Ranker’s Return

‘Is there any information I don’t know?’

In fact, it was possible. The information he obtained from the community was very limited. It had already been validated once through streaming that the level of information available in the community was extremely low. Although there was a wide coverage, it wasn’t deep.

‘Perhaps if it is Ket’s information...’

Of course, some player posts had great value, such as the ones written by Ket of the Pioneer Guild. Ket’s posts contained details of many of his experiences so far. This meant an accurate comparison was possible. How strong were the new monsters compared to the existing monsters? In addition, Ket’s outstanding strength meant he could see all the patterns of the monsters. This was one of the key reasons why Ket could share good information.

‘All that is certain is the appearance and the name.’

Hyeonu just had to figure out the rest for himself. It wasn’t too unreasonable. The monsters on Shalun Mountain were inferior to the monsters he had hunted in the demon world.

‘Just think of it as hunting two monsters.’

“Tang-E, come out. It is time to work. You have to pay for your meal.”

Thorough preparations were always necessary before the battle began, and Hyeonu’s preparations for battle always started with Tang-E.

“Hunt and receive meat. I am a reasonable bear.” Tang-E appeared with a serious expression on his face.

Hyeonu patted Tang-E’s head. His behavior was so relaxed that he didn’t look like a person who was going into battle. He said, “Yes, only those who work deserve to eat delicious meat. So Tang-E, you deserve it.”

Feeling happy to hear that, Tang-E laughed. However, it was only for a moment. He frowned at the surrounding environment, which made him feel suffocated because it was hot and humid. “Where is this place? It is so hot, Master dude.”

Hyeonu laughed as he stretched out the corners of Tang-E’s mouth. “Be careful, lava emerges from the ground here. Tang-E, your fur might burn.”

Hyeonu’s exaggeration put a frightened expression on Tang-E’s face. There wasn’t anyone who wouldn’t be surprised to find that lava emerged from the ground. No, there wasn’t a bear that wouldn’t be surprised.

“Hiik! Lava!! Let’s get out of here, Master dude.”

“No, I have things to do here. I can’t leave until they’re over.”

“Master dude is wearing shoes, but I am barefoot. I will melt when I encounter lava! Stupid Master dude!!!”

“You just have to avoid stepping on it. Don’t worry too much. If you don't use magic on the ground, it won’t pop out.” Hyeonu patted Tang-E on the head again.

Seemingly relieved by Hyeonu’s words, Tang-E turned to Hyeonu slightly and said, “Then let’s go do your business, Master dude.”

Tang-E opened his eyes and made a fierce expression.

Hyeonu replied, “Understood. Shall we kill them first? Just use ice magic.”

He left Tang-E behind and walked toward the lava giant that was on the back of the flame predator.

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

[The other party is stronger than you.]

[Your stats have increased.]

Hyeonu’s eyes widened when he saw the message in front of him. The message was slightly different from what he expected.

‘It’s of a higher level than me?’

Hyeonu was currently level 320. It was a number that was not low at all. This was the highest among players, and it was hard to find monsters with a higher level than Hyeonu in the currently released fields. The furious tree elemental didn’t have the effect of raising his stats due to fighting energy, and that was because Hyeonu’s level was higher than theirs.

‘It’s probably a boss or a named monster...’

Hyeonu left the feeling of discomfort behind him and flew toward the lava giant since he’d already received Tang-E’s buff. Just then, something reached the lava giant before Hyeonu. It was a glowing dark blue spear—Tang-E’s ice magic. Unlike usual, Tang-E made only one spear this time. Instead, he compressed more magic power into that one spear.

‘This hit... It’s too bad.’

Tang-E’s ice spear touched the forehead of the red cow, the flame predator, rather than the lava giant. It didn’t penetrate the red cow’s skin, but steam rose from the contact. If it wasn’t for that, Hyeonu wouldn’t have judged that a blow had landed at all. The entire body of the flame predator was glowing with a red light, which meant it was using magic power. So it was actually a battle of magic power between Tang-E and the flame predator, and this was the result.

‘A benefit is that it shifted its attention away.’

As the flame predator raised magic power to defend against Tang-E’s magic, Hyeonu pulled out the Mysterious Sky Sword and flew into the air. He reached out his sword and fired a strong pure energy, sending dozens of pure energy blades into the air.

It was Mysterious Sky Range. The dozens of black-red pure energy blades struck the lava giant and flame predator. The lava giant raised two huge fists to block the bombardment of pure energies. As it tried to destroy Hyeonu’s pure energies, the lava giant’s fists collided with Mysterious Sky Range.

It was hard to tell who won or lost. No one was hit. Yet, Hyeonu was ultimately the winner as a result of that. A pure energy blade that had flown away from the lava giant’s fists blew away the horn of the flame predator.

“Kuaaaah!” The flame predator started to rampage, twisting its body as it shrieked at the pain of having its horn destroyed. Naturally, the body of the lava giant on top of it was shaken as well. Just then, dark red threads poured out of Hyeonu’s body like his entire body had turned into threads. The black-red threads lodged themselves in the lava giant that was trying to calm the flame predator.

“Uwahhhh!” The lava giant let out a wild cry while watching the dark red magic power bind its body. As the lava giant howled, the ground started to crack, and lava was gushed out from the cracks.

‘Looking at this, I don’t think it is just a monster...’ Hyeonu thought. A regular monster couldn’t behave like this.

Right then, the lava giant once again cried out, “Kuweeeh!”

Simultaneously, lava burst out like firecrackers from the cracked land.

‘Fear?’

That wasn’t an ordinary roar. Apparently, it was Fear.

[You have heard the Fear of Nir, master of Crater 4.]

[The influence of fighting energy allows you to ignore the Fear of Nir, master of Crater 4.]

The lava giant Nir’s Fear did nothing to Hyeonu. Rather, it provided information to Hyeonu.

‘The master of Crater 4? Is there 1, 2, and 3?’

If so, it seemed that this lava giant wasn’t a boss monster. Usually, a boss monster referred to only one monster.

‘Number 1 is the boss monster. The numbers after it are probably just named.’

Hyeonu stopped thinking there. He couldn’t afford to stand still any longer. The ground at Hyeonu’s feet was quickly splitting apart all over, and lava burst from the cracked earth like it was a hot spring. Hyeonu slightly raised his magic power and jumped out like a bouncy spring, avoiding the explosions of lava. Then he stretched out the Mysterious Sky Sword toward the lava giant.

‘Mysterious Sky Demonic Strength!’

There was the sound of air exploding as dark red pure energy shot through the air. Nir, the lava giant, raised a huge hand to block the dark red glow. No, it thought it managed to do so. Yet, there was the sound of a balloon popping as the Mysterious Sky Demonic Strength created holes in the body of the lava giant. Starting from the middle of the giant’s fist to its chest, the holes were connected in a straight line.

‘It isn’t a single blow.’ Hyeonu smiled with an expression of regret. Unfortunately, Nir didn’t die in one blow. In fact, it didn’t even seem to be a fatal wound. Nir descended from the flame predator’s back, absorbed lava from the ground, and started to fill up the holes.

‘Is there a core somewhere?’ Hyeonu had this thought while looking at Nir restoring its body so naturally. Monsters sometimes showed characteristics according to their surroundings. They recovered endlessly, but if their weak spot, the core, was attacked, they would die more easily than expected. Nir seemed to be that type of monster as well.

‘Then Mysterious Sky Demonic Strength will be useless.’

In that sense, Mysterious Sky Demonic Strength wouldn’t do much against Nir. The penetration power was more powerful than any other skill Hyeonu had, but right now, he needed a skill that could attack from the side. For example...

‘Summon a Giant Sword or Mysterious Sky Range would be great.’

He might even be able to handle the flame predator with these two skills. Hyeonu ran to Nir who was currently absorbing the lava. As Hyeonu approached, the red cow rushed at him. The flame predator kicked the lava on the ground as if it didn’t matter. Rather, it was Hyeonu who became flustered by the sight. It was obvious that the durability of his armor would drop when hit by the lava. So he used Mysterious Sky Steps to avoid all the lava being flicked toward him.

At this moment, the flame predator pierced through the air resistance and aimed its head at Hyeonu. With one of its horns cut off, the red cow had an unsightly appearance, but its strength was still great.

Hyeonu kicked off from the ground and rose into the air, avoiding the flame predator’s attack. Then he swung around the Mysterious Sky Sword in the air. A long dark red pure energy rose from the Mysterious Sky Sword and cut the flame predator’s body precisely in two. It was an absurd end for the red cow, unlike its intense appearance.

[The flame predator, Parat, has been defeated.]

[Experience has been acquired.]

‘It is ignorant despite being a high-level monster.’

Great risk accompanied powerful attacks. This meant that the flame predator had more gaps the faster it charged, and Hyeonu didn’t miss these gaps. Seeing the flame predator become a miserable corpse, Nir cried out so loudly that it seemed like the sky would collapse: “Uwooooh!”

At the same time, the lava on the ground quickly gathered together like metal to a magnet. In an instant, Nir grew to more than double its size.

‘A pattern!’

Hyeonu’s eyes shone when he saw the transformation. This was most definitely a pattern. He was convinced of it.

‘It must be very furious.’

Perhaps that flame predator was Nir’s longtime companion. Otherwise, such intense anger couldn’t be explained.

‘I think it has become duller...’

The greater the size, the better the strength and physique. Simultaneously, it meant slowing down. It would be against the basic laws if it sped up.

‘Then it isn’t a game.’

The game would only work if common sense was observed even in the midst of emergencies. Hyeonu leisurely used Mysterious Sky Steps. He had no intention of wasting time against a big pig.

“Tang-E, give me a blow of cool magic!”