Ranker Who Lives Twice

Team: HH, Yahiko, thursdays (2/10)

Kiaaaak—

-You….. You…..

-Let me out. Let me out.

-Huk huk huk. I’m hungry. Hungry. Hungry.

Just hearing the screams from the Ten Thousand Weaponry storage room was enough to make one shiver.

“As you can see, this all happened because of my horrible disciple.”

After the Adamantine Nova disappeared, she used different barriers and spells so the weapons and artifacts couldn’t run wild.

Still, there were limits to what she could do. With the core gone, the pressure on them would lessen.

Moreover, Anastasia had been busy with Victoria and hadn’t been able to focus on the storage room.

Victoria glanced away, too ashamed to say anything. Kahn and Doyle knew they were the cause of the problem and looked at the storage room with serious faces.

Kahn could use Bian, and Doyle could use demonic energy. Being sensitive like most rankers were, they knew how bad the problem inside the storage room was.

Something big was being created inside.

The evil intent from the weapons and artifacts leaked out and combined with each other, awakening their identities. If this went on, a resilient monster would be created.

Of course, if Anastasia stepped up herself, she’d be able to rip it apart easily. No matter how big of a monster appeared, as long as it wasn’t a superior monster, it wouldn’t be able to defeat her.

But Victoria knew that it took a toll on Anastasia for her to manifest as her actual body. It was why her teacher had been separated from the world for a thousand years.

Returning to heaven. That was what always tied Anastasia up.

“And you’ll take care of this? How?”

Anastasia squinted at Yeon-woo as if telling him to stop spouting nonsense. He was looking at the storage room with an indifferent gaze.

Yeon-woo just asked her a question while maintaining his calm appearance.

“I can take care of it. Please just answer this question. If I solve this, will you give me the Adamantine Nova? I’ll pay you in full for it.”

This morning, Yeon-woo had asked all kinds of questions after going to see Anastasia. About what she was going to do with the Adamantine Nova when it didn’t have anything to keep tied up.

It was an idea that Victoria had spoken about the entire night.

After learning that Kahn and Doyle were joining Yeon-woo’s party, she said she wanted to join as well.

When she heard they needed to create an Adamantine Nova before they headed into Tartarus, she said that it was worth a try to make a deal with Anastasia to get rid of a problem she had.

Thankfully, Victoria was right. Anastasia accepted the deal, though 90% of her reason was so she could laugh at them.

“Alright. Try if you can. If you do, there’s no reason to keep it. No, since you’re taking care of a problem for me, I’ll call you Oraboni as the reward. How does that sound?”

Under the mask, Yeon-woo’s two eyes curved.

“You can’t forget what you said.”

“Hmph!”

Yeon-woo stepped into the storage room.

Hwaaak—

An enormous amount of monstrous energy pressed down his shoulders. It was a power that anyone would end up bending to, but…..

[The Authority ‘Combat Instinct’ has been activated.]

The Authority activated and scattered the monstrous energy that had been trying to surround Yeon-woo at once.

[Combat Instinct]

Rank: Authority

Proficiency: 2.5%

Summary: An Authority that a god of ‘Olympus,’ Ares, gifted you.

Ares has kept an eye on you, who was never discouraged in a battlefield with numerous enemies.

However, because of his sister, Athena, he just watched you, but this time, he was impressed by you when you massacred all your enemies alone.

He regrets that he wasn’t able to find you before his sister. He gave you a powerful Authority, desperately hoping that you’ll become his apostle.

*Indomitable Spirit

The stronger the pressure received from your enemy, the more you’ll feel at ease and the tougher your will to win will become. The consumption of your health speeds up, but your offensive power is amplified. The effect is stronger the longer the Authority is activated.

*Soul Extortion

Your undefeatable spirit will discourage your enemies. With this, you will be able to take some health from them.

[The Channeling with Ares is weak, so many of the Authority’s effects are being canceled.]

[The effect of the monstrous energy is being offset.]

[A part of the monstrous energy is absorbed to increase your attack power.]

He hadn’t been able to bring up the entirety of the Authority. If he did, all 900 of the other Authorities would activate at the same time.

But because they were already registered in his skill window, he could use some of them.

[Ares shouts at you, asking what you’re doing. He demands you to open the Channeling again right this instant.]

[Athena, who has been watching quietly, reprimands him.]

[Ares flinches and steps back. He explains that that wasn’t what he meant.]

[Ares licks his lips and expresses regret.]

[Apollo, who was watching the two, bursts into laughter. He shows interest in you.]

[Artemis looks at you strangely.]

Yeon-woo cut his left wrist with his Magic Bayonet and sprayed the blood in the air.

The blood of Residual Poison Blood was a black color, having been combined with another type of blood.

[The Authority ‘Hogubyeolseong’ has been activated.]

[Hogubyeolseong]

Rank: Authority

Proficiency: 5.2%

Summary: An Authority that a god of ‘Dilmun,’ Nergal, gifted you.

Nergal liked your fighting technique of using Monster Portents with poison to kill enemies painfully.

However, he felt that you were still lacking in the way you used poison, so he gave you this Authority hoping you would fix it.

*Epidemic God

The power of being able to create different epidemics is given to you. According to the proficiency of the skill, the territory and effects of the epidemic expand, and the more enemies you infect, the stronger the epidemic becomes.

*Thousand Killings

True death doesn’t discriminate between the living and the dead. The same effects will show up on those without physical bodies.

[The Channeling with Nergal is weak, so many of the Authority’s effects are being canceled.]

[The effects of the Authority are being added to your Monster Portents.]

Kiikiikiiik—

His shadow split into hundreds and stood high above the ground. There were more Monster Portents than before. Receiving the effect of Hogubyeolseong, they quickly cleared through the Ten Thousand Weaponry storage room.

The poison wasn’t as strong as it could’ve been, but the option that the same effects could be seen on spiritual bodies too was a big help.

-What are these…..?!

-Go away! Go away!

-Aaaack!

The storage room full of evil intent quickly filled with screams.

[The Monster Portent ‘Hun’ has gotten rid of the artifact ‘Tatasha’s Sword.’ It absorbs its power.]

[The Monster Portent ‘So’ has crushed the ‘Helm of a Forgotten Warrior.’ It absorbs its power.]

[The Monster Portant ‘Kkang’ has swallowed the artifact ‘Akam’s Book.’ It absorbs its power.]

……

“What is…..?!”

Anastasia’s eyes widened at the unbelievable situation.

The weapons and artifacts she had created over the centuries were breaking apart too easily.

By mere shadow monsters!

The weapons and artifacts were breaking so quickly. The monsters and creatures inside of them were either as strong as the Monster Portents or even stronger.

But they were being defeated one-sidedly.

It wasn’t because they had been sealed for long. They looked as if they were scared by something.

Anastasia realized what was making them so.

[Boo (Witchdoctor’s Soul) looks down at the monsters and creatures.]

[The monsters freeze.]

[The creatures squirm to escape the horror.]

“…..What is that?”

Deep inside, Inferno Sight was activated. Upon confirming what it was, Anastasia frowned. It was something that didn’t sit well with her either. It was obvious how normal monsters and creatures would feel.

‘Just what is his identity?’

Anastasia turned her head back to Yeon-woo. She had no clue what kind of being Yeon-woo was.

-Stop acting out. You’re only a pet of Rhea. That’s enough of your cute tricks.

From the strange being that lived in the abyss of deep within Yeon-woo’s eyes, the Lich that scared monsters and creatures, and the Monster Portents, she didn’t have any remote idea how they worked.

Yeon-woo, who ruled over all of them, was the strangest being she had seen in a thousand years.

Meanwhile, when the weapons and artifacts were being crushed, predated by the Monster Portents, they reached deep into the center where the large monster with self-awareness was.

Yeon-woo released Shanon and Hanryeong as well. Their power was increased, influenced by the many Authorities of the gods of war, so they were able to take down the large monster quickly.

-Whoaaaaa…..!

The large monster screamed and ended up as a tasty treat for the Monster Portents.

Shanon and Hanryeong were able to enjoy a feast for the first time in a while.

The dark storage room turned quiet.

Kahn, Doyle, and Victoria all clicked their tongues. Yeon-woo was much stronger since fighting the head bishop, and they couldn’t believe the rate at which he was growing.

Yeon-woo recalled his subordinates back into his shadow and looked back at Anastasia.

She sighed. It was nice that the countless weapons and artifacts were taken care of, but she felt like everything she had done so far was in vain.

“It was annoying anyway. Just take it.”

But Yeon-woo shook his head even after receiving the Adamantine Nova, like that wasn’t what he was waiting for.

Anastasia narrowed her eyes in confusion.

“You forgot the last part.”

Yeon-woo spoke in an apathetic voice.

“What…..?”

“You’ll call me Oraboni?”

“…….”

Her face stiffened. She remembered what she agreed to do.

“That was just a joke…..!”

“I guess you’re a person who breaks promises easily.”

“…….”

“Anastasia?”

The hand holding her pipe trembled, face red with humiliation. She could refuse, but the problem was that she was a great monster about to exuviate.

Lying could have detrimental impacts on the growth of her level. Also, personality-wise, she couldn’t break a promise that she said in front of so many people easily.

“…..Ora, boni…..”

She ended up calling Yeon-woo Oraboni.

“I couldn’t hear you well. Well, let’s stop here.”

Crack—

The pipe in Anastasia’s hand split into two.

* * *

[The Monster Portent ‘Baek’ has reached its limits. It is transforming into a new being.]

[The Monster Portent ‘Yung’ has reached its limits. It prepares to transform for exuviation.]

……

[All Monster Portents begin to transform. You cannot command them to do anything while the transformation is in progress.]

[Please be careful of any external shock. If the transformation fails, the Monster Portents may disappear for good.]

The Monster Portents began to prepare to become superior beings after swallowing all the weapons and artifacts.

Yeon-woo was proud to see about a hundred Monster Portents grow at once. While Boo protected his shadow, he constantly supplied nutrients so the transformation would go smoothly.

[You have gained the last ingredient, ‘Adamantine Nova.’]

[You have successfully cleared the first condition of the subquest (Helm of Darkness).]

[Please begin with the second condition, the ‘creation of Kynee.’]

When ownership of the Adamantina Nova was transferred, a message saying to start the manufacturing process came up.

“I don’t like you.”

Anastasia spoke suddenly. Yeon-woo just stared at her.

Upon realizing why Yeon-woo was looking at her like that, she frowned. The promise she made still held up.

She could see Kahn, Doyle, and Victoria giggling far away. She felt like her insides were boiling.

What she didn’t like the most was the steady eyes behind the mask. She wanted to manifest into her real body and rip his shameless face to shreds.

“I….. don’t like Oraboni….. Ugh. F***. How long do I have to do this? Sheesh! I don’t like it! I hate it!”

There was humiliation in her eyes when she glared at him, but her eyes were mostly filled with murderous intent.

“At first, you were the cause of my lacking disciple’s pain, and then, you argued for the Adamantine Nova. You continued to bother my disciple….. and now, you’re trying to take her again when I thought she had finally come back home.”

Yeon-woo could understand how Anastasia felt. However, he didn’t try to appease her. Resentment didn’t disappear that easily.

“I’ll be watching you.”

Anastasia walked away. The young children who were waiting for her quickly followed. Stopping in front of Victoria, she hit her with the broken pipe. A scream rang out.

Somewhat satisfied, Anastasia left with a “hmph” and returned to her home.

Victoria rubbed the fist-sized bump that was coming up on her head. Kahn smiled bitterly and treated her with Bian.

Doyle shook his head and quietly stood by Yeon-woo’s side.

“Hyung, what are you going to do now? Head over to Tartarus right away?”

“No. I’m going to gather some members first.”

“Members?”

“Since we have to make Kynee. I should gather skilled artisans first.”

The three Cyclops brothers would be there, but it would be difficult for Yeon-woo to create the Kynee, a great artifact, by himself. And right now, they were rushed for time. He needed help.

‘The people from when we researched the Philosopher’s Stone should be enough.’

Thankfully, one of the top five artisans, Victoria, had joined them, and Brahm said that he would gladly help Yeon-woo after hearing the news. Ananta’s condition had improved, and he had time to leave for a bit.

The members right now were enough, but he wanted to add one more person.

‘Henova.’

No player could match his skill in metallurgy.

Only

However, one thing that worried him was…..

‘I haven’t gone to see him for a while.’

He was concerned that a hammer would come flying at him as soon as he went to visit.

‘How should I tease him this time?’

Of course, what Yeon-woo was most worried about was different from most people.

And.

Yeon-woo’s hand was slightly shaking with nervousness as he adjusted his mask.