Ranker's Return

Hyeonu traveled through the Hejin Mountains faster than usual. Among the players hunting in the Hejin Mountains, there was even a rumor that there was a crazy NPC giving quests. The reason why Hyeonu was busy moving about wasn’t particularly special. He was doing so due to the patch information that was released. Hyeonu had to finish the quest quickly and level up using that experience. He also wanted to do another dungeon. 

“I’m busy, busy.”

[Monster Wave]

[A monster wave hits Latus Fortress like an annual event. Find out the reason.

Rating: B+

Conditions: Cause of the monster wave 0/1

Rewards: Experience, imperial contribution, the emperor’s gift.] 

The rewards consisted of experience, contribution, and an item. It was like clearing two birds with one stone when the new patch was released. The only problem was...

“How am I supposed to finish it?!!”

He just didn’t know how to clear it. There was no NPC to visit at Latus Fortress. Aside from the store NPCs, the only NPC was Herard. Moreover, Hyeonu had no one he could ask about this. There wasn’t a single person on his friends list that he could ask.

“I was going to ask Brother Junggu the other day...”

Hyeonu had a strong feeling that New World had been built entirely by Gang Junggu. It was clear that Kim Seokjung was just a guild leader and didn’t know much about the guild. Hyeonu’s thoughts were terribly accurate. Kim Seokjung had the style of an assault captain and had no concern for internal affairs. It was Gang Junggu who suffered because of it.

“I think it is information that the miners would find...”

Hyeonu smacked his lips with disappointment. The more he thought about it, the more he felt it was a pity. However, Hyeonu didn’t want to visit now since it was clear Kim Seokjung would ask about joining the guild.

‘I don’t need a guild right now... I just don’t know if I can get a castle.’

Hyeonu was struggling with his thoughts when a monster appeared in front of him.

“What? Is there a monster that looks like this?”

Hyeonu was confident that he had traveled the most among the ranked players currently hunting in the Hejin Mountains. No guild refused to allow Hyeonu into their hunting grounds. For the big guilds, Alley Leader was a dilemma. He was obviously an eyesore, but he was also a burden to touch. In any case, Alley Leader was a solo player. The number of monsters he could kill was limited, so he wasn’t too much of a nuisance to them.

Due to this reason, Hyeonu could move through the Hejin Mountains without any restraints. Nevertheless, he had never seen a monster like this before. The monster’s appearance was similar to an ogre’s. He was close to six meters tall, and his body was full of muscles. If there was a difference, it was that his entire body was covered in black tattoos. He held a well-made iron club and wore a chest piece that protected his vital points.

“Just by looking at him, he feels very strong... The feeling he gives off is similar to Crasul.”

Hyeonu couldn’t think anymore. He quickly summoned Tang-E and prepared for battle.

“Tang-E, we have to hunt this guy. Doesn’t he look strong? You have to be really careful.”

Despite giving a warning to Tang-E, Hyeonu was smiling. He was thinking about taking a video of the ogre hunting and posting it on the Alley Leader channel.

‘The minimum number of views would be 50 million.’

Alley Leader was always alone. Even so, he was perfect. It would be the same again. Hyeonu approached the tattooed ogre with such a mindset.

***

[You have received Bear’s Momentum.]

[Physique has increased.]

[Strength has increased.]

[You have received the Forest’s Blessing.]

[Physique has increased.]

[Health will continue to recover.]

Tang-E’s buffs were always reassuring. He could feel his body’s movements becoming lighter.

[Master of Combat is activated.]

[Your stats have increased.]

[The stat ‘fighting energy’ has caused your stats to rise.]

[The other party is stronger than you.]

[Your stats have increased.]

[Mindset of a Murderer has activated.]

[All stats have increased by 15%.]

‘It’s perfect.’

Hyeonu quickly approached the tattooed ogre. If possible, he wanted to deal one big blow before the start. However, this was just Hyeonu’s wish. The tattooed ogre felt like a boss monster, and his stats were great. He sensed Hyeonu before the first blow was even dealt and acted first. The tattooed ogre swung his club, and the air burst.

The club used this momentum to fly toward Hyeonu, only to miss and hit the ground. A hole appeared in the ground, showing the power contained in the club. It was like a bomb.

‘One blow will cause me to be stunned, and two blows will kill me!’ Hyeonu made an estimate after seeing the ogre’s strike.

He would die immediately unless he had a CC machine, full skills, items, or a priest. From that moment on, Hyeonu’s body started to rattle. It was like riding something that excited the body. This was a feeling that Hyeonu had hoped for. It was the feeling of standing on a cliff. Even at this moment, the tattooed ogre didn’t stop swinging his club.

However, Hyeonu didn’t respond to this attack. One of the set options of the Great Gorge Wind set was to use Blink. He immediately teleported behind the tattooed ogre. There was a black spear in Hyeonu’s hand. It was the Cursed Spear. This was the rare magic that reduced the target’s health by 1% per second.

Hyeonu inserted the Cursed Spear deep into the tattooed ogre’s calf. However, a message that was slightly different from Hyeonu’s desired message appeared.

[The weapon ogre is contaminated with black magic. The effect of Cursed Spear is halved.]

[The damage dealt per second is halved.]

“What?!!!” Hyeonu screamed unknowingly. He was flustered. The skill only had half the effect.

‘Is this a rare grade?’

However, there was no time for Hyeonu to be discouraged. The enraged weapon ogre was moving around.

“I can hunt him even without this.”

Hyeonu felt his entire body heat up even more. Now that the Cursed Spear’s effect had been halved, the only thing to believe in was his ability. The more he was pushed to the extreme, the more he felt uplifted. Hyeonu once again used Blink. This time, he stabbed his half-sword at the location where he had stabbed the Cursed Spear.

Sword energy was produced at the moment of the stab. The light blue sword energy directly pierced the wound of the weapon ogre.

[The weapon ogre has received the abnormal condition ‘bleeding.’]

Blood burst out like a fountain from the weapon ogre’s Achilles’ tendon.

“Kuah!” The ogre’s screams shook the mountains.

[You have heard the weapon ogre’s Fear.]

[The influence of fighting energy allows you to ignore the Fear of the weapon ogre.]

‘The scream causes Fear!!’

Hyeonu was dumbfounded by the absurd situation. The screams of pain played the role of Fear. Hyeonu had no answer as to why this was happening. If it wasn’t for fighting energy, he might’ve been logged out with this blow.

“Was it created to hunt this?” Hyeonu mumbled and moved again. If he stopped for more than a certain amount of time, the giant steel club would unfailingly head toward him.

“Tang-E!” Hyeonu yelled loudly, although it wasn’t as powerful as the weapon ogre’s Fear.

The moment Hyeonu’s yelling ended, all sorts of magic flew toward the weapon ogre. A lightning bolt fell the clear cloudless sky, and the weapon ogre’s body caught on fire. Three ice spears flew toward the weapon ogre’s face. Tang-E’s magic baptism all struck the weapon ogre. However, the weapon ogre didn’t seem to be shocked.

‘He has a bit of magic resistance.’

Still, Hyeonu wasn’t discouraged. If the ogre continued to be hit by Tang-E’s magic, then he would have to be conscious of Tang-E’s magic. Hyeonu had to aim for that gap. He smiled broadly. This hunt was much more interesting than hunting Crasul.

***

If anyone had seen Hyeonu’s battle, then they would’ve said, “Crazy.”

“I can’t believe it.”

“Am I truly seeing the movements of a human?”

Arena might be a virtual reality game, but not everyone could move like Hyeonu. Even if they had a body that was faster than possible in reality, so too did their opponents—the monsters. Monsters also had a different way of movement compared to what was possible in reality. No matter how good the tool, it was still humans controlling them.

Eventually, the important thing was the player’s individual skills. In that sense, Hyeonu was the best. His avatar in Arena moved perfectly. The weapon ogre’s club failed to hit Hyeonu again. Instead, he was hurt by Hyeonu’s sword energy. Still, it wasn’t a big wound when the health of the weapon ogre was considered. 

“Kuaaah!” The weapon ogre roared with anger.

He had continuously failed in his attacks while gaining wounds steadily. It was natural for the weapon ogre to be furious.

‘It is time for ‘that’ to come out...’

Hyeonu was waiting for the rage to turn into Berserk. No matter who looked at it, the weapon ogre was a boss monster. The evidence was that the weapon ogre could use Fear. If so, it was likely that he also had Berserk. This pattern was the basics of a boss monster. Other players were reluctant to face the Berserk pattern, but Hyeonu was different. Rather, he liked it.

‘Regardless of whether he is in the Beserk state, one blow will still cause my death. So what’s the difference?’

“I just have to not get hit.”

At this moment, black energy was emitted from the tattoos of the weapon ogre. It was the running wild of magic power. This was Berserk.

‘I will go full power as well.’

Hyeonu saw the Berserk state and finally used his giant skills.

[Giant’s Power has been used.]

[Your strength stat has increased.]

[Giant's Nature has been used.]

[Your strength stat has increased.]

Hyeonu ran toward the weapon ogre and called out to Tang-E, “Tang-E! Fear!”

Tang-E’s Roar skill caused the fear effect. It had the effect of reducing attack and defense by 12%. Meanwhile, Tang-E’s damage increased by 24%. In the Berserk state, Tang-E’s magic wasn’t fatal, but it was enough to gnaw at the weapon ogre’s health.

“Kuaaaah!” Tang-E roared loudly.

The moment when the giant buffs overlapped with Tang-E’s roar, Hyeonu’s attack power showed a different power than before.

If his previous attacks had been a needle, his current stab was like a giant spear. Hyeonu aimed a giant sword energy at the weapon ogre. It was an attack that would’ve bounced off lightly just a few minutes ago. However, despite his Berserk state, the weapon ogre was pushed back. Hyeonu’s attack was barely blocked.

‘I can use Blink two more times. Cursed Spear’s cooldown is now over.’

“His remaining health is around 40%.”

Most boss monsters used Berserk when they had 40% health left.

“Five minutes are enough.”

The weapon ogre rushed toward Hyeonu. As he approached, the weapon ogre slammed the steel club against the ground. Hyeonu saw this and threw his body into the air. The earth split apart, and rocks shattered. It was a heavy blow. If his feet had been on the ground, he might’ve been stunned and then died.

Hyeonu disappeared as he floated in the air. Then the missing Hyeonu appeared on the shoulder of the weapon ogre. He used his remaining two Blinks. Hyeonu didn’t hesitate to stab his single-edged sword into the shoulder of the weapon ogre. Then he jumped up, holding the half-sword tightly with both hands. Hyeonu landed safely on the ground.

After that, there was a loud roar. The weapon ogre’s arm was cut off from his shoulder.

[The weapon ogre has received the abnormal condition ‘bleeding.’]

Crasul’s curse inflicted the bleeding state. Blood flowed from the weapon ogre’s smooth, cross-sectional wound.

“Kuaaah!”

Then the Cursed Spear pierced the vocal cords of the screaming weapon ogre. Now that he couldn’t even scream properly, the weapon ogre collapsed with a pained moan.

“Monster, become an item.” Hyeonu fired the final blow toward the fallen weapon ogre.