Chapter 166

…About two minutes ago.

On our way to Dmir’s Workshop after briefly catching up with the Five Stars of Seoul, Ki Soyul and I saw the name being broadcast on the building’s electronic billboard.

[Rank 78, Skeleton King Joo Donghoon]

“Wow.”

“Huh?”

We both cried out in surprise at the same time.

Then, Ki Soyul muttered as if she couldn’t believe it.

“Is that for real? Donghoon? You’re really rank 78?”

“Ahaha. Looks like it, doesn’t it?”

I scratched my head.

Rank 78?

To be honest, I was surprised too.

I knew I’d become a Ranker, of course, but I didn’t think I’d climb this high…

– “Uhahahat, as expected of my disciple! Congratulations, you rascal!”

The Elder of Ten Thousand Arts had been summoned as well, to commemorate the occasion.

“How in the world…?”

That was how surprised Ki Soyul was.

I could tell she was excited, which was unlike her usual self.

“I knew the aura you gave off was unusual, but…”

“I told you, didn’t I? That I broke every record in Delilah’s trial.”

I had only given the Five Stars of Seoul a rough outline of the trial.

It went without saying, but telling them wasn’t a breach of confidentiality.

“Even so…! The Berserker who set an overwhelming record during the trial was in the 500s. No matter how amazing you are, Donghoon, rank 78… That’s a whole other matter!”

“To be honest, I’m surprised too.”

“Is it… because of that Elder you said was floating next to you?”

Ki Soyul asked suggestively.

Ah, right.

The reason she’d been sticking close to me was because of the Elder of Ten Thousand Arts, wasn’t it?

– “Hahahat, the assassin brat recognizes this master’s contribution! Ahem, yes, yes— the fact that you’ve grown so much is all thanks to me, of course!”

The Elder beamed.

Well.

He wasn’t wrong.

But hearing him praise his own contributions with his own mouth just irked me for some reason.

So I replied to Ki Soyul.

“There’s that, but it’s all the result of my own effort.”

“Pardon?”

“No matter how good a teacher I have, if I don’t do the work, it’s all for nothing, isn’t it?”

“…I see. That certainly must be true.”

As Ki Soyul, her eyes wide with innocence, nodded her head—

– “What was that, you rascal?!”

The Elder roared.

‘Hey, I’m just kidding, just kidding. Of course your contribution was huge too, Elder.’

– “Right? For a second there, I thought my disciple had gone from being an insolent brat to having his brain thoroughly stewed like a silky fowl soup.”

‘Hahaha. No way.’

I did my best to ignore him and looked at Ki Soyul.

Actually, I’d been feeling it for a while now.

The energy stored within her heart was anything but ordinary.

“Speaking of which, Shadow Empress, your energy has become considerably more refined compared to before, hasn’t it?”

“Ah.”

She nodded.

“That’s right. Since your rank is higher than mine, you must be able to see everything now.”

“Well, it’s not quite like that…”

Was it because I’d fought the Shadow Shepherds?

Or was it because I’d learned Shadow Art?

I could tell that the Shadow Empress had also grown a lot compared to before.

“I worked hard after you left, Donghoon. My brother, and I. Of course, I haven’t grown as much as you, Donghoon.”

“I see.”

In truth.

I had gained something more valuable than rank 78.

The Toxin Mist was one.

And the Godslayer-class weapon was another.

I honestly had this thought.

If things like those were included in the ranking, wouldn’t I have placed even higher?

‘But.’

As I said before, it didn’t make sense for items to be reflected in the rankings.

If they were, Baekdon’s rank wouldn’t have been a mere 800-something.

‘Furthermore.’

I wasn’t a being who could completely control the essence.

Wouldn’t it be ridiculous to claim it as my power when I couldn’t even handle it properly?

In fact, despite becoming a Ranker—something I’d dreamed of my whole life—I was surprisingly nonchalant.

I already knew it was going to happen.

And because a goal had been set.

‘The goal of becoming rank 1.’

Of course, it would be a lie to say I wasn’t happy.

Today.

I was happier than anyone.

I was ecstatic.

“Anyway, we’re here now. Shall we go up?”

Dmir’s Workshop.

I smiled, looking up at the terrace on top of the building.

I now had the ability to leap up to that height in a single bound.

No matter what anyone said.

I was now an S-class hunter.

And a Ranker.

—

“So. What in the world happened? No, President! You just disappeared with a poof without a proper word, you really played with a person’s feelings! Huh? Hic! You’re really too much, you know?”

Kim Jina, her face flushed, fumed.

Hiccuping as she went.

I smiled awkwardly.

“First, please calm down.”

“Seriously, how can I be calm? You think it’s okay to just dump work on me, disappear like dust, and then suddenly show up as a Ranker…! Hic! Well, I guess in a way it is okay, but anyway…! Do you have any idea how hard it was for me? Cleaning up accidents without a break, selling items, advertising!”

I completely understood Kim Jina.

I would have been the same.

It was true that I’d left without a proper explanation.

“I can’t tell you because of certain circumstances.”

So I spoke seriously.

“If the opportunity arises later, I will be sure to explain everything. I’m sorry.”

“Hoo…”

She sat down and took a deep breath.

Calming her continuously trembling right hand, she pointed at the TV.

“So. What’s on that damn news, it’s true, right?”

“Yes, it’s true.”

“…Great!”

“Pardon?”

“I said it’s great! It’s damn great! My goodness. To think the person I decided to serve is a Ranker! And rank 78 at that! And what’s more, huh?”

Kim Jina, who had been cheering while pointing at the TV, suddenly went wide-eyed.

“Huh huh huh? Wait a minute! Look there! The Shadow Empress too? What the hell?”

“Hm?”

I turned my gaze as well.

Then I saw the Shadow Empress’s results.

[Rank 151, Shadow Empress Ki Soyul]

“Wow?”

I exclaimed in admiration.

Ki Soyul was also looking at the screen with a slightly flushed expression.

“My goodness, Shadow Empress! Weren’t you rank 379? When in the world did you climb to 151?”

Kim Jina shouted.

“Oh my lordy lord! This is a total festival for our Dmir’s Workshop, isn’t it? Ahh, this… feels like all my past hardships are being rewarded…!”

Ki Soyul’s words about working hard definitely weren’t an empty boast.

Knowing her personality.

Real blood must have been shed, and real bones ground down.

Only then would she say she’d worked hard.

– Aaaah! Another piece of good news! The Shadow Empress! The Shadow Empress’s rank has grown rapidly!

– It has indeed! Who would have thought the Shadow Empress would rise into the 100s!

– I agree! As expected of the Marksman’s sister! The siblings are both a source of pride!

“Keuh, I don’t think I can hold back.”

I picked up a can of beer lying on the table.

“I don’t usually enjoy drinking, but a day like today must be celebrated.”

Tsssk!

I lightly popped the can open and passed it to the Shadow Empress.

“…Thank you.”

As the Shadow Empress accepted it—

“Alright, alright! We have to drink! Let’s drink until we drop on the company card today!”

As it was a day for the whole world to celebrate, Dmir’s Workshop was also having a company dinner.

Just then—

“My Lord! My Lord! You’ve finally returned?!”

Dmir, who was on the second floor, sensed us and came running.

“Oh, Dmir.”

I greeted him warmly.

Come to think of it, I’d forgotten about him.

“Khaha, My Lord! You’ve certainly become stronger!”

The skeleton laughed heartily.

For his sake, I summoned the other Absolutes as well.

[Using skill, ‘Summon Skeleton Lord’ (S-Class).]

[10 Energy used.]

[‘Sunny’ appears.]

[Using skill, ‘Summon Skeleton Lord’ (S-Class).]

[10 Energy used.]

[‘Eldrin’ appears.]

[Using skill, ‘Summon Skeleton Lord’ (S-Class).]

[10 Energy used.]

[‘Kayden’ appears.]

[Using skill, ‘Summon Skeleton Lord’ (S-Class).]

[10 Energy used.]

[‘Dana’ appears.]

“Euheo?”

Dmir flinched in surprise.

“Could it be Bone Four and Bone Seven? Have those fellows awakened?”

“They’re new friends. Greet each other warmly.”

For the newly awakened Kayden and Dana, I also held a skeleton get-together.

“Is this the benefactor’s world?”

“…So these are all the benefactor’s subordinates!”

Kayden and Dana looked around the workshop with eyes full of wonder.

Watching them, Dmir laughed heartily.

“Khahat! Looks like the juniors have arrived! Come here! If you listen to me carefully, I’ll tell you how to please the Lord!”

“…Is that true? If I can please my benefactor, there is nothing more I could wish for.”

“If you would tell me a way for my esteemed benefactor to be happy, I will engrave it upon my heart.”

Kayden and Dana stuck to Dmir.

“My Lord, congratulations.”

“You look happy, My Lord.”

Sunny and Eldrin offered me their greetings.

It was truly not a dog-pile, but a bone-pile.

‘Nice.’

This was our Dmir’s Workshop party.

– We will continue the announcements!

– Ah, Black Sword Lee Seonah is at rank 410! Lee Seonah has also climbed nearly 100 ranks. A tremendous achievement!

– Indeed, I can see why people call them the Five Stars of Seoul!

…

The rankings continued to be announced.

We drank beer and enjoyed the moment.

– Baekdon is at 828, a drop of 12 ranks is still a pretty good defense of his position!

– That’s right! And in the first place, Baekdon is a merchant. The fact that a merchant is even on the rankings is amazing in itself!

– Of course. And is he just any merchant? He’s a living tycoon Ranker and the vice-chairman of the Global Hunter Confederation of Merchant!

Baekdon (White Boar) Yoo Sangdon’s rank had dropped.

However, no one said anything about it.

The reason he was feared wasn’t his rank, but his wealth.

– Ah, and we have just received new information about rank 78, whom we looked into earlier!

Hm?

Rank 78, that was me?

We naturally focused on the screen.

– Yes, according to information provided by the Association! Joo Donghoon is a proud hunter of our Republic of Korea!

– To be honest, it came to mind as soon as I heard the name. The owner of the recently trending Dmir’s Workshop.

– That’s right! In addition to that, new information has arrived!

– New information?

– Yes, a post on social media by Thunderstrike Floa, who just rose from rank 84 to 80, is becoming a hot topic!

‘Thunderstrike Floa?’

‘Ah, she was below me now?’

“…”

Me.

In such a short time, I’d really grown a lot, hadn’t I?

She might be below me, but overall, we were likely at a similar level.

‘Anyway.’

What kind of post did she make for them to be making such a fuss?

– The social media post in question reads, ‘Skeleton King is a Ranker I acknowledge!’, ‘He will soon become a legend of the world!’, ‘I, Floa, support him!’

– What on earth… is going on? Isn’t Floa Germany’s hero?

– We don’t know what happened between the two parties, but isn’t this an amazing event regardless? With a Ranker in the world’s top 100 giving an official acknowledgment, it feels like any potential controversy has been nipped in the bud before it could even start!

Hoh.

Floa, that one.

Was she impressed by me or something?

I called it a slave coupon.

But I was just planning to let it slide by granting her a wish if she was in danger later.

“No, President?”

It was then that Kim Jina called me with a dumbfounded expression.

“Yes?”

“What in the world are these circumstances you can’t talk about for things to be like this…?”

She held out her phone with a look of disbelief.

“Look at this. This doesn’t make any sense…”

“What is it now?”

I took it from her, puzzled.

The screen was filled with the latest breaking news articles.

[Breaking! World Rank 90, Mask Rider, ‘Joo Donghoon is a great Ranker who will rewrite the history of the world.’]

[World Rank 39, Mudskippers also left a post on social media! Joo Donghoon is a once-in-a-generation genius born of mankind! World Rank 50, Golden Lion Raon, “Joo Donghoon?” Someone like him would surpass me in no time.]

[World Rank 68, Grim Reaper, “Joo Donghoon’s great challenge has only just begun.”]

[A sudden relay of praise for Joo Donghoon from High Rankers? What in the world is going on?]

…

Countless praises for me were floating around.

What was with these people?