The Return of the Genius Ranker of All Times

Chapter 4

“What’s the first thing you want to do after you’re discharged?”

This was the most frequently asked question to soldiers nearing the end of their service.

And the answers were usually simple and straightforward.

“I want to sleep all day at home.”

“I want to enjoy some grilled pork belly with a glass of soju.”

“I want to lie in bed, tear into some fried chicken, and watch NetXlix.”

Having had their everyday freedoms restricted, those who longed for them came to appreciate the value of their ordinary lives and desired to reclaim them.

In that regard, Do-hyeon was no different.

“Games.”

“…What?”

“I want to play games.”

“….”

His life as a gaming fanatic consisted of nothing more than a spacious room, a computer, and VR equipment.

He was desperate to get back to that life.

At first, his comrades looked at him with bewildered expressions, but they soon understood.

“Games? You mean God of Savior?”

“Oh, that first full-dive VR game? Damn, if it’s that, I get it. I’m going nuts wanting to play that too. And right when it was released, I got drafted…”

“What kind of game is it? You should’ve said you wanted to play God of Savior from the start.”

“Is everyone hitting up capsule rooms after discharge? Let’s party up once we’re out.”

For people, God of Savior was no longer just a game for gaming addicts.

It was a cultural phenomenon, a world in itself.

It was so prevalent that it was harder to find someone who didn’t play God of Savior.

Even among the elderly, not knowing about it would make you seem out of touch with reality.

Sadly, for the soldiers stuck in the military, during the reign of God of Savior, there wasn’t a single one who didn’t want to play it.

“…Is God of Savior really that impressive?”

“I’ve heard it’s like another world…”

“What, you guys haven’t tried God of Savior yet? Man, look at these normies… No joke, bring three diapers with you.”

Even the juniors, who were smoking with them, started to take interest in the game.

At times like that, the ones who had experienced God of Savior before coming into the army would puff up with pride and tell stories like they were recounting heroic tales.

Those who hadn’t yet played the game would listen with wide-eyed wonder, like children hearing about a fantasy world.

Before long, 90% of the conversations in the army revolved around God of Savior and women.

Every time this happened, Do-hyeon had to test his patience.

‘It’s really a virtual reality game…!’

He had dismissed it, thinking it was nonsense, just another sequel to DemRock.

Who could have imagined that it would actually be a real virtual reality game?

The timing was so cruel—released exactly when he entered the military—that it brought him to the verge of tears.

He wasn’t a religious person, but for the first time, he felt a surge of faith.

At this point, he was convinced that some divine being was personally tormenting him.

And so, after enduring and enduring for 1 year and 6 months, the moment he was finally discharged…

Bang!

“…The capsule! Where’s the capsule?”

“What? You’re home already? Your hair’s gotten so long.”

“Your brother comes home and the first thing he looks for is the capsule. When he was little, he always used to call out for his mom, but now look at him. They say kids stop needing their parents when they grow up, and I guess it’s true.”

“Mom, you still have your daughter, right?”

“Enough, stop calling for me. Really, is there no middle ground with you two?”

As soon as he arrived home, Do-hyeon was like an addict searching for a fix, immediately asking for the capsule.

Seeing this, his younger sister, Hyun-ah, and their mother, Chae Mi-sook, who had been watching TV, threw out sarcastic remarks.

Normally, Do-hyeon would’ve snapped back, but right now, he didn’t care at all.

His only desire was to get to the capsule as soon as possible.

“The capsule’s been set up in your room. Two delivery men carried it in, but my goodness, why is it so heavy? Do people really play games on things like that these days?”

“Mom, don’t you know about God of Savior? If you don’t, people treat you like a total outcast these days.”

“Oh please, I know. It’s all they ever talk about on TV. But there’s no way I could play something like that. Aren’t those monsters terrifying?”

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“Mom, your son’s the best at taking them down. He’s practically a butcher.”

Listening to their conversation with one ear, Do-hyeon headed straight to his room and froze at the sight before him.

His eyes filled with emotion.

“Ahh…”

What a beautiful sight.

The sleekly designed oval shape and the smooth curves were beyond beautiful.

As he approached and ran his hand over the capsule, a smile spread across his face.

‘This is a capsule…’

The feeling was entirely different from just seeing it on broadcasts.

Maybe it was because he had meticulously saved his monthly military pay—enough to actually call it a salary now—to buy this capsule.

Though it was a second-hand, standard model that cost him around 4 million won, it felt as rewarding as buying his first car.

“Son, aren’t you going to eat?”

“I already ate. I’ll eat dinner later.”

Giving a quick response to his mother, Chae Mi-sook, Do-hyeon immediately threw himself into the capsule.

The soft cushioning that enveloped him was better than expected.

Though capsules had once been extremely expensive, now, after nearly two years, they were much more affordable.

Compared to back then, the quality was better, and the synchronization rate had improved as well.

‘Alright, let’s log in.’

Do-hyeon began operating the capsule with practiced ease.

He had already memorized how to use it from countless videos he had watched.

The same went for God of Savior.

While he hadn’t studied everything, he had grasped enough of the basics on his way home.

‘It’s quite similar to DemRock.’

As a sequel, many aspects were alike.

Which made sense.

In terms of the game’s lore, God of Savior was set in a future generation, after DemRock.

From the world itself, to the cities, and other various elements.

While much had changed, since they shared the same roots, the system and basic mechanics were familiar enough that they wouldn’t pose any challenges.

He had only skimmed the surface, but detailed guides could always be consulted later as needed.

In 1 year and 6 months, most information had been thoroughly cataloged—just a few clicks on the homepage would suffice.

Especially in a game like God of Savior, played by over 1 billion people.

Click.

After flipping the switches one by one and completing the initial setup, he placed the gear, resembling a helmet, over his head. His vision went dark.

And then a series of messages appeared.

[Iris scanning in progress.]

[Verifying ID card.]

[ID card verified.]

[Sync complete.]

[Would you like to log into God of Savior?]

“Yes.”

At his immediate response, the world faded away, and everything turned white.

Then, as his vision cleared, a new world emerged—a pure white space.

A female AI voice echoed through the space.

[Welcome to the Paradise of Adventure.]

[Please create your character.]

[Gender cannot be changed. You may modify your appearance—such as hair, eyes, and minor physical attributes—within limits that do not significantly affect your body.]

Do-hyeon looked at the full-length mirror that had appeared in front of him.

In the mirror, his current appearance was reflected.

Barely covering his private parts, his body was almost entirely exposed.

Though his hair had grown somewhat, his military-style buzz cut was still noticeable, and his now considerably bulkier frame stood out.

‘Yeah, I still look too much like a soldier.’

Not that he wanted to advertise that he’d rushed home the moment he was discharged.

Each time he made a change, his appearance would alter immediately, and he couldn’t help but be amazed as he adjusted his look.

It was like wielding magic. But, in the end, he didn’t make any significant alterations.

All he did was grow his hair out.

Other than that, he looked the same as he did in real life.

‘There’s nothing much I can fix anyway, so no need to waste time.’

This part was certainly different from DemRock.

In DemRock, where you couldn’t feel all five senses, you could alter not only your appearance but even your gender.

They say those who excel at character customization, known as “customization masters,” make the most of these constraints, but unfortunately, Do-hyeon wasn’t skilled in that area.

Nor did he care to bother with it.

Having finished his customization, he now looked more civilian-like.

Satisfied, Do-hyeon stared at his reflection in the mirror when the voice rang out again.

[Please select a nickname.]

‘A nickname, huh…’

Anyone who played God of Savior would have to be cautious at this step.

In most games, nicknames couldn’t be duplicated, but God of Savior allowed for duplicates.

Considering the fact that over 1 billion people played the game, this was only natural.

Yet, Do-hyeon shouted his choice without a moment’s hesitation.

“Kaiser.”

It was the name he had used from the very start of his gaming career until the day the service had ended.

To him, Kaiser was as familiar and meaningful as his real name.

He never had any intention of choosing a different name.

[Is the nickname ‘Kaiser’ correct?]

“Yes.”

[Welcome, ‘Kaiser.’]

[Your hashtag is Kaiser#312543.]

[Your character has been created.]

[You will now be moved to the tutorial zone.]

With that message, his vision went dark.

* * *

“Wow…”

Do-hyeon couldn’t help but be awestruck at the sight before him.

He was standing on top of a fortress.

The scene looked like something straight out of a typical medieval fantasy movie.

It wasn’t the kind of breathtaking fantasy landscape seen in videos, but the flickering torches and towering castle walls gave him the feeling of standing on the brink of battle.

The cool night breeze brushing against his skin, the smell of something burning in the distance.

The sensation of his feet planted firmly on the ground.

Even the subtle feeling of his fingertips when he wiggled them—every sensation felt so real.

It was as if he had been transported into a fantasy world, rather than just starting a game.

The level of immersion was on a completely different level compared to DemRock.

‘This is a virtual reality game…’

He was gazing absentmindedly at the foreign landscape beyond the fortress wall when the AI voice broke his reverie.

[This is the battlefield of the ancient Arlen Castle, once a site of fierce conflict.]

[Please select a weapon.]

The same voice that had guided him during character creation snapped him back to reality.

Turning around instinctively, he saw various weapons floating in midair. It was a bizarre contrast to the otherwise realistic environment, almost unsettling in its incongruity.

[Crude Sword]

– An old, dull sword.

It should still be capable of cutting down people.

[Crude Spear]

– An old, dull spear.

It should still be capable of stabbing people.

…

[Crude Bow]

– An old, worn-out bow.

It seems like it can still shoot about fifty more arrows.

From swords to spears, bows, daggers, maces, crossbows, and staves…

There was an array of weapons, but Do-hyeon reached for one without any hesitation.

[You have selected the Crude Sword.]

[You can now use the basic sword skill ‘Strike.’]

[The tutorial will now begin.]

A sword.

Do-hyeon’s preferred weapon during his time in DemRock.

There wasn’t a particular reason for it.

It just seemed like the most versatile weapon, and when he tried it, it turned out to suit him well.

“Hey!”

The moment he grabbed the weapon, a soldier came running from a distance as if he had been waiting for this.

His frantic expression and the bloodstains on his armor conveyed the urgency of the situation.

Do-hyeon stood still, watching him approach, but the soldier roughly grabbed his wrist and pulled him along as if frustrated.

“What are you doing here in such a dire situation? The other mercenaries have already joined the battle, so hurry up and join them!”

[A party has been formed with Knight Commander ‘Charlie.’]

Party Members
– Charlie
– Kaiser

Dragged along by Charlie, Do-hyeon was practically forced into the castle.

It was the type of event tutorial commonly seen in other games.

As they made their way deeper inside, the chaos intensified.

Soldiers and monsters alike lay bleeding and dead, victims of swords and arrows.

The leisurely atmosphere from earlier vanished as the situation grew increasingly tense.

And the deeper they went, the worse it became.

Screech!

Screaaaach!

More and more monsters clashed with soldiers, the monsters viciously attacking the soldiers, who were barely holding their ground.

Every now and then, Do-hyeon would spot mercenaries lying dead as well.

“So many already… Damn it.”

Charlie shut his eyes tightly, his face contorted in anguish, before quickly turning away and hurrying his steps.

He was genuinely grieving the loss of his comrades.

Such minute details as the slight tremor of his hands or the quivering of his eyelids couldn’t have been captured if this were just data.

“They’ve finally joined forces with those monsters… If the rumors are true, they’ve made a pact with that ‘creature.’ If we don’t stop it soon, it’ll descend.”

That’s why Charlie wasn’t even bothering to properly close the eyes of his fallen comrades—if that creature descended, everything would be over.

And Do-hyeon knew exactly which creature he was talking about. He had already seen it several times in videos.

That creature wasn’t meant to be killed during the tutorial.

“Hurry. It’s just beyond this passage.”

They had barely descended the staircase when Charlie shouted across the corridor.

It was then that—

Whoosh! Thwack!

At the sound of something cutting through the air, Do-hyeon halted, just as arrows whizzed past him and embedded themselves in the ground.

It felt as though the arrows had deliberately avoided him.

“…!”

Charlie, who had been ready to deflect the arrows with his sword, stopped in surprise.

He quickly collected himself and murmured under his breath.

“Did he dodge that on purpose? No… that’s impossible. You’ve got some incredible luck.”

It made no sense to stop and dodge arrows like that.

Thinking it was pure luck was the only logical conclusion.

Creak. Creak.

The monsters that had fired the arrows came into view.

They were creatures that resembled gnolls.

Except for the small horns protruding from their heads, they were almost indistinguishable from typical gnolls.

There were five of them.

“They’ve made it this far in… We’ll have to break through them.”

As Charlie took his stance, the monsters let out guttural laughs and readied their weapons.

Two archers and three wielding maces.

It was an annoying combination. For Charlie, it was a problem. Time was of the essence, and now they were stuck here.

“I’ll go in first, and…!?”

That was when Do-hyeon suddenly dashed forward.