The Return Of The Genius Ranker Of All Times [EN]: Chapter 191

191.

‘

What?’

What did I just hear?

To die?

I’m going through all this trouble to save her, and now I hear something so absurd.

Did my bewilderment show on my face?

Angela gave a bitter smile and continued.

-You’ve heard about the Lantern Rite, Ruidra, and the current state of the city, right?

“……Yes.”

-Then I can get straight to the point. I can maintain my sanity because I feel the flow of mana and receive external stimuli, but others can’t. They are simply asleep.

A true slumber where no dreams are allowed.

A state with no stimulation, just a body remaining, no different from a semi-corpse.

That was the state of the cursed residents now.

“Then shouldn’t you be the one to wake up even more?”

That’s why it didn’t make sense.

The only things that can awaken them from their eternal slumber are the embers of purification and the power of the necklace.

And Angela was the best at handling them.

There was no reason for her to die in this situation.

But she shook her head.

-I can see it. The unstable mana flow of the necklace is on the verge of completely breaking. In that state, it can only wake up one person at most.

“Then…….”

-You need to take the power of the necklace that is melted into my body to restore it to its complete form.

By this point, Do-hyun could understand.

What she was trying to say. She wasn’t wishing for death.

-If you save me, the necklace will break. But if you absorb the energy melted into my body… you can save countless people.

It was just that there was no other way.

To absorb the energy of the body, you had to take all of its life force, which meant death.

‘No, is this what it meant by her being the key?’

Of course, the power she possessed.

I thought it was about using her eyes to see the flow of mana, but Angela herself was truly the key.

In this absurd situation, I couldn’t bring myself to speak.

I didn’t know where to start or how to explain it.

I didn’t know whether to stop her or encourage her.

-I broke the taboo. I have been given a chance to make amends for that. Rather, I should be grateful for the opportunity.

“……Is that true?”

The answer came from somewhere else instead of Do-hyun.

Next to Do-hyun, a little further away.

It was Gilberun, who should have been busy waking Angela.

He was looking at the empty space Do-hyun was staring at with very sad eyes.

“Is that really true, Angela?”

-Rune? How…….

“I thought something was up when the hero was staring at empty space, so I focused my mana. I’m jealous that you spoke to a strange man before me.”

-Ha, but I clearly controlled the mana flow…….

“Have you forgotten? How vast my mana is. Even a complete version of you struggled with it, I think you underestimated me too much.”

-Ah…….

Gilberun couldn’t see Angela.

She could see Gilberun, but in Gilberun’s eyes, it was just empty space.

But why?

In Do-hyun’s eyes, it felt as if the two were looking at each other.

‘They resemble each other.’

Perhaps it was because their eyes were so similar.

The eyes of someone anticipating an eternal farewell with their lover.

Bitterness, sadness, resentment, longing…….

A whirlwind of countless emotions that are hard to describe in a single word could be glimpsed in that short moment.

“Angela…….”

But if there was a difference between the two.

Unlike Angela, who had finished making her decision during her slumber, Gilberun still couldn’t accept it.

Looking at his melancholic eyes, Do-hyun cautiously stepped back.

‘……Let’s give them space.’

‘Yeah, Master……. That would be better.’

‘Lizariza.’

‘I agree, Master.’

This wasn’t Do-hyun’s time.

It was the last time given to Gilberun before he had to let go of his wife, whom he had bet everything on.

Perhaps thinking the same thing, Ruriel and Hyde also carefully stepped back.

-……It’s nice to see you like this, Rune. You seem to have gotten a lot more wrinkles.

“……It’s because I’ve been suffering so much because of you. So you’ll have to help me like before. Without your nagging, I don’t take care of my skin.”

Angela, who burst out laughing, folded her eyes and smiled.

It was probably because she remembered one of the things that used to be so natural.

It was so happy that it made her laugh just thinking about it, but Angela shook her head.

-Rune…….

“……Don’t say it. I don’t want to hear it.”

-Rune…….

“Please. Can’t you just stay with me? 2148 days, the time you disappeared. I haven’t forgotten you for a single day during that time.”

-…….

“The world calls me a wise ruler, but I’m not such a grand person.”

Gilberun, who took another step forward, spoke in a cracking voice.

“I just want to stroll through the garden with you again, eat a warm meal together…… I’m just an ordinary man, no different from others, whose wife and family are the most precious thing to me.”

-……Rune.

“You can call me selfish. I’ll gladly accept it even if everyone throws stones at me. So, can’t you just close your eyes and take my hand?”

As he said that, Gilberun carefully reached out his hand.

Looking at the hand raised slightly to the side of Angela, Angela tightly closed her eyes.

She wanted to take that hand right away.

She wanted to eat warm meals together, stroll through the garden, look at flowers, drink tea, nag him to wash and sleep, and fall asleep in his arms.

When she was trapped in eternal slumber, she had vowed to do anything if she could regain that daily life.

Tightly-

Just once.

If she just closed her eyes once and took that hand.

She could regain all of that daily life.

-……We can’t do that.

But she couldn’t do that at all.

-We broke the taboo. That’s why countless innocent people were sacrificed. I can still see the faces of those who are lying down like cold corpses and the people who are crying by their sides. I always wanted to fix it.

“…….”

-Now that opportunity has come. And you’re telling me to take an axe to the feet of those who trust us? Because of my own greed?

Angela’s eyes turned red as her voice trembled as if she was choked up.

Blue tears were streaming down her cheeks.

Angela, who was about to turn her head as if she didn’t want to be caught, stopped. She realized that Gilberun couldn’t see her anyway.

But at that moment.

Swish-

A shadow fell.

Something was hugging her.

“Angela.”

It was Gilberun, who had come closer without her noticing.

He had come to where he heard the voice and was carefully hugging her.

An embrace between a soul and a living being.

Nothing was felt, but everything was felt.

What his embrace felt like. What he was trying to say. Even what they were thinking.

“I know everything. So I wish you would stop pushing yourself.”

-……Hic. Sob.

“I’m sorry. For being selfish.”

-……Actually, I lied. I want to walk with you, eat with you, and lie down and fall asleep next to you. I wanted to close my eyes and pretend I didn’t know and take that hand.

“……I know.”

-I missed you so much.

“I know. I……. I missed you so much too.”

The two people who closed their eyes tightly remained standing still.

They instinctively sensed it.

That this moment would be their last. That the moment to send her away forever was approaching.

Ting-

[The time limit for the sudden quest, ‘Angela’s Wish,’ is 20 minutes remaining.]

[The purification ritual must be completed within 20 minutes.]

[The hidden event ‘The Last Lantern Rite’ will begin shortly.]

A message broke the moment that they wished would last forever.

‘Ah, what a mood killer.’

‘Master, don’t you know what manner mode [feature to mute notifications] is?’

‘……How do you know something like that?’

‘I overheard the apostles talking about it? Isn’t that what you say in situations like this?’

I heard that there are NPCs who quote the words of users, and Jihad must be one of those cases.

Even so, I never thought I would hear words like manner mode.

Just as I was chuckling at the funny situation.

Swoosh-

The sunset and night came.

Looking at the dark night sky where even the moonlight had disappeared, Angela took a step back.

-There’s no time. We have to start now. There’s a limit to how long I can maintain this state.

Angela’s soul, which was gradually fading, proved that there really wasn’t much time left.

It was time for the hidden event to begin, as the message said.

-Rune. This is the last chance. Let’s fix our mistakes now.

“……Angela, can I do it?”

However, compared to Angela, who had already wiped away her tears and was speaking boldly, Gilberun looked somewhat shrunken.

“You know too. I can’t control mana. If I go berserk during the ritual, then I’ll commit an even greater sin…….”

Thud.

At that moment, Gilberun’s eyes widened at the strange sensation felt on his lips.

He clearly didn’t feel anything, but somehow it felt familiar and warm.

-What are you talking about, Rune? You’re not alone.

And the soft voice that followed.

-I’m here.

“But you’re already…… We can no longer feel each other.”

-It’s what we’ve always done. Listen to my voice and imagine what we’ve been doing, and slowly control the mana. You’ve been able to control mana all along. What’s been holding you back is just the limits and fears you’ve set for yourself…….

“…….”

-I’m by your side, Rune. Nothing will change.

As she said that, she reached out her delicate hand and said with a bright smile.

-So let’s do it together. Like always.

“Ah…….”

As if possessed, he reached out his hand, and it naturally overlapped like a magnet.

It was as she said.

What did it matter if he couldn’t see or feel her?

They were by each other’s side.

“I’m sorry for showing you such an unsightly 모습 [Korean word for appearance/figure].”

-You’re finally back to the Rune I knew.

“Then…… Shall we dance a song together? Like we always have.”

-I’d love to.

As they held hands, they slowly closed their eyes.

[The key has been completed.]

[The power of the fragment residing in Angela’s body is being absorbed into the ‘Broken Necklace of Truth’.]

[The embers of life of Angela, the Queen of Fratel, are fading away.]

‘Ah…….’

The brilliant energy that emanated from Angela’s body permeated the necklace and was gradually being restored.

At the same time, Angela’s skin was rapidly losing its vitality.

But the two people were still standing there with their eyes closed.

-We always started by holding hands and pressing our foreheads together.

“I remember. We turned our heads to the side in that state.”

Then, based on their memories, they took their positions and turned their heads to the side.

-Here, I put my foot on and take a step.

Then, one step.

“Here, I lead and take a step.”

And another step.

-I remember everything. Even though it’s been quite a while.

“……I thought about it every day, so it would be stranger if I didn’t remember.”

-That’s nice to hear, even if it’s just words.

“Oh……. Shall we see if it’s just words?”

With those words, the two began to move in earnest.

As they held hands and took steps as if they were waltzing, light began to emanate from their footsteps.

Like a drop of water falling on the surface of the water.

The naturally spreading waves of mana were brightly coloring the forest like paint dropped on a canvas.

Whoa-!

Rustle-

Every time they danced, the eerie forest was filled with life.

The withered plants took on a fresh green color, and the dry, rustling bushes began to make a soft sound.

“……What’s this?”

“Purification ritual……. I never thought the day would come when I would see this again…….”

“This is the purification ritual?”

When Do-hyun asked in surprise at Hyde’s words, Ruriel, who had already approached, continued the story.

“Dancing a waltz together according to the flow of mana. It was said to be the best way to guide the king, who couldn’t control mana, along the path of mana that she saw, and to make it easier to feel mana.”

“Ah, I see.”

“Take a good look. It’s the first and last purification ritual you apostles will ever see…….”

Ruriel, who trailed off, shook her head and corrected her words.

“No, it will be a true Lantern Festival.”

“Ah…….”

And at that moment.

—-!

“Ugh?”

-Wh, what is it. This tremendous mana is……! It’s an unbelievable amount!

-Li, Liza!

A huge magic circle was drawn under Gilberun and Angela’s feet.

The forest was greatly shaken by the tremendous mana wave.

The Holy King of Fratel, who was said to be comparable to a great sage in terms of innate mana, even though he could not control mana at all and could not use magic.

That rumor was true.

Pow-!

‘……No, isn’t this more mana than a great mage?’

Anyone who saw such a huge magic circle would have no choice but to admit it.

Soon, the moment the magic circle covered the entire forest and extended to the city.

[The hidden event, ‘The Last Lantern Rite,’ has begun.]

[You will be moved to the city due to the occurrence of the hidden event.]

[The guardians will be forcibly moved as the location is moved.]

A message rang and the vision flickered, and when I opened my eyes, the scenery of the city, which was very different from before, greeted Do-hyun.

The dark night sky.

The lanterns that rose from the buildings, alleys, and shops gradually illuminated the surroundings as if chasing away the darkness, and the river in the city where the sailboats floated contained a brilliant light as if the sunset had spread.

It was a different light from what I saw during the Lantern Festival.

[Lanterns containing the embers of purification are rising.]

It was not just a simple light, but a lantern containing the embers of purification.

“……Huh? I guess the Lantern Festival is starting.”

“Wow! It’s pretty! Huh? But isn’t the light a little different?”

“Th, that’s right? Was it this beautiful? It feels like it’s become more high-quality?”

“Lanterns containing the embers of purification? What is this?”

At that, the users stopped walking, without exception, and looked up at the lanterns.

It wasn’t just the users.

Creak-

“……Ah.”

“This is……. Could it be the Lantern Rite?”

“My goodness, I thought Angela was dead.”

“What is this……?”

The NPCs who opened the windows and the NPCs who were walking around the city became dazed with a familiar yet unfamiliar brilliance.

The moment the thought that maybe flashed through their minds.

A resident’s urgent cry burst out.

“Ev, everyone, come out quickly! This is not the time for this! David! David has opened his eyes!”

“Da, daughter! Are you regaining your senses!!”

“Hwaaa! Everyone! Everyone, come out! My father has opened his eyes!”

The cries were not in one place.

Starting with one house, screams and cries like screams erupted from various places.

[The Last Lantern Rite is open.]

[Watch over the beauty of the lanterns.]

It was the beginning of the true Lantern Festival.