The Return of the Genius Ranker of All Times - Chapter 102

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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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Episode 102

Chapter 102.

Just when I thought things would go smoothly for once, what kind of chaos is this?

Gamillion, who had been standing dazed by the unexpected encounter with the destroyer, cautiously asked.

“…Didn’t you say you had a good feeling about this?”

“Ahem, how was I supposed to know it would turn out like this?”

“You did find the destroyer faster than anyone else when no one could locate them, so your feeling was good. The problem is just that it’s a murder scene…”

“…”

A sharp fact-bombing that left no room for rebuttal.

However, it was an unfair situation for Dohyun as well.

It’s not like there’s some kid with a bow tie following him around, so why do incidents happen everywhere he goes?

But what was most unfair was something else entirely.

[Eye of Truth activates.]

‘No, why is it activating when looking at a monster’s heart?’

That strange red light emanating from near the creature’s heart.

It was definitely that red color that had led Dohyun to this place.

To think that what he’d hoped might be a fragment of fate turned out to be some monster’s heart – this isn’t some deep-sea anglerfish, what kind of absurd situation is this!

Do contractors of the Abyss have hearts made of special gems or something?

“…There are many things I’m curious about, but let’s deal with that first.”

“Good idea.”

At Gamillion’s words, Dohyun sighed and nodded.

There were many questions, but now wasn’t the time for that.

[Remaining time limit: 00:00:18]

He had to rescue the High Priest from that monster within 20 seconds.

[Using ‘Darkness Shroud’ on Cheonbyeon (Thousand Changes).]

[Mana is consumed per second.]

[Using ‘Striking’ to increase attack power by +40.]

As Dohyun shrouded Cheonbyeon (Thousand Changes) in darkness, Jihad and Eliza, who were now perfectly in sync, also took their positions.

Jihad drew up black mana to be ready to summon undead at any moment, while Eliza hid behind Jihad’s robe, looking for an opportunity to shoot spider webs.

“Be careful. That creature survived an encounter with Lord Lvebed.”

Instead of answering, Dohyun nodded.

He felt it instinctively. That monster’s strength was definitely not something to take lightly.

But it didn’t matter.

Dohyun’s goal was to save the High Priest anyway.

He didn’t have much information yet, but that much seemed doable on his own.

Creak-.

For a very brief moment, tense tension filled the air,

“Grrk… Kgh…”

In the silence, only the High Priest’s hoarse groans as he was being strangled could be heard.

Thud!

Dohyun roughly kicked off the ground.

At the same time, Cheonbyeon (Thousand Changes) transformed.

[Cheonbyeon (Thousand Changes) transforms into ‘Bastard’s Training Sword’.]

[Swordsmanship Proficiency LV14 effect is applied.]

Sword. Currently the weapon with the highest proficiency among Dohyun’s weapons.

It was the weapon he chose after giving up even the range advantage of a spear to deliver maximum damage with the first strike buff effect.

‘I need to deal as much damage as possible with the first hit.’

In a situation where he had to rescue someone within 17 seconds, a prolonged fight would be disadvantageous for Dohyun.

But then it happened.

[Mark is created.]

The moment he used Backstab to appear behind the creature and swung his strike.

Thud.

The creature, frowning with ominously glowing red eyes, obediently released the High Priest and stepped back.

Thanks to this, Dohyun’s strike futilely cut through empty air, and when he looked back, the creature was already gone.

‘Stealth?’

No, the Eye of Truth isn’t activating.

[Target has disappeared from sight, cannot use Backstab.]

Even trying to use a second Backstab yielded the same result.

The creature had truly vanished.

From the Quest appearing to the creature disappearing – all of this happened in just 5 seconds.

As Dohyun, who had been holding his breath, tilted his head in confusion, Gamillion approached and said.

“…It ran away.”

“It did…”

It was a good outcome, but… what was this sense of emptiness?

It was emptiness that came from doubt rather than disappointment.

‘Why did it run away?’

It would have made sense if it had at least fought once before fleeing, but the creature ran away the moment Dohyun charged at it.

Like a thief caught in the act.

It could have easily counterattacked, but instead it disappeared, which was completely incomprehensible. However, Dohyun was pulled from his thoughts by the following groan.

“Grrr…”

“Ah, right. The High Priest.”

“High Priest Rondric, are you alright?”

Gamillion hurriedly helped up Rondric, who was collapsed on the floor, and quickly channeled mana to begin a prayer. This brought some color back to High Priest Rondric’s complexion.

He was speaking with difficulty in a cracked voice, as if muttering.

“Destroyer… suddenly attacked… killed everyone… different from before… danger, grrk.”

Rondric’s body went limp as he spoke incomprehensible words in fragments.

-Is, is he dead, Owner?

-R, Risa!?

“…No way.”

As the startled Jihad and Eliza panicked, Gamillion checked Rondric’s pulse and shook his head.

“He’s alive. He’s just lost consciousness.”

“Ah.”

-Phew… That was scary.

“Tell me about it.”

Dohyun and Jihad sighed in relief.

Then, seeing Jihad genuinely relieved, Dohyun suddenly asked.

“Wait, but you’re the guy who goes around exploding undead, why are you getting worked up over something like this?”

-Undead are already dead. That’s different from this.

“Hmm… That’s not wrong.”

-Right?

It did feel a bit strange for a necromancer to act like that, but there was no logical argument against it.

Desecrating corpses doesn’t matter since they’re monsters, and that guy is technically a monster too, so it would be strange to apply human moral standards.

That’s when it happened.

[You have cleared the Emergency Quest ‘Rescue Rondric’.]

[You receive a large amount of experience and Rondric’s favorability as rewards.]

[You have leveled up.]

‘Already leveled up?’

Dohyun was startled by the message blocking his vision.

That’s because it hadn’t been long since his last level up.

Considering how disgustingly slow leveling becomes as you approach graduation level, this was an enormous amount of experience.

The reward seemed a bit stingy for a sudden quest, but it never fails to meet expectations.

‘So that makes me level 34. Only one level left until graduation.’

While others spend a month in Brion, I’m approaching graduation level in just two days…

It showed just how generous the main quest and this hidden chain quest were.

Setting aside the rewards, it was truly a bundle of experience points.

‘Right, this is why you clear hidden pieces.’

It was when Dohyun was feeling satisfied.

“Hmm? This is…”

Gamillion’s eyes narrowed as he discovered something in Rondric’s possession.

Dohyun also broke away from his idle thoughts and turned his attention there.

It was a small iron plaque.

“…It’s a priest plaque that proves one’s status as a high priest.”

“Uh… was it originally this color?”

The priest plaque that all high priests of Brion who follow God’s will carry with them.

A very ominous aura was emanating from it.

* * *

Priest plaque.

Like a magic plaque or identification tag, it was a type of identity plaque given only to those who had risen to the rank of high priest in Brion.

However, that didn’t mean its only role was to prove one’s identity.

“Brion’s priest plaques aren’t simple identity plaques.”

“Then what?”

“They’re plaques that only high priests can possess, containing the divine power of the priest who holds them. Therefore, they can serve as a measure to discern that priest’s faith.”

A special device was installed that captured the divine power of the plaque wearer.

The higher the priest’s level, the clearer and purer the color, and in the case of some high priests, a gentle light would even seep out.

High Priest Rondric’s level wasn’t particularly high, but he was still someone who had risen to the position of high priest.

Hiss—.

However, the plaque that should have boasted a sacred appearance was stained black, giving off a murky feeling.

“…Then what is this?”

—It’s terrible, Owner.

—Risa…

When Dohyun pointed at the priest plaque, Jihad and Eliza recoiled in horror as if they had seen something filthy.

To the two who were sensitive to auras, it probably felt like food waste.

Gamillion also seemed less than pleased, slightly frowning, but calmly answered the question.

“I said the priest plaque contains the wearer’s divine power. In other words, when that priest becomes corrupted, it shows on the priest plaque. Therefore, priest plaques also serve as security items that prevent rash contracts with the Abyss.”

“…So that means?”

“Yes. This is… the priest plaque of one who made a contract with the Abyss.”

With those words, a message appeared.

[You have cleared ‘Abyss Investigation.’]

[You have obtained the Destroyer’s trace ‘Corrupted Priest Plaque.’]

[Corrupted Priest Plaque]

—Grade: Rare+

[Description: A priest plaque that proves one’s status as a high priest. However, it is severely corrupted for some reason.]

“For someone carrying a corrupted priest plaque, I don’t sense anything from High Priest Rondric. He’s just an ordinary clergyman.”

And before the message could even disappear, Gamillion’s serious voice was heard.

“This means someone deliberately placed the priest plaque in his possession… It’s probably the work of the Destroyer.”

“Why would he bother…”

“Priest plaques have the chronic problem that when removed, no one except the owner knows whose it is. Divine power is ultimately God’s power. There’s no way to distinguish it.”

“Ah…”

“In this case, it can only be seen as wanting to frame someone.”

Only then could Dohyun understand why that bastard had retreated so coolly.

His purpose from the beginning was to make High Priest Rondric into a contractor of the Abyss.

Since that process had been discovered, there was no reason to waste time creating variables.

That was why Gamillion was getting chills.

“Things are taking an unusual turn. For the judgment of someone consumed by the Abyss, it’s excessively rational and meticulous.”

Originally, contractors of the Abyss were contractors in name only, but closer to those who had allowed the Abyss to consume them.

They resisted with pure divine power to maintain human mind and form to some degree, but even so, they were just monsters with a child’s intelligence.

In the end, they would be swallowed up, driven by endless desire and destructive urges.

On the other hand, that guy showed more meticulous and rational judgment than most humans.

“…He’s grasping all of our movements.”

What this meant was clear.

“It seems that Gaemin the Destroyer is maintaining his human intelligence intact.”

“…Good Lord.”

If that were true, it would be terrible.

He possessed a high priest’s plaque and was someone who could track where people went after the meeting ended and dispersed.

Naturally, only those who knew an emergency meeting was held—the high priests and priests of the Laire Grand Temple.

Among them, the priests of the Laire Grand Temple had to be excluded.

They didn’t have the high divine power needed to maintain reason.

“Most likely an elder or high priest.”

To meet all these conditions, the conclusion was that he would be at least an elder or high priest.

“But they were all human, weren’t they? They didn’t even trigger the detection orb.”

“It seems he can completely maintain human form and mana. Since he was emitting human mana, naturally it wouldn’t be detected… Damn, so that’s how he could escape without being caught 10 years ago.”

In other words, Gaemin the Destroyer had calmly attended the meeting in human form and walked through Brion Street.

“Does that make sense? It’s not like he’s some symbiote, what’s this about detaching and attaching.”

—Owner, you’re making weird jokes that only you understand again.

—Risa risa.

Dohyun, who had been listening up to that point, let out a hollow laugh.

How could they possibly catch such a guy? If he decided to hide, he would be absolutely impossible to find.

‘Hmm? Wait a minute.’

But suddenly, thinking about it, something was strange.

“That’s odd. For what reason would such a guy deliberately show himself again? He could just keep hiding.”

“Well… the Abyss’s movements have been unusual lately…”

Gamillion, who had been answering as if it were obvious, closed his mouth.

After thinking for a moment, what came from his mouth was a very brief question.

“…Hmm?”

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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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