Broken Ranker Devours Myths - Chapter 6

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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 6

Temporary Apostle (1)

 

 

 

Thump! Thump!

His heart was beating.

‘I can start over. Now, really, truly properly…!’

With this, his past efforts wouldn’t be in vain.

He could start again.

Lee Hyeon was about to turn around to thank Son Wukong when,

‘…Huh?’

Suddenly he felt the world spinning around him.

「The Ruyi Jingu Bang says you’re in the way, so go to sleep. Your trash body will take quite a while to make human-like. How the hell did you survive with a body like this until now?」

It seemed like he was being put into an unconscious state to focus on treatment and recovery, but there was a problem.

‘Wait, the dungeon is about to collapse, so what happens to me…?’

Lee Hyeon had a terrible thought, but his consciousness was already fading.

At that moment, the dungeon shook violently as if it would collapse with tremendous tremors.

Kwakwakwakwa…!

At the same time, messages kept appearing endlessly.

 

[You have successfully cleared all Dungeon Quests. You have obtained ‘■■■■’s Spirit’ as a reward.]

[You occupied 89% of the conquest share. For achieving an overwhelming 1st place, you receive ‘■■■■’s Ruyi Jingu Bang’ as an additional reward.]

[You have acquired a large amount of ■■■■’s karma.]

[You have acquired a large amount of ■■■■’s karma.]

…

[Based on ■■■■’s karma, the Ruyi Jingu Bang’s healing speed becomes much faster.]

…

[The curse ‘Ring of Extreme Cold’ left by the has been completely lifted.]

[Your mana circuits have been restored. However, the aftereffects are still severe.]

[Traces of curses remain scattered throughout your mana circuits and body. Divine power melts them away.]

…

[You have acquired Cold Resistance (S).]

[You have acquired Curse Resistance (S).]

…

 

[The dungeon is beginning to close. All participants must retreat to the Safe Zone.]

[10]

[9]

…

[0]

 

[Count ended.]

[The dungeon is closing.]

 

* * *

 

Beep, beep, beep-

Regular mechanical sounds ringing in his ears.

It was a sound he often heard when hospitalized.

Lee Hyeon barely opened his eyes.

‘Where is this…?’

He saw a white ceiling and blankets.

A place all too familiar to him, like home. It was a hospital.

However, it was much larger than where he usually stayed. It seemed to be a single room.

Just then, the door opened.

“What, you’re awake? If you’re awake, press the call button right away. Why are you just lying there quietly?”

A doctor in a white coat looked at Lee Hyeon with sullen eyes.

“Hyung.”

“What?”

It was Go Jin-woo, one of the few people Lee Hyeon contacted after his discharge, and who was also close friends with Moon Su-chan.

Originally from the Military Academy and a grateful person who served as one of the few military doctors in the Thunder Unit.

“How am I here? I was definitely…”

“In a dungeon, weren’t you?”

Lee Hyeon quietly nodded.

“You remember sending the emergency call signal, right?”

“Yeah.”

Lee Hyeon knew well that no matter how thoroughly he prepared, with his uncomfortable body, he never knew when he might face danger in a dungeon.

So whenever he entered dungeons, he always made sure to carry a calling item.

So that Go Jin-woo would know immediately if something happened to him.

 

[Branch of Intertwined Trees]

A calling device in the form of twin accessories made by cutting in half the branch of ‘intertwined trees’ where two trees grow entangled as one.

When one side is touched or whispered to, the other side’s leaves shake or vibrate to be detected. It only works if there is trust or bond between the two branches.

-Origin: Folk tale ‘The Intertwined Tree’

 

The [Branch of Intertwined Trees] was quite expensive but definitely effective.

Even though it activated while the dungeon was collapsing, Go Jin-woo noticed immediately.

“The leaves were shaking so frantically that I thought something was wrong and immediately reported it to the police. But before the police could respond, White Burn came and brought you back?”

Lee Hyeon’s eyes widened slightly.

“White Burn?”

“Yeah, man. Im Walp even came personally, do you know how surprised I was? What’s your relationship with Im Walp?”

“Im Walp? Who’s that?”

“Oh, you don’t know that nickname? Im Won-young, Im Won-young. She was a legend among our class. She’d crack the heads of all the male classmates who confessed to her.”

Lee Hyeon could somehow imagine what kind of reaction a beauty like Im Won-young would have received when she entered the Military Academy, which was an extremely male-dominated society.

‘With Team Leader Im’s personality, she wouldn’t have just sat still either.’

“Could you not look at me with those rotten dead fish eyes? I never confessed, you know?”

“I didn’t say anything.”

“First get rid of the impurity showing in your eyeballs before you speak?”

Lee Hyeon just grinned silently.

Go Jin-woo looked at Lee Hyeon with an incredulous expression.

“Look at this bastard who was dying, barely pulled back from death’s door, and see what he’s doing. Sheesh.”

Go Jin-woo clicked his tongue lightly and continued.

“Anyway, Im Walp kept insisting that you had to be saved no matter what, nagging so persistently from the side. The department head and even the director came down one after another, and all our intern kids were scared out of their wits, it was total chaos.”

Lee Hyeon could finally understand how the situation had unfolded.

‘He came personally leading the rescue team to save me.’

It seemed Im Won-young had personally led White Burn’s support forces back and discovered Lee Hyeon abandoned outside the Dungeon Gate.

“But seriously, what’s your relationship with that bastard Im?”

“Nothing at all.”

“You expect me to believe that?”

“Don’t believe it then.”

“Seriously. The way you talk.”

“It’s true though. Today was only the second time we met.”

“And yet he took such devoted care of you?”

Lee Hyeon shrugged his shoulders.

“I’m quite charming, aren’t I?”

“Bullshit, really.”

“When we were in the unit, didn’t I get the most votes when the female unit members held a popularity contest?”

“Hey, that was only because you were the leader so they were blinded by…”

“It’s pathetic when someone who didn’t get a single vote says that.”

“Fuck!”

“And I wasn’t even the leader back then, I was a newbie.”

“Shut up!”

Go Jin-woo got into a pointless argument with Lee Hyeon and ended up just shouting without gaining anything.

“Anyway, after you entered the stable phase, that bastard Im went back too, right? He said to come return the borrowed item? What’s that about? Are you in debt?”

“Something like that.”

Lee Hyeon chuckled softly while touching his left index finger with his right hand. The warm heat of the [Tiger God’s Protection Charm] seemed to caress him.

At the same time,

Whoooosh!

‘Mana… is moving.’

Lee Hyeon’s eyes lit up as he felt mana flowing toward the [Tiger God’s Protection Charm].

Although the amount was still ridiculously insufficient to be called mana, and his frozen mana circuits remained cold,

the mana flowing throughout his entire body couldn’t have been more welcome.

“And if you get anything good later, share some with me, you bastard. He said to use this room until you’re fully recovered, so rest well. I’m leaving.”

Go Jin-woo seemed to have noticed Lee Hyeon’s change too. Though he still seemed indifferent, he left the room with relief in his voice.

Once Lee Hyeon was alone, he quickly examined every corner of his body.

And then,

 

[Summoning user’s status window through ‘Sacred Relic: Golden Eyes Mirror’.]

 

[Jang Lee Hyeon]

-Age: 27 years old.

-Traits: Leader, Indomitable, Frozen Human, [Locked], [Locked]

-Abilities

Strength: 17 Agility: 15

Stamina: 14 Mana: 4

Intelligence: 19 Dexterity: 18

-Divine Authority: Golden Eyes of Truth, [Locked]

-Skills: [Locked], [Locked], [Locked], [Locked], [Locked]

-Resistance: Cold (S), Curse (S)

-Current Status: All curses have been lifted, but average ability scores have significantly decreased due to long-term aftereffects.

-Special Notes: Mana coefficient has been partially restored, allowing gradual use of mana.

 

Lee Hyeon clenched his fist upon seeing the ‘Mana 4’ entry in his status window.

Though his cold resistance and curse resistance each recorded S-grade, this insignificant change touched his heart more.

‘This is the power of… a Sacred Relic, and a mythical-grade artifact at that.’

Even the Ruyi Jingu Bang was said to have most of its functions sealed, yet it was this powerful.

Just how amazing would it be when all functions were unlocked?

It was right then.

「Oh my? What a face filled with emotion. Help you twice more and this place will become a sea of tears, won’t it?」

Where he turned his head.

A white monkey, Son Wukong, sat on the bed rail grinning while swishing his tail back and forth.

“Great Sage!”

「How do you like your body? That guy worked quite hard all night.」

Ziiiiing!

The Ruyi Jingu Bang still wrapped around his right wrist resonated.

Only after sensing that feeling,

could Lee Hyeon truly realize that this moment he had only dreamed of was all reality.

 

* * *

 

How many hours had passed like that?

Lee Hyeon quietly opened his eyes that had been closed.

Flash!

A golden radiance briefly appeared around his eyes before disappearing.

A message appeared simultaneously.

 

[Successfully unlocked ‘Breath of Dueopshini (F)’ among previously locked skills by partially recovering mana.]

 

[Breath of Dueopshini (F)]

Like a resentful dueopshini exploding with suppressed emotions in the night, mana filled with earnest wishes and imagery is released in the form of brain lightning, moving alive like a dueopshini.

-Type: Skill, Mana Control

-Proficiency: 0%

-Origin: Folk tale ‘Curse of the Seven Star Rock’

 

[Used ‘Skill: Breath of Dueopshini (F)’ to collect Divine Power scattered in mana circuits.]

[Large amount of Divine Power stored in core. Proficiency greatly increased.]

[Breath of Dueopshini (F) has been promoted to E grade.]

[Breath of Dueopshini (E) has been promoted to D grade.]

…

[Moving stored mana to accelerate curse resolution speed.]

 

Lee Hyeon circulated his mana fully while spreading his palm wide.

Crackle! Crackle!

Blue-white flashes immediately leaped up from his palm.

Though small like static electricity, they moved freely as if possessed by ghosts.

「Is that an ability you originally had?」

“Yes. It’s not easy to control since I haven’t used it in so long.”

「You had quite a useful mana control skill?」

Son Wukong watched Lee Hyeon with curious eyes as he recovered his body much faster than expected and now began manifesting abilities.

No matter how much Divine Power and karma remained in Lee Hyeon, this was still much faster than anticipated.

Lee Hyeon nodded.

“It’s practically the skill that made me who I was before.”

[Breath of Dueopshini] was a skill Lee Hyeon had inherited from his mentor during his military service,

Depending on the sensitivity of emotions, he could explode mana to gain strong destructive power, and sometimes attempt delicate work as well.

It was so excellent that it was classified as a Class 1 confidential skill within the unit at the time, so there was considerable opposition within the military when it was first given to Lee Hyeon.

However, with his mentor’s full support, Lee Hyeon was able to silence all such opposition by rising to become the leader of the Blue Thunder unit.

At that time, the blue-white lightning storm that Lee Hyeon wielded boasted such tremendous power that it was called the symbol of the Blue Thunder unit.

“But I’m still far from it. When will the Divine Authority finally open?”

What Lee Hyeon needed most was the Divine Authority that would open when Breath of Dueopshini was completed.

It was essentially his signature that made Jet possible, and the finishing move that could defeat the Snow Queen.

‘Only when I can activate Thunder Ghost will I be able to engage in proper battles.’

During the past four years, his enemies had already climbed to such high places.

‘Still, I have many options. Especially the Ice Crystals remaining throughout my mana circuits.’

The traces left behind by the Ring of Extreme Cold. The curse attribute that had tormented Lee Hyeon had disappeared, but there were clumps of mana remaining in his mana circuits like frozen ice.

Lee Hyeon had separately named these Ice Crystals.

‘If I can melt all of these and integrate them into my mana circuits, my mana capacity would increase dramatically.’

In the end, to achieve such greater and faster development…

“What should I do first to receive the Ruyi Jingu Bang’s selection?”

「Already trying to move? Why don’t you rest a bit more?」

“I’ve already rested enough for four years.”

Son Wukong was quite pleased with Lee Hyeon’s motivation.

「Sorry, but no matter how much you struggle right now, you can’t become the Ruyi Jingu Bang’s chosen one. Do you think any of the guys it’s accepted as masters so far were pushovers?」

Lee Hyeon recalled the names written in the Ruyi Jingu Bang’s description.

Pangu, Yu, Taishang Laojun, Son Wukong…

All great deities who occupied absolute positions in Eastern mythology.

Thinking about it that way, his own position as merely a mortal felt infinitely insignificant.

「How else do you think even the Dragon King of the East Sea could only let it rot in storage after failing to be chosen?」

“Then what should I do?”

「You need to steadily become stronger. But in a different way than what you’ve done so far. At the very least, you’ll need to drop that ‘temporary’ label, won’t you?」

Suddenly, something flashed through Lee Hyeon’s mind.

“I should completely make the Golden Eyes of Truth mine before the Ruyi Jingu Bang.”

「Now you’re finally making sense?」

For the first time, Son Wukong laughed with satisfaction.

In fact, the Golden Eyes of Truth had been in an ambiguous state all along—neither having chosen Lee Hyeon nor having rejected him.

Due to the dying wish of its original owner Moon Su-chan, it had simply continued helping Lee Hyeon according to that will.

But now that he had regained his mana and intended to search for Son Wukong’s myths scattered around the world.

Now it was time to become not an ambiguous relationship, but a substantial relationship between owner and Sacred Relic.

‘To do that, I’ll need to absorb as many of Son Wukong’s deeds as possible to raise my status. Only then will I be able to fully accommodate the Golden Eyes of Truth.’

Conversely, only by developing advanced [Eyes] could he search for Son Wukong’s myths.

It was a cycle of mutual dependence.

Attempting to receive the Ruyi Jingu Bang’s selection could wait until the next phase.

‘It’s not just the Ruyi Jingu Bang. The various Sacred Relics that symbolize Son Wukong. Somersault Cloud, Golden Headband, Transformation Arts… I need to obtain all of them.’

Was it because his thoughts had reached that far?

Lee Hyeon suddenly found his thoughts extending further.

‘If I claim all of Son Wukong’s deeds and Sacred Relics, and even regain Jet’s Divine Authority. What would happen then?’

No, not just regaining it, but if he completely rebuilt Jet’s Divine Authority that had been lacking?

Then,

‘Couldn’t I be reborn as a higher existence?’

Like the top rankers he had seen in South Africa.

Or,

‘Like Son Wukong here…!’

Lee Hyeon clenched his fist tightly.

Now there were many paths he could climb.

But he had absolutely no intention of making mistakes by rushing hastily.

‘From the beginning, one by one. Steadily.’

That was exactly when it happened.

Whoosh!

“…!?”

Suddenly, mana began stirring from his core, then surged up and seeped into Lee Hyeon’s eyes.

The Golden Eyes of Truth had accepted Lee Hyeon’s mana for the first time.

 

[‘Sacred Relic: Golden Eyes Mirror’ has absorbed mana and unlocked a new function.]

[Searching for scattered myths of ■■■■.]

…

[Searching in progress.]

…

[Search complete.]

[1 item discovered in a nearby location.]

[Please move to Cheongnyangni Station.]

 

Lee Hyeon’s eyes widened.

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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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