The Return of the Genius Ranker of All Times - Chapter 43

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Episode 43

Chapter 43.

What is a divine beast?

Cool appearance, excellent performance, extreme rarity…

There were many factors to consider, but the two most essential ones were these:

Having intelligence so advanced that you’d believe it was an NPC, and possessing a setting so extraordinary in the world’s lore that it was worthy of being called a spiritual being.

“Intelligence excellent enough to curse the Forgotten Clan… Hmm, just looking at this, it does fit…”

In that regard, Jihad Black was a guardian that could be called a divine beast.

Highly intelligent, and in terms of the world’s lore, he was actually a survivor of the Forgotten Clan… nothing was out of place.

-I’m finished now… I’ve become a slave to filthy humans…

Even the most intelligent divine beasts couldn’t express such a variety of emotions.

Rationally, it was proper to think of him as a divine beast, but his heart just couldn’t accept this.

‘A goblin as a divine beast…! And one who called it cheating when he got hit!’

His first divine beast in life… no, his first guardian, and it had to be like this!

The majestic figures of Yongyong and Hosik flickered in his mind. Uncle Bora, who walked around with both of them at his sides calling it a clash of dragons and tigers, had looked truly cool.

And what about himself?

Kirik… Kiririk…

He’d have to walk around with this small goblin making typical goblin sounds and sniffling.

It hadn’t looked too bad when wearing the robe, but now that it was off, it couldn’t look more pitiful.

A salamander or golem would probably look several times cooler.

That fact was frustrating, but Dohyun soon accepted reality and let out a sigh.

‘What’s important is that I got a guardian.’

And a divine beast at that… well, he wasn’t sure if it could be called that, but it was certainly no ordinary guardian.

It wouldn’t be too late to calmly check it out first.

[Would you like to check Guardian ‘Jihad Black’s’ information?]

‘Yeah.’

[Jihad Black]

[Title: Hero-grade Named Guardian]

[Type: Goblin]

[Level: LV1]

[Loyalty: 0 / 100]

[Traits: Bloodline Factor, Curse Sorcerer, Necromancer, Quick Hands]

[Guardian Traits: Bully the Weak and Fear the Strong, Opportunist]

[Description: A survivor of a fallen clan.

Jihad, who carries excellent bloodline, is a goblin who has lived for hundreds of years. But now he has become a human’s guardian and must live that way.]

[Most abilities are sealed due to current low level.]

[Available Skills: 1]

-Undead Creation

“…Hmm.”

Jihad Black’s information was similar to before yet somehow different.

First, his title had changed from Hero-grade Named Boss to Hero-grade Named Guardian.

It was just a one-word difference, but what it implied was significant.

‘Not a Hero-grade divine beast or spirit, but a Named…’

Since divine beasts are basically all Named by default, the modifier “Named” doesn’t usually get attached.

Spirits aren’t unique except for Spirit Kings, so they’re not Named…

‘Both the card appearance and this are quite unusual.’

At least Dohyun had never heard of anyone obtaining a guardian this way.

If you could get a boss as a guardian just by defeating it, countless rankers would be walking around with boss mobs as guardians.

‘If that were the case, I should have dozens of guardians by now.’

Of course, what he knew was Demroc, and he didn’t know much about Godseeker, so maybe such cases existed here.

But it probably wasn’t a common occurrence.

‘The traits are the same… but Guardian Traits are Bully the Weak and Fear the Strong? Opportunist?’

Guardian Traits simply meant characteristics.

They expressed the guardian’s core personality or features in a single word.

These traits were a system that helped users better understand their guardians, but also helped them raise loyalty more effectively.

The criteria for raising loyalty differed according to these Guardian Traits.

Users would consider how to utilize and develop their guardians based on that information.

‘What kind of Guardian Traits are these?’

In that regard, Jihad Black’s Guardian Traits were shocking.

Dohyun had never in his life seen Guardian Traits like Bully the Weak and Fear the Strong combined with Opportunist.

Usually they had somewhat decent traits like Friend of Water, Brave, Commander, or Coward, not something so blatantly low-class.

And it didn’t end with just the description.

[Guardian Jihad Black’s loyalty is very low.]

[Due to Bully the Weak and Fear the Strong and Opportunist traits, he may flee or betray you when loyalty is low. Please be careful.]

‘Crazy…’

There were plenty of guardians who would break contracts when loyalty was low.

But he’d never heard of the system sending a message warning that they might betray you.

Truly nothing about this guy was ordinary.

Kiririk…

When he glanced at the creature, quite a distance had already opened up between them.

The guy’s eyes were full of hostility as he constantly muttered complaints, looking like he might stab him in the back at any moment.

‘This won’t do.’

It seemed special measures were needed.

Whether he liked it or not, this was his subordinate guardian now, and he couldn’t let it betray him.

Checking its performance could come after.

The education needed for guys like this had been the same since ancient times.

[Remaining Play Time 00:15:11]

“15 minutes… that should be enough.”

After checking the time, Dohyun quietly sheathed his weapon and tossed it into his inventory.

Crack- crack.

Then Dohyun stretched his body and slowly walked over.

Jihad Black flinched at the sight of Dohyun suddenly approaching him. Then he rolled his eyes and spat out.

-Wh-what. Why are you approaching me like that, human.

“Human? To your master? Your mental state is screwed up.”

-…What?

“One hit per second… no, that won’t work. There’s the stamina issue too, so that might be tough. But this should be enough.”

-…?

Jihad Black’s face showed he had no idea what was happening.

Regardless, Dohyun didn’t stop his muttering and was soon standing right in front of Jihad. When Jihad looked up at him, Dohyun smiled slightly with his eyes.

“First, get hit.”

-?

“Hup!”

Right after, Dohyun bent down and drove a short punch into his abdomen.

Whack!

A satisfying impact sound echoed,

-Gueeeek!!

Followed by the sound of a pig… no, a goblin being slaughtered.

[You have attacked your guardian.]

[Masters deal reduced damage to guardians and can never kill them.]

‘Yeah, this is it.’

The master can never kill a guardian.

Moreover, with significant damage reduction applied, even if killing were possible, it would be extremely difficult to do so accidentally.

However, guardians are AI living in Godseeker.

Unlike players who take little damage and don’t die, only feeling slight pain for the sake of immersion, guardians feel pain in its entirety.

Thwack! Smack-!

-Gueek! Gwak! P-please stop…!

That was why Jihad Black was rolling on the ground, tears and snot streaming down his face.

And also why Dohyun could beat him up without worry.

-You heinous human… you lead with your fists first! Fine, I won’t just stand here either… Gueek! Guek!

Thwack! Smack!

-I’ll never let you…!

Crack!

-Huff, huff…! You mere human…

Though the creature crawling backwards on the ground still showed no signs of loyalty, Dohyun could see it.

[Loyalty: 2 / 100]

The loyalty that had risen just a tiny bit after beating him a few times.

‘As the ancestors said, the rod is medicine for such creatures.’

Feeling the greatness of ancestral wisdom once again, Dohyun slowly approached.

Today’s goal was loyalty of 20 or higher.

* * *

How many minutes had passed?

Crack! Thwack!

When the cheerful striking sounds had echoed through the cave hundreds of times, and the screams filling the cave had exceeded even that.

-S-stop…! Please stop!

“Stop?”

-N-no… please stop! I was wrong, Master!

Finally, respectful language came from Jihad Black’s mouth.

It was a change that came only after precisely 97 strikes to his vital points here and there.

Considering he had targeted only the most unbearable vital spots, he was truly a tenacious creature.

But…

Crack!

-Guhek! Why, why…?

“Just don’t like the look in your eyes.”

-That’s completely unreasonable…! Gueek!

Dohyun didn’t stop his fists.

It wasn’t because his character was rotten and he was venting his anger.

[Loyalty: 10 / 100]

[Loyalty is low. Will flee at the first opportunity.]

‘Only 10 even after all this beating.’

Though he called him master with his mouth, the creature was still looking for an opportunity.

He’d probably try to reassure him, then plan an escape during the time he was logged off.

He was truly an impressive creature, but Dohyun was confident he wouldn’t lose in this area either.

‘If 100 hits won’t do, then 300. If that won’t do, then more.’

If beating doesn’t fix them, then there wasn’t enough beating.

Even in Demroc, when making examples of those who tried to backstab him, there were occasionally some who didn’t come to their senses.

In those cases, after trampling them more thoroughly, they could never even make eye contact again.

That was the instinct of the strong preying on the weak.

-This might be manageable?

He had to beat them until their minds were hazy, so such thoughts wouldn’t even occur to them.

Crack! Thwack!

-What, what’s the problem, Master… Gueek!

-I was wrong. I was wro… Gek!

-You demon of a human…! Guhek! Gueek! Kieek!

No matter what honeyed words he used, Dohyun swung his fists without responding even once.

There was no need to listen to the creature’s words.

[Loyalty 11 / 100]

[Loyalty 10 / 100]

[Loyalty 13 / 100]

The loyalty fluctuating up and down in real-time served as the most objective indicator.

How long had he beaten him silently like that?

-N-no. I was crazy. I actually had bad intentions. I’ll never harbor such thoughts again. Huuung…

At Jihad’s first genuine outburst, Dohyun stopped his fists for the first time.

There wasn’t a trace of falsehood in his childlike crying.

Since no matter what he said, only fists came flying, he realized that petty schemes wouldn’t work.

[Loyalty: 18 / 100]

[Loyalty is low. Caution required.]

[Remaining play time 00 : 00 : 41]

It was the result of a full 15 minutes of loving discipline.

‘It’s disappointing I couldn’t reach 20… but this should be enough.’

At least the warning about backstabbing had disappeared.

He wouldn’t run away when he logged back in, so the rest could be handled with periodic education.

Even if he beat him for 40 more seconds, it didn’t seem like it would rise further, and when they sincerely repent like this, it’s right to give carrots rather than sticks.

“Right. Now you’re finally looking decent.”

-Huuung… ung…

“Would’ve been nice if you were like this from the start. Don’t you think?”

-Y-yes.

Nowhere in Jihad’s appearance as he carefully read the mood while answering was there any trace of the presence he had when he first appeared.

He only showed the appearance of a dog watching his master’s mood when being scolded.

Of course, he shouldn’t be fooled by just that appearance. If he relaxed and continued being nice, the creature would quickly climb back up.

[Maximum connection time has ended.]

[Connection will end soon.]

Seeing the message that appeared after 40 seconds had already passed, Dohyun didn’t forget to add one last word.

“I’m leaving.”

-Yes? Where to…?

“Don’t get happy. I’ll be back. So behave yourself.”

-O-of course. Please go in, Master!

Jihad, who bowed almost folding his waist in half, only raised his head 5 seconds after Dohyun disappeared.

It was a sight showing how strongly Dohyun’s terror had been imprinted.

-…He’s gone, right?

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————