The Return of the Genius Ranker of All Times

Chapter 77

‘Eliminating mana consumption essentially means constant activation, doesn’t it?’

Unless it was detected or touched by something, it would remain active at all times.

While it was tricky to use in combat, it was the perfect option for situations like this, where avoiding concentrated attention was critical.

An item truly worth its heroic-grade status!

‘Is it really okay for me to obtain something like this so easily?’

This wasn’t just a pumpkin rolling in on a vine; it was a whole treasure trove delivered right to his feet.

Now, even by simply standing still, he was obtaining heroic-grade items for free.

What would other players think if they heard this news?

If it were Do-hyeon hearing this, he would’ve hurled messages full of curses at the developers for days on end.

‘This is absurd.’

It was such an incredible stroke of luck that it defied common sense.

Even though he had accumulated plenty of heroic-grade equipment to the point where it didn’t feel as special anymore, heroic-grade was still objectively a very high rank.

Though it was a piece of auxiliary equipment and didn’t have many effects, it was precisely because it was auxiliary equipment that it had even greater merit.

‘Auxiliary equipment is tough to obtain through ordinary means.’

There was a reason why auxiliary equipment was usually acquired after reaching a relatively high level.

Its high level of difficulty to acquire and its performance made its price exorbitant. Wearing auxiliary equipment as a low-level player was typically a privilege reserved for the exceptionally wealthy or ostentatious show-offs.

‘Are there others who obtain things like this? Is this what happens when you raise a divine beast?’

He had no idea because he hadn’t raised a divine beast or even a Guardian before.

Purple occasionally mentioned that divine beasts sometimes brought hidden pieces or triggered related quests, but…

‘Would this count as a hidden piece?’

It was unclear if this fell into that category, but who cared?

A good item was a good thing.

And right now, he was more curious about something else.

“Why do you even have something like this?”

– Ah, as you can see, Elisa is a bit peculiar. I figured a lot of people might target her, so I was worried. One time, I turned a dead assassin into an undead, and he happened to have this item on him…

That’s how the bracelet known as ‘Elisa’s Bracelet’ came into existence.

However, it was too large for Elisa, so she had to wrap it around two or three times and wear it as a necklace…

Come to think of it, no one ever mentioned Elisa before.

It wasn’t like she was hiding in someone’s arms. She openly perched on shoulders or heads.

‘So, this was why. I thought it was strange… She’s not exactly inconspicuous.’

Who would’ve guessed that what seemed like a simple leash was actually a heroic-grade bracelet with incredible performance?

– Now that I think about it, this is really all I’ve done for you…

– LizaLiza!

– Thanks for saying that, Elisa.

Whenever she went outside, she wore it, and since it was both her first and last gift, it became one of Elisa’s cherished possessions.

It seemed like every story about these guys had some emotional backstory.

Well, they were reunited after 150 years, so it wasn’t surprising.

– LizaLiza!

– She’s grateful too, and she thinks you’ll need it more than she does now.

“…Thanks, Elisa.”

– Liza!

The way she placed her hand on her waist while responding looked like she was saying, “Don’t mention it.”

‘Things have been going smoothly since I got these guys.’

Was this why Purple was so obsessed with divine beasts?

Occasionally, divine beasts would fetch special items or hidden pieces, and now he could understand why they seemed so lovable.

‘She’s ridiculously adorable, honestly.’

– LizaLiza!

Do-hyeon couldn’t help but affectionately pat Elisa’s head with his finger.

Elisa, rubbing her head against his in delight, couldn’t have looked more endearing.

After spending a moment enjoying this, Do-hyeon finally tried on the bracelet.

‘It’s actually a relief that it’s a bracelet.’

If it had been a necklace, it would’ve overlapped with his Blood Pact Necklace.

It had looked big on Elisa, but it fit perfectly on Do-hyeon’s wrist.

[You have equipped Elisa’s Bracelet.]

[‘Minor Invisibility’ is now active.]

– Oh, master, you look semi-transparent now.

– Liza!

Just as they said, Do-hyeon’s body had become faint and blurry.

This was only visible to Do-hyeon and his Guardians; to others, he would have vanished entirely.

“Oh? He must’ve left already.”

“Hm, I was just about to say something if he caused any more trouble…”

“Well, since the High Priest brought him in as a guest, it’s better this way. No issues arose, so that’s fortunate.”

“But he left his companion behind?”

“She looked young, so perhaps he left her behind out of concern?”

Even when walking right past the priests, they couldn’t see Do-hyeon.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

They were only gossiping about Jihad in his robe.

The effect was undeniable.

The same went for its other features.

[MP: 1,150 / 1,150]

‘Wow, it really doesn’t decrease.’

Confirming that the second effect worked perfectly, Do-hyeon grinned widely.

All problems were now resolved.

It was time to boldly step out onto the field.

“I’m going now.”

With those words, he confidently strode through the corridor and opened the door to the entrance.

Creak– Slam.

Do-hyeon had to immediately shut the door before it even fully opened.

Murmur, murmur–.

‘…Why are there so many people?’

In that brief moment when the door had opened slightly.

The crowd visible through the crack was far larger than he had expected. Thinking he might be mistaken, Do-hyeon opened the door just a little bit more.

‘…Why does it feel like there are even more people?’

Then, he began to seriously think.

‘How am I supposed to get through this?’

Getting invisibility was great.

The option to use it even in the city was fantastic.

However, the issue lay in the performance of the Minor Invisibility skill.

‘Can I even get through that crowd without making contact?’

Even for Do-hyeon, it was nearly impossible to navigate through that sea of people without touching anyone.

Just from the glimpse he got through the crack, there were hundreds… no, perhaps even more.

They were packed so tightly that physical contact seemed inevitable. He had already lost his invisibility earlier just from touching a single door.

‘Don’t those guys have anything better to do? Why are they loitering out there?’

Seeing them made him realize just how famous he had become.

With 790,000 subscribers, the numbers weren’t just for show. If all of them were fans, that would be fortunate, but…

‘That’s unlikely. Look at those sharp eyes. They’re desperate to strip me of something.’

– Wow, amazing. Those people have the same look in their eyes as you when you’re catching me.

‘….’

– Ow! Why did you hit me, master?

After flicking Jihad’s forehead, Do-hyeon began to reorganize his thoughts.

‘I need to come up with some sort of strategy.’

Either he needed to disperse the crowd somehow, or find a way to teleport out.

It would be great if he could use Backstab, but damage-dealing skills were prohibited in the city.

Even if that weren’t the case, using Backstab would leave a mark, which would dispel his invisibility.

That would make the whole point of using invisibility meaningless.

-Keereuk, keereuk.

“Can you be quiet? Why are you making those noises? I told you to watch out for that sound.”

-Oh… sorry. But I can’t help it, I’m just feeling really good.

“You’re feeling good?”

Someone here was stressing out to death, and he’s feeling good?

As Do-hyeon furrowed his brow, Jihad quickly explained himself.

-No, that’s not what I meant. It’s just… it feels like the commoners are looking up to me… It’s oddly addictive.

“….”

Ah, that’s right.

He did have that strong tendency of bullying the weak while fearing the strong.

Being a Guardian with an extreme bully-the-weak instinct, it wasn’t surprising that Jihad found joy in being the object of admiration.

‘Come to think of it, he seemed happy earlier when we were making our way through the crowd.’

This guy once commanded an undead army and ruled a forest, so he might be enjoying this feeling again after a long time.

Though, now, it was hard to imagine such a sly-looking creature had been a ruler.

Even now, it seemed completely unbalanced.

‘Wait, admiration?’

At that moment, something crossed his mind.

The word “admiration,” Jihad’s presence, and the fact that he was a Guardian all came together in a brilliant idea.

“Hey, didn’t you say you liked the feeling of being admired?”

-Huh? Yeah… I guess?

“Then, how about enjoying it to the fullest?”

-Huh?

As Jihad tilted his head in confusion, Do-hyeon grinned and explained his plan.

When the explanation was over—

-Keereuk. This is amazing!

“Right?”

A smirk spread across Jihad’s face, making his already sly expression even slyer.

Do-hyeon’s face probably wasn’t much different.

Thus, the two partners, united for once, looked toward the door with determined eyes.

“Let’s go.”

-Keereuk!

And then, Do-hyeon disappeared.

—

Meanwhile, at that moment, Brion was in chaos.

Murmur, murmur—.

“Wow, look at that crowd…”

“It looks like a line for a concert. Why are there so many people gathered?”

A massive crowd resembling a concert queue was gathered in front of the Lair Grand Temple.

The sheer number of people was overwhelming, making it hard to breathe just by looking at it.

Considering how large Brion was, and how vast the Grand Temple itself was, it was a truly remarkable sight.

A man passing by with his group clicked his tongue in exasperation.

“What, did they smear honey on something inside? Or is there some surprise event going on?”

“They say Kaiser entered the Grand Temple.”

“So what? If he’s in Brion, he could go in. Does it really warrant this kind of turnout, even if it’s Kaiser?”

The man was genuinely confused.

Kaiser? Sure, he knew the guy was the hottest dark horse and star right now.

There had never been another player who gained this much attention in such a short time.

But even then, wasn’t this a bit excessive?

It was a fair question, but his companion looked at him as if he were ignorant and exclaimed, “Haven’t you heard yet?”

“Are you serious? Of course, there’s something special going on! Haven’t you heard anything while being in Brion this whole time?”

“Why? What’s the deal?”

“They say he’s meeting the High Priest! Rumor has it that two priests even came out to escort him.”

“What? Didn’t he just arrive in Brion?”

“Exactly! That’s why everyone’s so curious. It’s obviously not an ordinary event.”

If that was true, it was a big deal.

Sure, Kaiser had fame, but that was mainly among players.

NPCs—especially someone as high-ranking as the High Priest—wouldn’t normally have any reason to pay attention to him.

Yet, here he was, having barely set foot in Brion, and he was already meeting the High Priest?

The same High Priest that most players couldn’t even see before graduating from Brion?

‘I haven’t met him yet either…’

It smelled fishy.

The scent of a hidden piece.

“So, can you blame them for gathering? Sure, some are just curious, but honestly, some are probably envious too.”

“…True.”

While many were waiting purely out of anticipation, there were bound to be those with less noble intentions.

What kind of game was God of Savior, anyway?

PK (player killing) and looting were basic mechanics, and countless moral boundaries were often crossed in the game.

The only reason people refrained in cities was because they didn’t want to end up in jail.

But if someone obtained something valuable right in front of their eyes, there were plenty who would try to take it, even out of sheer jealousy.

‘That’s why everyone joins guilds. It’s also why the Hero Guild is so popular.’

Without a protective guild, or with a weak one, you were just waiting to get robbed.

This was why guilds monopolizing resources and wielding power often got a free pass.

In a place like this, guilds were essential.

That’s why most notable stars in the game joined prestigious guilds, and those guilds, in turn, grew stronger by recruiting them.

A kind of positive feedback loop.

‘But Kaiser doesn’t have a guild, does he?’