The Return of the Genius Ranker of All Times - Chapter 230

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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 230

Episode 230.

Dohyun couldn’t help but be stunned by the message that suddenly appeared.

He had no choice but to be.

‘…What? World Quest?’

It was a name he had never imagined.

What was a World Quest?

Literally a quest given on a world scale, it was a quest that all players could participate in the moment it began.

Given the number of participants, it naturally took place on a massive scale,

and in Godseeker, which had no main quests, it was treated as a de facto main quest and important event.

‘World Quests have opened a total of two times.’

Once at the hands of Demroc, the most popular player.

And another time at the hands of Adventure King Barion.

The two World Quests opened by these two people were receiving so much attention that they were still talked about today.

‘It’s natural since they only opened twice in nearly 2 years…, but aside from that, they couldn’t help but be popular.’

Overwhelming scale.

New types of dungeons and bosses that were close to events.

The fact that they could participate without burden in massive events that were thought to be only for the elite made them impossible not to be popular.

The rewards for making it into the clear rankings were also tremendous, so World Quests were events that everyone from those confident in their skills to ordinary players participated in without discrimination.

‘But that was already half a year ago.’

And that was only because the eccentric Adventure King Barion had miraculously opened it.

Since then, even though they had reached the New Continent, World Quests were something they couldn’t even find a clue about.

Everyone from those great Top 10 Guilds to Barion, who was said to have no rival in filling the Adventure Log, had all failed.

Therefore, the prevailing opinion was that World Quests wouldn’t open for several years…

[World Quest item ‘Forgotten King’s Brooch’ discovered, generating quest.]

[Forgotten King’s Brooch]

-Grade: World Quest

-Description: A brooch in the shape of a white lion that the Forgotten King used to wear.

It was also a symbol representing him, and at the time, all evildoers who saw this brooch trembled in fear, but now even his name is unknown.

The resentment of the king forgotten by all can be felt. Also, a strange, mysterious energy can be sensed.

If you go to the ‘Spirit of the Lion King,’ the only being who knows the true identity of the brooch, you might learn something.

-Upon quest acceptance: World Quest occurs on Main Continent, information about the Forgotten King, linked quest.

-Upon quest refusal: World Quest occurrence canceled and linked quest deleted.

‘…This pops up here?’

Dohyun let out a hollow laugh at the utterly absurd situation.

Who would have known that climbing the Lion King’s Tower would trigger a World Quest?

Thinking about it this way, the rankers’ words that it would only open in a few years weren’t false.

According to what the Spirit of the Lion King had said, the trial was scheduled to conclude only after a full 3 years.

Whether it was the AI’s judgment that it could only be concluded around that time, or changes were scheduled to occur in the tower after 3 years, wouldn’t that be the case?

‘Well, that aside…’

But what Dohyun found most puzzling wasn’t something like that.

‘Then why did a message appear saying it was related to the main quest?’

No matter how much he read the quest, it was only about the World Quest.

So were the World Quest and Main Quest connected?

If that was the case, it wouldn’t be good news.

The moment the World Quest opened, countless players would come rushing in. If any of them discovered a fragment, wouldn’t that be a disaster?

His frown was brief, as Dohyun soon regained his composure.

‘…No, it probably isn’t related to the Fate Fragment. If it were, the Main Quest would have reacted.’

If he had obtained a clue, the ‘Fifth Fate Fragment’ quest would have reacted.

In other words, this was likely a Main Quest from a different route…

‘Hmm, I still don’t know for sure.’

Dohyun, who had been pondering for a moment, soon shook off his thoughts.

Wouldn’t he learn something if he received the linked quest that would open upon acceptance?

And…

‘Just in case, it would be better to postpone the reward.’

‘I’m thinking the same thing.’

‘Yes! An excellent judgment, Master.’

‘Rizariza.’

There was no time limit on receiving rewards, and he still had quite a bit of play time left.

It wouldn’t be too late to make a decision after hearing from the Spirit of the Lion King.

As he came out the door holding the brooch, the Spirit of the Lion King approached as if he had been waiting.

[Yes, as expected, you’re bringing that out. So I really did sense that energy earlier…]

Then, looking at the brooch in Dohyun’s hand, he nodded.

[If it was unpleasant, I apologize. I would have asked about it anyway, but since you kept looking at the door, I was curious whether you might recognize the energy contained within.]

“Well… it’s fine.”

[Now that my curiosity has been satisfied, I should satisfy yours.]

The Spirit of the Lion King, who grinned at Dohyun’s cool response, began to speak.

[This decaying corpse you faced… As you’ve probably already noticed, it’s not my body.]

“…Yes.”

Since the name itself was Forgotten King, Decaying Corpse of the ??King, there was nothing particularly surprising about it.

However, what followed was enough to surprise Dohyun.

[The world calls me the only king of that era to reach the supreme realm… but that’s not true. There was a king who reached the supreme realm before me. He was like a white lion.]

‘What?’

‘This is… too different from history, Owner?’

Even now, the Lion King was called the Great Lion King and counted as one of the most powerful kings in history.

To think that the one who earned the respect of countless knights was actually not the greatest king?

This wasn’t the end of what differed from history.

[Though it’s known as the Lion King’s swordsmanship… in truth, my swordsmanship was merely learned from that king. Even I, who was confident in swordsmanship, couldn’t create such chilling energy and the form of a white lion.]

“…”

[But the world forgot him. More precisely, he was forgotten as a result of his sacrifice.]

The Spirit of the Lion King speaking thus had a very bitter tone.

A voice where sorry feelings and guilt, gratitude and pity coexisted.

He, who had been looking up at the ceiling as if recalling something, soon opened his heavy lips.

[…Do you know of the existence called the Abyss?]

“…Yes.”

Dohyun answered half a beat late at the unexpected name.

The Abyss – it was an existence he couldn’t not know.

They were the ones who had shown overwhelming presence in Brion, and the ones who had turned Taksinel into a murderer.

Also, they could be called the primary contributors to making humanity sacrifice itself in the ancient war with the gods, so it would be stranger not to know them.

[Though they seem almost forgotten now, at the time the Abyss was an existence of terror. I too had only heard of them as legends in my youth, but that terror was clearly imprinted in me.]

“…”

[But I hadn’t recognized it accurately. Deep down, I thought that with my current realm, I could take on the Abyss or whatever… It was a foolish thought.]

“…”

[When the Abyss actually struck the Empire, I couldn’t protect a single thing.]

And that name was appearing once again now.

In the form of a World Quest.

With a bitter voice, the Spirit of the Lion King spilled the truth as if releasing old emotions.

[Instead of me, who couldn’t protect anything, the one who leaped into the Abyss’s maw was none other than that king… no, my dear friend.]

[Swallowed by the terrible monster of the Abyss… the ‘Devourer of Existence,’ he self-destructed and was forgotten from the world as the price for saving the Empire.]

Ding-

[You have heard about the existence of the Abyss in the Lion King’s Tower.]

[It is recorded in the Adventure Log.]

[You have heard the epic of the Forgotten King.]

[It is recorded in the Adventure Log.]

[You have heard the forgotten history of the Empire.]

[It is recorded in the Adventure Log.]

‘…The scale is going crazy.’

Dohyun let out a hollow laugh at the notifications popping up noisily.

Was it just his imagination that there seemed to be no peaceful days since coming to the Empire?

‘Well, it was about time. This is the first time since Brion.’

After all, it was chaos even before coming to the Empire, so now that he had come to the massive Arniss Empire, it was natural for the scale to grow even larger.

Things about the Abyss had been quiet for a while too.

Most importantly, if it was related to the Abyss, it made sense that the notification about that brooch being an item related to the main quest had appeared.

-Those vile bastards again…

At the voice he heard then, he looked to the side and saw Charlie trembling with his hand gripping his sword.

He looked ready to cut them down if they were right in front of him.

For Charlie, who harbored strong hatred toward the Abyss, it must have been a story hard to bear.

“…Charlie.”

-…I apologize, Master. I showed an unbecoming side for a knight.

“No, it’s fine.”

-Rizariza…

Still, seeing him quickly regain his composure, Eliza approached and patted his shoulder.

To break the atmosphere, Dohyun quickly changed the subject.

“What a tragic affair. Having heard the truth, I cannot just stand by. What should I do?”

[To not even bat an eye after hearing such a story, truly you have the qualities of a knight I acknowledge. Indeed, I can trust and entrust this to you.]

Satisfied with this, the Spirit of the Lion King finally told him the Quest.

[If there is the Forgotten King’s body, wouldn’t there also be a soul? What I want to ask of you is this. To save the soul of my dear friend trapped in the ‘Forgotten Tomb’.]

“By all means.”

Ding-

[World Quest, Forgotten Tomb occurs.]

[All Players can participate in World Quests, and rankings are carved according to conquest completion scores.]

[Also, differential rewards are given according to conquest rankings.]

[Please save the Forgotten King sleeping in the Forgotten Tomb.]

Seeing the message appear, Dohyun grinned.

Now he just needed to quickly finish the conversation and get the linked Quest to participate.

But the world doesn’t flow as one desires, does it?

[Phew… I’m truly grateful. I will never forget your kindness for the rest of my life. In that sense, I’m asking just in case… have you heard about the Forgotten King’s Specter?]

“No, this is the first time I’m hear…?”

Dohyun, who was answering immediately, trailed off.

Then he stopped for a moment and thought.

‘What? Why does it feel like I’ve heard this somewhere?’

It was because a name he should have heard for the first time felt strangely familiar.

As Dohyun carefully traced back through the past, the moment he recalled Pratel and Luidra, he turned pale.

He remembered. Where he had heard it.

‘The Purification Ember and Luydra’s Gravestone…’

The specter that had dwelled within them.

The name of the specter that had cried out pitifully before dying that this couldn’t be happening was none other than the Forgotten King’s Specter.

Unaware of Dohyun’s inner turmoil, the Spirit of the Lion King continued speaking.

[I heard it’s sealed in a gravestone guarded by an entity called the Witch of Dreams. Actually, I don’t understand it. Unless someone used their power, I can’t comprehend how it ended up flowing there.]

“…I… see.”

[Well, that’s not what’s important now. What’s important is that specter is very crucial.]

“…Important? Very much so?”

[The Forgotten King’s Specter is a grudge formed from my friend’s negative emotions gathering together.]

“Ah!”

Suddenly Dohyun’s expression brightened.

If that was the case, wasn’t it rather fortunate that he had defeated it!

Surely it meant that it absolutely had to be defeated.

Just as Dohyun, who had narrowly escaped from the crisis of nearly committing a grave sin, was feeling relieved.

[There’s something that can only be obtained from that grudge. According to prophecy, there should be a Disciple who will become the Hero chosen by the grudge… haven’t you heard of this by any chance?]

“…”

At the Spirit of the Lion King’s words that drove the final nail in, Dohyun couldn’t bring himself to speak.

A Hero chosen by the grudge? He had never heard of it.

And there never would be one in the future either.

The specter had been gloriously smashed while sealed in the gravestone, and the ones who were about to become Heroes had been thoroughly trampled not long ago.

Cold sweat trickling down his back, Dohyun nodded his head.

‘…Shit.’

It seemed like he was screwed.

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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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