Ranker’s Return

‘This is a bit too severe…’

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Hyeonu frowned when he felt his health and magic power being absorbed. This was quite different from stage four. The suction was so strong that it couldn’t even be compared.

Hyeonu released more magic power in proportion to the stronger suction power.
It went without saying that his concentration had increased that much.

‘It is still okay.
I can hold on for a minute.’

Nevertheless, it wasn’t a big problem. He just had to hold on for one minute, and it would be over. Hyeonu’s health was being reduced by less than 1% per second.
In other words, after one minute, more than half of his health would remain.

‘This much every time…
It might be better than Magic Power Absorption.’

He didn’t know what the result would be until after Preparation for Defying the Natural Order was over, but he immediately had such a thought.
As long as his concentration was complete, he could repeat Preparation for Defying the Natural Order several times a day.

[After the passage of time, stage five has ended.]

[Preparation for Defying the Natural Order has ended.]

[Your stats are increased as a reward.]

[The strength stat has increased by 17 points.]

[The agility stat has increased by 9 points.]

[Your magic power stat has increased by 22 points.]

[The physique stat has increased by 5 points.]

[The fighting energy stat has increased by 8 points.]

[The dignity stat has increased by 9 points.]

[The fighting energy stat has increased by 32 points.]

The rewards were given neatly. There were more stat points than he expected.
Hyeonu had expected his stats to rise by five at most.

‘Isn’t this much better than hunting?’

It didn’t make sense to level up traditionally anymore. Anyone would think so if they could sit still on the throne and gain such a huge stat rise just by moving magic power.
Nevertheless, things didn’t work so well in the world.

[You have cleared Preparation for Defying the Natural Order.]

[Preparation for Defying the Natural Order will become more difficult.]

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[The difficulty will continue to rise endlessly.]

[It takes effort and talent to overturn the sky.]

Hyeonu blinked when he saw the message window that filled his vision.

‘I thought it was sucking up honey…’

The good luck was over with one time.
Of course, he hadn’t challenged it a second time, so he didn’t know how difficult it would be.

‘I’m not sure if I can clear the next step right away.’

Hyeonu thought up to here and quickly got off the Throne that Defies the Natural Order.
In any case, he didn’t know when Preparation for Defying the Natural Order would be activated again.

“Master dude, what is that?” Tang-E asked Hyeonu who appeared in front of him.

“I don’t know either, but it doesn’t seem to be a good thing.” Hyeonu didn’t think it was as great as Edchan made it out to be.
The Throne that Defies the Natural Order was good, but that was it. He didn’t understand why it was called Edchan’s masterpiece of a lifetime.

‘It seems like there were more treasures at the dwarf village’s workshop…’

However, this was Hyeonu’s mistake. Edchan said that the Throne that Defies the Natural Order was his lifelong masterpiece because it could increase stats. NPCs couldn’t raise the level and gain stats; they just honed their abilities. For such NPCs, the Throne that Defies the Natural Order was literally a treasure.
Of course, it was a disaster for those who couldn’t bear the weight of the throne.

While approaching Hyeonu who was talking to Tang-E, Edchan asked, “How is it? It is the masterpiece of my life.” 

There was a great deal of anticipation on his face for Hyeonu’s evaluation. Unlike his words to Tang-E, Hyeonu changed his expression and praised the Throne that Defies the Natural Order: “It is good.
Edchan, I think you are the only one who can make this type of work.”

“Haha, is that so? Hahaha.” Edchan laughed.
His gaze was stuck on the Throne that Defies the Natural Order.

“By the way, the throne has a strange effect…
Is this what Edchan intended?” Hyeonu asked what he was most curious about.

Preparation for Defying the Natural Order—was this what Edchan intended to make or a product of coincidence?

“Of course, it was intentional.
I didn’t intend to make it like this originally, but…
I took Suped’s opinion and changed the direction.
He already has experience making one such object.”

In the midst of nodding at Edchan’s words, Hyeonu’s eyes suddenly widened.

‘It was intended… Huh?’

Edchan said some strange words—something similar had been made before.

‘There is another one like this…?’

In Hyeonu’s head, something resembling the Throne that Defies the Natural Order came to mind.

‘The throne where the emperor sits.’

It was the very throne that placed a ridiculously crazy pressure on him. Hyeonu became pale as he recalled the throne that caused his sweat to flow just by climbing a step.
His senses came to life vividly when he recalled the memory of that day.

‘Will this happen later on?’

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Hyeonu turned his head and asked Suped, “Is the throne in the capital the similar thing that Suped made?”

Suped nodded and replied, “It is also made from dragon scales and bones.
I used what was in the empire’s treasure warehouse.
Many nobles objected because the two materials could produce numerous artifacts, yet I said I would make them into a chair.
It is a natural reaction.”

“I would’ve thought the same as them.
However, I wouldn’t have expressed it like them.” Hyeonu agreed with the thoughts of the nobles.

A dragon’s corpse was the best material.
It didn’t matter if it was for the emperor.
It was a waste to use the dragon’s bones and scales simply for a chair where the emperor would sit.

“However, there were no nobles who could stop the emperor.
I participated in the work to make what His Majesty wanted.
It is the prototype of the magic circle used for this.
It has already been 20 years,” Suped said.

Hyeonu couldn’t close his mouth.

‘20 years…’

He had no choice but to let his mouth drop open at the mention of this ridiculous number of years.

‘If it has evolved over the past 20 years…
It is amazing.’

It was clear that the emperor’s ability to endure it and overcome the magic power of the throne would be enormous.

‘Unfortunately, it can’t be helped.’

Hyeonu was still disappointed.
Time was essential to see the proper effect of the throne, but Hyeonu wanted items that would shorten the time he needed to become strong.

‘No.
Why do I need this?’ 

Hyeonu realized once again that he didn’t need to rush. He was no longer a professional gamer. Nor was he the head of a household who carried his family on his back.

“Thank you, Edchan.
Suped as well.
The grace you showed by making such a precious thing…
I will never forget it.” Hyeonu bowed to Edchan and Suped and sincerely expressed his gratitude.
Then he hugged Tang-E and disappeared.

After confirming that Hyeonu had disappeared, Edchan opened his mouth and said, “He asked for a favor…
I don’t know what he is thinking.”

Suped shook his head. There was no need to think about a horse on a chessboard.
He replied, “How can we know what he is thinking? It is just our role to move as we’re told.”

“Indeed…
I didn’t even think about rejecting it…
What a contradictory idea.”

***

Hyeonu traveled to Etono with Tang-E.
There was no time to waste in Phinis.

‘The remaining cities…’

“Sigh…” Hyeonu sighed as he thought of the remaining cities.
There were eight more cities to be recorded on the map.

‘Only Etono and Penn are recorded…’

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Thinking about it, Hyeonu had been traveling from Penn to another city when he saved Kalui and the other descendants of the Luos Empire.

‘I have to go back to Tendmul…’

He also had to walk as he didn’t have a mount.

‘Viscount Garcia must’ve left already.’

Hyeonu had told Viscount Garcia to leave, so the latter would naturally have left by now and headed for where John Blake would be.

“Tang-E, shall we walk?”

“Are you crazy, Master dude? Isn’t there a mount?” Tang-E didn’t want to walk.

‘I will go to Penn and find a mount.’

“Yes.” Hyeonu nodded and accepted Tang-E’s comments. He naturally didn’t want to waste time walking.
Having time to spare and wasting time for nothing was clearly different.

Right then, someone approached Hyeonu and pretended to be surprised: “Uh? Hyeonu?”

“Who…?” Hyeonu turned his head at the voice calling out to him.

A beautiful woman in white armor entered Hyeonu’s sights.

“Reina?” he uttered.
Reina was standing there with the players of the New York Warriors.

“What are you doing here?” Reina asked.

Hyeonu stroked Tang-E and answered, “I’m going hunting.
What about you, Reina?”

“We just met up.”

“Ah, is that so? Then I will go since you must be quite busy.” Hyeonu waved his hand and tried to leave.

“Can we hunt together?” Reina interjected.

“Hunt together?”

“Just me.
We were just about to split up,” Reina said to Hyeonu in an urgent voice.

“Um…” Hyeonu was stumped by Reina’s words.
He had never thought about leaving here with someone.

‘It should be fine if there is only one person…’

It would be very difficult to take 12 people.
Moreover, he didn’t have the heart for that.

Hyeonu wasn’t a kindergarten teacher after all.

‘Reina isn’t weak…’

Reina was a close-range player who could fare well on her own.

“Yes, that’s good.
I think it’ll be fine with just Reina,” Hyeonu said.

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When Hyeonu allowed it, Reina was delighted.

Hyeonu stroked Tang-E’s head without paying much attention to Reina’s appearance.

“Tang-E, is it okay?”

“It is okay, Master dude.
Isn’t she quite strong? Of course….
she can’t get into that city.”

After going to Bung Bung Island and reading some books, Tang-E was now aware that it was unusual for Hyeonu to be able to freely wander around the cities in the demon world.

“You will manage somehow with the two of you.
Nothing will happen before I come back.”

It would be impossible even for a demon noble to subdue Tang-E easily. Tang-E was already that strong.
In fact, he had even somewhat surpassed the level of some rankers.

“By the way Master dude, I have a question.” Tang-E looked at Hyeonu and blinked.

Hyeonu stroked Tang-E’s head and asked, “What is it?”

“What type of gift should you give to make the other person happy?”

“What do you mean all of a sudden? Do you want to give gifts to your parents?”

Tang-E ignored Hyeonu’s words and urged him for an answer: “In any case, just tell me quickly.”

“Um… I would like anything you give me…
However, wouldn’t you be happier if you give something you value or something that the recipient likes?” Hyeonu taught Tang-E a universal fact.

“Really? Thank you, Master dude.”

Despite Tang-E’s gratitude, Hyeonu was only wondering about how Tang-E’s question came up.

He just didn’t ask because it was obvious that Tang-E wouldn’t answer him.

‘A gift? Ah!’

Hyeonu was thinking about Tang-E’s words of a gift when he looked up and saw Reina standing in front of him.
There was something stuck in his inventory.

‘That bracelet!’

It was the bracelet he received after healing Chen Long.

‘The attribute doesn’t fit me anyway.’

It would be fortunate if it could be used. Moreover, it would be a great benefit if he could clear up any debt he owed toward a senior ranker like Reina. Due to this value, Hyeonu scattered a considerable number of items to the rankers he was close to. It wasn’t just Kim Seokjung and Gang Junggu but also the Crescent Moon players, Liu Shei, and so on.
He paid back his debt to them at least once.

‘I think I gave her a rig as well…’

Of course, Reina was a bit special.
Hyeonu had given more than just one or two gifts to her. Everything related to the ice attribute just went to Reina.

‘Giving one more here doesn’t change anything.’

Hyeonu offered Reina a luxurious box from his inventory.
“Reina, do you want this?”