Chapter 167: Chapter 167 - The Return of the Genius Ranker of All Times

[Time until Field Boss Respawn: 00:01:03]
>[Field Boss will respawn shortly.]
>“What?”
>Do-hyun froze at the unexpected alert.
>Come to think of it, he had seen a message saying five minutes remained when he first scouted the monsters.
>Time had flown by, leaving just one minute.
>[Conditions met.]
>[Trait 'Slayer' activates.]
>[Presence of the relevant boss confirmed nearby.]
>[Location of Field Boss 'Forest Troll King' is revealed.]
>And right on cue, the Slayer trait kicked in.
>But the spot was closer than he’d expected.
>“Right next to me?”
>No joke—it really was right beside him.
>A thirty-second sprint away, tops.
>Considering how vast the Blue Tree Forest was, this was an absurd stroke of luck.
>Even with Slayer, bad luck could mean respawning twenty or forty minutes out.
>“No helping it, then.”
>This kind of coincidence felt like the boss begging to be hunted.
>He’d planned to gather blue tree root leaves and blue foliage first, but that was off the table now.
>“Those blue leaves—or whatever they are—aren’t even in sight.”
>He had to hunt it anyway.
>Better to snag the Troll King’s fangs first.
>Decision made, Do-hyun set off at once.
>The distance was short enough that a casual pace would time his arrival perfectly.
>[Field Boss 'Forest Troll King' respawns.]
>Krraaaaaah!!!
>Right on schedule, the field boss appeared with a deafening roar.
>It was worlds apart from regular trolls.
>Two heads sprouted from its shoulders, and its massive, rippling muscles made ordinary trolls look like infants.
>“Looks like I got here first.”
>-Good luck. I hear the apostles take turns.
>-Yeah. Cutting in line just gets you killed.
>It happened sometimes in Delrock too.
>You’d linger without much hope, then luck into it.
>Back then, he’d gripe about his luck with gacha pulls, drops, or even reinforcements—fate toying with him.
>Without those scraps, he might’ve quit for real.
>A smirk.
>Do-hyun chuckled at the memory, gripping Cheonbyeon and tensing his thighs to lunge—
>“Uh? What’s that—someone’s already here?”
>“Huh? Weren’t we the closest group? Like two minutes out?”
>“Damn, must be a Slayer user even closer.”
>“This is bad. The team lead said we had to claim first dibs…”
>Harsh breaths and frantic voices echoed from behind.
>But the tones soured fast, irritation bubbling over their wasted sprint.
>“Who the hell’s this lucky bastard?”
>“Let’s see his face… Wait, that’s Kaiser?”
>“What bullshit—holy shit?”
>“Those guardians and that dark armor… Whoa, it’s really ‍‍‌‌⁠⁠‌‍‍‌⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Kaiser.”
>Do-hyun whipped around on instinct, locking eyes with them.
>They gawked, jaws slack, never dreaming it’d be him.
>He was just as stunned.
>“…That mark.”
>The guild emblem emblazoned proudly on their chests was all too familiar.
>It had to be.
>A man raising a sword high beneath a flag.
>It belonged to Hero Guild—one of the top hundred guilds, led by Berzerge.
>“Guess the rumors were true.”
>He’d heard whispers.
>Hero Guild controlling bosses in Pratel.
>It irked plenty of players, but it wasn’t illegal—no grounds to complain.
>“They slot a Slayer user per squad and patrol.”
>Scattered everywhere, the nearest squad claims the spawn.
>Fair game, nothing to say.
>“Ah, whatever. Someone’s already here?”
>Hero Guild’s arrival was a shock, given ‍‍‌‌⁠⁠‌‍‍‌⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠their recent run-ins, but something else floored him more.
>“We got here quick this time, but Hero snagged it again.”
>“How do they always beat us? Makes me wanna join…”
>“We’ve got a guild. Jong-hyun, you should gear up too.”
>“Nah, ‘King God General Kaiser Punch’ is overkill. What kinda guild name is that?”
>Two groups emerged behind Hero Guild.
>No—precisely two.
>“Huh? What’re you guys doing here too, oppa?”
>“What’s up, Hyun-ah? Fancy running into you here. We came to hunt, but someone beat us.”
>“…Who’re they?”
>“Oh, just… friends.”
>“Hello!”
>Another familiar crew tagged along behind the first.
>Of course they were familiar.
>Four from that group chat wishing him dead, plus Hyun-ah and her punchable friends.
>“…Fuck, what kinda lineup is this?”
>The surreal gathering made Do-hyun’s head spin in denial.
>He snapped his head away as they turned.
>Not for nothing was he Delrock’s number one—his reflexes hit 0.0001-second kill-shot levels.
>But he was a beat too slow.
>“Huh?”
>Hyun-ah’s familiar voice rang out.
>Her startled gasp turned to shock.
>“No way— isn’t that Kaiser?”
>“Huh? What Kaiser out of nowhere… Gasp? For real?”
>“Whoa, jackpot. Finally seeing Kaiser in the flesh?”
>“Hey, move. Lemme see his face. Portrait rights and copyrights are so strict, you can’t even glimpse it fully.”
>“No helping it. VR limits avatars to dodge revenge risks.”
>Do-hyun squeezed his eyes shut as Doo-hyung, Jong-hyun, and the rest piled on.
>“Ah…”
>Was this it? Caught?
>Part of him accepted the jewel-like irony, but damn, it felt unfair.
>What crime had he committed to hide?
>He never hid being Kaiser—they’d hyped him up on their own!
>“Yeah, I’ve got nothing to—damn it. Whatever.”
>Half resigned to fate, half dreading the fallout—
>“Huh?”
>Eyes met.
>Do-hyun opened his mouth to seize control, but Hyun-ah beat him.
>“Ah, what’s this? Face covered.”
>“Yeah. That mask… Did he always wear one?”
>“Looks like the one Pratel merchants sell. Just got it?”
>“Makes sense. Too famous not to hide.”
>Do-hyun paused, hand to his face.
>Rough mask texture.
>Only then did he remember he was wearing it, exhaling in relief.
>“Phew… Glad I grabbed the mask.”
>He’d half-expected this buying it.
>Friends and Hyun-ah all in Pratel? Bound to bump into them.
>Not running into her the past few days was the real miracle.
>Hit level 58, bought the mask pronto—if he hadn’t…
>“Chills.”
>Just imagining it gave him goosebumps, body shuddering.
>As if agreeing,
>Krraaaaaah!!!
>[Field Boss 'Forest Troll King' unleashes ‍‍‌‌⁠⁠‌‍‍‌⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠'Roar.']
>[You hear the 'Roar' of a king of its kind.]
>[All stats reduced by 10%.]
>[All speeds reduced by 10%.]
>[Trait 'Hero' grants immunity to mental corruption.]
>[Roar nullified.]
>The Forest Troll King bellowed its roar, but Hero trait shut it down.
>Finally, eyes shifted from Kaiser to the boss.
>“Guess it’s go time.”
>Do-hyun sensed the battle starting, gripping Cheonbyeon now blue.
>“Take this guy down first, think later.”
>Bizarre situation, but focus on the fight.
>* * *
>The battle was a breeze.
>Krraaaaaah!!!
>[Field Boss 'Forest Troll King' uses 'Rage Strike.']
>[Parry perfectly successful.]
>[Rage Strike fully deflected.]
>Pratel’s field boss, Forest Troll King, was a melee brute. ‍‍‌‌⁠⁠‌‍‍‌⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠
>A berserk axeman fused with a rage-blind warrior.
>Like Raven’s hidden boss Karuk, but a clear upgrade.
>“Easy prey.”
>And Kaiser feasted on these types.
>Their thoughts? Simple.
>Smash.
>Predictable patterns three moves ahead.
>[Parry perfectly successful!]
>[Rage Blow fully deflected.]
>Parries flowed like breathing.
>No need to backpedal.
>Duck lightly, step forward or diagonal for counters.
>Unparryable normals? Perfect parry.
>Krraaaah!!
>[Field Boss 'Forest Troll King' HP below 50%.]
>The one-sided beatdown had the Troll King in ecstasy.
>[Phase 2 activates.]
>[Warrior trait activates.]
>[Field Boss 'Forest Troll King' physical abilities greatly enhanced.]
>Warrior—the staple trait for warrior bosses, nicknamed “totri-eo” for ubiquity and power.
>Phase 2 didn’t change a thing.
>Faster than Do-hyun? No.
>Deadly strikes? He’d never get hit.
>Just a speedier punching bag.
>Five minutes to finish—simple as pie.
>But…
>“Whoa! Insane! Control’s nuts!”
>“So cool… Gotta brag on Kasin Church. Saw Kaiser oppa fight live!”
>“Me too!”
>“Why’s Hyun-ah quiet—pfft, guys, look at her. Joined that cafe and can’t look away.”
>The commotion behind.
>Hyun-ah and her friends first,
>“Kyaa… So badass. How’s that human control? Not following any guides.”
>“Would a god follow mortal guides? Ignorant Jae-yeol.”
>“Ooh, Jong-hyun’s got a point for once. Feeling my guild name now? Join up?”
>“Should I?”
>“Whoa, Do-hyun missing this is tragic.”
>Then the friends’ hype.
>A crowd had gathered, but their voices cut through clearest.
>Gushing praise nonstop—and from them? Nausea-inducing.
>“…End it quick and bail.”

Chapter 167

Comments 000

Comments