Ranker’s Return

“He will come in a few days...? Don’t tell me? How can a mere human do it?”

Johannes was perplexed by Hyeonu’s words and held his hands together as he kept repeating it. It didn’t make sense. Monsters were spread all over the continent, but it was difficult to find those with high intelligence. This meant there were many monsters but much fewer NPCs. Having intelligence was important. It made them different from the monsters that would randomly respawn.

For this reason, it was almost impossible to obtain the consent of three chiefs. How could he get consent if he couldn’t meet them? Yet Hyeonu said he would return in a few days.

‘It isn’t the time to do this.’

Johannes quickly recovered his thoughts like a dragon. It didn’t matter if Hyeonu’s words were true or not. Johannes just had to do what was necessary, even if it was just a momentary joke.

‘I have to go to the lord. I need to hold a clan meeting.’

Johannes was a sincere dragon who cleaned up his mess.

*** 

Hyeonu folded down three fingers in order.

‘One orc, one dwarf, and one bear.’

He happened to know three types of different species by chance—an orc, dwarf, and marionette bear. Raccoon and Edchan were definitely chiefs. Raccoon was the chief of the orc tribe who settled in the Black Forest, and Edchan was the chief of the Red Anvil tribe in the Hejin Great Mountain Range.

‘Hugo should naturally be the chief.’

Hyeonu didn’t know Hugo’s exact position, but he could guess. It was through Tang-E. To be precise, it was Tang-E’s title—the heir of Bung Bung Island. This meant that either Hugo or Manong were the rulers of Bung Bung Island, so they would meet Johannes’ condition. Hyeonu even took into account the possibility that he was wrong.

‘Still, I don’t think things will change. Once I get there, I’ll figure something out.’

Hyeonu was already considering the shortest route to get the consent.

‘Start with the Black Forest, the Hejin Great Mountain Range, and then Bung Bung Island.’

The Red Anvil Tribe was in the Hejin Great Mountain Range behind the Kali Falls. Meanwhile, Bung Bung Island could be entered from the forest of the high elves in the Hejin Great Mountain Range. In other words, both of them were located in the Hejin Great Mountain Range. Visiting those places after going to the Black Forest would help shorten the time.

‘I don’t know who made it, but it is the perfect route.’

Hyeonu was happy when he saw his plan. It was the perfect plan without wasting any time. There was no special navigation. It was clear that no one would be able to find a shorter path.

Hyeonu murmured in a small voice just before departing, “Tang-E will like it.”

Tang-E’s best friend was in the Black Forest.

*** 

“Cancun!”

“Friend!!!”

A 50-centimeter-tall golden teddy bear ran to an orc who was larger than him. Unlike his appearance, the bear was so powerful that the orc’s expression distorted momentarily. Then the orc soon smiled brightly.

‘They’re really enjoying this.’ Hyeonu smiled when he saw them welcome each other. Their friendship had the power to make anyone who saw it feel good.

“Have you been well? I couldn’t come to the island because I have been busy training.” Cancun had a sweet expression despite his hard tone. It was followed by an apologetic look on his face.

“It’s okay. You might not have been able to meet me anyway because I’ve been wandering around with Master dude lately. But we managed to meet today. You don’t need to feel sorry between friends.” Tang-E scolded Cancun for feeling sorry.

Cancun scratched his head and hugged Tang-E. Then Cancun asked, “What brings you here today?”

“I don’t know. Master dude happened to be coming here, but it doesn’t seem to have anything to do with us,” Tang-E said. 

“Is that so? Then they don’t need us. I will show you to a place you didn’t see the other day.”

Cancun led Tang-E away and disappeared. Hyeonu watched this before approaching the muscular Orc Raccoon, who appeared on the other side.

“Hello?”

“Hrmm... You’ve become stronger in the meantime. Would you like to spar with me once?” Raccoon ignored Hyeonu’s greeting and proposed a spar.

However, Hyeonu wasn’t willing to accept Raccoon’s proposal. “There is no need. I’m here today to talk about something else.”

“Talk about something else? Between you and me?” Raccoon pointed a finger at Hyeonu and then himself before shrugging. He seemed to be asking if they had such a close relationship.

Hyeonu sighed at Raccoon’s attitude and got down to business. “Do you know the Balder Mountains?” 

“Are there any idiots who don’t know about the Balder Mountains? Why?”

“Then this is convenient to talk about. There is a barrier that appears at some point in the Balder Mountains. It is a barrier that was made by dragons.”

“So? This is frustrating, so get to the point.” Perhaps it was because Hyeonu rejected the spar, but Raccoon had a very rough attitude. 

Hyeonu wasn’t agitated by Raccoon’s attitude and went on to explain as a person who was making a request should always be the humble one. He stated, “Please agree to get rid of the barrier.”

“Me? Why? What are the benefits for me?” Raccoon questioned. 

“Is there any damage to you?”

“Well, no.”

“Then just give your consent. What’s the problem?”

“Just a feeling?”

“Ahh!!” Hyeonu finally exploded at Raccoon’s attitude. Raccoon wasn’t such an orc until recently.

‘Was his personality originally this bad?’

Or perhaps Hyeonu had misjudged Raccoon.

“What do you want?” Hyeonu asked in a serious tone. The answer that came back was careless.

“I was just talking. What can I do? I will give my consent.” Raccoon waved his hand and laughed.

Hyeonu smiled bitterly and pulled the glass crystal ball from his inventory. 

“Just look into this and say ‘I, Raccoon, chief of the Meadow Orcs, agree to remove the barrier of the Balder Mountains’,” Hyeonu calmly explained what Raccoon should do.

He just had to look into the crystal ball and say those words. Raccoon cocked his head upon hearing Hyeonu’s explanation, and he started to mutter in a low voice like he was remembering it. “I, Raccoon, chief of the Meadow Orcs... Raccoon, Meadow Orcs... Raccoon, chief of the Meadow Orcs...”

However, he couldn’t memorize more than a few words. Hyeonu didn’t know if Raccoon was doing it deliberately or if he really couldn’t memorize it, so Hyeonu just stood still. He met a challenge in an unexpected place.

“It can’t be helped,” Hyeonu said.

‘I have to write it down myself.’

Arena was more complete in terms of communication than any other virtual reality game. All languages were translated and printed in a common language. This made it possible to communicate with NPCs in writing, unlike in the games Hyeonu had played previously.

Hyeonu took extraordinary measures based on this system.

“Let’s go over there. Raccoon, I’ll write it for you.” Hyeonu walked toward a cliff with Raccoon.

Raccoon obediently followed Hyeonu like he was embarrassed he couldn’t memorize such a short sentence. Hyeonu raised his right hand to the cliff as he recalled what Raccoon had to say. “I, Raccoon, chief of the Meadow Orcs, agree to remove the barrier of the Balder Mountains.” 

Then he injected magic power into his right hand. Hyeonu’s hand glowed as he gently engraved words on the cliff. He wrote on the cliff without stopping.

‘I can’t believe he is an adventurer.’ Raccoon marveled at the scene. He was surprised by Hyeonu’s delicate use of magic power. It was possible for Raccoon to engrave the letters on the cliff by hand, but it wasn’t possible for Dakan or Cancun. They just smashed it with their fists.

‘This is what I taught him in the beginning.’ Raccoon was deep in thought while Hyeonu engraved the words on the cliff perfectly.

“Raccoon, stand here and read it,” Hyeonu said and stood back so that Raccoon could see the words on the cliff. 

Then he stood in front of the cliff. It was so he could film Raccoon with the crystal ball. Hyeonu injected magic power into the crystal ball to capture Raccoon’s image.

[The Video Save Crystal is activated.]

[If you call out ‘save video’, the video will be saved in the crystal ball.]

[If you want to stop saving the video, say ‘end save’ and the video will end.]

Hyeonu glanced at the message window in front of him before shifting his gaze back to Raccoon.

“Then say it to me now. Save video.” Hyeonu held the crystal ball in one hand and waved his other hand at Raccoon.

Raccoon followed Hyeonu’s gesture and started to read the words on the cliff. “I, Raccoon, chief of the Meadow Orcs, agree to remove the barrier of the Balder Mountains.”

Once he finished speaking, a message window appeared in front of Hyeonu again.

[Consent of other species 1/3]

‘Okay, one is finished.’ Hyeonu saw the chat window and smiled. He had already done one-third of the quest. At this rate, he would be able to stand in front of Johannes again in two days.

‘Then I can reveal it directly on my stream.’

This was the best scenario Hyeonu had come up with. He had to do it quickly and swiftly, unlike others. After all, he was Alley Leader.

“I am grateful for today. I will definitely repay this kindness next time.” Hyeonu thanked Raccoon.

Then he turned around to try and find Tang-E. The muscular Raccoon’s hand grabbed Hyeonu. “Where are you going? We have to fight once.”

Raccoon was already holding a huge axe he pulled out from somewhere.

“Sigh...” A deep sigh emerged from Hyeonu’s mouth when he saw the axe.

*** 

“...I agree to get rid of it.”

[Consent of other species 2/3]

It was too easy to get consent from Edchan. He agreed as soon as Hyeonu mentioned it. Edchan said he was interested in the weapons manufacturing technique and minerals of the East Continent and wanted a trade agreement between continents to be established as soon as possible.

[Edchan’s Request]

[Edchan, chief of the Red Anvil Tribe, is interested in metals and weapons of the East Continent.

Get a rare metal of the East Continent and give it to Edchan.

Rating: S+

Conditions: Give Edchan a rare metal from the East Continent 0/1.

Rewards: Experience, Edchan’s battle gear.]

‘It is a quest.’

Hyeonu did not just get Edchan’s consent. He also received a quest from Edchan to get a rare metal. Then he would receive a piece of equipment in return.

‘It is a completely profitable business.’

The quest that Johannes created to buy time was actually a great blessing for Hyeonu.

“Tang-E, let’s go to Bung Bung Island.”

Now there was only one place left. It was Tang-E’s home, Bung Bung Island. Tang-E sat on Hyeonu’s shoulder and let out a yell after hearing Hyeonu’s words. “Yes, let’s go Master dude!”