Ranker’s Return

[Dancing Black Dragon]

[A ring made from the essence of the demon world’s flame. The power of the flame is fully contained.

Rating: Unique

Restrictions: Possess the dark attribute, possess the fire attribute, more than 1,900 magic power.

Effect: Magic power +250, additional dark attribute damage +15%, additional fire attribute damage +15%.]

‘Oh, isn’t this good?!’ Hyeonu exclaimed inwardly after checking the ring. The effect of the ring was great. In particular, the wearer’s restrictions and effects were perfect for Hyeonu, so much so that it was like a custom item.

‘Then the bead?’

He could roughly guess the effect of the bead. It was warm in his hand, and it was clearly an item related to the fire attribute.

‘Item Information.’

[Demon World Lava Stone]

[An essence that condensed the aura of lava flowing somewhere in the demon world. It has a very powerful energy.

Rating: Unique

Restrictions: Possess the fire attribute, 1,500 physique, 2,000 magic power.

Effect: Stats will randomly increase when taken (a maximum of 200 points per stat). There is a high probability of generating the fire attribute. There is a normal probability of creating a skill. There is a low probability of creating a stat.]

The bead was a fire-related item. Specifically, it was an essence.

‘There is nothing about a pet in the restrictions, so I can consume it?’

The usage restrictions weren’t very strict, so Hyeonu could take the essence for himself. He placed the bead into his mouth without hesitation.

[Player ‘Gang Hyeonu’ has taken the Demon World Lava Stone.]

[The strength stat has increased by 137 points.]

[The agility stat has increased by 85 points.]

[The physique stat has increased by 91 points.]

[The magic power stat has increased by 124 points.]

[The fighting energy stat has increased by 199 points.]

[The dignity stat has increased by 175 points.]

[The killing intent stat has increased by 200 points.]

His stats received a good increase, and the range of the rise was satisfactory. Unfortunately, no skills or stats were created. He already had the fire attribute, so there was no problem regardless of whether it was created.

‘By the way, where is this place?’

Essences were items that had the lowest drop frequency. They were harder to find than equipment items and skills, and it was impossible to see them sold at the auction house.

‘I have no conscience if I complain more.’

Hyeonu let go of his regret and took out a map from the inventory. Then he found Barack, the city Viscount Marie had spoken about.

‘Here it is.’

Barack wasn’t far from where Hyeonu was now. He would reach it in a few hours if he ran using Mysterious Sky Steps. However, Hyeonu didn’t intend to walk around foolishly as it was approaching the time when he had to log out.

‘The drake isn’t just for show.’

Hyeonu had a much better mount than the rhinoceros demonic creature.

‘Tyrant’s Advent.’

A tyrant responded to Hyeonu’s call. The sky of the demon world was torn open, and a dark red drake appeared in front of Hyeonu. He climbed onto the back of the black-red Caruso and yelled, “Now let’s go to the north.” Then Caruso flapped his wings and flew high into the air.

Caruso moved at a rapid pace as there were no obstacles in the sky, just drifting clouds. There were some demonic creatures with flying forms, but they couldn’t get close to Hyeonu and Caruso due to the overwhelming momentum from them.

***

‘I arrived quickly.’

The 10-minute ride on Caruso was very useful. Thanks to it, he was able to reach Barack in just 30 minutes.

‘Where is Earl Carlsberg?’

Hyeonu sneaked into the city he presumed to be Barack and looked around quietly. He didn’t see any demon that looked like Earl Carlsberg, and he couldn’t sense the earl’s magic power either.

‘I will find him if I look around.’

Hyeonu wasn’t in a hurry though. He had already saved a lot of time by traveling on Caruso, so he would use that time now. Hyeonu moved in a relaxed manner. Walking like he was skating on a skating rink, he moved several meters with one step due to his high movement speed. Additionally, this was even without using any skills.

So, Hyeonu moved quickly through Barack, using Mysterious Sky Steps to break through places where the demons gathered. After 20 minutes, he finally found Earl Carlsberg.

‘What is he doing over there?’ Hyeonu wondered inwardly. Earl Carlsberg was sitting on a chair at the entrance of a shabby cafe. A small metal cup was placed on the table before him.

Hyeonu approached Earl Carlsberg and called out, “Earl Carlsberg?”

“Why are you alone? Where is Viscount Marie? What did you do to the humans?” Earl Carlsberg looked surprisedly at Hyeonu and frowned.

“Viscount Marie is waiting outside the city. He asked me to bring you,” Hyeonu lied calmly. There was no Viscount Marie here. He had died at Hyeonu’s hands. Of course, that was a fact Earl Carlsberg couldn’t know.

The earl nodded at Hyeonu’s answer. “Really? I said I was going to rest... He never listens to me.”

Earl Carlsberg stood up from his seat and said, “Guide me to Viscount Marie. I’ll have to meet him in person.”

It wouldn’t work if he just sent Hyeonu back. Viscount Marie was originally this type of demon after all.

‘The place where Viscount Marie is will be your grave,’ Hyeonu remarked inwardly.

Hiding his innermost thoughts, Hyeonu answered politely, “I understand. I will guide you.”

***

Hyeonu guided Earl Carlsberg to a hill outside Barack. Unsurprisingly, Hyeonu was in the lead, and Earl Carlsberg followed.

‘This should be enough?’ Hyeonu thought.

The hill was so far away from the city that no one would notice no matter what happened. Hyeonu stopped walking and turned toward Earl Carlsberg. Just then, Earl Carlsberg swung his sword at Hyeonu. The black magic power passed by Hyeonu’s body and dented the dirt ground.

‘What is this?’

“What are you doing now, Earl Carlsberg?” Hyeonu avoided Earl Carlsberg’s attack through instinctive movements. He was able to do so because the Mysterious Sky Steps were engraved deep in his bones.

“What am I doing? That’s what I want to ask. What did you do to Viscount Marie? It doesn’t make sense for you to show up here so quickly. It is impossible with Viscount Marie’s power. Moreover, I’ve only just arrived in Barack,” Earl Carlsberg said.

That’s right. Not much time had passed between Earl Carlsberg’s arrival at Barack and the moment he sat down at that shabby cafe.

‘Did I come too soon?’ Hyeonu wondered inwardly. Less than two hours later, Hyeonu appeared alone. This was a speed that didn’t make sense. Earl Carlsberg and Viscount Marie knew each other’s capabilities well. They served the same demon king and were quite close to begin with.

“If it were possible, he would be called Earl Marie, not Viscount Marie.” Earl Carlsberg’s expression became even more distorted like that of a fiend.

“It is my mistake. I admit it. I didn’t think that far,” Hyeonu said while taking the Mysterious Sky Sword out of his inventory.

This was an obvious error. He just thought about how quickly he could get to Barack and didn’t consider the time difference with Earl Carlsberg, who disappeared first.

‘So what about it?’

Earl Carlsberg’s timely death here would remain unchanged.

“Tang-E, come out,” Hyeonu summoned Tang-E.

During his fight with Viscount Marie, Hyeonu had replaced the role of Tang-E with a few buffs. However, this time he was facing an earl of the demon world. Tang-E’s assistance meant a more comfortable battle would be possible.

‘His buffs are like a 10% share.’

Regardless of whether Tang-E knew Hyeonu’s feelings, he appeared in front of Hyeonu. Tang-E sensed an ugly atmosphere and hid behind Hyeonu’s legs. “Is it a fight again, Master dude? Isn’t it too much to only call me when there is a fight? I think it is a bit too much these days.”

Hyeonu replied to Tang-E in an apologetic voice, “Sorry, I’m a bit busy lately. I’ll play well with you starting from tomorrow, so just help me a bit now.”

“Understood, Master dude. You promised.” Tang-E moved further behind. The moment he was some distance away, he buffed Hyeonu.

“Don’t worry, Master dude. Tang-E will definitely help.” Tang-E banged on his chest several times with his paws. Seeing that, Hyeonu immediately summoned the magic spirit. Then along with the magic spirit, he rushed at Earl Carlsberg. The magic spirit reached the earl before Hyeonu. It soared up toward Earl Carlsberg and swung its paw, which momentarily grew larger just in time.

Pure energy poured from the tip of Earl Carlsberg’s sword and blocked the magic spirit’s paw. After defending, Earl Carlsberg immediately swung his sword again. Right when his sword was only halfway through its swing, a black sword appeared and prevented Earl Carlsberg’s sword from moving.

Sparks flew as the magic powers of Hyeonu and Earl Carlsberg collided. Hyeonu lightly pushed the Mysterious Sky Sword and shook Earl Carlsberg’s balance. Earl Carlsberg stepped back lightly to maintain it, but the magic spirit seized this moment to swing its paw and dig out a piece of flesh from Earl Carlsberg’s shoulder.

“Kuack!” a scream of pain burst out from Earl Carlsberg’s mouth.

Hyeonu didn’t miss this chance and immediately swung the Mysterious Sky Sword. He slashed the air more than 10 times in an instant. With each slash, a black-red pure energy blade appeared in the air. The black-red pure energies arrived before Earl Carlsberg in the blink of an eye.

Earl Carlsberg quickly poured out black pure energy and narrowly succeeded in blocking Hyeonu’s attack. However, the aftermath of the impact sent him flying backward. Simultaneously, Hyeonu released a huge crescent-shaped pure energy toward Earl Carlsberg, causing blood to gush from his body like a fountain.

Then there was a golden flash over Earl Carlsberg’s head. A massive lightning bolt had struck him.

“Uwaaaah!” Earl Carlsberg let out a sound that was much more tragic than before. His body was a pitiful sight. All of his skin was burned, and his hair was gone.

‘I feel sorry for him, so I need to free him from the pain,’ Hyeonu thought. 

He appeared before Earl Carlsberg using Mysterious Sky Steps. Hyeonu put his hand on the back of Earl Carlsberg, who was on the ground, and injected magic power. Then he immediately started to explode the magic power. The sound of popping popcorn could be heard from all over Earl Carlsberg’s body. At the same time, Earl Carlsberg gradually disappeared without leaving even a corpse.

[Carlsberg, an earl of the demon world, has been defeated.]

[Experience has been acquired.]

[You have leveled up.]

[All health and magic power have been restored.]

A message announcing Hyeonu’s level-up appeared in front of him. That wasn’t all. There was another message that appeared together with it.