The Return of the Genius Ranker of All Times - Chapter 235

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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 235

Episode 235.

[I don’t know how you managed to find the fragments, but I can no longer just stand by and watch. By the authority of the Guardian, I will verify your conviction.]

‘Hmm.’

Dohyun swallowed as he looked at the massive stone statue that was unmistakably showing signs of rage before his eyes.

It wasn’t because he was nervous.

A gigantic lion-shaped stone statue that seemed to be 5 meters tall and 15 meters long.

The statue filled the cave and was so large that only its eyes and nose were visible from where he stood.

It was an tremendous sense of pressure, but more than that, he felt regret.

‘I might have leveled up if I had just done a little more…’

He was deeply disappointed that his profitable harvesting work had been forcibly terminated when he was sucked in by the Guardian.

That was why Dohyun had a sullen expression, but he soon shook off his regret.

‘Such tricks wouldn’t have worked indefinitely anyway.’

The method Dohyun had used wasn’t a conventional one.

It was merely a happening close to an error caused by the fraudulent trait called Eye of Truth.

Would it really be a World Quest if it ended just like that?

It was only natural that the Guardian’s eyes would flip, having to stop such behavior.

‘Thanks to that, the Guardian came to find me directly, which is actually better.’

Though his mind had momentarily gone haywire, the purpose of the World Quest was ultimately to save the Forgotten King.

It wouldn’t work to just blindly raise the calamity rate.

Rather, it was more correct to find the Crystal of Conviction from the Guardian.

[Emergency Quest: Guardian’s Trial has occurred.]

[Pass the Guardian’s trial and prove your conviction.]

[The Forgotten Soldiers of the King reveal themselves.]

[The level of the Forgotten Soldiers is determined in proportion to the challenger’s abilities.]

Rumble rumble rumble-

-What are all those? Soldiers…? There seem to be over 100 of them?

-They look like they’re made of clay. But I can feel a more powerful aura from them than the undead we saw earlier.

…Of course, this didn’t seem like it would be easy either.

[Each one is a soldier that matches your strength. Moreover, can you defeat soldiers who use the skills they had when they were alive?]

The Guardian laughed heartily and slowly pulled its massive body back.

Thanks to that, it was hidden in the darkness of the cave, but only the lion’s two eyes were cunningly glowing. From such a Guardian, confidence could be felt.

Confidence that Dohyun would fall miserably in this place.

But the next moment.

Flash!

Before the soldiers could even form their formation, Dohyun shot out like a beam of light and thrust his sword.

A pure white blade with snowflakes engraved on the white lion’s hilt.

Following it, dark sword energy emitted a strange light and drew a streak of lightning.

Crack-!

A soldier’s head exploded in one strike.

[…What the.]

As he dealt with one guy in an instant, a dizzying silence settled.

A situation where he had entered alone among 99 soldiers. The soldiers were surrounding him, but instead they were hesitating and backing away.

Their bodies instinctively reacted to the overwhelming performance.

“Matched to my level… I think you got it wrong?”

In the midst of that, Dohyun smiled like a beast and glanced at the message window that appeared before his eyes.

[Cheonbyeon devours the ‘White Lion’s Snowflake Sword’.]

[You have devoured an item of higher grade than the existing grade.]

[Cheonbyeon’s grade is being adjusted.]

[Cheonbyeon’s grade is transformed to ‘Legend (Unique)’.]

[Attack power and options are reorganized to match the grade.]

‘I wasn’t wearing it because I was distracted by breaking fragments… but this turned out to be helpful?’

The Forgotten Soldiers of the King were formed before Dohyun devoured the White Lion’s Snowflake Sword.

And the weapon attack power difference between then and now was double.

On top of that, there was no way those mere soldiers could stop Dohyun, who was armed with various buff skills that far exceeded his abilities.

‘100 of them… perfect for testing.’

Dohyun grinned and took out gloves from his inventory to put on his hands.

They were the legendary artifact gloves ‘Verzina’s Magic Gloves’ that he had carefully chosen from the Lion King’s Treasure Vault.

This wasn’t the end.

[Using Reverse Heaven Period.]

[You can use the 1st Form, Beginning.]

Dohyun’s signature skill obtained from the Lion King’s trial.

Finally, it was time to put these to use.

“Well then, shall I warm up a bit?”

It was the moment when the positions of predator and prey were reversed.

* * *

The Guardian couldn’t believe the scene unfolding before its eyes.

[…What, what am I seeing?]

These were dolls that reproduced the soldiers of the great King.

Since they were those who had tremendous fame in the past, their swordsmanship and skills were real.

[Surely that should be the case…]

The swords of those great soldiers couldn’t reach that person at all.

[What is that power! Surely the trial started matched to the challenger’s strength, but what is this nonsensical situation!]

No, it wasn’t just because of this.

Though something truly incomprehensible had happened, there were still 100 soldiers.

With that level of spec difference, he couldn’t overwhelm 100 people.

Though he didn’t want to admit it… that man’s skills surpassed the soldiers.

‘A mere Disciple possesses overwhelming skills compared to the elite soldiers of the glorious era? Does this make sense? Above all, judging by that guy’s swordsmanship alone, it’s not that outstanding…’

Though excellent, it didn’t feel like he moved knowing the mysteries of swordsmanship, but rather like he learned by watching with his eyes.

Just distance calculation using absurd dynamic vision and reflexes.

Through that, he was gaining overwhelming advantage and continuing a favorable fight.

However, it was a bit strange.

‘Surely he didn’t learn it… but oddly enough, some of his swordsmanship is ‘real’.’

There was no feeling that he had been taught swordsmanship by someone. It felt like he would swing his sword from any angle as long as he could swing it.

Thud, slash-!

But when he performed that movement, it was different.

Thud.

A simple movement of taking one step forward.

Footwork or steps that could be called the basics of swordsmanship.

Though it was so simple that anyone could do it as it was the most basic of basics, it showed tremendous differences depending on the user, so one could know a person’s level just by looking at their footwork.

In that regard, that guy was unconventional.

‘The moment he steps into footwork, he becomes solid like Mount Tai. At the same time, he becomes sharp like a beast, so is he really the same man who was just showing that behavior?’

When he moved his steps, he was solid enough not to be shaken by any adversity, and when he thrust his sword, he flashed sharply enough to bite anything.

But was he just firm and fierce?

Whoosh-

Even while rampaging fiercely, when he became gentle, he displayed infinitely graceful swordsmanship as if nothing had happened.

Like a single willow tree.

Not getting caught in a typhoon but entrusting his body and letting it flow away.

Stab, thud!

And then again, the man who bared his teeth like a beast.

With each step he took, the constantly changing swordsmanship left the king’s soldiers unable to regain their composure.

‘He’s a strange man. That’s what makes him dangerous.’

Suddenly noticeably strengthened power.

Bizarre swordsmanship that seemed clumsy yet wielded the sword like a master swordsman.

Breaking through a hundred enemies with equal specs and superior swordsmanship. Originally, this test wasn’t created to kill a hundred soldiers.

‘It was a test created to show unwavering ‘conviction.”

In truth, rather than confirming conviction, it was also a test born from the desire to torment that troublesome fellow.

But now everything about that man defied common sense.

The Guardian’s instincts were telling him. That person was dangerous.

‘Eyes that can detect fragments of calamity, overwhelming force. Could he possibly be…’

At the sudden thought, the Guardian shook his head.

‘Whether he’ll become a savior or a destroyer… I must determine that here.’

Perhaps responding to the Guardian’s will.

Countless soldiers stubbornly blocked his path, but the man, Dohyun, did not retreat.

He simply took one step forward.

Swoosh-

A soldier fell to his swinging sword, and Dohyun moved his heavy feet again.

It seemed nothing could stop his advance.

Heaven-Defying Technique .

First Form, Beginning .

‘I expected a sword technique since it was called a form, but it turned out to be footwork.’

Though it was an unexpected form, Dohyun grinned as if delighted.

He couldn’t help but smile.

Footwork was the foundation of all swordsmanship.

Naturally, swordsmanship with excellent footwork would have outstanding performance in subsequent forms as well.

‘I may not know much about swordsmanship, but… there probably isn’t any swordsmanship that suits me better than this. If the footwork performs this well, I can’t even imagine how good the next form will be.’

He was also excited.

What would the next form of this perfectly suited swordsmanship be?

It was maddeningly frustrating that there was no way to check that information right now.

That wasn’t the only disappointing thing.

‘I haven’t even gotten to try the gloves and Snow Flower Sword abilities.’

The Snow Flower Sword’s basic attack power and Heaven-Defying Technique’s performance exceeded expectations, so he hadn’t been able to try anything else.

‘Is this guy the last one now?’

On the other hand, only one soldier remained.

He had fought through the path filled with soldiers and reached the very end.

It was the moment Dohyun pierced through the last soldier’s throat without hesitation.

[It seems I misjudged the situation.]

A majestic voice echoed throughout the cave.

[You have cleared the Emergency Quest, Guardian’s Trial.]

[You have gained the Guardian’s recognition and cleared it at an unreasonable speed.]

[You have achieved a hidden condition.]

[All linked Quests for the Guardian’s Trial will be deleted.]

[Hidden Event, ‘Belief of the Old King’ has occurred.]

[Obtain conviction from the Guardian of the Forgotten Tomb, ‘Belief of the Old King.’]

[If you obtain the conviction, you can acquire the Guardian’s treasure and special events may open.]

[Beware. The Guardian’s strike is incoming.]

The simultaneous parade of messages dizzily confused Dohyun’s eyes and ears.

‘What is this…’

Dohyun was dazed by the bewildering situation.

But there was no time to assess the situation.

—-!

“…!?”

At the flashing sensation, Dohyun hastily retreated.

Instinctively judging that wouldn’t be enough, he extended his hand wearing Verzina’s Magic Gloves.

Almost simultaneously, he felt a heavy sensation and Dohyun’s body was lifted into the air.

Crash-!!

-Ma, Master!

-My lord!!

-Risa!?

Making his breakthrough through the soldiers seem pointless, Dohyun, who had been slammed into the wall of the starting point, rose through the dust.

Messages were frantically appearing above his head.

[Verzina’s Magic Gloves effect has been activated.]

[Special Option, ‘Caressing Touch’ effect allows you to touch intangible energy.]

[Special Option, ‘Coordinate Change’ effect allows you to change the coordinates of intangible energy and move it to desired locations. (After two uses, 400-second cooldown applies per use)]

[This is a strike beyond the user’s level to handle. Only partial energy coordinates will be changed.]

[Life force is below 50%.]

‘What kind of crazy surprise gift is this…’

There should be limits to surprise attacks.

Without Verzina’s Magic Gloves, he would have been finished in one hit.

‘I said I was disappointed about not getting to try the gloves, but this isn’t what I wanted… No, more importantly, what the hell did I get hit by?’

It literally felt like a flash of light.

But the moment he looked down at his trembling hands. More precisely, the moment he saw the cold energy on his gloves, Dohyun could tell.

It was the same trace as when he received the Forgotten King’s sword strike, like snow settling down.

[At your current level, it should be impossible to react normally… You really are strange. That’s what makes you dangerous.]

A low, aged voice.

What revealed itself wasn’t the giant lion-shaped stone statue.

It was a much smaller body. It was a person.

Though infinitely small compared to when it was a statue, it was a giant reaching 2 meters, but an elderly man with a clearly aged and sickly appearance.

[So I will test you.]

However, the presence emanating from the elderly man who approached step by step was greater than anything else.

Under that pressure, Jihad and Charlie took combat stances with tense expressions, and Dohyun also instinctively gripped Cheonbyeon.

[Whether I can entrust you with my conviction.]

A king forgotten by all and abandoned in a tomb in his aged form.

Yet the one conviction left behind by the aged king who never gave up until his death.

Ding-

[You have discovered the Forgotten King’s conviction, ‘Crystal of Obsession.’]

‘…The crystal was the Guardian?’

The aged years of the Forgotten King.

That was the Guardian’s true identity.

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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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