The Return Of The Genius Ranker Of All Times [EN]: Chapter 304

304.

How long had it been since that shocking incident and their departure from the Imperial City?

It was around the time they arrived at a secluded alleyway with few people.

“……Are you okay, Charlie?”

“Lizariza…….”

Jihad and Eliza asked, carefully watching Charlie.

Charlie, who would usually cross his arms solemnly and declare he was fine, showed no reaction this time.

He just stood there with a cold face.

“Ah, you’re not okay…… Sorry.”

“Li, Liza…….”

Eventually, the two, who had been watching him nervously, tried to back away, shrinking back, but Charlie shook his head.

“I’m fine, so you don’t have to worry.”

“Re, really? That’s a relief…… No, I wasn’t worried!”

“Liza?”

Eliza tilted her head as if to say, ‘Is that right?’ at Jihad’s attempt to play it cool.

Seeing them, who never let anything slide, Do-hyun chuckled, but he was also concerned.

Because the expression Charlie had shown a little while ago was one he had never seen before.

“I apologize for showing such an unsightly appearance, Master.”

“…….”

“I simply couldn’t forgive it. The master of Arren Castle, of all people, shouldn’t be like that.”

The descendant of Arren Castle, who had experienced that tragedy.

The master of Arren Castle, who should be at the forefront of chasing away the darkness.

He couldn’t possibly join hands with those disgusting bastards.

Because that would be trampling on the sacrifices of himself and everyone who had been with him.

“I understand.”

“…….”

Do-hyun knew without needing an explanation.

How sincere he had been in preventing the tragedy during the tutorial.

How angry he had been whenever the Abyss was mentioned.

“That’s why I’m always grateful. Thanks to you, Master, we were able to win in the end, and their sacrifices were not in vain.”

“……Okay.”

Do-hyun hesitated for a moment before nodding.

He felt a pang of conscience, but he couldn’t deny it.

‘……I’ll have to keep this a secret for life.’

The history you know is actually false.

He had only won in his memories, but the actual history was recorded as the greatest tragedy that heralded the terror of the Abyss.

How could he bring himself to say that?

“Still, it’s a relief. It seems he hasn’t rotted away that much.”

“Indeed.”

Do-hyun seized the opportunity to change the subject at Charlie’s words.

He agreed, but in truth, this was what bothered him even more.

[Fifth Fragment of Fate (3)]

-Rank: Main Quest, Class Quest

-Description: You have succeeded in finding the key to the Fragment of Fate.

The key to the Fragment of Fate is a substance with powerful latent power of fate. Obtain the key as soon as possible before something happens.

-Quest Success: Leads to the quest Fifth Fragment of Fate (4).

-Quest Failure: The quest Fifth Fragment of Fate (4) will be destroyed.

-Time Limit: None.

‘Why did the key to the Fragment of Fate appear there?’

When Garion first entered the First Prince’s room, he was convinced that he had found the mole [a traitor or double agent].

But what was this?

The Fragment of Fate’s involvement made everything ambiguous.

‘The alibi that the emblems react to each other, plus the emblem he possesses is the key to the Fragment of Fate?’

In this situation, it’s hard to pin Garion as the mole.

Moreover, the red light from the emblem had reached not only Garion but also the two princes.

And that’s not all.

‘Suddenly the Emperor’s brother appears, so what…….’

He couldn’t grasp how to accept that Byran’s emblem was the key to the Fragment of Fate.

Unless there was a twist that Byran, who was known to be dead, was not actually dead, Garion, who possessed the key based on his experience so far, was suspicious, but…….

‘Maybe, just maybe.’

Perhaps, as a twist, Emperor Baharun might be the mole.

But then the question of why he didn’t react to the emblem remains.

Even if it’s Garion, it’s strange that he has two emblems.

The two princes?

As of now, they were 99% innocent, with no circumstantial or material evidence.

The more he thought about it, the more Do-hyun’s head ached, and he scratched his head vigorously.

‘Why can’t this damn Fragment of Fate ever be normal?’

From Brion’s Destroyer to Sargis’s Outlaw, and Fratel’s Ruidra, it was a mess, and now the emblem of a dead prince is the key?

How can you get the relics of the royal family?

It’s not just any relic, but the emblem, the symbol of the royal family!

‘Ah, if they can get it, let them try to get it once.’

They should lock up the developers, give them only dumplings to eat, and make them solve it to come to their senses.

Do-hyun felt a surge of deep anger at the difficulty, which seemed like God of Creation’s check, but he exercised extreme patience.

‘Hoo. Let’s think positively. It’s good that I found the key.’

The main quest, which had been stopped for a while, also started to progress.

With some suspicion, all that was left was to gradually break through, using the quest as a stepping stone.

Do-hyun’s eyes sharpened.

‘It’s better this way.’

He felt like he had been hit in the back of the head, but there was no need to think too complicatedly.

Systematically, it was linked to the main quest.

‘If I clear the main quest, I’ll eventually find out.’

That means if he focuses on the main quest, he will eventually find out who the mole is.

And if it’s related to the Fragment of Fate, there was a reliable helper.

It wasn’t his companions.

It would be reassuring to have them, but they weren’t particularly good at finding things.

“We’re leaving now.”

“Where to?”

“We can’t leave the main base empty for too long and only mine the outposts, right? We have to go back to the New Continent. That Destruction bastard must be leveling up like crazy, thinking this is his chance.”

“I also realized something after seeing your swordsmanship, Kaiser. I think I need to focus on training again.”

Starting with the Empress and the Sword Saint,

“I gotta go too.”

“Huh? Why, old man?”

“You little punk, I’m also a top 10 guild, you know. I came back because I thought you were in danger, but I have to focus on the New Continent so I don’t get pushed back. The Heavenly Demon already went back, so I can’t lose.”

Even Astra.

Now that their urgent business was over, everyone returned to their original stages of activity.

“What about me?”

“If you’re upset, level up quickly. How are you still not max level? Geez.”

“I know, right~ You don’t even know what transcendence feels like? What’s the point of getting a legendary item? You don’t even have transcendence.”

“Puhaha!”

“…….”

Above all, thinking about how they teased him until the very end, his pride was hurt, and he couldn’t bring himself to contact them.

The fanatic…….

‘Hmm.’

Do-hyun nodded, recalling the madness in her unique clear eyes.

He wasn’t confident he could handle her.

‘I have no choice.’

Is this the only person left after all?

He wasn’t very reliable, but there was no one more suitable than this man.

Having made his decision, Do-hyun moved his feet.

* * *

“Oh, so that’s what happened. You’ve come to the right place, Successor. I, Gamillion, will do my best to help.”

Do-hyun responded to the old man’s ambitious remarks with a look of disbelief.

“You’re not going to make me do all the work again, are you?”

“Haha, what do you mean by ‘all the work’? I’m just conveying Kasiryar’s noble will.”

“Of course, you would.”

The person Do-hyun came to see was none other than Gamillion Adran.

She was an old woman who could be said to be Do-hyun’s only helper as Kasiryar’s successor.

‘The way she acts doesn’t inspire much confidence…….’

She preached about omnipotent fate and seemed somewhat 허술 [careless or 허술], so he wasn’t very trusting, but she was the most reliable person.

She was the only NPC he was sure had boarded the same ship in the Empire.

She was also the only NPC he could comfortably talk to about the main quest.

“So, what does Gamillion think? Do you have any idea who the culprit is?”

“Hmm.”

Gamillion, who had been thinking deeply for a while, parted her wrinkled lips.

“I have similar thoughts to the Successor. I suspect Garion and the Emperor the most, rather than the dead ghost, First Prince Byran.”

“Why?”

“Do you remember me saying that I felt a foreign energy, presumed to be the Fragment of Fate, from the princes before?”

Of course, he remembered.

That was the starting point of everything.

“But I was puzzled because there was no clue related to the fragment, but this incident made sense. It wouldn’t be strange if the energy from the key to the fragment permeated the two princes, causing them to feel a foreign energy.”

“That’s right.”

“But isn’t it strange?”

Gamillion’s voice lowered as Do-hyun nodded.

“Why isn’t a foreign energy felt from Garion and the Emperor?”

“……!”

Come to think of it, that was the case.

The Emperor’s body was also partially red, and Garion was also subtly permeated with the energy of the key.

If a foreign energy was felt from them as well, it was strange that Gamillion only felt it from the princes when she investigated.

“It’s one of two things.”

“Either they were recently exposed to the energy, or they are the mole.”

“That’s right. Indeed, the Successor knows ten things when I say one.”

Despite the flattering praise, Do-hyun’s expression was serious.

Recently exposed? This meant that they were likely starting to do things urgently for some reason recently.

‘This is originally a main quest that would open much later.’

This was clearly because something had happened that made them feel impatient.

And there were many such things.

‘Complete conquest of the Lion King’s Tower, World Quest, Legion Commander…… There’s a lot.’

Was this really something that happened in just a few months?

Looking at it this way, it felt like he was setting off events that would be considered legendary even if they happened once a year, one after another.

It wouldn’t be strange if they were feeling impatient because their butts were on fire [they were under pressure].

He would have felt the same if he were the villain.

“That’s why now is the chance.”

Gamillion said with a serious tone, filled with conviction.

“Impatience leads to mistakes. I don’t know what they’re doing, but if they’re pushing themselves now, whatever it is, they must have left traces.”

-I think the same, Master.

-Lizariza.

“If we find those traces, we will naturally find out who the mole is.”

And finding out who the mole is also meant getting closer to the Fragment of Fate.

There was no reason to refuse.

‘It’s decided what I need to do.’

Now, there was only one thing to worry about.

Finding the traces before the mole belatedly realizes and erases them.

In other words, it was a race against time.

“It would be good to divide roles in times like these.”

“Then shall I meet the Emperor? And Gamillion will take care of Garion.”

It was a reasonable suggestion.

It was difficult to investigate now, even though he had somehow managed to do so before.

Do-hyun would be the fastest to see the Emperor again right away.

But Gamillion shook her head.

“I will monitor them. There’s nothing I can’t do if I hide and watch secretly. Honestly, that’s what I’m best at.”

“Ah.”

Come to think of it, Gamillion was someone who used stealth and even a silence room.

Seeing how she had investigated the princes well before, her skills seemed considerable, so that must be the field she was most confident in.

“And take this.”

“This is……?”

“It’s a communication orb. If they do anything suspicious or make a sudden move, I will contact you through this.”

Do-hyun, who had received the orb she handed over, asked back.

“Then what should I do?”

“Do you know what people with something to hide think of first when things get urgent?”

“……Hmm.”

When he was caught by Hyun-ah because of the NewTube Gold Button.

He had been looking for a place to hide it, thinking he shouldn’t get caught by his mother at all costs.

At that time, there was a place he had hurriedly hidden it when he heard the sound of the front door opening…….

“Under the bed?”

“……Similar.”

“This?”

There was no way that could be it?

The thought of having to infiltrate the Emperor’s bedroom flashed through his mind for a moment.

Gamillion held her index finger down.

In the direction her finger was pointing, there was the floor.

At the same time, Do-hyun’s eyes sparkled.

“Under the floor?”

“Yes. A secret place that has been widely used since ancient times, regardless of the era.”

Underground.

“According to the previous investigation, both of them were presumed to have underground warehouses. High-ranking nobles usually have one such space.”

“…….”

“The problem is that we couldn’t know where the entrance was…… Considering how they always disappeared suddenly, it seemed like the way to enter was tightly hidden…….”

As the secret place of the Emperor and the commander of the Arren Castle Knights, it would be thoroughly hidden.

“……But, that would be meaningless to the Successor.”

Do-hyun smiled slyly.

As she said.

Rather than a hidden place, a place that was openly revealed was harder to find for a man named Do-hyun.

[Eyes of Truth]

‘Godly Eyes, I believe.’

Because he had a fraudulent unique trait that saw through everything hidden.

Oh