The Return Of The Genius Ranker Of All Times [EN]: Chapter 89

89.

Deep within the acrid rock forest.

Step, step.

After walking for several minutes, Do-hyun looked around to make sure no one was there before checking his backlog of messages.

[You have defeated the field boss of the Acrid Rock Forest, ‘Death Orc Warrior’.]

[Would you like to harvest the Death Orc Warrior’s enhanced essence orb?]

[Essence orb has been harvested.]

[As a reward…….]

[Recorded in the Adventure Log.]

[You have defeated a new type of boss on your first encounter.]

[All stats increase by +6 due to the Predation effect.]

[Level up.]

…….

A feast of countless messages that popped up after defeating the Death Orc Warrior.

Do-hyun would normally have checked them immediately, but this time he couldn’t.

‘Whew, that was hectic.’

It was because of the applause that poured in from the onlookers the moment he defeated the Death Orc Warrior, leaving him no time to check the messages.

The sight of burly men staring with sparkling eyes and applauding so purely…….

‘……Not exactly pleasant.’

It somehow reminded him of Charlie.

If that was the end of it, he would have just shrugged it off, but the problem was what came next.

Perhaps feeling that applause wasn’t enough to express their admiration, they swarmed him, asking for autographs.

-You’re going to be blessed.

-Yes! An autograph!

-You’re amazing. I enjoy watching your videos; are you going to upload this one too? I’ll be waiting!

Their words, spoken each time he signed, were a bit of a burden, but not entirely unpleasant.

There used to be people like this sometimes.

It reminded him of those times, and the fact that they were watching his NewTube videos felt new.

He had heard people mention the interview, but this was the first time someone had said they were a fan and were watching the videos he uploaded himself.

‘Especially that archer was the most impactful.’

Among them, one person in particular had sparkling eyes but was strangely the least talkative.

He just kept staring.

It was as if a tsundere [a character who is initially cold and hostile but gradually reveals a warmer, friendlier side] would act like that when getting an autograph.

-……I’m jealous.

-Liza!

It was a secret that Jihad was watching from the side, seemingly envious of their attention.

Despite putting on an incredible undead show, surprisingly, no one spoke to Jihad.

-What’s the problem? Why doesn’t anyone talk to me?

Perhaps the problem was that his fighting style was too low-class.

That thought immediately came to mind, but Do-hyun wasn’t so inconsiderate as to say it out loud.

‘That’s not what’s important right now.’

Do-hyun, having finished his brief reminiscence, focused on the system window.

Specifically, the rewards.

[Death Orc Warrior’s Hide Imbued with the Aura of Death]

[Grade: Rare]

[Description: A tough hide from a Death Orc Warrior imbued with the aura of death. It seems useful for crafting armor.]

[Death Orc Warrior’s Fang Imbued with the Aura of Death]

[Grade: Rare]

[Description: A sharp fang from a Death Orc Warrior imbued with the aura of death. It seems useful for crafting accessories.]

The rewards he obtained this time were these two material items and 600 gold.

A meager reward compared to what he had obtained so far.

It was bitter, but Do-hyun readily accepted it.

‘……This is normal. I’ve been unusually lucky lately.’

It was only because he had been sweeping up various hidden pieces or obtaining guaranteed items with the first discovery buff that he had been doing so well; usually, this was the norm.

If you could get equipment right away just by catching a field boss, why would equipment be rare and expensive?

It would be lying around everywhere if you just searched the auction house.

‘Well, it’s not like there’s no gain.’

He may not have obtained equipment, but the harvest was sufficient.

Thanks to catching the boss on his first encounter, the ‘Predation’ effect of the First Slayer was activated, increasing all his stats by 6.

Moreover, he also leveled up, reaching level 30.

[Player: Kaiser]

[Level: 30]

[HP: 5,010 / 5,010]

[MP: 1,600 / 1,600]

[Stamina: 790 / 790]

[Class: The Last Adventurer [Successor of Kasiyar]]

[Titles (7)]

-Maximum Favorability From the Start?

-First Slayer

……(Expand)

[Stats]

[Strength: 80(+70)] [Agility: 55(+69)]

[Constitution: 5(+69)] [Sense: 37(+67)]

[Magic: 5(+65)]

Remaining Points: 46

‘Heh…….’

The resulting status window.

Looking at the enhanced stats, a satisfied smile naturally appeared. Who would think this was a level 30?

He was only level 30, but he already had 7 titles, each of which was extraordinary.

He also had a whopping 46 remaining points.

‘There’s no need to invest them yet.’

Since he gets 7 points each time he levels up anyway due to the ‘Latent Dragon’ trait, it will increase quickly, but it wasn’t time yet.

He obtained a random skill draw ticket upon reaching level 30.

‘It’s not too late to invest after seeing what comes out.’

He wanted to draw right away, but Do-hyun held back.

Hadn’t he made a resolution in Raven?

‘Draws should be done in a power spot!’

He decided not to be complacent and draw skills anywhere, trusting only the Eye of Truth!

Perhaps appreciating his mindset, it gave him the fateful skill ‘Parrying,’ so he intended to maintain that mindset this time as well.

On the other hand, Jihad seemed to have a different idea than the resolute Do-hyun.

-M, Master…… I can’t stand it.

Without even looking at the desperate-looking Jihad, Do-hyun replied firmly.

“Just bear with it a little longer.”

-Something…… something is about to happen inside me.

“We’re almost there.”

-Do you know you’ve said that five times already, Master……?

“Really, this is the real last one. We’re really there.”

Was this how a trainer felt when they couldn’t lift the barbell anymore, but the trainer shouted, ‘One more, really the last one’?

Or was this how a father felt when his son asked how much further to the mountain peak, and he replied, ‘Just 5 more minutes!’

It was amusing to see Jihad’s face distort each time he said they were really there.

In fact, there was a reason why Jihad was being so whiny.

[Guardian ‘Jihad Black’ has reached level 10.]

[Guide him as he stands at a crossroads.]

‘How can the timing be so perfect?’

Just as users choose one of the derived classes after the god draw and change jobs, guardians also undergo a job change when they reach level 10.

However, it was a little different from users.

It’s called a job change, but it’s generally seen as just choosing an attribute.

For example, ‘Salamander of Crimson Flames,’ ‘Salamander of Azure Flames.’

Or ‘Steel Golem,’ ‘Regenerating Golem,’ and so on.

Without one being better than the other, it was just about choosing what the user needed more for their guardian job change.

‘But the Divine Beast is different.’

If the guardian was just about choosing an attribute, the Divine Beast was closer to evolution.

Just like an Imugi [a mythical Korean serpent] becoming an Imugi with a Yeouiju [a wish-granting orb] in its mouth and eventually becoming a dragon, a clear change occurred each time they changed jobs.

It wasn’t for nothing that people said the Divine Beast was a different species before and after the job change.

‘Yong-yong and Ho-shik were like that too.’

When he first saw Bora Ajussi’s Dragon-Tiger Confrontation, they were just a slightly larger tiger and Imugi.

It was only after repeated job changes that they eventually boasted the same presence as the Azure Dragon and White Tiger of the Four Gods.

In that respect, Jihad was a bit unique.

[Path of the Commander Necromancer]

[Path of the Explosion Necromancer]

‘I expected it, but it’s strange to see an actual job appear.’

Jihad had a Corpse Manipulator and Curse Master in his traits, and his combat style was a typical Explosion Necromancer.

His skills were also blatantly undead summons.

It would be stranger if he evolved into a goblin hop now.

That’s why Do-hyun was naturally planning to raise him as a Jihard Necromancer Killer, not an Explosion Necromancer…….

It was true that it felt strange to see a guardian with a job like a user.

‘Well, when has that guy ever been normal?’

He was a unique guy in many ways, for better or worse.

There was no need to be surprised now.

Anyway, how long had they been walking like that? Just when Jihad had reached his limit.

“Ugh!”

“Oh, damn it! Why is it always normal!”

“Jackpot! A Hero grade appeared!! Thank you, God.”

A commotion could be heard from beyond the rocks.

-Wow, we’re here!

Having experienced it once, Jihad, certain that this was the place, rushed inside.

Do-hyun and Eliza followed behind, and soon they could see.

Users with reddened eyes sitting on rocks amidst the thick fog, doing various draws.

Overall, the number of users in the Acrid Rock Forest had decreased, so there weren’t as many as in Raven, but there were at least ten.

‘We came to the right place.’

This was one of the two most famous power spots in Brion, the Rock Forest Mountains.

Orcs appeared all the time wherever there was fog, but strangely, they didn’t appear here.

Not just orcs.

Even small insects were not visible in this place, so people used it as a kind of resting place or safe zone.

‘It’s become a drawing spot now, though.’

As always, rumors were the problem.

Since it was a safe zone, those who obtained draw tickets during hunting began to stop by to do their draws, and naturally, the number of people drawing good things increased, and word spread.

It used to be a place used as a safe zone, but now it has become a famous spot for drawing.

One of them was Do-hyun.

-Master, hurry!

“Okay.”

At Jihad’s urging, Do-hyun immediately moved his hand.

[Would you like to take the Path of the Commander Necromancer?]

“Yeah.”

Whoosh!

Then, a dazzling light burst out from Jihad, obscuring his vision.

It was a jet-black light, like Jihad’s mana. The darkness that flashed by in an instant felt like going through a tunnel.

[Guardian ‘Jihad Black’ walks the Path of the Commander Necromancer.]

[Draw a skill.]

A message flashed before his eyes, along with seven cards.

This was the reason.

Why he didn’t have him change jobs in the hunting grounds, and why he endured Jihad’s whining to come to a power spot.

When a guardian changes jobs for the first time, they are not given a skill draw ticket, but are immediately made to draw a skill.

‘I’m glad I heard it from Bora Ajussi, or I almost drew it in a weird place.’

Do-hyun muttered, feeling relieved, while Jihad, who was finally freed, couldn’t hide his bewilderment.

-No, what’s so important about that? You can draw it anywhere.

“No. You can’t achieve anything with such a meager resolve. Do you think achieving something is so easy? Life is originally like that, X-man…… no, Jihad.”

-…….

Jihad opened and closed his mouth at Do-hyun’s serious face.

It was definitely true, but why was he showing such resolve in a draw? He roughly beat up the boss when he caught it.

Jihad couldn’t understand it at all.

“Look at the faces of those people burning with will. How desperate they are.”

-…….

What was even more incomprehensible was that the faces of the surrounding humans really showed as much resolve as Do-hyun’s words exaggerated.

It was truly desperate.

-Humans are strange…….

His master, who was already not normal, lost his mind whenever the words ‘card gacha’ or ‘draw’ were mentioned.

And those humans who were exerting themselves desperately with bloodshot eyes like drug addicts…….

-Liza?

-Don’t look at that, Eliza. It’s yucky.

Jihad put Eliza, who was tilting her head and trying to come out of her robe pocket to see, back in and asked.

-So, what did you get?

At Jihad’s question, Do-hyun’s face hardened.

“……Silver.”

-What’s that?

“I don’t know, don’t talk to me because I’m sad.”

-……?

Do-hyun looked genuinely sad.

-I don’t know. Do it yourself.

In the end, Jihad gave up on understanding and stepped back.

He should be focusing since he was drawing his own skill, but he couldn’t handle this league where it felt like he had entered a world where everyone except him had become strange.