The Return of the Genius Ranker of All Times - Chapter 158

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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 158

Episode 158.

The effect of Ice Current was definite.

[You have applied ‘Slow’ to the same target for a certain period of time.]

No matter how many he encountered, they all slowed down, making it easier to dodge attacks.

It was also easier to position himself to avoid being surrounded.

Even if he got surrounded, it wasn’t threatening, but it was true that hunting became more convenient.

[Prolonged exposure to Ice Current inflicts the status ailment ‘Frostbite’.]

[You deal additional damage by attacking frozen enemies.]

[You have defeated a Troll of the Blue Forest.]

The slowed creatures couldn’t escape and flailed helplessly, then died after a few sword strikes when they froze.

-Wow… This is really easy mode. I can’t watch, the Trolls are too pitiful.

-Risa risa.

-Indeed, my lord continues to grow steadily.

Even Jihad felt so sorry for them that he covered his eyes, saying he couldn’t bear to watch.

Eliza seemed to agree and followed Jihad’s lead, covering her eyes with her small hands.

Rustle-

Of course, Dohyun didn’t care.

After hunting ten more Trolls like that, Dohyun sheathed Heavenly Transformation.

“The performance is solid.”

He judged that this was enough confirmation.

Using it directly, ice magic’s versatility was indeed absurd, just as he’d heard.

No wonder those who faced Lepiass cursed so much.

‘But he’s just a Mage after all.’

And an ice Mage who can’t produce explosive power at that.

Even when he used it, it was quite troublesome, but when Dohyun used it—armed with backstabs and all sorts of close-combat skills—it showed truly insane performance.

Whether chasing or fleeing.

It showed excellent effects in all situations.

‘The key is how well it’ll work on bosses.’

Usually bosses have higher racial stats. In other words, higher tier than regular monsters.

That’s why even when using the same status ailments or attack skills, the effects are applied at half strength.

Whether Ice Current would show useful performance against them remained to be seen.

‘By the way, no one’s attacking today.’

Dohyun glanced around, puzzled.

Whenever he came to a new city, there were always hyenas who attacked as if performing some initiation ritual.

But this time, for some reason, there were no such guys.

Whether it was due to the Outlaw video spreading, or because Kaiser’s reputation had risen.

‘It’s faster than expected, but it makes sense.’

Unless it was guild-level.

The achievements Dohyun had proven were no longer low enough for hyenas to target.

It was a good change, but he felt somewhat disappointed.

‘I was hoping to get items.’

In Sargis, he couldn’t get items due to the correction effect.

So he had secretly hoped here…

What ambushers? There weren’t even many players visible around.

It might be because he’d gone deep, but he definitely felt they were avoiding him.

“Jihad.”

-Yeah?

Then now would be the right time.

“Let’s give it a try.”

-What? Oh, that? Got it, Owner.

Jihad nodded as if understanding and drew up mana.

Then he stretched out his hand, black mana spread, and the ground writhed.

It wasn’t just one place. The ground writhed everywhere, then rough hands burst out and forms were soon revealed.

[Guardian ‘Jihad Black’ summons Undead.]

[‘Red Goblin Undead of the Forest x2, Blue Goblin Undead of the Forest x1, Orc Undead x3, Lycanthrope x3, Outlaw x2 entities are summoned.]

[Using Legion Control, all are judged as one entity.]

[Over 50% of the legion’s Undead are judged as monsters from lower cities. Mana consumption is reduced.]

A total of eleven Undead.

Now it was a number that anyone could call a legion.

Click… Click click…

And the robed Undead that appeared before them.

[Legion Commander ‘Suffering’ reveals himself.]

It was the Outlaw King, Suffering.

“Oh.”

-Ugh…

-Hmm…!

Seeing the ominous yet imposing figure again, Dohyun admired while the Guardians groaned.

Suffering, who met his eyes, bowed his waist.

Though he was once a king of a race, he was now one who had decided to follow Dohyun.

It was an act showing his resolve to set aside his past position and pledge loyalty.

To Dohyun, who looked satisfied, Suffering spoke with a solemn face.

Click… Click click…

“…Click click?”

He’s not a woodpecker.

When Dohyun frowned at the sound that was too shabby compared to his presence, Suffering spoke again.

Click click click… Click…

“…”

Dohyun instinctively looked toward Jihad, then stopped.

Whenever he couldn’t understand, the guy always interpreted, so he habitually turned around, then realized this time wouldn’t be different for him either.

But what’s this?

-He’s greeting my lord. He says please treat him well.

Jihad casually interpreted as if it was nothing.

Click…! Click click…

Click… Click click click…

Then Suffering nodded as if that was right, and the Outlaws behind him knelt on one knee in agreement.

“…Why did these guys end up like this?”

The answer came from elsewhere.

[Guardian ‘Jihad Black’s level is low.]

[The legion commander’s tier is too high compared to the Guardian’s level, so it’s being downgraded. As Jihad Black grows, the legion commander will grow together.]

‘…Is this the effect of downgrading?’

Being downgraded wasn’t strange.

Undead usually match their master’s level.

No matter how strong an Undead you create, it can only show its true effect when the master’s achievement is high.

And usually Undead can’t speak.

It seems like he lost language as his tier lowered due to downgrading…

Click… Click click…

Click click click…

…Isn’t this too lacking in presence?

Even the clicking sounds were choppy and frustrating, as if his racial characteristics hadn’t disappeared.

There are not just one, but three of those guys.

Th… uh…

Thuuh… uh…

…No, there were twelve.

-No, why did they turn out like this?

-Hmm… it is rather uncomfortable to listen to.

-Risa…

A legion follows its commander, so they had copied even such useless things.

In this naturally sighing situation, Dohyun propped his forehead with his hand.

‘Tsk, can’t be helped.’

At least Jihad could understand words, which was something.

If he couldn’t even understand the already frustrating speech, the urge to sew his mouth shut would have surged.

‘Somehow that guy doesn’t seem to have any language he can’t understand.’

Well, he is his legion commander, so wouldn’t it make sense for him to understand?

After briefly admiring this remarkable skill, Dohyun turned his gaze and focused on the status window.

[Legion Commander List]

-1st Legion Commander: Suffering

Subordinate Legion Undead – 11

[Would you like to view information on 1st Legion Commander ‘Suffering’?]

‘Let me take a look at the information.’

This was to confirm exactly how much that guy had been balance-adjusted.

The information that unfolded was quite detailed.

[Suffering]

[Title: Leader of the Outlaws, One Who Lives Through Eternal Suffering, One Who Seeks to Achieve Great Purpose]

[Type: Ghost Soldier]

[Traits: Battle Mage, One Born in the Underworld, Suffering, Dark Mage]

[Legion Traits: Clear Purpose, Tenacious Obsession, Revenge]

[Description: The lower realm called the Underworld, or the afterlife.

A ghost soldier tribe that was born there but was treated as outsiders and ostracized for not obtaining territory.

A king who gained the name Suffering, took on the pain of all races, and turned those weak beings into outlaws of the underworld.

Initially consumed by vengeance, but now strives to achieve great purpose and prevent extinction of his kind.]

[‘Jihad Black’s level is low, so abilities are downgraded and most powers are sealed.]

[Available Skills: 2]

-Intermediate Dark Magic

-Outlaw-style Battle Magic

‘Not bad?’

Whether it was true that it followed Jihad Black’s growth, he had two skills from the start.

The titles and traits all had extraordinary names.

Even the description was extraordinary.

‘Born in the underworld and ostracized… so that’s why he charged so desperately.’

There’s no villain without a story.

Just from the text, he could roughly picture what kind of life he had lived.

‘How strong would he be if he regained his actual power?’

He wondered if he could really recover to that extent as an undead legion commander, but given the setting, the late-game potential was genuinely exciting.

Tap… tap tap…

-My lord, what will you have me… no, wait. Your lord is me, you know? Why do you keep calling the owner ‘lord’?

Jihad, who had suddenly remembered his position while translating, glared with blazing eyes and confronted him.

As someone who was strong against the weak and weak against the strong, he couldn’t dare tolerate his subordinate ignoring him.

Tap…?

But Suffering just glanced at Jihad and frowned.

Then Suffering bowed his head to Dohyun again.

Tap…

-Wow, did I just see that? He frowned just now? Owner, he definitely ignored me, right?

-R, Risa…

-Wow! Jihad is totally dead! You, huh? In the old days, you would’ve become bomb target number one right away, man.

Jihad let out a hollow laugh as if he couldn’t believe it.

Considering his past as a berserker, it was certainly understandable. He had never seen that guy show respect for undead as living beings.

But that was only the past.

Suffering paid no attention to Jihad’s threats.

Tap… tap tap…

He just sighed as if pathetic and shook his head.

‘He’s got backbone.’

Indeed, befitting a king who had risked his life for the survival of his race.

He could understand Suffering’s position.

Whatever the case, it might be different for Dohyun who had defeated that guy and opposed gods.

But if some goblin told him to follow because he was the lord, wouldn’t his pride as a former king who had once devoured a nation be hurt?

-No, that guy, after watching and watching…!

-You there, calm down. Educating subordinates is important, but now isn’t the time, is it? How about taking time to educate him later?

-Risa risa.

Of course, for Jihad, this was something to jump up and down about.

Charlie and Eliza hurriedly stopped Jihad, whose blood pressure was rising as he bounced around.

Dohyun shook his head at the sight of the comedy troupe members increasing.

Somehow those guys never seemed to have a quiet day.

“Your owner isn’t me, it’s that guy. Well, since I’m that guy’s owner, it’s the same thing… but still, Jihad is your direct superior. Make sure to follow Jihad’s words well.”

Tap…

-You saw that, right? He’s sighing reluctantly right now?

Tap? Tap tap.

Me? I never did such a thing.

Even without translation, seeing him snort, those words were as vivid as if he had put up a speech bubble.

…Deciding to give them a chance to sort out the hierarchy sometime, Dohyun changed the subject.

-Phew… fine, Owner. I’m being patient because I’m nice, I’m being patient.

-Risa risa!

-Hmm! That was excellent. All great lords possess outstanding patience. You seem to have the qualifications for that!

-R, really? Ahem. I am somewhat like that.

True to his simple nature, Jihad was completely won over by Charlie’s words.

Seeing the guys finally quiet down, Dohyun gave a signal, and Jihad cleared his throat and spoke in the most solemn voice possible.

-Children, show these foolish trolls the difference in power.

Guh… uh uh uh…

Tap… tap tap…

This time, even Suffering obediently complied.

Tap…!

When Suffering fluttered his robe and shouted something, the undead knelt on one knee in respect, then moved in perfect unison.

And Dohyun’s expression gradually became blank as he quietly watched the unfolding scene.

Dohyun, who was slowly stiffening, unconsciously said.

“…What is this.”

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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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