Ranker's Return

“Hoh... You were hiding something like that?” Callioraks was impressed when he saw it. Ragand might not have recovered his former strength, but he was still the demon god. Overcoming the attack of the demon god just once was never easy.

“You said you are the disciple... It is similar in many ways.” Callioraks’ tone was particularly bitter. The technique Hyeonu showed was a bit different in form, but in essence, it was the same as those used by Lebron and John Blake. It meant the three of them had a close relationship. This was something that Callioraks didn’t have.

‘All I have left is...’

Nothing. There was nothing. Killing Ragand was the end of it. The tribe had been wiped out a long time ago.

‘It is... empty.’

Callioraks had lived his entire life for revenge. He learned the magic power of chaos that was filled with the wishes of his tribe and tried to become stronger. He wandered all over the demon world in search of his enemy. Callioraks never rested properly in order to kill Ragand.

‘What should I do from tomorrow?’

Callioraks already disregarded Ragand. The battle with Ragand was almost over. Ragand was a dead man. The proof was the previous collision. An attack that was broken by Hyeonu.

‘I guess he thought he could kill with that.’

However, the result was different from Ragand’s expectation. In fact, it was horribly broken. This meant that Ragand didn’t know his condition wasn’t normal.

‘In order to kill, he should’ve done it in a single breath...’

There should’ve been no hesitation.

‘I said I would concede the final blow… I have to keep my promise.’

Callioraks decided to help Hyeonu. It was so that this blow would mark the end of Ragand.

Callioraks’ body changed in an instant. In his human form, only both hands had turned into the claws of a dragon. Now, the transformation went beyond his wings, and he completely turned into a dragon. The sight of Callioraks, who became a dragon, was truly daunting. The shape of the dragon’s face, which was seen only when he used a large amount of magic power, belonged to Callioraks. On top of that, his body was larger than a hill. He seemed approximately more than 1 kilometer in length and was like a huge body was blocking the sky.

Callioraks took a deep breath. To be precise, it was the process of gathering magic power. The iceberg, which had been dyed black due to Ragand’s magic power, regained its original color. It was due to Callioraks absorbing magic power and erasing Ragand’s influence. The absorbed magic power headed toward the horns on both sides of Callioraks’ head and burned like flames.

The purple flames didn’t just burn on Callioraks’ horns though. They also burned around Ragand.

‘It’s hot?’ Ragand hastily raised his magic power as the strong flames burned around him. It was an unbearable heat.

“Magic!” Ragand shouted. It must be magic if it felt this hot. This was a power that could never emerge with simple magic power control. Moreover, it was high-level magic.

‘He said he learned magic, and he really did learn it.’

Ragand sighed silently. Now any hope he had left was gone. Judging from the power of the flames, the fire wasn’t created in a rough manner. The amount of magic power poured into the magic was terrifying.

‘I will die here...’

Many scenes passed through Ragand’s mind like a kaleidoscope. They started from his childhood, where he was praised as the greatest genius in the history of his tribe, to when he couldn’t overcome such a burden and wandered.

‘Luke...’

There was also the person in the ra tribe whom he had met by chance. He had been in the same position as Ragand and had been responsible for the future of the tribe. Decades later, Ragand joined forces with Luke, the chief of the ra tribe, to drive out the giants and take control of the continent.

‘Greed got ahead of me.’

However, it failed miserably. Not even a single city of the giants could be attacked. They were pushed back badly. It was a disaster that occurred because they didn’t know the level of the giants. After that war, Ragand and Luke were desperate to cross the wall of the giants. The problem was that the wall was too big and thick. It was impossible for them to overcome it on their own. Therefore, they attracted as many other species as possible.

Nevertheless, there was no overwhelming victory. It was a victory that only left them hurting. No, it was too vague to call it a victory. The giants walked the road to destruction due to a civil war. The alliance of species was just used in this civil war.

‘I was so stupid after that.’

The even more miserable thing was the defeat of the alliance of species by a giant who rallied with the humble human beings at the time. As a result, humans established an empire that encompassed the continent, and the ra and ran tribes had to leave the middle world, migrating to the divine and demon worlds respectively.

Then Ragand did countless things to survive in the demon world. That karma was returning to him now.

‘The end is showy.’

Ragand finished pondering on the past and gathered all the magic power flowing through his body. It was a life of many hardships, adversities, and defeats, but he didn’t regret it until the end. Even at this moment, he had to burn gorgeously. The black veil that spread around Ragand’s body started to push away the purple flames. It slowed down the flames a little bit and saved Ragand’s body, which seemed like it would burn at any moment.

At this moment, a sharp sound entered Ragand’s ears. Ragand lowered his head and saw that a purple spear had pierced the middle of his chest.

“I’ll be going first...”

At some point, Ragand’s head drooped down. He neatly gave up his life. Ragand could’ve held on if he wanted. He still had that much ability left. It was just that Ragand didn’t want this. He wouldn’t be able to escape Callioraks’ grasp even if he held out a bit longer.

The moment that Ragand gave up, the flames burning around him like ghosts quickly disappeared. It was like they hadn’t existed from the very beginning.

[Ragand, the chief of the ran tribe, has been defeated.]

[Experience has been acquired.]

[You have leveled up.]

[All health and magic power are restored.]

[You have leveled up.]

[All health and magic power are restored.]

[You have leveled up.]

[All health and magic power are restored.]

......

[You have leveled up.]

[All health and magic power are restored.]

[You have leveled up.]

[All health and magic power are restored.]

Hyeonu looked puzzled at the message windows that suddenly popped up in front of him.

‘He died? Like this? It feels so empty.’

Honestly, Hyeonu hadn’t expected it at all. The demon god, Ragand, actually died like this.

Despite his anger, Hyeonu was worried the entire time as he approached Ragand. He wondered if this was Ragand’s trap.

When was Callioraks going to help? Hyeonu, who had been trembling with anxiety, could only feel relieved when he saw the purple flames that appeared at one point. However, he hadn’t expected Ragand to receive the attack of the spear with his body. He hadn’t thought it would work.

“Pfft!” Ragand’s lowered head lifted again just then. Simultaneously, he coughed up a mouthful of blood.

Then he stared at Hyeonu and barely managed to say, “Hurts...too... much... Save me...”

Hyeonu immediately realized what the situation was. ‘Ragand is dead... Did Edward regain his sanity?’

It wasn’t Ragand who was speaking now but Edward.

‘How am I supposed to save him?’

Now Hyeonu had a different problem. Edward was already seriously injured physically. Hyeonu himself had pierced Edward’s chest with the spear. There was no way to save him.

‘Ah, there is that.’

Just then, Hyeonu thought of something. It was Tang-E.

“Tang-E!” Hyeonu called out Tang-E’s name loudly while reaching into his inventory and taking out a health recovery potion.

“What’s the matter, Master dude?!” Tang-E ran on all fours to Hyeonu at the sudden call.

‘It is urgent, urgent.’ Hyeonu didn’t even think about answering Tang-E as he opened the health recovery potion and poured it onto Edward’s wounds. Then he immediately opened another potion and poured it into Edward’s mouth.

Tang-E, who had been running in a hurry, sat down on Hyeonu’s head and asked, “What’s the matter, Master dude?”

“Give him some buffs so he can regain his health,” Hyeonu explained while pouring a health recovery potion onto Edward’s chest.

“Understood, Master dude.” Tang-E thought it was strange to cure the human being Hyeonu had just been fighting to kill. Nevertheless, it was Hyeonu’s request, so Tang-E buffed the human without any doubts. Warm magic power flowed from Tang-E’s hand and infused into Edward’s body. Edward’s wound started to improve noticeably once he received Tang-E’s buff.

‘Can I pull it out now?’ Hyeonu opened two bottles of health recovery potions and handed one to Tang-E. He said, “Hold it well and pour it the moment I pull out the spear. Understood?”

Tang-E received the health recovery potion that Hyeonu gave him with both paws. He was ready to pour it onto Edward’s body. Hyeonu carefully gripped the spear with one hand and the second health recovery potion in his other hand. He gave strength to the hand holding the spear and quickly pulled it out. Blood spurted out like a fountain from the space where the spear was missing.

“Pour it now!” Hyeonu shouted despite the blood.

“I’m pouring it!” Tang-E followed Hyeonu’s words and carefully poured the health recovery potion toward Edward’s chest so that the contents didn’t go elsewhere. Then Hyeonu saw that there was no more potion coming from the bottle in Tang-E’s paws, so he poured the one he was holding onto Edward’s body.

‘Will he survive with this?’ Hyeonu was still dubious. Tang-E’s buff clearly had a fraudulent effect. However, if Hyeonu was asked if he could save the person who was about to die, he would be forced to shake his head. The wound on Edward’s chest was too terrible.

‘How is this a stab? I clearly smashed it,’ Hyeonu thought with annoyance while mechanically pulling out more potions from his inventory.

At this moment, Callioraks approached and clicked his tongue. “He wouldn’t survive even if you pour such things for 100 days.”

“Isn’t it better to pour something like this than to just watch?” Hyeonu ignored Callioraks’ rebuke and continued to pour the health recovery potions. At the same time, he checked how many bottles of potions remained in his inventory.

‘I have around 20 bottles left?’

There weren’t many health recovery potions left. He didn’t usually drink them, so he only carried some for emergency use.

“Get out of the way. Ignorant...” Callioraks pushed Hyeonu’s shoulder and took his place.

Then Callioraks reached out to Edward. The purple magic power from Callioraks’ fingers moved to Edward’s wound.

After a while, Edward opened his eyes. “Am I alive...?”