The Return Of The Genius Ranker Of All Times [EN]: Chapter 105

105.

Looking at the approaching Destroyer, Do-hyun felt a knot in his stomach.

He had made the sound very quietly, but it seemed the cave was so silent that it was heard.

He quickly looked around, but there was nowhere to hide.

Moving would make noise.

‘This is why weak stealth isn’t good.’

Since it wasn’t complete stealth, there was nothing he could do.

At this rate, he would have to fight.

‘Should I just attack first? Or should I hide for now?’

Do-hyun’s mind, which had been racing in this emergency, suddenly stopped.

Swish.

‘Ugh, uhp!’

As he inadvertently turned his head, a pair of red, bloodshot eyes were staring at him from the endless darkness.

Was it even 10cm away?

The distance was so close that he could hear the Destroyer’s breathing.

Do-hyun’s pupils trembled as he barely suppressed a groan that almost burst out.

‘Damn… when did it get here?’

It was definitely there a moment ago, was it a ghost or something?

[Hmm……?]

Fortunately, the Destroyer didn’t seem to have any intention of attacking.

Judging by the fact that it couldn’t recognize him even when he was right in front of it, it didn’t seem to have the ability to see through stealth.

Well, if it had that ability with that combat power, it would be too overpowered.

‘……Is this an opportunity?’

Do-hyun’s eyes turned to the Destroyer’s heart.

The heart that emitted a red light, possibly a fragment of fate. It felt like he could reach it if he just reached out his hand.

If he could stab it with a surprise attack before it noticed, wouldn’t he be able to take it out?

The decision was quick.

‘Okay, let’s go for broke…….’

However, the Destroyer reached out its hand even faster.

‘……!?’

Do-hyun instinctively leaned back to avoid the Destroyer’s suddenly outstretched hand.

He barely avoided the hand, but he saw it in his eyes.

[The abyss contractor who violated the taboo, ‘Destroyer Gaiman,’ presents a ‘terrible nightmare’.]

[If someone with lower stats than the caster touches the nightmare, they will ‘instantly die’.]

‘……What?’

……Instant death?

An instant-death pattern? In only the second city?

There’s a clear difference between a boss’s ultimate move being so strong that it’s practically instant death if you get hit, and being explicitly registered as an instant-death skill.

Instant-death skills are only used by bosses of Hero+ grade or higher.

‘This is insane……!’

In other words, that guy has at least the strength of a Hero+ grade.

Of course, there was no way Do-hyun’s stats were higher than the Destroyer’s.

He had to avoid it at all costs.

The moment that thought flashed through his mind,

—-!!

Black energy exploded from the Destroyer’s hand.

It was an energy that could only be described as truly terrible.

Chilling mana, like a swarm of black bugs, instantly covered the area and melted it like pouring acid.

Thud. Thump.

The wall in front of Destroyer Gaiman melted beyond recognition and fell like rain.

[This should be enough.]

If even a rat had been hiding, it would have died for sure with that power.

Satisfied, he left the cave through the hole created by the destroyed wall.

Thump, thump.

Listening to the sound of footsteps fading away, a man was holding his breath behind the corpse of Zerdic, whose head had been cut off.

Do-hyun finally let out the breath he had been holding.

[A mark is created.]

“Wow…… I came back from the dead.”

He had barely managed to use Backstab before the terrible nightmare covered him.

He could only describe it as being really lucky.

Because Weak Stealth was canceled when he used Backstab, he had no way to hide for 300 seconds.

He was clumsily hiding behind the corpse, so if the Destroyer had turned around even once, he would have been caught for sure.

-If you encounter him…… avoid him at all costs.

Suddenly, he remembered Gamillion’s words when he handed him the map.

NPCs [Non-player characters] and even Gamillion were saying that, so he thought he would be strong, but this was beyond imagination.

‘If an abyss contractor is this strong, how strong are the guys living in the abyss?’

Is this how strong you have to be to end the Great War?

Well, considering that the nerfed, degraded version of the abyss species in the tutorial was that strong, it made sense.

As Do-hyun, who had survived by using his wits, was recovering from his fright,

-M, Master! Master, are you okay!?

-Lizardia!

From afar, Jihad and Eliza, who were surprised by the sudden collapse of the cave, were rushing over.

There were no signs of injuries on them.

‘So they were hiding well.’

Fortunately, they seemed to have hidden well without being noticed by the Destroyer.

Jihad, who had already come close, was horrified when he found the fallen Zerdic.

-Hick!? What. D, did he die?

-L, Liza!?

“Well…… that’s what happened.”

-No, what happened, Master? What’s with the melted wall? Did that guy who just left do all this?

Do-hyun lowered his gaze again at the two who were making a fuss.

The corpse was lying face down with its head cut off.

It was even stranger because there were no other wounds, showing how cleanly he had died.

“It’s making me uneasy for no reason.”

Do-hyun frowned as he looked at Zerdic.

Was it because he knew the circumstances, even though he was an NPC? He felt strange for no reason.

A little guilt also played a part.

Judging from the conversation he had with the Destroyer, it seemed that he had been caught because he was in a hurry to hide.

If Do-hyun hadn’t encountered him while doing the main quest, he wouldn’t have fled here.

‘Is this what they call the butterfly effect?’

It was a coincidence, but it was true that the story had changed due to the presence of Do-hyun.

Do-hyun, who felt strangely strange, approached where Zerdic’s head was.

He thought he should at least pray for his soul.

-Um? What are you doing, Master?

-Liza?

Ignoring the tilting heads of the two, Do-hyun closed his wide-open eyes and pondered for a moment.

Then, he soon raised the corpse and made it lean against the wall.

‘Um. This is better.’

When the priests come to take the body, wouldn’t it be better to have it looking cool like this than lying sprawled out?

Do-hyun’s eyes, which were looking at it with satisfaction, suddenly turned to his hand.

“Wow, how frustrated was he that he’s still clenching his fist so tightly?”

The blood that had seeped out was so congealed that it was slightly hardened.

Do-hyun, who thought he would take care of this as well, was about to open his fist to make him comfortable.

[You have discovered a trace of the Destroyer.]

[Trace of the Destroyer (2/2)]

[You have collected all traces of the Destroyer. Return to Gamillion to complete the quest.]

“Huh?”

The message suddenly popped up.

His mind froze for a moment. Do-hyun, who was skeptical, checked his hand and saw something small.

An object that contained an ominous energy at first glance.

-Ugh. What is that, Master?

Jihad frowned and stepped back, but Do-hyun’s expression was blank as he looked at it.

“……Huh, so that’s what it was?”

-Huh? What is it? What is that?

It was because the object was such a clear clue.

The moment he saw ‘it,’ he could immediately tell who the culprit was.

‘He didn’t just get caught.’

Zerdic didn’t do nothing before he died.

In the last moment, he succeeded in snatching important evidence from him and holding it in his hand.

He used the only opportunity he might have had to counterattack and survive to bring the evidence.

It was a madness beyond poison, a near-obsessive determination.

‘He must have wanted the priest who would come someday to confirm it.’

But that shouldn’t have happened.

If he hadn’t checked it first, this evidence would have disappeared in vain.

But now that it was in his possession, the situation had changed.

“This changes things.”

The corners of Do-hyun’s lips curled up.

Destroyer Gaiman, maybe he could catch that monster.

* * *

[You have cleared the main quest ‘Second Fragment (1)’.]

[You have gained a large amount of experience.]

Do-hyun, who had returned to Brion, went straight to Gamillion to complete the quest.

When he handed over the traces and roughly explained what had happened in the hidden field, Gamillion’s face hardened.

“……Huh, he was the Destroyer. The elders will be furious if they find out.”

“It’s shocking.”

It wasn’t any different for Do-hyun.

He was still dumbfounded when he thought about it again.

“Anyway, we have secured the evidence, so we can rest assured. However…… the problem is time.”

Soon, the emergency meeting will end, and Gildete will summon everyone who attended the first meeting.

At that time, Destroyer Gaiman, that monster, will also come.

The only chance to make a deal was the moment when he was off guard, not knowing that he had been caught, but…….

“Lord Leved heard the news and is coming just in case. Even if he hurries, it will take at least an hour to arrive in Brion…… or two hours if he’s late.”

The problem was that it would take a lot of time for the core force, Leved and the Holy Knights, to arrive.

He had to hold him back before he ran away, but for now, there was no way to hold him back.

To be exact, there was a way, but it was reasonable to think it was impossible.

“He is a contractor with a named abyss species. No one but the Holy Knights can compete with him.”

“Well…… I almost died. He’s unbelievably strong.”

His strength was irrational.

Rather, if he hadn’t been a cautious person, he would have failed the quest when he first encountered him at the Lirar Temple.

“It’s not like other temples don’t have knights…… but if we suddenly say we’re going with them, they’ll have to be suspicious.”

That meticulous guy would definitely notice.

He blew up one side of the cave to prevent any possible future problems just by making a very slight noise.

If such a monster decided to run wild, there would be many casualties.

He couldn’t let that happen.

‘The worst thing is that he massacres people and runs away before Leved arrives.’

He’s a guy who’s hidden himself once, so why couldn’t he hide twice?

He was suspected of having a fragment of fate, so he couldn’t lose him so futilely.

“So, what about this……?”

“Um? What are you talking about?”

That’s why Do-hyun had been thinking ever since he got the evidence in the cave.

How to overcome this difficulty.

Even after thinking about it for a long time, there was only one answer.

I can say with certainty that if this plan goes according to plan, he will be able to hold out until Lord Leved arrives, and maybe even catch him.

“……It’s too dangerous, Successor. I know you’re great, but…… you’re still growing.”

Gamillion shook his hand in horror when he heard the plan.

It was because there was too much risk involved.

But Do-hyun’s eyes were firm.

“High risk, high return. The risk is high, but if we succeed, we can screw him over big time.”

“……I can’t deny it.”

“There’s no other way. I’m taking the biggest risk, but in the end, I’m not doing it alone.”

After a little hesitation, Gamillion finally nodded.

“Indeed, there’s no other way.”

“That’s what I’m saying.”

No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn’t think of a better way.

In the end, Gamillion sighed and bowed his head.

“Then…… I’m sorry to ask, but please take care of it, Successor.”

“Yes. Just do what I asked you to do.”

“Of course. Don’t worry.”

It was when they were looking at each other and slightly raising the corners of their lips.

“Ah, you two were here. Didn’t you hear the emergency summons from High Priest Gildete? He’s asking everyone who attended the meeting to come now.”

A priest who was running in a hurry found Do-hyun and Gamillion and explained the situation.

At the same time, a message popped up.

Ding-.

[The waiting time for the emergency meeting has ended.]

[You have completed the quest ‘Emergency Meeting’.]

[The linked quest ‘Emergency Summons’ has been generated.]

[Emergency Summons]

-Grade: Rare+

-Description: Gildete, who has finished the emergency meeting, seems to be trying to deliver some important news.

Everyone who attended the meeting must attend, and refusing to do so may be suspected of being a ‘Destroyer’.

-Quest success: Linked quest ‘???’ is created.

-Quest failure: You may be wrongly accused.

[A forced linked quest is currently in progress. It will be forcibly linked until all quests are completed.]

‘Shall we go?’

The time of decision has come.