The Return Of The Genius Ranker Of All Times [EN]: Chapter 25

Part 2, Episode 25.

The New Continent boasts a diverse range of activities and content.

As a melting pot where numerous races coexist, it offers unique experiences not found on the Main Continent.

Among these, certain activities have become iconic, representing various regions or villages within the New Continent…

[The Under-Heaven First Disciple Tournament]

“Who will be crowned the best disciple under heaven! This weekly event is your chance! Registration closes soon, so don’t miss out!”

“Wow, look at the crowds!”

“Seriously? Is this a human village or an elf village?”

“It’s not like the Under-Heaven First Disciple Tournament is new, why are you acting so surprised?”

In the Elf Village, the Under-Heaven First Disciple Tournament is the most popular event.

Dohyun nodded, observing the users flocking to the registration area like fans at a celebrity meet-and-greet.

‘Right, I remember that.’

Due to the elves’ extended lifespans compared to humans, building trust and rapport takes time, which directly impacts the likelihood of receiving quests.

These interactions accumulate and ultimately influence the graduation quest.

In essence, cultivating relationships with elves is a top priority for players…

“This event is the most efficient way to increase that rapport, so of course everyone’s participating.”

“Exactly. It’s only available once a week, so it’s a must-do.”

“Skipping it is a huge missed opportunity.”

“There’s no real elimination. Participation guarantees some reward, so you have to try it.”

Above all, players appreciate the tournament’s unique format.

Despite its name suggesting one-on-one combat, the Under-Heaven First Disciple Tournament resembles a survival game more closely.

[Ranking Criteria]

1. Extermination of monsters that threaten nature.
2. Nature purification.
3. Locating objects hidden by the host throughout the forest.
4. Fulfilling the wishes of the forest spirits.
5. Bonus points for surprising or pleasing the forest spirits.

…

Instead of direct player-versus-player combat, the rules emphasize tasks like purifying the forest, granting the spirits’ desires, and eliminating harmful monsters.

‘Are they trying to involve players in forest conservation efforts and assess their trustworthiness?’

Consequently, troublemakers are deterred, knowing they’d face the elven army if they disrupt the natural balance.

This allows players to level up and gather resources in a relatively safe environment.

Moreover,

Beyond building rapport, the quests received from the forest spirits during the tournament are quite rewarding.

And if you’re fortunate enough to reach the top 10?

You’ll receive special rewards and the elves’ recognition, effectively killing two birds with one stone.

‘I planned to participate if I had the chance, and it turns out today is the tournament day.’

He intended to check the website for opportunities, but it just so happened that the tournament was today.

It was a stroke of luck.

Of course, securing the opportunity was just the first step; the path ahead wouldn’t be easy.

“But… there seem to be more people than usual today?”

“I know, right? Is it because Kaiser eliminated the villains who preyed on beginners?”

“That’s part of it, but I think the championship prize is particularly legendary today.”

“Huh? Why today?”

“The Elder [referring to a high-ranking elf] is back. Rumor has it they’re preparing more meticulously today because the village chief was filling in during the Elder’s absence.”

Dohyun’s exploits and the Elder’s return coincided, resulting in a record-breaking turnout.

He’d have to compete against 1.5 times more players than usual to impress the Elder.

Moreover, it wasn’t just the sheer number of participants.

“I heard Raihas is participating too?”

“Crazy! Why now, when he was busy chasing someone?”

“I think they control the forest during the tournament… I don’t know the specifics.”

“Haa, it seems like many other famous players are participating besides Raihas. I’m out of the rankings again this time.”

“I doubt there will be any monsters left to hunt.”
Raihas, the leader of the Ark Guild, a top 10 guild, and other well-known players had announced their participation.

‘Oh my gosh. Isn’t Raihas the guy from earlier, Master? This seems too difficult…’

‘Lizariza…’

‘Hmph! Do you doubt your lord? My lord can win. Besides, it’s not just a fighting tournament, is it?’

Jihad expressed concern, while Charlie remained steadfast in his belief.

Indeed, the lineup was unprecedented in recent years, but that wasn’t a reason for Dohyun to back down.

Giving up now meant waiting another week, leaving him no choice.

‘This is going to be fun.’

Unlike the other players who were participating with trepidation, Dohyun smirked and headed towards the registration area.

* * *

The first New Continent, Ellanis.

The continent where players first arrived after leaving the Main Continent, and the one with the most areas to explore.

Consequently, it has the most factors influencing the graduation quest, leading many players to remain there.

As a result,

“It’s a complete mess.”

“Damn it, seriously? Why do I, who started just a week ago, have to compete with guys who came three months ago?”

“New players will be too discouraged to continue.”

“If you don’t like it, graduate, you idiots. Who’s forcing you to stay? You chose to stay and improve your skills, so stop complaining.”
The balance was completely off.

From newcomers who had just arrived in Ellanis to notorious villains and famous players like Raihas.

Individuals who shouldn’t be in the same place were intertwined and competing.

Fortunately, the continent’s vastness prevented frequent encounters, but joint events like the weekly tournament posed a problem.

“Look over there, it’s Butcher Lemond.”

“Isn’t that Reaper next to him?”

“Crazy… why are the villains from District 3 here?”

“Look over there. There’s also the vice-chairman of the Blue Magic Tower and that Mord’s disciple.”

“Wow… is today’s lineup real? I’m seeing all the big names here.”

“I should have come earlier. I could have seen Raihas.”
The Under-Heaven First Disciple Tournament is open to all players.

Due to this accessibility, beginners following a standard path suddenly found themselves facing players on the verge of graduation.

If this continued, it would become a stage for top-ranked players like Raihas, leaving no chance for others to enjoy the event.

But fortunately, the elves weren’t that inconsiderate.

“Ah, you’re going to participate? Okay, then would you like to hit Rupallo’s horn once? We’ll assign the starting point to an area with appropriate monsters based on your power level, so give it your best shot.”

By assigning starting points based on the user’s level, they mitigated the issue of experienced players dominating the event.

Rupallo’s horn was used to measure that level.

When a user struck the horn, it emitted different colors depending on the damage inflicted, with the color and intensity of the light indicating their power.

The horn’s ability to do this stemmed from its unique origin.

[Spirit Beast Rupallo’s Horn]

A mysterious spirit beast with the strongest horn in Ellanis.

A deer that has lived for a thousand years, and whose horn has never been broken.

Elves with powerful magic, nymphs with sharp blades, fickle fairies, etc.

No race had ever broken Rupallo’s horn.

Of course, the horn seen now wasn’t Rupallo’s actual horn.

To be precise, it was only partially correct.

That horn was a fragment that Rupallo shed when it grew new horns.

“I’m always amazed by that. If the fragment is that big, how big is the real horn?”

“Since that’s about 50cm… it must be at least 4 meters?”

“I want to see it in person.”

“Even Barion [a famous adventurer] has never encountered it, so how could you?”

“At this point, I don’t even know if it exists. Isn’t it just a setting?”

Whether Rupallo truly existed or was merely a legendary figure like modern mythology remained a topic of debate, but it didn’t concern the participants.

What mattered was achieving a high score to win.

A simple principle.

You have to defeat many strong monsters to earn more points.

However, not everyone could shine in this unbalanced environment.

Clang!

The players who were chatting turned their heads towards the sound of a strike and saw a huge man standing in a swinging posture.

He was a martial artist who had just registered and was listening to the explanation.

“The sound is loud. I wonder what the grade will be… Oh my, it’s green. Let’s see, this brightness means C area is fine. You will be assigned to C area~”

“Damn it!”

The huge man stomped his feet in frustration.

But no one ridiculed him.

Green, one of the four colors (brown, green, yellow, and gold), indicated a mediocre result.

“Wow, it’s C area again.”

“Oh, isn’t C area going to be overcrowded again this time?”

“At this point, it might be better to be in D area.”

“Seriously. I saw on NewTube [in-game video platform] that some players intentionally hit it weakly.”

“Still, the points awarded by D area monsters and C area monsters are different, so that’s a risky gamble.”

In reality, most participants were assigned to C area.

About six out of ten.

Of course, the competition was also the fiercest, and being assigned to C area meant sacrificing any hope of reaching the top 10.

In terms of percentages, 35% were in D and F areas, and 60% were in C area.

Only 5% were assigned to B and A areas.

Kwaaaang-!!

“Oh, gold! With this bright light, A area is possible! A strong contender has emerged at the end.”

“Waaaaaa!!”

“Jackpot, what day is it today? Why are there so many gold colors?”

“Hey. Don’t you know him? He’s a fighter from District 3 of the Demilitarized Zone. The monsters there are on a different level than us.”

“Ah, really? I think there was someone from District 3 earlier. There are a lot of District 3 people today.”

“Besides them, there are already several people who have been assigned to A area today. The level of participants is unusually high today.”

“Seriously, is today legendary?”

Of course, all eyes were drawn to the gold flashes, but today was particularly exceptional.

“Wow~ there are 241 people assigned to A area. It’s the first time in recent years that it’s exceeded 200 people. What’s going on today?”

When one major event occurs, another follows.

Before anyone could fully process the previous surprise, another one arrived.

The excitement was palpable as another golden light erupted near the end of the registration period.

In that charged atmosphere,

“Okay, is there anyone else who wants to join the 242 A area participants? It’s closing time, but we’ll accept one more today only.”

The host, equally excited, called out, but no one else stepped forward.

All the waiting participants had already registered, and some had given up due to the legendary lineup.

“Ah~ no more participants? If not, we’ll close here…”

Just as the host was about to pack up,

“I will participate.”

“Will… hmm?”

A pleasant baritone voice cut through the air, and the host instinctively turned towards the sound.

Simultaneously, the players turned their heads.

“Huh?”

“…Huh?”

“Wow, is it real?”

The players’ eyes widened in disbelief, and a near-shout erupted.

“K, Kaiser!”

“Wow, Kaiser is participating!”

“Jackpot! Today’s lineup is truly insane!!”

“Damn it, I wasn’t going to participate, but I can’t resist. I have to watch this no matter what!”

“Me too, me too!”

The man who had wreaked havoc on the villains since setting foot on the New Continent.

Kaiser, the one who completed the legendary lineup.