Ranker's Return

Chapter 728

Bung Bung Island was a place that both Hyeonu and Tang-E knew well. In the past, they had struggled to get there.

“Bung Bung Island...? Are we going home, Master dude? My parents said they wanted to see you. They said they will cook you a meal. They are looking forward to it.”

Tang-E looked at Hyeonu and held back a small smile. One corner of his mouth was curled up and he looked very insidious.

“Don’t worry about a meal. I’m not a person who is obsessed with food like you.”

Hyeonu snorted at Tang-E’s words. Regarding Manong’s cooking, he had heard so much from Tang-E that his ears scabbed over. There was naturally no desire to eat.

“As you heard, his hometown is Bung Bung Island. I know the way to go there... you don’t know where Bung Bung Island is located?”

Hyeonu moved his gaze from Tang-E to Kalui. Kalui made eye contact with Hyeonu and nodded. “I don’t know the exact location. I just heard His Majesty tell me to go there.”

Hyeonu sighed. He thought about wandering around Bung Bung Island without any clues and his legs seemed to hurt already. In the meantime, stage one of Preparation for Defying the Natural Order ended.

[After the passage of time, stage one has ended.]

[Stage two has begun.]

‘Uwah...’

“This much...”

Hyeonu barely held back the groan from flowing out. Stage two was quite different from stage one. It wasn’t unbearable, but the change that came while talking was enough to cause Hyeonu to feel flustered for a moment.

“The divine world... ho you know how to get there?”

Hyeonu was able to open his mouth again after several deep breaths and firmly clamping down on his magic power.

“The divine world... I don’t know how to go there either. I remember that there was a magic circle connected to the divine world... I understand that it was removed directly by His Majesty after the movement was completed.”

Kalui also didn’t know how to get to the divine world. In the past, a magic circle to the divine world had been prepared when descendants of the Luos Empire went to the divine world. They just had to stand on the magic circle. Then once they disappeared, the emperor removed the magic circle. This was all that Kalui saw.

‘It means he doesn’t know how to go to the divine world.’

Hyeonu’s expression wasn’t good. It was natural because he was at a loss just thinking about the hardships he would have to go through to find the method to go to the divine world.

[After the passage of time, stage two has ended.]

[Stage three has begun.]

A message appeared in front of him informing him that stage two had ended and stage three would begin.

“I understand. I will figure it out on my own. Is there anything else you want to say to me?” Hyeonu tried hard to maintain a smile as he spoke to Kalui.

“Please save them, Guardian.” Kalui once again bowed toward Hyeonu.

“I will bring them to Phinis no matter what,” Hyeonu responded to Kalui’s wish in a loud voice. Then he waved his hand to Kalui in a gesture telling him to leave.

Kalui disappeared back along the way they had come. He couldn’t see the throne when he entered due to the magic circle, but there were no such restrictions when leaving.

Hyeonu focused on the throne in earnest once Kalui disappeared. He wrapped magic power around the footrest, the part where magic power and health were being sucked in, and blocked off the flow of magic power and health.

[After the passage of time, stage three has ended.]

[Stage four has begun.]

It was only the fourth stage now. There was still a long way to go.

‘Five minutes is too long.’

A sigh flowed from Hyeonu’s mouth.

“Heh... A home-cooked meal with Master dude...”

Tang-E imagined something and stared at Hyeonu with a happy smile.

‘I won’t eat, I won’t eat!’

Hyeonu only shouted inwardly. He couldn’t even open his mouth. It was because stage five of Preparation for Defying the Natural Order began.

[After the passage of time, stage four has ended.]

[Stage five has begun.]

Just like last time, the difference between the fourth and fifth stages was extreme. Unlike the bearable fourth stage, the fifth stage was a bit burdensome for Hyeonu, who had much higher stats than the last time.

Thus, it was impossible to talk like before. Even so, he didn’t feel any threat to his life. It was enough to hold on with just Tang-E’s buffs. Hyeonu focused more on his magic power. It was firm and cohesive while sticky at the same time.

‘The next goal is 10 stars in the Mysterious Sky Demonic Art and level 400.’

Hyeonu was currently level 380 after ending the main scenario of the demon world. He had only 20 levels remaining until level 400, where the fifth class advancement was possible.

‘It is a bit much to call it soon...’

However, it was much closer to level 400 than level 300. This made him more comfortable when thinking about it. One minute passed while Hyeonu was working on his plans for the future.

[After the passage of time, stage five has ended.]

[Preparation for Defying the Natural Order 2 has ended.]

[Your stats are increased as a reward.]

[The strength stat has increased by 7 points.]

[The agility stat has increased by 39 points.]

[The magic power stat has increased by 42 points.]

[The physique stat has increased by 15 points.]

[The fighting energy stat has increased by 9 points.]

[The dignity stat has increased by 13 points.]

[The killing intent stat has increased by 5 points.]

‘The stats went up well.’

Hyeonu smiled as he checked the message windows that popped up in front of him. Then he quickly raised his body from the throne. He was worried that Preparation for Defying the Natural Order 3 would begin if he kept sitting.

“Tang-E, let’s go to Bung Bung Island for the first time in a while,” Hyeonu said as he landed on the ground and hugged Tang-E.

“Good. Bung Bung Island. Let’s go to Tang-E’s home, Master dude.”

Tang-E laughed.

***

Hyeonu didn’t leave for Bung Bung Island immediately. He was about to move to Bung Bung Island when he remembered something.

‘I have to receive the debt.’

He had something to receive from the emperor. It was the promise to give a skill book from the imperial library. Hyeonu didn’t forget about this.

“Come in.” The moment Hyeonu entered the palace, the emperor’s voice greeted him from inside. Hyeonu walked through the door of the emperor’s palace on his own and entered the space where the emperor was located.

He bowed down and greeted the emperor. “Have you been well in the meantime?”

“I always feel tired in the imperial palace... perhaps because I was traveling outside, but I felt quite comfortable now,” the emperor spoke while patting the seven-colored bear sitting on his lap.

‘I’m sure...’

Hyeonu inwardly snorted. The emperor didn’t realize the ease of the imperial place after returning from outside. The emperor was comfortable everywhere. However, there was no magic spirit in the past while now he had the magic spirit. It was clear that this difference had changed the emperor’s heart.

“The reason for coming here... it is probably this, right? The imperial library.”

Hyeonu nodded at the emperor’s question. He came to obtain this right.

“Take it.” The emperor took out a red bead and threw it at Hyeonu. Hyeonu naturally received the red bead that flew through the air.

“How you should use this... I won’t say it again since you already know.”

The moment the emperor’s words ended, a quest window appeared in front of Hyeonu’s eyes.

[Go to the Imperial Library]

[Visit the imperial library with the red jewel given to you by Emperor Alexander.

Rating: F

Conditions: Deliver the gem to the imperial librarian 0/1

Rewards: One skill book of your choice.]

Hyeonu had been to the imperial library once before. It was as the emperor said. Even if this wasn’t the case, the message window in front of Hyeonu taught him how to use the bead.

“Yes, Your Majesty. I am well aware that I have to go to the imperial library and turn the bead over.”

Hyeonu wiped the bead and placed it in his inventory.

“I have a question, Your Majesty.” Then he asked the emperor a question.

“A question? What is it?”

“It is about the permits.”

“Permits? Are you interested in the duke’s position?”

The emperor looked surprised at Hyeonu’s question. The Hyeonu that the emperor had seen so far wasn’t particularly obsessed with his position. He might’ve asked about being a viscount and earl, but... There was a clear difference between those who were really obsessed with a title.

“If the marquis wants, I can give you a duke title. You raised Phinis brilliantly. You also successfully gained a territory in the demon world. Of course, you will have to fulfill your duties as a duke.”

Hyeonu didn’t even say anything, but the emperor said on his own that he would give a duke title.

“I am not interested in that, Your Majesty. Additionally, Teacher is a duke. How can I be a duke?” Hyeonu shook his head. He would’ve accepted it if it was free, but Hyeonu firmly refused while using Lebron as a pretext due to the unidentified duties attached as a condition.

“So what is your question?”

“How many permits are needed to become an earl? This is what I am wondering, Your Majesty.”

“Marquis, how many do you think you will need?”

The emperor asked Hyeonu in reverse.

‘How many should I say?’

Hyeonu momentarily thought about it. How many pieces should he say?

‘10 is too few. 20 pieces? Is 20 too few?’

“I think 30 is appropriate.”

Hyeonu’s answer was 30. He thought this was fine.

“30 permits... okay, let’s make it so that 40 permits are needed to rise from a viscount to an earl.”

‘40 permits?’

Hyeonu sighed with relief while also feeling flustered at the sudden increase of 10. He had a total of 45 permits. 40 permits were enough for him to handle.

“The imperial contributions...’

“The imperial contributions needed will be the same as before.”

“How much is that...?”

“One million.”

Hyeonu shut his mouth at the emperor’s words. He was even more surprised because the emperor had promoted Hyeonu’s title at will when Hyeonu became an earl. The number of one million was too large. Even Hyeonu, who had earned more imperial contributions than anyone else, hadn’t collected one million.

‘I have 870,000?’

Of course, one million wasn’t an impossible number for Hyeonu to collect. He already had 870,000 imperial contributions.

‘Hyung-nim will take care of the rest.’

He didn’t think that New World would be lacking 130,000 imperial contributions.

“Thank you for letting me know, Your Majesty. Then I’ll be going now.”

Hyeonu knew everything he needed to know, so he said goodbye to the emperor and quickly exited. Hyeonu followed the traces in his memory and headed to the imperial library. It had been so long ago that it didn’t clearly come to mind. Nevertheless, it didn’t take him long. The rough memories were enough.

“Are you the librarian?” Hyeonu carefully asked an old man with a white beard.

“You are...the adventurer from that time? Lebron’s disciple. What do you need today?’

Hyeonu presented the red bead to the librarian who remembered him.

“I have a chance to get a skill book from the library again.”

The librarian received the red bead from Hyeonu.

“You have the symbol.”

[Deliver the gem to the imperial librarian 1/1]

[The quest Go to the Imperial Library has been completed.]

[You can get one skill book you desire.]

The librarian led Hyeonu inside the imperial library.

“Choose one. It is a book again. I hope you make a good choice like you did last time.”

The librarian pointed to the library full of books.

Hyeonu walked toward the bookshelf like he was possessed.