Ranker's Return

Chapter 451

Translator: rainbowturtle

Editor: LD & Jyazen

“John Blake... I don’t know how long it has been since I’ve heard my full name.” Duke John looked like he was recalling the past. He stared into the air for a long time before soon turning to Hyeonu. With serious eyes, John Blake examined Hyeonu’s entire body, from head to toe. It was a behavior that showed his intention to understand everything about Hyeonu. “This much... It isn’t lacking to be the next knight commander. Your master is Lebron, right? I want to ask to be certain.”

“Yes, my master is Duke Lebron, not His Majesty,” Hyeonu said, nodding in response to John Blake’s question. Then he expressed someone else’s message: “Master asked me to give you some news.”

John glanced at Hyeonu with a look of surprise. “That Lebron? Maybe it’s because he is older or maybe it is because he has a student, but I feel like he has finally come to his senses.”

He couldn’t hide his smile. Which teacher wouldn’t feel grateful if one of his two students was concerned about his safety?

“There is also a message from the emperor.”

“Him?

It was really amazing this time. The emperor was passing on a message to him? There had been no communication between them since John Blake stepped down as commander of the Knights of Keon, so this made it even more amazing.

‘Him? Maybe it’s because he is the emperor’s teacher, but he has no sense of the consequences...’ Hyeonu was also surprised. He found the words of John Blake who knew Lebron and the emperor to be astonishing. However, the other people couldn’t see Hyeonu’s expression. His mask was working very well.

“What did he say?” John Blake asked.

“It is too boring. So when you return, he hopes you bring some fun news.”

“What fun... If he wants to find something like that, he should descend from his throne. That won’t happen though.” John Blake waved at Hyeonu. Just then, a message appeared in front of Hyeonu.

[Meet Duke Blake 1/1]

[Tell Duke Blake the emperor’s message 1/1]

‘I finished two quests at the same time.’

The moment this message disappeared, another one appeared.

[Duke Blake has been cleared.]

[Experience has been acquired.]

[Emperor’s Message has been cleared.]

[Experience has been acquired.]

[32,000 imperial contributions have been acquired.]

Hyeonu received an overwhelmingly large amount of experience. It was worth clearing two S+ quests.

‘I just need to get the secret technique.’

A bright smile appeared on Hyeonu’s face. The secret technique was definitely a skill, so the thought of getting it was refreshing for Hyeonu.

“Duke Blake...” Hyeonu called out to John Blake to bring up teaching him the secret technique. However, Hyeonu’s plan wasn’t successful.

Baler cut off Hyeonu’s words and interrupted the two of them: “What? The two of you know each other? Is there a way to get to the middle world from the demon world? No? Then this guy would’ve gone back to the demon world...”

With a tilted head, Baler had been watching the two men talk with ease.

“I’m seeing him for the first time, but we know each other through other people. This is my disciple’s disciple. It is a relationship that can’t be seen in the demon world.” The answer came from Duke Blake. He honestly revealed his relationship with Hyeonu without any filters. Hyeonu could see the emperor and Lebron in such a Duke Blake.

‘They are truly his disciples.’

They didn’t know how to go around and just went straight forward. It was very monotonous behavior.

“Really? That’s a strange connection...” Baler’s answer was shorter. Nevertheless, he just had to look at them a few times to be convinced of the relationship between them. There was no reason to doubt it.

Garcia’s lips were tightly closed as if glue had been applied to his mouth. He didn’t say a word. The presence of Baler in front of him caused him to hold his breath. Baler didn’t even do anything. Just standing there and releasing a bit of pressure made it difficult for Garcia to endure.

The 1st ranked existence in the demon world and the strongest demon king, Baler—it was said that he was so strong at least two demon kings were needed to fight him. If the place of the fight were in Baler’s territory, all monsters would be needed to challenge him.

“If there is nothing to say, can the two of you leave? There is a lot I have to say to this child I am meeting for the first time.” John Blake issued a request to Baler and Viscount Garcia.

Upon hearing this, Garcia’s dark skin turned pale. “Duke...”

There was nothing wrong with Viscount Garcia’s reaction. A duke was giving orders to a demon king—this wasn’t an easy situation to understand. It wouldn’t be strange if Baler swung his fist straight away. Yet that didn’t happen. The situation that unfolded was contrary to Garcia’s imagination.

“Really? Then call me when your talk is over.” Baler waved and disappeared from the garden.

Viscount Garcia didn’t know what was going on, but he was relieved that the situation had worked out well. He bowed to John Blake and disappeared from the garden.

Now, only two people were left. John Blake stared at Hyeonu for a long time. In the end, Hyeonu opened his mouth first and asked, “Why is a duke playing as a duke in the demon world?”

He expressed what he was most curious about. Why was John Blake in the demon world? This was the first question.

‘How did he come here?’

As far as Hyeonu knew, the passage to the demon world was largely under the control of the dragons.

“It is because of my curiosity. I don’t regret my behavior that day. I would probably make the same choice even if I went back to that day.”

John Blake was a curious person. Most of his youth had been constrained inside the capital. Perhaps he had such a strong personality due to the backlash against that. After training outstanding people like Lebron and the emperor, John Blake had immediately announced his retirement. He called it retirement, but it was actually running away in the middle of the night. He’d left a letter in the office and escaped the capital. Then he wandered around the continent and found a magical cave. To be exact, he found a cave with a strange energy. Duke John couldn’t pass by such a place.

“I accidentally touched a magic circle in the cave and was transported to the demon world. It all happened too fast. I couldn’t do anything.”

There was a magic circle deep inside the cave. That magic circle was the same as the one Hyeonu had seen in the cave on Bung Bung Island. There was just one difference. The magic circle in the cave on Bung Bung Island was controlled by Leon Meyer, whereas there was no such person at the magic circle that John Blake found. So John Blake triggered it the moment he touched it.

“I see...” Hyeonu uttered. It was a brief explanation, but he fully understood it. Nonetheless, he still had many questions remaining. One question was resolved, and another popped out. “So how did you become a duke of the demon world?”

“How did you rise to become a viscount?”

Hyeonu received a question, not an answer, in return.

“The demons mistakenly thought I was a demon, so I tricked them and acted as one in the demon world.”

“Really? Your luck is good.” John Blake scoffed at Hyeonu’s answer. It was too different from what had happened to him. He said, “I fought for a month without sleeping properly...”

Upon falling into the demon world, John Blake had fought from the very moment he approached a city. In the span of 24 hours, the period of time when he wasn’t fighting was no less than three hours. He swung his sword for at least 21 hours. A month after starting this life, he met Rubolle.

“If that demon king brat hadn’t fled to his city...”

John Blake won his first fight against Rubolle. He beat Rubolle despite not being in his best condition. However, he failed to deal the final blow, and Rubolle fled back to his city. The next battle took place inside Rubolle’s city. At that time, John Blake was defeated by a very small difference. As the battle lengthened, Rubolle received magic power from the magic power stone, and John Blake was pushed in endurance.

“There was such a thing...” Hyeonu couldn’t hide his amazement. John Blake was truly worthy of being the monster’s teacher. He’d fought a demon king and won.

‘It is really unbelievable that he won.’

After hearing the story, Hyeonu’s expectations increased. He was now full of expectations about how strong and useful the skill from such a powerful NPC would be.

“In addition, there was something Master asked me to say,” Hyeonu said.

John Blake frowned and waited for Hyeonu’s words.

Hyeonu stated, “Get something from you at all costs.”

John Blake immediately held out his right hand, from which he released golden pure energy. Part of the garden instantly disappeared without a trace.

“I don’t know how you take care of your master. Another disciple...”

It was an immense power. Seeing this, Hyeonu quickly looked through his inventory and pulled out a bottle of alcohol.

‘Should I give him some alcohol?’

“Of course, I’m not just asking you to teach me, Duke Blake. Do you like alcohol? This is a famous kind of alcohol from the East Continent and only 1,000 bottles are produced per year...”

John Blake’s eyes widened. Hyeonu only had the bottle of alcohol in his hands. The mouth of the bottle was tightly sealed, yet John Blake could already imagine its scent. He said eagerly, “You are polite, unlike them. You have good vision. You should be giving me such a thing as my disciple’s disciple. The give or take should happen one hundred times—no, one thousand times.”

Hyeonu gave John Blake the bottle of alcohol. He thought he had to do so. If he hesitated, something would definitely happen.

John Blake finished the bottle instantly in one shot. He drank it without once removing his mouth from the bottle.

“Yes, what do you want to learn? No, let’s see what is lacking first.” John Blake reached out for Hyeonu. The moment he did so, an incredible golden magic power wrapped around the entire garden.

“Um... Going this far... Can’t you find out just by looking?” Hyeonu spoke in the most pitiful and polite voice possible.

Yet Duke Blake shook his head firmly and said, “There is a big difference between seeing it with one’s eyes and experiencing it with the body. Don’t worry, I won’t kill you.”

‘Then you should get rid of that magic power first,’ Hyeonu complained inwardly. He didn’t outwardly express his feelings because he was worried about John Blake’s anger.

“Come on. Since when did a Knight of Keon only act with his mouth? If you don’t do it properly, I will go and see Lebron,” John Blake threatened. Hearing that, Hyeonu frowned and pulled out the Mysterious Sky Sword.

‘Once again, I can’t be comfortable today.’

It seemed to be a routine every time he got a skill.

“I’m coming.”