The Return Of The Genius Ranker Of All Times [EN]: Chapter 198

198. Hero Guild and Kaiser.

In the beginning, their relationship was somewhat ambiguous.

They disliked and hated each other, but they never really fought properly.

‘I wondered why he hated me so much.’

At most, they would bicker or engage in petty sabotage when they occasionally met.

They didn’t cross any major lines, so they let it slide.

If it were now, Do-hyun wouldn’t have let it go so easily, judging that they were rotten from the start, but back then, in the early days, Do-hyun was still inexperienced, so he let it pass.

And that was the root of the problem.

‘I wondered why they wanted to join hands, but in the end, they stabbed me in the back.’

Eventually, Do-hyun, who had been unleashed, decided to start a fight.

Just when it seemed like they were going to fight in earnest, those guys suddenly disappeared, so he couldn’t end the bad blood.

As a result, he didn’t die or suffer any major damage from them.

A lot of time has passed, and I thought the bad feelings had disappeared, but when I actually faced them like this, it was still an unpleasant memory.

Verze, the fox-like guy who shocked Do-hyun back then, also had a lot to say.

“Kaiser, you were a stumbling block. Back then, you kept interfering with my plans. I thought I had to get rid of you, an Irregular [a player who defies the game’s intended path], to eliminate the variables.”

“……?”

“You look like you don’t remember. Well, I guess you wouldn’t. You were just mindlessly catching bosses and destroying guilds.”

It’s just that the bosses, guilds, and users he caught were often important key points in the plans Verze was devising.

Unknowingly, he was interfering with Verze.

Verze knows that Do-hyun didn’t do it on purpose.

But that was too much!

“No matter how much I predicted variables and planned quests, you would appear like a ghost and ruin everything. Why do you catch 6-person hidden bosses alone, how did you find them, and why do you suddenly fight large guilds alone?”

“……Should I have put up a notice saying ‘solo raid only’? I just caught the boss because it was in front of me, and I beat up the guys who were picking a fight.”

“That’s the problem with you.”

No matter how unintentional it was, it happened two, three, four times…….

Even Buddha would get angry if it piled up dozens of times.

If they moved as a guild, I could at least predict it.

It’s driving me crazy because he’s wandering around alone like a *ronin* [a wandering samurai] in a martial arts novel, causing chaos and I can’t get a sense of it.

“And this time……. I can’t forgive you at all.”

“If I said this time wasn’t intentional, would you believe me?”

“I’m sick and tired of that ‘intentional’ excuse!”

“…….”

“If I leave you alone, you’ll interfere with me again like in the past.”

They say there are no villains without a story.

Do-hyun, who had nothing to say in response, scratched his head.

It happened this time, and there was no guarantee it wouldn’t happen again next time.

Especially since he was taking a different route from others.

Verze, who had been suppressing his anger, spoke again with a calm expression.

“It’s actually better this way. I’ve always wanted to get rid of you, and the moment has finally come.”

“Why didn’t you get rid of me back then?”

“……The timing wasn’t right. I didn’t expect it to go downhill so quickly. I’m not the kind of person who stubbornly clings to something that doesn’t make money.”

“…….”

Do-hyun, who survived until the end of the service with his unique, despairingly lucky streak in that X- *mangame* [a derogatory term for a poorly made or unbalanced game], is the strange one.

He felt like he had been hit in the bone, and he rubbed his side.

At the same time, Do-hyun could feel it.

His relationship with that guy couldn’t be resolved with a conversation.

It was a bad blood that would only be resolved when one of them was gone.

“Ha, okay, fine. Everything’s fine……. Did you forget because it’s been so long? How many guilds I’ve destroyed, what happened to all the guilds that fought me.”

“You’re as confident as ever.”

Verze didn’t flinch at Do-hyun’s provocation, and he remained relaxed.

He even acknowledged Do-hyun.

“I admit it. You’re outstanding.”

“…….”

“But so what? Are you going to charge in like you did back then? Do you have the confidence?”

It was an attitude that there was no need to engage in a war of nerves when facing a battle that he could never lose.

Do-hyun couldn’t easily answer Verze’s question.

Am I confident?

‘……Honestly, it’s ambiguous.’

He wouldn’t be defeated in vain even if he charged in right now.

He was confident that he could inflict significant damage on those guys.

But that was it.

There was an overwhelming gap, and even if he took a few people with him, he would eventually die because he was outnumbered.

‘After that, they’ll wait in the city and then drive me to the field like now.’

Then it would be an endless massacre.

Unlike himself, who would get weaker and weaker, those guys would get stronger and stronger.

“Right now, you’re just a rookie who has just entered the Empire. You haven’t been enhanced, and there’s a difference in the quality of your equipment and skills, and you haven’t experienced the many routes to become stronger in the Empire.”

It pissed me off, but that guy was right.

The reason why there’s a difference in class from the Empire is not simply because you get higher grades as you go to the late game.

The numerous growth routes that you can only take after entering the Empire, including enhancements.

Having them or not is no exaggeration to say that it’s like the difference between heaven and earth.

“There’s no one to help you. Not the top 10 guilds, not the top 100 guilds, or any other large guilds.”

“…….”

“To the guilds, your existence is just a poisoned chalice. It’s dangerous to have, and annoying to leave alone. On the other hand, I have created my kingdom, my legion, and everyone is a great help to me.”

“…….”

“Do you understand? The world is not a place to live alone, Kaiser. And…….”

Verze paused for a moment, scanned Do-hyun up and down, and added with a smirk.

“I think I’ll win even if we fight now.”

“The guild masters who were disbanded by my hands all said the same thing.”

“Well……. I don’t think we need any more conversation.”

The conversation ended there.

Swoosh-

Verze lightly waved his hand, and the guild members slowly approached and began to pressure Do-hyun.

Do-hyun had no choice but to step back.

At this rate, he would soon be chased out into the field.

‘Master, you didn’t just go for it, did you? You’re really confident, right?’

‘Lizariza!’

‘……I pretended to be strong, but I don’t really know.’

‘What, what!? What are you going to do!’

‘My lord, don’t worry. This humble sword will serve you with my life.’

Do-hyun also racked his brains as he watched the agitated Jihad guys.

‘……Should I escape with Backstab and Lightning Teleport to buy time?’

Escape is not a good idea.

Even if I buy time and hunt, I’ll eventually be noticed.

In the end, I’ll only buy a little time, and I’ll be found out soon.

Or if I log out…….

‘If I log back in, I’ll be in this situation, so what’s the point? Let’s just charge in.’

It would be better to just charge in.

It wasn’t a decision to just let things go.

He had a reason to be confident.

[Thousand Transformations devours ‘Grim Nightmare Scythe’.]

[Devoured an item of a higher grade than the existing grade.]

[The grade of Thousand Transformations is adjusted.]

[The grade of Thousand Transformations is transformed into ‘Hero+(Raid Equipment)’.]

[Attack power and options are reorganized according to the grade.]

Ruidra’s Scythe, which he obtained after catching Ruidra this time.

[Equip Ominous Nightmare Earrings.]

[Equip Unsettling Nightmare Bracelet.]

[Ruidra’s Nightmare Set is applied.]

And the other two accessories.

In addition, there was also the Essence Ring of Karuk, the Rock Splitter, which had just been inherited this time.

The current Do-hyun was far beyond the level those guys knew.

If he used that unexpected thing to inflict explosive damage in an instant, it would be worth a try.

‘Let’s see how it performs.’

And Do-hyun had a few more tricks up his sleeve.

The most reliable of them was the Magic King’s Ring.

I don’t know what skill will be activated, but it’s the unique magic of the Magic King who opposed God, so it won’t be an ordinary skill.

‘It’s a bit of a waste to use it now……. If it doesn’t work, I can’t help it.’

It was reassuring to have a joker card to overcome the crisis.

But this was only the last resort to be used in the worst-case scenario.

He intended to overcome it with his own strength as much as possible.

[You have not yet confirmed the reward for the 4th Trial.]

[Would you like to confirm the reward?]

The enhanced S-rank graduation reward for this 4th Trial, which might help Do-hyun.

I wanted to enjoy the sweet reward leisurely, but now was not the time to be so relaxed.

Step, step.

Chuck, chuck, chuck, chuck.

“The long-standing bad blood ends here. I hope I never see you again. It will be soon, though.”

He was now pushed to the front of the warp to the field, with no place to retreat.

If he took a few more steps, he would be in the field. Then, attacks would pour out immediately.

There was really no time left.

‘Let’s see what comes out…….’

Just as he was about to check the reward, hoping that something useful for battle would come out.

“Then this is it, Kai…….”

“Huh……!?”

“Hmm?”

A sound of inhaling somewhere cut off Verze’s words.

The sound wasn’t the end of it.

“What, why is my back suddenly empty? Everyone left…… Huh? Hu, huh?”

“No way. That person appeared?”

“Oh my god.”

“What’s going on that’s making them like that?”

Starting with that sound, everyone stopped moving at the sight of the spectators who had suddenly become noisy.

Verze was among them.

‘……What is it?’

Verze was feeling a strong sense of foreboding.

It was an unplanned situation.

The fact that the users were reacting so excitedly to this situation meant that a big shot had appeared.

‘Who is it? An NPC? Or a user?’

Whatever it was, it was unwelcome.

At the same time, it didn’t make sense.

NPCs don’t interfere in user affairs as long as they don’t break the rules, and there are no users who would interfere.

Therefore, Verze soon came to a conclusion.

‘……He’s just passing by.’

That was plausible.

Logically, there was no one who would interfere in this matter.

“Ahem, ahem. Then…… this is the end. Kai…….”

Verze, who had grasped the situation, cleared his throat and was about to say something cool again.

“Heok!”

“I, it’s crazy!”

“……Izer……. Damn it, what is it this time!”

Verze, who had his words cut off again, shouted angrily.

What answered his angry shout was not the guild members or the spectators.

“Oh, my……. I came to see a familiar face after a long time, but what’s going on here.”

A particularly noticeable thick voice among the crowd.

The unique voice, which was like a construction site worker but somehow cozy, was a voice that Verze knew well.

At the same time, it was an unbelievable person.

Thud, thud.

“……Y-you are?”

A huge height of over 190cm [approximately 6’3″] and a muscular body to match.

A friendly impression and way of speaking like a neighborhood uncle that contrasted with it.

Expensive equipment that adorned his whole body.

And accessories and weapons that shone with a purple color, the symbol of high enhancement.

All of that was proving his identity.

“The owner of the Armory……!”

The master of the top 10 guild, Babylon.

A whale [someone who spends a lot of money on a game] and a god of grinding who was more famous for the title of Owner of the Armory than the name Astra.

‘What’s going on……. Huh? Wait a minute.’

Do-hyun, who faced him from afar, couldn’t help but widen his eyes.

He was also a person that Do-hyun knew well.

‘That way of speaking, that bow-legged walk, that heavy build……. Could it be…….’

No, he was more than just someone he knew.

That fantastic trinity meant a person he could never forget.

The owner of the Armory.

He was a hardcore user who finished Demlock in 5th place and a ranker who was Kaiser’s comrade.

‘……Purple Uncle?’

It was purple flavored.