Ranker’s Return

“It is almost time to finish the stream. Today seems to have passed very quickly. Isn’t that right, everyone?”

-Hasn’t it always been like this?

-Increase the streaming time?

-Increase the number of streams.

-Pick one!

Hyeonu shook his head when he saw the audience’s suggestions.

‘I can’t say anything. I think I’m doing enough...’

Hyeonu was already streaming more frequently and longer than other rankers of a similar level. Reina, Kim Seokjung, Daniel, and Rain only streamed once a week, and it was only for a few hours.

‘But Mascherano does too much.’

However, some of the stars like Mascherano streamed so often and for such a long time that Hyeonu couldn’t use this excuse to avoid criticism.

“No, aren’t I doing a lot? Huhu... I’m so wronged that I can’t speak, even though I still have something to say.” 

-He has something to say?

-Um...? Isn’t it normal for him to have exited by now?

-Ah, right. There’s still that thing left.

-That thing?

-The announcement of the professional team member.

-Ah, that’s right.

-I’m sorry, Alley Leader.

This was good enough. After realizing there was still a bit more left in the stream, the viewers changed their attitudes. They bowed down and praised Alley Leader.

“Let’s unveil the first professional gamer who will join me. It is a face that you know.”

Dwayne, a global superstar, was the one who would be unveiled today.

‘However, it isn’t fun if I tell them straight away.’

A proper push and pull was essential. Hyeonu put together some words so the viewers could misunderstand. “They’ve just started streaming. It is someone I like.”

-Streaming? Which pro gamers have started streaming these days?

-He wasn’t a pro gamer originally?

-Teika has started streaming recently. He didn’t do it originally.

-There are quite a few professional gamers. People who hadn’t done it before.

-Who is it?

“To give you a hint, he is very famous. He is more famous than me. There are more people who know him than those who don’t know him.”

It was natural. Hyeonu might be famous, but there were limits to his fame. However, Dwayne was different. He had no limitations. Of course, this might change in the future, but it was the case right now.

-He’s more famous than Alley Leader?

-Who is this person?

-Just tell me!

“Then I will reveal it. It is this person.”

Hyeonu flicked his fingers. Then the streaming screen turned black. On the black screen, a video started to play. A muscular man was fighting against a scarecrow. He wasn’t particularly handsome, but he was masculine. His face was a very familiar one.

-Dwayne?

-We aren’t just being baited, right?

-Is this a true story?

-It is real?

The viewers were astonished by the familiar face that appeared on the screen. No one had thought of Dwayne. He was an entertainer, not a professional gamer or ranker.

“Dwayne Evans is my first fellow gamer. The reason for signing him is simple. He has the class and talent that I want, and he has a lot of passion. It doesn’t matter how good he is at this time. In the months to come, he will be able to catch up with other pro gamers.”

-Wow, still...

-I really didn’t expect this.

-This hit on the back of the head...

-This is such a big start. Won’t the other players be amazing then?

*** 

Hyeonu’s announcement became a big topic once it became known that Dwayne Evans was the first professional gamer to join Crescent Moon. His announcements were always hot topics, but this time, it attracted even more attention.

[This isn’t a joke...?]

[Or maybe it is for publicity. Otherwise, why recruit Dwayne Evans as a professional gamer? It must be a joke. Honestly, there must be many players who want to join the team. I don’t know what he is doing. There is talk about retiring after only one season. Perhaps this is just for attention.]

-No News: You know that Dwayne is a platinum ranker in the arena now, right? He is still rising...

-Diet Starting from Tomorrow: He is currently rejecting all work offers and is just playing Arena. He even refused a movie.

-Sunfish Deadline: I’ve been watching Alley Leader Academy since it started, and Dwayne is really good. A diamond ranker can be a professional player.

It wasn’t an exaggeration to say that all community bulletin boards were bombarded with posts similar to this one. Did Dwayne Evans have the skills and qualities to become a professional gamer? The posts all concluded consistently in agreement that it was possible.

Dwayne had infinite possibilities and passion. A top Hollywood star who could earn astronomical amounts of money by maintaining the status quo actually put all that aside to challenge being an Arena professional player? Even if that was for a period which spanned less than a year, it was still a great loss of income.

Thanks to this, the expectations for Hyeonu’s team increased. If the start was Dwayne, then what shocking name would come next?

Of course, Dwayne being revealed at the beginning could also mean that he was the most shocking player. Nevertheless, people didn’t think so. Alley Leader always had a second thing that was better than the first, and the third would be better than the second.

[Then who is the next member of Alley Leader’s team?]

This topic began to gather the people’s attention.

*** 

Sunny, a beauty with a young face, was watching the monitor screen restlessly. 

‘I’m on a team like this?’

It was worse than she thought.

Dwayne Evans...

This wasn’t a small matter, even if it was Alley Leader’s team. If he recruited a black hole like herself, shouldn’t he fill the rest of the team with ace players?

“It is no wonder why he kept silent about the other players he signed,” Sunny murmured with regret. She felt she should’ve refused decisively at that time when she couldn’t answer. Now, she was actually going to be part of this ridiculous team.

It was this thought that entered Sunny’s head at the moment: ‘No? If this team screws up, won’t it be my fault?’

Yet, in reality, if the team’s performance was terrible, Alley Leader was the one who would be held responsible for it. After all, it was Alley Leader who made this team. The players played the game, but it was the coach who was often scolded. In this case, the possibility was high that it would be the same.

‘I can’t let that happen. He believed in me and pulled me in...’

Still, this didn’t mean the burden was gone. On this day, Sunny became concerned and practiced her skills out of her own free will for the first time in her life.

‘Let’s not make trouble for others.’

*** 

Hyeonu, the person who detonated the bomb, was chatting leisurely on his smartphone.

“Did you see? It was just officially announced on my stream. Maybe articles will appear in a few hours—no, minutes.”

-I saw it. I think it is fortunate that there isn’t as much resistance as I expected.

Dwayne looked very cheerful. He was happy that he was being acknowledged. It proved that his efforts hadn’t been in vain.

-I will try harder in the future with hunting and the arena, Dwayne expressed his determination.

Then Hyeonu made an offer to Dwayne, “Do you want to join New World? Don’t think of it as you having to do anything. It is just a fixed party for quick hunts.”

New World was a large guild and had a fairly organized structure. This applied to hunting parties as well. The formation of a party was as quick and easy as possible by matching the classes of the guild members.

-Join a guild? It is New World that is called first in Arena, so it’s a welcome invitation. In addition, isn’t it Alley Leader’s guild? I don’t think I need to worry about it, Dwayne readily accepted Hyeonu’s suggestion.

Dwayne didn’t feel uncomfortable about it as it was true that his level-up speed was slow compared to players with fixed parties. It would be helpful for Alley Leader if Dwayne leveled up comfortably in New World, one of Arena’s largest guilds. For this reason, Dwayne wasn’t troubled at all.

‘I can’t be a nuisance.’

He had no intention of being a nuisance to Alley Leader who gave him this opportunity. In fact, he would do anything as long as it wasn’t illegal.

“Then I’ll convey the words to my older brother. I would appreciate it if you pay more attention to leveling up.”

-I have to thank you for giving me this opportunity. I will do my best.

Hyeonu ended his call with Dwayne, but he didn’t put away his smartphone. He still had other people to call.

‘Moon Doyeong, Kale, Sunny...’

“Sigh, there is so much to do. Just so much...”

Hyeonu sighed and tapped on the screen again.

*** 

Park Jeonghyun, the executive administrator of the Korean Virtual Reality Gaming Association, confirmed that the call came from an unknown number.

‘Who is it? This is the first time I’ve seen this number?’

He answered the call doubtfully, thinking it was okay even if it was voice phishing because he could just hang up.

“Hello? This is Park Jeonghyun.”

-I’m Kim Junsik, prosecutor of the First Advanced Criminal Investigation Department of Seoul Central District Prosecutor’s Office. You are Park Jeonghyun, the executive administrator of the Korean Virtual Reality Gaming Association, right?

“Go do your voice phishing somewhere else. Why prank a busy person?”

‘What criminal investigation... It’s voice phishing.’

It was an obvious technique. He had received more than one or two of these calls, and the Advanced Criminal Investigation Department was one of the most common departments utilized in telephone fraud. Park Jeonghyun firmly pressed the end call button on his smartphone.

“You’re just playing tricks on people. Do you know who I am? Pulling such a poor prank?!” Park Jeonghyun screamed so loudly that the others in the office jumped.

However, the other person was persistent. He called again.

-I’m Kim Junsik, prosecutor of the First Advanced Criminal Investigation Department of Seoul Central District Prosecutor’s Office. You are Park Jeonghyun, the executive administrator of the Korean Virtual Reality Gaming Association, right?

The other person repeated the same words without making a single mistake.

‘He must’ve been practicing. It is like a knife.’

Park Jeonghyun scoffed at the other person’s words, “If you want to work hard, you can try doing something more productive, like actual work. I’m hanging up.”

-If you hang up again, I will go straight to issuing a warrant. If you are still in doubt, go to the homepage of Seoul Central District Prosecutor’s Office and call me directly. This is your last chance.

This time, the other person hung up first.

‘What? Make a call?’

“Oh, let’s see.”

Park Jeonghyun moved his mouse around to connect to the Internet. He searched the Internet portal sites for ‘Kim Junsik, prosecutor of the First Advanced Criminal Investigation Department', and several news articles appeared.

‘It’s real?’

Park Jeonghyun’s face was filled with confusion for a moment. Then he carefully dialed the number. The same male voice from before answered the phone.

-I’m Kim Junsik, prosecutor of the First Advanced Criminal Investigation Department. Did you check it?

“Yes, I just checked it. I’ve experienced voice phishing in the past...”

-It is understandable. We know that voice phishers often impersonate us.

“Then why did you call me?”

-I received a report about manipulation of matches in the Arena Pro League. I contacted Park Jeonghyun to request your attendance for an investigation.

“!!!”

Park Jeonghyun lost strength in his hands and his smartphone fell to the floor.

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