Ranker Who Lives Twice
chapter-ss59

“Who dares?!”

The Martial King was furious. Although Agares and Fenrir had caused a ruckus, he didn’t mind it too much. The One-horned tribe was a mischievous group where the tribe members joked about their king’s commands anyway, so the trouble caused by the two was within the realm of “acceptable.”

No, inwardly, the Martial King had even welcomed it. He believed a festival was better the louder it was. But of course, his daughter seemed to be displeased.

However, the moment the officiator, Laplace, was attacked, it started to get on his nerves. There was a certain line that shouldn’t be crossed. On this happy day, there should’ve been no screams of horror or violence…!

The Martial King slapped his armrest and burst up. He lifted his sleeves, dashing toward the cause of all this, Odin, when something suddenly came at him from his blind spot. It was Denebola, the right hand of the lion constellation, Leo.

“…How dare you?!” The Martial King crumpled his face and turned toward Denebola with the blade of his hand. He was also brimming with confidence about himself. He believed even Allforone couldn’t defeat him if they were talking about pure ability, so he considered sneak attacks and sly tricks against him a mockery.

Moreover, the Martial King had transcended, and he was a star. He considered himself to be more outstanding than Kronos, who was sitting across from him, so his opponent deserved to be beaten up to death. That was what the Martial King thought.

<Eight Extreme Fists - Secret Skill Break Heaven>

Clang! But the moment his hand clashed with the sword, the Martial King had different thoughts.

‘She’s holding up? Against me?’

Even if the Martial King didn’t have the proper time to get into a ready stance, his attack wasn’t one that shouldn’t have been blocked so easily.

“I see. The king of martial arts. The name isn’t completely unworthy of you.” Denebola smirked.

Suddenly, the Martial King’s expression turned cold. He looked like a doll that couldn’t feel any emotion. It was a rare look on the man who always had an easy smile.

“Of course, you’re going to have to give that up too.” Unaware, Denebola continued to speak nonsense and consecutively swing her sword. Shing, shing, shing. In an instant, tens of trajectories were drawn above the air and fell atop the Martial King’s head. It was reminiscent of a meteor shower.

The Martial King only managed to push aside the first three or four and couldn’t even touch the rest.

Pft! Denebola laughed at the Martial King. She had been somewhat looking forward to it because it was said he was the Black King’s teacher and he was one of the greatest in the Tower, but seeing him stiffen over an attack like this, she thought what else did I expect? But really, this was only natural. No matter how strong the Martial King was, it was only a strength that was outstanding in this worldline, #0.

Denebola had followed Leo across countless worldlines and swallowed an innumerable amount of civilizations. The Martial King couldn’t even be compared to her. He was just a fish in a small pond. Since she had taught him there was a great ocean outside of the pond he was in, he needed to be grateful to her after death—

‘What…?’ But Denebola’s thoughts weren’t able to continue any longer. The Martial King, who should’ve been lost at what to do in front of the meteor shower-like attack, had flung himself toward her.

After wondering if the Martial King was trying to kill himself because he was so scared, Denebola widened her eyes a moment later. The Martial King…was passing through her attacks. As if he was a ghost. To be exact, the trajectories were deflected, their angles slightly twisted before reaching the Martial King, so he was able to pass through. It was like all the laws of the universe were centered around him. ‘Impossible!’

Denebola tried to retreat at the strange phenomenon that wasn’t logically possible, but the Martial King was already in front of her. He declared, “You’re the one who’s going to have to give up something. Your head.”

Denebola couldn’t respond because the Martial King already grabbed her face and was planting her to the ground. Crash! Denebola’s head was half-crushed as blood spurted out. Resisting? Making a counterattack? She didn’t even have the chance to attempt any of that. It was all futile in front of the overwhelming martial arts.

But of course, this was something as natural as breathing to the Martial King, so he wasn’t impressed. Boom! The Martial King immediately jumped into the guest area, leaving the still-breathing Denebola on the ground, as if she wasn’t worth dealing with anymore.

Then, the Martial King faced Odin, who stood up like he had been waiting for this moment. Odin said, “You’re finally here.”

With Odin’s ominous laugh, a horrifying screech spread throughout the entire palace. Kiaaaaa!

* * *

Meanwhile, Phante was looking down at everything from the tip of a building. “Where is it?” Malach’s archangels and L’Infernals demon kings were busy fighting against the gods of Asgard, but Phante paid it no mind. He murmured, “There should definitely be someone else behind it.”

Phante, who had come from the far future, had incredible judgment and skill, and he was considered to have taken the One-horned tribe into a new golden age. However, his ability didn’t come from wisdom or being able to read people and situations well, but his instinct. He tended to rely on his sharp animal-like gut. During both times of fortune and misfortune, his instinct was always active, showing him the proper path to take.

And right now, Phante’s instinct was telling him that Odin, Asgard, couldn’t dare to have dreamed of planning this. There had to be someone else behind it… However, he didn’t know what it was. He needed to find and eliminate it if he wanted this chaos to settle down… He didn’t want his little sister’s wedding to be ruined in this way.

Just then, something entered Phante’s vision. ‘…What’s that?’

In the middle of the chaotic garden with frantically escaping or fighting guests, someone walked quietly along. Step, step… His footsteps were lax, as if he wasn’t a part of the pandemonium surrounding him. But no one seemed to think it was strange. Rather, it was more accurate to say no one had noticed him. If Phante hadn’t been carefully searching, he wouldn’t have found the man either.

‘That’s the guy.’

Phante immediately jumped toward him.

“Hiya!”

Swish. As he fell to the ground with a mighty cry, the man also stopped and looked up at Phante. The way the man’s long hair flew loose in the wind stood out. Leo, also known as Regulus, widened his eyes in surprise and chuckled good-naturedly. “Hahaha! I thought there was only trash here. I guess there is someone who’s useful.”

Phante thought to himself that he was going to crush that arrogant mouth first as he raised his Blood Lightning to the maximum. Crash! Blood-red lightning crackled with an impressive thunder, falling on top of Leo’s head.

Eeeeeerng. But Phante felt the back of his neck turn cold. He rapidly twisted to the side, and the area that was a breath’s distance away from him suddenly exploded. Boom! It was an extraordinary impact that made even his Blood Lightning disappear.

Cough. Phante was roughly flung back and rolled on the ground.

“Wow, you evaded that? You look pretty dim, but I guess you have good instinct, huh?”

Phante, covered in dust, forced himself to stand. He glowered at the amused Leo. His pride had taken a hit…but it was mentally shocking as well. ‘He’s…on the same level as Father?’ It was just a single clash—no, Phante hadn’t even been able to counter—but his experience in battle allowed him to quickly realize Leo’s level. The attack just now had only been a warm-up. If the two clashed directly, Phante would without being able to last a few seconds.

The thought invaded Phante’s mind. The man was definitely not weaker than the Martial King, who had even become a star. The aura around him even made Phante’s skin prickle. ‘Where did such a guy…?!’

Phante gritted his teeth. Then…

“You’re smiling?” Leo tilted his head, not understanding Phante’s reaction. Of those he faced, their reactions were either one of the two: stiffening in hear, or bowing and swearing submission. It was a natural stance that one should take in front of the king of beasts, the lion, so Leo never found it strange. So it was the first time he was looking at someone grinning ear to ear like they were having the time of their lives.

“Hahaha! I thought there was no one good enough around to fight against, but I didn’t need to worry!”

Crackle! Crash! The Blood Lightning surrounding Phante was charged more fully than it had ever been. It was a result of his joy of meeting a strong enemy.

<Blood Lightning ― Secret Skill Myriad Lightning>

The secret skill that filled the entire world with blood-red lightning and burned it down was opened, and Phante was soon surrounded by a lightning sphere that made it hard to recognize him. Crash! With every step he took forward, every dash, every flutter of his clothes, the clash of the lightning sphere and the atmosphere made a thunder sound that was deafening. The hazy air and heat was threatening enough to immediately tear apart most transcendents.

“What a crazy bastard. You take care of him, Algieba.” Leo summoned his left hand because it was clear dealing with this himself would only be a bother.

Whoosh! The space next to Leo was twisted, and someone stepped out. He was dressed in traditional martial clothing and covered his eyes with a blindfold. He had the opposite image of Leo. Creeeaak! Algieba’s sleeves flapped and the narrow sword that came out made the sound of nails against glass as it clashed with Myriad Lightning. Du du du…

While Denebola and Odin fought with the Martial King, and Algieba fought against Phante, Leo scanned the garden, which looked like it wouldn’t be able to be returned to its original state. Then he turned toward the center… Yeon-woo was looking back at Leo with empty eyes. His pretty bride had already disappeared somewhere else.

Leo wasn’t particularly interested in Edora anyway, so he grinned. It was easier without anyone to get in the way. “Black King. Dim-witted darkness. The chaos before the beginning…and Cha Yeon-woo in the original universe. Right?”

“If I am?”

“Pahaha! That’s a relief. Do you know how much I wanted to see you? Everyone told me to avoid you and was so concerned that I wanted to see you for myself. So that’s why I came.” Leo raised the corners of his mouth. “You can be happy. I don’t usually move. I almost never get up actually. That’s how much I wanted to see you.”

“Yes. Indeed. I’m happy.”

“Ooh! You too? Why? Am I so famous that even you know me? Hm? I thought I’ve been hiding my name well though.”

“I don’t care about your name.” Yeon-woo’s smile seemed cold, like a predator that had a prey right in front of him. “I’m just happy that a gift for my teacher came on its own feet.”