The Return of the Genius Ranker of All Times - Chapter 312
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
Chapter 312
Episode 312.
The tomb was no different from before.
The tomb was still filled with filthy and disgusting traces, and the mummified Bairan lay collapsed there.
However, one thing was different.
Swoosh-
In the center of the tomb.
Where the stone coffin that originally bound Bairan was located, a single sword was floating.
“This is….”
It was the sword he had seen in Bairan’s memories.
From the very first training session with Garion, to when he learned Sword Aura, even until the moment he lost consciousness after being betrayed by Garion.
‘Was it the sword he received as a gift from Garion?’
He remembered that Bairan had refused swords from other master craftsmen and always wore this one at his waist.
He had been secretly curious about its performance….
[Sword Imbued with Bairan’s Will]
[Grade: ??]
[Description: A sword that Bairan de Arnis received as a gift from Garion van Rodman.
He always carried the sword given by his beloved knight and brother, and eventually Bairan’s will became imbued in the sword.
O one who inherits Bairan’s will. Through this sword, you will be able to glimpse Bairan’s will.]
[Equipment Restriction: One who inherits Bairan’s will]
[When wielding the sword, you can experience the moments when Bairan harbored his will.]
[You will experience them in order from weak will to strong will.]
It didn’t seem to be an item for obtaining equipment.
It had no grade, no special effects, and not even attack power attached to it.
Bairan’s sword had only one effect.
‘Being able to glimpse his will….’
Unlike viewing Bairan’s memories sequentially, this would let him experience the moments when he harbored his will.
At first glance they seemed similar, but they were clearly different.
It was quite an interesting option, but honestly, he had doubts.
‘At this timing?’
Whatever the case, he had already seen Bairan’s memories, so was there really a need to glimpse his will as well?
Right now when Garion was causing chaos.
For Dohyun, who needed to quickly find an exit and escape, there was no time to leisurely have experiences.
Thinking objectively, that was certainly true, but….
‘This is a hidden piece, right?’
Dohyun’s intuition was telling him.
There must be a clear reason why he obtained the sword through hidden conditions.
Moreover, even the conditions for obtaining this hidden piece were extremely harsh.
The prerequisite was inheriting Bairan’s will, and on top of that, he had to enter the tomb one more time.
Considering that normally no one would come twice to a place they had already cleared once, these were conditions designed to catch people off guard.
‘Conversely, what if they made such conditions because there’s no exit?’
Couldn’t this become a key point for finding the exit?
-Master. Perhaps that sword could become an important element.
-We couldn’t find a way out anyway, so can’t you try swinging it, Owner? I’m curious.
-Rizariza.
Having traveled together for quite a long time, the guys seemed to have similar stances.
Though their reasons were different.
‘I am curious.’
Honestly, Dohyun was also genuinely intrigued, so he nodded.
As he grasped the sword, a cold energy was transmitted through his hand.
But soon, the moment he swung the sword.
Whoosh-!
As if nothing had happened, hot heat was transmitted inside, his vision flashed, and a message appeared.
[It has been confirmed that you have inherited Bairan’s will.]
[Conditions have been met.]
[Bairan’s weakest will is unfolding.]
At the same time, the world changed.
He had clearly been in the tomb just moments ago, but when he opened his eyes, what he saw was the training ground of the Imperial Capital.
There, Bairan… no, Dohyun was swinging a sword.
Whoosh- Slash!
Strike down, slash diagonally, thrust, and slash sideways.
Dohyun’s grip, repeating simple movements, began to ache.
Looking at the height of his vision, he was probably around 10 years old.
The weight of the wooden sword was too heavy for the tender flesh of a still young boy to endure.
‘Should I stop?’
When that thought occurred to him, after pondering deeply, he soon shook his head.
He had already swung 150 times, so he should finish the target of 200 swings.
Even Baharun, who was younger than him, had swung 100 times, so as the older brother, shouldn’t he do twice as much to maintain his dignity?
That emotion, which could be called pride or competitive spirit, soon became a shallow will that moved his body.
Whoosh-!
The moment he swung the sword for the 200th time with his grip feeling like it would burst.
[You have directly experienced Bairan’s weakest will.]
[Swordsmanship proficiency experience points increase.]
[Swordsmanship proficiency rises.]
[Swordsmanship proficiency becomes LV34.]
His vision flashed and he returned to the original tomb.
More precisely, he hadn’t returned.
Dohyun’s body had been here from the beginning.
Only his mind had possessed young Bairan and had a direct and indirect experience.
-Just now was…?
-What, I think I saw something strange just now. Was that you swinging a sword at a scarecrow, Owner?
-Ri, Risa!
From their reactions, it seemed the guys had moved together too.
Whether they saw it together because they were judged as Guardians as one entity, or because the field was judged to have moved, he didn’t know.
But what was important now wasn’t that.
‘My proficiency went up.’
Just from a brief experience, the proficiency that had refused to rise had increased.
Since he had achieved swordsmanship proficiency LV30 when he obtained the 2nd form of Reverse Heaven Technique in the Forgotten Tomb, he had raised in one go what he had only managed to increase by LV3 over several months.
Of course, it might have risen because the experience points happened to be at the very end, but whatever the case, the fact that proficiency increased was real.
‘Let me try once more.’
Dohyun swung the sword again.
This time, he saw Bairan swinging his sword even more tenaciously.
This time he swung the sword a total of 500 times,
[You have directly experienced Bairan’s slightly stronger will.]
[Swordsmanship proficiency experience points increase.]
[Swordsmanship proficiency rises.]
When he returned again, his proficiency experience points had increased.
‘This is totally awesome, isn’t it?’
Proficiency increased just from swinging the sword a few times.
He wasn’t even swinging it with his own will.
He just had to stay still and feel the sensations of Bairan wielding his sword.
And this wasn’t even the end.
[You are receiving instruction in Bairan’s swordsmanship.]
[Bairan’s swordsmanship has an intuitive connection with Garion’s swordsmanship.]
[When you fully receive all swordsmanship instruction, you will fulfill a special condition.]
[Fulfilling the special condition will create an exit.]
“What?”
-Wow… amazing.
-Oh, so the condition was swordsmanship.
-Rizariza.
Unintentionally, he had found a way to escape this place.
And that wasn’t all.
‘Raising swordsmanship proficiency and getting Bairan’s swordsmanship too?’
This was truly killing three birds with one stone, beyond just killing two.
‘Maybe this is actually better?’
Crisis is opportunity, as they say.
This was undoubtedly a chance to improve the specs Dohyun lacked most.
Excited, Dohyun continued swinging his sword several more times after that.
[You have directly experienced a slightly stronger will that Bairan harbored.]
…
[Swordsmanship proficiency experience increases.]
The third will came when he had swung his sword a thousand times.
Even when his grip burst and blood flowed freely, he continued swinging his sword.
The fourth was when he thought about wanting to beat Garion.
Even when he was beaten badly during training and collapsed, he stubbornly got up and swung his sword.
[You have directly experienced a slightly stronger will that Bairan harbored.]
Finally, when the fifth came, he didn’t swing his sword for the first time.
What appeared then were people who revered him.
-He is the reincarnation of the Lion King!
-He will reach the supreme realm.
-Prince Bairan will surely leave his mark in the Empire’s history.
Bairan, who was embarrassed at first, gradually developed an inexplicable sense of mission.
Next was Baharun.
-Wow! I want to become someone like you, brother!
The still very young Baharun was looking up at Bairan, who was revered as the reincarnation of the Lion King, with admiring eyes.
Usually he was timid and couldn’t even speak well.
-Yes, you’ll be able to do it.
-How can I become like you, brother?
-Hmm, there’s a saying. I also heard it from Gari… no, from a certain genius. If you want to become a genius, just imitate that genius.
-Really? Then I’m going to imitate you from now on, brother!
-Go ahead.
Looking at those bright eyes, he chuckled and lightly ruffled Baharun’s hair.
After that, Dohyun continued swinging his sword.
[You have directly experienced a slightly stronger will that Bairan harbored.]
…
[Swordsmanship proficiency increases.]
[Swordsmanship proficiency becomes LV36.]
In that process, Dohyun became one with Bairan.
What feelings he had when swinging his sword, what will he harbored.
All of it was felt vividly.
At first he was alone, and later there were people around him and family including Baharun.
-Your Highness. Your posture is wrong.
-Here you should have stepped more heavily.
-You’ve been assigned a subjugation mission? It’s a dangerous place but also an opportunity that will serve as foundation for growth. Let me go with you.
-When will you beat me? Hmm, well. This is exactly the 100th sparring match, so maybe there’s a possibility by the 200th?
And from some point on, Garion appeared.
Garion was an insurmountable wall to Bairan, yet also a comrade and friend he could share life and death with.
What started as competitive spirit gradually changed to recognition, and that created an intense will incomparable to before.
He would become an emperor and knight worthy of Garion.
[You have directly experienced a strong will that Bairan harbored.]
-I will create a world where no one has to watch the nobles’ moods, and can proudly display their skills to gain recognition.
The moment he harbored that will, he began to grow explosively.
[Swordsmanship proficiency increases.]
[Swordsmanship proficiency becomes LV38.]
…
[Swordsmanship proficiency becomes LV39.]
[Bairan’s swordsmanship gradually becomes more concrete.]
Along with this, Dohyun’s proficiency also began to grow explosively, and the sword path related to Bairan’s swordsmanship began to be drawn before his eyes.
How many more wills had he experienced?
[A strong will that Bairan harbored unfolds.]
The peaceful stage completely changed.
Ronde lying collapsed and bleeding, and Garion standing beside him.
Dohyun was kneeling while looking up at him.
‘This is…’
It was the last scene he had seen through Bairan’s memories.
What followed was the same as what he had seen in the memories.
Hearing the truth that he hadn’t been betrayed by Garion, but had been used from the beginning, and collapsing as his corrupted body reacted.
Everything was the same, but there was one difference.
——-!
Dohyun was experiencing Bairan’s will, not his memories.
Bairan couldn’t see due to his dimming vision, but Dohyun’s eyes could see.
Darkness like pitch black.
Reptilian pupils glowing red within that darkness.
Kraaaaa!
[Your physical abilities are reduced by the roar of an overwhelming presence.]
[Movement speed decreased by 20%.]
[Attack speed decreased by 20%.]
[Defense decreased by 30%.]
[Magic resistance decreased by 25%.]
Even a roar that stimulated instinctive fear like a giant woofer booming.
All of it was saying one thing.
‘…A dragon?’
-…
Though his vision returned to normal, no one opened their mouth.
He hadn’t yet fully received all of Bairan’s swordsmanship or experienced all his will, but he couldn’t bring himself to swing his sword right now.
-…So that’s it.
Only Charlie’s voice echoed lowly.
-That Man… has appeared.
The cause that created the Arren Calamity and the being that originally drove Charlie to death.
It was the moment when the Abyss dragon appeared.
And then,
Ding-
[You have directly experienced the strong will that Bairan harbored.]
[Bairan’s swordsmanship becomes clearer.]
….
[Swordsmanship proficiency has reached LV40.]
[Having encountered an existence deeply related to Guardian ‘Charlie’, the Guardian Quest ‘Dawn of Light’ is triggered.]
[While progressing the Guardian Quest, ‘Charlie’ and other Guardians will possess autonomous will.]
‘Huh?’
Amidst the cascade of messages, Charlie’s body flashed brightly.
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————