The Return of the Genius Ranker of All Times - Chapter 92

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

Episode 92

Chapter 92.

[You have used Darkness Shroud on ‘Orc Undead’.]

[A 40-second cooldown is applied to the target area.]

[Mana is consumed every second.]

‘Oh, awesome.’

Despite his tension, Darkness Shroud was applied magnificently.

He thought the skill might have been patched when transitioning to Godose since he’d been using it somewhat like an exploit, but it seemed they left it as is.

Considering that Godose was managed by artificial intelligence, this wasn’t coincidence or neglect.

‘The AI must have judged it as reasonable.’

After all, while he had exploited a loophole in the settings, it wasn’t something that would break the game’s balance.

The fact that it never became a meta build and was abandoned proved this point.

So the AI judged there was no reason to interfere with what was at most a fun element or wild card.

It was a flawless, perfectly logical judgment.

‘If only I wasn’t an all-master.’

If only the irregular named Dohyun hadn’t appeared.

Dohyun grinned as he looked at the Orc Undead shrouded in darkness.

The creature had already boasted a menacing aura, but the darkness rippling around it made it look even more threatening.

If before it was merely emanating black mana, now it seemed consumed by darkness itself.

This wasn’t just a figure of speech.

Grrooooo-.

Its entire body was truly dyed black as if consumed by darkness.

While it looked hideous and ominous due to its decayed body, this was an ominous appearance with completely different meaning from its previous somewhat pathetic look.

Grrr…? Grrr-.

As the Orc Undead, already the strongest among them, became even more impressive, the Goblin Undead standing around blankly began wandering nearby.

They seemed quite fascinated by their companion’s transformed appearance.

‘Does it work on these guys too?’

Fortunately, his expectation was correct.

[You have used Darkness Shroud on ‘Red Goblin Undead of the Forest’.]

[You have used Darkness Shroud on ‘Blue Goblin Undead of the Forest’.]

[A 40-second cooldown is applied to the target area.]

[Mana is consumed every second.]

Greh?

The goblins, startled by the dark energy suddenly enveloping their bodies and raising both arms, soon accepted the power.

With even their pupils turned pitch black, they let out battle cries.

Grehhh!

Why did they look like villains transforming?

When Undead met dark attributes, nothing could look more ominous. Especially since these weren’t simple skeleton soldiers, making the impact even greater.

-Kirik… Kuhh… Kuhehel…!

Pleased with his children’s enhanced appearance, Jihad burst into a bloody laugh.

This was the happiest he’d looked recently.

Perhaps because of this, Eliza, who had been quietly watching from the side, was also bouncing around.

-Risa risa!

No translation was needed this time.

Anyone could see it was a child trying to get attention from a dad giving airplane rides, asking for her turn too.

“Wait a moment, Eliza. I’ll do it for you too… huh?”

-Risa!

“Sorry, Eliza. I can’t do it for you.”

-Risa…!

Eliza, who had been full of anticipation, froze in her bouncing position as if shocked.

He felt sorry for Eliza, but there was nothing he could do.

[You have exhausted all mana.]

[Darkness Shroud is canceled.]

-Kuhehe… huh? Ah…

Grrr…? Grrr-.

As the dark attribute disappeared, Jihad and the Undead, who had been dancing as if worshipping demons, stopped like broken robots.

They felt emptiness as the power vanished.

Dohyun felt the same way.

‘My mana’s already completely drained.’

Thanks to having specs beyond his current level, Dohyun had been relatively free with mana usage.

This was the first time he’d been exhausted after using so little.

It was somewhat bewildering, but thinking about it, it made sense.

‘Well, of course.’

The per-second mana consumption was 150, and 150 was applied to each target shrouded in darkness.

Currently, Darkness Shroud was applied to five targets: Dohyun himself, Cheonbyeon, and the Undead.

In other words, 900 mana was being consumed per second.

How could his mana not run short?

‘I should just use this on myself.’

It was disappointing, but unavoidable.

Even using it only on himself would require enduring 300 mana consumption per second.

Considering other skills, even this would need mana potions to maintain stably.

At most, if he had some leeway, maybe one Undead…

‘…Huh? Wait a minute.’

At that moment, a skill he’d forgotten flashed through his mind.

A skill he’d forgotten due to Darkness Shroud’s impact. Hadn’t he not tried Legion Control yet!

“Hey, you…”

-I was thinking the same thing, Owner.

“Try it quickly.”

Jihad, finally on the same wavelength, moved swiftly.

[Guardian ‘Jihad Black’ uses Legion Control.]

[Up to seven creatures can be organized in one legion.]

[Form a legion.]

The Undead he currently had numbered at most six.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Jihad summoned the remaining Undead and designated them all as a legion.

[Orc Undead ×3, Red Goblin Undead of the Forest ×2, Blue Goblin Undead of the Forest ×1 are designated as Legion 1.]

[All Undead in the legion are judged as one entity.]

[Over 50% of the legion’s Undead are judged as lower city monsters. Mana consumption is reduced.]

-Ooh…

Watching the six entities organize and move in perfect unison, Jihad admired them.

It was movement worthy of being called a legion.

Being judged as one entity, their somewhat free-spirited movements became rigid and transformed into an army-like formation.

But what really pleased him wasn’t such trivial matters.

-It’s different. Definitely different, Owner. I think I can maintain this sufficiently!

Jihad’s complexion brightened, apparently finding mana management much easier.

Well, that made sense.

Just being judged as one entity thanks to Legion Control was enough, but handling Goblin Undead additionally reduced mana consumption.

‘Wow… having more numbers definitely feels different.’

After constantly watching him handle about three Undead, seeing him control six created a completely different visual impact.

The clean, army-like formation probably contributed to this.

‘It feels like just yesterday he was struggling to summon even one and picking up junk items… how nostalgic.’

Technically speaking, it really had been just the day before yesterday.

But that wasn’t what mattered right now.

Gulp gulp-.

Dohyun, who had been briefly experiencing the pride of tamers, downed a mana potion.

It was the mana potion he had obtained from completing a quest in Raven.

Compared to his mana pool, the recovery amount was insufficient, requiring him to chug down three bottles, but it only took a little time.

[MP has been fully recovered.]

‘Please work.’

Confirming his mana was full, Dohyun used his skill on the undead at the very front.

[You have used Shroud of Darkness on ‘Orc Undead’.]

[A 40-second cooldown is applied to the target area.]

[Mana is consumed every second.]

Then something amazing happened.

Grroar-.

The moment the orc at the front was consumed by darkness as before.

Grroaaar- Grroar-.

Grroaaaar-!

Like a virus spreading, the orcs around it were devoured by darkness.

It was a spectacular sight.

Six undead legions consumed by darkness, emanating an ominous aura.

Stomp stomp.

Jihad’s eyes sparkled as he approached, mesmerized.

After moving his mouth for a while, he finally couldn’t contain himself and shouted.

-So, so cool…!

-R, Risa!

…Honestly, he had to admit it.

It looked like some kind of army of darkness, stirring a man’s heart.

And it wasn’t just about the aura.

Grroaaar-!

Grroar!

Crack, crack, the undead moved in perfect unison, rushing forward to start beating up the orcs.

It was different from before when they fought freely, each using their own tricks.

They moved systematically, using their numerical advantage to surround and simultaneously thrust their weapons.

Unlike their previous uncool appearance, they looked quite impressive now.

Squeal, squeal!? Squeal!

Squeeeek!

They already had the numerical advantage, and now their damage was amplified too.

Every time they swung their double-bladed axes, the orcs’ tough hide was sliced like cutting radish.

Combat power clearly different from before. This was all thanks to Shroud of Darkness.

[The darkness attribute partially ignores the target’s defense.]

[The darkness attribute absorbs sound.]

Also known as armor penetration.

The biggest reason dark attribute mages are welcomed in boss fights.

And mere undead were wielding it.

Even with sound blocked, combining stealth!

Squeal!? Squeak!

Stab-.

Their appearance of silently swarming, ghostly stabbing to cut off breath, then wandering in search of new prey was like phantom tanks.

[You have defeated an Orc.]

[You have defeated an Orc.]

…

[You have defeated an Orc.]

Like that, one by one, two by two.

Their appearance of relentlessly slaughtering orcs as if only the command to exterminate orcs had been programmed into them was eerie.

[Brion Vicinity Monster Elimination (789 / 1,000)]

“…”

It was while he stood still watching the numbers continuously rise.

Jihad, who had been watching blankly beside him, spoke in a somewhat bitter voice.

-Owner… I think I made a good choice going with Zeke.

“…I guess so.”

Dohyun was certain.

Jihad’s choice of Zeke would be the best decision of his Guardian life.

Squeal- Squeak-.

Grroaaar-.

Even in that moment, orcs continued to die,

[Brion Vicinity Monster Elimination (792 / 1,000)]

[Brion Vicinity Monster Elimination (793 / 1,000)]

And the monster elimination count kept rising.

Faced with hunting efficiency that rivaled macros, Dohyun couldn’t help but utter these words.

“…Sweet.”

-Yeah, sweet…

It was too sweet, way too sweet.

* * *

[Brion Vicinity Monster Elimination (1,000 / 1,000)]

[Brion Vicinity Monster Elimination completed.]

[Return to ‘Gamillion Adran’ to complete the quest.]

[Guardian ‘Jihad Black’ has exhausted all mana.]

[Undead are being reverse-summoned.]

[All mana exhausted, ‘Shroud of Darkness’ is deactivated.]

[Level increased.]

“Nice!”

Had it been about 50 minutes since they started hunting?

He couldn’t help but admire the achievement of sweeping away 200 monsters in less than an hour.

With Dohyun already having Tal-Brion specs, plus Jihad’s undead joining in, it was truly insane hunting speed.

‘The problem is that the mana consumption speed is just as insane.’

Nothing comes with only advantages, they say.

The rapid mana consumption, matching the crazy growth speed, occasionally held them back.

Because of that, only one mana potion remained.

And that was only because he saved it for unexpected situations; if he had wanted to use it, he would have used it long ago.

‘Now it’s not Jihad who’s the problem, but me.’

After solving Jihad’s mana difficulties, now it was Dohyun’s turn.

Still, it wasn’t serious.

Whether drinking mana potions, leveling up, or increasing magic power.

Unlike Jihad, Dohyun being a player had many solutions available.

Dohyun used the easiest method among them.

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