Ranker’s Return

[The quest has been updated.]

[Survey the cave] → [Conversation with XXXX]

‘What is this?’ Hyeonu cocked his head at the suddenly updated quest content, but he didn’t look away from the man in front of him.

“How about putting that ugly thing away first? An intellectual should solve problems with words. It has been a long time since I’ve waved a blade,” the man said. 

‘I don’t think he has any intention to fight?’ Hyeonu nodded at the man’s words and put away Dark Star.

Nevertheless, he was prepared to pull out the single-edged sword at any time. Still, he didn’t think he would need the sword. He felt sincerity from the man’s expression and posture. The man was emitting a sense of annoyance and laziness with his whole body.

He glanced at Hyeonu and asked, “What did you do with the lomelon?” 

Then the man immediately turned his head and stared at the air, clapping his hands as he answered his own question. “Wait, I asked for nothing. You came this way, so naturally, you must have killed it.”

“I’m really busy. There is a lot of work to do, and it isn’t fun either. It is boring. It was only interesting to see the surprised faces of the bears who came here occasionally...” He continued before staring at Hyeonu once again. 

“Ah! Come to think of it, I didn’t even say my name? My name is Leon Meyer. It isn’t my real name, but everyone knows me by this name.” Leon Meyer introduced himself. “What is your name?”

[The quest has been updated.]

[Conversation with XXXX] → [Conversation with Leon Meyer]

“My name is Gang Hyeonu. I’m an adventurer,” Hyeonu said.

Leon Meyer was intrigued by Hyeonu’s answer. “An adventurer? Have the adventurers grown enough to kill a lomelon alone? I’m so happy! It isn’t long before I can finish this job.”

Leon Meyer seemed to have many questions for Hyeonu as he questioned Hyeonu without giving him time to answer. “What is the average strength of the adventurers? Can they beat an ogre alone? Or are they driving the development of the Balder Mountains? Or pioneering the west...”

Once Leon Meyer’s storm of questions ended, Hyeonu shook his head and answered, “It isn’t that far yet. Top adventurers are still hunting on the edges of the Hejin Great Mountain Range. There aren’t many adventurers who can walk deep into the mountains.”

Leon Meyer’s expression stiffened at Hyeonu’s words. He looked like a child who was deceived by his parents and wound up standing in front of a dentist instead of a pork cutlet restaurant. “How is that possible? Didn’t you kill the lomelon alone? Yet the top adventurers can’t even get around the Hejin Great Mountain Range...”

‘Is the level of adventurers so important?’ Hyeonu thought and couldn’t help asking this question. “Why is the level of adventurers so important?”

Leon Meyer answered with an expression wondering why Hyeonu was asking. “Of course. That way, I can leave this tiring place.”

Hyeonu was dumbfounded and asked Leon Meyer again, “What does it matter? The growth of the adventurers seems a bit irrelevant to your departure from the cave.” 

It didn’t make sense.

There was little causality between the growth of players and Leon Meyer leaving the cave.

‘Perhaps...?’ Hyeonu had a sudden thought and urgently questioned Leon Meyer, “Is there something in the cave? Are you guarding it?”

“Close. You’re close. It isn’t in the cave. To be precise, it is the cave itself.”

“The cave?”

“Haven’t you seen it? The lomelon—they keep popping up. They are demonic creatures. Demonic creatures. If I don’t handle them in time, there will be problems.”

‘Demonic creatures? Is it related to the Demon World?’

Hyeonu realized from his experience that Arena wasn’t that different from other virtual reality games. Arena had a similar framework to other games, but there was a difference in the details. In a normal RPG game, the demonic creature was a monster of the Demon World. They were referred to as the monsters at the bottom of the food chain.

“Is the cave connected to the Demon World?” Hyeonu asked.

Leon Meyer looked genuinely surprised by Hyeonu’s question. He hadn’t expected Hyeonu to say such a thing.

“Yes, it is connected to the Demon World. I can leave this place as long as there are enough adventurers at the same level as you. Then I’ll be able to sleep.” Leon Meyer sighed.

Looking closely, Leon Meyer had extremely deep dark circles.

“It probably won’t take long. I don’t know how you’ve been living here, but adventurers are growing quickly. Five or six people will be able to hunt the lomelon in a year at the most.”

“Is that so? I hope so.” Leon Meyer seemed a bit comforted by Hyeonu. “A lot of time has passed. Now I have to go and do my job. Did you say you are Gang Hyeonu? I will remember this name. Come if you need help later. I will help you at least once.”

Once Leon Meyer finished speaking, a message window appeared in front of Hyeonu’s eyes. It was to notify him of the completion of the quest.

[Conversation with Leon Meyer 1/1]

‘Okay. I’ve cleared the quest.’ Hyeonu smiled brightly.

Then he bowed his head toward Leon Meyer. “If I need help, I’ll be sure to find you, Leon Meyer.”

Leon Meyer waved toward Hyeonu.

***

Hugo and Manong welcomed Hyeonu when he returned to Tang-E’s house.

“What about the cave?”

“It’s fine because there aren’t only monsters in the cave. Leon Meyer is a good person.”

[Survey of Bung Bung Island’s Central Cave has been cleared.]

[Experience has been acquired.]

[You have leveled up.]

[All health and magic power have been restored.]

[You have been acknowledged by Hugo and Manong.]

“There is nothing to say other than ‘thank you’. We really appreciate it.”

“Thanks to this, we won’t have to go to the cave for a while.”

Hugo and Manong looked relaxed.

‘So they can make an expression like this.’ Hyeonu trembled when he was reminded of the lomelon’s hideous appearance.

“No. This is just a one-off for me, but it is a big problem for those who continue to struggle against it.” Hyeonu waved his hand.

It wasn’t just talk. In fact, Hyeonu was very satisfied. He had received experience from the quest and even leveled up. Moreover, although he might only know Leon Meyer’s name for now, he had met an NPC who would give him a quest or help later. This was a satisfactory result.

If he had hunted nonstop in the Balder Mountains or Hejin Great Mountain Range, he might’ve leveled up by now. However, that would have been it. He wouldn’t have been able to meet with a NPC like this.

‘A relationship with an NPC is important in the main scenario, just like my relationship with Lebron.’ Who knew?

Leon Meyer might be a big help to Hyeonu later.

***

“Hasn’t it been a while? You’re not a professional gamer. Why are you looking for me? Why? Do you want to join our club now?” A handsome man who gave off an intellectual impression greeted with a cheerful face.

On the opposite side, a man with a blunt expression received the man’s greetings. “It has been a while, Mascherano.”

“Don’t be so rigid. This is why your popularity is at rock bottom. Be softer and gentler. Don’t you know?” The intelligent-looking man, Mascherano, made a funny expression and teased the blunt looking man, Rain.

“In fact, aren’t you the busy one instead of me? I just have a guild. Aren’t you a pro gamer and a streamer at the same time? Right?”

Mascherano laughed at Rain’s accurate words. They were true. He was the one, not Rain, who ignored several phone calls, emails, and texts. Once Rain said this, Mascherano had nothing else to say.

“You’re so straightforward that you’re not popular. A man should pretend not to know at least once.”

“Stop talking nonsense, Mascherano. It is time to talk seriously.”

“That’s what I want, Rain. Why did you come to see me?” The playful Mascherano’s face stiffened in an instant.

“Do you know what my arena ranking is now?”

“Now? Not long ago, I heard that you rose to sixth place... I don’t know what happened after that. I’m not your big fan.”

“My ranking is second place now. There is only one person above me,” Rain said with a slight smile.

It was natural for Mascherano’s expression to crumple. Second place in the rankings—it was much higher than Mascherano’s ranking. The difference between a master and grandmaster was one step, but a thick wall stood in the way of that step like an insurmountable wall.

“Are you here to show off? If I hadn’t been streaming, do you think you would’ve got second place?” Mascherano screamed with a red face.

“Calm down. I didn’t come here to brag about that.”

“Then speak quickly,” Mascherano urged Rain.

Mascherano wanted to leave this place as soon as possible. ‘No matter how I look at it, he must’ve come to show off. This damn fellow. Is he doing this because I ignored him a few times?’

“I can win against Teika. There are enough possibilities. Even if I fall behind, the final winner will be me,” Rain declared in a confident tone.

“So?”

“The problem is that I don’t have the confidence to beat others. I will just be a springboard for others if I don’t sit on the throne in the end. There is no honor at all. No, I will only get the disgrace of the second place.”

Rain’s resolute words made Mascherano press a hand to his temple while whispering to himself, “You can’t keep the throne after beating Teika?”

‘Who can be ranked first?’ No matter how Mascherano thought about it, there was no such player.

Teika, the emperor of the arena—he was a man who used a spear like a ghost. Even his class was unclear. He could maintain his number one ranking in the arena with only a few skills revealed through the video and streaming. Rain showed his confidence against such a person. Yet he feared another player?

It didn’t make sense when considering Mascherano’s common sense. Beating Teika meant Rain would be first in the arena.

‘Perhaps...?’

An image of a man swept through Mascherano’s mind like a thunderbolt. It was a man who wore a ridiculous mask and used a long single-edged sword as a weapon.

“You’re wary of Alley Leader. Isn’t that right?” Mascherano said.

Rain’s head moved slowly. “Yes, I’m wary of him.”