The Return of the Genius Ranker’s Myth Warehouse - Chapter 180

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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 180
Chapter 180
After mounting Lakshi and observing my guild members’ combat, I came to a conclusion.
‘Indeed, I chose well.’
My guild members’ abilities were more than satisfactory.
Out of ten members, excluding myself, Kang Ju-hyuk, two Production Guild members, and Ena the administrator, there were only five.
Yet with that number, they were brilliantly holding back the frogs and protecting the carriage.
However, even so, a named monster appeared that seemed difficult for the guild members to handle alone.
Crunch!
“Croak…”
Unfortunately, I had to stop observing and personally split the head of the named monster—a toad.
The equipment I donned simultaneously with Black Flame transformation was a legendary-tier set item.
Being specialized for this swampland, it not only prevented my feet from sinking but also granted a significant increase in strength within the swampland.
Using magic and skills in that state, I cleaved the head with Nagelring, my mythic-tier weapon.
Even with a high level, it wasn’t an attack a named monster could withstand.
“Ooooh!”
“Guild Master! That was incredible!”
“As expected of Mir!”
I heard my guild members’ cheers, but since this feeling still felt strange, I quietly returned to my position.
Then I mounted Lakshi again and continued pulling the carriage from the front.
Kang Ju-hyuk and the other guild members continued blocking monsters.
Lee Chul-geun also continued repairing the bridge.
As we proceeded,
“Are these Baron Mir’s knights? Remarkable! They look perfectly suited to Baron Mir.”
The Tower Guide from the Imperial Palace said such things.
Well, even though they’re my guild members, it’s understandable that the Tower Guide would see them as knights.
Too lazy to explain, I simply nodded, and the Tower Guide continued excitedly.
“I was worried since I heard you were granted the Kalbera Territory, but it seems I was mistaken.”
Being someone from the Imperial Palace, he knew quite a lot.
Through him, I could grasp various information and rumors from the Imperial Palace.
I also learned that it was Duke Winchilsey, who could be called the backbone of the aristocratic faction, who suggested granting me the Kalbera Territory.
“I wondered why His Majesty the Emperor accepted such a proposal! Truly, His Majesty did not abandon the Kalbera Territory!”
Is that so?
Though I’ve had more audiences with the Emperor than any other user, I still cannot completely trust him.
The Emperor’s pro-user stance was merely actions that benefited the Empire—it wasn’t about equality toward users.
As I continued hearing various information through the Tower Guide,
“Guild Master! Poison!”
One of my guild members, who was confronting monsters ahead of me, shouted to me.
Turning my head, I could indeed see a poisonous mist spreading.
A thick, deep purple poisonous mist visible to the naked eye.
Many had brought emergency antidotes with them, but there was no reason to deliberately inhale the poison fog, so everyone was retreating from it.
The problem was.
‘Of all places.’
The poison fog was encroaching on the only passage through the Swampland.
Moreover, though the poison fog advanced slowly, it was steadily pushing forward and expanding its territory.
Both the guild members and everyone aboard the carriages were troubled by this sight.
[ Treasure of Fire and Wind, Windfire Wheel ]
( Non-Tradeable )
Form : Treasure Orb
Grade : Unique
Restriction : Level 500 or higher, Wisdom 1,500 or higher
Description : A treasure in the form of shoes with small wheels attached. A divine treasure that emits fire and wind, also known as Nata’s power.
I decided to buy time by using the item I had retrieved through Luke.
– Using the unique skill of the ‘Treasure of Fire and Wind, Windfire Wheel’, ‘Divine Wind and Fire Technique’.
Whoooosh!
Crackle and roar!
The moment I activated the Windfire Wheel’s unique skill.
Fire and wind burst forth from the Windfire Wheel in my hand, spreading in all directions.
The wind expelled from the Windfire Wheel pushed back the poison fog, while the flames incinerated it.
The fire and wind that spread outward continued until they had expanded far enough to protect the carriages like a barrier, then ceased their movement.
Thanks to that, it seemed we wouldn’t need to worry about the poison fog for a while.
“Where did this poison fog suddenly come from?”
“Is it a trap?”
“I’ve heard that in Swampland terrain, natural phenomena related to poison can sometimes occur, but….”
The guild members panicked at the sudden poison.
“This is truly strange. According to the records, this path was created by Imperial forces after finding the safest route, and there has never been such a phenomenon until now….”
The Tower Guide was equally bewildered.
However, in that moment, I could clearly identify the true nature of this poison fog.
“It’s a monster.”
“What are you talking about, Mir? You’re saying this poison fog was expelled by a monster?”
“Yes.”
“No, unless it’s a boss-level monster, there’s no way it could expel poison fog over such a wide range….”
“Exactly. A boss monster.”
“Huh? Really?”
Yes, this is poison fog expelled by a boss monster.
A boss monster that grows in swampland terrain.
The creature also known as a Corpse Flower.
“That, that can’t be! This path was created by Imperial experts who determined it to be the safest route….”
The Tower Guide rebutted in shock upon hearing my words.
“The Corpse Flower is not merely a plant. In a swamp, it can move, albeit slowly.”
“Sir, are you saying that plants can move?”
“Not only that, but seeing how the poison fog is spreading suggests the flower only recently bloomed. Most likely, it hid beneath the swamp before flowering, which is why even the Empire couldn’t detect it.”
With my experience in First, I understood monster ecology at an expert level, so that explanation didn’t sit right with me.
I considered pushing through the poison fog using magic and items, but the remaining distance was too far to expend enough magic and items to protect the carriage while doing so.
Yet turning back to avoid the poison meant dealing with the swampland’s treacherous, muddy terrain.
So then.
“Kang Ju-hyuk, I’ll go handle this myself. Just keep watch over the carriage.”
I decided to go alone and defeat the boss monster.
“Wait, a boss monster? Just looking at the monsters appearing here, their levels seem anything but ordinary. It’s too dangerous for you to go alone!”
“That’s right, Guild Master! We should….”
“Can you still protect the carriage if two or more of us leave?”
At my question, Kang Ju-hyuk and the other guild members fell silent.
There was no way around it.
And for good reason.
“Croak.”
“Ribbit.”
Monsters kept appearing even at this very moment, didn’t they?
Though I had a barrier made from Windwheel Stones, those frogs avoided the barrier by swimming beneath the swamp, continuing to target the carriage.
Taking more people in this situation would only endanger the carriage.
“I’ll be back soon, so keep a good watch.”
“Sigh, be careful.”
“Got it.”
So I had to go alone to defeat the boss monster.
Whoosh!
After giving my orders, I immediately dashed toward the source of the poison fog.
Since I just had to head in the opposite direction of where the poison fog was spreading, there was no reason to get lost.
However, the moment I passed through the Windwheel Stone barrier, thick poison fog attacked my respiratory system.
“Luke.”
– Yes, Master.
I had already prepared for this.
[ Basilisk’s Lethal Toxin Mask ]
( Non-Tradeable )
Type : Mask
Grade : Epic
Requirement : Level 250 or higher
Description : An immunity mask crafted from the scales and feathers of the Basilisk, a creature also known as the Poison King.
A mask shaped like a serpent settled over my face.
Then I took a breath.
“Ahhhh….”
Instead of the thick poison fog, I felt clean air.
The Basilisk’s Deadly Venom Mask.
As an Epic-grade poison immunity protective gear, it blocked most of the toxins entering through the respiratory system.
Of course, I couldn’t afford to be careless even with this.
Epic-grade item or not, it was still a level 250 piece of equipment.
In contrast, the poisonous mist spreading throughout the area appeared to be venom expelled by a boss monster of at least level 400 or higher.
As time passed, the mask’s durability would wear down, and once it was completely depleted, I’d have no choice but to inhale this toxic fog.
‘I’ll bring it down before that happens.’
With that resolve, I sprinted rapidly toward the direction from which the poisonous mist was drifting.
As I looked around while running.
‘The toxicity must be incredibly potent.’
Not a single living creature was visible anywhere.
All the frogs that had been so abundant were dead, and every tree and plant that had flourished throughout the Swampland lay lifeless.
In fact, the reason the boss monster I was hunting was called the Corpse Flower was precisely because of this.
It released poisonous mist to kill all surrounding life, then absorbed nutrients from their corpses.
That was the boss monster I was searching for.
As I continued running.
A wriggle.
For the first time, something moving entered my field of vision.
I immediately.
– Activating skill ‘Jade Stone Bastion’.
A resounding crash!
I had to use the defensive skill obtained from defeating the massive green stone giant.
The enormous serpent-like creature I’d discovered was lashing out like a whip, attacking me.
Its true identity was.
‘A root.’
A root of the Corpse Flower.
Seeing this, I realized I was drawing close to my destination.
After severing the root that lashed out again as if it possessed eyes.
I continued sprinting deeper into the Swampland toward the source of the roots.
As I did, the poisonous mist surrounding me grew progressively thicker, and the durability of my mask depleted at an accelerating rate.
A rustling sound!
The roots on the ground multiplied increasingly.
Dozens of those roots rose up like serpents and attacked me.
While it was quite a threatening assault.
A cutting sound!
These were merely scattered rootlets.
And I wasn’t weak enough to be overwhelmed by rootlets.
Maintaining my running speed, I continued forward, severing the rootlets as I moved.
Then.
“Almost there.”
Even with a mask filtering out the toxic fog, the stench seeps through.
The distinctive reek of a corpse flower.
As expected, it wasn’t long before.
[ Corpse Flower, Rafletia ]
The boss monster of the Swampland.
The corpse flower came into view.
A monster seemingly inspired by the real-world ‘Rafflesia’—Rafletia.
Its form was… an enormously massive flower.
Rather than beautiful, it was grotesque and unsettling in appearance.
Like a heart that had corrupted the earth itself, it was rooted deep in the swamp, displaying thick petals.
As if connected to some distant abyss, toxic fog continuously billowed from the dark center of the flower, while thick roots kept extending outward.
That creature was the root cause of this entire catastrophe.
Given as much.
“Luke.”
– Yes, Master.
To deliver a powerful opening strike, I drew out a bow and arrows.
The bow I selected was adequate enough, but the arrows were something else entirely.
Arrows blazing with scorching flames.
Their true identity was.
[ Ifrit’s Flame Arrow ]
( Non-Tradeable )
Type : Arrow
Grade : Mythic
Requirements : Level 700 or higher, Bow Mastery Lv 70 or higher, Spirit Affinity Lv 70 or higher
Description : A flame arrow imbued with the power of Ifrit, the Flame Spirit King. The scorching flames of that Spirit King incinerate enemies and return them to nature.
Ifrit’s flame arrows—the Flame Spirit King’s own creation.
Using a concealment skill and maintaining distance, I climbed atop a dead tree and momentarily slipped from its detection range.
– Activating skill ‘Silver Shot’.
Whoosh—!
I fired Ifrit’s flame arrow toward the Swampland’s boss monster.

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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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