Broken Ranker Devours Myths - Chapter 8

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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 8

Temporary Apostle (3)

 

 

 

‘This definitely isn’t an easy environment from the start.’

Even for Lee Hyeon, who prided himself on his abundant combat experience, the desert was a truly difficult place to adapt to.

The sun piercing his skin.

Heat so intense it felt like his flesh would cook.

Sandstorms that constantly obscured his vision.

Even worse, when the wind blew hard, the terrain would constantly change, making geographical knowledge useless.

A place where the heat distorted his senses so much that he had to rely solely on intuition.

However,

‘That’s exactly why it’s the best place to train my senses.’

Lee Hyeon planned to hone his skills as much as possible before bringing the [Tiger God’s Protection Charm] to Im Won-young.

Because he had a separate favor to ask.

Flash!

The Golden Eyes of Truth pointed somewhere.

A danger signal.

There wasn’t even time to think ‘Where?’

‘Below!’

Flash!

A wolf burst through the sandy ground and opened its maw.

It looked like a crocodile trying to snatch prey in a swampland.

‘It can even dig through sand!’

Lee Hyeon drew both axes with his hands and crossed them in an X-shape.

Clang!

The maw was instantly blocked by the two axes,

and Lee Hyeon released both axes from his hands without hesitation, drew the kukri hanging from his belt with his left hand, and slashed upward.

Slice!

Gush!

This kukri wasn’t a custom item either, but it was a weapon made by Master Dotcheol.

The blade was exceptionally sharp. A deep wound opened on the Yellow Wolf’s neck as blood spurted out.

 

[Strength has increased by 1.]

 

Yelp! Yelp!

As the fountain of blood covered the dry desert sand, two more wolves burst through the sandstorm.

Lee Hyeon threw the kukri toward one of them without even checking his increased strength coefficient.

Perhaps because the kukri was large, its speed wasn’t fast, allowing the beast to twist its body and dodge,

but thanks to the slowed speed, Lee Hyeon could create an opening to focus on the other wolf.

A rough dash, kicking off the ground.

Before he knew it, the two axes he had dropped earlier were back in his hands.

Whoosh!

Suddenly, mana surged from his mana core.

Crackle, crackle-

Simultaneously, blue-white lightning leaped onto the axes.

The two axe blades bore mana for the first time in four years, revealing their cruel fangs.

Crash!

The two axes crushed the wolf’s skull and tore its maw wide open.

Just one exchange.

The time it took for the mana he’d drawn out after so long to kill the Yellow Wolf.

Slash!

Even though the axe blades had clearly cut through, the wounds were left with jagged, serrated marks as if torn by a wild beast.

However,

‘The output is still insufficient.’

Lee Hyeon didn’t forget that when killing the Yellow Wolf, the recoil was so severe he nearly dropped his axes.

Intentionally releasing them was one thing, but losing weapons because a monster’s hide was tough was the worst mistake on a battlefield.

‘I need more intense mana.’

Making that cold judgment, he stomped the ground hard once more,

and was able to encounter the wolf that had dodged his kukri earlier for a second time.

‘More!’

Crackle!

 

[Mana has increased by 2.]

 

Blue-white lightning, rougher than before, swept horizontally.

Clang!

The axe struck the wolf’s lower jaw.

But this wolf seemed to be of a higher level than the previous one, charging forward despite its wounds.

Lee Hyeon tried to strike the beast’s forehead with the axe in his right hand, but,

Flash! Flash!

Right then, three other wolves burst through the wind and ground.

He hastily swung his right arm to the right. With the sound of a skull being crushed, one beast died.

But the other two bit into his left thigh and right side respectively.

Terrible pain he hadn’t felt in a long time. Lee Hyeon’s adrenaline surged wildly.

‘More!!’

And such intense emotion was sublimated into mana.

 

[‘Trait: Indomitable’ is applied, causing intense emotions to burst forth. Breath of Dueopshini (D) releases much more mana.]

[Proficiency has greatly increased.]

[Stamina has increased by 1.]

[Mana has increased by 1.]

[Dexterity has increased by 2.]

 

Rumble!

The lightning energy, which had been mere sparks until then, now grew large enough to connect with each other.

Rough thunder striking down simultaneously.

 

[Dueoksini’s Rage manifests!]

 

The more intense emotions the Breath of Dueopshini released, the greater the mana output it could draw.

Fury, agitation, and madness.

The higher the level, the greater the power of the blue-white lightning emanating from Lee Hyeon’s two axes.

Two bolts of lightning instantly shattered the heads of the Yellow Wolves that had been getting in the way.

Crack! Thud!

Thump thump thump!

Lee Hyeon grinned widely, his fangs showing as he was drenched in crimson blood.

Adrenaline and dopamine were being released wildly.

The pain from his wounds. The frustration of his body not keeping up with his thoughts. But an even greater euphoria covered all these shortcomings.

Yes.

This was it.

The sensation he had wanted to taste.

Clashing directly with his body, swinging his axe, getting wounded, feeling frustrated, breathing out hot breath, and finally defeating his enemies.

The sensation that let him vividly feel that he was alive.

 

[Your emotions are intensifying.]

[Dueoksini’s Rage keeps accelerating the circulation of mana. You absorb more Divine Power of ■■■■ that was dormant within your body.]

[Your proficiency has greatly increased. Breath of Dueopshini (D) has risen to C rank.]

 

“Haah!”

Lee Hyeon expelled all the accumulated resentment and frustration in one long exhale.

And when he inhaled again, he planted the tension and exhilaration of the Battlefield deep within his body.

Thanks to this,

His mana awakened each and every nerve cell that had grown dull, each and every motor cell that had been sleeping.

Flash!

In that moment, Lee Hyeon felt as if something that had been tightly closed within him was awakening again.

 

[Dueoksini’s Rage has awakened Dueoksini’s Specter that had been sleeping until now.]

[Your senses are actively being enhanced.]

[Strength has increased by 2.]

[Agility has increased by 3.]

…

[You have pushed your body beyond its limits. Your heightened senses have successfully unlocked ‘Combat Sense (F)’ that had been sealed.]

 

[Combat Sense (F)]

A skill that only warriors who have engaged in fierce battles on the Battlefield for a long time can possess. The greater the fatigue accumulated in the body and the greater the damage, the stronger the fighting spirit becomes.

Through experience-based instinct, intuition, and reflexive judgment, it pursues only victory. It pays no attention to anything else.

-Type: Skills, Combat.

-Proficiency: 0%

-Origin: Folk tale ‘Jangja Pond’

 

The moment the second of the five Skills that Lee Hyeon had originally boasted was unlocked,

Whoooosh!

Lee Hyeon attempted another dash.

Where the sandstorm had cleared.

As many as twenty Yellow Wolves were growling with their eyes gleaming.

In that moment, Lee Hyeon smiled.

Because there were many opponents to keep fighting.

He looked forward to how much euphoria these would bring him.

That appearance soon,

Looked like Dueoksini who was completely mad for battle.

 

* * *

 

「Damn it! My Fish-shaped Pastry! If I had known this would happen, I should have just eaten it right away! Aaaaah!」

Son Wukong desperately tried to brush off the sand from his Fish-shaped Pastry in his despair, but,

Whoosh!

Each time the wind blew, it only covered the Fish-shaped Pastry with more sand.

Son Wukong eventually threw a tantrum in his frustration, and belatedly discovered Lee Hyeon who was rampaging even more than himself.

Crash! Craaash!

Crash crash crash crash!

Lee Hyeon was rampaging wildly among the Yellow Wolves.

He ran around as if he were a wolf moving through a flock of sheep,

But in reality, it was Lee Hyeon who was taking more damage.

However, he didn’t seem to care at all.

 

[Pain Resistance (E) has been created. You can now endure more pain.]

[Bleeding Resistance (F) has been created. You can endure anemic conditions slightly better.]

 

No, he was actually enjoying it more.

「Kid, he’s not doing that on purpose to raise his resistance, is he?」

If that were true, it would be nothing short of insane.

[Resistance] only appeared when the body was pushed to extreme conditions beyond its limits.

But if he could train it, it could become a means to overcome various status ailments during combat.

Behind all that completion was [Vajra Indestructible Body] that even Son Wukong had barely obtained…

「Wait, no way? That bastard? He read my karma and…?」

Son Wukong unconsciously felt a chill.

Once he realized it, he noticed that Lee Hyeon’s combat style was quite similar to something he had seen many times before.

Of course, Lee Hyeon was also a natural-born fighter.

The first Skills he regained were Breath of Dueopshini and Combat Sense, after all.

But Lee Hyeon was completely reassembling that foundation.

The way he utilized Skills, the way he perceived surrounding information, the way he moved his body, the way he approached combat, the way he dealt with ambushes, the way he moved mana and imbued it into Weapons, and so on.

His entire combat style!

And,

Son Wukong’s movements were gradually seeping into that foundation.

Son Wukong remembered that Lee Hyeon had observed his mana circulation when he was handling Divine Power.

「Don’t tell me, he didn’t forget that sensation from back then and has been carrying it all this time? No, he’s been continuously observing me since then…?」

If he had observed even Son Wukong’s minor habits and found ways to apply them to himself.

All those bold yet reckless, but definitely victory-securing movements made sense.

Son Wukong was left speechless at the level of obsession and madness Lee Hyeon possessed.

「…Is he really crazy, seriously.」

Son Wukong could only say those words.

 

* * *

 

[Pain Resistance (E) has risen to D rank.]

[Bleeding Resistance (F) has risen to E rank.]

…

[Paralysis Resistance (F) has been created. You become stronger against momentary paralysis.]

[Physical Resistance (F) has been created. Your bones and muscles become harder.]

[Fatigue Resistance (F) has been created. Your vitality helps a little more.]

 

‘As expected, my prediction was right. When average stats are low, you have to keep pushing your body to extreme conditions for resistance to develop.’

What Lee Hyeon had realized most desperately while suffering from the curse was the ‘importance of resistance.’

What if he had possessed S-grade Cold Resistance back then?

He could have raided the Snow Queen much more easily.

No, even with just A-grade Curse Resistance, he wouldn’t have suffered so greatly.

But Lee Hyeon, like most people, had overlooked the importance of such resistance.

‘Because the process of gaining resistance is too painful.’

They knew it was necessary, but thought they could supplement it with items.

Then they realized too late.

That there were parts that could never be filled with items.

‘Without sufficient physical abilities as a foundation, it becomes harder to climb higher when you hit a ‘wall.’ It means your capabilities are lacking.’

Even if you try to gain resistance later, it’s already impossible by then.

It’s not easy to exceed your limits when your stats have already risen dramatically.

However,

‘I’m different. While suffering from the curse, most of my stats were reset to beginner level.’

His body had become one that could easily gain resistance.

‘Just looking at my Cold Resistance and Curse Resistance that have already reached S-grade, the difference is clear.’

 

[Yellow Wolf Pack attempts ‘Curse: Fear Infection’!]

[Canceled by Curse Resistance (S).]

[Yellow Wolf Pack attempts ‘Curse: Toxin Infiltration’!]

[Canceled by Curse Resistance (S).]

 

Just seeing most of the Yellow Wolf’s skills bounce off proved the power of resistance.

In a way, this situation itself had become a blessing in disguise for Lee Hyeon.

The reason he wasn’t wearing any Protective Equipment was precisely for this.

 

[Strength increased by 1.]

[Stamina increased by 2.]

 

Bang!!

Lee Hyeon smashed the head of the last remaining wolf in one blow.

A strike incomparable to when he first clashed with the wolf pack.

Crackle!

Lightning sparked brilliantly.

‘Thanks to building up resistance, my body’s senses have become much sharper too.’

This was the result of continuously observing Son Wukong with Golden Eyes of Truth.

But when he actually tried to apply what he understood only in theory to real combat, there were quite a few points that needed correction.

‘If I just settled for imitating Son Wukong, I might be able to get stronger faster than this.’

Lee Hyeon’s Golden Eyes of Truth were blazing fiercely.

‘But in the end, it would be like wearing clothes that don’t fit. I need to tear it all apart and remake it my way.’

Lee Hyeon strived to find a middle ground between his original combat style and Son Wukong’s combat style.

Revision.

Or reinterpretation.

That would be an appropriate way to describe it.

 

[You experienced ecstasy due to heightened madness. Combat Sense (F) has risen to E-grade.]

[Your mana is boiling. Mana circuits have overheated.]

[Stamina is insufficient. Rest is recommended.]

 

“Haa! Haa!”

A metallic smell wafted from his mouth.

But Lee Hyeon moved in search of his next prey like a predator stalking its quarry.

He had to continue with this feeling intact.

Until the Quest was over.

He had deliberately let one escape.

The Yellow Wolf Den would probably be where that one fled to.

By raiding the Den, he could not only train but also find clues to solve the Quest.

‘I’m going after it.’

Whoosh!

Lee Hyeon began tracking the blood trail left by the wolf, his Golden Eyes of Truth shining brightly.

—————
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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