The Return of the Genius Ranker of All Times

Chapter 63

Ironically, it was a single human who turned the tide of this war.

A man who was once royalty of a small kingdom.

This young man, barely over thirty, entered the battlefield alone and ultimately achieved the feat of killing four Mythical Gods.

“The strongest man in the history of Abtartel, and the most unfortunate one.”

The Sole God of War, the Battle God.

Now he was known as the Final Adventurer, the Martial Emperor, Kashiar, who gathered all of humanity, scattered by war, into one place.

Because of him, the situation shifted, and the gods could no longer recklessly interfere with humanity.

Instead, the gods found themselves at a disadvantage, having to face all five rulers.

‘Wow… was that guy really this amazing?’

‘What an incredible person… Master. It seems that personality and strength are inversely proportional.’

‘? Why are you looking at me while saying that? Do you want to die?’

‘Ah, no. It’s a misunderstanding, Master.’

‘R-Right, Liza, Liza!’

Seeing Elisa urgently intervene to mediate, Do-hyeon let the matter slide with a sigh of admiration.

The man had titles as grand as his feats, and since he had even opened the main quest, it was clear how extraordinary he was.

He was on a level where even the average gods would pale in comparison.

“So, what happened next?”

-Liza!

Unable to contain his curiosity, Do-hyeon urged for more.

It wasn’t because he found the strength of his profession exciting or anything like that.

At that moment, Gamillion’s expression, which had been smiling faintly, darkened.

“We seemed to be on the verge of driving them out… until ‘they’ appeared.”

Fate was cruel.

One-third of Abtartel disappeared, and countless races and gods perished in an instant, leaving behind immense divine relics and demonic energy that consumed the land.

A relentless darkness and an endless abyss.

A new race, born from the mingled remnants of gods and races.

“The Abyss.”

They appeared across Abtartel, devouring not only intact cities but even entire kingdoms.

The terror of the ground suddenly sinking into darkness.

Now, the inhabitants of Abtartel were forced to fight not only the gods but also the horrors of the Abyss.

The true terror of the Abyss lay in its ability to consume those who fell into it.

“Corrupted gods returned as part of the Abyss, and former comrades came back as monsters. It was a war of unspeakable cruelty where we had to kill those we once shared meals and dreams with.”

At this rate, it was obvious that Abtartel would be destroyed.

Even the gods didn’t want that.

For them, Abtartel was the most suitable place to claim as their domain.

Eventually, they pondered and made a decision.

The five rulers chose their path.

-To sacrifice humanity.

Gods, who grew stronger through faith, relied primarily on humanity’s belief.

Given the nature of such gods, it was inevitable to dominate humanity.

In the end, the gods decided to settle for the position of rulers over humanity, and the five rulers accepted their proposal.

It was far better to sacrifice one race and opt for coexistence than to face total annihilation.

“This was something that even Lord Kashiar and humanity agreed to. Or rather, they had no choice. However, Lord Kashiar had no intention of accepting it without a fight.”

Though he was swiftly sealed away, unable to leave his confinement, Kashiar did not give up.

He used his last remaining strength to create a ‘hope’ that would one day save humanity.

Just before being sealed, he managed to extract the vessel that formed his essence.

Although it was shattered into fragments due to the power of the seal, it was sufficient.

[Only the completed ‘Destiny’ will be able to reach me.]

The eternal seal would be undone on the day destiny was fulfilled.

Leaving behind those words, Kashiar and humanity disappeared with a small glimmer of hope.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Those who knew the truth of history vanished as well, and the humanity of today, having diluted his bloodline, lost its once-boundless potential.

“If there was any variable, it was the sudden appearance of beings from another world… but they were clever. They decided to use them instead.”

The otherworldly beings, or users, were corrupted by the Abyss before fully crossing over into Abtartel, destroying the vessel and creating a new one to serve as apostles.

It was a strategy that capitalized on the immortality trait of the otherworldly beings, and it worked perfectly.

The strong immortals became apostles of the gods, gaining fame, which in turn boosted the gods’ authority and faith.

“Huh?”

“What is it?”

“N-Nothing.”

At that point, Do-hyeon couldn’t help but be startled.

He had finally resolved one of his lingering questions.

‘So that’s why I couldn’t choose Tyr.’

The reason he had no choice but to select Kashiar.

It was because his first choice, the Mythical God One-Armed Sword God Tyr, had been invalidated.

Looking back now, it all made sense.

Do-hyeon had retained the vessel of an adventurer rather than that of an apostle.

In a way, he had already gained eligibility to reach this moment from the very beginning.

‘Thinking of it that way, it’s kind of amazing.’

Was it coincidence or fate?

It was funny to talk about such things in a game, but the circumstances were just that uncanny.

As he pondered, Gamillion continued his story, which was now nearing its end.

“It was an agonizingly long wait. Every moment, we wanted to tear those detestable things apart, but we endured. Waiting only for the foretold moment when the successor would arrive…!”

“…”

Gamillion’s eyes gleamed as he stared into the void.

It was as if he could vividly see his enemies before him, his raw hatred tearing through the air.

Realizing Do-hyeon’s presence, Gamillion calmed himself and concluded in a low voice.

“And thus, after an eternal span of 997 years, the successor has finally appeared. Though it was originally prophesied to be a thousand years… this, too, must be fate.”

Ding-

[You have learned the truth of Abtartel’s lost history.]

[It has been recorded in the Adventure Book.]

[You have cleared the class quest, ‘One Step Toward the Truth.’]

Although the messages appeared, Do-hyeon focused on Gamillion’s final words.

‘A thousand years?’

What could that possibly mean?

‘He said 997 years have passed… so does that mean the contents were meant to be revealed three years later?’

In other words, the main quest would have normally progressed three years later.

Do-hyeon had advanced it ahead of schedule.

It might not have unfolded in this form, but regardless, it was undeniably monumental.

‘It’s been a year and six months since the game launched… Crazy, so this was a storyline that would’ve been revealed after roughly five years?’

Five years in real time is one thing, but five years in a game is monumental.

Even Do-hyeon, a seasoned veteran in DemRock, had only been a user for three years.

Five years is a point where players don’t just become veterans but nearly decay.

Do-hyeon had forcibly accelerated a storyline that was intended to be unveiled at that peak moment.

While the consequences of this were uncertain, one thing was clear.

[The Main Stream has been activated. A Main Quest category has been created.]

[Related quests for God of Savior will now appear.]

[You have fulfilled the conditions to enter the Main Stream.]

[Fragment of Destiny]

-Grade: Main Stream

– Description: The God of War, Kashiar, who sacrificed himself to save Abtartel. Gather all the fragments of the vessel he left behind across the world and complete the destiny.

– Fragment of Destiny 1 / 10

– Collecting all the Fragments of Destiny will unlock the main event.

‘……Sweet.’

It was something that would set Do-hyeon on a path more extraordinary than any other.

And that first step was about to unfold now.

“This actually works out well. When the promised millennium passes, ‘they’ will begin to move. That will mark the start of the war. So…….”

Gamillion took a step closer and knelt down on one knee.

“Before that, please carry on his will and become humanity’s glimmer of hope, successor…… You alone can reach him.”

In an instant, Do-hyeon became humanity’s sole hope.

Looking at Gamillion, who was bowing in reverence, Do-hyeon’s expression turned solemn.

Like a knight receiving an oracle before a war, Do-hyeon became strict, serious, and composed as he spoke firmly.

“Of course. I was born for this moment.”

“Oh…… Such heroic spirit, without a hint of deficiency, to carry on his will! Indeed, his judgment was flawless!”

[The effect of the title ‘Max Favorability from the Start?’ has activated. Favorability increases significantly.]

[The favorability of the hidden NPC ‘Gamillion Adran’ has increased dramatically.]

With such unwavering determination, Gamillion’s favorability rose.

Undoubtedly, Do-hyeon was more sincere than ever before.

‘Of course, I was born to bask in this sweet opportunity. I alone shall savor this honey pot.’

How could he not be sincere when he had this chance to enjoy such exclusive rewards?

If a player wasn’t genuine in this, they couldn’t call themselves a true gamer.

Do-hyeon prided himself as a hardcore gamer who knew how to fully enjoy this sweetness.

“I entrust everything to you, successor.”

“Yes. I also place my trust in you. So, what should I do next?”

Find some grand clue related to the gods? Or maybe eliminate heretics?

Or perhaps something else entirely?

Whatever it was, it would surely be a colossal task befitting the title of “promised successor” and “main quest.”

As if confirming his prediction, Gamillion spoke with a serious expression.

“You must gather all the Fragments of Destiny. Only then can we achieve our long-held desire and stand against them. Above all, when the promised day comes…… humanity as it is now, incomplete and fragmented, will be in grave danger.”

“What is this promised day?”

“……I cannot tell you yet. It’s part of the agreement.”

The constant mention of this “promised day” piqued Do-hyeon’s curiosity, but he didn’t dwell on it too much.

RPG games often restricted access to crucial information like this.

As long as he advanced in the main quest, he would eventually find out.

“The sooner, the better. Many are after the Fragments of Destiny, and the fact that they don’t yet know of your presence is our chance.”

“Wise words. I’ll set out immediately. Where should I go?”

“I’ve heard they were sighted near Brion. But before that, there is something you must do first.”

Something more urgent than retrieving the Fragments of Destiny?

It had to be something extraordinary!

Imagining the rewards he would naturally receive, Do-hyeon asked with anticipation, his heart swelling with excitement.

“What is it?”

“It’s something Lord Kashiar personally requested for the successor.”

“……!”

“Would you do it?”

“Of course.”

A task personally requested by Kashiar himself.

It couldn’t possibly be trivial.

Do-hyeon eagerly awaited Gamillion’s next words, his eyes sparkling. Soon, Gamillion moved his wrinkled lips.

“Please eliminate monsters. About a thousand should suffice.”

“……Excuse me?”

……Did he hear that wrong?

The answer didn’t come from Gamillion but from elsewhere.

[Linked to the derived quest ‘Gamillion’s Trial.’]

[The derived quest ‘Gamillion’s Trial’ is part of the main quest.]

[Gamillion’s Trial]

– Grade: Main Quest, Job Quest

– Description: Gamillion, tasked with assisting the successor of the promised millennium, aims to test the successor’s qualifications in accordance with Kashiar’s last wishes. Successfully pass his trial and leave a deep impression.

– Defeat monsters near Brion [0 / 1,000]

– Quest Success: Unlock the linked quest ‘???’, receive Gamillion’s Ring.

– Quest Failure: Job quest deleted, job revoked.

– Time Limit: 60 hours

[You cannot decline this quest.]

[Upon quest success, the main quest will progress.]

“…….”

As he inadvertently stared at Gamillion, the latter seemed to read his expression.

Gamillion, looking a bit uneasy, cleared his throat before putting on a solemn face.

“He said, ‘A half-baked fool who hasn’t even taken baby steps cannot undertake great endeavors. If you are to succeed me, you must grind first!’”

“…….”

“In other words, sweat it out a bit.”

‘……Yeah, that does sound like him.’

Though their encounter had been brief, it matched the Kashiar that Do-hyeon had known.

Defeat a thousand monsters within 60 hours.

That was the first step of the sole main quest in ‘God of Savior.’

While the first step was a bit deflating, it wasn’t entirely unreasonable upon reflection.

‘A thousand isn’t exactly a trivial number.’

It was just disappointing because he had expected something more elaborate than such a straightforward grind quest. But in reality, it wasn’t low difficulty.

If anything, it was a high-difficulty task.

Ordinarily, defeating a thousand monsters would take at least a week.

‘Brion…… They mentioned orcs. Even though there are a lot of orcs, this is still absurd.’

And to defeat them all within 60 hours?

For a player who had just arrived at Brion?

Even forming a party and dedicating all playtime to orc hunting would make it barely achievable.

Even with a maximum connection time of 10 hours a day, completing this grind quest in six days was no guarantee.

And failure meant losing the job.

It was an infuriatingly insane quest, to say the least.

But for Do-hyeon, it wasn’t a problem.

‘Well, that’s generally true for most people.’

What might be difficult for others was child’s play for Do-hyeon.

He himself wasn’t sure how much stronger he’d become from the recent rewards.

While the numbers were significant and time-consuming, he knew that he wouldn’t fail due to a lack of time or strength, whether he soloed it or not.

Swoosh.

Do-hyeon’s gaze shifted to the system window.

The numerous rewards he had yet to check sparkled, tempting him.

Good, this worked out nicely.

‘I had plenty to examine anyway. I’ll take my time and test things thoroughly.’

These rewards clamored for his attention, urging him to try them out, so he resolved to dive deep into them.

‘Let’s get started.’