Ranker’s Return

It happened in an instant. Hyeonu finished speaking, pulled out the Mysterious Sky Sword, and released pure energy. The size of Crescent Moon Cut was huge. It was unfortunate that it was fired vertically. If it were fired horizontally, then all six guild masters would enter the range of the pure energy.

Zenith’s master reacted quickly to the strong sword energy that moved toward him. He also pulled out his sword and used his skills to hit it. The pure energy shot by the guild master of Zenith succeeded in blocking Hyeonu’s pure energy. The problem was that it was only for a very short time. The sword energy slowed for just a moment. It didn’t weaken at all as it directly cut through the body of the Zenith guild master.

[A player has been killed.]

[The wicked deed figure has increased by 1.]

[A penalty will occur if your wicked deeds figure exceeds 10.]

[The wicked deeds figure will decrease by 1 every 10 days.]

[Current wicked deeds figure: 1.]

Hyeonu cleared the message windows that appeared in front of his eyes. Then he glanced at the five masters of Five Stars in front of him and left. After Hyeonu left, the forest was quiet for a long time. Those who were left behind couldn’t say anything. They were speechless in front of Alley Leader’s ridiculous strength.

A long time later, one of the five masters of Five Stars opened his mouth. “Does this make... sense?”

He couldn’t understand it. How could a player who had completed the third class advancement be killed in a single blow?! Of course, it wasn’t impossible for a player to die in one strike. It was possible if the difference between the two players was extreme enough. However, the Zenith leader wore more than five unique items. Additionally, he was over level 200, so he had naturally gone through the third class awakening. Nevertheless, he was killed by Alley Leader.

“I think there must be a huge difference...?”

“Regardless of skills, I think there is a serious difference in stats between the two of them.”

“He wanders around the Balder Mountains alone for a reason. That means he should have this much attack power.”

“Is it a class characteristic? Isn’t the attack power too high?”

The other four masters started to express their thoughts. They were now gradually recovering from the shock caused by Alley Leader.

“Then did we choose incorrectly?”

“By accepting Zenith’s suggestion? We didn’t take it that seriously in the first place. Isn’t it over if we just say we won’t do it anymore?”

“Yes. It would have been enough if we had stopped at that time. But what about after this? Things have already been done. We didn’t do those things ourselves, but in their eyes, we are all one group. Will they believe us if we say no now?”

The more the masters talked, the more they felt like they had fallen into a pit. This side had a problem, and the other side had a problem. There was no clear solution.

“So what can we do?”

“Now we have to try and get as much as possible. Gather the power of the three guilds and build a camp as deep as possible. The fight will be postponed to next time. We will do guerilla strikes when there is no Alley Leader.”

“What if we meet Alley Leader?” One master asked.

“At that time, we have to run away, struggle, or pray. Take care of yourselves. It can’t be helped if there is damage. However, it will be different over time. There will be limits to the actions Alley Leader executes alone.”

*** 

The vanished Hyeonu appeared somewhere in the Balder Mountains and sat on a huge rock. Tang-E was sitting on Hyeonu’s knees and chewing on a small piece of meat.

“Did it say that my wicked deeds have risen?” Hyeonu recalled the message window that appeared when he killed Zenith’s leader. Wicked deeds figure—there was definitely such a thing. Hyeonu reopened the message window he put away earlier and found the information on ‘wicked deeds.’

‘It is this.’

[Wicked Deeds]

It was a number that occurred when killing a player, and it increased by one every time he killed a player.

[There will be a penalty when the wicked deeds figure exceeds 10.

-Once the wicked deeds figure is over 10: Create the mark of a murderer (both eyes will turn red, killing won’t increase the wicked deeds figure). Experience will decrease upon death.

-Once the wicked deeds figure is over 20: Increased chance that a dead player will drop items when killed. You will drop two pieces of equipment when you are killed.

-Once the wicked deeds figure is over 30: Reduces the experience gained by hunting monsters by 30% and experience can be gained when killing players. You will drop three pieces of equipment when you are killed.

-If a person with over 20 points of wicked deeds is killed, your wicked deeds value is reduced by 1.]

Starting from 40 points, it was just an extension of the 30-point condition. Rather than a new penalty, the existing ones were increased in proportion.

‘The more I kill, the further I get from ordinary hunting.’

The more wicked deeds that he accumulated, the more it was impossible for him to grow normally through hunting monsters. At that time, he would have to hunt players to grow like everyone else. Hyeonu saw this and suddenly had an idea.

‘Will there be a few executives with a high wicked deeds figure?’

Indeed, having a high wicked deeds figure placed a brake on growth. In addition, the more famous the player, the most sensitive they were to how others evaluated them. However, people who weren’t famous might be different. It was common for these people to give up their fame in case they became the target of hyenas.

‘Isn’t it easy to use this?’

An idea flashed into his mind. Hyeonu could lower his wicked deeds figure if he killed players with a high wicked deeds figure. This would allow him to manage his own wicked deeds figure.

‘I’ll smash it properly.’

Hyeonu was a man who showed more than his imagination, even if it was about revenge.

*** 

Two days—that was how much time Hyeonu had left until his next stream. After that, it would be six days until his next stream. In six days, the traitors had to be driven out of the Balder Mountains.

“Can you do it alone?” Yeongchan had a worried expression on his face.

Hyeonu waved his hand like he was telling Yeongchan not to worry. “How am I alone? There’s Tang-E. There is no need to involve others. It is better for me to do this alone. It is bound to become dull if the party grows bigger. Don’t you also know that?”

“That’s right, but…” Yeongchan nodded at Hyeonu’s words. It was better for Hyeonu to work alone than with an awkward majority.

‘If I have to work with someone, they have to at least be the ace of each guild. We just can’t do PKing together.’

“By the way, you should also get ready. You might not be the first, but you should be faster than others, right? Once there are enough people with the third class awakening, quickly move to the Balder Mountains,” Hyeonu advised Yeongchan.

“I know. Thank you again for taking care of me,” Yeongchan replied. 

Hyeonu waved his hands again. “Don’t you know me? Do we have to distinguish such things? We take care of each other no matter what happens, as long as you don’t hit me in the back of the head.”  

*** 

The man in the black coat stood leaning against the tree.

The area around him was very dirty. There were bloodstains everywhere; it was all over the ground. The only thing that was fine was the tree the man was leaning on.

‘My wicked deeds figure is four. I was lucky this time. Four out of the six were murderers.’

The man, Hyeonu, smiled lightly. There had been over 20 Zenith and Five Stars members who died at Hyeonu’s hands. It was a total of 30 if he added the six he had just killed. However, bizarrely, Hyeonu’s wicked deeds figure was only four. His wicked deeds figure had only risen by three, which meant there were many guild members in both guilds who were murderers.

Then a question popped into his mind.

‘By the way, why don’t I see Mano?’ 

Hyeonu had killed 30 players, but none of them wore the mark of the Mano Guild.

‘Did Mano really form an alliance with them?’

Hyeonu looked for Gang Junggu to resolve his question.

-To Gang Junggu: Hyung-nim, did Mano really form an alliance with them? I haven’t seen any Mano guild members. Were you mistaken?

It seemed that Gang Junggu wasn’t hunting right now as an answer came quickly.

-From Gang Junggu: I’m certain. I heard there was someone wearing the mark of the Mano Guild. However, only those from the Zenith Guild fought.

Gang Junggu confirmed it. A player on the scene had seen it, so it seemed true that the Mano Guild member was there.

‘I think there is something...’

Since there was specific evidence, Hyeonu’s own opinion that was just speculation was useless.

-To Gang Junggu: I see. However, please contact me and don’t attack first when encountering the Mano Guild. I think we can look into it a bit more.

-From Gang Junggu: I understand. I'll find out more.

Eventually, Hyeonu made a small request of Gang Junggu and started wandering through the Balder Mountains again.

*** 

It had been a day since Hyeonu started the hunt for Zenith and Five Stars. The number of people who were logged out by Hyeonu during the day was close to 50. The two guilds felt a sense of crisis and started to report their situation to every corner of Arena, including the communities. It was a statement expressing their position that was written entirely from their point of view.

[Alley Leader’s tyranny.]

[-Good evening, Arena World. My name is Matsumoto, and I run a guild called Zenith. The reason I’m writing this is to accuse the streamer Alley Leader of tyranny. 

He is using his social position and strength to PK our Zenith guild members. It is just that he stands out too much. 

I have endured it because he is Arena’s most famous streamer and the strongest player. However, too many of my guild members were injured. 

It is impossible for us to stand up to Alley Leader with our strength. We want you to add your strength.]

“Tyranny? I am overusing my power? Who started it first?”

Hyeonu was cynical after he saw the post from Zenith’s leader, Matsumoto.

‘How hot must he be feeling?’

It had been worth it. More than half of those who were logged out were Zenith members. Those present in the Balder Mountains were the elites of each guild. It would be a significant blow because they lost their items and were unable to log in for a day due to the penalty.

‘Shall I see the reactions?’

Hyeonu scrolled down and read the comments. The contents of the comments were quite interesting.

-Broken Yuljae: Don’t you know how to disband the guild if you’re caught?

- Sudden Death Sunfish: Should we believe in Alley Leader or should we believe the words of bullies like you?

-Milk with Citrus: I know dozens of people who have been PKed by Zenith... 

Things went awry; there was no one on their side. Everyone was on Hyeonu’s side. Hyeonu was smiling pleasantly and checking the comments when his smartphone rang. He raised his smartphone at the sudden vibration.

“Huh?”

Hyeonu’s expression became strange when he checked his smartphone. He closed his laptop straight away and connected to Arena.