The Return of the Genius Ranker of All Times - Chapter 305

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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 305

Episode 305.

As expected.

Finding the location of the secret place wasn’t difficult.

-…What is this?

-It’s a map, Successor.

-This? Isn’t this just scribbles? This looks exactly like what I used to doodle on paper when I was goofing off during elementary school classes.

-Elementary…? What is that?

First, I take the map(?) that Gamillion drew on the spot and head to where the entrance to the secret place is located.

The map was hard to decipher, so this process alone took a whole hour, but somehow I managed to arrive.

And after that, it was easy.

-Not yet, Successor.

“I know.”

All that was left was to hide nearby with a communication orb and wait for the signal.

That was why Dohyun was now hiding behind a tree like a stalker, holding his breath.

[Weak Stealth is currently active.]

Even using stealth just in case.

That’s because the place he was standing was none other than near the back door of Emperor Baharun’s residence.

Since it was where the Emperor lived, the security was naturally much tighter.

Nevertheless, the reason he came to the Emperor’s residence first was because this was the only timing available.

‘The only time the Emperor leaves his residence is when he’s in the audience chamber.’

He spends most of his other time at his residence.

And there are few people who can meet the Emperor in public.

In other words, if not now, no one knows when he’ll leave again.

‘I can check on Garion later.’

Being cautious, he even had the Jihad guys running around the city as a distraction.

Anyway, once they went underground, the field would change.

[Eye of Truth is currently active.]

‘Why can’t I enter when I can see it right in front of me.’

Staring at the sparkling red light in the corner between the inner wall and floor, just twiddling his fingers for about 15 minutes.

Rustle-

Boom!

“Is there some commotion happening over there? It sounds noisy.”

“There have been many people saying they saw something over there.”

“Shouldn’t we go check it out?”

“Hmm… Well, a brief look should be fine. Go take a look.”

The guards who had been pondering over the loud noise looked around and quickly left their posts.

It seemed they intended to check quickly and return.

-Now!

‘Okay.’

[Detection Stone detects a life form.]

[Your stealth level is too low and you are detected.]

As he quickly entered, a message appeared, but it didn’t matter.

The guards had left their posts.

The time remaining until the guards returned was at most 5 minutes.

It was a short time, but that was more than enough.

‘Here it is.’

Dohyun could see the exact location of the entrance.

When he pressed the slightly protruding part between the inner wall and floor, the ground sank and swallowed Dohyun.

“Eh, there was nothing there.”

“Tsk, we made a pointless trip.”

“Hmm, nothing happened, right?”

“It was only about 3 minutes, what could have happened? How many would be bold enough to come to His Majesty’s residence?”

The guards returned shortly after, but by then Dohyun had already disappeared.

They wouldn’t know.

That the very bold person they spoke of was wandering around beneath their feet.

* * *

[You have found a hidden location.]

[You have entered the hidden location, ‘Baharun’s Secret Storehouse’.]

[It will be recorded in the Adventure Log.]

[You are the first Player to enter ‘Baharun’s Secret Storehouse’.]

[As a first-time benefit, Drop Rate +50% and Experience Gain +50% are applied.]

Upon entering, the first thing that greeted him was a feast of countless messages, and

[Location has changed, Guardians are being forcibly moved.]

-Oh, you got in quickly, Owner?

-Mm!

-Rizariza!

The Jihad guys who had been wandering around the city in a daze.

Receiving their greetings, his impression of the secret storehouse he looked around was modest.

“…It’s really modest.”

-It is.

-Risa.

-Mm!

It wasn’t just a figure of speech, it really was modest.

A size that was neither too big nor too small, and a moderately bright interior.

For being the Emperor’s secret storehouse, it had such a common appearance that it felt somewhat disappointing.

It felt like a typical underground storehouse of movie villains?

‘Well, appearance isn’t what’s important.’

What mattered was what was hidden inside.

What could someone as high-ranking as an Emperor have hidden, and what traces would be left if he were a collaborator.

He planned to search thoroughly.

[It won’t be long, Successor. The Emperor will return soon, so you must come out within an hour.]

“Got it.”

[Then I wish you good luck. Please let me know immediately if you find anything.]

Dohyun responded appropriately to Gamillion’s words coming through the communication orb and started walking.

The path wasn’t difficult.

It was a simple structure with one wide path stretching straight ahead.

Walking along, he would occasionally see treasure chests and decorative items….

Creak.

“Hmm, nothing special.”

They were ordinary treasures that were splendid but nothing particularly suspicious.

However, among the various gems and artworks, there was one thing that was particularly abundant.

-Everything is related to gold.

“Isn’t it because of the 2nd Prince’s illness?”

-Even that arrogant King must cherish his child.

-All parents’ hearts are similar, aren’t they.

-Rizariza.

The amount of gold even increased as they went further.

Now there was nothing but gold wherever they looked.

So this was where all that gold came from.

‘For a secret warehouse, this is too ordinary? At this level, isn’t this just a gold vault?’

The path was finally coming to an end, but there were no particularly suspicious traces to be seen.

Just as the scales were tipping toward the Emperor not being a collaborator.

“Th-this is!”

Dohyun, who had discovered something in a corner, opened his eyes wide.

Reactions burst out from all directions at his violently shaking pupils.

-What is it, Owner!? Did you find something?

-Risa!

-I’ll go, Master!

Charlie even drew his sword and stood guard.

However, when they actually approached, they could only tilt their heads in confusion.

What Dohyun was holding.

-Huh?

-Master…?

-Risa?

It was a book.

But it wasn’t an ordinary book.

[Why Did the Countess Give Hans a Steak That Day]

A strangely mysterious title.

And an embarrassing cover that made one wonder why “steak” was in the title.

[There Were Four Feet in the Bedroom.]

[The Purpose of the Social Gathering]

“…Hmm.”

After briefly scanning the titles and covers, Dohyun carefully put the book back.

[What’s the matter, Successor! Did you discover some kind of trace!]

At Gamillion’s voice that came at just the right time, Dohyun shook his head.

Then, possessing the spirit of a character from a certain manga, he answered solemnly.

“Nothing… happened.”

[I see. It seems the Emperor wasn’t a collaborator after all. That’s rather fortunate. If the Emperor were a collaborator, it wouldn’t just be troublesome… But I’m sure you discovered something…]

“You’ll get hurt if you know.”

[…?]

At the bewilderment that came through even the communication orb, Dohyun glanced back.

Seeing those red covers, a sense of duty welled up that he must protect them as a fellow man.

‘So the Emperor has these kinds of tastes. Still, I should preserve his dignity.’

Baharun’s Secret Storehouse.

This place was a hidden folder disguised as a gold vault.

* * *

After that minor(?) incident where the Emperor suffered a mysterious defeat.

Dohyun, who had exited the secret warehouse, headed straight to Arren Castle where Garion’s secret place was located.

‘After his residence, now a castle… Well, is this a case of it being darkest under the lamp?’

Seeing how both had placed their secret locations in places that could be called their own territory, perhaps this was psychologically more reassuring when hiding something.

Though the residence and castle were completely different in size, the method was the same this time too.

Have the Guardians roam around the city, and wait with weak stealth until Gamillion gives the signal.

[Now, Successor!]

“Got it.”

And when the signal comes, quickly rush inside.

Perhaps because he’d done it once before, he could succeed faster and more easily.

Though there were many NPCs and players coming and going, it was easier because there were no magical tools to detect stealth.

[You have entered the hidden location, ‘Garion’s Secret Place.’]

[It will be recorded in the Adventure Log]

[You are the first player to enter ‘Garion’s Secret Place.’]

[As a first-time benefit, drop rate +50% and experience gain +50% are applied.]

[The location has moved, so the Guardians are being forcibly relocated.]

-Yeo!

-Risa!

The place they arrived at was a massive cave.

‘No, rather than a cave, it’s closer to an underground passage.’

It was similar to the Emperor’s secret warehouse in that it stretched in one direction, but different in that it was more secretive and had a strange smell.

Most importantly, unlike that place which could be called a warehouse, this place had nothing.

Just a dark passage continuing on.

‘Perfect place for smuggling.’

Somehow he had a feeling.

That something was hidden in this place.

-…There’s nothing here, Owner?

-Hmm, that’s strange. There doesn’t seem to be any path to go further.

However, making his bold advance seem pointless, he couldn’t find any traces even after reaching the end of the passage.

At least the Emperor’s secret warehouse had red books.

‘There’s really nothing at all? Then why did he make a secret place?’

Did he really make it for smuggling?

It was enough to raise such reasonable suspicions.

-Well, high-ranking nobles do receive a lot of bribes and requests.

“…Really?”

-Yes, Master. There were many such nobles in my time too. However, even so, for the Lord of Arren Castle to not hesitate in such dirty deeds… It’s a disgrace to Arren Castle.

Though it was better than being a collaborator, this was also shameful for a noble.

Charlie, who had been a former commander of Arren Castle’s Knight Order, seemed unable to tolerate it and showed a look of humiliation.

Watching Charlie like this, Dohyun became troubled.

‘If neither of them is a collaborator, then who on earth?’

The two princes had almost no possibility, and it wasn’t the Emperor either.

He had naturally thought it was Garion, but this turn of events left him confused.

‘No. I might have just failed to find the traces.’

Or perhaps there simply were no traces in this place.

Since it was a secret location, it wouldn’t be strange if he had been most careful about it first.

‘Let’s go back to the beginning and investigate again.’

It was bothersome, but in times like this, the straightforward approach was the answer.

[Hmm… It can’t be helped. But since speed is important in cases like this, I’ll pick out the most suspicious locations as much as possible.]

“Please do.”

[Just leave it to me, Successor…]

It was when he was about to retrace his steps.

Pop-

-Risa!

Eliza, who had been warming herself in his pocket, poked her face out.

Jihad was the first to react.

-Eliza? What’s that in your mouth?

-Risa! Rizariza!

-Something small was sparkling on the floor so you picked it up?

“…Sparkling?”

At those words, Dohyun also quickly turned his head.

Indeed, there was something like a jewel in Eliza’s small mouth.

He had wondered why she was unusually quiet and not interrupting when they were talking, but it seemed she had been holding onto this.

-That’s right. She’s holding something.

“Right?”

Did she think she had done something wrong since everyone was looking at her?

As all eyes focused on her, Eliza, who had boldly stuck her head out, shrank back.

-R-Riza…

She looked like a puppy caught by its owner while secretly holding a treat.

Dohyun’s eyes narrowed as he watched Eliza like that.

It wasn’t that he was trying to blame Eliza.

‘…The Eye of Truth has the characteristic of finding hidden things.’

Usually important things are hidden away tightly, and the Eye of Truth boasts fraudulent performance in finding such things like a ghost.

But even the Eye of Truth had one fatal weakness.

‘It actually can’t find things that are openly displayed.’

What if that gem played some important role?

This was a secret place only he knew about anyway.

If Garion had just casually tossed the gem without bothering to hide it…

The moment his thoughts reached that point, Dohyun immediately put it into action.

“Eliza, can you let me see that for a moment?”

-R…iza!

-…Didn’t you refuse to give it to me when I asked for it?

-Riza?

As he petted Eliza’s head while she glanced around and gave him the gem, Jihad complained.

Leaving behind Eliza, who was feigning ignorance, and the guy bickering with her, Dohyun stepped forward a few paces while holding the gem.

And at that moment.

[The Eye of Truth activates.]

He saw it.

Red light seeping from the gem stretched out like thread and moved.

And the moment he reached the point where that thread ended.

Rumble-

In an instant, with the sensation of something turning below, the ground shook and a message appeared.

[Entry conditions have been met.]

[The hidden door opens.]

‘Found it.’

It was a jackpot.

-He created another space beneath the underground.

-Wow, Eliza found this?

-Riza? Rizariza!

She had only asked out of curiosity because it was sparkling.

Eliza, who had unintentionally accomplished something, expressed confusion for a moment, then soon bounced around as if asking for praise.

“That’s right, that’s right, Eliza. It’s thanks to you. I’m proud of you. Our Eliza!”

-Rizariza!

Dohyun chuckled as he watched her wiggle her bottom, completely excited.

Though the atmosphere was one of coddling her, it really was thanks to Eliza.

Without Eliza, they would have almost turned back with the entrance right in front of them. That would have given Garion time to erase the traces.

When they returned after that, it might have already been too late.

‘Let’s see what he hid that required this double setup.’

That’s why he was even more curious.

What exactly was there that required such thorough measures?

“Then let’s go in.”

-Riza!

-Good.

-Yes, Master.

As they entered through the entrance that opened in the ground, a message soon appeared and something greeted them.

Dohyun’s eyes widened greatly at this, then soon turned coldly serious.

‘…Well, look at this?’

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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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