The Return of the Genius Ranker’s Myth Warehouse - Chapter 107

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 107
Chapter 107
The Emperor’s command to raise my head.
Along with it came the overwhelming pressure emanating from the Emperor.
The Guard Captain could discern the situation without difficulty.
‘He’s using Dragon Fear.’
The reason the Guard Captain could immediately grasp the situation was simple.
The moment he enlisted in the Emperor’s Imperial Guard.
The Emperor had unleashed Dragon Fear upon him in precisely the same manner.
‘Whenever someone who catches his eye appears, he gauges their capabilities with Dragon Fear and treats them according to their level.’
For instance, the Guard Captain himself could withstand Dragon Fear up to the eighth stage.
The Emperor had once explained that each stage represented one unit of Dragon Fear intensity.
This meant the Dragon Fear the Guard Captain had endured was approximately eighty percent of the Emperor’s maximum output.
‘Furthermore, he said no one has ever withstood the ninth stage or beyond.’
The Guard Captain, who stood directly beside the Emperor, could only endure up to the eighth stage?
No.
Until now, it was the Guard Captain himself who had withstood the Emperor’s Dragon Fear at its highest level.
The very reason he had ascended to the position of Guard Captain was because the Emperor recognized his capabilities after witnessing his ability to endure Dragon Fear up to the eighth stage.
‘I wonder how much Dragon Fear this adventurer can withstand.’
In truth, he harbored no great expectations.
The Guard Captain had once held considerable hope upon hearing that this adventurer had defeated the Orc Lord.
Yet the adventurer he faced directly did not appear particularly formidable.
He might be strong among those of similar standing, but not remarkable enough to stand out among the Empire’s elite.
‘At best, perhaps the second or third stage.’
Dragon Fear could not be overcome through mere endurance alone.
High mental fortitude, an unyielding sense of self that refuses to succumb to fear, accumulated experience, a disciplined body, and innate potential—
Countless factors exerted their influence.
From that perspective, the adventurer’s level as the Guard Captain perceived it was merely capable of enduring the second or third stage.
Indeed, the adventurer had withstood the oppressive force up to the third stage.
So he had thought the trial would end there.
“…!”
The adventurer raised his head completely.
Even as the Emperor’s Dragon Fear intensified to the fourth stage, he lifted his head with such confidence, meeting the Emperor’s gaze directly.
The Emperor’s expression hardened, and he escalated the power of Dragon Fear.
As the Dragon Fear’s intensity surpassed the fifth and sixth stages, reaching the eighth stage—
“Ugh….”
The Guard Captain involuntarily suppressed a groan escaping his lips.
The eighth stage.
The final stage of Dragon Fear that he, the Guard Captain, could manage.
Yet—
‘How is this possible…!’
The adventurer still held his head high, meeting the Emperor’s gaze directly.
Even if one endured through sheer willpower, facing Dragon Fear at this intensity should have caused trembling and cold sweat to pour down one’s body—that was the natural response.
Yet the adventurer’s expression remained remarkably composed.
Before that question could even be answered.
Boom!
The Emperor’s Dragon Fear swelled to a level the Guard Captain could no longer withstand.
It was as though a colossal Golden Dragon of Greed loomed behind the Emperor, its eyes blazing with intensity.
A crushing oppressive force so formidable that any living creature save the mightiest dragons would have no choice but to bow their head and kneel.
At this, the Guard Captain could endure no longer.
‘I cannot persist further….’
Unable to witness what would unfold ahead, he lowered his head in surrender.
* * *
While the Guard Captain held his head down.
The one most bewildered in this Audience Chamber was not the Guard Captain.
‘This cannot be!’
The current Emperor of the Baltika Empire.
Drakeon Baltika.
He had indeed taken interest in the adventurer, but he’d assumed the man would barely withstand two or three stages at most.
When he endured beyond that to the fourth stage, I had felt genuine admiration.
But not now.
‘An adventurer who withstands over 90% of my power!’
No one I had ever encountered before could withstand my Dragon Fear at 90% or higher.
Even the Guard Captain who protects me at my side had a limit of 80%.
As proof, isn’t the Guard Captain beside the adventurer now on the verge of losing consciousness from the Dragon Fear?
Yet still, the adventurer held his head high and firm.
‘Could it be…!’
I poured more power into it.
I, who inherited the dragon blood that only the Emperor of the Baltika Empire could inherit, inherited it more densely than anyone else.
I am confident that I wield Dragon Fear better than the previous emperors, save for the first.
I drew Dragon Fear to its absolute limit.
Stage 10.
The pinnacle of Dragon Fear—so rarely used against humans that even I have scarcely employed it, as no one has ever withstood it until now.
– Groooaaahhh….
Then, a shadowy form of a Golden Dragon’s head became visible behind me.
Ready to force the human daring to stand before me to bow his head and kneel.
Before the form of a Golden Dragon that growled as though it would breathe fire at any moment.
“…!”
The adventurer still held his head high, meeting the Emperor’s gaze unflinchingly.
* * *
The Emperor’s Dragon Fear was far more powerful than I had anticipated.
It was reminiscent of the Dragon Fear wielded by the Golden Dragon of Greed, the final boss monster of First.
‘I have no idea how the Emperor of the Baltika Empire can use Dragon Fear.’
In truth, even though I was accustomed to the Golden Dragon of Greed’s Dragon Fear, I could not completely ignore it.
It would have been different if I were still at max level during my time in First, but I was not yet level 200.
The reason I could withstand the Emperor’s Dragon Fear was naturally thanks to my equipment.
Among them, specifically.
[ Greed of the Golden Dragon ]
( Non-Tradeable )
Form : Bracelet
Grade : Mythic
Restriction : Level 1,000 or higher, Wisdom 1,000 or higher
Description : A bracelet imbued with the greed of the Golden Dragon of Greed, whose avarice reached its zenith and sought to covet this entire world. The greed dwelling within the bracelet remains, devouring all external forces indiscriminately.
The final boss monster of First.
A mythic-grade accessory obtained by defeating the Golden Dragon of Greed—the Greed of the Golden Dragon.
The effect of this bracelet, with its finely engraved golden dragon’s head, was greed itself.
‘Or rather, in terms of item description, it’s closer to immunity or resistance.’
Various status ailments.
Immunity to mental attacks, poison, paralysis, and similar afflictions.
Most status ailment attacks were devoured by the greed dwelling within this bracelet.
– Kroooaaahhh….
‘The Dragon Fear has even taken physical form.’
Indeed, the Emperor’s Dragon Fear was formidable.
The Dragon Fear had manifested, and the form of a golden dragon bloomed before my eyes.
However, in that moment.
I could be absolutely certain.
‘The Golden Dragon of Greed.’
The true identity of that dragon.
Without a doubt, it was the Golden Dragon of Greed that I had defeated during my time in First.
For some reason, the current Emperor of the Baltika Empire possessed the power of the golden dragon.
Or rather, it would be more fitting to say that the Emperor of the Baltika Empire had inherited the golden dragon’s power through successive generations.
Well, before that, first.
– You have fallen into the status ailment ‘Fear’ due to extreme oppressive force.
– You have fallen into the status ailment ‘Stiffness’ due to extreme oppressive force.
I had to overcome these status ailments first.
The Dragon Fear at its limit did not merely inflict status ailments.
– Your health is gradually decreasing due to extreme oppressive force.
It was also consuming my health.
The Guard Captain collapsed beside me would likely remain unharmed for a while given his high health stat.
But I was different.
It was difficult to defend against status abnormalities that had pierced through the Golden Dragon of Greed’s inherent resistance.
For that reason.
– I activate the unique skill ‘Dragon Fear of Greed’ from the Golden Dragon of Greed.
I decided to employ a countermeasure strategy.
To block the Emperor’s Dragon Fear, I too would wield Dragon Fear.
The unique skill inscribed upon the bracelet ‘Golden Dragon of Greed’.
I would harness that power.
– Krooooaaa…!
Above me, the form of the Golden Dragon materialized, confronting the golden dragon’s form hovering above the Emperor.
The Emperor, taken aback.
Regardless, as I channeled more power into the bracelet, my Dragon Fear intensified.
And in turn, the Emperor too poured greater strength into his Dragon Fear, amplifying it further.
A momentary deadlock.
Ku-ku-ku-ku-.
From the clash of the two Dragon Fears, the Audience Chamber trembled violently.
Beyond mere psychological pressure, the Dragon Fear’s oppressive force was exerting physical influence.
If this standoff continued any longer, the Audience Chamber would collapse without question.
Naturally, this situation rippled outward, and I could sense the Imperial Guard rushing toward the chamber, having detected the disturbance.
However, this bracelet, befitting a Mythic-grade item with a 1,000 level restriction, was not something I could sustain for long.
Soon enough, the bracelet would deactivate—of that I was certain.
But it seemed the Emperor too felt that further contests of will were unnecessary.
“Haha! Surely you jest—not only enduring my Dragon Fear to its limit, but actually attempting to suppress it!”
The Emperor withdrew his Dragon Fear.
My bracelet too reached the end of its duration and deactivated, canceling the manifestation of the unique skill.
In that instant.
Boom!
“Your Majesty! Are you unharmed!”
The Audience Chamber doors burst open, and dozens of Imperial Guards appeared in full armor.
However, the guards who had entered found themselves laughing at the sight of the Emperor, realizing the situation differed from what they had anticipated.
Then, the Guard Captain, regaining his composure.
“All of you, withdraw.”
“My apologies!”
“Your Majesty, we humbly beg your pardon. Our soldiers have committed the discourtesy of opening the Audience Chamber doors without permission…”
“Haha, not at all. Was it not all for the protection of my person? Rather, I have confirmed the Imperial Guard’s unwavering loyalty.”
“We are deeply honored by your grace, Your Majesty.”
The Imperial Guard bowed deeply and withdrew.
In the space left by their departure, the Emperor, still wearing a refreshed smile, met my gaze as I remained standing with my head held high.
“You are the first to hold your head so high for this long during an audience with me!”
“…Lower your head.”
“No, no. Was it not I who commanded you to hold your head high? Rather, I am most delighted that one has appeared who can meet my gaze boldly and converse with me as an equal.”
I had worried that he might resent me for counterattacking his Dragon Fear.
But that didn’t seem to be the case.
Seeing him burst into laughter with genuine delight told me otherwise.
“Adventurer Mir. Now I truly understand your Achievement of slaying the Orc Lord and the attention you’ve garnered from those around you!”
Perfect.
With his acknowledgment secured, all that remained was to claim my proper reward.
Or so I thought.
“In that spirit, Adventurer Mir.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“How would you feel about enlisting in my Imperial Guard?”
“Y-Your Majesty!”
An offer neither I nor the Guard Captain standing beside me could have anticipated spilled from the Emperor’s lips.

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