The Return of the Genius Ranker of All Times - Chapter 192

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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 192

Episode 192.

“What’s this? The final lantern ceremony?”

“Watch the beauty of the lanterns? Wasn’t this a tip message?”

“If it’s the last one, does that mean no more Lantern Festival?”

“No, there was all that chaos with Kaiser and the Hero Guild, and now suddenly this? Does anyone know what’s happening right now?”

“Don’t know… Something… something is happening.”

Everyone looked bewildered at the message that appeared before them.

That was only natural.

For players who didn’t know about the king and Angela, they would wonder what this situation was about.

They could only watch in bewilderment while being entranced by the lantern ceremony taking place.

Float-

Shiiine-

“Wow… But it’s really beautiful.”

“…Agreed. The Lantern Festival was beautiful too, but this is… on a different level?”

“It’s like the lake is embracing the sunset.”

“Somehow I really feel like I’m in a fantasy world now.”

The scenery unfolding before everyone’s eyes was beautiful enough to draw gasps of admiration.

Beautiful enough to naturally inspire awe at first sight.

Watching this magnificent scene that created the illusion of being in a fairy tale, their hearts were warmly purified, giving them an almost dreamlike feeling.

“Wow, what’s this? The atmosphere is nice.”

“It’s beautiful… Darling, let’s watch a little longer.”

“Mother, Father. Should we stay and watch for a bit too?”

“Sounds good.”

Young couples as well as families were enchanted, taking their places and immersing themselves in admiration.

“Sob, sniff…”

“Why are you crying on such a joyous day! You should be celebrating!”

“Everyone, this is not the time! I don’t know the reason, but we can’t let what might be the last ceremony pass like this! Let’s show off our skills!”

“Are you all just going to play around in front of such a celebration!? Where did all the art you learned go!”

“Sing with infinite gratitude to Lord Gilberun who has bestowed his blessing!”

The NPCs who had been making a fuss while drowning in tears for unknown reasons all began to rise up without exception.

In each of their hands, they held something.

Ting-

Rustle- Dong-

From string instruments like violins and cellos to drums and wind instruments.

“Huh? Look over there.”

“They’re performing?”

One resident opened a window and started playing an instrument.

Some residents sat or stood in alleys and sang songs.

Some played instruments, some sang.

Each taking their role to spread melody throughout the city looked natural as if they had always done this, and they seemed joyful.

And there were residents dancing to that beautiful melody and residents painting pictures.

Players were bewildered by the sudden change, but only briefly.

Whooom-

“What, what’s this?”

“Magic circles…? Are these all magic circles?”

“Crazy… How far are they expanding?”

The magic circles that appeared as if blessing them spread beyond the streets to the shopping districts, beyond the shopping districts to encompass the entire city.

That was when the true festival began.

“How long has it been since we had a festival! Everyone bring alcohol!”

“Leira, would you dance with me?”

“May Lady Angela’s blessing be upon you all!”

The residents who had been busy maintaining dark expressions whenever the Lantern Festival was held rose up as if nothing had happened and burst into laughter.

And that wasn’t all.

Rustle-

Pop! Bang bang!

Countless residents of all ages strutted through the streets setting off various fireworks, putting on a parade reminiscent of Disney.

Their appearance of truly enjoying the festival for the first time was almost awkward to watch.

“…Was the Lantern Festival originally like this?”

“I don’t know what’s what, but… this is so exciting?”

“Hey there! Won’t you folks come join us! God must have forgiven us! I can’t take money on a day like this!”

“…Is that really okay?”

“Of course! Everyone enjoy together! This Henry will treat everyone!”

But the bewilderment was only brief.

Players who melted into the splendid and beautiful scenery and melody quickly mingled with the NPCs, and thus the largest festival since Godseeker’s launch was held.

“Amazing… Hurry up and film this.”

“This is crazy. Those who missed this are really pitiful.”

“Just watching the video would blow your mind.”

“Get the article out fast! We need to steal the exclusive!”

Naturally, journalists and streamers couldn’t just sit still and watch this.

-What is this? What’s this situation?

-Wow… What? This is the Lantern Festival?

-Wasn’t the Lantern Festival just like a fantasy version of fireworks? This scale is completely different!

-It’s a real festival… What? This might be the last one?

-Let’s go in right now! This is not the time!

-Just clipped it lololol Going to spread it to streamers in other channels.

As broadcasts started everywhere, viewers flocked in instantly, and the news spread just as quickly.

The sound of everyone intertwined, enjoying the festival in their own way, covered the entire city and spread even beyond the forest.

“Do you hear it?”

The Restricted Forest that had now regained its vitality.

The sound reached even Gilberun, who was moving forward in a waltz-like pose alone at its center.

To others’ eyes, it would look like a madman dancing alone in the forest, but Gilberun’s world with his eyes closed was different.

Rustle-

Angela was in his arms dancing together, and beneath them a splendid magic circle was drawn.

-…Yes. Everyone is rejoicing.

“Those who were under the curse are awakening one by one. They can all return to their families’ sides now. This is all the result of your choice.”

-…

“I’m truly proud of you.”

-No, it was our choice, Rune. I’m the one who’s grateful to you.

Gilberun was facing Angela like this.

In Gilberun’s world, he could see something that wasn’t there before.

“…But how strange. At some point, I’ve been feeling mana from everything. From that giant tree, from the passing wind, even from a single falling leaf… Is this the world you see?”

A world full of mana.

Some things were emitting brilliant light, while others were emitting small, insignificant, faint light.

-That’s right. You can finally feel this flow now. I wanted to walk this path of mana together… but your mana was too much for me to control at that level.

“…”

At Angela’s cheerful voice with a gentle smile, Gilberun nodded silently.

He seemed to be blaming himself somehow.

“…I’m so sorry to you.”

-Why? What I said earlier. Again?

“I think I’m finally starting to understand how difficult it must have been for you.”

A world where mana of different sizes flowed.

In that world, Angela was tiny.

So weak compared to anything else that she seemed fragile enough to collapse with a single breath, harboring a flame as feeble as a flickering ember.

In contrast, the light emanating from himself was embarrassingly massive in comparison.

“I only thought that you and I were destined to be together. I believed you were the only one who could guide my shortcomings. But now I understand.”

-Rune?

“How did you endure it? Leading me, I mean.”

-…I just, well, developed some know-how as I went along.

She spoke easily with a gentle smile, but now Gilberun knew too.

She had the eyes of a guide who could lead others, but she didn’t have the capacity to handle him.

A gap so vast that even the slightest mistake would have caused her fatal internal injuries.

Her stamina must have been depleted to the point of exhaustion every moment.

Every process of leading him must have been an enormous challenge for her.

Yet what enabled her to endure all of this wasn’t Angela’s ability, but her will.

‘I was… receiving love far beyond what I deserved.’

If I had known this earlier…

Would I have stopped breaking taboos?

Would I not have had to let her go like this?

Could we have greeted mornings together like a simple daily routine, and spent nights together?

Everything felt regrettable and bitter.

Swoosh.

But Gilberun deliberately didn’t voice these thoughts.

As the lantern ritual progressed, Angela’s body was gradually becoming fainter, and her voice was also growing more distant.

A situation where she could disappear at any moment.

-…Do you remember? The day we first met.

Angela didn’t want to spend what little time remained feeling sorry for each other.

Just as if nothing had happened.

So they could recall happy days and feel even a little more of the daily life they would never find again.

She simply wanted to have conversations together and dance as always.

“How could I not remember? You happened to come to that place when I was resting on the cliff.”

-Hehe, you remember well.

“Of course. It was the day I first fell for you.”

Gilberun gladly responded to Angela’s wish.

For the excessive love he had received, this was the only repayment he could offer right now.

-Oh my, really?

“Haven’t I told you countless times? Are you going to pretend not to know now?”

-Fufu, it’s something I want to hear every day. And… I fell for you at first sight that day too.

“…What? This is the first time I’m hearing this? Why are you telling me such good news only now? Wait, I clearly remember having to court you repeatedly before we got together…”

-That’s how all women’s hearts are, Rune.

“Hah… I’ve been had, haven’t I.”

Watching Gilberun laugh helplessly as if he’d been defeated, Angela made soft giggling sounds.

Seeing her laugh so purely, Gilberun also smiled softly.

And so the two continued their conversation.

From talks about what they had for meals to trivial daily matters like how funny Hyde’s expression was when he made mistakes.

And even talks about where they wanted to travel or what they wanted to eat.

They laughed and chatted while painting their future as if they weren’t parting.

“But… the topic changed, but could you tell me more? I’m getting more curious about that story of falling for me at first sight.”

-Oh my, were you that curious about it?

“Ahem… I won’t deny it.”

Angela, who had been taking steps forward, smiled gently while looking at Gilberun’s secretly embarrassed face.

-That day we first met, I was having such a hard time.

“I know.”

Gilberun knew this story too.

As the family was falling apart, Angela’s father spent every day drinking, and whenever that happened, her siblings would cry endlessly and seek only Angela.

There was nothing Angela could do in such a place.

She could only wait for the clearly visible future while taking care of her siblings.

-I’m human too, you know? Eventually, I got so~ tired that I thought, let’s try being a little rebellious!

She spoke with a laugh, but that day had been particularly difficult.

The failing family had truly collapsed completely. That day, she couldn’t bring herself to go home.

She couldn’t bear to see what state her father had become.

…In the end, her father had committed suicide, so it could be seen as the right choice.

-Anyway, I ran out like that… and ended up getting lost.

“…You got lost there? For a mountain hike, it should be a simple path.”

-It was my first time going there. The night was dark too… Anyway, when I thought I was in big trouble but couldn’t find the way, and I felt like I was about to cry!

“You met me.”

Angela nodded.

When she despaired upon finding that the place she had reached following the light she had finally found was the cliff’s edge.

Gilberun, who suddenly spoke to her, was like a ray of light.

Especially for her, who had the eyes of a guide, Gilberun that day was…

-So dazzling.

Beautiful.

So much so that she wondered if the expression “brilliant” was made for him.

“…Didn’t you once say I wasn’t your type?”

-Oh my, I didn’t say anything about your face, did I?

“Ah… Right.”

-Puhehe, I’m joking, Rune. I don’t mean just anything – you really were shining.

“Ahem, what was?”

-You possessed such pure mana. Mana more pure and brilliant than any I had ever seen in my life… I thought that someone with such mana must be a truly good person.

Mana was something innate.

But depending on a person’s mental state, character, and life environment, mana would change little by little.

Therefore, Angela had the habit of looking at a person’s mana first when meeting them.

By looking at mana, she could somewhat guess that person’s life and personality.

-It was so heartbreaking that such mana was becoming a little dark. If possible, I wanted to stay by your side so you could regain your original brilliant light.

“…And that’s what happened.”

-That’s right, you, whom I thought was too good for me, repeatedly gave me courage.

“Fufu… It wasn’t a futile effort then. So how is it now? Do I still shine?”

To that question, Angela answered without a moment’s hesitation.

-Yes.

Now so very faint.

Her voice was so small that it would be drowned out by the sound of wind if one didn’t listen carefully, but the emotion felt within it was firm.

-Dazzling. More than that day. You’ve lived well without going astray even while I was gone.

“…Is that so.”

-I hope you continue to do so in the future. As if I’m always by your side.

“I’ll make sure to do that.”

Gilberun, who had readily answered, suddenly exclaimed as if something had occurred to him and chattered excitedly.

“Ah, come to think of it. Luliel told me this, but our neighbor Hanr… So he caused this kind of trouble and it’s giving everyone a headache… Angela, are you listening?”

-…

“Angela?”

But no answer came.

Thud, Gilberun stopped walking and slowly opened his mouth.

“…Are you gone?”

Still, no answer came.

Whoosh-

It wasn’t just the answer that was missing. The world had changed.

The world that had been filled with mana had returned to being an ordinary forest once again.

Only the massive energy of the magic circle felt beneath his feet and the cool breeze could be sensed.

“I see.”

Gilberun quietly raised his head.

Beyond the forest, he could hear bustling sounds and the sound of fireworks exploding.

And he could see the brilliant lanterns decorating the night sky.

Something flowed down Gilberun’s cheek as he watched that splendid festival scene.

“You’ve left like this. Without even being able to see it together….”

Now just a little more walking.

Just a few more steps forward and it would be the city. She had wanted the lantern ceremony more than anyone, but in the end, she left without being able to see it alone.

“I became known as a wise king, but I don’t think I was a good husband. Thank you for staying with someone as lacking as me….”

Saying that, Gilberun wiped away his tears.

His eyes had changed from what they were just moments before.

Float-

At that moment, a single purification lantern that flew into the forest rose up into the night sky.

“I will live the rest of my life according to your wishes. So will you watch over me from there? So that I can become a man and king you can be proud of….”

Watching it, Gilberun closed his eyes tightly and stopped in that place for a long time, standing like that.

For a very long time.

* * *

Ding-

“Wow, it is pretty though…. Huh? Ding?”

Meanwhile, at that time, in Pratel.

It was when he was busy watching the true Lantern Festival where residents and players were mingling together and enjoying themselves.

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

[By fulfilling Angela’s wish, the first route of the hidden event, ‘Pratel, the Dream City’ will be deleted.]

[The second route, ‘Birth of a Brilliant Wise King’ will proceed.]

[The hidden event ‘Last Lantern Ceremony’ is affected by ‘Birth of a Brilliant Wise King.’]

[Your level has increased.]

[You have reached graduation level and will be given the Continental Trial.]

[The 4th Trial, ‘One Who Achieves Dreams’ is generated.]

….

[Checking how many Achievements you have accumulated as a Disciple.]

[Measuring rank.]

Dohyun’s eyes widened in surprise at the sudden parade of countless messages that appeared.

Then, soon understanding the situation, he turned his head to look toward the forest.

‘…Is it over?’

He realized that Gilberun and Angela’s purification ceremony had ended.

In other words, it also meant that Angela had departed. In the end, she had sacrificed herself as she wished and saved the city’s residents.

‘Sob, sniff… waaah…. It’s so sad!’

‘Rizariza…. Riza!’

‘Mmm…! It’s truly a beautiful farewell, Master.’

Jihad burst into tears at that touching decision.

Eliza also had tears welling up in her small green eyes and was bouncing around, and even the stern Charlie bowed his head in mourning.

‘…I’m feeling a bit emotional too for no reason.’

Dohyun was also feeling strangely ticklish in his chest when.

Tap.

“Ah, no! I wasn’t crying!”

“…? What are you talking about?”

When Dohyun suddenly shouted in surprise at the sensation he felt on his shoulder, Luliel frowned.

“A, ahem. It’s nothing. Why did you call me?”

Dohyun coughed awkwardly as embarrassment washed over him when he belatedly realized it was her.

Fortunately, she didn’t press the matter further either.

No, beyond that, she had a serious expression he had never seen before.

“…Luliel?”

When Dohyun also asked in a serious tone, sensing something strange, she took a step closer and placed her hand on his chest.

She gazed intently at him with her hand placed on his chest.

“Lu, Luliel? What’s suddenly…?”

“Thank you, Kaiser. No, descendant of That Person.”

Before the surprised Dohyun could ask back, a strange voice flowed from her mouth.

It wasn’t the voice of a young girl, but the cynical voice of an adult woman.

But what surprised Dohyun wasn’t the voice.

‘…Descendant of That Person?’

One word that Luliel had said.

The moment Dohyun focused on that and widened his eyes with a suspicion.

“You have splendidly passed That Person’s test and made the broken fragment of fate into a complete piece. Someone like you should be fine.”

Flash-!

Suddenly, a dazzling light burst forth from Luliel.

At the same time, a thread that came from her connected with the ‘Broken Necklace of Truth’ that Dohyun was holding.

Dohyun clenched his fist at the now familiar light and scene.

‘This is… could it be!?’

And that expectation was spot on.

Ding-

[The fourth fragment of fate, ‘Broken Necklace of Truth’ has regained its complete form.]

[The fourth fragment of fate, ‘Necklace of Truth’ is responding.]

[The dormant will of the Demon King awakens.]

[The will of the ancient humanity’s Demon King, ‘Lusir El Reyhard’ manifests.]

‘Crazy…!’

It was the moment when the will of the fourth fragment of fate awakened.

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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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