The Return Of The Genius Ranker Of All Times [EN]: Chapter 47

Part 4, Episode 47.

Chapter 381

Episode 47 of Part 2.

It wasn’t even recyclable trash, but irredeemable garbage that needed to be disposed of.

At this point, it felt like I should be meeting the Dark Elf Elder instead of the Elf Elder.

One might argue that Astra’s words could be false, but…

[You have heard the story of Astra Lavencia, the brilliant but tragic hero.]

[Recorded in the Adventure Log.]

[You have heard about the hidden history of the Dark Elves.]

[Recorded in the Adventure Log.]

‘Seeing it recorded in the Adventure Log, it doesn’t seem like a lie.’

As the system verified it, at least Astra wasn’t lying.

[Can you choose now?]

Following Astra’s quiet voice, cheerful notifications chimed in quick succession.

[Astra awaits your decision.]

[Once a choice is made, it cannot be reversed. Decide carefully.]

[There is no time limit for your decision.]

[However, if you delay your choice without a valid reason, Astra may make a decision arbitrarily.]

‘Sigh…’

Do-hyun wore a troubled expression.

Frankly, just hearing those words, siding with the Dark Elves seemed morally right.

However, this wasn’t a simple quest, but a hidden event… and one deeply connected to the main quest.

‘Gamilion wouldn’t have told me to meet the Elf Elder without a reason.’

Gamilion was an NPC [Non-Player Character] who had assisted the successors of Kasiar for generations.

He was Do-hyun’s most trusted ally among the NPCs.

There must be a reason why he said I could hear about the fragment of fate from the Elf Elder.

I might end up in a tangled mess if I sided with the Dark Elves for no reason.

Fortunately, there was no time limit for the choice.

‘It would be good to hear the Elf Elder’s story too…’

Clench.

Would Astra, who was grinding her teeth as if she wanted to chew someone to death, even allow me to go meet the Elf Elder?

‘…I don’t think she would, at all.’

Astra had already been backstabbed once after trusting someone.

It would be strange if she didn’t suspect that Do-hyun might bring an army with him if he went to meet the Elf Elder.

[…I wish you would answer.]

The voice that spoke sounded heavy.

The lowered eyes were chillingly cold.

It felt like she would assume I was siding with the Elves if I delayed the answer any longer.

‘…’

Do-hyun, who had been moving his lips for a moment, nodded.

He had made a decision.

‘Gamilion didn’t really interact with other races either.’

Considering how surprised he was when I mentioned that the intruder seemed to be from another race, it wouldn’t be strange if Gamilion didn’t know something.

More than anything, the fragmentary memory I saw when I broke Lupallo’s horn.

Elinel, whom I saw there, seemed to be deeply connected to the World Tree.

‘Presumably, Astra is someone related to that Elinel.’

Siding with her was the right thing to do in many ways.

Above all, seeing Astra as an Eternal Knight, it seemed true in many ways that the Dark Elves were the victims.

‘Astra’s arrow was also found in the hidden dungeon I went to with Marty… wait, hidden dungeon?’

Do-hyun, who was about to answer, closed his mouth as a memory flashed through his mind.

He realized the identity of the strange sense of incongruity he had been feeling for a while.

‘Come to think of it, it’s similar to the scene I saw in that hidden dungeon?’

The information about other races shown in the Tomb of Information.

It was a memory related to Elves, Nymphs, and Dark Elves.

The Dark Elves I saw there were being mercilessly massacred by monsters in a small village and chased away, just like Astra said.

I didn’t know what was going on at the time, but it seemed to be showing a scene from the past.

‘Clearly, Elves and Nymphs were at war there.’

And the moment the scene drastically changed.

They were all collapsed in a miserable state.

Among them, the Elves suffered the most damage.

The Nymphs only had those who were fighting in the war killed, but the Elves had even the Elves in the village wiped out.

‘Something’s strange.’

It’s similar to what I heard from Astra, but different.

Unlike Astra’s words that they were making a peace treaty, the Elves and Nymphs were at war.

Unlike the words that the Valkyries were alive and well, many Elves were dying.

And behind them, there was always an unidentified person wearing a robe.

“Before I answer, there’s something I want to say.”

[Are you stalling for time? If so, there’s no reason to listen…]

“Tomb of Information.”

[…]

Astra, who had been cutting off my words mercilessly, paused.

Then, she looked Do-hyun straight in the eye with a serious expression she had never shown before, and slowly opened her mouth.

[…Have you been there?]

Astra was also familiar with the Tomb of Information.

A tomb hidden somewhere in the human continent since ancient times.

It was a well-known fact that if you proved the qualifications required by the tomb, you could enter and obtain any information if you met the requirements.

Swish.

When Do-hyun nodded silently, Astra’s eyebrows twitched.

[…What did you see?]

“The war between Elves and Nymphs. A woman with a greatsword looking down at a small village from a cliff. And a giant eye that swallowed the sky.”

[…War? That’s absurd. They must have been making a peace treaty?]

“It may be the history after your death.”

Astra’s eyes shook violently.

After she died, the Elves and Nymphs waged war?

Why on earth? No, more than that…

[…What was the result of the war?]

“Everyone perished with the appearance of a giant eye that swallowed the sky. The Elves suffered particularly great damage.”

[…]

“And there was always an unidentified person wearing a robe when all those things happened. Also, the alien who invaded the Tomb of Information had your arrow.”

There was also an intruder wearing a robe in this place where you are sleeping.

With those words, Do-hyun closed his mouth.

He had conveyed everything he wanted to say.

[…]

On the other hand, Astra couldn’t open her mouth for a while.

Her mind was in chaos.

If those words were true, much of what she remembered might be different. And those words were quite credible.

‘Honestly, it didn’t make sense.’

That her arrow was in that man’s hand, and she herself was an Eternal Knight sleeping in the land of spirits.

She thought it was just the Elves hiding their flaws.

‘But if that man’s words are true…’

Many things are explained.

However, she didn’t want to admit it.

That the Elves she thought were traitors might not have been traitors. That the Elves she hated might actually be victims.

But she couldn’t not believe it either.

Because the Tomb of Information never shows false history.

‘Above all… the woman with the greatsword on the cliff must be referring to ‘that one’.’ [Likely referring to a specific, powerful individual known to Astra.]

There was no way an apostle who had just set foot in Elannis would know about her.

All the circumstances became true and were oppressing him.

After hesitating for a long time and glaring, he stopped his trembling hand and drooped his shoulders.

[…Confirmation… seems necessary.]

Astra, who forced out words that wouldn’t come out, tightly closed her eyes.

[…It may be a misguided… hatred…]

He had lived his whole life resenting the Elves.

He must have been more shocked than anyone else to hear that it might have been a futile anger.

However, even in the blurred vision of being consumed by anger, he was trying to look at reality calmly.

Paradoxically, his deep resentment was felt even more vividly in that appearance.

‘…What a great mental strength. He deserves to be called a hero.’

‘Lizariza…’

Do-hyun agreed with Charlie’s words.

He must have ended his life with only the thought of revenge on the Elves until his death, but not everyone could show such a quick attitude of acceptance.

[I see. Can’t you still find out about the identity of the intruder?]

Astra, who had asked about the intruder several times, nodded.

Then, as if she had made a decision, she said quietly.

[I need to find out first why my arrow, which should be held by the Elves, was in the hands of the intruder.]

“Does that mean…”

[…I think I’ll have to hear it directly from that guy Alterion.]

“Alterion?”

Astra exclaimed, “Ah,” at Do-hyun’s puzzled look and added an explanation.

[Alterion Ellandriel. The Elder of the Elves.]

“Ah.”

[I can trust you because you told me that I might be wrong. It’s a shameless request, but… can you talk to him and let me know?]

Furthermore, at the same time as Astra’s words ended, the system window popped up as if waiting.

[The selection is temporarily suspended.]

[The hidden event ‘Two Paths’ has triggered the side quest ‘The Elf’s Position’.]

[The Elf’s Position]

-Rank: Side Quest

-Description: Astra Lavencia, a tragic hero who was brilliant in the past but met his death after betrayal.

He realized that there might be a misunderstanding between the Elves and the Dark Elves.

In order to find a target to properly express his seething hatred, he decides to meet the Elf Elder ‘Alterion Ellandriel’ and hear the story of that day.

However, since the Dark Elves and Elves are currently in a hostile relationship, it is difficult for Astra to meet and talk with Alterion directly.

Convey Alterion’s story to Astra on behalf of Astra.

-Success Reward: Linked quest generated

-Failure Reward: Linked quest deleted

It was a quest that Do-hyun had been hoping for, so there was no reason to refuse.

[When you come back. I will also tell you everything. The story of that bracelet and the story about her.]

To make matters worse, information about Elinel’s bracelet, which I had been curious about, was also at stake.

Do-hyun’s answer was obvious.

“Of course.”

* * *

[You have cleared the hidden field, ‘Contaminated Land of Spirits’.]

[Recorded in the Adventure Log.]

[You have succeeded in bringing the Spirit Stone, so the hidden field is closed, and rewards are given according to your performance.]

[The rewards are enhanced by clearing the field with overwhelming performance.]

[As a reward, you will acquire the titles ‘Purifier of the Land of Spirits’ and ‘Blessing of the Spirits’.]

Numerous messages greeted me as I emerged from the contaminated Land of Spirits.

In Do-hyun’s hand was a hexagonal crystal that was dull but emitted a faint light.

‘Wow, it was hard to find this.’

To be exact, it wasn’t difficult to find.

The Eye of Truth immediately told me the location.

The problem was time.

There were about 20 minutes left at the time, but the distance was quite far, so it was tight even if I ran without stopping.

[Remaining time: 00:00:29]

‘Is it real that I came out with less than 30 seconds left?’

Still, as a result of running like crazy, I was fortunately able to safe it by a hair’s breadth.

I handed the Spirit Stone to Periel, exchanged a few words, and then a message popped up.

[The surprise quest, ‘Her Wish’, has been cleared and rewards are given.]

….

[The score has increased significantly by fulfilling the request of Periel, the High Spirit of Nature.]

[The Best Apostle Tournament is over.]

[Special rewards are given in proportion to the ranking from 1st to 10th place.]

-1st place: 12,450

-2nd place: 7,980

-3rd place: 7,940

….

-9th place: 7,440

-10th place: 7,430

[The winner is player ‘Kaiser’.]

It was a message announcing the end of the tournament.

“Crazy, 12,450 points!?”

“Damn, that’s crazy.”

“No, is that even a possible score?”

“I told you I thought the 1st place would be Kaiser, right?”

“Wow, how did you do that?”

“Kaiser, he’s a god! Kaiser, he’s a god! Kaiser, he’s a god!”

At the same time, a loud shout and a noisy sound echoed throughout the forest from all directions.

At that time, when the deafening noise was echoing.

[Players who have achieved 1st to 10th place, leave the forest and stand on the platform prepared at the entrance.]

[Elf Elder ‘Alterion Ellandriel’ will give the rewards himself.]

Do-hyun smiled at the message that popped up just in time.

‘Good timing.’

Elf Elder, Alterion Ellandriel.

It was time to meet him now.