The Return Of The Genius Ranker Of All Times [EN]: Chapter 323

323.

“……Uh.”

“Umm…….”

How should I explain this?

Bang! Kwaang! Boom!

Kuaaaaa!!!

Outside the Curtain of the Abyss.

The users watching the battle unfold inside with anxious faces wore strange expressions.

It wasn’t a negative reaction.

Quite the opposite, in fact.

“It’s overwhelming, isn’t it?”

“Why does Garion look so pitiful?”

“He’s getting his ass beat?”

“Wow, he’s really hitting him everywhere.”

Was it because of the collaboration between Lightning Dragon Descent and Acceleration?

Watching Do-hyun push forward with such incredible speed was incredibly satisfying.

[Using Ice Stream.]

[The effect of Ice Stream is amplified by the White Lion’s Snow Flower Sword.]

He was even using Ice Stream with his Sword Aura, making him virtually flawless.

[This is absurd! How can one Apostle wield so much power!]

“You have time to talk? Let’s get hit some more.”

[Kuaaaaa!!!]

Thanks to that, Garion was having a truly miserable time.

As if it wasn’t already difficult enough to block or dodge due to Do-hyun’s noticeably increased speed, the Ice Stream made his body feel sluggish, as if gravity had doubled.

Each inhale and exhale brought a chilling cold that pierced his lungs.

It was frustrating enough that his opponent had a ridiculously overpowered fighting style that slowed him down while speeding himself up, but when he tried to counter with swordsmanship, Do-hyun freely utilized all sorts of sword techniques.

[Using Byran’s Swordsmanship.]

Swish- Stab!

Garion’s swordsmanship was met with the same Byran’s swordsmanship.

[Using the Forgotten King’s Swordsmanship.]

Krrr……!

When he tried to use the difference in stats to push through with brute force, blizzards and the White Lion appeared like ghosts to interfere.

And if he somehow managed to find an opening?

[Using Parry.]

[Perfectly deflects the attack.]

[Using Ego.]

Bang! Kwaang!

As if he had been waiting for it, Do-hyun would deflect the attack or use Ego to break his balance and then deliver a counterattack.

The moment he found an opening was actually the timing for an even bigger attack.

It was impossible to create distance.

Fzzzt-

When he thought he couldn’t take it anymore and leaped backward, Do-hyun would use Lightning Teleportation and Backstab to catch up in an instant.

In the end, all Garion could do was grit his teeth and face him head-on…….

No, all he could do was get beaten like a dog on Boknal [Korean dog eating days, symbolizing intense heat and suffering].

Was this what it meant for each attack to be filled with murderous intent?

The users couldn’t help but be curious about the barrage of punches filled with such strong sincerity.

“Kaiser’s trauma…… this is precious.”

“What kind of trauma could it be? At this point, it’s like Garion was his parents’ enemy.”

“Isn’t that a personal attack?”

“Ah, then never mind…… I mean, that’s just an expression, you idiot.”

“Whatever it is, it must be a significant memory.”

Little did the users, who were seriously speculating among themselves, know.

“……You shouldn’t have done that.”

[……What?]

“I was forgetting about it and living happily…… Do you know what you get if you pull 10 consecutive common skills? A random skill ticket. An enhanced version. And if you get a common skill there too, you get the title ‘Human Abandoned by God’?”

[……?]

“And what about bricks? If you break ten thousand, you get the Brick Breaker title. It makes all sorts of effects explode when you break them? The Brick Breaker game wasn’t just a game! Hahaha…… No, forget it, Kaiser. You’re the guy who enhanced to +15. The owner of 4 legendary skills.”

That the trauma was something like this.

As Do-hyun beat him while spouting incomprehensible nonsense, a bewildered voice echoed in Garion’s head.

-What is going on? Is that the state of someone trapped in trauma? He hasn’t become stronger, he’s just gone completely insane!

Garion vehemently agreed with the words of the Dark Demonic Dragon.

‘Damn it, I don’t know what he’s been saying since earlier. What’s with the gacha [a type of vending machine-dispensed capsule toy popular in Japan] and brick breaking!’

Why break bricks, why tear up cards?

He was boasting about breaking ten thousand, and why was he beating him as if he were the enemy of his parents? Everything was unfair.

Krrr…….

That wasn’t the only thing he couldn’t understand.

‘Lion King’s Swordsmanship……? No, it’s similar but different. More fundamental than what’s been passed down…… How can that guy wield that swordsmanship?’

It was definitely the Lion King’s Swordsmanship, though slightly different, which had only been passed down in legends.

For someone who had mastered Byran’s swordsmanship, who was called the reincarnation of the Lion King, to be mastering the original swordsmanship presumed to be the Lion King’s Swordsmanship.

Everything was incomprehensible, but that wasn’t what was important right now.

[HP is below 10%.]

His HP was already starting to hit rock bottom.

Considering that it took less than 10 minutes for 5% to be shaved off once that guy got serious, he would only last 30 minutes at best.

“Waaaaaa!!”

“Crazy! He’s crazy!”

No users looked anxious anymore.

They were just shouting enthusiastically like spectators watching the undefeated champion of the Colosseum.

Bang! Kwaang! Kwaang!

Perhaps he gained strength from their cheers.

The sound of Do-hyun beating Garion grew increasingly powerful, and at some point, Garion was just cowering and taking the hits without daring to counterattack.

Overwhelming.

No other words were needed.

‘……Why? Why am I losing?’

He was superior in strength, experience, and mana.

Moreover,

He had fused with the Dark Demonic Dragon and gained some of its power.

There was no reason to lose just because Execution didn’t work and Authority had no effect.

But why was he being pushed back so much?

‘Ah…….’

There was only one answer.

Skill.

He didn’t want to admit it, but that guy’s skill far surpassed his own.

In psychological warfare, in mind games, in the ability to utilize what he had.

He was losing in everything, and that meant he had lost the upper hand in offense and defense, leading to this result.

‘Even the lord who was called the greatest talent couldn’t surpass me.’

A talent that would be recorded in history.

He thought he had a talent like the Lion King.

No, he thought he might be even better than the Lion King.

He considered it his only blessing to have the talent to take revenge on the imperial family, who were like the sky, and on the entire empire.

‘And I’m losing in skill…… in talent?’

Then…….

What is that guy?

What should he call that guy who was overwhelmingly pushing back against him, who had a talent that would be recorded in history?

Surprisingly, the answer came quickly.

‘……That’s not talent.’

He couldn’t be defined by such a trivial realm.

That was something beyond talent.

‘A monster…….’

Garion, who was muttering quietly, sighed as he watched Do-hyun extend his sword.

-Garion, are you a monster? How can you do something like this?

-I heard there was a knight with monstrous skill hiding in the enemy army…… I see it was you.

-Garion, my brother and friend. The genius is not me, but you.

He had lived hiding his strength, but there were those who recognized his talent.

They always said to him.

That he had a monstrous talent.

……That wasn’t it.

‘What is a monster?’

There was a real monster standing right there.

Like facing a giant mountain.

Garion, who was standing before an insurmountable talent for the first time, was finally able to understand the feelings of those who had died because of him.

He probably had the same look in his eyes as they did back then.

One thing that was different was that he wasn’t feeling as empty or discouraged as they were.

‘I see.’

He simply accepted it.

That he couldn’t beat that monster.

That to catch a monster, you had to become a monster.

“Is he really going to catch him?”

“Is Kaiser doing this?”

“Kaiser Punch! Kaiser Punch! Kaiser Punch! Kaiser Punch!”

“Waaaaaa!!”

The sound of everyone chanting Kaiser’s name with one heart echoed in his ears.

And within that.

‘Demonic Dragon.’

-……I’m listening.

Garion opened his mouth quietly.

‘I demand complete fusion.’

-…….

The voice stopped.

A moment of silence followed, and then the Demonic Dragon’s eerie voice broke the silence.

-……Fusion takes time. Are you saying you want to force fusion, breaking this agreement?

‘That’s right.’

-You know the price, don’t you.

‘Yes. Take it.’

And soon, a sinister smile was added to the eerie voice.

-Kuh…… Keuheuh……. Kehahahaha!!

The laughter that started in Garion’s head quickly spread, soon echoing throughout the entire barrier.

“What, what is it? Suddenly.”

“Ugh…… Creepy.”

“That voice is creepy itself.”

“Did that bastard finally lose it? Why is he laughing while getting beaten up?”

Just as the users were expressing their displeasure.

An anomaly occurred.

[I have received your lifespan well, Garion. The contract is sealed.]

The moment a bizarre voice echoed quietly throughout the barrier.

Clench-

Do-hyun’s sword was grabbed for the first time.

As if he hadn’t been mindlessly taking hits all this time, Garion easily grabbed the blade with his hand and slowly raised his head.

“……!”

At that, Do-hyun stopped muttering and widened his eyes.

Garion’s face was gone.

Only a thick darkness remained in the space where his face should have been.

Crack-

The empty darkness tore open, and soon eyes and a mouth like that of a reptile were drawn.

Before he could even flinch at the bizarre phenomenon, a heavy impact was transmitted throughout his body,

Kwaaaang-!

[Received extreme damage.]

[HP is below 50%.]

-Lord!!

When he came to his senses, he had been sent flying far away and slammed into the wall.

“Uh oh?”

“No, what’s going on all of a sudden!”

“What happened? What happened?”

Listening to Charlie’s urgent cry and the users’ murmurs, Garion cracked his neck.

The moment he loosened his body lightly and raised his head.

[Ah…… Good power.]

A chilling voice that was not human echoed, and at the same time, the murmurs stopped.

What appeared before them, who had become as quiet as mice, was a single message.

[Black Knight Garion is entering forced fusion at the cost of his remaining lifespan.]

[Entering Hidden Phase.]

[The assimilation rate with the Dark Demonic Dragon reaches 40%.]

[The rate at which the assimilation rate increases is rising exponentially.]

[The assimilation rate with the Dark Demonic Dragon is 41%.]

[Black Knight Garion wields more fundamental powers of darkness, and his physical abilities and magic power increase dramatically.]

…….

“Crazy…….”

“……We’re screwed.”

* * *

Bang! Kwaang! Bang!!

Inside the Curtain of the Abyss.

This place, which had been filled with enthusiastic cheers, was now devoid of any commotion.

Only heavy roars echoed.

[HP is below 30%.]

[Prolonged exposure to the aura of darkness has begun to cause corruption.]

[The Poison King’s constitution is activated. The continuous damage from the aura of darkness is considered poison, making you immune to the damage.]

[The effect of Unbreakable Stone reduces damage taken by 20%.]

[Overcoming great adversity. All options of the Heaven-Defying Armor are amplified.]

It couldn’t be helped.

The figure of Do-hyun, who had been aggressively pushing forward, was no longer there.

Kwaang! Bang!

[Keuhe…… Keuheuhheuh……. Kehahahaha!!!]

“Ugh…….”

Right now, Do-hyun was struggling just to barely block the relentless attacks.

[The assimilation rate with the Dark Demonic Dragon exceeds 50%.]

…….

[The gap with the target is overwhelming.]

[The target is immune to Ice Stream.]

[The target is not affected by Ego.]

‘It doesn’t work at all anymore.’

Even when he first broke through 40%, it wasn’t this bad.

Although not as much as before, he was at least slightly affected by Ego, making offense and defense easier.

But after breaking through 45%, it stopped working, and now that he had broken through 50%.

Let alone Ego, it was difficult to land a single effective hit, no matter how much he hammered on his armor.

[Parry successful.]

[Complete parry is impossible due to the overwhelming gap with the target.]

[Failed to completely deflect the attack.]

He was barely holding on thanks to Parry, but even this was uncertain how long it would last.

If it weren’t for the Heaven-Defying Armor, it wouldn’t be strange if he had already been beaten to a pulp.

[The assimilation rate with the Dark Demonic Dragon exceeds 51%.]

[Black Knight Garion’s HP recovery rate increases.]

[Black Knight Garion’s defense increases.]

…….

[Black Knight Garion’s aura of the abyss becomes thicker.]

‘He’s a monster in his own right.’

Garion was getting stronger in real time even in this situation.

[Kehahaha! Power overflows! Even though it’s only halfway, if I become complete, no one will be able to stop me. I’m not even afraid of the Seven Calamities! Ah, the moment of my wish has arrived.]

Garion’s eyes were half-rolled back as he burst into laughter as if he couldn’t be more refreshed.

There was no longer a human form in that guy.

A similar appearance to the Iron-Blooded Demonic Dragon he had seen during the tutorial.

The only differences were that his entire body was dyed in darkness and that his size was still less than 4 meters.

“Can we catch that?”

“No, is it real that he’s getting stronger in real time?”

“It doesn’t seem like a boss made to be caught in the first place. Since the quest is to hold out until the Seven Calamities come, maybe we can do it if we just hold out?”

“There’s still an hour left, will we make it?”

“No, aside from that, if 50% is this strong…… If it becomes 100%, I don’t think even the Seven Calamities can catch him.”

“Hey, it’s the Seven Calamities?”

It was as the users said.

‘I know for sure now. That’s not a boss made to be caught.’

Preventing the 1st Prince from becoming a sacrifice before the Seven Calamities arrive.

As if that was the content of the quest from the beginning, Garion was designed as a boss that couldn’t be caught.

It was only thanks to Charlie’s Light of Dawn and the variable of the All-Consuming skill of the Heavenly Transformation that they were able to push him this far.

‘Was pushing him this far even more of a problem?’

That shouldn’t have happened.

Even in the original quest, it was presumed that Garion hadn’t completely fused with the Dark Demonic Dragon when the Seven Calamities arrived.

Rather, thanks to Do-hyun and Charlie’s efforts, the difficulty had only become more difficult.

[Black Knight Garion’s HP is below 10%.]

The proof was that his HP was still stuck at 10%.

It wasn’t that Do-hyun couldn’t do anything.

It was just that his recovery rate was absurd.

If he hadn’t done his best to occasionally land counterattacks, he would have seen his HP increase instead.

‘Tsk.’

Originally, Do-hyun didn’t intend to push him this hard.

He intended to proceed with the strategy slowly and calmly, so that the Seven Calamities could intervene if necessary.

If the berserk button hadn’t been pressed.

‘This was an irresistible force.’

It wasn’t an excuse, he really lost his mind for a moment.

To make him so angry, he really was a nasty(?) guy.

Anyway.

[Kaiser, you pitiful Apostle who has become the only hope. How does it feel to face a giant wall.]

“…….”

[Despair, and despair again.]

The situation was already twisted.

Do-hyun calmly assessed the situation as he looked at Garion, who had a sneer on his face.

’58 minutes until the Seven Calamities arrive…….’

It was as good as an hour.

It was impossible to endure this long time.

Dragging it out into a long-term battle was a bad idea.

Judging by the rate at which the assimilation rate was increasing, it was that guy who would be at an advantage as time passed.

If 50% was this strong, what would it be like when it became 70%?

At that point, he couldn’t be sure if he could even withstand a single exchange properly.

‘……I’d rather see the end now.’

Paradoxically, the weakest timing for that guy was now.

He had to catch that guy now, while Do-hyun’s condition was even slightly better.

Catching a boss that couldn’t be caught.

There was no other way left.

“It’s over.”

“Still, you fought well…… You fought well even though you lost.”

“I don’t know what will happen to the Empire from tomorrow.”

“We should level up quickly and head to the new continent.”

“Good job, everyone.”

Because the users knew that, they were patting each other on the shoulders with a resigned heart.

-……I’m sorry, Lord. It’s because I’m lacking. If I was just a little stronger……. If I wasn’t so pathetically collapsed…….

Charlie also lowered his head and clenched his fist as if he was frustrated.

No one had any expectations at this moment.

Except for one person.

‘Is there no other way.’

Except for Do-hyun himself.

[……Laughing? Can’t you grasp the situation?]

Garion frowned as if he was displeased at the sight of Do-hyun smirking.

[Black Knight Garion’s Power of Darkness – Spreads two pairs of wings.]

Flutter-

A more ominous aura than before was felt from the two pairs of black wings spread behind him.

Even the users outside the barrier who were watching this sighed at the overwhelming majesty, but Do-hyun didn’t take away his smile.

Smirk.

Rather, he drew an even thicker arc on his lips.

His gaze wasn’t directed at Garion.

But at a place closer, next to him.

[Sealed Unique Magic Ring]

[Grade: Legendary]

[Description: One of the five kings of the brilliant ancient human race.

A ring in which the unique magic used only by the Magic King Luciel El Reyhard is sealed.

You can feel tremendous power, but the ring is unstable and will break once used.]

[Unique Magic: One of the Unique Magic of the Magic King sealed in the ring is randomly activated.]

-The ring is unstable and will be destroyed upon use. (0 / 1)

The old ring that was in his inventory.

‘The time has come to use this.’

The Magic King, Luciel El Reyhard.

It was the moment when her unique magic, transcending the time of eternity, was about to be unleashed.