The Return Of The Genius Ranker Of All Times [EN]: Chapter 39

39.

Money?

It would be nice to earn some, but it wasn’t an absolute necessity right now.

Having obtained such an incredible opportunity, I had no intention of letting it slip away and handing it over to someone else.

‘I’m already drooling over what I might get.’

Since it’s a Hero-grade secret dungeon, maybe I can get a Hero-grade item?

Even if not, it should at least be Rare+?

Even though Do-hyun’s luck is the worst, he couldn’t help but feel excited since it was a secret dungeon.

‘The Eye of Truth… it’s truly the best.’

To be honest, he did have some expectations of finding a dungeon.

Seeing through hidden things, it clearly felt like an explorer’s search skill. That’s why Do-hyun wandered around the forest before entering the goblin chieftain’s habitat.

Even after all that effort, he couldn’t find it and was about to give up, but it was about to trigger such a big event!

‘If it was going to be like this, it should have said so sooner. How mischievous.’

Thanks to it, he obtained a Rare title, so he welcomed such mischief a hundred times over.

He didn’t know if that search range would apply to the Eye of Truth, but the +2 to all stats was a sweet effect.

“Hoo.”

Do-hyun, who had been smiling and complaining to the Eye of Truth, which wouldn’t even hear him, became serious.

It was the first serious expression he had shown since catching the Iron-Blooded Magic Wyvern.

In fact, until now, he didn’t have to try hard. Monsters just died in one or two hits without needing to use any controls.

The same was true for PVP [Player versus Player combat]. He didn’t feel any tension at all.

But this secret dungeon was different.

‘The level is different from Hero-grade onwards.’

Normal and Rare grades are not that different.

It just means the player has a little more to do, and it becomes slightly more challenging.

But from Hero-grade onwards, the difficulty increases exponentially.

This was the same for all systems with grades, not just dungeons.

‘Whether it’s items, skills, or bosses… this is where the real deal begins.’

And no matter how much Demonic Realm Online was criticized for being a luck-based game, there was one rule it always followed.

‘The lower the probability, the more certain the reward.’

God of Summoners Online was the same.

Just look at the unique ability ‘Adventurer’ or the Eye of Truth.

Being unique, they boasted overwhelming performance.

By the same principle, Hero-grade dungeons had to have a different level of reward than Rare-grade dungeons.

Imagine struggling to get a reward from a terribly difficult boss, only for it to be no different from the previous boss.

They would just catch Rare-grade bosses, and no one would bother with Hero-grade bosses.

Of course, there was also the maddening element of probability involved….

[First discovery benefits are applied.]

[Upon first clear, boss-related equipment items will drop guaranteed.]

[Experience gain is increased by 30%.]

[Drop rate is increased by 30%.]

‘Kuh… yeah, this is what a game should be.’

This was irrelevant to Do-hyun right now.

He just needed to worry about clearing the dungeon for sure. And he was more confident in that area than anyone else.

[Would you like to enter the secret dungeon?]

“Yeah.”

[Conditions have been met.]

[You will now enter the secret dungeon ‘Hideout of the Black Goblin Shaman’.]

[5…….]

…….

[2…….]

With the message of 1 second remaining, Do-hyun felt his vision turn white and smirked.

‘Shall we go get the reward then?’

It was the moment the first secret dungeon opened in Raven, the first city of the main continent.

* * *

-Entering a secret dungeon is like putting your head in the mouth of a wild beast.

That’s what Freed, ranked 1279th in God of Summoners Online, said in an interview.

His words, uttered after a moment of contemplation in response to users’ questions about secret dungeons, couldn’t help but make most users tilt their heads.

“What does that mean?”

“Does that mean it’s that difficult?”

“Isn’t that a suicide attempt?”

“Then why are people so desperate to find secret dungeons? Are they all suicide aspirants?”

They knew it was a double meaning, but they wondered what it meant.

But users who had experienced secret dungeons all agreed with Freed’s words.

They understood the meaning of the words at once.

What happens if you put your head in the mouth of a beast?

-It closes.

Unless it’s a well-trained animal, ten out of ten times, it closes its mouth.

Drooling over the prey that came on its own, it chews and eats it.

Secret dungeons were like that beast’s mouth.

[You have entered the dungeon.]

Poof!

Upon entering, a huge black sphere flew and greeted Do-hyun.

It wasn’t really a sphere, but a magical orb made of magic power.

Moreover, it wasn’t an ordinary fireball.

[You have been hit by a curse orb and are afflicted with the status condition ‘Dark Vision.’]

[The Dark Vision effect narrows your field of vision for a certain period of time.]

The curse orb is the most commonly used magic and basic skill of curse casters.

The power itself is insignificant, but the problem is that Dark Vision. Once hit by a curse orb, the field of vision becomes really frustrating.

A similar field of vision to having a dim lamp lit in a cave.

But Do-hyun’s vision was fine.

[The ‘Hero’ trait prevents mental contamination.]

[Ignores the Dark Vision effect.]

Because he had the top-tier trait ‘Hero,’ which is a hard counter to CC [Crowd Control] skills.

Bang! Poof!

Two or three more shots flew in succession, but they were all blocked by the ‘Hero’ trait and disappeared without any effect.

Do-hyun shook off the traces of the curse orb on his clothes.

‘Quite the fiery initiation.’

This was the reason Freed expressed it that way, and it was the concept of secret dungeons.

There are various types of secret dungeons, so there are various concepts, but almost all secret dungeons tormented users upon entry.

If it’s a maze type, it’s with traps, and if it’s a single boss, it’s with attacks like now.

The difficulty is secondary, and the dungeon already starts from the moment you enter.

[To dare enter my home without permission… you are a human who has lost his mind.]

Even villains protect you when they first appear and when they transform, but that’s just common courtesy.

As expected of a personality without common courtesy, Do-hyun turned his head to the eerie, splitting voice and saw them.

Kee-reuk… Kee-reureuk….

Kee-ree-reek….

Countless corrupted goblins were lying around.

With unfocused eyes and skin dyed purple, half-rotted, they looked exactly like undead.

[Undead Goblin of the Black Goblin Shaman]

[Undead Goblin of the Black Goblin Shaman]

…….

In fact, their names were also Undead.

The unpleasant appearance was not only those guys.

Squeak- Kee-ee-.

Sreureu-.

Giant insects, at least twenty of them, were scattered around the undead goblins.

A giant spider had spun a web in the corner of the half-collapsed ceiling, and giant centipedes were wriggling around on the worn-out floor.

Some of them were even clinging to the undead goblins.

“Ugh, look at the visuals.”

Perhaps because it was virtual reality, it was unnecessarily too realistic, making it even more disgusting.

[Kekeke… are you terrified of seeing my children?]

And at the end of it, there was something black.

The guy with skin darker than the robe he was wearing was sitting on an old throne covered in cobwebs.

Green eyes were twinkling in the darkness.

And above it, an information window was floating along with a red name.

[Jihad Black]

-Title: Hero-grade Named Boss

-Type: Goblin

-Traits: Bloodline Factor, Curse Caster, Necromancer, Nimble Fingers.

-Description: Survivor of a fallen clan.

Jihad, who inherits an excellent bloodline, is a goblin who has lived for hundreds of years.

It is unknown why he hid in the hideout or what he is preparing.

‘Named boss?’

……I didn’t expect this.

Even if secret dungeons are difficult, a named boss?

A named boss was considered a higher rank than an elite boss.

If an elite is a modifier attached to monsters who have been recognized for their special abilities compared to their grade, then a named boss is one who possesses a name.

In God of Summoners Online, there is only one unique existence, so it was not a comparable target.

‘Not everyone who has a name is strong, but….’

Of course, that’s in terms of rarity, and the difficulty was random.

The strength depended on how long the boss with a name had lived and how much training they had done.

While there were ridiculous guys like the Iron-Blooded Magic Wyvern, there were also cases where named bosses were endlessly weak.

‘Hmm… I can’t tell just from the information.’

Well, this is a characteristic of named bosses.

Even the Iron-Blooded Magic Wyvern didn’t really have a proper explanation.

Just as he was about to think of it as a boss shrouded in mystery and move on, it happened.

[Conditions are met.]

[Slayer is activated.]

[Hidden information about Jihad Black is revealed.]

“Huh?”

Do-hyun paused for a moment at the sudden notification. Do-hyun, who grasped the situation, exclaimed.

‘Ah, there was something like this.’

The Slayer trait.

A trait that allows you to check the location and hidden information of monsters of the type that obtained the Slayer title.

He had forgotten about it because he hadn’t had a chance to activate it.

[Would you like to check the added information?]

‘Hmm.’

Since it popped up after a long time, it would be nice to check it, but… before that, Do-hyun glanced at the boss.

It would be a disaster if an attack came in while checking the information.

The guy was sitting arrogantly as if he could erase Do-hyun at any time.

Kee-reureu… Kee-reuk….

Sseueueu-.

The undead and insects, which he treated as subordinates, were still quiet, perhaps because they had to be ordered to move.

However, it was honestly eerie because the horribly looking things were all looking this way.

At that time, the boss, who made eye contact, spat out in an arrogant tone.

[But it’s strange… how did a human discover this place? I thought I had hidden it perfectly.]

“…That’s true.”

Perhaps if a freak like Do-hyun hadn’t appeared, it would never have been discovered.

[I don’t feel the energy of an explorer… the various energies mixed together make you a very unique being.]

Do-hyun couldn’t help but be slightly surprised at this part.

Because the boss of Raven vaguely felt that he was an All-Master just by looking at him.

Is this the insight of a boss who has lived for hundreds of years?

[Hmm…….]

He was staring at Do-hyun as if trying to see through him, but he was groaning as if it wasn’t working properly.

‘What the hell is he doing?’

He was a strange guy in many ways.

The most rational and unique appearance among the bosses he had met, and that discerning eye and force that made him wonder if he was a goblin.

Do-hyun, who was consumed with curiosity, checked the information.

[……The Black Clan, a special race that existed in ancient times.

Based on their high potential, they were a clan that used special techniques, and they were always in conflict with ‘humanity’ because of their danger.

However, after ‘that day,’ the Black Clan was destroyed, and in later generations, they could no longer be seen.

Jihad Black is the one who carries the blood of such a clan.

He has lived for hundreds of years, but he has not yet celebrated his coming-of-age ceremony for the Blacks, who live for over a thousand years.]

Then, Do-hyun let out a small exclamation at the detailed information that appeared.

The performance of Slayer was better than he thought.

‘The Black Clan… I’ve never heard of them before.’

It was a clan he had not heard of even in Demonic Realm Online.

Well, God of Summoners Online has many additions as it is a world after Demonic Realm Online.

It was not strange that Do-hyun did not know some things, as some things that were in Demonic Realm Online were gone, and conversely, there were new settings.

‘I don’t know what it is, but it doesn’t seem weak.’

It is said that humanity has felt danger from the past.

And aside from that, he has lived for hundreds of years, so he must be strong, not weak.

The only fortunate thing was that he was still a child who had not yet passed his coming-of-age ceremony.

‘Four traits… there are no close combat-related traits.’

As expected, he had many traits because he was of a high level, but they were all necromancer-related traits.

Nimble Fingers must also be to increase casting speed….

As long as he was careful about the possibility of that bloodline factor trait becoming a variable, it was enough.

[You are a strange guy, but now that you have set foot in this place, there is no choice… my children…….]

Just in time, Jihad Black seemed to have made a decision and slowly reached out his hand.

As his jet-black hand stretched out, the undead moved as if a switch had been turned on.

Kueo…… Kueo…….

Sasa- Sa-.

The monsters surrounded him, making a chilling sound.

Do-hyun stepped forward, looking at Jihad Black, who was sitting leisurely behind him.

Step by step.

It was a slow walk, but it contained a confidence stronger than anything else.

‘It’s not me who should be nervous.’

Since ancient times, ranged fighters have always had to be nervous when facing melee fighters.

Even if they had the upper hand throughout the game, the moment they allowed approach, their battle structure would be reversed.

That was the accepted theory, but he didn’t like the way he was relying on numbers and being so relaxed.

That’s why he was going to show them.

‘Why assassins are bullies to ranged fighters.’

Why assassins are the strongest characters in PVP.

Why ranged classes foam at the mouth when they see assassins.

Kee-reureuk… Kueo…….

The moment the monsters came right in front of him, Do-hyun muttered one word.

“……Gi.”

A voice so small that it could not be heard properly even up close.

And Do-hyun’s figure disappeared.