The Return of the Genius Ranker of All Times

“Well, do you really think it’s the real Kaiser? It’s probably just a fan.”

“Yeah, maybe… But still, whether it’s a fan or not, teaching those guys a lesson felt satisfying.”

“Huh? Wait a second. So that guy took on all three of them by himself?”

“Now that you mention it, yeah? But isn’t it weird? Those guys must’ve been at their graduation level. At Raven Plains, the highest you can get is level 16, right?”

It was a reasonable question.

Logically, it didn’t make sense for a player hunting alone in the Raven Plains to take down three people who had reached their graduation level.

And they weren’t just some random players—they were notorious troublemakers.

Given that they were quite skilled for this area, it was natural to have doubts.

“They were saying something about the swordsman using a backstab.”

“They claimed half their HP was gone in one hit?”

“They said his fists were so fast they couldn’t even see them.”

The more the questions piled up, the more nervous Do-hyeon grew inside.

‘What the heck? They’re the ones who were seal-clubbing, but they wrote all of that down?’

He couldn’t believe they had so little shame.

From an objective standpoint, he had done nothing wrong.

He hadn’t used any hacks; he had simply disciplined them fairly.

‘It’d be a problem if rumors start spreading already.’

The problem was Do-hyeon’s current situation.

Even in his own eyes, his class had such an overpowering performance that it would be hard not to say he was crossing the line.

Moreover, he had no less than six different traits.

The group led by *BestShield* had been an exception since they were good people, and he hadn’t used any of his other job skills then, so it hadn’t mattered. But this time was different.

‘If word gets out now, leveling up will be difficult.’

A swordsman using assassin skills, having multiple traits, and dealing odd amounts of damage?

He would instantly draw attention.

Many guilds would approach him, and while some might reach out to recruit him, others would definitely try to nip him in the bud.

No one would leave a seed that could steal their meal untouched.

‘If they can’t have it, they’ll destroy it. That’s how those guys think.’

He didn’t know much about the top 10 guilds in this place, but if many of the rankers came from DemRock, it wouldn’t be much different.

In fact, he didn’t even need to look as far as the top 10 guilds.

Wherever he went, there would always be people who couldn’t stand him and would try to mess with him out of spite.

Maybe when he got stronger, it wouldn’t be an issue, but for now, Do-hyeon was still low-leveled.

Even though there was a level restriction on the continent, if someone assembled a team specifically to hunt him down, it would definitely hinder his growth.

‘It’s too early for that.’

That’s why he had planned to play solo as much as possible for the time being.

But with things turning out like this, he had to adjust his plans…

“Pfft, what nonsense. Seriously, they’ll believe anything. That doesn’t even make sense.”

“Hacking, my a**! Haha! If you’re going to lie, at least make it believable. Who’s going to fall for that?”

“He’s just embarrassed because he got beaten, so he’s exaggerating.”

“Do you think there’s an idiot who’d actually believe that?”

…It seemed his worries were unnecessary.

As he briefly contemplated their firm reactions, Do-hyeon nodded.

‘Yeah, even I wouldn’t believe that.’

Who would logically think that someone like him, a hidden deity, existed?

No one would believe anything a seal-clubber said, no matter how much they shouted about it.

“Still, it’s impressive that someone took on all three alone. Even with good gear… they must be incredibly skilled.”

“Well, it could’ve been a hired player at their graduation level. It’s not like those guys haven’t made enemies.”

“Is that so? Oh, it’s our turn now. Let’s go grab the pendant.”

After those two stormed off, it was finally Do-hyeon’s turn.

Left alone, Do-hyeon quietly scratched his head.

“I guess I’ll have to be more careful from now on.”

Though things worked out this time, you never know what might happen in the future.

There was no harm in being cautious.

In any case, it had been a useful time, as he had learned about the Hero Guild and the situation with the seal-clubbers.

[You have obtained the Lost Pendant.]

[Please deliver the pendant to Camilla.]

“Well then, I guess it’s time to hit level 20.”

Grinning, Do-hyeon held the pendant in his hand.

* * *

“Wow! It’s really my pendant! Thank you so much! If it weren’t for you, I’d never have found it! This is the thing I treasure the most. You’re so kind, I’ll give it to you!”

[You have cleared the quest ‘Lost Pendant.’]

[You have received 1 gold, a certain amount of experience points, and Camilla’s small gift as a reward.]

[Camilla’s Small Gift]

[Grade: Common+]

[Description: Camilla has a hobby of collecting unusual objects. This is her most cherished item from her collection, a random box. No one knows what’s inside.]

As he handed over the pendant, Camilla beamed with joy, jumping up and down and even tearing up before suddenly hugging him tightly.

Her appearance was the epitome of an innocent young girl.

Even knowing she was just an NPC, it warmed Do-hyeon’s heart.

“Don’t lose it again.”

“Yes, thank you so much! I really cherish that, so please take good care of it too!”

“Alright, thanks.”

“Hehe. Goodbye, oppa!”

As Do-hyeon patted her head with a contented smile, Camilla giggled like a puppy.

[The effect of the title ‘Max Affection from the Start?’ has activated. Affection has greatly increased.]

[Camilla’s affection has greatly increased.]

‘Is it because she’s young? The affection increased a lot.’

It seemed that due to her innocence, Camilla received the title’s effect more significantly.

Feeling again that the title’s effect could vary from NPC to NPC, Do-hyeon moved on.

After parting with Camilla, Do-hyeon delivered the news to the other NPCs as well.

The second stop was Linda’s potion shop. Upon hearing about the situation in the western forest, she jumped up in shock.

“My goodness, the western forest is still such a dangerous place. No wonder he gets hurt so often… This won’t do. I’m going to tell him to quit being a scout immediately. Either he quits being a scout or ends his relationship with me…! Ah, ahem. Thank you for telling me, Apostle.”

[You have cleared the quest ‘Exploration of the Western Forest.’]

[You have received 1 gold, a certain amount of experience points, 10 low-grade HP potions, and 10 low-grade MP potions as a reward.]

[The effect of the title ‘Max Affection from the Start?’ has been activated. Affection has greatly increased.]

‘Hmm… I feel kind of bad for that scout.’

After all, he was now at a crossroads where he might either lose his job or his lover.

Briefly offering a moment of sympathy to Scout Zeke, Do-hyeon headed to visit Zrinna, the last person on his list.

As expected from the character who had made Do-hyeon want to skip her, Zrinna’s welcome was quite unique.

“Oh, ho! Did you really take down those vile insects? Even the best hunters struggle with them, but you’ve truly done something amazing. I knew it from the first time I saw you, the spirit you possess is something exceptional!”

“Ah, yes…”

“You must have felt it too, right? The evilness radiating from those monsters! The malevolence of the monsters in Raven Plains doesn’t even come close to that! Even veteran hunters tremble at their cruelty, but how did you find it?”

“Well… it wasn’t too bad.”

“As expected! Truly amazing! You remind me of my younger days…”

As Zrinna rambled on, reminding Do-hyeon of a chatty baseball player, he offered polite responses.

Suddenly, a tip from a strategy guide crossed his mind.

-ps. No matter how much you want to punch Zrinna in the face, you must hold back. Remember my words: you must hold back.

There had been similar warnings in Kalde’s description in Arde, so Do-hyeon had assumed she had a personality like Kalde’s. But no—this NPC tested a player’s patience in an entirely different way.

For some reason, it felt even worse than what he had heard, and it wasn’t just because it was happening to him.

[The effect of the title ‘Max Affection from the Start?’ has been activated. Affection has greatly increased.]

……

[The effect of the title ‘Max Affection from the Start?’ has been activated. Affection has greatly increased.]

‘…Couldn’t this effect have stayed dormant at times like this?’

Thanks to the title, Zrinna was showing Do-hyeon the maximum level of affection possible.

After spacing out for about five minutes while half-listening and half-responding to her endless chatter, the moment he had been waiting for finally arrived.

“Hmph! I believe I can trust you with this request.”

At the sound of those words, Do-hyeon’s focus sharpened for the first time.

‘Finally!’

This was the moment he had been waiting for.

As Zrinna glanced at him seriously, her lips parted, and Do-hyeon’s eyes glimmered with anticipation.

After what felt like an eternity, Zrinna finally spoke!

“It’s a dangerous request, but… could you clear a dungeon for me?”

Ding–.

[You have cleared the quest ‘Extermination of the Giant Insects.’]

[You have received 1 gold and a certain amount of experience points.]

[A linked quest, ‘Dungeon Conquest,’ has appeared.]

[Would you like to accept?]

A refreshing notification appeared, accompanied by the linked quest.

[Dungeon Conquest]

-Rank: Rare

-Description: Zrinna, who has always been wary of the western forest, is worried that if the dungeon is left unattended for too long, the monsters’ forces will grow stronger.

As someone who has already exterminated the giant insects that even hunters feared, Zrinna hopes you can successfully clear the dungeon. Conquer the dungeon successfully.

-Dungeon located outside the west gate (0 / 1)

-Reward for completion: 10 gold, a certain amount of experience points, and 1 low-grade skill selection ticket.

-Risk of failure: Zrinna may be somewhat disappointed.

-Time limit: 48 hours

And it even offered a skill selection ticket as a reward!

True to its rare rank, the quest rewarded plenty of gold, and since any dungeon in the western forest counted, it was a must-do quest according to all strategy guides.

‘No matter what, I have to complete this one.’

Do-hyeon couldn’t agree more.

Even though it was just a low-grade skill selection ticket, quests that offered skill tickets were incredibly rare.

Opportunities like this, where you could get a ticket so easily, were few and far between.

For low-level players with few skills, such quests were like rain during a drought.

“If it’s you, I’m sure…”

“Of course, I’ll do it. Now, I’ll head to the dungeon right away…”

“Hmm? I’ve already brewed some tea, so at least have a cup…”

Pretending not to hear her voice calling out behind him, Do-hyeon hurried out of Zrinna’s house and distanced himself as much as possible.

After moving about 200 meters away, he began to gather his thoughts.

‘Let’s see… There are two main dungeons, right?’

The Goblin Chief’s Lair and the Ant Nest.

Although there were a few other dungeons, these two were the most well-known.

Their difficulty was moderate, and the rewards were solid.

‘Considering the Warrior Set, the Goblin Chief’s Lair might be the better choice.’

It was a place similar to the Goblin Warrior’s habitat in Arde.

As soon as you entered, various goblins from different tribes would welcome you, and after dealing with about half of them, the Goblin Chief would appear.

It wasn’t a difficult fight since it was a standard boss, but due to its characteristics, having a mage was essential in this dungeon.

‘On the other hand, the Ant Nest requires a tank.’

The Ant Nest was, as the name suggested, filled with giant ants.

Once inside the tunnel, waves of ant armies would charge down a straight path, and after surviving five waves, the dungeon would be cleared.

While there were a lot of enemies, there wasn’t a boss fight.

That’s why the role of a tank to absorb damage and draw aggro was crucial in this dungeon.

Either choice wasn’t bad, but…

‘Neither of them really appeals to me.’

One issue bothered him.

Both dungeons required parties.

‘I’d rather not reveal my unique abilities just yet.’

With the whole AssassinBoy incident spreading, Do-hyeon didn’t want to expose the unique effects of his Adventurer class just yet.

Well, the solution was simple enough.

‘I’ll just hide them.’

All he had to do was stick to using one type of skill.

He had plenty of options for which class to pretend to be.

With three weapon types—greatsword, axe, and dagger—and two skills—Charge Slash and Backstab—at his disposal, he could easily pass as either a swordsman or an assassin.

But before he made any decisions, something happened.

[You have leveled up.]

[Upon reaching level 20, you have received a random skill selection ticket.]

The second random skill selection ticket was now in his hands.

Excitedly, Do-hyeon’s eyes sparkled as he tightly gripped the card pack of the much-anticipated skill pack, a wide grin spreading across his face.

‘Now, let’s see which job skill I’ll get this time!’

Like drawing a tarot card, Do-hyeon revealed the card that would determine his class’s fate.

Ten cards spread out in the air.

A message appeared at the same time.

[Eye of Truth has been activated.]

‘Please, let it be gold…!’

As he looked through the cards one by one from the left, their colors became visible.

Brown, brown, silver, brown…

Just as the sea of brown made his heart race with dread, Do-hyeon’s eyes widened as he reached the final card.