The Return of the Genius Ranker of All Times

Chapter 11

They say that when a person is faced with an incomprehensible situation, their mind freezes.

Do-hyeon suddenly recalled this saying.

Because that’s exactly what was happening to him now.

‘What is going on here?’

Unable to become an apostle?

A vessel for an apostle wasn’t formed?

“What kind of ridiculous nonsense is this?”

He had drawn and selected the card honestly, so why was he being rejected with this “vessel not formed” excuse?

It was utterly impossible for him to accept.

‘I’ve never heard of anything like this happening before…’

Of course, everything from the start of the tutorial until now had been filled with unexpected events, but this was clearly an error.

Who said there were no bugs just because the game was run by AI?

A clear error was staring him in the face!

“…Wait. A vessel?”

A cold shiver ran down his spine at that moment.

‘Could it be because I didn’t receive the goddess’s revelation?’

There was only one difference between Do-hyeon and the other players who went through the tutorial.

Did you defeat the boss without dying, or did you die and meet the goddess, receiving her revelation?

In a panic, Do-hyeon opened his status window.

[Player: Kaiser]

[Level: 1]

[HP: 700 / 700]

[MP: 150 / 150]

[Stamina: 210 / 210]

[Class: Adventurer]

[Titles (2)]

-Maximum Favorability from the Start?

-The First Slayer

[Stats]

Remaining Points: 0

“…It’s not there.”

Instead of “Apostle” being listed in the class section, it simply read “Adventurer.”

Could it be that the vessel for an apostle is only formed after the player dies and receives the goddess’s revelation?

“Damn it!”

No matter how he thought about it, that seemed to be the only explanation.

If that were the case, then even the message that said the god was confused made sense.

Who could have imagined that there wouldn’t be a vessel for an apostle?

This must have been the first time Tyr had ever encountered such a situation.

‘So, what should I do now?’

Would drawing another card make any difference?

It was obvious that it would be rejected again for not having a vessel. At this rate, he might never leave the Pantheon.

He couldn’t just delete his character either.

That would mean losing all the traits he had painstakingly acquired and waiting another 60 days.

‘How long have I waited for this moment…!’

He had endured and waited for 18 months.

After suffering through what felt like an eternity, he had finally arrived here, and now they wanted him to wait another 60 days?

Even if he could obtain new traits later, he simply couldn’t accept that.

‘I need to find a solution.’

Somehow, he had to find a way out.

…But how?

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If he forcefully logged out, it would trigger an automatic god selection, but would that even apply now, after he’d been rejected for not having a vessel?

‘Whether it works or not, it’s still a problem.’

If it worked, but he ended up with a Mortal God, he would be sick to his stomach, and if it didn’t work, he’d have no choice but to delete his character, which would be even worse.

He was trapped in a dilemma, unable to recklessly log out.

Do-hyeon clutched his head, groaning in frustration.

‘Ugh… and why are these lights shining so brightly?’

As if things weren’t complicated enough, the lights radiating from the ten thousand cards were making his head spin.

Just as he was about to turn around to gather his thoughts, something caught his eye.

“…Huh?”

Something strange stood out.

Among the countless lights of three different colors, there was one card that stood out more than the others.

It had to stand out.

“Why is that one a different color?”

It was the only card in the corner that glowed red.

And that wasn’t the only strange thing.

The cards were neatly arranged in a perfect square, with an equal number in each row.

He hadn’t noticed before, but there was one extra card in the row where the red card was, making it stick out slightly.

Its position in the corner was likely the reason he hadn’t noticed it earlier.

‘Was there ever a red card?’

DemRock didn’t have a god draw system, but there was no mention of a red card in either God of Savior.

Neither in any posts nor videos had he seen anyone mention drawing a red card.

‘No, aside from that, the number doesn’t even add up.’

The Pantheon was called the Pantheon for a reason.

It was a temple of the ten thousand gods.

There shouldn’t be any extra cards.

And on closer inspection, this card appeared slightly opaque, making it all the more suspicious.

Swoosh.

Drawn in by the strange phenomenon, Do-hyeon moved toward the card as if in a trance. Before he knew it, he had selected the card.

Ding-.

[You have selected a hidden card.]

[You have drawn the Forgotten Final Adventurer Kashiar.]

[You have obtained the vessel of an Adventurer.]

[Requirements met.]

[Will you accept the selection?]

“Ah.”

A gasp escaped him.

It was a god he had never heard of.

But could it even be called a god?

Unlike the Mortal, Heroic, or Mythical Gods, there was no grade attached to it.

It was simply referred to as the Forgotten Final Adventurer.

But that was enough.

He instinctively knew that this was the only card he could select.

[You have chosen the Forgotten Final Adventurer Kashiar.]

[You have become Kashiar’s apostle.]

‘…I was really selected.’

His hunch had been correct.

He had inherited a one-of-a-kind god.

So, was this a rotten lifeline or a golden one?

There was no way to know yet, but one thing was certain…

‘It’s a hidden piece.’

At the very least, this choice was part of a hidden piece.

And hidden pieces were always extraordinary.

[Please select your path.]

[Derived Class]

Final Adventurer

Only one option was available.

Without hesitation, he selected it, and as the red light burst out and wrapped around him, it circulated through his body, turning his eyes crimson.

Whoosh!

[You have advanced to the Final Adventurer class.]

[You have acquired a class skill.]

[Class: Final Adventurer]

-Description: Humanity was originally a race of adventurers.

They were the rulers of Abtartel, stronger than anyone, possessing the power and influence to threaten even the gods.

However, humanity sought peace and did not challenge the gods.

But fate was cruel.

In the end, despite humanity’s desire for peace, war came to them.

The Great War of Ragnarok, which destroyed the entire divine realm, took place, and humanity lost its place in Abtartel as the gods turned their gaze to it.

Though humanity fought a long war and Abtartel’s once-beautiful nature was ruined, they never lost any territory.

They believed they could protect Abtartel and drive out the gods.

Until that fateful day, when it all collapsed in vain…

Humanity was defeated.

And I am the final adventurer of humanity…

“Ah…”

Do-hyeon couldn’t help but exclaim at the message that appeared upon his class advancement.

Every single word was extraordinary.

The description seemed tied to a deep secret of the game’s world, filling him with the strong sense that this was indeed a hidden piece.

‘This is incredible.’

His instincts told him.

This wasn’t just any ordinary class. It possessed something extraordinary.

The description alone was unusual.

‘Humanity fought against the gods… I’ve never heard of this kind of setting.’

At least, from what Do-hyeon had researched, it didn’t exist.

Maybe it would come up if he dug deeper, but for now, it was clear that this was not a common class.

It seemed tied to some hidden secret of the game’s world…

‘This is exciting.’

He had thought that as long as he got a god related to swordsmanship, even a Mortal God would suffice, but now he had stumbled upon a hidden piece.

This was why they said you never know what will happen in life.

Whatever the case, he would naturally learn more about this as he played the game.

‘What did I get?’

Now, his curiosity turned to something else.

‘The unique ability.’

The unique ability granted by each god.

What kind of ability had this one-of-a-kind god, the Final Adventurer, bestowed upon him?

He couldn’t wait any longer to find out.

Swallowing his dry throat, Do-hyeon opened the unique ability window, and his eyes widened.

[Adventurer]

-Description: An adventurer pursues freedom.

As the rulers and companions of Abtartel, they possess explosive potential.

-Effect: You can use skills without being bound by a class.

‘This is insane!’

An ability that lets you use any class’s skills?

Even if he was limited by the 13 skill slots, it was practically like unlocking every class at once.

His mind raced with excitement.

‘I can create a skill tree using only the best skills from each class.’

He could already think of dozens of skill trees.

The only problem would be obtaining all those skills, but Do-hyeon had the Eye of Truth.

A broken trait that allowed him to guarantee obtaining the skills he wanted, not based on chance but certainty.

‘And if I combine that with the Weapon Master trait?’

He would be a true all-master, without any weaknesses.

Gulp.

Swallowing again, Do-hyeon took a deep breath.

Even though he was seeing it with his own eyes, it still didn’t feel real.

He hadn’t even started the main game yet, but he had already gained so much.

‘This isn’t a dream, is it?’

Even though everything that had happened today seemed unbelievable, it was all real.

And none of it had just fallen into his lap. He had earned it by uncovering hidden pieces.

Do-hyeon’s gaze sharpened as he raised his head.

[You have completed your class advancement.]

[You will be transported to Abtartel shortly.]

[5…]

[4…]

The warp was preparing at that moment.

The tutorial was finally over, and he was about to enter the main stage.

Watching the countdown, Do-hyeon placed his hand on his chest.

‘Let’s do this.’

As his heart pounded and the light gradually enveloped him, Do-hyeon’s lips slowly curled into a smile.

‘Ranker.’

As the white light engulfed him, his vision reversed.

The real game had finally begun.

* * *

Players who completed the tutorial would first arrive in Arde.

Known as the beginner’s city, or the city of beginnings, Arde’s central square was always bustling with people.

The source of the commotion was the constant arrival of new players, appearing one by one in brief flashes of light after finishing the tutorial.

Those who had just set foot in Arde would exclaim in awe.

“Wow…!”

“This is amazing, it’s so beautiful!”

“It really feels like I’ve entered another world. It doesn’t feel real, but at the same time, it feels too real…”

“I want to say that doesn’t make sense, but I get it… Look at the buildings and people, it’s like we’re in a fantasy movie.”

“It’s so different from what we saw at Arlen Castle. It feels much more developed.”

The pure excitement of the newcomers filled the air.

It was a sight that even veteran players, on the verge of graduating, would pause to watch, smiling as they fondly remembered their own early days. It was one of the most lively places in the game.

But not everyone was so happy.

“Ah… my mental state…”

“I don’t think I’m cut out for combat… I’ll just focus on production jobs.”

“Just hang on until level 10. God of Savior has plenty of non-combat content too. You’ll be treated well if you have the skills.”

In a game as hyper-realistic as God of Savior, it was inevitable that some players would be traumatized by the combat.

Those players usually arrived at Arde completely shattered.

“Tsk tsk… Looks like Charlie gave them a tough time.”

“From the look of it, it wasn’t just a tough time. Their mental state is completely wrecked.”

“We’re not finding any promising recruits today… We need more combat players.”

The monsters in the game were horrifying enough with their grotesque appearances, but when combined with Charlie’s strict instructions, it became unbearable for many players.

Some, especially the more sensitive ones, would lose all desire to fight ever again.

While this meant that non-combat professions had flourished in God of Savior, much to the satisfaction of the player base, it posed a headache for scouts seeking combat talent.

“If we want to find combat players with good traits, the conditions are way too strict.”

“And that’s not all. Their expectations have skyrocketed too.”

“We should act now before it’s too late… Ugh, it’s like searching for a pearl in the sand. The competition is fierce, and good talent is scarce. What do they expect us to do?”

God of Savior had ten billion players worldwide.

While new players continuously joined the game, especially at the beginning of the year when most of them logged in for the first time, by April, there were few exceptional players left.

Though a few “geniuses” occasionally emerged, they were extremely rare.

“A fairy tale where a genius falls from the sky? That’s just a fantasy.”