The Return Of The Genius Ranker Of All Times [EN]: Chapter 103

103.

“Isn’t it strange that someone who maintains human intelligence and appearance would follow the movements of other Abyss beings? Don’t you think?”

“……Now that you mention it, it does seem odd. Perhaps there’s something else involved……”

Gamilion’s expression turned serious at Do-hyun’s words.

He sensed that something was amiss. After a moment of deep thought, he asked in a grave tone,

“Did you happen to feel anything while facing him? Even if it’s not something specific, any clue would be helpful.”

“Facing him? I didn’t even get to cross swords with him……”

Do-hyun, replying with a troubled look, trailed off.

Come to think of it, there was something. Something strange he had consistently felt from the guy.

“A red light……”

“Pardon?”

The red light that leaked from around his heart.

It was an unusual symptom he hadn’t seen in any other boss. It had even tempted Do-hyun from outside the temple.

“That’s it!”

“Yes?”

Upon hearing that, Gamilion, who had been stroking his beard, widened his eyes as if he’d just had a eureka moment.

“When I think about it, the timing of the Heir’s appearance and the Abyss’s movements overlap. This cannot be a mere coincidence. No, this is fate.”

“Well… um, is that so?”

It was quite a reasonable deduction, but…….

Gamilion’s fatalism always felt a bit excessive.

Even things that one might say, ‘Wow, what a coincidence!’ he would attribute to fate. He would probably call it fate even if they ordered the same food.

However, Do-hyun had no intention of arguing this time.

“That guy might have the second fragment of fate. No, circumstantially, it’s certain. Because almost no one in current humanity knows about ‘fate’.”

“……”

“I was only paying attention to the disgusting gods or those blinded by greed, but to think the Abyss would move……. This is something we can never overlook.”

Gamilion, grinding his teeth, looked unfamiliar.

The usually benevolent appearance was nowhere to be seen, and his eyes were filled with a fierce light and venom.

Even Do-hyun, who was facing those eyes up close, felt a sense of unease.

As he unconsciously clenched his fist, Gamilion spoke in a clear voice.

“We must gather evidence before the meeting. Heir, I know it’s a difficult request, but you are the only one I can trust and rely on. Could you please retrieve any traces that could serve as evidence?”

Ding-.

[Main Quest ‘The Second Fragment (1)’ has been generated.]

[The Second Fragment (1)]

-Rank: Main Quest, Job Quest

-Description: The Destroyer Gaiman, he may have the second fragment of fate.

He seems to be planning something. Now that he has been exposed once, you must bring back solid evidence before he hides.

Find the Destroyer Gaiman’s traces.

-Traces of the Destroyer (1 / 2)

-Quest Success: Linked to the follow-up quest ‘The Second Fragment (2)’.

-Quest Failure: Failure to acquire the second fragment of fate.

-Time Limit: 50 minutes

The second fragment of fate in Brion.

With graduation just around the corner, the main quest was now officially beginning.

* * *

And some time passed, deep in the Bitter Rock Forest.

[The aura of death is very thick.]

[The fog is getting thicker.]

In that place where the fog was so thick that one could barely see an inch ahead, a person was passing through.

To be exact, one person and two guardians.

A man with a crude staff, dressed in attire with a mix of crimson and blue, and a small figure wearing a robe.

And even a small spider inside the robe’s pocket.

“Hmm…… do we have to go this way?”

-Liza!

-Not there, it’s that way.

“Ah, really? Got it.”

It was Do-hyun and Do-hyun’s guardians.

After the lengthy conversation with Gamilion, they had left the temple and headed straight to the Bitter Rock Forest.

-This way this time.

“Ah, okay……. But how do you find it so well in this thick fog? I get confused even with the map.”

-LizaLiza!

-She says it’s obvious since she’s a spider. She says she can see everything clearly?

“Oho…….”

I was wondering how she could find her way so well in a place where the aura of death was so thick that you could barely see an inch ahead, but that was the secret.

He was admiring her when he suddenly felt something was off and tilted his head.

“……Spiders hardly have any eyesight, though?”

-Liza!? Liza!!

-She says don’t lie about having good eyesight since she was born? She says she can even see the dead skin cells in Master’s pores.

“Ah…… I see.”

Do-hyun closed his mouth at the sight of Eliza widening her small eyes and jumping up and down as if she couldn’t believe it.

He decided to protect Eliza’s innocence.

‘Come to think of it, Eliza is a rare species.’

When you look at her, she looks too fluffy like a cotton ball to be a spider, so maybe she’s not a spider?

She only has one pair of eyes, too.

‘Hmm…… or is she?’

But then again, she wasn’t without the characteristics of a spider, such as spinning webs.

-Liza?

“No, it’s nothing.”

Do-hyun shook his head at Eliza, who was tilting her head as if asking why he kept looking at her.

Whether Eliza was a spider or not, what did it matter?

She was still a cute guardian who played her support role well.

Right now, he needed to focus on finding the place marked on the map.

[Old Secret Map]

‘It’s the way to a hidden field, no less.’

The small secret map in his hand.

It contained the location of a hidden field within the Bitter Rock Forest.

There was actually a hidden field hidden in Brion, where there were no other fields besides the Bitter Rock Forest and the city? That was unbelievable.

‘It would be chaos if it was revealed.’

As it was information that had been kept secret for a year and six months, it would cause a complete uproar if it got out.

There was no need to sell or report the information anywhere.

[RCD is recording.]

Just uploading the video Do-hyun was currently filming to NewTube would cause the views to explode.

Do-hyun had obtained this incredible information just a little while ago.

-I don’t know what his plan is, but if he has the fragment of fate, we must stop him.

-To do that, we need evidence…… but this identification badge alone is not enough. We need more solid evidence.

-But he will be careful since he has been exposed once. He will be secretly looking for an opportunity. An emergency meeting will be held soon, so now is the only chance. Heir, it will be too late by then.

Gamilion, who was speaking urgently, handed over an old map from his chest.

-I heard you searched the entire Bitter Rock Forest. But you haven’t checked this place.

-This is……?

-A place where monsters don’t tread. A secret place where the aura of death gathers and distorts the view.

-Not many in Brion know this place. If he is an elder, he will know this place. He may have been hiding here in case of emergency……. If so, there must be traces left.

That was the secret map to the hidden field that Do-hyun was currently holding.

-If you happen to encounter him…… avoid him at all costs. The current Heir is still in danger if you face him alone.

Gamilion gave him the map and advised him, but Do-hyun didn’t fully register the warning.

‘Hidden…… field?’

Only the words “hidden field” lingered in his ears.

Without looking back, he immediately led Jihad and Eliza and charged into the Bitter Rock Forest.

And that was a very good choice.

[Remaining Time Limit: 00: 29: 21]

‘How did 29 minutes already pass?’

He hadn’t even arrived at the hidden field yet, but 20 minutes had already passed.

With the emergency meeting starting in 29 minutes, he had to find the hidden field before then and find traces that could serve as evidence.

It was fortunate that the risk of failure this time was not job deprivation.

Of course, it was just a pretty-looking crab apple [a small, sour fruit, metaphorically meaning a minor consequence].

‘Failure to acquire the fragment of fate is practically a loss.’

Even if he passed the main quest and job quest, it would be the same in the end if he couldn’t clear the main storyline.

And beyond that, Do-hyun couldn’t tolerate failure.

He was determined to find it and succeed no matter what.

-Liza!

-Master, this way!

In that respect, Eliza’s excellent eyes were a great navigation system.

She guides him well in this thick fog, tells him if there are obstacles in front, and even corrects him if Do-hyun goes the wrong way.

What a state-of-the-art guidance system.

She’s even cute.

“You’re the best, Eliza.”

-LizaLiza!

She looked especially pretty today, so when he stroked her head, she rubbed her face against him as if she felt good.

-Eliza…… she used to only do that to me…… sob. Is this how it feels to send a daughter off to marriage?

-Liza??

Jihad muttered something while looking at Eliza with strangely bitter eyes, but Do-hyun casually ignored him.

How long had it been since they moved following the guidance of the high-performance navigation system that was even equipped with cuteness?

-Liza!

-We’ve arrived, Master.

He was finally able to reach his destination.

‘25 minutes…… not bad.’

It was a feat achieved in a total of 25 minutes.

Do-hyun patted Eliza’s head and looked ahead. Thanks to the fog thinning out beyond the trees, he could vaguely see the scenery.

“There’s definitely no difference.”

At first glance, it’s just an ordinary rock forest.

There are trees and rocks appropriately……. The only difference is that there are no monsters at all?

But Do-hyun could see it.

[The Eye of Truth is activated.]

The space next to the rock was dyed red, as if a gate had been opened.

‘I didn’t know it would activate here too. Is it activated because I got the map?’

I don’t know because I’ve never been this far in.

It would have been hard to find without Eliza’s guidance.

Whatever it was, it wasn’t important now.

What was important now was that he had finally entered the hidden field.

‘Hidden pieces might be hidden here.’

Hidden fields are usually filled with various hidden pieces.

Even if a surprise quest popped up like at the Warriors’ Habitat, it would be a gain. As he approached, a phrase appeared.

[Ominous Fog Zone]

[You have discovered the hidden field ‘Ominous Fog Zone’ for the first time.]

[First discovery benefits are granted.]

[Experience gain + 20%.]

[Drop rate + 20%.]

[Recorded in the Book of Adventures.]

‘As expected…….’

Do-hyun clenched his fist at the phrase ‘first’.

In RPG games, the phrase ‘first’ always had something that made his heart flutter.

Maybe he could really get something related to the fragment of fate here.

With those various expectations and a bit of tension, Do-hyun stepped inside the entrance.

[Entering the hidden field ‘Ominous Fog Zone’.]

[First discoverer benefits are applied.]

Then the scenery that unfolded was very different from what he had expected.