The Return of the Genius Ranker of All Times

Sure, it would be nice to earn, but it wasn’t something he absolutely needed at the moment.

Having obtained such an incredible opportunity, he had no intention of letting it slip away and feeding it to someone else.

‘Just thinking about what I might gain is making my mouth water.’

Since it was a hero-level secret dungeon, wouldn’t he perhaps be able to get hero-level items?

Even if he couldn’t, he should at least get something around rare+ grade, right?

Although Do-hyeon’s luck was notoriously bad, the very fact that it was a secret dungeon made it impossible for him not to have such expectations.

‘Eye of Truth… It’s really the best.’

Honestly, he had hoped it would help him find a dungeon.

It had the feel of an explorer’s detection skill, as it pierced through hidden things.

That was why Do-hyeon had wandered around the forest before entering the Goblin Chief’s habitat.

Even after all that trouble, he had given up halfway because he hadn’t found anything, but now, to have such a big event land in his lap!

‘If this was going to happen, they should’ve told me earlier. How mischievous.’

Thanks to it, he’d obtained a rare title.

If all mischief was like this, he would welcome it a hundred times over.

He didn’t know if the search range applied to the Eye of Truth, but the +2 to all stats effect was an incredibly sweet perk.

“Hoo.”

Do-hyeon grinned as he playfully grumbled at the Eye of Truth, which of course wouldn’t listen to him, before his expression grew serious.

It was the first time since he had defeated the Iron-Blooded Demon Dragon that he had revealed such a look.

In fact, up until now, it didn’t matter if he fought half-heartedly.

There was no need to even use control because monsters would die in one or two hits.

It had been the same in PVP. There hadn’t been the slightest sense of tension.

But this secret dungeon was different.

‘From hero-level onward, the difficulty changes completely.’

There’s not much difference between the normal and rare grades.

Players just have a bit more to do, and it becomes a little trickier.

However, starting from hero-level, the difficulty rises exponentially.

This didn’t just apply to dungeons. It was the same for any system that had a tier structure attached.

‘Whether it’s an item, a skill, or a boss… this is where the real game begins.’

And no matter how much players cursed the game for its terrible luck system, DemRock always upheld one particular rule.

‘The lower the probability, the better the reward.’

It was the same in God of Savior.

Just look at his unique abilities like ‘Adventurer’ or the Eye of Truth.

Since they were one-of-a-kind, they boasted overwhelming performance.

By that logic, hero-level dungeons were bound to have rewards far superior to rare-level dungeons.

Imagine defeating a horribly difficult boss only to get a reward no better than the previous boss.

Who would bother fighting hero-level bosses when they could just farm rare bosses?

Of course, even here, there was that maddening factor of probability…

[You will receive a special bonus for being the first to discover this.]

[When you clear it for the first time, a boss-related equipment item is guaranteed to drop.]

[Experience gain increases by 30%.]

[Drop rate increases by 30%.]

‘Man… This is what makes a game fun.’

For Do-hyeon, none of this mattered right now.

He only needed to worry about clearing the dungeon properly. And in that area, he was more confident than anyone.

[Do you wish to enter the secret dungeon?]

“Yes.”

[You meet the requirements.]

[Entering the secret dungeon ‘Black Goblin Shaman’s Lair’ shortly.]

[5…]

…….

[2…]

As the countdown reached the last second, Do-hyeon’s vision turned white, and he grinned.

‘Time to go claim some rewards.’

This was the moment when the first secret dungeon of the Raven Continent’s first city opened.

* * *

Entering a secret dungeon is like sticking your head into a wild beast’s mouth.

This was something Fried, ranked 1279th in God of Savior, had said during an interview.

His comment, given after a brief pause to a question about secret dungeons from curious players, left many users scratching their heads in confusion.

“What does that even mean?”

“Does he just mean it’s hard?”

“Is he saying it’s a suicide mission?”

“Then why is everyone desperate to find secret dungeons? Are they all suicidal?”

It was clear he was using a metaphor, but no one understood what he was trying to convey.

However, those who had experienced secret dungeons themselves all agreed with Fried’s words.

They immediately grasped the meaning behind them.

What happens if you stick your head into a beast’s mouth?

– It bites down.

Unless the animal is well-trained, nine times out of ten, it closes its mouth.

Dripping with saliva, the beast chews up the prey that has wandered into its jaws.

Secret dungeons were like that beast’s mouth.

[You have entered the dungeon.]

Boom!

The moment Do-hyeon entered, a massive black orb came flying toward him.

It wasn’t really an orb, but a magic sphere made of mana.

Moreover, it wasn’t something simple like a fireball.

[You have been directly hit by a cursed sphere. You are now under the ‘Blinded Vision’ status effect.]

[Due to the Blinded Vision effect, your vision will be reduced for a certain period of time.]

The cursed sphere was a favorite and basic skill of curse users.

While its power wasn’t impressive, the problem was the Blinded Vision effect. Once hit by it, your vision became incredibly frustrating to deal with.

It was like lighting a dim candle in a dark cave.

However, Do-hyeon’s vision was perfectly fine.

[The ‘Hero’ trait has blocked mental contamination.]

[You are unaffected by the Blinded Vision effect.]

With the highest-level trait ‘Hero,’ which countered crowd control skills, he was completely unaffected.

Boom! Boom!

Two more spheres came flying in succession, but they, too, were blocked by the Hero trait and disappeared without causing any effects.

Do-hyeon dusted off the remnants of the cursed spheres from his clothes.

‘What a fiery welcome.’

This was why Fried had described it that way, and it was also the concept behind secret dungeons.

There were various types of secret dungeons, and each had its own unique concept. However, almost all of them started harassing the player the moment they entered.

If it was a labyrinth-type dungeon, it would use traps, or if it was a single-boss dungeon, like now, it would attack directly.

Regardless of the difficulty, the dungeon started the moment you stepped in.

[How dare you enter my home without permission… You foolish human.]

Even villains were usually given a proper introduction when they first appeared, or during their transformation scenes.

But without any decency or regard for etiquette, the voice that crackled unpleasantly turned Do-hyeon’s gaze in its direction, revealing the sight before him.

Kirreuk… Kirruk…

Kiriik…

There were countless tainted goblins sprawled around.

Their eyes were unfocused, their skin was purple and half-decayed—undoubtedly undead.

[Undead Goblin of the Black Goblin Shaman]

[Undead Goblin of the Black Goblin Shaman]

…….

Their grotesque appearance was more than enough to turn one’s stomach, and it wasn’t just the goblins.

Kieek- Kiee-

Sssk-

Around the undead goblins, at least twenty massive insects were crawling about.

Half of the collapsed ceiling was occupied by a giant spider, which had woven its web, while the tattered floor wriggled with giant centipedes.

Some of them were even latched onto the undead goblins.

“Ugh, what a sight.”

Being in virtual reality made it disturbingly lifelike and all the more disgusting.

[Kukuku… You must be terrified at the sight of my children.]

And at the end of this grotesque scene, there was something black.

Darker than the robe it wore, its black skin made it stand out as it sat on a decrepit throne covered in cobwebs.

Amidst the darkness, green eyes gleamed.

Above it, a red nameplate appeared, displaying its information.

[Jihad Black]

– Title: Hero-level Named Boss

– Type: Goblin

– Traits: Bloodline Factor, Curse Shaman, Necromancer, Swift Hand Movements

– Description: Survivor of a fallen clan.

Jihad, who inherited an extraordinary bloodline, has lived for hundreds of years as a goblin.

Why he has hidden in this lair and what he is preparing for is unknown.

‘A Named Boss?’

This was unexpected.

No matter how difficult a secret dungeon was, to face a Named Boss…

Named Bosses were a tier higher than Elite Bosses.

While Elite Bosses were distinguished monsters recognized for their exceptional qualities, Named Bosses were unique entities with their own name.

Since only one of each existed in the world of God of Savior, they weren’t comparable to anything else.

‘Not all bosses with names are strong, though…’

Of course, that just meant they were rare. Their difficulty was entirely a matter of luck.

Depending on how long they had lived and how much training they had undergone, their strength varied greatly.

Some bosses, like the Iron-Blooded Demon Dragon, were absurdly powerful, while others were ridiculously weak, despite being Named.

‘Hmm… I can’t tell just from the information.’

That

was a common trait among Named Bosses.

Even the Iron-Blooded Demon Dragon hadn’t come with a proper explanation.

Thinking that this boss was similarly shrouded in mystery, Do-hyeon was about to move on when…

[You meet the conditions.]

[Slayer is activated.]

[Hidden information about Jihad Black is revealed.]

“Huh?”

Startled by the sudden notification, Do-hyeon quickly grasped the situation and let out a soft exclamation.

‘Oh, right, I forgot about this.’

The Slayer trait.

A trait that allowed him to uncover the location and hidden information of monsters of the type he had gained the Slayer title for.

Since there hadn’t been any opportunities to trigger it, he had completely forgotten about it.

[Would you like to check the additional information?]

‘Hmm.’

He was curious, especially since it had just appeared. However, before checking, Do-hyeon stole a glance at the boss.

It would be a disaster if he got attacked while reviewing the information.

But Jihad sat there arrogantly, as if he could crush Do-hyeon at any time.

Kirrr… Kirreuk…

Ssssss-

Whether they moved only at their master’s command or were merely his puppets, the undead goblins and insects remained still for now.

They were grotesque and unnerving, all staring at him at once, but Do-hyeon remained calm.

The boss, his eyes meeting Do-hyeon’s, spoke in a haughty tone.

[Strange… How did a human discover this place? I thought it was hidden perfectly.]

“Well, it was.”

If it weren’t for someone like Do-hyeon, the place probably would have remained undiscovered forever.

[I don’t sense the presence of an explorer… A strange existence, with multiple energies mixed together.]

At this, Do-hyeon was genuinely surprised.

A mere boss in Raven had sensed, albeit vaguely, that he was an All-Master.

Was this the insight of a boss who had lived for hundreds of years?

[Hmm…]

Jihad stared intently at Do-hyeon, as if trying to see through him, but failing to do so, he muttered under his breath.

‘What on earth is this guy?’

Do-hyeon found him rather intriguing.

Not only was this the most rational and unusual boss he had encountered so far, but also, with such sharp insight and presence, he wasn’t sure if it was really a goblin.

His curiosity piqued, Do-hyeon checked the information.

[……An ancient and unique race, the Black Clan.

They were a clan known for using special techniques based on their exceptional potential, constantly at odds with ‘humanity’ due to the threat they posed.

However, after ‘that day,’ the Black Clan was annihilated, and by later generations, they had disappeared completely.

Jihad Black is a descendant of that clan.

Though he has lived for centuries, by the standards of the Blacks, who live for over a thousand years, he has yet to even undergo his coming-of-age ceremony.]

Upon seeing the detailed information, Do-hyeon let out a small sigh of admiration.

The Slayer trait was proving to be more useful than he had expected.

‘The Black Clan… I’ve never heard of them before.’

It was a clan he hadn’t encountered even in DemRock.

Well, since God of Savior was a world that took place after DemRock, it wasn’t surprising that there were new additions.

Some things from DemRock no longer existed, while new settings had been introduced, so it wasn’t strange that Do-hyeon didn’t know about everything.

‘Whatever they are, they don’t seem to be weak.’

After all, they were a race that had threatened humanity in the past.

And aside from that, the fact that Jihad had lived for centuries meant he was probably very strong.

The only silver lining was that Jihad had yet to reach adulthood.

‘Four traits… None of them are melee-related.’

Indeed, the boss had many traits, likely due to his high status, but they were all related to being a necromancer.

Swift Hand Movements probably sped up his casting time…

As long as Do-hyeon was cautious of the Bloodline Factor trait, he could manage.

[You are a peculiar one, but since you’ve entered this place, there’s no helping it… My children…]

It seemed Jihad Black had made up his mind as he slowly extended his hand.

As his pitch-black hand reached out, it was as if a switch had been flipped, and the undead began to move.

Krrr… Krr…

Ssss- Ssss-

With a chilling sound, the monsters began to encircle him.

Watching Jihad Black sitting leisurely behind them, Do-hyeon stepped forward.

Step. Step.

His pace was slow, but it carried the utmost confidence.

‘I’m not the one who should be nervous.’

From ancient times, ranged fighters always had to be cautious when facing melee fighters.

No matter how much of an advantage they held throughout the battle, the moment they allowed the melee fighter to close in, it was game over.

That was the reality of their combat dynamics, but seeing how relaxed Jihad was, merely relying on his numbers, irked Do-hyeon.

So, he decided to show him.

‘Why assassins are the bane of ranged classes.’

Why assassins are the strongest PVP characters.

Why ranged players foam at the mouth whenever they see an assassin.

Kirrr… Krr…

As the monsters closed in, Do-hyeon muttered softly.

“…Ki.”

His voice was so quiet, it couldn’t even be heard properly from up close.

And in the next instant, Do-hyeon’s figure vanished.