Ranker’s Return

Choi Yoon’s eagerly awaited opportunity came. The opponent’s greatsword moved along the best path for a counter. It was carelessness. So far, Choi Yoon had been sticking to the defensive, and the opponent thought he would keep doing so. It wasn’t an exaggeration to say that Choi Yoon had endured the opponent’s offensive for this moment alone.

‘Turning Over the Ground!’

There was no better chance for it. This was the best chance while the opponent was careless. Choi Yoon used Turning Over the Ground without hesitation. His sword moved up the opponent’s sword like a salmon swimming upstream. The final destination of his sword was the opponent’s neck.

Choi Yoon thought it would pierce the opponent’s neck instantly. He could clearly see how flustered the opponent was. The opponent had never imagined that Choi Yoon would have this type of skill. Choi Yoon’s sword appeared with a dark sword energy and pierced the opponent’s throat.

[Player ‘Choi Yoon’ has won.]

Victory after a grueling battle was sweet.

***

Hyeonu ran toward Choi Yoon and hugged him.

“Well done. The opponent might’ve been a proxy knight, but you fought calmly. You did really well.”

Hyeonu was thrilled. In fact, Hyeonu had thought it was unlikely Choi Yoon would win as his opponent was very good. Choi Yoon’s victory was a significant overlap of luck and coincidence. It was an overlap of coincidence and luck that would never occur twice.

“The opponent was a proxy knight? I just thought he was a very good player...” Choi Yoon asked with wide eyes like he really didn’t know.

Hyeonu laughed at Choi Yoon’s actions. He barely managed to calm down after laughing for a long time.

“Is it possible for a player of such skill to have such a low ranking? To put it bluntly, I think this win was lucky. Of course, luck is only meant for those who are prepared.”

Choi Yoon nodded at Hyeonu’s words. He admitted it himself. It was clear that if they met again, he would lose unconditionally. The difference in skill was obvious.

“Then congratulations on 11 consecutive wins, Choi Yoon. We’re almost at our goal.”

***

“Of course, it was a success. Don’t you believe in your father?” Choi Yoon said proudly, puffing up his chest.

He looked too immature to be the father of a child. However, the gaze in Choi Jisu’s eyes showed she thought otherwise.

“Really? You obtained a bronze medal? Really?” Choi Jisu asked while clinging to Choi Yoon’s neck. Her father was now a bronze medalist. This was great news for Choi Jisu who loved Arena.

“If you don’t believe it, watch the end of the video.”

At Choi Yoon’s words, Choi Jisu left Choi Yoon’s arms and sat down in front of the laptop again. Then she started playing the end of the video. Two familiar men emerged in the video. There was a masked man, who was Alley Leader, and her father, who was now in the hospital room.

“Congratulations, Choi Yoon. I was actually dubious if you could do it, but you are now a bronze medalist.” Alley Leader applauded Choi Yoon.

Choi Yoon expressed his gratitude by bowing to Alley Leader. “It is all thanks to you, Alley Leader. If it wasn’t for Alley Leader, I wouldn’t be able to win a bronze medal and she wouldn’t be able to get surgery. I really, really appreciate it.”

-??? What does this mean?

-Surgery?

-Please explain the situation.

-No... Make things clear. Captain.

Choi Yoon watched the video and turned his head toward Choi Jisu.

“Father? What does this mean? Aren’t I going out to play with you? Surgery?”

Choi Jisu was the last to know she was traveling with Choi Yoon. She didn’t know she was going to the United States to treat her illness.

“In fact, Alley Leader told me that an acquaintance of his is paying for the surgery. The reason we’re taking a plane today isn’t just to go flying. It is to get treatment. I’m sorry I lied to you, my daughter.” 

Choi Yoon’s words brought tears to Choi Jisu’s eyes.

Then she rushed back to Choi Yoon. “Father! Then I can be with you? Eh? Really?”

Choi Yoon hugged Choi Jisu and cried without saying anything.

***

Choi Yoon arrived in New York while carrying the sleeping Choi Jisu. The immigration process was over quickly because Nike’s side helped a lot. After that, Choi Yoon met a Nike employee who told him,“Take the car waiting outside the airport and go to the New York-Presbyterian Hospital.”

Then Choi Yoon wondered, “Can I ask one more thing?”

“I will answer if it is possible.”

Choi Yoon asked the question he had been wondering about the entire time on the plane. “The one who paid for the surgery... is Alley Leader, right?”

The employee was confused by Choi Yoon’s question and wondered why Choi Yoon was asking this. “Didn’t you know? From Choi Jisu’s surgery cost to various expenses, Alley Leader sponsored them all with his private money.” 

Choi Yoon recalled the face of a young man—the one who was sincerely saddened by Choi Yoon’s daughter.

“Thank you very much.” Choi Yoon knew Hyeonu couldn’t hear it, but he still said it anyway. “Really, thank you so much.”

***

After Choi Yoon successfully received the bronze medal, Hyeonu spent time with the audience.

“It was dangerous to meet a proxy knight in the middle, but I think it ended really neatly. Don’t you agree?”

-Yes.

-It seems there was a crisis.

-A stormy 19 consecutive wins.

-When is the third season starting? I’ll apply too...

“It is because I taught everything well. You accused me of hitting Choi Yoon to relieve stress, and so on. Didn’t the results prove everything? This is Alley Leader, Alley Leader.”

Hyeonu was bluffing.

‘Honestly, I thought the bronze medal wouldn’t be that easy...’

How hard had Choi Yoon worked? He also won a complete victory like Dwayne had done. In any case, it didn’t matter. The viewers wouldn’t know he had such a thought.

“So me, Dwayne, and Choi Yoon—all three of us have bronze medals. This is Alley Leader’s class.”

-I admit it.

-He seems to be teaching really well.

-The two of them were taught and went undefeated in the bronze section.

-Hasn’t Dwayne continued winning? He will reach the silver medal soon.

‘Dwayne is taking good care of himself.’

Hyeonu was able to hear news from the chat window. Dwayne continued to win and was nearing the silver medal.

‘It is natural. It is a class that is meant for PvP.’

Dwayne’s class was a real scam in close combat. The damage could explode at a moment’s notice, and there wouldn’t be just one or two dodges. His level wasn’t low either, and it was hard to find someone with better equipment than Dwayne. He could probably reach a gold medal.

‘AH, I have to set up a day and stream my ranking battle...’

Hyeonu’s current ranking was at 3 million. He didn’t do ranking battles unless the streaming mode was turned on, so his rise in the rankings was slow.

‘I’ll have to do it soon. First, aim for the gold medal.’

At this moment, the chat window started to be bombarded with content.

-By the way, what was that about the hospital fees?

-I slipped over it, but shouldn’t you tell us now?

-Is the uncle sick?

-He just said it was the surgery fee for the uncle’s daughter.

-Stop making things up. To be precise, he helped her get the surgery.

Hyeonu was troubled after seeing the chat window fill with the words that Choi Yoon left before running away to find his daughter. Did he really have to say it? Was he selling Choi Yoon for his own stream?

‘I’ll do it in a roundabout manner. It’s okay to reveal how much Choi Yoon said.’

After thinking about it, Hyeonu said, “Um... In fact, everyone knows that the student was selected through an application, right?”

-Yes.

-I entered.

-You also entered? ㅋ ㅋ ㅋ I applied too ㅠㅠ

-Then you really selected...

“Many people applied, and the applications were filtered on Nike’s side. They reduced the number of applicants, and I picked from the remaining candidates.” 

Hyeonu cleverly mixed truths and falsehoods. In fact, Nike had filtered the applicants from beginning to end and sent Choi Yoon’s application to Hyeonu. The truth was that Hyeonu chose Choi Yoon at the end. In other words, Hyeonu had the final choice. If Hyeonu had refused the application that Nike handed over, then they would’ve sent him someone else’s application.

“His daughter is sick, and her only hobby is watching Arena. Additionally, Choi Yoon is an ordinary player as you know. He is enjoying Arena for his daughter.”

-Oh, that’s why he was picked.

-Then he applied for his daughter?

-Uncle ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ

-So what about the surgery?

Hyeonu took a breath. The part from now on was the important one. The viewers were curious about this part.

“Choi Yoon’s daughter has a serious illness, but it isn’t incurable. There have been many recent cases where treatments were found and the patients have been cured. That’s why Nike helped a bit. It was just that. There is no need to be grateful. Choi Yoon worked diligently in Alley Leader Academy, and we paid tribute to it. I think you should only know this much.”

Hyeonu’s words made it out to be a give and take. The viewers didn’t take it that way though.

-So he helped someone in need?

-Noblesse oblige.

-A good boss class.

-He is embarrassed again, so he can’t speak properly.

-Why does he bluff in strange places and then pull back from this type of thing? He should be consistent with his dignity.

“It isn’t like that. It was just simple business. Everyone, don’t get me wrong. I’m not such a person.”

Hyeonu pretended to be innocent. However, the viewer’s eyes weren’t set on Hyeonu pretending to be innocent.

***

“Hey, the date is set.”

Hyeonu heard Yeongchan say as he came out to the living room for water when he finished streaming.

“What date? Are you getting married?” Hyeonu looked at Yeongchan with an expression of confusion.

Yeongchan responded with a flustered expression, “The reunion! You bastard!!! What marriage?!”

Hyeonu hit his forehead like he just remembered. “Ah! There was that? When is it?”

“This coming Wednesday. Don’t forget to meet them in the evening. Understood?” Yeongchan threatened. Based on Hyeonu’s personality, Hyeonu might forget and make another appointment if he didn’t say this.

“Yes, dude. Why would I forget this as well?”

Yeongchan responded to Hyeonu’s guarantee, “I will bet this house that you forget on the day because you’re playing Arena.”