Ranker’s Return

‘What is this?’ Hyeonu thought.

Tang-E was pointing at a purple stone. To be exact, it was at the rising land that had the appearance of a stone. It was moving like a living creature.

‘What type of entrance is that?’

Similar-looking demonic creatures were entering the place that looked like a purple stone. The name of those who disappeared into it was the darkness bognets. They were black like their name and had an appearance similar to that of crickets. The darkness bognets showed quick movements and sometimes flew, so they were very annoying monsters.

‘Is that their home?’ Hyeonu didn’t know why, but he felt it was a dungeon. Moreover, it was a very difficult one.

“Tang-E, you’re great. You played a big role today.” Hyeonu stroked Tang-E’s head affectionately.

“I always pay for my meals. So you must give me meat.” Tang-E clung to Hyeonu even more and pushed his head forward.

“Yes, I understand. When did I never give it to you?” Hyeonu moved secretly with Tang-E in his arms. He walked over very stealthily so that the darkness bognets didn’t notice.

[Would you like to enter the Secret Garden of the Rollan Forest?]

Upon arriving near the purple land, Hyeonu saw the information of the dungeon that appeared in front of him. His guess was right. The purple stone was the entrance of the dungeon.

“I will enter.” Hyeonu entered the dungeon instance without a moment of worry. There was no need to worry as the dungeon was like a pumpkin. The first person to pick up the pumpkin would be its owner.

***

[You have entered the Secret Garden of the Rollan Forest.]

The space beyond the purple land was like a maze, with endlessly high walls of irregular heights. However, the ceiling wasn’t blocked. It was open, and the sky was visible.

‘I will have to start collecting information.’

There were many things a player had to do when they were entering a dungeon. The most important thing was to figure out the dungeon. What monster would appear, and what form of dungeon was it? All of these had to be determined in order to clear the dungeon. It was only possible to clear a dungeon recklessly when it was one level lower than the player’s capabilities. Thus, Hyeonu didn’t take it lightly and made all sorts of preparations. “Tang-E, buff me. I have to prepare before going.” 

Tang-E’s buffs alone were enough for the preparations.

“I know. I will also prepare the Heart.” Tang-E summoned a golden sphere, the Heart, at Hyeonu’s words. Then he buffed Hyeonu.

[You have received Bear’s Momentum.]

[Physique has increased.]

[Strength has increased.]

[You have received the Forest’s Blessing.]

[Defense has increased.]

[Health will continue to recover.]

[You have received Breath of the Wind.]

[Your agility has risen.]

[Your movement speed has increased.]

‘What?’

“Isn’t this strange?” Hyeonu cocked his head after receiving Tang-E’s buffs. The buffs felt very strange today. Hyeonu’s body was oddly full of power as if he had used an item skill.

‘What has changed?’

Hyeonu opened Tang-E’s skill window and quickly glanced at the skill level. “When did it change like this?”

During the time when Hyeonu focused on raising his stats and skills, Tang-E grew just as much as he did. The biggest change was in the buff skills. They were the two buff skills Tang-E had from the beginning—Bear’s Momentum and Forest’s Blessing. The proficiency of both skills had reached A-.

[Bear’s Momentum]

[Gives a bear-like strength and physique.

Type: Buff

Rating: Rare

Skill Proficiency: A-

Increases the target’s strength and physique by 100% for 25 minutes.

Skill Cooldown Time: 1 minute.]

[Forest’s Blessing]

[Grants the vitality of the forest.

Type: Buff

Rating: Rare

Skill Proficiency: A-

Increases the target’s defense by 100% and restores health by 1% per second for 25 minutes.

Skill Cooldown Time: 1 minute.]

It was a drastic change. The skill had increased in proficiency by at least 20% compared to the B+ level. There was an overwhelming rise. Considering there was around a 5% increase for every skill level, 20% was a number obtained from an increase in four levels.

‘Yes, he grows twice as much as others.’ Hyeonu realized what he had forgotten at this moment. He wasn’t the only one who had grown stronger. Moreover, the fact that Tang-E had grown stronger meant that Hyeonu had ultimately become even stronger.

“Tang-E, you’ve worked hard so far. I’ll ask you to keep doing so in the future,” Hyeonu conveyed his gratitude to Tang-E.

“Why are you saying something like this so suddenly, Master dude?” Tang-E’s cheeks were red as he waved his paws at Hyeonu’s sudden expression of emotion.

The human and bear pair entered the inside of the dungeon.

***

The inside of the dungeon had uneven stone walls. The ground was similar; it wasn’t smooth. There was a very wide path spanning dozens of meters. This meant the dungeon was very spacious.

‘Fighting can be tricky.’

A wide battlefield meant there was a risk of joint attacks. In such a space, 10 darkness bognets could move around easily.

“Be careful. We don’t know when and where they will pop out from,” Hyeonu warned Tang-E. The darkness bognets had a terribly instantaneous speed. Hyeonu could be hit the moment he let down his guard.

“Understood, Master dude.” Tang-E maintained his tension so that he could react at any time.

Hyeonu placed one hand on the Mysterious Sky Sword and walked slowly. A small sound entered his ears, and he swung the Mysterious Sky Sword without hesitation. As black-red pure energy filled the air, something speckled clashed with it. Then something collided with the wall. The wall shattered, and fragments scattered.

“Kieeeek!” The ones who emerged were the darkness bognets. They ran toward Hyeonu and Tang-E.

“Tang-E, prepare Fire.” Hyeonu directed Tang-E to use magic before quickly running forward with the Mysterious Sky Sword. The darkness bognets fluttered their creepy wings and flew toward Hyeonu.

‘Eight!’ Hyeonu grasped the number of darkness bognets in an instant and swung the Mysterious Sky Sword. Exactly eight pure energies appeared in the air. Meanwhile, the darkness bognets opened their mouths at the same time, creating black spheres in their open mouths. Those black spheres collided with Hyeonu’s pure energies.

The result of the conflict was a strong shockwave. There was nothing else left aside from that. The spheres and pure energies were destroyed together, and they disappeared without leaving any traces.

“Kieeeeeeek-!” The darkness bognets immediately flew toward Hyeonu. When they neared Hyeonu, they opened their mouths, showing their hundreds of ugly teeth. Suddenly, black-red fireballs flew into their open mouths. It was Tang-E’s Fire magic. Those fireballs then exploded in the darkness bognets’ mouths.

Boom!

“Kieeeeeeek!” the darkness bognets let out pained screams and shook their heads. Gray smoke billowed from their open mouths with a savory scent.

Hyeonu barely resisted a laugh when he smelled that. He used Mysterious Sky Steps, which changed his movements. Now, his movements weren’t just fast; they were stealthy and flexible. Hyeonu appeared in front of a darkness bognet in an instant and stabbed the Mysterious Sky Sword in its head.

The black-red flames burned directly inside the creature. The trembling darkness bognet stopped moving, and in an instant, only its shell was left.

[The darkness bognet has been defeated.]

[Experience has been acquired.]

Hyeonu appeared in front of the darkness bognet that was right next to him. This time, it wasn’t the Mysterious Sky Sword but a fist. Hyeonu smashed the head of the darkness bognet with his fist wrapped in dark-red magic power. That punch created a hole in the darkness bognet’s head. There was no living creature that could live with a hole in its head. Occasionally, a darkness bognet was a monster that wasn’t included in that category, but that wasn’t the case this time.

[The darkness bognet has been defeated.]

[Experience has been acquired.]

Hyeonu wasn’t the only one attacking actively. Tang-E also handled the darkness bognets just as quickly. Brilliant lightning bolts fell toward the heads of the darkness bognets.

“Kiek!” Four of the six remaining darkness bognets screamed and turned to ashes.

[The darkness bognet has been defeated.]

[Experience has been acquired.]

[The darkness bognet has been defeated.]

[Experience has been acquired.]

[The darkness bognet has been defeated.]

[Experience has been acquired.]

[The darkness bognet has been defeated.]

[Experience has been acquired.]

The remaining two darkness bognets were left to Tang-E. After using lightning magic, he immediately used ice magic. Tang-E’s golden Heart glowed, and the space started to freeze. The ice quickly expanded, and the space turned white in an instant. The darkness bognets jumped into the air to avoid the expanding ice, but this was a big mistake. Although they avoided Tang-E’s magic, they entered Hyeonu’s range.

‘What a profit.’ Hyeonu wielded the Mysterious Sky Sword, and dozens of pure energies poured out from it. The darkness bognets who saw this scene quickly flapped their wings and flew to a higher place. However, Hyeonu’s pure energy was several times faster than the speed of the darkness bognet. The black-red pure energy tore right through the darkness bognets.

[The darkness bognet has been defeated.]

[Experience has been acquired.]

[The darkness bognet has been defeated.]

[Experience has been acquired.]

The battle was over.

Hyeonu approached Tang-E first before picking up the items.

“It seems our Tang-E did it properly today?” Hyeonu gave Tang-E a thumbs up. Tang-E’s power control was adequate during the battle. There was nothing excessive or lacking.

‘In particular, the use of the last ice magic was very appropriate.’

Rather than unnecessary attacks, Tang-E judged it was better to limit the actions of the darkness bognets.

“I have also been practicing and thinking. I will continue to help Master dude.”

Tang-E was also practicing to improve his skills. He didn’t always play around on Bung Bung Island; he also thought about how to use magic better. The result of that was the current battle where he used his magic power and skills correctly.

“Yes, thank you.” Hyeonu was thankful for such a Tang-E. He lifted Tang-E and hugged him. Then he brought his chin to the top of Tang-E’s head and rubbed it.

“Uwah, Master dude! It hurts, hurts!” Tang-E twisted and struggled due to the pain he felt on his head.