Ranker’s Return

The red dragon’s current appearance was no joke. It was terrible. Its right wing was torn in half, and its back was sunken in. The largest wound was from the huge sword that pierced through the red dragon’s back and belly. Of course, it was difficult to say that the wound was big when compared to the size of the red dragon, but it was still clearly a serious injury.

“Kuwooooh!” The red dragon was roaring with anger, but there was no sense of pressure at all.

[The Fear of the crazy red dragon hatchling has been heard.]

[The Fear of the crazy red dragon hatchling has been ignored due to the influence of fighting energy and killing intent.]

There was no effect on Hyeonu. Instead, the red dragon’s right wing was cut off, and it fell to the ground.

[Introduction to Disassembling has been triggered.]

This was the Introduction to Disassembling that Hyeonu gained from Soul of a Mad Killer.

‘Isn’t this a win?’

There was a cheerful smile on Hyeonu’s face. It was natural. As long as the wings were cut off, the red dragon wouldn’t be able to fly. Then the battle would be much easier. At this moment, cruel words rang through the plains that shattered Hyeonu’s illusion.

“Just because they lose their wings doesn’t mean dragons can’t fly. Earl, you should be vigilant to the end.”

Hyeonu turned slightly toward the emperor, who just spoke. The emperor stared at Hyeonu with his hands behind his back. To be precise, his eyes weren’t on Hyeonu but on the red dragon beyond him. Hyeonu’s head turned back toward the red dragon again.

“What?” Hyeonu let out a loud cry in his bewilderment. The sword that penetrated the red dragon’s body had long disappeared. The red dragon looked just fine like it hadn’t been hurt. However, the cut wings weren’t healed. Instead, something rose from them. The red dragon’s magic power burned in the shape of wings, replacing its cut wings.

‘Did it use recovery magic?’

This was probably the case. Dragons were practitioners of magic, and recovery magic was naturally available.

‘Still, the wings are gone.’

The fact that it failed to restore its wings was a comfort. Just then, the red dragon rose vertically into the air. Once its large body was far enough from Hyeonu that it only looked to be a few meters in size, the red dragon opened its mouth with such great momentum it was as if it would devour the world. As the surrounding magic power vibrated, it was sucked into the red dragon’s mouth.

The gaping mouth was like a black hole that swallowed endlessly. Hyeonu could only think of one word when he saw this sight: ‘Breath!’ It was a dragon’s representative skill—Dragon’s Breath.

“You shoot it as well!!” Hyeonu shouted at Caruso, beckoning for the latter to take action.

At Hyeonu’s order, Caruso held his breath and sucked in the magic power around him just like the red dragon was doing. Caruso’s Breath wasn’t the same as that of the red dragon; it was more like a vacuum cleaner. Still, there were advantages to this. The absolute amount was small, so the time needed to swallow the magic power was also short.

Caruso exhaled first. He let out a dark-red breath like the color of his skin.

‘This alone won’t be enough.’

Hyeonu knew this too. Thus, he didn’t just watch; he moved his magic power as well. At the end of the Mysterious Sky Sword, a black bead the size of a child’s head appeared. The role of the bead was like that of a dragon’s mouth. It fired a long laser that was as thin as the Mysterious Sky Sword, but the presence it gave off wasn’t inferior to that of Caruso’s Breath. The two rays of light shot at the red dragon as one, and it seemed like it would pierce the red dragon at any time.

Just then, the red dragon fired the Breath it had swallowed. The Breath was so heavy that it couldn’t be compared to Hyeonu and Caruso’s. The attacks from both sides collided. At first, it was even. There were times when the red dragon’s Breath pushed forward momentarily, and there were times when Hyeonu and Caruso’s attack pushed toward the red dragon.

However, this situation didn’t last long.

‘The giant buffs are over.’

Hyeonu’s three giant buffs ended at the same time. After that, the red dragon’s Breath showed its glory. It was absolutely brilliant and unbeatable. This was a power Hyeonu knew well. The red dragon’s Breath overpowered Hyeonu’s attack and advanced toward Hyeonu and Caruso.

‘It’s over! I have to avoid it!’

Hyeonu intuitively sensed that he was being pushed. He recovered the magic power he had poured into the Mysterious Sky Sword and immediately triggered Mysterious Sky Steps with his full power. A hot heat touched Hyeonu’s back. Hyeonu turned to look at the spot where he had just been standing.

“Um...” A groan flowed from Hyeonu’s mouth.

Caruso’s summoning time still had five minutes left, but he couldn’t be seen any longer. He was swept away by the red dragon’s Breath, and there was no way he would be fine.

‘Was he eventually reversed summoned?’

Although Hyeonu felt regretful, it was just temporary. Then he was startled as he remembered something. Hyeonu had been so focused on the battle against the red dragon that he had forgotten the emperor and Tang-E were behind him.

‘Tang-E!’

After Hyeonu avoided the red dragon’s Breath and Caruso was summoned back, the red dragon’s Breath shot at Tang-E. However, Hyeonu’s concern was meaningless as the emperor was beside Tang-E. The emperor, the most horrifying monster Hyeonu knew, reached out toward the red dragon’s Breath.

Then the golden wall in front of him became thicker, and the Breath struck the wall. The wall that the emperor created remained intact all along while the red dragon had its mouth open. It was a flawlessly solid iron wall. Finally, the mouth of the red dragon closed as the Breath stopped.

“You should know who you are up against. Who let you dare exhale that dirty Breath?” The emperor saw it and closed his hand lightly. Then the red dragon suddenly fell to the ground. It fell straight down. There was no flapping or gliding. It was just like a stone falling to the ground due to gravity.

Thump! The heavy body collided with the ground. The ground shook like an earthquake had struck, and a cloud of dust particles rose up. Then the sound of popcorn popping filled the plains.

‘Where is the sound coming from?’

Hyeonu listened to the sudden sound and soon found the source. It wasn’t far away. The sound was coming from the red dragon, whose body was bursting. Its scales were torn, and its flesh had split open with blood spurting out into the air like a fountain. Golden light leaked from the dragon’s wounds.

“Those who don’t know this subject don’t need to breathe,” the emperor declared with a casual expression.

After that, he bent down to touch Tang-E’s face.

“Were you hurt? Or were you shocked?” The emperor asked with an awkward smile on his face.

With a similarly awkward expression, Tang-E nodded in response to the emperor. Then the emperor straightened his back and turned to Hyeonu: “Earl, you can’t even deal with an incomplete hatchling? I need to talk to Lebron. You are too weak to be the disciple of the commander of the Knights of Keon.”

Hyeonu, who had fought fiercely, was struck with a bolt from the blue.

“I’m sorry for my weakness, Your Majesty. I will do my best in the future.”

***

Jung Dahui was staring at the monitor only to turn at the sound of someone calling her.

“Dahee, look at this. This is like a bug...” It was Park Cheolhyeong.

He was pointing at his monitor.

“What’s wrong with you? There’s no place for bugs right now. The next patch hasn’t been delivered by the development team, right?” Jung Dahui got up from her seat and walked to Park Cheolhyeong’s side.

Then she stared at his monitor.

“Alley Leader entered Rondal, and the emperor killed a tier 1 monster. Isn’t this a bug? It wasn’t Alley Leader who killed it. It shouldn’t be getting cleared right now,” Park Cheolhyeong explained the situation.

He was currently watching Hyeonu’s play screen. After listening to his explanation, Jung Dahui criticized Park Cheolhyeong, “What? This is nothing. What bug is this? It is just one of the play contents. Oppa, have you only been monitoring for a day or two? Why? You’re like an amateur.”

Jung Dahui didn’t think this was a bug. In the first place, there was a good chance the emperor would go in as well when entering Rondal. First, the player had to be able to enter the great hall where the emperor was and know him well enough to ask this of him. If such a player went to Rondal, it was impossible for the emperor—considering his personality—not to intervene.

“The problem is that the emperor intervened in the test... However, it wasn’t requested by Alley Leader. The dragon attacked the emperor, right? So it is just part of the common gameplay.”

“No, I still have to report it. The team leader should know about this. It is a peculiar thing.”

“That is up to you, Oppa. I am going.” Jung Dahui was trying to return to her seat when someone stopped behind her.

“The two of you are having fun chatting instead of doing what I asked you to do?” It was the appearance of the leader of the operations time, Kim Jinyeong.

“No, Team Leader-nim, that isn’t it... GM Park had something to ask me. I am going back to my spot now.” Jung Dahui left Park Cheolhyeong and returned to her seat.

Park Cheolhyeong was now having a one-on-one meeting with Kim Jinyeong, and his expression stiffened.

“Oh, my. GM Park Cheolhyeong, do you think your work is very comfortable these days? You actually called a colleague over to talk. How are your preparations going?” Kim Jinyeong glanced at Jung Dahui, who left quickly, and placed an arm around Park Cheolhyeong’s shoulder.

“That... It isn’t like that, Team Leader-nim.” Park Cheolhyeong denied it first.

If he were caught like this, he would be tired all day. Kim Jinyeong had been working overtime for a while, and he was now very mean. It was best to avoid being hit by this evil.

“It isn’t like that?”

“Ah, yes. My review of the 1 billion players event is almost finished. I just need to confirm it with the planning team a few more times, but there won’t be any problems,” Park Cheolhyeong said, licking his dry lips.

Simultaneously, he felt a burning thirst and gulped.

“Yes, you should work like this, GM Park Cheolhyeong. Don’t you think we should go home? Put a coordinated plan on my desk by tomorrow. In addition...” Kim Jinyeong paused for a moment and drank the Iced Americano held in his hand like it was water. “I said it before that what you are seeing now isn’t a bug. An NPC not doing what NPCs should do or items that shouldn’t be there—they are bugs. This isn’t a bug. It is just part of the play, part of the play. Therefore, become more serious about your job if you don’t want to work overtime.” 

Kim Jinyeong knew about it all. Jung Dahui and Park Cheolhyeong had spoken quietly, but it was impossible for Kim Jinyeong not to have heard their words. It was natural as they were the only ones talking in the operations team earlier.

Kim Jinyeong called out, “Dahui-ssi, ignore him next time. You just need to work hard on your job. Don’t listen to such stupid things. It is a waste of time. I want to go home.”