The Return of the Genius Ranker of All Times - Chapter 89

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

Episode 89

Chapter 89.

Deep within the Foul-Smelling Rock Forest.

Trudge, trudge.

After walking for several minutes, Dohyun looked around, confirmed no one was there, and only then checked the accumulated message windows.

[You have defeated the field boss of the Foul-Smelling Rock Forest, ‘Orc Warrior of Death’.]

[Would you like to harvest the Enhanced Essence Orb of the Orc Warrior of Death?]

[You have harvested the Essence Orb.]

[As a reward…]

[It has been recorded in the Adventure Log.]

[You have defeated a new type of boss on first encounter.]

[Due to the Predation effect, all stats increase by +6.]

[You have leveled up.]

…

A festival of countless messages that had appeared after killing the Orc Warrior of Death.

Normally, Dohyun would have checked them immediately, but this time he couldn’t.

‘Whew, that was hectic.’

The moment he defeated the Orc Warrior of Death, he was bombarded with applause from onlookers without any chance to check the messages.

The sight of those dark-skinned men looking at him with sparkling eyes and clapping purely…

‘…wasn’t exactly pleasant.’

It somehow reminded him of Charlie too.

Still, if that had been the end of it, he would have just thought ‘oh well’ and moved on, but the problem was what came next.

Perhaps applause wasn’t enough to express the emotion they felt, as they swarmed over to request autographs.

-You’ll be blessed.

-Awesome! An autograph!

-You’re really amazing. I’ve been watching your videos well, you’ll upload this one too, right? I’ll be waiting!

The words they said each time he gave an autograph were burdensome, but not entirely unpleasant.

There used to be people like this in the old days too.

It brought back memories from those times, and hearing that they watched YouTube felt refreshingly different.

While he’d heard people say they saw his interview, this was the first time someone said they were a fan who watched the videos he directly uploaded.

‘That archer was especially impactful.’

Among them, one had particularly sparkling eyes but was strangely the most quiet.

Just staring endlessly.

It was like how a tsundere might act when getting an autograph.

-…Lucky.

-Risa!

It was a secret that Jihad had been watching their attention with envy from the side.

Despite putting on an amazing undead show, surprisingly no one had spoken to Jihad at all.

-What’s the problem? Why won’t anyone talk to me?

Perhaps the fighting style was too crude.

That thought immediately came to mind, but Dohyun wasn’t someone completely lacking in consideration, so he didn’t voice it out loud.

‘That’s not what’s important right now.’

Finishing his brief reminiscence, Dohyun focused on the system window.

Specifically, on the rewards.

[Leather of the Orc Warrior Imbued with Death’s Aura]

[Grade: Rare]

[Description: The tough leather of an orc warrior imbued with death’s aura. It would be useful when crafting armor.]

[Fangs of the Orc Warrior Imbued with Death’s Aura]

[Grade: Rare]

[Description: The sharp fangs of an orc warrior imbued with death’s aura. They would be useful when crafting accessories.]

The rewards obtained this time were just these two material items and 600 gold.

Meager rewards compared to what he’d been getting so far.

Though it was disappointing, Dohyun easily accepted it.

‘…This is normal. Things have been going unusually well for me lately.’

It was because he’d been sweeping up various hidden pieces or getting guaranteed items through first discovery buffs, but normally this was standard.

If you could get equipment just by killing a field boss once, why would equipment be precious and expensive?

A quick search on the auction house would show them scattered around like trash.

‘Well, it’s not like there was no harvest.’

He may not have gotten equipment, but the harvest was sufficient.

Thanks to defeating a boss on first encounter, the ‘Predation’ effect of the First Slayer activated, raising all his stats by 6.

Not only that, he also leveled up and reached level 30.

[Player: Kaiser]

[Level: 30]

[HP: 5,010 / 5,010]

[MP: 1,600 / 1,600]

[Stamina: 790 / 790]

[Class: Last Adventurer 【Heir of Kashiyar】]

[Titles (7)]

-Max Favorability from the Start?

-First Slayer

…(Expand)

[Stats]

【Strength: 80(+70)】 【Agility: 55(+69)】

【Vitality: 5(+69)】 【Perception: 37(+67)】

【Magic Power: 5(+65)】

Remaining Points: 46

‘Wow…’

The status window that was born from this.

Seeing the much more splendid stats naturally brought a pleased smile to his face. Who would think this was level 30?

He was only level 30 but already had 7 titles, each with extraordinary grades.

He even had 46 remaining points.

‘There’s no need to invest them yet.’

Thanks to the ‘Hidden Dragon’ trait giving 7 points with each level up, they accumulated quickly anyway, but now wasn’t the time yet.

The random skill draw ticket obtained from reaching level 30.

‘I’ll see what comes out and then invest.’

Though he wanted to draw immediately, Dohyun held back.

Hadn’t he made a resolution at Raven?

‘Draw at auspicious places!’

Not to have the complacency of drawing skills anywhere just trusting in the Eye of Truth!

Perhaps appreciating that mindset, he was given the fateful skill ‘Parrying’, so he planned to maintain that attitude this time too.

In contrast to the resolute Dohyun, Jihad seemed to have different thoughts.

-M-Master… I can’t hold back anymore.

Without even looking at the desperate-looking Jihad, Dohyun answered firmly.

“Just hold on a little longer.”

-Something inside my body… something is trying to happen.

“We’re really almost there.”

-You know that’s the fifth time you’ve said that, Master…?

“Really the final one. We’re really almost there.”

Is this how it feels when you can’t do any more reps but the trainer shouts ‘One more, really the last one’?

Or perhaps this is the heart of a father shouting ‘Just 5 more minutes!’ to his son asking how much farther to the mountain peak.

There was something satisfying about watching Jihad’s expression contort every time he said they were really almost there.

Actually, there was a reason why Jihad was whining like this.

[Guardian ‘Jihad Black’ has reached level 10.]

[Guide him who stands at a crossroads of choice.]

‘How does the timing work out so perfectly like this.’

Just like how players choose one of the derivative classes to advance after drawing their deity, Guardians also undergo something called advancement when they reach level 10.

However, it was a bit different from players.

It’s called advancement, but it’s generally seen as just choosing attributes.

For example, ‘Crimson Flame Salamander’, ‘Blue Flame Salamander’.

Or like ‘Steel Golem’, ‘Regeneration Golem’.

Without saying what’s better, Guardian advancement was just choosing what that player needed more.

‘But divine beasts are different.’

If Guardians were about choosing attributes, divine beasts were closer to evolution.

Like how an imugi becomes an imugi holding a yeouiju and eventually becomes a dragon, distinct changes occur with each advancement.

There’s a reason why they say divine beasts before and after advancement are different species.

‘Yongyong and Hosik were like that too.’

Violet-Flavored Auntie’s Dragon-Tiger Struggle were just a slightly large tiger and imugi when first seen.

They only came to boast the presence like the Azure Dragon and White Tiger of the Four Guardians’ Chamber after repeated advancements.

In that regard, Jihad was a bit peculiar.

[Path of the Necromancer Commander]

[Path of the Demolition Necromancer]

‘I expected it, but it feels strange seeing the actual classes appear.’

Jihad had both Corpse Sorcerer and Curse Sorcerer in his traits, and his combat style was that of a typical demolition necromancer.

His skills were blatantly undead summoning too.

If he evolved into a Goblin Hop now, that would be stranger.

That’s why Dohyun was naturally thinking of raising him as a commander necromancer rather than a demolition necromancer…

The fact that a Guardian had classes appear like a player did feel strange.

‘Well, when was that guy ever normal anyway.’

Whether in good ways or bad ways, he’s quite a peculiar fellow, isn’t he.

There was nothing to be surprised about now.

Anyway, how long had they been walking like that. Now when Jihad had truly reached his limit.

“Aaaaah!”

“Ah damn it! Why is it common again!”

“Jackpot! Hero grade appeared!! Thank you, oh deity.”

Noisy sounds came from beyond the rocks.

-Wow, we’re here!

Having experienced this once before, Jihad was certain this was the place and hurriedly went inside.

Dohyun and Eliza followed behind him, and soon they could see.

Players sitting on rocks with reddened eyes in the thick fog, doing various draws.

Overall, perhaps because the numbers had decreased in the Foul-Smelling Rock Forest, there weren’t as many as in Raven, but there seemed to be at least ten people.

‘We came to the right place.’

This was one of the two most famous blessed spots in Brion, the Rock Forest Mountain Range.

Orcs appeared constantly wherever there was fog, but strangely, they didn’t appear here.

It wasn’t just Orcs.

This was a place where even small insects couldn’t be seen, so people often used this place as a kind of rest area or safe zone.

‘Though now it’s become a drawing spot.’

As always, rumors were the problem.

Since it was a safe zone, those who obtained draw tickets while hunting began stopping by to do their draws, and naturally as more people drew good things, word of mouth spread.

A place that was once used as a safe zone had now become a famous spot people visited for drawing.

Dohyun was one of them.

-Owner, quickly!

“Alright.”

At Jihad’s urging, Dohyun immediately moved his hand.

[Will you choose the Path of the Necromancer Commander?]

“Yeah.”

Flash!

Then a brilliant light burst from Jihad, momentarily blinding their vision.

It was a pitch-black light, the same as Jihad’s mana. The darkness that passed in an instant felt like entering and exiting a tunnel.

[Guardian ‘Jihad Black’ walks the Path of the Necromancer Commander.]

[Please draw a skill.]

A message that appeared with a flash before their eyes and seven cards.

This was the reason.

The reason for not advancing in the hunting ground, and coming all the way to this blessed spot while enduring the whining.

When a Guardian advances for the first time, they don’t get a skill draw ticket but are made to draw a skill immediately.

‘Good thing I heard from Violet-Flavored Auntie, I almost drew in some weird place.’

At Dohyun’s muttering that took ten years off his life, the finally liberated Jihad couldn’t hide his bewilderment.

-No, what’s so important about that? You can just draw anywhere.

“No. You can’t accomplish anything with such a half-hearted resolve. Do you think achieving something is that easy? Life is originally like that, damn… I mean, Jihad.”

-…

At Dohyun’s incredibly serious face, Jihad opened his mouth then closed it.

It was certainly the right thing to say, but why was he displaying such resolve for drawing? When he usually just roughly beat down bosses.

Jihad’s head simply couldn’t understand it.

“Look at those people burning with determination. How desperate they are.”

-…

What was even more incomprehensible was that the faces of the surrounding humans really showed the kind of resolve that made Dohyun’s words seem like no exaggeration.

Truly life-or-death determination.

-Humans are strange…

His owner, who wasn’t normal to begin with, but especially lost his mind whenever words like ‘card opening’ or ‘drawing’ were mentioned.

And those humans whose eyes were bloodshot like drug addicts, displaying life-or-death determination…

-Risa?

-Don’t look at such things, Eliza. It’s dirty.

Jihad stuffed Eliza back into his robe pocket as she tilted her head and tried to peek out, then asked.

-So what came out?

At Jihad’s question, Dohyun’s face hardened.

“…Silver.”

-What’s that?

“I don’t know, I’m sad so don’t talk to me.”

-…?

Such a Dohyun looked genuinely sad.

-I don’t understand. Handle it yourself.

Eventually giving up on understanding, Jihad stepped back and withdrew.

He should be concentrating since it was his own skill being drawn, but he didn’t have the confidence to handle this league where everyone except himself seemed to have gone strange.

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