The Return of the Genius Ranker’s Myth Warehouse - Chapter 204

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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 204
Chapter 204
After the battle on Pirate Island ended.
The members of the Heukryeom Guild breathed heavily.
“Huff, huff, I almost died….”
Thump.
Had I ever fought so desperately in recent times?
Not when I stayed up all night gaming to level up, not when I entered a new Dungeon, not even when I conquered boss monsters.
I don’t think I’d ever fought with such desperation before.
Normally, fighting this hard should leave me exhausted and fatigued.
“Phew!”
Why was that?
I couldn’t have felt more satisfied.
I enjoyed playing Second more than anyone else, but it was rare to feel such a profound sense of accomplishment like this.
But was accomplishment all I gained?
That wasn’t the case.
[ You have completed the Sudden Quest ‘Pirate Island Subjugation’. ]
A Unique-grade Sudden Quest—Pirate Island Subjugation.
When I first received this quest, I was truly bewildered.
It was the first time I’d ever received a Unique-grade Sudden Quest.
The quest description was even more shocking.
Subjugate every pirate on Pirate Island.
The pirates weren’t weak, and there were even boss-monster-class great pirates on Pirate Island—did it make sense to completely subjugate it?
Honestly, I’d half given up and simply followed the guild master’s movements.
Yet I’d completed a Unique-grade Sudden Quest.
And naturally.
[ Your level has increased. ]
[ Your level has increased. ]
….
“Ha ha….”
An enormous amount of experience flooded in.
My level rose consecutively.
At this level, raising even a single level was incredibly difficult—the kind of grind people complained about.
Yet my level was rising consecutively.
Except for when I conquered boss monsters with a large party at a lower level, it had been a very long time since I’d seen my level rise consecutively like this.
“At this rate, it’s several times more efficient than hunting alone. No, more than ten times better.”
Come to think of it, it had always been like that.
When I moved to Kalbera Territory, the experience I gained in the Swamp alone was above average.
When I arrived at Kalbera Territory and faced the monsters flooding in from the Sea, I gained an enormous amount of experience, and in the naval battle I gained quite a bit of experience, but this time I gained an unimaginable amount.
Even in the water battle, I gained quite a lot of experience points, but this time I obtained experience points beyond imagination.
So was experience the only thing I gained?
That wasn’t all.
Whoosh!
Following the Guild Master’s command, Black Flame spread outward and engulfed the pirates.
Unlike when it consumed monsters, Black Flame didn’t swallow the pirates themselves—instead, it burned and consumed only the items they wore.
And so Mir, the Guild Master of the Heukryeom Guild who had descended, said:
“I’ll have the collected items transferred to Ena, convert them to Gold, and distribute them as performance bonuses.”
“Th-thank you so much!”
He was saying he’d sell all those items and divide the Gold among us.
A performance bonus, no less.
When I first joined, I felt disappointed that as a newly formed guild, our activity allowance was lower than the Large Guilds.
But with this performance bonus in mind, I’d be receiving activity funds that far surpassed those of ordinary Large Guilds.
The Heukryeom Guild.
Though I hadn’t been a member for long, I couldn’t be more satisfied.
Because of that.
‘Mir….’
The Guild Master of the Heukryeom Guild.
The guild members’ trust in Mir grew endlessly with each passing moment.
* * *
With a single Dragon’s Fear, every pirate on Pirate Island lost consciousness.
Shortly after, Admiral Sidrin, who had heard the dragon’s roar from afar and come rushing, arrived with her vessel only to be startled at the sight of the fallen pirates.
“My goodness, did you defeat all the pirates on your own, Marquis Mir?”
“It was thanks to my guild members’ assistance.”
“There seem to be fewer than ten combat guild members, yet you defeated hundreds of pirates… That’s truly remarkable!”
The Imperial Army soldiers following Sidrin were equally astonished.
Well, even if the Black Dragon Ship had many crew members, the actual combatants were just me and my guild members.
It was certainly surprising to defeat hundreds of pirates with fewer than ten people.
“If Marquis Mir permits, may we take the pirates into custody?”
“What will happen to the pirates then?”
“They will face punishment under Imperial law.”
I’m not entirely familiar with Imperial law, but it doesn’t matter.
They’re not upstanding citizens—they’re pirates who preyed on innocent people—so they have nothing to complain about regardless of what punishment they receive.
“Please handle it as you see fit.”
“Understood! Everyone, bind the pirates and load them into the cargo hold!”
“Yes, Admiral!”
The Imperial Army soldiers brought ropes and began binding the pirates one after another, transporting them onto the vessel.
Though there were many pirates, the Imperial Army’s ship was also enormous in size.
It seemed like they could manage by filling the cargo hold.
Well, if there wasn’t enough space, we could always load the rest onto the Black Dragon Ship.
“I apologize that we couldn’t be of greater help despite all you’ve done for us.”
Sidrin suddenly offered me an apology.
Truth be told, I hadn’t harbored any particular expectations from the start.
But hearing her say this made me reconsider.
“If you should ever require my strength, please do not hesitate to call upon me at any time! I, Sidrin, shall rush to support Marquis Mir whenever you need me!”
And the moment I heard those words.
One way Sidrin could actually help me came to mind.
“Then, would you be willing to assist me in hunting the White Water Deity?”
“The White Water Deity? Could you tell me what that is?”
“It’s an Evil God. Recently….”
“An Evil God! I think I understand! You defeated those Evil Gods and brought peace to the Empire!”
Originally, Evil Gods were information unknown even to high-ranking officials of the Empire—only the Emperor knew of them.
But it seemed the information had spread.
After all, hundreds of soldiers had witnessed the Evil God at the Red Beast Fortress.
And with the Dwarves now actively trading across the Continent, rumors about Evil Gods were spreading far and wide.
“Isn’t defeating those Evil Gods your greatest achievement, Marquis Mir?”
“That’s correct.”
“Such an Evil God exists in the Southern Region too? Ah, could that be the reason why merfolk and monsters have begun changing recently?”
“Yes, it’s the influence of the White Water Deity.”
“Good heavens!”
Sidrin’s expression showed genuine shock.
But only for a moment.
Sidrin soon composed herself and replied to me with a serious expression.
“I will help! No, I should be asking you—please allow our fleet to participate in the White Water Deity subjugation!”
* * *
Some time later.
Sidrin’s fleet transported the pirates captured at Pirate Island to the Southern Fortress Belgrade, the military stronghold of the Empire’s Southern Region.
Dozens of pirate ships had been sunk, hundreds of pirates captured, and all the notorious pirates of the Southern Region had been defeated.
With an accomplishment of this magnitude, one could easily claim some credit for themselves.
“All credit belongs to Marquis Mir!”
“Marquis Mir—you mean the one recently granted a Territory in the Southern Region?”
“Exactly! Marquis Mir not only saved our fleet from crisis, but also led the assault on Pirate Island and completely eradicated the pirates!”
“Then the Admiral….”
“I merely provided support! I only blocked the fleeing pirates and captured those already rendered combat-ineffective!”
“Hmm, if that’s what you say, I suppose I must report it that way. But are you truly certain? Even if everything you say is true, reporting it like that would greatly diminish your own accomplishments.”
“It doesn’t matter!”
The Admiral attributed this entire affair entirely to my achievements.
Typically, those who reach such positions tend to claim others’ accomplishments as their own.
In any case, the fortress administrator nodded at the Admiral’s insistence and submitted a report to the Imperial Court.
The pirates were all punished according to Imperial law, with most sentenced to labor in service of the Empire.
And, naturally enough.
“Mir Marquis?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. He prevented the destruction of Kalbera Territory and personally annihilated the entire monster horde that had been indiscriminately attacking the coastal outposts.”
“Hmm.”
“Moreover, he personally constructed a magical warship and completely eradicated the major pirate forces in the Southern Region, including Pirate Island itself.”
This news eventually reached the Emperor’s ears.
“Has it not been even a week since he arrived in the Southern Region?”
“That is correct, Your Majesty.”
“To establish two major achievements in such a short span of time. He truly never ceases to exceed my expectations.”
I had anticipated that Mir Marquis would establish something meaningful before long.
Yet to accomplish two significant achievements in such a brief period.
This was something even I had not foreseen.
“Our navy’s position has certainly improved.”
“Indeed, Your Majesty. The monsters’ momentum has weakened, and the pirate numbers have been drastically reduced, allowing us to accelerate our Southern Expansion Campaign.”
“It seems Mir Marquis’s contributions are not insignificant.”
“However, we cannot immediately grant him a rank above Marquis…”
“I am aware. But granting him a territory should be acceptable, should it not?”
“A territory, you say… Surely you do not mean Pirate Island?”
“Is there anywhere else?”
“Your Majesty, Pirate Island is a naturally fortified maritime stronghold and an excellent strategic position. If we were to use it as our military base at this juncture…”
“Even if it is a strategic position, it must have a master, must it not? I intend for that master to be Mir Marquis.”
“Typically, military strongholds of this caliber are granted only to nobles of Count rank or higher, are they not?”
“An outdated, archaic custom. After all, was it not Mir Marquis who conquered that place? It is no different from land he obtained through territorial conquest—his own rightful spoils.”
“The nobility will surely raise considerable objections, Your Majesty.”
“Let them come forward then.”
Thus the Emperor bestowed proper compensation upon Mir.
Pirate Island, which Mir had subjugated.
He granted it to Mir as his territory.
In essence, Mir simply retained what he had conquered, yet under imperial law, this was hardly a conventional form of reward.
Even if one obtained a proper noble rank, achieving a mere Marquis title would typically warrant nothing more than treasure as recompense.
Yet the Emperor had granted a crucial strategic stronghold like Pirate Island to a single Marquis.
Naturally, the nobility received this news swiftly.
Consequently, Duke Winchilsey, who could be considered the representative of the noble faction, immediately requested an audience with the Emperor.
The Emperor accepted without delay.
“Your Majesty! This cannot be allowed!”
Duke Winchilsey burst through the doors, crying out immediately upon entry.
“To entrust such a vital strategic stronghold to a mere adventurer! It is preposterous!”
“A mere adventurer? He is an established Marquis of the Baltika Empire, is he not? I believe he possesses sufficient qualifications to receive a territory.”
“Adventurer or not, that is beside the point! A mere Marquis receiving a crucial strategic stronghold in the Southern Region as his territory is utterly unacceptable!”
Duke Winchilsey launched into an impassioned tirade.
Yet despite this, the Emperor’s expression remained unmoved.
“Why do you claim this is impossible?”
“As I said, a Marquis….”
“Is there an Imperial law forbidding a Marquis from receiving a strategic stronghold?”
“There isn’t, but by precedent…!”
“Does Duke Winchilsey prioritize precedent over Imperial law?”
“…!”
The Emperor’s expression grew colder than ever before.
It was as though he could see through all the various “instances” Duke Winchilsey had committed by prioritizing precedent over law up until now.
“Even setting precedent aside….”
“Did you not personally subjugate the gold mines in the northern Continent last year and request them as a grant?”
“That was….”
“What is the difference? If you are dissatisfied, speak now. I shall personally revoke the grant of Pirate Island. In exchange, you must be prepared to surrender the territories you have received under the same pretext until now.”
“…!”
A lengthy conversation continued thereafter, but the Emperor’s stance remained unwavering.
In contrast, Duke Winchilsey had precious few grounds to stand upon.
Ultimately, the Emperor pressed forward with his decision, and Duke Winchilsey, having failed to persuade him, was forced to withdraw empty-handed.
“Damn it, some adventurer…!”
Thus Duke Winchilsey realized that something was going terribly wrong.
“Did you see? Mir the Marquis is, in himself, my ‘justification.’ A sharp blade with which to cut away these rotten nobles.”
Gazing at his retreating figure.
The Emperor smiled with satisfaction.

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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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