into danger.”

Lee Hyeon took the subway after grabbing only his bag without proper rest.

Sha Wujing, who didn’t know Go Jin-woo, quietly watched the conversation between the two.

「You said you were going to the black market?」

“Yes.”

To be precise, he had been the one to ask.

Lee Hyeon pressed his lips tightly together.

「So perhaps there…?」

Lee Hyeon silently nodded.

「Any leads?」

Lee Hyeon shook his head.

The reason he had asked Go Jin-woo despite knowing it was dangerous work was because he was originally an expert in that field.

‘Jin-woo hyung was also the one who handled war spoils that were difficult for the unit to process.’

Being from an orphanage background involved in that kind of work, he had learned the trade.

Moreover, he often treated Hunters who were difficult to treat at proper hospitals, so he had deep connections.

Then after the Thunder Unit was disbanded, he said he no longer wanted to stay involved in the Hunter industry and withdrew from the black market too…

‘Because of me.’

Lee Hyeon bit his lower lip hard.

「Any leads on where to look?」

“There are some, but… it’s strange.”

The original owners of the items Lee Hyeon had requested.

‘Myeongga.’

“When I handed over the items, I definitely erased all markings or traces that could identify the original owner.”

「Are you sure?」

Lee Hyeon nodded.

This wasn’t his first or second time doing such work.

Go Jin-woo wouldn’t have made any mistake that could leave a trail either.

Moreover, not asking about the source of stolen goods was an iron rule in the black market.

That’s why they were stolen goods, and this never changed.

There had to be something else.

「Do you have a way to deal with them? Didn’t you say they’re not to be taken lightly?」

If this matter was related to Myeongga as expected,

and if Guild Leader Heo Jae-woon had personally stepped forward for revenge for his dead brother,

it was absolutely not a level Lee Hyeon could handle alone.

“I’ll have to find one.”

「How about asking that girl for help?」

He was referring to Im Won-young.

Lee Hyeon shook his head.

“She would help if I asked, but… I don’t want to drag her into my personal affairs. I have to try handling it alone somehow.”

He had just been in a tense confrontation with Executive Director Jeong moments ago.

In such a situation, create something that could be used against him?

That was absolutely impossible.

“It’s not like there are no methods.”

Lee Hyeon glanced inside his inventory.

The menacing-looking Goblin Mask seemed to be smiling at him.

 

* * *

 

Clang! Clang!

“Old man, I’m here.”

Lee Hyeon didn’t go straight to the Black Market, but stopped by Docheol’s Forge first.

Taotie was still not looking at Lee Hyeon, concentrating only on hammering the iron.

“I’ll just take a few items.”

Clang! Clang!

Without waiting for Taotie’s answer, Lee Hyeon went to the warehouse and found his box.

Originally, these were items he hadn’t planned to open until he regained his true power, but…

‘Right now, even giving my all might not be enough.’

Lee Hyeon was even prepared to wage ‘war’ if necessary.

Of course, he couldn’t take too much. Excessive preparation would only burden his still insufficient body.

So what Lee Hyeon was taking was just a few things.

However,

Without a doubt, such armament would be hard to find anywhere else.

 

[Dokgakgwi’s Cloak]

The one-legged goblin, Dokgakgwi, has a fierce personality to hide its physical defect and boasts belligerent characteristics, being extremely fond of wrestling.

Wearing this garment grants excellent combat ability and a belligerent nature, making one fear nothing in the world.

-Type: Armor. Upper body.

-Origin: Folk tale ‘Seongho Saseol’

 

[Dokgakgwi’s Tiger-Striped Clothes]

True to its belligerent nature, Dokgakgwi enjoys strength contests with tigers and running contests with leopards. When it wins these contests, it strips their hide as a trophy to inherit their power.

Wearing this garment will grant equally fierce strength and vigorous movement.

-Type: Armor. Lower body.

-Origin: Legend ‘Pobakja’

 

[Dokgakgwi’s Blue Skin]

Dokgakgwi boasts a unique appearance with red or blue skin. Bracelets made from their torn skin contain Dokgakgwi’s mysterious abilities, sometimes said to build bridges across rivers overnight.

While wearing this bracelet, countless mysteries will follow you.

-Type: Armor. Bracelet.

-Origin: Legend ‘Samguk Yusa’

 

…

…

 

The items Lee Hyeon took out were numerous, including not just armor but also small bracelets and weapons.

‘Dokgakgwi set.’

Items that once symbolized Lee Hyeon.

They were also his basic armament.

Seeing them again made his heart race.

Thump thump…

The items he had worn when fighting the Snow Queen were perfectly repaired, no, they had become even better items.

Click.

Click-

Lee Hyeon began putting on the items one by one.

He had worried about forgetting how to wear them.

Fortunately, his body remembered.

 

[You begin to embody the legends related to Dokgakgwi.]

[Beginning to link with the narrative remaining in your magic power. The two natures are similar, greatly strengthening the narrative.]

[You can now imbue attacks and defense with bits of the narrative.]

…

 

As Lee Hyeon judged, the Dokgakgwi set was well compatible with his current skill tree.

 

[Fighting spirit increases.]

[Belligerent tendencies have been added.]

[Defense power greatly increases.]

…

 

And,

‘This too.’

 

[Cheoyong’s War Dance]

The dance moves of the goblin Cheoyong, who drove away plague gods by the seaside and summoned dragons from the East Sea, are truly mysterious and bring great excitement to those who watch.

Anyone the dance master sees as a plague god will have no choice but to kneel before its magnificence.

-Type: Sacred Relic. Earring.

-Origin: Folk tale ‘Cheoyongga’

 

An earring with a distorted ghost drawn on it.

Lee Hyeon put it on his left ear.

At that moment,

Ding!

Ding!

 

[Legends related to Cheoyong have been added to Dokgakgwi’s legacy!]

[Legends related to goblins begin operating actively.]

…

 

[Strength temporarily increased by 20.]

[Agility temporarily increased by 19.]

…

 

[You have reawakened the legacy ‘Goblin Dance Formation’!]

 

“Whoo…!”

Lee Hyeon slowly controlled the rapidly increased magic power and heightened senses by taking a long breath.

After fully equipping with heavy armament and perfectly acquiring the legacy,

He had gained a that was absolutely incomparable to just moments before.

Crackle! Crackle-crackle!

Lightning even sparked along his skin.

The blue-white lightning that symbolized Dueoksini.

It blazed as if about to explode at any moment.

Lee Hyeon slowly stood up from his spot.

A feeling of being weighed down, perhaps due to the heavy legacy.

‘I’d like to take Jigwi or Bihyeongrang too if I could… but I’ll have to be satisfied with Dokgakgwi and Cheoyong for now.’

Still…

Lee Hyeon was able to gain strong confidence.

He was confident that he wouldn’t lose to any decent ranker who came,

no, that he could break them.

Crackle crackle crackle!!

「Come to think of it, I’ve heard tales. That in the far Eastern Region, there are fertility gods as fierce and frightening as the yaksha of Tianzhu (India), but also very playful, getting along well with the people and bringing them fortune.」

Son Wukong brightly lit his Golden Eyes of Truth as he looked Lee Hyeon up and down.

「Despite being a deity, instead of receiving awe or worship from humans, they mingle and play with them, sometimes even being treated like petty spirits. I thought what strange beings exist… So that inheritance you received was exactly that?」

Son Wukong thought Lee Hyeon’s inheritance suited him remarkably well.

When serious, he was extremely serious, and when fierce, he was extremely fierce.

But when he smiled, he had a pure soul that could smile more brightly than anyone.

‘The reason we demon-born, and that blacksmith with monster inheritance can get along with him, perhaps…’

As Son Wukong’s thoughts deepened,

Lee Hyeon closed the box again and came outside.

However,

“Old man?”

Taotie, who should have been concentrating on hammering, was standing in front of the door.

He threw what he was holding in his hands to Lee Hyeon.

Lee Hyeon caught it reflexively and was surprised.

“What is this?”

It was something he’d never seen before.

A coat with an overall white base and elegantly drawn gold decorations.

“…”

Taotie answered with an indifferent look and returned to his place to start hammering again.

Clang! Claaang!

Lee Hyeon quietly examined the coat.

 

[Taotie’s Thunder Gold Coat]

A coat made from metal infused with the power of lightning.

The evil beast Taotie created the overall tone in white and gold colors, weaving Thunder Gold Plate densely to boast excellent defense. Despite its appearance, it seems to have a fierce nature.

-Origin: Legend ‘The Evil Beast Taotie’

 

A custom item clearly made for himself.

‘…He gave this to me to hide my identity.’

Knowing that Lee Hyeon had no intention of exposing his identity to the outside world immediately, he provided an outer coat that could cover his entire body.

He probably made it in advance as a gift since he was returning to active duty…

“Thank you, old man. I’ll wear it well.”

But Taotie just silently concentrated on tempering again.

Clang! Clang!

Lee Hyeon knew this was behavior stemming from embarrassment.

Rustle.

He put on the coat. The length reached his ankles, making it good for hiding weapons.

And,

Click!

When he put on the Mask of the Golden Arhat on his face, the Lee Hyeon that people of the world could recognize no longer existed.

Only the new identity, Zeus’s apostle, existed.

 

[Activating Eodukseoni’s Steps to conceal your traces!]

 

Swoosh!

A curtain of shadows rose and began to cover Lee Hyeon.

‘If even a hair on my brother’s head is harmed…’

He stepped into the darkness.

‘I’ll kill them all.’

His eyes glowed fiercely like will-o’-the-wisps.

「Hmm?」

「Our apostle is quite angry… This is the first time I’ve seen him like this?」

Ghost fires burning so ominously that even Son Wukong and Sha Wujing were surprised.

Then soon,

Swoosh!

The pair of ghost fires suddenly disappeared.

As if they had never been there in the first place.

Like a ghost, eerily…

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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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