Chapter 119
Chapter 119
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>Translator: penny
>Chapter: 119
>Chapter Title: Shocking First Place
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>“Huh, for real?”
They’d pissed me off by daring to trash-talk Kaiser, but I hadn’t actually thought he’d snag first place.
“N-No way... How...? This doesn’t make any sense...?”
If even Yubinkkung was like that, what about these guys who’d been ripping into him with such gusto?
Seeing them in denial—the classic first stage when faced with the unbelievable—Yubinkkung puffed out his chest and grinned.
“Pathetic... What did I tell you?”
“Ugh, you gloated all you wanted and then facts came along and wrecked you. I’m too embarrassed to live. Ugh, ugh! I’m ashamed for you! Sorry, blanket! It’s gonna be a rough night!”
With Yubinkkung smirking smugly and Migandakdae piling on without mercy, their faces turned beet red.
“Eek...!”
They turned purple with rage but couldn’t muster a single retort.
Because everything said was true.
Arguing back would only make them look worse.
“Hey, let’s go...”
In the end, they chose to slink away in shame, and at that exact moment, cheers like thunder erupted from all around.
“Waaaaah!!!”
Of course, they weren’t cheering for Yubinkkung.
“Insane! Verge got pushed out!”
“Fuck, what the hell is this? How does someone rack up a score like that? This can’t be real!?”
“Crazy, totally crazy. Upload the footage now!”
“What are you standing around for!? Every second counts—move your asses!! If we lose the exclusive, it’s on you! Get the article up!”
“Title? Make it as clickbait-y as possible! Something like ‘Hero Falls, New Hero Rises’—plaster it across the front page!”
It was just the crowd losing their minds over this bombshell that upended everyone’s expectations.
Who cared about the grand temple right now? That wasn’t what mattered.
Top Shield and his crew were smiling contentedly as the lines thinned out with people scattering, but then a sudden thought made them freeze.
“...Wait, does that mean hyung graduated?”
“Huh?”
“Yeah?”
At Migandakdae’s words, the other two froze before hanging their heads.
“...Guess we won’t see him this time either.”
“Why does he keep getting farther away...?”
“Let’s step it up ourselves. Next city, we at least gotta catch a glimpse, even if it’s just in passing.”
“Hmm... Think we can?”
The moment they crossed paths with Kaiser soaring into the sky...
Top Shield’s group pictured it for a second and nodded.
Somehow, the image just wouldn’t come into focus.
“Eh, whatever. We’ll run into him in the Empire, probably.”
“Yeah, let’s stick to our own pace. Chasing storks tears your crotch, right?”
“You got it!”
As Top Shield’s group steeled themselves, the news spread like wildfire, soon reaching the netizens.
[Brion #1 Changes Hands After 1 Year!!]
[Kaiser Takes Throne in Brion After Raven—Back-to-Back Conquests!!]
[Is There No One Who Can Stop Kaiser!?]
[Hero Falls, New Hero Rises!]
It hit like a nuke out of nowhere.
Netizens exploded in response to the sensational headlines.
-Fucking nuts, #1? Kaiser took #1 again??
-Huh? So Verge got bumped? That make sense?
-What? Wasn’t Kaiser just some skill-based player? Not a holy power class, so affinity grinding should’ve been tough. How?
No one could wrap their heads around this absurd result.
But the bomb hadn’t even gone off yet.
[Breaking: Kaiser’s ranking score confirmed at 4,561 points. Proof pic below. (jpg)]
It wasn’t just that Kaiser had taken #1—he’d posted an insane score.
Five times what #2 had.
Faced with the impossible, players were dumbfounded.
-Wow, seriously?
-Insane... straight-up insane. 4,561? Was that even a possible score??
-Like, Raven’s was already ridiculous, but now it’s gone full tilt. What if he hits 10k later?
-No way lololol how tf 4,561?? Did he max affinity with every Brion NPC or what?
-Would kill for footage. How’d he pull that off?
-Not just skilled, but affinity god too... Kaiser the devilish charmer....
└Kaiser’s the master key, duh. Didn’t you know?
└Wtf’s that?
└Flame charisma this! Master key ka~
└Fights like a beast, personality on point—total package!
└Lmao these dudes kkkkkk
-No, this has to be a bug fr.
└Nah, Kaiser’s skills are the bug!
└Fr lmao
└Lmao
-Was gonna call bullshit but my buddy’s online and confirmed. Real deal... insane....
With screenshots and live confirmations from players online, all hell broke loose.
And the biggest uproar? None other than the Kaiser cult.
-Waaah oppa ㅠㅠㅠ I believed!!
-The faithful are rewarded... Ahh... So holy....
-Still Kaiser-hater? Still?? Still??? Still??? Still??? Still???
└If this is Kaiser hate, sign me up!
└Hearing the Kaiser cult grow kkk
└Yup, that’s me.
└Wait, you too? Hey, me three!
└Ahh, we were all Kaiser cult deep down... Why deny it....
└These guys are nuts but I got nothing, passing.
└Nah, you can do it! Just join the cult!
└M-Maybe...?
-Kaiser-nim ㅜㅠㅠ Please drop footage this time too.
They flooded the boards like devotees whose faith had been divinely rewarded.
Seeing them vent years of “Kaiser cult” mockery, people felt true madness.
-What, Verge is still #1 in Brion? Kaiser only knows fighting, no good?
-Yep~ Verge just plummeted~
-Why does 999 suddenly look so pathetic lmaoooo
-Fr lmao 4,561 then 999? Looks like nothing now kekeke that a score?
-What’s your score, you fucks.
-Wtf this dude, why the ragequit? You Verge?
-Lmao but now what’s Hero Guild gonna do? Brion was their only #1.
-Honest, they rode faction hype and fame. Bragged on that, now nothing left.
BAM!!!
“You fucking...!”
“M-Master...?”
Verge slammed the desk, unable to scroll past more comments, fuming.
The startled sales manager rushed over, flustered by this unprecedented sight of their master mid-task.
But Verge ignored the look.
Usually cool-headed, this time he couldn’t contain his fury.
‘4,561... 4,561...!’
Beyond Verge’s comprehension.
Think of the effort to claim Brion #1.
The moment he learned of the graduation quest, he knew it suited him perfectly and grinded affinities non-stop from start to finish.
Not solo like an idiot either.
Hero Guild ran on teams.
‘Hundreds of guildmates teamed up to max key NPCs. Still capped at 999!’
The sting of missing 1,000 by one point was fresh.
Yet 4,561?
How the hell?!
Unless he charmed every Brion NPC like the comments joked, it made no sense.
He almost wanted footage.
‘Hah... Ridiculous...’
But that was the most absurd thought, so Verge shook his head and calmed down.
Freaking out changed nothing.
‘Screws up my plans.’
If Kaiser graduated and dropped ranks, he’d planned to counter with articles and stir shit.
His specialty.
Battered image or not, he’d negotiate or harass Kaiser.
Win-win: gain from talks, gain from crushing.
Perfect plan showcasing Hero Guild’s might. He’d hold all the cards, puppeteering easily.
‘Gotta scrap it all.’
Gone in a flash.
Frustrating, but Verge’s eyes burned sharp.
‘...Yeah, that’s him always.’
Even in Delrock, he’d prepared dozens of scenarios, only for Kaiser to shatter them all with nonsense.
Time for a new plan.
He’d be busy salvaging image short-term, but...
‘Don’t think it ends here.’
Verge ground his teeth, eyes flashing fiercely.
And naturally, Hero Guild wasn’t the only one hearing the news.
“...Verge got bumped?”
“4,561...? Overkill... What? Proof’s up too? Hold on, logging in now.”
“Fuckin hell, woke up to what the fuck happened.”
From top 100 guilds on down.
“Kaiser took Brion #1?”
“Hah... Ignored the has-been, but can’t anymore.”
“Tsk, wanted to focus on New Continent... but intriguing.”
Even Top 10 Guilds, distracted by New Continent, got the word instantly.
First time the Top 10s who’d conquered Gotose paid Kaiser any mind.
“Hah.”
Same for Extermination in the Great Mountains.
No, more than attention.
“What sorcery is this, Kaiser?”
Shock. Or doubt.
That’s what filled Extermination’s eyes.
He knew Kaiser’s path better than anyone.
Expected any result to knock him from #1.
Yet this?
“4,561...”
Magic otherwise impossible.
Maybe there really was a hidden piece he’d missed.
Extermination rose with a hollow laugh, eyes gleaming as he recalled Delrock Kaiser and now.
“...Hope we settle it here someday.”
Never fought directly, always #2 there.
Made him wonder.
Vs. that unbeatable guy, now vastly grown post-Delrock—who’d win?
“Looking forward to it.”
Muttering, Extermination turned away.
Time to cool his rare hot blood.
The Great Mountains’ Cyclopes went on high alert.
And in some office.
“Hmm~”
Dark without lights, but gleaming with pricey decor and gear, a groan escaped.
“You seem pleased.”
Curtains drawn, back turned in shadow—face hidden—but the suited old man, deputy guild master, knew.
Master hummed like that when happy.
“A welcome name reached my ears.”
Sure enough, master grinned, and the old man nodded.
“Ah, you heard about him.”
“Yeah, quiet for ages, now popping up nonstop. Took Brion #1 this time?”
“Hoo, if true, Hero Guild’s in panic. They live on image—hit hard.”
“Image-living has limits. Whatever... Not their fault. Act of god or something.”
Master—Astra, Top 10 Guild Babylon master, Armory Owner—chuckled, adding casually.
“Sigh, this is why talent freaks suck.”
Astra flicked fingers on the fine leather chair armrest.
Violet rings on his fingers shimmered ethereally.
Meanwhile, amid the nuke sweeping all focus to him, Do-hyun was...
“You’re the hero who received the goddess’s revelation?”
“...Yes.”
Lair Holy Knight Order commander, Brion’s core force.
Symbol of overwhelming might rivaling the Seven Strong, the legendary holy knight who built modern Brion.
Do-hyun faced Sir Rebed.