Ranker's Return

Alexander looked at the corpse and beckoned to Aldred, who was standing behind him.

“Yes, Alexander.”

Aldred quickly popped out and cleaned up the corpse. He pulled the broken sword out of the hand and carefully searched the corpse. Every time he searched, Aldred pulled out something. Aldred finished the clean up in a short time that was less than five minutes.

“Two books came out as well as the broken sword, Alexander.”

“What type of books?”

“I can’t tell precisely because it is written in the language of the East Continent, but it seems that one volume is presumed to be a diary and the other contains a martial art from the East Continent.”

Aldred had his own mastery in the characters of the East Continent. It was because it was included in the knowledge that he needed to have as an agent of the intelligence organization Alexander had created.

‘In order to waste time... he has to get one, right?’

In Alexander’s eyes, all three seemed of little use. However, at least one was necessary to attract Lebron’s attention.

Alexander finished thinking and opened his mouth, “Just give the book with the martial art.”

Alexander’s choice was the martial arts book. Lebron was interested in becoming stronger, so he judged that the martial arts book was better than the broken sword or diary.

“Yes, Alexander.” Aldred walked politely to Alexander, held out the book and stepped back.

“What should I do with what’s left?”

“Take care of it on your own. It doesn’t seem worth much anyway.”

Alexander shook his hand. He had no interest.

“Okay, Alexander.” Aldred put away the broken sword and diary. It didn’t matter if he threw it away, but he didn’t know when Alexander would look for it again, so he kept it.

‘I will take a look first.’

Alexander opened the martial arts book he received from Aldred. He had to know a certain amount of the content to have a conversation with Lebron about this subject.

‘Mysterious Sky Demonic Art? It is a method to use dark magic power.’

Perhaps it was because he had no expectations at all, but it didn’t feel bad. However, that was all. It wasn’t better than what Alexander himself had learned.

“Take a look. It writes about how to deal with dark attribute magic power. It might not be a big help, but it is worth taking a look.”

Alexander held out the book to Lebron. Lebron accepted the book silently. “I’m not very attracted to the dark attribute, but...”

Lebron opened the book. Then he quit straight away.

“What is it?” Alexander cocked his head when he saw it and asked.

“I can’t read this.” Lebron held out the book to Alexander to return it. He hadn’t mastered the writing of the East Continent. There wouldn’t be enough time to wield the sword. He didn’t have time to pay attention elsewhere.

“Cough!” Alexander took a breath. It was an unexpected answer.

‘I was stupid for thinking he could read it.’

He quickly admitted his mistake and came up with a solution.

“Let me explain it.” Alexander opened the book. He was going to convey the contents of the Mysterious Sky Demonic Art directly.

It happened at this moment...

Aldred, who had been standing behind Alexander, dropped the diary he was looking at onto the ground.

“Alexander.”

Alexander didn’t even look at Aldred. He stood in that position and opened his mouth, “What’s going on?”

“They said they found a dungeon.”

“Really? Then guide us straight away.”

Alexander had a smile on his face.

“I’ll tell you next time.”

Alexander put away the book with the Mysterious Sky Demonic Art written in it.

“Just hand it over entirely after returning to the capital. I’ll commission someone to translate it.” Lebron shook his head. He didn’t need Alexander’s help after going back. The capital was full of people who knew the language of the East Continent.

“Then why don’t you just get it right now?”

“Go there and hand it over. It is too cumbersome.”

“Understood.”

The two men bickered over nothing.

“Would you mind if I show the way?”

Aldred noticed it and carefully intervened in Lebron and Alexander’s conversation.

“Let’s go.”

Alexander nodded. It was the real deal from now on.

***

“This is the place. A little while ago, black magicians were witnessed going inside.”

Following Aldred’s guidance, Lebron and Alexander arrived at the entrance of a huge cave. Lebron silently approached the cave, reached out his hand and raised his senses.

“I don’t feel any signs of magic or the dark attribute magic...”

Lebron frowned. He didn’t detect anything. It just felt like an ordinary cave.

“Don’t make a fool of yourself and enter.”

Alexander hit Lebron on the shoulder and dragged Aldred away into the cave.

“There is really nothing...”

Lebron cocked his head as he moved into the cave. The cave was very wide. It was obvious that the cave had been artificially widened and elevated.

“I don’t know if this is a black magician’s dungeon, but it was firmly made by someone.”

Lebron muttered nonstop. It was an act as if he wanted someone to hear it.

“There isn’t a single common trap. If there is a treasure here, I would call it a warehouse, not a dungeon.”

Lebron’s complaints continued. It wasn’t just words. It was accompanied by strange behavior such as knocking on the cave. However, Alexander didn’t show any reaction. He continued to walk while ignoring Lebron.

Alexander was walking for a long time only to suddenly stop.

“From now on, be really quiet.”

Lebron shut his mouth at Alexander’s serious face. Alexander warned Lebron and walked slowly. He took exactly five steps and then the scenery in front of him changed. The narrow passageway of the cave disappeared and a small village appeared. It wasn’t as bright as outside, but there were artificial lights. This made it hard to believe it was a cave.

“It seems you still don’t have enough training. Teacher would like it if he knew.” Alexander’s sarcasm reached the maximum as if giving back everything he had suffered so far.

“You had no faith in your fellow student and an imperial prince. I can’t believe this guy has to take over the Knights of Keon...”

Alexander talked to himself more than Lebron had done.

“Groan.” Lebron couldn’t say anything due to the karma he had accumulated in the cave. He put up with Alexander’s sarcasm.

“Alexander, I think the first thing to do is take a look at this place.” Aldred came out to mediate between the two of them. He didn’t know when this would end if left alone.

“Yes, let’s get started.” Lebron recovered and ran forward.

“As expected of his disciple. He is great.”

Aldred saw Lebron’s sprint and was amazed. Lebron was very fast but stealthy enough to show no signs.

“That is just a miscellaneous thing. His true face is revealed when he holds a sword.” Alexander shook his head. Lebron was truly a monster when he drew a sword.

“He will certainly be of great help to you when you are leading the empire, Alexander.”

“He should help. That is why I brought him here.”

Alexander’s eyes followed after Lebron. His face was filled with no emotions.

***

‘What is this place?’

Everything in this village was strange. First of all, the cave was far from normal.

‘It is strange that an unpleasant energy is flowing.’

In addition, there was a dense concentration of magic power throughout the village. In particular, the dark attribute felt abnormally distinct.

‘What is their identity...?’

Lebron stopped moving and increased his magic power. His senses felt things he hadn’t felt before.

‘Why are there so many?’

The thing Lebron was detecting now was life force. However, the number was too large. It was at least in the thousands.

‘Some are human and some aren’t...’

The size of the life forces varied greatly. It was from ones that felt really huge to faint ones that seemed like candles on the verge of going out.

‘Over there!’

Lebron’s footsteps moved to one side.

‘The life forces are merging?’

A strange thing was happening over there. Unlike other buildings, the life force was merging in only one place.

‘I’ll have to take a look with my own eyes.’

Lebron infiltrated the building where something strange was happening. Lebron moved through the interior like it was his own house. There were soldiers standing guard, but they didn’t even sense Lebron’s presence.

‘It is blocked.’

Lebron finally had a space in front of him that touched his senses. A really thick iron door stood in front of Lebron. Lebron stretched out his arm and pushed the door.

The door didn’t open. This time, he pushed it sideways. It didn’t open.

‘This?’

Lebron’s eyebrow twitched and he raised it. It was proof that he was angry. Lebron drew the sword he was wearing at his waist. Lebron’s sword shone bright enough to make the surroundings feel brighter. Lebron lightly swung his sword in an X shape. The sword dug into the huge iron door like it was cutting through soft tofu and came out.

Lebron put the sword in the sheath and rushed out to push open the iron door. The iron door collapsed with a noise that he didn’t want to hear and a path appeared in its place. Lebron casually made his way through the newly created space. Finally, he found what he was searching for.

“What is this?”

He was seeing it with his eyes, but he couldn’t understand it very well. There was a huge tank in the center and large and small tanks connected around it. The tanks were all full of red liquid.

Just then, the liquid in the smallest tank turned white and evaporated. At the same time, something appeared in the tank.

“A corpse?”

There were several corpses.

‘So this is why the size of the tanks were different?’

There weren’t just human corpses, but also the corpses of monsters.

‘Is this really a black magician’s dungeon?’

Lebron remained calm when he saw the terrible sight. This was a typical experiment for black magicians. He was sad, but not angry.

‘I’ll clean it up.’

He intended to sweep away the black magicians as a courtesy to those who had become experiments and died.

‘Someone is coming.’

At this moment, the sound of many people’s footsteps were heard from beyond the passage.

Lebron immediately hid himself.

“There is an intruder!”

“Search tightly!”

“Make sure not to miss a place!”

Soon, what appeared was a group of soldiers. A figure dressed in luxurious clothing brought in the soldiers and commanded them.

‘Wait...!’ Lebron’s eyes widened when he saw it. This was something that shouldn’t have happened. He saw a face that he knew clearly.

‘A noble...?’

Killing intent rose in Lebron’s eyes. His anger soared. Lebron didn’t hide any longer. He appeared in front of the noble and soldiers.

“How... how are you here?!” A man reached out and pointed at Lebron. He had recognized Lebron.

“An imperial noble has joined hands with a black magician!”

The name of the man Lebron recognized was Bonyak, an earl with the strongest power in the eastern part of the continent.

“I will judge you on behalf of the Knights of Keon, Earl Bonyak!”

Lebron’s sword split apart the dungeon.