The Return of the Genius Ranker of All Times - Chapter 126

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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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Chapter 126

Episode 126.

[You have defeated a Lycanthrope.]

….

[You have leveled up.]

[Swordsmanship proficiency has reached LV16.]

[Spearmanship proficiency has reached LV9.]

[Dagger proficiency has reached LV11.]

The effect of the experience booster was tremendous.

In just a few hours, he had gained two levels to reach level 37, and three different proficiencies had each increased by one.

A speed that would shock anyone who saw it.

This was all thanks to the anti-magic effect and set option bonuses.

‘20% additional damage is this sweet? They’re melting like butter.’

These creatures had definitely become stronger, yet they were easier to hunt than before nightfall.

Just slice, and they died with a clean cut.

They were fairly tough creatures that didn’t die as easily as Orcs, but now they died in just two or three hits.

That wasn’t all.

‘They barely did any damage before, but now it’s just tickling.’

Thanks to the anti-magic’s 30% damage reduction effect, even when hit, it barely showed.

Thanks to this, there was no need to use aerial steps or maintain distance while fighting—he could just slash away at everything and be done.

It was truly pure damage dealing.

-Owner, isn’t this too easy?

Groooan, grooan-

The Undead responded in agreement to Jihad’s words.

There had been many changes among the Undead as well.

[Lycanthrope Undead]

[Lycanthrope Undead]

Two new friends had been recruited into Jihad’s undead legion.

Whether it was due to insufficient level or because these creatures were high-level, two was the limit this time.

Though slightly disappointing, their performance was actually better than three Orcs.

Crunch, crunch.

“Are they eating their own kind right now?”

Groooan-

Thanks to the Shroud of Darkness buff, they showed the power to completely tear apart Lycanthropes.

Even so, they were the same species—was it okay for them to do that? But Jihad’s answer was simple and clear.

-They’re Undead now, so where’s the kinship, Owner? We’re all the same Undead.

“…I see.”

He really had clear standards about life and death.

Well, that’s why he used to treat Undead like bombs and blow them up.

Thinking about it that way, taking the Path of the Necromancer Commander was fortunate for those Undead too.

Grooan…?

Did it sense something ominous from Dohyun’s gaze?

Ignoring the Undead that slightly trembled and backed away, Dohyun asked.

“How’s your mana? Is it okay?”

-Yeah, Owner. No matter how much mana I use, it keeps refilling!

“Still, don’t overdo it. I noticed you get a bit winded when you summon the entire undead legion.”

-Yeah, got it! But this much seems sufficient.

Dohyun chuckled at Jihad’s highly energetic appearance.

While maintaining all 8 Undead at full capacity still noticeably drained mana, it was much easier to manage compared to before.

[Bestowing benevolent light upon Guardian ‘Jihad Black’.]

[Using this on another target will remove the effect applied to ‘Jihad Black’.]

‘It really lives up to its Legend grade.’

One of the special options of the Holy King’s Emblem, Benevolent Light.

An option that increased both his and a chosen target’s health and mana recovery rates by 200%.

Thanks to this, Jihad’s long-standing chronic problem of mana shortage was somewhat resolved.

‘With this plus Legion Control, it should be fine for a while.’

Probably no problems until creating higher-grade Undead later on.

A satisfying situation in many ways.

However, there was still some inexplicable regret remaining on Dohyun’s face.

‘Experience really doesn’t come easily.’

Others would question what kind of shameless complaint this was, but for him, it was unavoidable to feel this way.

He had always leveled up at an absurd speed until now.

It was natural to struggle more as one approached graduation levels, but this was the first time it was difficult from the start.

Considering the number of monsters Dohyun had killed and the experience buff effects he received, it was an enormous experience gain.

‘Well, this is the proper balance.’

Sargis was the third city.

He had already come to half of the five cities on the Main Continent.

The position of Players residing in Sargis was no longer called the low-level bracket.

‘I wonder how much bigger the experience requirement will get when approaching level 50.’

Probably even Dohyun would need to camp for at least a month this time.

Well, it wasn’t necessarily bad.

‘Let’s use this opportunity to find a good way into the castle.’

Dohyun had a goal of absolutely needing to enter the castle.

Since it would require a long time anyway, he planned to proceed slowly and steadily.

-Owner, what are you doing? Setting up that thing again?

“Yeah.”

Watching Dohyun install fuses again, Jihad grinned.

-Ugh, I’ll be needed again! Can’t be helped! Hey guys, you heard? Go bring them!

Groooan-

-Hurry up and herd them over!

“….”

Seeing Jihad so energetic that his shoulders seemed ready to ascend to heaven was annoying, but honestly, he was helpful, so Dohyun endured it.

When Dohyun set up fuses, Jihad’s Undead would herd monsters over.

Then after seasoning the herded creatures a bit, he’d detonate the fuses to clear them all at once—this had been their hunting method so far.

“Setting them up one by one is also bothersome. Do rogues always hunt like this?”

Using maximum range did provide excellent damage, but honestly, it was tedious.

Moreover, regular rogues’ fuses wouldn’t deal the same damage as Dohyun’s, so they wouldn’t kill in one shot either.

“As expected, our Heavenly Transformation is the best, better than Dobong skills.”

For a moment, the fuse thread seemed to tremble as if objecting, but Dohyun easily ignored it.

Honestly, it wasn’t wrong, was it?

“Our Heavenly Transformation is mythic grade, changes form well, comes when called, and listens well… Huh?”

Our child, you see~

Dohyun, who had been chattering like a neighbor’s mother bragging about her child, suddenly stopped.

Something had flashed through his mind.

“…Wait. Heavenly Transformation?”

Dohyun’s expression became strange as he looked back and forth between Heavenly Transformation and the fuses.

After running a simulation in his head for a moment, he soon raised the corners of his mouth in a grin.

“…This could work?”

It would be sad news for Jihad, who was energetic for the first time in a while, but Dohyun had thought of a brilliant method.

* * *

“Hey, are we really doing this?”

“Ah, of course we’re really doing it! Why are you being such a coward?”

“Still…”

“Geez, you frustrating guy. How are you going to make a living with that attitude?”

On a night with a full moon, behind the thicket.

Four people were hiding behind the bushes, whispering cautiously.

Their equipment was all gleaming, clearly expensive enough to be worth a fortune at first glance.

It was natural since they were all wearing Rare+ grade equipment.

These weren’t just players with good gear, but high-level, experienced users.

[Gyucheolhaeng LV41]

[Pookjikkeut LV41]

[Jipangi LV42]

[Bawicheoreomdeulleunhage LV43]

A 4-person party composed of levels 41-43.

This was a party that could easily take down lycanthropes.

That’s why they confidently remained in the forest even now when the lycanthropes had grown stronger due to the full moon.

But actually, there was another reason they stayed behind.

“Experience buff, how much does that even give us.”

“At this level, these ordinary lycanthropes barely give any experience.”

“If not here, where else can we have fun. Let’s just PK depending on the situation.”

Specifically, to find targets for PK.

After graduating from Sargis, virtually all players were under guild protection.

Whether big or small.

In such circumstances, carelessly committing PK would inevitably lead to retaliation.

But what about Sargis, a lawless zone recognized by the system?

“What’s wrong with PKing in a PK-enabled field?”

“It would be more problematic if they tried to control this.”

“Right, exactly. That would be interfering with the game.”

Even if they committed PK, guilds had no justification to intervene.

This was literally a lawless zone recognized by the system.

Even though it was annoying, the death penalty was light and the probability of dropping items was low, so players had no choice but to think of it as stepping in shit and move on.

The fact that they only needed to be careful at night also played a part.

They only had to be careful of super rookies that guilds were seriously nurturing, so at night, PK addicts inevitably ruled the area.

“We encounter Kaiser here.”

“Isn’t this an opportunity?”

Gyucheolhaeng’s party also belonged to those villains.

While moderately searching for prey, they discovered a big fish called Kaiser.

That was the reason they were hiding in the bushes holding an emergency meeting.

“I’m against it.”

But opinions were split in half over this golden opportunity.

“Didn’t you see the videos? Is that even human? It’s a fight we’ll definitely lose, so why do it?”

“Exactly. Even major guild scouts are just watching and being cautious.”

“Ugh, I don’t want to get on his bad side for no reason.”

“No, you idiots. Of course we’d get crushed in a face-to-face fight. Who doesn’t know that?”

“If you know that, what confidence do you have to hunt him?”

Dohyun’s achievements were too spectacular to approach carelessly.

Moreover, repeating the same thing when there was already a precedent in Brion would be something only an idiot would do.

That was their opinion, but the opposing side also had quite reasonable arguments.

“Hey, is this a normal situation? Kaiser is human too, what if we ambush him?”

“…Didn’t everyone who attacked with that mindset end up dead?”

“That’s… true. But this is Sargis. He probably got the full moon buff, and if we ambush him quickly while lycanthropes are surrounding him, even Kaiser wouldn’t stand a chance.”

“…Hmm.”

It was a flawless strategy.

Above all, this place had virtually no death penalty, so even if something went wrong and they died, it wouldn’t matter, right?

“But what if we actually catch him? That’s a lifetime’s worth of drinking stories, man.”

“Drinking stories? Just post a proof shot on the community and scouts will definitely come.”

The reward was too sweet compared to the risk.

As the scales in their hearts gradually tipped.

“Damn, even after hearing all this, you’re not moving, you cowards.”

“It’s not that…”

“Fine, fine. I’ll ambush first, so Pookjik follow up behind me. You two are ranged anyway, so hide there and shoot.”

Gyucheolhaeng drove the final nail.

Coincidentally, those in favor were Gyucheolhaeng and Pookjikkeut, while those opposed were the two ranged players, so it worked out perfectly.

After going this far, backing down would hurt their pride as men.

“Alright, fine…”

“Seriously, such cowards… Huh? Hey, now’s our chance. I’m attacking first.”

Just as they reluctantly agreed.

Those annoying undead brought lycanthropes with them.

‘I don’t know how the swordsman is setting up the fuse, but this worked out well.’

Faster than expected.

Thanks to that, Kaiser encountered ten lycanthropes before he could even finish setting up the fuse.

Now was the perfect opportunity.

‘Here I go!’

Unable to resist the kill opportunity, Gyucheolhaeng’s eyes gleamed as he charged in.

And at the same moment, Kaiser threw his dagger.

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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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