Ranker's Return

Chapter 638

Translator: rainbowturtle

Hyeonu’s pure energy burst in the middle. The demons riding on the demonic creatures released their magic power and exploded Hyeonu’s pure energy. However, Hyeonu had long since moved. The previous attack was a type of inducement.

Hyeonu appeared before the three nobles. A purple bear appeared together with Hyeonu above his head. The purple bear—the magic spirit—defied gravity and accelerated quickly in the air.

In an instant, the magic power appeared in front of the middle noble and waved its front paws. The magic spirit’s claw marks were engraved in the air, and the five claw marks attacked the noble in an instant. The demon noble didn’t change his expression and extended a hand toward the magic spirit. Black spheres shot from the noble’s hand and collided with the magic spirit’s pure energy.

The spheres and magic spirit were destroyed together; neither one was superior. The noble frowned when he saw that. It was because the magic spirit's attack was stronger than expected.

“I didn’t hear about this in advance…”

“This power wasn’t shown at that time?”

“I told you. That was a guy who got the title with his mouth. Is there any point in revealing combat power when fighting such a guy?”

The nobles expressed their views. Most of the conversation was about the magic spirit who wasn’t seen during the Tendmul attack.

‘What are their identities? They aren’t earls… Marquises?’

Hyeonu listened to the conversation of the nobles and thought about their identities. They didn’t seem like ordinary nobles, and they were too strong to be earls.

‘It doesn’t change the fact that they are opponents who must be killed.’

Even so, Hyeonu didn’t think much about their identities. They were just monsters who had to be killed anyway.

‘If they are marquises, won’t they drop good items?’

Rather, his attention was on the rewards they would leave behind after dying. What items would they give? Perhaps there would be a skill book or essence. It was really like counting chicks before they hatched. While Hyeonu did that, Reina looked at him with a worried expression. To be exact, she was looking at the three demons in front of Hyeonu.

‘Can he beat them?’

They were obviously boss monsters, and there wasn’t just one but three. These demons were stronger than the boss monsters Hyeonu killed at Tendmul, and they didn’t look weak.

‘Even though it is Hyeonu… I think it will be a bit hard.’ Reina had the idea that she should help Hyeonu.

This wasn’t at a level where the demons could be killed alone. She would only be able to help enough to allow Hyeonu to fight as comfortably as possible. Still, it was better than nothing. Fighting three against one was completely different from two against one or one against one.

“Tang-E, shouldn’t you help your master?” Reina lowered her head and looked at Tang-E.

Tang-E nodded. He knew it as well that the time had come to help Hyeonu. “Then how about we deal with one demon each? The purple guy and you will fight together. I will take one each along with Master dude.”

Reina cocked her head when she heard Tang-E’s words. Tang-E’s words were no different from saying that he was stronger than Reina. “You…?”

“What is with that look? I am stronger. I will win against everyone as long as they aren’t Master dude.” Tang-E looked at Reina. He wasn’t afraid of any players except for Hyeonu. In fact, he never once thought he would lose. Tang-E felt that Hyeonu was the only one he would struggle against.

“I understand. Then please do so.” Reina smiled at Tang-E, whose pride seemed hurt at first glance. It didn’t matter if Tang-E’s words were true or not. There was no need to develop a bad relationship with Tang-E. The more allies she had, the better.

“I know. Just trust in me. Tang-E will do it properly.” Tang-E nodded at Reina’s words and started to run on all fours. He ran very hard with a cute body that was less than 30 centimeters tall. Reina was smiling at the sight, only for her expression to suddenly stiffen.

It was due to the change in Tang-E’s cute appearance. His body was growing. He stretched his bent waist and moved from running on all fours to two feet. Most importantly, all the fur on his body disappeared, and he changed from a bear to a human form.

“What is going on…?” Reina was so shocked by the sight that she even forgot to fight. She could hardly believe the shocking sight in front of her now.

Tang-E had become a person. It wasn’t a child’s appearance as he had shown previously but an adult.

“Does this make sense?” Reina uttered. She didn’t know much about Tang-E, so she could hardly believe what was happening now.

***

“Master dude, I’m here to help.”

Hyeonu, who was diligently waving the Mysterious Sky Sword, turned his head at the familiar voice from behind him.

“How did you change like this?” Hyeonu was amazed by Tang-E’s appearance that he was seeing for the first time.

Tang-E had a similar height to Hyeonu, and his face looked like that of a young high school student. He was handsome and cute. It was a face exquisitely positioned between the two looks.

“I thought this was the size that would allow me to fight the best. Why? Is it strange?” Tang-E was startled by Hyeonu being more surprised than expected. He thought there must be a problem if Hyeonu, who saw him the most, was this surprised. There was only one reason why Tang-E used Polymorph in this way.

Hyeonu, Lebron, the Emperor, and John—they all had similar heights and stature. They were also strong. So Tang-E thought he could be stronger if his body looked like theirs. In reality, appearance had nothing to do with strength.

“It isn’t weird. I’m just amazed. It is my first time seeing it. It's just… It’s fine. You are handsome, our Tang-E. You grew up well. I don’t know who raised you.”

“Who raised me? I grew up on my own, Master dude. Sniff.”

“Are you going to stay like this all the time?”

“I don’t know. I’ll think about it after fighting.”

Tang-E looked like he really didn’t know what he wanted to do. It was just an experiment to change to this form once. He didn’t have any experience fighting in this way, so he wasn’t sure how well he would fight.

‘This…?’ Hyeonu didn’t consider Tang-E's heart at all. He was just thinking about how to take advantage of Tang-E’s appearance.

“Fight well. I will teach you in the future.” Hyeonu once again shifted his attention from Tang-E. It was because the conversation between the nobles was over.

“What a surprise? What is this now?”

“Trash-like thing. There is no proper information.”

“I was looking forward to it…”

The nobles frowned at the appearance of another human. It was because the information they had heard was too poor. In order, Tang-E, Hyeonu, Reina, and the magic spirit blocked them respectively. Tang-E stood bare-handed, while Hyeonu had his Mysterious Sky Sword, and Reina had her white sword.

The nobles were the first ones to act. They jumped down simultaneously from the demonic creatures. Then they swung their weapons at those blocking their way.

Black spheres poured from one hand while another demon’s pure energy cut through the air. Tang-E stretched out his fists toward the black sphere approaching him. Black gauntlets appeared over Tang-E’s fists and deflected the black spheres back toward the nobles.

When the attack the nobleman fired returned to him, he frowned and released magic power again. Over 10 spheres shot toward Tang-E. Tang-E saw it and waved his hands again too. This time, he didn’t make fists. Rather, he opened his palms and scratched at the air with his fingernails.

The air had five gashes.

The black spheres rushed through the torn space, but they failed to break through Tang-E’s pure energy and disappeared.

‘He fights well.’ Hyeonu saw that Tang-E was fighting well enough against the demon believed to be a high-ranking noble, so he started to focus on his own battle. Without missing a single one, he used all of his buffs like he was going to end the hunt here today. He left nothing in reserve.

An explosive pressure burst from Hyeonu’s body. It wasn’t just the noble in front of Hyeonu. Those who were fighting other battles couldn’t help looking at Hyeonu for a moment. A monstrous air erupted from Hyeonu. The colorful aura that combined the red fighting energy and purple magic power covered his entire body.

Hyeonu kicked off from the ground regardless of the gazes he received. He disappeared from the noble’s vision in an instant and appeared behind the noble’s back like a ghost. Hyeonu held and swung the Mysterious Sky Sword like he was wielding a dagger, not a sword.

The nobleman moved hurriedly with a flustered expression. The sword in his hand moved right in front of his chest to block the Mysterious Sky Sword aiming at his neck. Hyeonu’s sword collided with the noble’s sword and made a clear sound. The sound was very light, but it was a warning of death for the party involved.

The nobleman’s expression twisted at the sharp and murderous momentum released from the Mysterious Sky Sword. Moving without resting, Hyeonu disappeared again and then reappeared beside the nobleman. Hyeonu just took a light step with Mysterious Sky Steps. He spread open his legs and cut diagonally with the Mysterious Sky Sword he held in both hands. It was an attack with quick and sharp timing, but it wasn’t at a level where the noble couldn’t respond or stop it.

The noble moved the sword in his right hand. At this moment, Hyeonu used Fighting Energy Emission and Dragon Fear. Purple eyes appeared behind Hyeonu, and the movements of the noble stopped when he saw them.

[The marquis of the demon world, Paya, has received the abnormal condition ‘slowed down’.]

The split-second pause decided the direction of the battle. In that brief moment, the Mysterious Sky Sword moved along the trajectory Hyeonu wanted. Hyeonu even maximized the power by using Fighting Energy Emission and Dragon Fear along with Mysterious Sky Demonic Strength.

The purple-tinged Mysterious Sky Sword split apart the waist of the nobleman, Marquis Paya. The upper body of Marquis Paya slid forward, and blood gushed like a fountain from the cross-section. It was the empty end of Marquis Paya, one of the most powerful nobles in the faction of late Damanos.

[The demon world marquis, Paya, has been defeated.]

[Experience has been acquired.]

[You have leveled up.]

[All health and magic power are restored.]

[Demon nobles killed 20/???]

Hyeonu saw the message announcing Marquis Paya’s death. Aside from Hyeonu, the eyes of everyone present widened as if they couldn’t believe a marquis died so quickly.