The Return of the Genius Ranker of All Times - Chapter 109

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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 109

Chapter 109.

“…What? Apostle, what do you mean by that? You’ll catch him?”

But it seemed those listening didn’t see it that way.

“That’s impossible. Please don’t overexert yourself and focus on holding out, Apostle.”

“No matter how weakened he may be, he’s one who made a contract with a powerful being from the Abyss. He’s not someone you can catch alone.”

Not only Gamillion, but even the clerics listening nearby were flustered and trying to dissuade him.

Seeing their faces full of worry and concern, Dohyun didn’t bother to respond.

He simply stared with a serious expression at Gaemin the Destroyer, who had retreated a few steps.

‘It is difficult.’

It wasn’t that Dohyun didn’t understand what they were saying.

Having faced him several times, how could he not know?

But that didn’t mean his words were spoken without thought either. Feeling the tingling sensation in his arm, Dohyun smiled slightly.

Before him floated the man’s information.

[Gaemin the Destroyer]

-Title: One Who Made a Contract with a Powerful Being from the Abyss

-Type: Human

-Trait: Immortality

-Description: A paladin who made a contract with a powerful being from the Abyss.

Already possessing great strength, he gained even more powerful abilities through his contract with the Abyss.

He inherited part of the power of immortality, giving him tenacious vitality, and possesses a cunning and vicious personality.

Currently using the power of immortality, all his stats and health have been reduced, and he’s in a state of having taken critical damage.

-All stats are reduced by 50%.

-Some usable traits are sealed.

-Some usable skills are sealed.

-Maximum health is fixed at 30% due to using the power of immortality.

‘He’s weaker than I thought.’

Perhaps it was thanks to dying once and having all his stats and most other things reduced.

Though it would be somewhat challenging, it was definitely manageable for a contest of strength. After all, hadn’t he lowered his center of gravity and pushed the man back?

It was worth investing all those stat points.

‘The buffs helped too.’

His opponent was loaded with debuffs while he was loaded with buffs.

It was truly the best possible conditions. If not now, he’d never dream of being able to catch that bastard.

Of course, the success rate wasn’t high.

‘Maybe around 20-30 percent?’

Though it was an extremely low probability, anyone who’s played games would know.

’20 percent is totally doable.’

When equipment breaks at even 2%, 20-30% is an incredible probability.

If there was a 20-30% chance of getting a hero skill when drawing skills, Dohyun would have scraped together even his soul to spend money.

Moreover, wouldn’t reliable reinforcements arrive in just 20-30 minutes?

‘If it doesn’t work out, I can just hold out then.’

With such good conditions, to be scared and not even try?

That didn’t match Dohyun’s personality.

First, try as much as you can while you can – that’s the right way.

Perhaps Dohyun’s determination was conveyed.

[A mere outsider dares to be so fearless…! Right, thinking about it, it was all because of you. Fine, I’ll kill you first.]

Being pushed back must have severely wounded his pride, as Gaemin the Destroyer ground his teeth.

A terrifyingly primal rage.

When an evil being like the Destroyer expressed anger, it felt like that anger took form and devoured the surrounding area.

“Heruti High Priest, please try to stop him.”

“Focusing on holding out and trying to catch him are completely different things.”

“…I know that too.”

Though the clerics made a fuss over that ominous atmosphere, Gamillion’s thoughts were a bit different.

Objectively, the clerics were right.

If you’re determined to hold out, you can endure sufficiently even with some difference in strength, but if you try to win, even a small difference can lead to defeat – that’s the nature of combat.

With no one else to buy time if Dohyun fell, playing it safe and holding out was the right choice a hundred times over.

‘That would be correct, but….’

But why was it? Those eyes showed no sign of death.

Rather, they burned with determination as if he truly intended to win. As if he planned to fight without assuming he would lose.

Seeing those eyes somehow filled him with anticipation.

‘…Perhaps.’

Perhaps he really could catch him?

Receiving such gazes filled with worry, concern, and anticipation, Dohyun firmly gripped Cheonbyeon.

The distance between him and his opponent was barely 30 meters.

Considering both their speeds, it was a distance that could be covered in the blink of an eye.

As slight tension filled the air and they watched each other.

[Cheonbyeon (Thousand Changes) transforms into ‘Black Raven Spear’.]

Thwack!

Almost simultaneously with Cheonbyeon’s transformation, the man disappeared.

Clang!

And when he reappeared, he was clashing with Dohyun’s spear.

After being deflected, he would disappear again and reappear – a constant repetition.

Cheonbyeon’s form changed ceaselessly, and countless attacks were exchanged.

It was truly an incredible speed battle.

Bang, crack!

Clang-! Whoosh-.

The clerics were stunned by the exchange of attacks that was hard to follow even with their eyes.

“…So the Apostle’s skill was at that level.”

“To think he’s fighting on equal terms with that Destroyer – I can’t believe it.”

“I’m not seeing this wrong, am I?”

They had heard that the outsiders in the Empire possessed great power.

But that was only within the Empire.

The outsiders dwelling before that were nothing more than children compared to them.

They differed in everything from one to ten.

“If he’s already this strong… how powerful will he become in the future?”

They had heard that Apostles achieve growth by passing through divine trials.

When they reach the Empire, they supposedly approach completion.

Therefore, no NPC was unaware that the strength of outsiders stationed in each city varied tremendously.

It wasn’t for nothing that they hadn’t expected much from Dohyun.

They unconsciously thought, “How strong could an outsider from this section be?”

They were just grasping at straws since he was the only immortal combatant….

Gulp.

Someone who swallowed dry saliva spoke in an excited voice.

“At this rate, maybe he really can catch him?”

Though no one answered, their expressions spoke volumes.

Perhaps, just perhaps, that impossible thing might actually happen.

But among them, only one person.

‘…They’re not equal.’

Only Gamillion’s face was rigidly hardened.

Though he wasn’t deeply versed in combat, he was still from a family that served royalty.

His eyes could see it.

Kwang-!

“Ugh….”

Dohyun’s figure flinching slightly each time Cheonbyeon (Thousand Changes) collided with the man’s hands and feet.

At first glance, it seemed like he was blocking all attacks and counterattacking, but he was clearly being overwhelmed in terms of speed.

Though he was somehow managing to block, his wounds were gradually increasing.

‘How is he blocking that?’

No, honestly, Gamillion thought even that was impressive.

To others, it might look like they were engaged in offense and defense at similar speeds, but in reality, the speed difference between the two was enormous.

A speed difference comparable to that between a knight and a common soldier.

He should not have been able to react properly at all, yet he was detecting and blocking attacks like a ghost.

A realm beyond prediction, approaching something close to foresight.

[Keheheh….]

But even that had its limits.

[Not bad for an outsider… but you look like you’re struggling. You appeared like the only hope, but this won’t save your reputation.]

While their swords were locked together for a moment, Dohyun couldn’t respond to the man’s sneering mockery.

Annoying as it was, he had no words to refute it.

[Mark is being generated.]

Even when he used Back Attack to stack mark damage, he had never landed a single decisive blow.

He had only dealt chip damage, never inflicting proper harm.

Even now, he had created marks using Back Attack, but he had only landed clean hits a few times.

But what about himself?

[Current remaining HP is below 20%. Please be careful.]

’20 percent….’

His health had steadily drained, already reduced to the thousands.

Just one or two more direct hits would be dangerous.

Meanwhile, despite the man starting at 30% health, there was still little change. They had clearly fought with 30% versus 100%, yet Dohyun’s health had dropped lower.

[If not for those strange movements, you would have died long ago… What a curious trick you’re using.]

The man was right.

The only reason Dohyun had managed to hold out this long was because he was employing his characteristic movements.

The signature moving technique that had driven Samchicken and Kkukku’s blood pressure through the roof and tormented Jihad – Kaiser’s exclusive specialty.

‘If you induce their movements, it becomes easier to dodge or block.’

That was the reason he could overcome the speed difference.

It was also why he could land some decent hits whenever gaps appeared.

[…Well, it’s nothing but a death struggle anyway!]

When the Destroyer put force into his claws that were locked against Dohyun’s and pushed hard, Dohyun was sent flying backward ungracefully.

Bang!

Still not satisfied, he crashed into the wall.

For someone who had boldly declared he would capture the enemy, it was a truly pitiful sight.

No matter how much he tried to cover with his unique movements, the difference in specs was insurmountable.

“Ah… was it impossible after all.”

“Now even holding on looks difficult… Is there no future for Brion? At this rate, there will be countless casualties.”

“When exactly is Lord Lvebed coming!?”

The clerics who had briefly held hope sighed in despair.

Indeed, no matter how weakened, a Destroyer was still a Destroyer. Moreover, since his true identity was Taksinel, an outsider from this section couldn’t possibly face him.

This had been an impossible fight from the beginning.

But in this desperate situation, only one person.

Grin.

Only Dohyun was smiling.

[…Laughing? You’ve lost your mind.]

The Destroyer frowned in displeasure.

In his eyes, Dohyun looked like nothing more than a madman.

Well, humans were always like that.

Even when he had plunged cities into the swamp of destruction, the humans facing death before him usually showed such reactions.

[Death is the cure for madmen… Farewell.]

Clicking his tongue, the Destroyer extended his hand.

Then a massive form of darkness stretched out as if to devour Dohyun.

It looked like the claws of a beast.

[The Summoner of Darkness Contracted with the Abyss who broke taboos, ‘Gaemin the Destroyer’ activates ‘Nightmare Claws’.]

The sinister force was clearly lethal if it hit directly, but Dohyun didn’t budge an inch.

“No, don’t….”

“Come to your senses, Disciple! You must dodge!”

“Aah….”

The clerics who had been shouting urgently soon squeezed their eyes shut.

No matter how much they screamed, he didn’t even twitch, as if he had lost his mind.

It was the moment when the clerics fell into despair at the obvious future.

“Finally down to 20%.”

Dohyun, who had quietly muttered to himself, suddenly disappeared.

More precisely, he hadn’t disappeared but had quickly stepped back to withdraw from the attack range.

That wasn’t the end.

[Mark disappears.]

Something sent chills down his spine,

Slash- Whoosh!

[…What?]

A burning pain was felt in his left side as blood spurted like a fountain.

The Destroyer hastily pressed his side. The warm blood felt unfamiliar.

If he hadn’t instinctively dodged, his heart would have been carved out.

“Ah, damn… the timing was perfect though.”

[This… this is impossible. Where did such power suddenly come from!]

At the calm voice, the Destroyer shouted with bloodshot eyes.

He couldn’t understand it at all.

The man had clearly been nothing more than a dying insect. But what was that movement? For just a brief moment, it had seemed like the man had vanished.

‘I… I lost track of his movement?’

No matter how much his abilities had decreased and his powers were sealed, he was still the vice captain of the Order of Knights and a man who had contracted with immortality.

And such a person had lost track of movement?

It defied common sense. That man was at best a novice who hadn’t even passed the second trial.

“You think you’re the only one with a second phase? Honestly, humanoid bosses always think they’re the only ones with tricks up their sleeves.”

When he looked up at the light voice, he saw Dohyun, now very different from before.

Crimson skin.

Energy rippling red like blood. And even red eyes similar to his own.

He looked like a madman who had cut through battlefields and been drenched in the blood of hundreds. The moment he unconsciously stepped back, the madman’s mouth opened.

“Now it’s my turn.”

Dohyun’s blood-stained eyes flashed.

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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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