The Return of the Genius Ranker’s Myth Warehouse - Chapter 224

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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 224
Chapter 224
The Coastal Cave had a peculiar characteristic: a boss monster existed at every fork in the path.
Still, these boss monsters weren’t overwhelmingly powerful like those in other dungeons. In other places, they would have been treated as Named Monsters at best.
The reason Kang Ju-hyuk and the Guild members could overcome the level difference and defeat these boss monsters was precisely because of this.
And the boss monster in the path I had entered was.
“Captain! A landlubber has appeared!”
“What! This cursed landlubber has come again seeking our treasure!”
The Captain of the sunken pirate spirits.
Or more precisely, what he was commanding.
[ Half-Sunken Phantom Ship, Dusk Lady ]
A pirate ship.
No, a phantom ship.
Though calling it a phantom ship, it wasn’t exactly intact—it was a phantom ship already half-sunken, with half of its hull submerged beneath the water’s surface.
A phantom ship with broken masts and a collapsed stern, impossible to navigate.
And yet.
“Fire!”
Boom!
The cannons mounted on the phantom ship seemed to be functioning properly.
Judging by how the black cannonballs, composed of undead morale itself, were being fired effectively.
Probably, the true boss monster wasn’t the Captain himself, but rather that half-sunken phantom ship he was commanding.
Seeing this.
[ Using Black Flame Transformation. ]
[ Borrowing the power of the Black Flame Dragon, Luknir Desperato Ignockton. ]
I immediately activated Black Flame Transformation.
Black flames instantly ignited and clung to my body.
Fang-like black flames sprouted from the corners of my mouth, and sharp horns emerged on my forehead.
Originally, it would have ended here.
Whoosh!
Luke had absorbed the Dragon Bone of the Black Flame Dragon.
Thanks to that, Black Flame Transformation was enhanced, and a semi-transparent dragon skeleton-like structure materialized around me.
Even from this alone, I could feel it.
My character’s physical stats had risen far beyond their usual levels.
Immediately after.
– Using the skill White Fish Swimming.
I began evading the cannonballs using the skill.
Simultaneously, while dodging dozens of incoming cannonballs seemed impossible, the greatly increased agility from absorbing the dragon bone made it possible.
“That, that monster!”
“Captain, what should we do!”
“This won’t do! It’s time for our secret weapon! Dusk Lady, open wide!”
I dodged all the cannonballs.
The Captain stomped his foot on the deck in anger and shouted.
Then the bow of the pirate ship named Dusk Lady opened as if it were alive, and from within—
“Fire! Drown that bastard!”
Kwaaaaaaah!!
A torrent of black water erupted.
Like the breath of a dragon.
Just like the ‘Water Blaster’ I’d installed on the Black Dragon Ship not long ago.
The range was so vast that dodging seemed impossible at first glance.
[ Wave Barrier ]
( Non-Tradeable )
Type: Shield
Grade: Heroic
I drew out an appropriate shield.
– I activate the skill ‘Jade Stone Fortress’.
I used the defensive skill obtained from defeating the Green Stone Demon.
Instantly, a verdant barrier overlaid my shield.
Even with this, I couldn’t completely block the damage, but thanks to my increased ‘Health’ from absorbing the Black Flame Dragon’s bone, I could withstand this with ease.
Clang.
With my heightened ‘Strength’, I could block the breath while pushing forward.
My health dropped slightly, but my Health stat was already superior to that of most warriors.
This much regenerates quickly without needing a potion.
Besides, wasn’t I the one who’d gained over 300 additional stat points by reinforcing my level with special enhancement vouchers?
Even with All Master’s ability distributing them evenly, each stat had increased by over 60 points.
With that power, I could clearly see it even within the torrential black water gushing forth.
‘There.’
The mouth of the ghost ship from which the black water was erupting.
I wasn’t sure if ‘mouth’ was the right term for a ghost ship that wasn’t even a living creature.
In any case, there was a red core clearly visible inside—the ghost ship’s weak point.
And the moment the black water stopped.
[ Thousand-Year Jujube Wood Spear ]
( Non-Tradeable )
Type: Spear
Grade: Legendary
Restriction: Level 750 or higher, Spear Mastery Lv 75 or higher
Description: A wooden spear crafted from Jujube Wood—a ghost-warding timber born when lightning struck a thousand-year-old jujube tree, imbued with exorcism properties.
I drew out a weapon through Mir.
Jujube Wood.
Possessing tremendous yang energy, it naturally carried exorcism properties to ward off spirits, and like wood struck by lightning, it also bore lightning attributes.
Specifically, a Jujube Wood spear crafted from a thousand-year-old jujube tree struck by lightning.
As an aquatic monster, it was weak to water attributes, and as an undead monster, it was vulnerable to holy and exorcism properties—making it the perfect target for attacking the ghost ship.
I thrust toward the rapidly closing maw of the ghost ship.
– Using skill ‘Black Insect Flash’.
I drove the Thousand-Year Parasol Tree Spear forward.
Thud!
A weighty sensation traveled through my fingertips.
Crack—
Something shattered.
To ensure a decisive finish.
– Using the unique skill of the ‘Thousand-Year Parasol Tree Spear’, ‘Thousand Thunder Demon Annihilation’.
Only after unleashing the spear’s unique skill did the ghost ship finally begin to fade.
Whoosh—
[ Your level has increased. ]
The ghost ship began to dissipate.
The legendary-grade equipment with a level cap of 750, imbued with the ghost ship’s two elemental weaknesses, had pierced its core precisely.
“Excellent.”
– I’m glad you’re satisfied, Master.
The additional stat bonuses gained from reinforcing the level with special enhancement vouchers.
Without Luke’s enhanced physical abilities from absorbing the Black Flame Dragon’s bone, I wouldn’t have destroyed the ghost ship in a single strike.
Without this, I would have struggled to dodge all the cannons or break through the black water currents in the first place.
Even with superior equipment, my attack power would have fallen short at the final moment.
Truthfully, a mythic-grade weapon could have accomplished this, but Luke’s growth allowed me to conserve the mythic weapon’s cooldown.
– I’ll eat well, Master.
[ Luke has consumed the ‘Wrecked Ghost Ship, Dusk Lady’. ]
[ Luke’s stats have increased by 100. ]
[ You accept the nutrients left behind by the ‘Black Flame Dragon, Luknir Desperato Ignockton’. ]
Through consumption, I gained solid stat increases.
I also obtained the ghost ship’s timber as a material and the Dusk Lady’s figurehead as an item.
Both were high-grade items, so passing them to the Shipyard would yield a fine vessel.
The Empire prices ships according to their grade, so it would be worthwhile.
In any case, I’d conquered one branching path.
“Luke, how many more times can you use Black Flame Transformation?”
– If used briefly like just now, I should be able to use it at least ten more times.
There was still plenty of capacity left.
Since I’d used Black Flame Transformation so briefly by defeating the boss monster in one strike.
Given that.
“Then shall we conquer all the other branching paths?”
I immediately set out to tackle the next branching path.
I intended to clear all the branching paths in the Coastal Cave today and hand the data over to Ena.
* * *
Meanwhile.
Just like Mir, Kang Ju-hyuk and the Heukryeom Guild members were diligently clearing the Branching Path.
At first, they’d gained experience and had Mir’s buff magic to aid them, making the clearing relatively straightforward.
“Wow, the difference between having buffs and not having them is really noticeable.”
“Yeah, it’s a shame when they wear off.”
“We can’t keep relying on the Guild Master forever, right? This is the real deal! Let’s adapt to this place quickly!”
The moment the buffs expired, the difficulty skyrocketed dramatically.
In truth, it was unavoidable.
The monsters spawning in this Coastal Cave were significantly higher level than the average level of the Heukryeom Guild members.
The fact that they were overcoming the level gap and continuing to clear the dungeon was already an impressive feat.
Then.
“Boss monster!”
“Everyone, stay sharp!”
“Battle stations!”
Finally reaching the end of the Branching Path, a boss monster appeared.
There was no need to worry, even if it was a boss monster.
Compared to the unique boss monsters found in typical dungeons, the boss monsters in the Coastal Cave’s Branching Path weren’t particularly strong.
Having already faced the Branching Path’s boss monster twice before, they calmly prepared their formation.
“Let’s goooo!”
They began their assault on the boss monster.
Even if it was weaker than other boss monsters, a boss monster was still a boss monster.
For Kang Ju-hyuk and the guild members without buff skills, it was an incredibly challenging opponent.
“Hey, this thing has both poison and bleeding as weaknesses? I’ll be the main damage dealer, so everyone support me!”
“Yes, Vice Guild Master!”
“Lagia, you support the Vice Guild Master too! Land additional hits! I’ll keep its arms pinned!”
“Yes!”
“I’ll provide covering fire! Go ahead!”
Under Kang Ju-hyuk’s direction, the clearing progressed smoothly.
Though it was a different type of boss monster, thanks to their two previous successful boss hunts in the Coastal Cave, everyone had grown accustomed to the clearing process.
“Huff, huff!”
“The weakness! We found the weakness!”
“Good, let’s go!”
“I’m right behind you!”
“I’ve got your back!”
“Now’s the time! Everyone, pour it all in!”
Of course, since this boss monster was stronger than the one in the second Branching Path, they struggled considerably.
And they consumed quite a lot of the potions they’d been issued.
Boom!
[ Your level has increased. ]
“We did iiiiit!”
“Huff, huff, gasp….”
“We barely won!”
In the end, they had succeeded in defeating the boss monster with their own strength alone.
Though initially they had been able to conserve stamina and increase their speed thanks to Mir’s buff effect.
After that, they had truly succeeded in clearing it with only their own power.
So they couldn’t have felt more accomplished.
Given how grueling the battle had been, they drank potions and rested.
They allocated their newly gained stat points from leveling up and organized the loot dropped by the monsters.
After completing these simple preparations, the guild members emerged from the branching path.
It was then.
“By the way, do you think the guild master is alright?”
“We know the guild master is strong, but even so, taking down a boss monster alone….”
“Hey, don’t you guys know Mir yet? Maybe he finished clearing before us and is already out.”
“No way.”
“Even if the guild master is strong, surely not that strong?”
Suddenly, concern for Mir arose.
It had taken six of them this much hardship just to clear the branching path.
Wasn’t it unreasonable for Mir alone to clear the branching path, no matter how strong he was?
Thinking such thoughts as they emerged from the branching path.
“He’s not here?”
Mir was nowhere to be seen.
Had he really failed to clear the branching path?
Could he have actually died while attempting to clear it?
If that were the case, the access restriction penalty would be quite lengthy.
While harboring such worries.
Lagia suddenly noticed a mark beside the next branching path that had been their destination.
The identity of that mark was.
“Clear… complete?”
A scratch carved with a sword.
Clear complete.
There was only one person who would bother carving such a mark beside the branching path.
“It seems our guild master already finished clearing and entered the next branching path…?”
“See? What did I tell you?”
“To clear before us and enter the next branching path. And alone at that….”
“Truly remarkable!”
Mir.
It was unmistakably Mir.
All the guild members marveled at Mir as they prepared to enter the next branching path.
[ Clear Complete ]
“Huh…?”
The next fork in the path also bore the mark of completion.
“No, this can’t be right…?”
While they conquered one fork, I had already conquered two.
It was an unbelievable achievement.
Upon checking, fortunately the next fork wasn’t marked as complete, but rather as currently being conquered
Given that.
“We’ll do our best too!”
“We’ll catch up to the Guild Master at the next fork!”
“We’ve adapted now, so we can definitely catch up!”
“We can do this!”
“Let’s go!”
“Charge!!”
Kang Ju-hyuk and the guild members pushed forward with renewed vigor, beginning their conquest of the next fork.
Indeed, thanks to their adaptation to the Coastal Cave, their speed in conquering forks had become dramatically faster than before.
“This time for sure!”
When they emerged from their conquest, what greeted them was not Mir catching up to them, but rather.
[ Conquest Complete ]
[ Conquest Complete ]
[ Conquest Complete ]
[ Conquest In Progress ]
“No.”
“What is this….”
“Is this really happening?”
“How exactly are you conquering them….”
Even more than before.
It was the trace I had left behind—already having completed three forks and entered yet another one.
An overwhelmingly dominant pace.
Realizing this wouldn’t do, the guild members even skipped their rest periods to conquer new forks as quickly as possible.
Thanks to that, they managed to conquer forks at an unbelievably rapid pace, but.
What met their eyes upon returning from their conquest was.
“Are you finished?”
“Guild Master, surely… you’ve completed all the remaining forks?”
“Yes, everyone has worked hard. Let’s go inside and rest a bit now.”
The Guild Master of the Heukryeom Guild, who had already finished conquering all the forks and returned to wait for them.
It was Mir.

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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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