The Return Of The Genius Ranker Of All Times [EN]: Chapter 55

55.

Eliza’s HP, pathetically slammed against the wall, had been reduced by about 4,000.

Considering the Spider Queen Eliza’s tough defense, that was an excessively high number to lose from a single skill.

Without pausing, Do-hyun swung Bastard’s Training Sword in rapid succession.

[The ‘Minor Haste’ option of Bastard’s Training Sword is activated.]

[Attack speed and movement speed increase by 3%.]

The sword, swung in a flurry, rained down on Eliza.

There was no space to dodge, even if she wanted to.

No, it was so fast that dodging seemed impossible, and Eliza was destined to be beaten.

[HP: 31,981 / 40,000]

Her health plummeted by about 8,000 in an instant.

Do-hyun even used Striking.

A golden aura subtly leaked out and circulated within him, and soon a message popped up.

[You use Striking on yourself.]

[Physical abilities increase, raising attack power.]

And the ensuing attacks were truly devastating.

Bang! Kwaaaang!

-Eliza… Eliza…!

The violent impact, loud enough to shake the ground, echoed through the passage. Each time she raised her head, it was slammed back into the wall, causing it to crack and eventually crumble.

[Rising Dragon Kick can be used.]

[Rising Dragon Kick is used.]

Then, when the cooldown was over, Rising Dragon Kick was unleashed again!

Jumping and slamming down from above, the even larger dragon figure engulfed Eliza.

[The range of the slam is increased due to the set option effect.]

‘Oh?’

The slam range increase from the set option was also applied to Rising Dragon Kick.

Thanks to this, only Eliza was left suffering from the even more spectacular kick.

Kwaaaang!

-Eliza…

A weak scream was buried beneath the sound of the collapsing wall.

Seeing the sight that made even the onlookers miserable, Jihad covered his forehead with both hands.

-Aigo… [A Korean expression of frustration or exasperation]

Clearly, it was a good thing that his master was winning, but it was so overwhelming that he just felt sympathy.

[HP: 17,214 / 40,000]

The field boss ‘Spider Queen Eliza’s’ HP was already reduced to less than 50%.

Considering that the attempt had only begun a few minutes ago, it was an incredible attack speed.

It was thanks to the buff called Striking and the potent dealing skill called Rising Dragon Kick, which were given to Do-hyun, who was already strong.

[Entering Phase 2.]

[Trait ‘Steel Spiderweb’ is activated.]

Spider Queen Eliza in Phase 2 was known to be a tricky boss.

The spiderweb, notoriously difficult to cut, possessed overwhelming power that could retire damage dealers or tanks the moment they failed to avoid it.

Once wrapped in a spiderweb, one had to wait for 5 minutes, completely immobilized.

Whoosh-.

Even the activation speed of the spiderweb was incredibly fast.

Fortunately, it was easy to block if one prepared in advance because it was shot in a straightforward manner, but the real problem was that she used the spiderweb to scurry around countless times on the ceiling and walls.

Due to the interference of the spiderwebs that accumulated while running around on the ceiling and walls, the players’ safe zone gradually decreased, and Eliza’s territory increased.

But…

Thud!

Tumble-.

In a narrow passage that wasn’t even twice as high as Do-hyun, that was all in the past.

The moment she jumped, she would hit the ceiling and roll on the floor.

All she could do was spit out simple spiderwebs…

Whoosh-.

-Eliza!!!

Do-hyun wasn’t one to be hit by such obvious attacks.

Do-hyun, who dodged by tilting his head effortlessly, swung his training sword as if demonstrating how to attack.

Do-hyun’s blade stabbed and cut from various angles, trapping her against the wall and preventing her from escaping.

Eliza also occasionally tried to counterattack, but Do-hyun wasn’t one to be caught off guard by such blind attacks.

-Eli…

Thwack! Whoosh-.

-……za.

Crack! Bang!

-Eliza, za… Li… za.

Eliza was beaten without even being able to make a proper sound.

Do-hyun frowned as he watched her trying to utter the word Eliza even while being pummeled like that.

“What the hell is Eliza that she keeps talking about like that? Let’s see if she still spits it out when she’s about to die.”

-……Master, you’re cruel.

Even though he said that, Jihad was also inwardly uncomfortable.

It was strange how she kept shouting Eliza at every chance, and the nuance itself didn’t sound like she was calling someone’s name…

-Huh? Name?

What is it?

Jihad felt strangely uneasy.

For some reason, the name Eliza felt familiar.

-That can’t be… Huh?

Jihad’s eyes widened as he pondered.

[HP: 5,614 / 40,000]

He was startled and looked to the side, and he saw the dying Spider Queen Eliza. Jihad shouted in a voice that couldn’t be more urgent.

-M, Master! Just a moment!

“? What?”

-Wait, stop! Please!

The sight of him reaching out and rushing over looked like a parent rushing towards their injured child, or was that just his imagination?

Do-hyun stopped trying to stab with his sword at the sight of him looking so desperate.

-Eli… za…

Then, Eliza’s struggling voice was heard, followed by Jihad’s shout.

-Eliza! It’s me, it’s me! Don’t you recognize me!?

-……Liza?

Eliza couldn’t understand.

She knew who that little one was.

An unknown person who appeared one step later than this monstrous human and had been watching from behind all along.

She didn’t feel any danger, so she ignored him… but why suddenly?

Why was he showing such a pitiful look?

-Eish! [Another Korean expression of frustration]

Feeling frustrated by Eliza’s reaction, Jihad quickly took off his robe’s hood.

Then, Jihad’s face was revealed, and Eliza’s eyes were filled with doubt as she checked it.

But that doubt soon turned into something else.

-……Liza!?

Her dying voice was filled with strength.

The eyes that had been dyed red turned into the same green eyes as Jihad, and the ferocious eyes became gentle.

Her sparkling green eyes filled with tears, and soon they were filled with a feeling of joy.

-Lizaah!

-Yes, it’s me. Eliza!

Then, Eliza threw her huge body towards Jihad.

As if a large dog was hugging its owner, Jihad warmly embraced Eliza’s head.

Do-hyun, who was blankly watching the unknown scene, muttered.

“…What is this situation?”

The sight of the spider he had been beating like a dog on Bok Day [Bok Day refers to one of three specific days in the lunar calendar known for eating dog meat in Korean culture] and the goblin he had beaten like a dog in the past were putting on a scene as if half-siblings had come to the city.

…Leaving aside understanding, he felt very strange.

* * *

Spider Queen Eliza.

The ruler of the western forest of Raven, the queen of all giant spiders, the queen of giant insects…

She was a field boss that everyone feared just by hearing her name, but she wasn’t always such a grand existence.

-Liza!

She was originally a small spider.

Not a giant spider that was rampant in the forest, but a small and insignificant spider.

Unlike other spiders, she had soft, pure white fur, and the only difference was that her spiderweb was stronger.

And thanks to that difference, she was able to meet her master.

-Hoo? What is this spider?

-Liza?

-Was there such a species? It would make a good test subject.

At first, she couldn’t understand what he was saying.

And there was no time to understand.

Suddenly, an undead army appeared from behind the tree and picked up Eliza.

-Liza! Liza!?

-Tsk, how noisy. Take her well so she doesn’t get hurt. She’ll be a great test subject.

After being captured for a long time, Eliza arrived at a secluded cabin.

And Eliza spent a long time inside.

-First of all, what should I give her to eat… Hey, what do you eat?

-Liza?

-Why do you keep saying Liza? It’s funny that a spider is talking. Ah, well, I’m a goblin, so I’m talking too, right?

Unlike his intense first impression, the master who kidnapped her was kind.

He grumbled but tried to get her the food she wanted, and if she was a little uncomfortable, he clicked his tongue but got her a cushion from somewhere.

Spiders don’t like cushions, though.

-Liza! Lizaliza!

Still, Eliza liked such a clumsy master.

She could clearly feel the heart that cared for her inside.

The master, who gave her food every morning and left, returned in the evening, and Eliza waited endlessly for such evenings.

When she greeted her master like that, he pretended to dislike it but secretly smiled inside.

-This little thing greets me so well. It seems to have high intelligence…

-Liza?

-It’s a waste to make you an undead… Don’t you have any talents?

Eliza, who roughly understood the meaning of the words, immediately pulled out a spiderweb.

The master’s eyes widened as more than 10m of spiderweb spread in all directions in an instant.

The master, who hurriedly touched the spiderweb, looked at it in horror.

-You, you’re amazing!? Can you pull out more of this?

-Liza!

Eliza, who pulled out spiderwebs until the house was full, quickly fell asleep from exhaustion, and from the next day, the master spent more time with her.

-Such a durable spiderweb in this small body… It’s definitely a new species that I don’t know about.

-I’ll have to raise her until she becomes an adult.

-Yes, this is for experimentation. There’s no particular reason.

-There will be many who covet or hunt such a unique species. I’m worried… no, I hate troublesome things…

She kept muttering to herself, but Eliza was just happy that she could be with him.

They went for walks together, ate together, and later spent many moments sleeping together.

It was around that time that she was given the name ‘Eliza’.

-You, can you only say Liza?

-Liza? Lizaliza!

-Liza… It’s a bit much to call you ‘you’ every time, so how about Eliza? Liza looks too cheap, right?

-Liza?

-Not Liza, Eliza! You have to say Eliza.

-Lizaliza!

They bickered a few more times that day, but what did it matter?

-Tch. Okay, do as you please. I’m going to call you Eliza.

-Liza!

In the end, laughing and having a good time was the same.

It was also on that day that she received her first gift from her master.

-Take this.

-Liza?

-It’s yours. It’s nothing special… just wear it whenever you go for a walk.

-Lizaah!

The first gift she had ever received in her life was a great inspiration to her, and from that day on, her favorite item became that small accessory.

She never let it out of her arms, not only when she went for a walk but also in her daily life.

The master also looked at her with a happy smile.

-You little rascal… you like it.

-Lizaliza!

A series of happy days.

But that time did not last long.

-Oh, Eliza. I have to go out alone today.

-Liza? Liza!

-No. I told you before. I found a clue about the secret I’ve been looking for. That place is dangerous for you, who hasn’t become an adult yet.

-Liza…

Even though she was dejected, Eliza followed her master’s will.

Because that’s how her master would smile.

If she waited quietly, he would come back to her.

-Then I’ll be back.

-Lizaliza!

-Okay. Take good care of the house, Eliza. I’ve left a few undead, so ask them if you need anything.

With Eliza’s farewell, the master left.

And the master did not return.

Even when the sun set and it became night, even when the moon set again and the sun rose.

The master, who used to return in the evening, did not return to her side, and that was the same no matter how many times she repeated the process.

-Liza…

Nevertheless, Eliza waited.

Even when the weather turned cold and the branches of the trees became bare, and when the withered life was replenished again and brought a warm wind.

Even when other bugs came and left the cabin due to the heat.

Eliza waited for her master, and so time flowed endlessly.

1 year.

10 years.

100 years…

Time flowed like eternity.

Swish-.

When even the undead, who were the only traces and friends of her master who had been with her, disappeared into dust.

-……Liza.

Eliza left the cabin.

The place she headed to was deep in the western forest.

The place where she first met her master and where everything began.

-Liza, Li… za… El…

She longed for her master there,

-……Liza. Eliza…

And she always repeated it to not forget the given name.

-Eliza.

When she was finally able to say her name clearly.

A rumor spread in Raven that a bizarre monster that repeated the word Eliza had appeared.