The Return Of The Genius Ranker Of All Times [EN]: Chapter 222

Episode 222

At that moment, a considerable number of people had gathered in front of the Hayden Castle’s monument.

Only about 30, but that was twice as many as when it started.

“Why are so many people gathering?”

“It’s the first trial in six months, of course.”

“Especially since the subject is Kaiser… Enough said. I’m glad I secured a spot in the front row.”

It was thanks to the people who had already heard the rumors and gathered.

People were still arriving, so it was obvious that it would soon be crowded.

In that respect, those who had been in the castle from the beginning were fortunate to have secured the front row.

They had been lamenting beating up the Ironwood Golems in the desolate Hayden Castle, but it turned out to be helpful.

“Since we’ve entered, it’ll start soon, right?”

“Probably. The limit test starts right after entering.”

“Wow, he’s become so popular after the Verze beatdown broadcast that it’s hard to approach him… It’s amazing to meet him like this.”

“He’s even coming to our castle. Awesome.”

Naturally, their topic of conversation was none other than Kaiser.

Kaiser, who was already a hot topic, had come to their Knight Castle to take the Lion King’s Trial.

Wasn’t the timing amazing?

Just as they were excitedly chattering about this strange coincidence, one person looked around and cautiously spoke.

“So… what’s going to happen?”

“What do you mean?”

“What else could I mean, you idiot.”

“Ah.”

The other trainees, who had been answering indifferently, also became serious.

They understood what he was trying to say.

“Hmm…”

After thinking carefully for a moment, the answer quickly came.

“Well… even if it’s Kaiser, it might be a bit difficult, don’t you think?”

“His level is only in the early 70s. Even the experts said it would be around level 73 at most.”

“No matter how good Kaiser is, he was too hasty this time. There’s no reason to enter now. How much better would it have been if he had reached level 100 and transcended before entering?”

“Passing… Well, I don’t think he’ll get the red light [the highest possible ranking]. I’d consider it if he was at least level 85, but this is too much of a difference.”

No matter how they thought about it, they could only come up with negative opinions.

Of course, there were opposing views.

“The test is tailored to the level anyway, so does it matter?”

“It matters. There are system benefits you get after reaching the level cap. Since that’s not reflected, reaching the level cap is always better.”

“Well… transcendence aside, the number of skill slots is different.”

“Hey, but it’s Kaiser! He beat the transcended Verze, what can’t he do?”

“The Sword Emperor’s score is ridiculous, so let’s skip that, but he’s still a Godkiller, so he might reach the red light if he does well?”

“Hearing it like that, it seems possible?”

Kaiser had shown them what he was capable of, and seeing him enter so confidently, they thought he must have something to believe in.

Although they were somewhat divided, there was one opinion they all agreed on.

Kaiser seemed to have entered too hastily.

Was it necessary to use the one-time opportunity so quickly? They wondered.

“Maybe it’s a main quest?”

“Or maybe he got a攻略(gong lue) [strategy guide] method or something?”

“What 攻略(gong lue) [strategy guide] method is there for the Lion King’s Trial? Even if you finish the test the same way, it’ll give you a yellow light if it doesn’t like you.”

“Well, the test pass criteria isn’t the result but the process… Huh? What’s that?”

“What, why… Huh?”

That’s when it happened as they were racking their brains.

The trainee, puzzled by the sight of his colleague being shocked while speaking, turned his head and showed the same reaction.

That was the beginning.

“Wow… what’s that?”

“Wow, is this real?”

“Am I seeing things right now?”

The users who were waiting behind them shouted in surprise.

The same was true for the users who were newly entering behind them.

The reason everyone was shocked was none other than the monument.

Flash-

“…Why is it already emitting light?”

The magic circle-like effect with the lion’s shape drawn under the monument.

And the light that was swirling around the entire monument and rising above it.

The light that shouldn’t have appeared yet was being emitted.

This meant that he had reached the second-highest grade within 10 minutes of entering the Lion King’s Tower.

“It’s only been about 10 minutes since he entered!?”

“No, 10 minutes is barely enough time for the first stage of the limit test, what is this…?”

“It’s not even green, it’s yellow!?”

“Unbelievable!”

The time taken was shocking enough, but it was yellow, not green.

It was unbelievable.

It wasn’t an expression of admiration; it really didn’t make sense.

“There are plenty of people who get a yellow light even after finishing all the tests, but a yellow light in 10 minutes?”

“That means he got perfect scores on at least two tests.”

“Crazy…”

Green, yellow, silver, gold, red.

The criteria for measuring the five grades was none other than the number of tests passed with a perfect score.

And the light the monument was emitting now was yellow.

This meant that Kaiser had broken through two of the Lion King’s tests with perfect scores in 10 minutes…

“…But how is that possible?”

“It takes at least 4 hours just to break through the limit test?”

“It takes even high rankers at least 2 hours. It doesn’t make sense time-wise.”

No matter how good Kaiser was, this was physically impossible.

He might believe it if it was 1 hour, but 10 minutes?

Even Kaiser’s grandfather couldn’t do it.

Then there was only one assumption.

“The Lion King’s recognition…”

The spirit of the Lion King dwelling in the tower recognizing the knight.

It was conveniently expressed as recognition, but everything that impressed, surprised, or acknowledged the Lion King’s spirit was reflected in the score.

And if the value exceeded the standard, he would receive early passes on some test items.

And receiving an early pass meant that he was given a perfect score.

“Oh my god…”

“He did it? In 10 minutes?”

It was an official setting, but the moment they thought of the word Lion King’s recognition.

They couldn’t help but be shocked.

“Even high rankers like Myeolsal or Empress only did one.”

“I think they achieved it after several hours…”

“Who passed in less than 1 hour? Isn’t this the first time?”

“…No, there is someone.”

It was then. Someone mentioned the name of an NPC [Non-Player Character].

“…Sword Emperor.”

The Sword of the Seven Rivers.

Sword Emperor, Garfield Drew.

“The Sword Emperor was the only one who achieved two early passes in less than 30 minutes.”

“…Wait a minute, then Kaiser is faster than the Sword Emperor?”

“Crazy… not 30 minutes but 10 minutes…”

“Wow, should I tell this to the community or should I hold back? They wouldn’t believe me even if I told them.”

The Sword Emperor’s overwhelming record, which had been the only one, was broken for the first time.

With that, the topic of conversation naturally shifted to a comparison between the Sword Emperor and Kaiser.

“At this rate, isn’t Kaiser going to break the Sword Emperor’s record?”

“Wow, is he going to be the first user to clear the hidden test?”

“Hey, no way. Do you think the Seven Rivers are a joke?”

“That’s right. The Sword Emperor even has three early passes. He’s not really comparable to the Sword Emperor, but…”

It was then.

Flash-!

“Eek!?”

“Whoa, that scared me.”

“Wh, what is it?”

Suddenly startled by the huge light soaring from the front, they instinctively looked ahead.

And they couldn’t help but be stunned.

“…Silver light?”

“The third early pass?”

A dazzling silver light was being emitted from the monument.

The silver light meant that he had received the third perfect score.

It was the first time since the release of GoS, and even in the background setting of GoS, it was the first time since the Sword Emperor.

Gulp.

The sound of someone swallowing dry saliva could be heard from somewhere at the unbelievable event.

But no one cared about that.

Everyone was showing a similar reaction.

Among them, looking at the monument emitting silver light with blank faces, someone muttered in a low voice.

“…What the hell is going on inside there?”

He couldn’t imagine it, but he could be sure of this much.

Everything that happened inside would be the first.

‘Is he really going to break the Sword Emperor’s score?’

‘Daebak [amazing]… I have to record this no matter what.’

‘I don’t know what it is, but it’s crazy… My hands are shaking.’

Kaiser was going to cause another accident.

* * *

[The Lion King’s spirit is astonished.]

[Reflected in the score.]

[The Lion King’s spirit cannot help but be amazed.]

[Reflected in the score.]

[The Lion King’s spirit protests that this is a scam.]

…

[The Lion King’s spirit grabs his head, saying something is wrong.]

[Reflected in the score.]

The Lion King’s spirit was feeling dizzy.

‘This… this doesn’t make sense.’

It was because of that one knight who had entered the tower.

A knight who brought a bunch of Guardians like a tamer.

Perhaps that’s why he was ignoring him, thinking that he was relying on his Guardians because he lacked skill.

‘What is all that!’

An absurd sight was unfolding.

Bang! Crack-!

Boom! Swish- Thud!

If he grazed the skeleton soldiers once, their heads would be crushed, and if he grazed them twice, they would be gone.

Even if the skeleton soldiers gathered and rushed at him, his movements were so agile that it was difficult to land a proper attack.

What was even more absurd was that he didn’t take much damage even if an attack happened to hit.

‘Could it be that my measurement is wrong?’

That couldn’t be.

The Lion King’s eyes could see through the realm of the target.

In the language of those Apostles [players], it was an eye that could check levels.

He had perfectly measured even the Sword Emperor of this era, so how could he not measure a mere Apostle [player]?

‘Apostles [players] often have large gaps even when they reach the same realm…’

That’s why there was a limit test.

He couldn’t know the knight’s limits with just a rough measurement.

But even if there were differences, they were usually similar, and usually, they couldn’t even overcome the limit test and collapsed.

[You have cleared stage 1 perfectly.]

[Stage 2 begins.]

…

[You have cleared stage 2 perfectly.]

…

[You have cleared stage 4 perfectly.]

‘How should I explain that? It’s like a Transcender [a player who has reached the highest level] is beating up insignificant goblins.’

But what was that guy?

It was destructive power, durability, and speed that far exceeded the realm that should have been his level.

Moreover, his mana circuit was abnormally solid.

It wasn’t just that his physical abilities were abnormally strong.

Whir- Crack!

-Ew, look at that head twisting. Creepy.

-Hmm! Always a natural movement like flowing water… The Lord’s battle always looks like a work of art.

-Liza! Lizaliza!

Every movement was overwhelming the target based on thorough distance calculation as if it had been calculated.

‘Even the knights of my era couldn’t do that. Isn’t that… different from other Apostles [players]?’

At that moment, what came to the Lion King’s spirit’s mind was a man who had entered a year ago.

A man who had dominated everything with one sword.

The strongest swordsman of this era who had achieved an amazing realm that he would have wanted to compete with if he were alive.

‘…Sword Emperor.’

For some reason, the Lion King’s spirit was reminded of that man.