The Return of the Genius Ranker of All Times - Chapter 175

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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 175

Episode 175.

I checked the text again thinking I might have seen it wrong, but there was no change.

It was exactly what I had seen.

‘…If it’s a hidden raid boss, that means it’s a hidden raid boss, right?’

It was already surprising that it was a hidden piece, but for it to be a hidden raid boss.

For Dohyun, who had no idea that the Hero Guild was currently recruiting raid parties, this was jaw-dropping information.

“But now I feel a bit more at ease. Since Luliel brought you, the prophesied disciple.”

“…What exactly is this prophesied disciple?”

“…Hm?”

Dohyun asked back, annoyed by the incomprehensible words that had been coming out since earlier.

Gilberun’s eyebrows twitched.

Then when he looked at Luliel with eyes seeking explanation, Luliel grinned broadly.

“Haha, come to think of it, I didn’t explain.”

“…Luliel.”

“Sorry, sorry. There were some interesting things that caught my eye, so I was busy figuring this and that out too. I can tell you now.”

“Sigh…”

Gilberun sighed with a ‘that figures’ expression and looked at Dohyun again before speaking.

“I’m sorry. I thought it had been discussed, but I didn’t know it hadn’t. Would it be alright if I explain now?”

“It’s fine.”

“Thank you for understanding.”

Gilberun smiled slightly, raising the corners of his mouth just a bit, and continued.

“We are currently in a predicament. Not from someone else’s threat or interference, but purely due to my own mistake. And the only beings who can solve this are disciples.”

“…”

“But we can’t receive help from just any disciple.”

Someone trustworthy who wouldn’t let information spread.

And at the same time, someone with enough power to help them.

Gilberun desperately wanted such a disciple, and according to the prophet Luliel, such a disciple would appear within a few years.

“And you appeared. Together with Luliel.”

Charlie applauded at that simple and clear explanation.

-Indeed…! The prophet recognized my lord’s heroic spirit!

-…What spirit? Eliza, what did he just say?

-Risa?

Jihad couldn’t hide his bewildered expression at Charlie’s appearance, whose eyes sparkled as he nodded in agreement.

Dohyun found it equally amusing.

Hearing it like this, it was truly like a heroic saga.

“You are correct that you are the knight of the prophesied disciple. Well, it is a few years earlier than originally prophesied though.”

“…Human affairs change all the time, so schedules can be moved up and such.”

Gilberun nodded at Luliel’s appearance as she pouted.

“I’m not blaming you. It’s a good thing for me.”

“Of course. Why are you looking at me like that? Is there something you’re curious about?”

“What do you mean by vouching for me, Luliel?”

“It’s nothing special. Just as I said, I’m vouching that you have sufficient qualifications as the prophesied disciple.”

Dohyun nodded, having resolved his question as well.

‘I guess that grinding quest was a kind of test.’

No wonder the difficulty was too bizarre for just a simple grinding quest.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say he had done everything possible in Pratel’s fields.

So he had been inwardly puzzled.

He wondered if this was really just a rare-grade quest.

He had just endured it thinking the final quest must be quite impressive, but now it seemed there was also a testing purpose.

‘Does completing it in a week also have an influence?’

Even if it had taken longer, he probably wouldn’t have been unable to receive the linked quest, but it still wouldn’t have been without influence.

At this point, their purpose was obvious.

They wanted him to defeat Luidera, the hidden raid boss.

But before that, there were too many things he was curious about. Among them, what he was most curious about was the sleeping queen of the forest.

“Then what about Angela? Why is she sleeping in the forest?”

“…”

At the name Angela, Gilberun’s face hardened.

But that was only for a moment.

Soon he sighed with a bitter expression.

“I see. You’ve been there.”

“Well… He was looking around for Angela. I had no choice since I promised to tell him about Angela in exchange for the test. Is that a problem?”

“Not at all. These are things I need to tell him anyway. He should know, shouldn’t he? What happened here and what situation we’re in now.”

Then Gilberun paused for a beat and stroked his beard as if thinking deeply.

“Hmm. Where should I start…”

With eyes filled with reminiscence, he spoke calmly.

“I suffer from congenital mana control disorder.”

“I already told him about that.”

“I see. Then you must have told him about Angela’s ability too.”

When Luliel agreed, Gilberun closed his eyes and slowly traced through the past step by step.

Eventually, having organized his thoughts, he parted his lips again.

“Yes, I should start from my first meeting with her. It was during childhood, but for some reason it was a moment when the word ‘destiny’ came to mind.”

Thus began the story of Gilberun and Angela.

* * *

To summarize the story, it was like this.

Gilberun, who was about 16 years old, and Angela, who was 15.

At that time, unlike now, the two were going through difficult times.

It hadn’t been long since they learned about the congenital mana control disorder, and he was going through a turbulent period, while Angela’s family was in decline.

Even when thinking back later, it was a moment that felt truly difficult.

“Foolishly, I fought with my worried parents and ran out to the edge of the forest. You’re not supposed to enter carelessly because it’s steep, but I liked watching the moon from the cliff’s edge there.”

A place too challenging for a young boy to climb.

But Gilberun often climbed there.

Standing on the steep cliff, complete moonlight would gently illuminate him as if he were looking at the horizon.

It felt as if it was comforting him, saying everything was okay.

“That day was also a day when I needed comfort.”

His father who wanted to pass the throne to Gilberun and the knights who had expectations.

And in contrast, his stepmother and retainers who disapproved of Gilberun suffering from mana control disorder.

Exhausted by all of this, he finally exploded, got angry, and ran out.

But what was this?

For the first time, an uninvited guest had come to his personal sanctuary that only Gilberun had visited.

He stood up warily, but there was no need.

It was a girl who still looked quite young. A pure-looking girl with a small rabbit-like impression.

It was 15-year-old Angela.

She too had run out, unable to bear her family’s decline.

But once she came out, she had nowhere to go, and after wandering around lost, she had arrived at the cliff’s edge.

“Isn’t it truly strange? At the moment when we both needed comfort, the place where we first met was the cliff’s edge. Perhaps it was because our hearts had been driven to the cliff’s edge.”

The first meeting that began by chance completely changed both their destinies.

They could perfectly help each other with weaknesses that each thought they couldn’t overcome with their own strength.

Thus, at the cliff’s edge where moonlight lingered.

Having found comfort and hope in each other, they naturally began to nurture the emotion called love.

The two of them were truly a perfect match.

As the torment that had plagued them disappeared, their parched emotions blazed uncontrollably.

“And so I became king, and together with her, I often strolled through that forest, dreaming of the future.”

They thought they would live happily ever after, being each other’s sanctuary for life.

“Until we discovered that necklace.”

“Don’t tell me that necklace was…”

“That’s right. Angela’s necklace that you found in one try. The Necklace of Truth that changed our fate and gave birth to Luidera.”

[You have heard the truth about Gilberun and Angela.]

[It will be recorded in the Adventure Log.]

[You have cleared the Quest ‘Angela’s Secret’.]

[You receive 300 gold and a large amount of experience as a reward.]

[Your level has increased.]

‘Good heavens.’

I had somewhat expected it, but the Fragment of Fate really was the culprit.

This damn fragment caused problems wherever it went – at this point, I suspected it might be a trouble-making machine.

‘No, that’s not right. A sword isn’t guilty. The person wielding the sword is the problem.’

Wouldn’t the problem be people who gained great power and became blinded by it?

Unfortunately, Gilberun and Angela were such cases too.

However, the direction in which they wielded that power was slightly different.

“Have you ever seen the Lantern Festival?”

“Yes. I’ve seen it about twice.”

“Originally, the Lantern Festival wasn’t such a light-hearted festival. It was closer to a ritual than a festival.”

“A ritual… you say?”

“Hmm, how much do you know about the necklace? Do you know nothing at all?”

At that question, Dohyun nodded.

Even though he was in a position to collect Fragments of Fate, honestly, he didn’t even know what each fragment looked like.

“The necklace was half-broken and dim, but within it contained a mighty ember of purification.”

“…”

Therefore, Dohyun listened carefully to Gilberun’s words.

An ember of purification.

It was literally an ember that purified something, and befitting a Fragment of Fate, even the ember contained within the broken fragment showed tremendous purifying power.

“Just wearing it calmed the mind and purified any contaminating substances.”

Up to this point, it would just be a necklace with special effects that was good for mind and body, but the problem was Angela’s ability.

Eyes that could see the flow of mana.

Sensing the ember of purification dwelling within her body, she grasped the true ability contained in the necklace.

“The ember of purification could purify not external things, but internal ones as well.”

Wounded hearts, even mental suffering.

Here, the two of them thought.

“With this ability, couldn’t we create a society where no one suffers? A country filled with hope for everyone.”

Where no one would suffer and everyone would live happily with their loved ones and pass away happily.

Wouldn’t that truly be a dream paradise?

And the two of them had the ability to put this into practice.

The ‘necklace’ that boasted tremendous purifying ability despite being broken.

‘Angela’s eyes’ that could see the flow of mana and the source of souls to be purified.

‘Gilberun’s overwhelming mana capacity’ that would make it possible to kindle the ember of purification throughout the entire city.

Like divine revelation, everything fit together perfectly.

“Don’t tell me…”

“…Yes. We began to kindle the ember of purification in lanterns to comfort the hearts of those who had lost their dreams and grown weary. A ritual to make everyone happy just by being alive, without worries or concerns. That was the previous Lantern Festival… no, the purification ritual.”

Ding-

[You have learned Pratel’s hidden secret.]

[It will be recorded in the Adventure Log.]

‘Good heavens.’

It was the moment I learned the origin story of how Pratel, the Dream City, came to be.

* * *

And at that time.

Outside the Royal Palace, the city was much more bustling than usual.

“It’s time. We’re starting recruitment for the Luidera raid party! Anyone who wants to apply, come this way.”

“Me, I’m first!”

“Fight me, you bastard!”

“Waaaaah!”

The Luidera raid conducted by the Hero Guild.

The recruitment time for accepting 100 members for the raid party had begun.

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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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