Ranker's Return

Chapter 785

“You know me? As expected, it isn’t dead yet. I had a terrible time watching Luna boast that her number of followers has increased...”

The blond-haired man, Liru laughed wildly.

‘Is it really him?’

“Are you really the sun god, Liru?” Hyeonu asked with a disbelieving expression. None of the priest players had ever met Liru. Therefore, he couldn’t believe the words of the man in front of him.

“It is right. Then what?” Liru burst out laughing. Hyeonu’s words were so ridiculous. The position of this name was too high to be impersonated.

“If someone takes this name and gets caught... think about what will happen. The answer lies there.”

Basically, impersonation is a sin. If the target was the sun god...

The scale of the crime will change.

‘Yes, but...’

“That doesn’t guarantee that you are Liru.”

It was a typical logic error. Even if it was a big crime, there was always someone who would commit it. It was because there were people who thought it wasn’t a crime as long as they didn’t get caught.

“Is that so? I haven’t seen anyone using my name before. What should I show you...? Yes, are there people around you who believe in me?” Liru thought for a moment before asking Hyeonu a question.

"Yes, there are. It is also quite a lot. Liru is very popular, especially for men,” Hyeonu replied while recalling the Liru Monks of New World.

“Men? That isn’t good... why are men doing this to me? There are Luna and the others.”

Liru frowned when he heard Hyeonu’s response. They weren’t very pleasant words.

“Isn't it because Liru is the most powerful? Monks have the highest standard, just like your alias is the sun god.”

Liru’s expression brightened at Hyeonu’s subsequent explanation. “If that is the reason... good.”

Liru clapped. A golden light started to spread from Liru’s hands that were touching each other. The light gathered around both of Liru’s hands and took a form. It was gauntlets. At the same time, it was a pretty familiar shape to Hyeonu. It was one of the skills frequently used by Kim Seokjung and Gang Junggu.

‘I guess it is real?’

Hyeonu saw this and thought that the man in front of him might be the real Liru. “You are really Liru. I sincerely apologize for doubting your identity for a while.”

Hyeonu bowed deeply.

“It’s fine. I didn’t think you would believe me from the beginning. You couldn’t have become the best adventurer if you had such a naive personality.”

Liru waved his hand. Liru was well aware of Hyeonu. He didn’t know the precise details, but he knew for sure that Hyeonu was the first adventurer to come to the divine world.

‘I never thought the first adventurer to step into the divine world would be alone.’ He knew that adventurers could come to the divine world at any time, but he hadn’t expected it to be a single person.

Hyeonu couldn’t concentrate on Liru’s words. It was due to the message window that appeared in front of him.

[The title ‘First Person to Enter the Divine World’ has been created.]

The identity of the message window was a notification of the creation of a title.

‘A first title. I forgot about this.’

The newly created title was one that celebrated his entry into the divine world. Hyeonu immediately confirmed the details of the title.

[First Person to Enter the Divine World]

[A title given to the first player to enter the divine world.

Effect: The divine world’s penalty isn’t applied. As long as the race isn’t directly indicated, the god tribe will recognize the player as from the god tribe.]

‘Penalty? Is there such a thing?’

A wrinkle appeared on Hyeonu’s forehead. He couldn’t remember. He may or may not have seen it.

It was noncommittal.

Hyeonu searched through the past messages to find messages related to the penalty. ‘Here it is.’

[You have entered the special field, the ‘divine world’.]

[The divine world’s penalty is applied.]

[All stats are reduced by 30%.]

[You have the chaos attribute.]

[The penalty doesn’t apply.]

[You don’t have the light attribute.]

[The bonuses don’t apply.]

‘Why didn’t I see this?’

Hyeonu’s brow became even more furrowed. It was a message window that he couldn’t miss. If he didn’t see this, it was no different from being blind.

‘Was I out of my mind?’

Hyeonu coldly criticized himself. There shouldn’t have been such a mistake.

‘Steady my mind, my mind.’

Hyeonu whipped himself and checked the next message window.

[The title ‘First Person to Face the Sun God’ has been created.]

[First Person to Face the Sun God]

[A title given to the first player to face the sun god, Liru.

Effect: All stats are increased by 20%.]

‘It is a killer effect.’

Hyeonu’s furrowed brow relaxed. He looked at the effect of this mighty title and thought he could smile even if he had been crying. It was that good.

“By the way... what brings you to the divine world? I heard that humans are causing a disturbance all over the demon world.”

Something flashed in Hyeonu’s mind at Liru’s words. ‘Does he know news about the demon world?’

“I have been asked to do a favor. Once I’m done with that... I will go back.”

Hyeonu passed over the situation without explaining the details.

"A favor. Hmm... A favor...” Liru looked at the sky and thought for a moment. Then he looked back at Hyeonu and opened his mouth, “The favor. Is it related to the people who are stopped?”

Hyeonu’s eyes widened. He never thought that Liru would know this.

‘Does he know because he is a god?’

Hyeonu’s mind became complicated. He thought that Liru might interfere with his work. This place was the divine world and Liru was a god. Hyeonu had to kill 10,000 demonic creatures or the god tribe.

“You don’t have to look like that. I am the one who hid them,” Liru said something shocking.

“Huh?”

“I have accepted the inhabitants of the Luos Empire. I couldn’t just watch humans go extinct.”

Liru couldn’t turn away from Larenix’s request to keep the line of human beings uninterrupted. For Liru, humanity was a necessity.

“Yet in the end, I was deceived by him.”

It was just that the request from Larenix was a type of scam. The hidden potential of the Luos Empire, which even Liru hadn’t grasped, was enormous. They dealt with not only the external alliance of demons and gods, but also the internal traitors.

“Can you guide me to those humans?”

Hyeonu realized that he had encountered unexpected luck. It was an opportunity to find the descendants of the Luos Empire without needing to struggle much in the divine world.

“That isn’t hard. You deserve it. However, it isn’t enough.”

“What isn’t enough?” Hyeonu asked back.

He was lacking. Hyeonu knew it as well.

“Isn’t the comparison wrong?’

The imperial family of the Luos Empire were monsters. Larenix was the emperor of this Luos Empire. Naturally, it was crazy to compare Larenix to Hyeonu.

“The difference? There are a lot. If it is small, then it is small. Having less magic power and strength. It isn’t anything like that. It is just that compared to Larenix, something is missing.”

Liru’s answer was one that gave Hyeonu hope, not despair.

‘He is talking about the lack of skills...’

It wasn’t simply that the total physical ability or magic power was insufficient. It gave Hyeonu hope that he could raise his specs through skills, not through leveling up.

‘Is it perhaps that?’

A scene flashed through Hyeonu’s mind. It was the seven-colored spear shown by Floyd, the last giant chieftain. There was also the seven-colored spear used by Larenix, the last emperor of the Luos Empire. Finally, there was the seven-colored sword that the emperor showed when he killed Baler.

‘The emperor also...’

Once again, the key rested with the emperor. The record so far was too flashy for it to be considered a coincidence.

‘I’ll have to go and try to get it.’

Hyeonu had to meet the emperor again anyway due to the quest.

“Isn’t it okay to gradually fill in what is lacking? One day, the difference will be filled,” Hyeonu spoke in a calm tone.

There was no shame or impatience. It wasn’t a sure thing, but he knew how to fix it. There was no reason to be upset.

“You can control your emotions. So are you going now?”

Liru admired Hyeonu’s calm expression. This was different from most humans he had met. He really looked like some priests.

“Yes, if you would guide me, I would like to go now.”

Hyeonu nodded. He didn’t have much time. The faster he met the descendants of the Luos Empire, the more relaxed he would be.

Just then, a thought flashed through Hyeonu’s mind. ‘I don’t know how to return to the middle world...’

At first, Hyeonu had no intention of finding the magic circle connected to the middle world. It was because he hadn’t expected to find the descendants of the Luos Empire so soon. He thought he would find it in a leisurely manner as he cleared Floyd’s quest.

“Do you know the location of the magic circle that goes back to the middle world?” Hyeonu asked with an expression that was as polite as possible.

“Magic circle? Oh, you’re looking for a way back? Let’s see... I can't remember exactly. I just remember it being somewhere in the north of the divine world.”

Liru tilted his head.

‘I don’t think that even a god will know everything...’

It was very quick, but Hyeonu’s expression distorted. It was literally just a moment. He quickly returned to his original state.

“Then do you know where I am in the divine world?”

“This is the northern part of the divine world. Most of the gods, including me, live in the north.”

“Is that so? I’m glad.” Hyeonu smiled with satisfaction.

“Glad? Why are you glad about this? In a moment, you will be going to the south, the exact opposite of this place.”

Liru stared at Hyeonu’s face with a playful expression.

“Huh?” Hyeonu’s eyes widened and he asked like a fool.

“I’ll send you to the south. Go safely. You will naturally know where to look and how to get there.”

Liru snapped his fingers. A golden light shone from underneath Hyeonu’s feet. The golden light quickly engulfed Hyeonu.

“Liru...” Hyeonu vanished while leaving only one word behind, like a scream of death.

***

At this time, the dark elves arrived at the northern glacier zone of the West Continent.

“Stop. We've arrived at the destination.”

The new dark elf great chief, Zerville, turned around and shouted loudly at the dark elves following him. The dark elves stopped one after another.

‘We need to find an ice altar. Then...’

He just needed to chant the spell that Shurai taught him and the journey was over. Then the journey for revenge against the League of Different Species would begin.

“I found the altar you mentioned, great tribe chief.”

The dark elves quickly found the ice altar. It wasn’t difficult to find the altar because it looked so unique.

‘Just go over there...’

Zerville slowly approached the ice altar. It happened at this moment...

A gray figure appeared from behind the ice altar.

"Who are you...?"

What appeared was a monster covered in gray from beginning to end. It wasn’t just the armor on the outside. Even the hair, eyebrows, and eyes were gray. The man swung his sword hanging from his waist without waiting for an answer. Zerville’s head rose into the air and blood burst out like a fountain. It was an end as empty as Shurai’s.

“Be a sacrifice...”

The gray monster, Edward, rushed like lightning toward the bewildered dark elves.