The Return of the Genius Ranker of All Times - Chapter 248

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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 248

Episode 248.

Kwagagagaga-!

This must be what a massive tsunami would look like if it took the form of light.

An enormous shockwave reaching all the way to the ceiling filled the temple completely.

The blinding glare made it difficult to even open one’s eyes properly.

-Oh my… what in the world is this.

-Ugh…!

-Ri, Risa!

Pop.

Jihad and Charlie covered their eyes with both hands.

Even Eliza, who had been poking her head out from Dohyun’s clothes, couldn’t bear it anymore and pulled her head back in.

‘Wow… so this is the damage of a one-hit kill?’

Dohyun could only click his tongue at the spectacular scene unfolding before his eyes.

The Mirror of Revenge was an item that shot out shockwaves equal to the damage received.

In other words, the scene before his eyes was nothing less than a visual representation of the one-hit kill’s damage.

And that wasn’t all.

[The Forgotten King uses Northern swordsmanship characteristics to resist.]

[One-Hit Kill ignores the blizzard.]

[One-Hit Kill ignores defense.]

True to its setting of ignoring even invincibility, all of the Forgotten King’s resistance was being ignored.

Truly a one-hit kill.

If he had taken that attack directly… Dohyun shuddered and let out a hollow laugh.

‘This really is a boss designed not to be beaten.’

Without the Mirror of Revenge, he would have surely failed.

Praising himself for holding back from using it until now, he watched the spectacular scene for several seconds.

As the light finally began to subside, Dohyun frowned and concentrated.

The scene that was eventually revealed was devastating.

‘It’s nothing but ruins.’

As if a 38th parallel had been drawn with Dohyun as the reference point, the back and front had become completely different places.

What spread before his eyes was beyond the level of an old temple.

No kidding, it looked like a temple that had been turned to ruins by a direct missile hit.

That’s why Dohyun couldn’t help but look disgusted.

[Must… stop… you…]

‘So he still doesn’t die from his own swordsmanship…’

It was because of the King who had stubbornly survived without dying even in that shockwave.

His armor was 80% destroyed and tattered, the flesh revealed between the gaps was hideously transformed by severe burns.

Steam rose from his back due to traces of heat.

[The supreme realm temporarily reached disappears.]

[The Forgotten King’s life force is below 20%.]

The supreme realm he had struggled to reach had disappeared, and his life force was heading toward rock bottom.

[Must… protect… the Empire’s… peace…]

Nevertheless, the King stood firm.

Unlike his body that seemed to struggle just to stand properly, only his eyes blazed brightly.

An obsession that sent chills down one’s spine.

[Life force is below 30%. Please be careful.]

[Mana is below 20%. Please be careful.]

However, this side wasn’t much different.

Since the other side’s health pool would be larger, in terms of remaining life force numbers, this side would actually have less.

And that wasn’t all.

[The effect of God’s Tears has ended.]

[Duration has ended, mana consumption resumes.]

[Thunder Dragon Descent is canceled.]

[Darkness Cloak is canceled.]

[The energy of the thunder dragon and black dragon dwelling within the body disappears.]

With God’s Tears ending, he also canceled the Black Thunder Dragon mode, which could be called the strongest buff.

With insufficient mana, he had to minimize buff skills as well.

Dohyun shook his head.

“Hah.”

He thought he could finish this comfortably after landing such an amazing counter.

“Yeah, I figured it would turn out like this.”

It wasn’t surprising anymore.

Since his Demroc days, nothing had ever gone easily in his life.

There was no reason to be gloomy about each and every thing like this.

Whoosh- Thud.

When he reached out his hand, Cheonbyeon flew from far away and wrapped around his hand.

It was the White Lion’s Snowflake sword.

Somehow, contrary to his resolution to improve proficiency in things other than swordsmanship, he seemed to keep using only swords, but what could he do.

-Risa…

-Owner, can you do it?

Looking at Eliza and Jihad asking worriedly, Dohyun took his stance.

Can he do it?

The question was wrong.

“I have to.”

Whether he could or couldn’t, he would get it done. There was no other choice.

With such determination, Dohyun’s eyes blazed as he gripped his sword again.

Responding to Dohyun’s will, a blizzard swirled, and the White Lion landed gracefully and growled low.

Grrr…

Swoosh-

Similarly glaring at this side, the King gripped his sword again and took his stance.

Behind him, black and white lions showed their fangs threateningly.

[Will… stop… you… For the Empire…]

Looking at the King who still spouted the same words, Dohyun also smiled fiercely.

“Yeah. Let’s see how far we can go.”

With those words, the two clashed.

* * *

[The Forgotten King’s life force is below 1%.]

[The Forgotten King kneels on one knee.]

Thud.

At the end of the frantically fought battle, the King knelt down.

Dohyun, standing alone before him, finally raised his head to look at the ceiling.

The ceiling was smashed like ruins about to collapse.

[Life force is below 5%.]

[Mana is below 10%.]

[Stamina is below 5%.]

Below it, his depleted life force and mana greeted him.

When he lowered his gaze again, blood that had seeped through the cracks in the broken floor was everywhere.

It was the trace of an intense battle.

“Damn tough.”

Except for the early stages, this was the first time even his stamina had hit rock bottom.

If he hadn’t managed to land a proper effective hit at the end, the disadvantage might have been on his side.

But he ultimately succeeded,

Thunk-

Finally, Dohyun’s sword pierced through the King’s neck.

[You have defeated the Forgotten King.]

[It will be recorded in the Adventure Log.]

[You have achieved victory against an enemy of overwhelming prowess.]

[This is an incredible Achievement. It will be reflected in the rewards.]

[Calculating rewards.]

[Your contribution to the World Quest conquest is acknowledged.]

[The World Quest conquest ranking has changed.]

-1st place: Ahdeo

-2nd place: Kaiser

….

-4th place: Ast

-5th place: Xiao

As the light in the King’s eyes faded, messages frantically appeared.

Confirming it was finally over, Dohyun finally relaxed his body.

At the same time, he heard noisy voices from behind.

-Owner!! I knew you would pull it off!!

-Rizariza!

-Hehe~ That’s right. I knew Owner would win.

-Hmm? Weren’t you covering your eyes and stomping your feet saying “Ugh, I can’t watch” the whole time?

It was Jihad, Eliza, and Charlie.

-…Ahem, that was all a reaction for dramatic effect!

-You’ve been learning strange things from the Apostles and seem to be getting more petty lately.

-Rizariza!

-Wow! Eliza, you shouldn’t say that! You were just hiding inside your clothes.

-Riza?

-Look, there she goes again with those innocent eyes playing dumb.

-Rizariza?

-Master. This humble sword never doubted that Master would succeed. As expected of Master.

-Sigh, right, I’m the only sinner again.

Though they were putting on a comedy show whenever they opened their mouths, they were celebrating Dohyun’s victory anyway.

Dohyun chuckled at their consistent behavior and turned his attention to the messages.

‘My conquest contribution must have been insane. Seeing how I jumped straight to 2nd place.’

Well, you had to defeat the Forgotten King to get the sealing stone, so it was natural.

Even aside from that, after defeating such a ridiculously difficult core boss, shouldn’t he get at least this much?

‘But where is the sealing stone?’

Even when he looked around just in case, the Eye of Truth didn’t activate.

Would it appear once the rewards were calculated?

Just as the ominous thought that maybe it would only spit out a single sealing stone crossed his mind.

Flash-!

-Ugh!? What now!?

-Ri, Riza!?

-Hmm… That is…!

The Guardians frowned at the dazzling light that suddenly burst forth.

Dohyun had the biggest reaction.

Because the source of the light was the Forgotten King.

From the fallen Forgotten King, a blue silhouette was rising while emitting bright light.

[You have encountered the soul of the Forgotten King.]

[It will be recorded in the Adventure Log.]

The being that could be called the origin of the World Quest.

It was the soul of the Forgotten King.

-Are you the one who awakened me.

Eyes as deep as his voice were looking at Dohyun.

He didn’t feel the same venom and desperation as before.

Instead, he felt an indescribable bitterness and affection.

-That sword… I see. You received my friend’s recognition. That fellow finally offered his soul to make a contract with the Tower.

The soul muttered this and asked.

-My friend. How was the Lion King’s end.

“His end, you mean?”

-When he entrusted everything to you after finishing the trial and disappeared.

“…He said please take care of it. He asked me to save his friend.”

-…I see.

He should worry about himself instead….

Dohyun’s eyes also became strange as he watched the King trail off quietly.

From their conversation, he could roughly guess.

‘So that was the Lion King’s end.’

The reason the Lion King’s trial ended wasn’t simply because he found a suitable apostle.

Because that was the contract.

-Isn’t my friend truly foolish. To sacrifice himself for a friend who was devoured by existence and can’t even remember my name, a friend he can’t even remember.

After losing his body and his predetermined life ended, he offered his soul to the Tower as payment for achieving what he desired.

It meant the bond between the two was that strong.

When Dohyun couldn’t find words to respond and remained silent, the King smiled bitterly and changed the subject.

-I spoke unnecessarily. That fellow didn’t sacrifice himself for me to say such things. Since time is short, let me get to the point…!?

The King, whose soul was gradually becoming fainter, suddenly turned his head sharply to look outside the door.

Then his expression became serious and he ground his teeth.

-This aura is that bastard’s… Don’t tell me the seal has been broken?

“….”

-Ah….

When Dohyun nodded affirmatively, the King sighed genuinely.

-So it has come to that. What was the Guardian doing? Don’t tell me he was defeated?

“That’s not it.”

-Then why on earth? What reason could there be for the Guardian not to guard the door? He wouldn’t move unless something stimulated the tomb’s seal.

“Ahem.”

Dohyun, remembering how he had enthusiastically smashed the Calamity fragments, slightly turned his head and coughed.

His conscience was very pricked, but it was already done.

Shouldn’t cleanup come first?

Fortunately, perhaps understanding his meaning, the King didn’t press further.

-No. With the seal broken, such things don’t matter. If the seal was broken, the Guardian must have sent someone to stop that bastard. And that would surely be you who awakened me. Am I right?

“…Yes. He told me to obtain an artifact to seal the Devourer of Existence.”

-I see. That you awakened me means you achieved victory against me who lost my ego, albeit only half. I can trust you.

The King’s soul extended his now half-disappeared hand.

Then something crystallized at his fingertips and dropped with a thunk.

What he quickly caught was a hexagonal crystal.

[Flawless Hexagon]

-Grade: ??

-Description: The ultimate artifact created when the Empire’s Mage Tower Leaders gathered and combined their powers to fight against a past disaster.

It has a very great effect in sealing the Abyss.

However, it must be driven precisely into the vital point of the target you wish to seal.

-It’s old and worn, so it can only be used once. Use it carefully, Hero.

“Understood.”

The King’s eyes, which had been pleased with Dohyun’s ready answer, changed.

The atmosphere shifted abruptly.

Intense emotion could be felt in the King’s eyes as he looked at Dohyun with a serious expression.

The King’s voice dropped low.

-There’s one more thing I need to ask.

“…What is it?”

Dohyun’s voice became serious as well.

It was because he could sense that something was not ordinary.

Sure enough, the words that followed were by no means trivial.

-The beings that appeared alongside the Devourer of Existence. The five demons who drove the Empire to ruin and ultimately imprisoned me, transferring my lingering thoughts.

“…”

-Do you know of the Moonlight Order?

[You have heard the name of the Moonlight Order.]

[You acquire information related to the Main Quest.]

[You have learned of the Five Suns and Moons, beings of nightmare that have been passed down from the distant past.]

After all, this was about the Main Quest.

But this wasn’t the end.

-From your reaction, it seems you don’t know. The fact that the information I planted deep within the Imperial Palace before my existence was devoured hasn’t been released means someone destroyed the artifact.

The King’s eyes, which had been bitter, gradually filled with rage.

-Anyone capable of that would hold a high position in the Empire. For instance… the Imperial Household.

“Surely not…”

-That’s right, someone in the Imperial Household is in league with the Abyss, or with them.

“…Good God.”

…It seemed like he’d gotten caught up in a major incident.

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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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