Ranker’s Return

Three letters appeared on the slot machine—SWG.

It was a failure. A message window appeared in front of Hyeonu as if to confirm it.

[Slot machine results: SWG]

[You haven’t won.]

[Current number of times remaining: 9/10]

“It is a failure. There is no way to win instantly, right? Let’s continue.”

Hyeonu pulled the slot machine without looking at the chat window.

[Slot machine results: WWG]

[You haven’t won.]

[Current number of times remaining: 8/10]

Tick... tick... tick... tick!!!

[Slot machine results: AaG]

[You haven’t won.]

[Current number of times remaining: 6/10]

Tick... tick... tick... tick!!!

[Slot machine results: gSG]

[You haven’t won.]

[Current number of times remaining: 1/10]

Hyeonu was hit with nine failures. Ridiculed nine times with a loss of 90 gold—this was the result of Hyeonu’s nine challenges. Behind the mask, Hyeonu’s expression was already distorted, exposing his hurt self-esteem and the denial of his low probability of success.

“This is manipulation. Manipulation. I haven’t won even once! Does this make sense? Huh??” Hyeonu cried out. Yet he only received ridicule in return from the viewers.

-As expected, his luck is...

-Compared to his skills, he doesn’t have much luck...

-He isn’t a trouble magnet for no reason. He brings bad luck.

-Give up. Just empty your mind and let another 10 gold fly.

‘Bah, how do you know I’ll fail to the end? I am Gang Hyeonu, a streamer!’

He was someone who never failed.

“Everyone, I will make something super fun here. Big fun! Big plan! Yes?!?” Hyeonu screamed and pulled the handle of the slot machine. The slot machine sounded just as cheerful and powerful as the last nine times.

-I can hear the sound of destruction!

-The promised path of failure!

-Yes, a failure.

-There is no hope. Does he think he will win? Hehe.

Hyeonu gritted his teeth while he read the messages of the viewers filling the chat window.

Tick... tick... tick... tick!

‘I will win this time. A success. I will get a success!!’ Hyeonu prayed eagerly as he watched the images on the slot machine begin to stop. He prayed to all the gods he didn’t believe in. It started from God to Buddha and even the numerous gods of European mythology.

[Slot machine results: SSS]

[You have won.]

[The rewards and skills will be paid according to the results.]

[Current number of times remaining: 0/10]

“Uwah! It came out!” Hyeonu cried out like a beast when he received his desired result. His fiery atmosphere made it seem like he would smash the slot machine. On the contrary, the viewers were frustrated. The runaway train sprinting to success was once again successful.

-I’m not a believer anymore... How can such a gift be given to such a person?

-What type of good deed did he accumulate in his previous life that he would receive such luck? Why??

-Isn’t SSS a skill? The best one has come out.

-It might be ridiculous, but it is an unconditional jackpot.

Alley Leader’s success was the viewers’ despair.

No, they were jealous; it was envy.

-However, we can’t control it anyway.

-Yes, it isn’t us.

-Let’s adapt to reality.

-I don’t like it, but I hope he can cut up some large guilds with it.

-Really. ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

Nevertheless, their moment of envy only lasted a moment. Later, the viewers celebrated Hyeonu’s success. In the end, their object of immersion was still Alley Leader, so his success was an indirect success for the viewers.

-Leader Big Fan has gifted you 666 gold coins.

-Alley Leader is the Best Best Best has gifted you 444 gold coins.

-God Alley Leader has gifted you 44 gold coins.

It was just that the way they expressed it was a bit rough.

*** 

Hyeonu left the gambling hall on the seventh floor happily. He didn’t have any regrets as he personally practiced the saying ‘leave after clapping’.

‘Are the weapon and armor stores on the sixth floor?’

Hyeonu decided to go down from the seventh floor in order to look around Buncheonru. To be exact, he would go around until he found the quest’s information was updated.

‘I have no intention of buying items anyway.’

Regardless of how good the items sold in this place were, there was no way they could even be compared to what Hyeonu was wearing. Hyeonu was already wearing unique and epic items. They were different from the goods sold here.

‘No matter how good, a rare rating is the limit.'

Just like in any other game, there were no cases of unique items being sold in the stores. Even if there were some, they wouldn’t be sold in such an open place.

“I will look for the place where the quest message is updated while I look around.”

-Is there anything good being sold here?

-I don’t think the items will be very good since there aren’t many monsters.

-That should be the case?

-I think there will be some limitations.

The viewers didn’t expect much either as they knew the items sold in stores couldn’t exceed a certain level. Hyeonu didn’t dare enter the stores for this reason, and the viewers understood his actions. It was a waste of time; it wasn’t practical to spend such a short streaming time on shop items.

-Let’s pass through roughly.

-It can’t be found today anyway.

-Just introduce Buncheonru.

The viewers didn’t want to look deeply at one or two places; they just wanted to see as much as possible. They would use today’s stream as a guide for the future. After all, everyone was thinking about going to the East Continent one day. Accepting the strong request from the viewers, Hyeonu wandered among the crowd and watched the stalls. He was holding Tang-E, so Hyeonu didn’t care if he talked to himself amidst the crowd.

[Refined Steel Sword]

[A long sword made by a skilled blacksmith. It is sharp, hard, and has a good balance of gravity, making it easy for anyone to use.

Rating: Rare

Durability: 500/500

Restrictions: 100 strength, 50 physique.

Attack Power: 180

Effect: Strength +18, Physique +7]

[Refined Steel Spear]

[A long spear made by a skilled blacksmith. It is sharp, hard, and has a good balance of gravity, making it easy for anyone to use.

Rating: Rare

Durability: 500/500

Restrictions: 60 strength, 50 physique.

Attack Power: 180

Effect: Strength +18, Physique +7]

The items were copies. It was like they had been placed in a similar conversion capsule. They both had a rare rating, but that had been within Hyeonu’s expections.

“Isn’t this really like a factory-produced product? How is this...?” 

Hyeonu’s reaction was cold, but the reaction from the viewers was surprisingly hot. Most of the low-level users needed such moderately balanced early-use items.

-How much is that weapon?

-I want it.

-If I want to buy this type of weapon now, I have to pay 3,000 gold.

-3,000 gold. It must be bought for at least 3,500 gold. The market price has risen again.

‘It’s that expensive?’

Hyeonu was pleased when he saw the audience’s chat window. The Refined Steel Sword didn’t differ much from Hyeonu’s Sharp Longsword at level 1.

[Sharp Longsword]

[An ambitious longsword made by a blacksmith of great skill. It’s a shame that it isn’t enchanted with any magic.

Rating: Rare

Restrictions: 50 strength, more than 30 physique.

Durability: 550/550.

Attack Power: 100

Effect: Strength +15, Defense Penetration +5.]

The wearer restriction, attack power, and item effects were slightly different, but the weapons’ stats weren’t that different overall. Why? It was because they were weapons to be used early on. Normally, low-level items were worth less as the game got older. Of course, there were cases where the price went up due to the items getting high evaluations in terms of appearance and scarcity, but there was just no reason for the price of these low-level weapons to rise.

‘Ah, is it because of that?’

For an item’s value to decline, there was one necessary condition—a decrease in demand. In other words, if the influx of new players was fewer than the number of low-level items, the price of items would drop. However, Arena was still growing rapidly.

Many famous scholars predicted that, at this rate, one billion players would be enjoying Arena by the time it reached Arena Week in December. Thus, prices were unlikely to fall. The demand was high, and prices rose endlessly.

Quency already knew there would be people messing around with the prices. They just waited for it to be fixed naturally. It was all for this moment.

Hyeonu pointed to the ‘Refined Steel Sword’ and asked the owner of the weapons store, “How much does this long sword cost?” 

“You can buy it for 350 gold. Do you want to buy it?” The owner asked with a smile.

It seemed that business wasn’t going well today.

“How many more of these things are there?”

“There are around 100. There are 50 swords and spears each.”

Hyeonu smiled at the store owner’s words. “Give them all to me. I’ll buy them.”

“Wait— Please wait a moment. I’ll put them in a box. Don’t go anywhere.” The owner left Hyeonu and rushed somewhere.

Hyeonu smiled when he saw it. 

“Why am I buying 100 weapons? What am I buying them for? Should I buy them to sell to you? Should I buy them for you?” Hyeonu asked the audience.

-Sure enough, he is the one who succeeds after nine failures.

-Isn’t this completely like eating money?

-This place is 350 gold while we are 3,500 gold...

-So much money... He will make money again.

The viewers naturally thought that Hyeonu would bring these weapons, which he bought for a low price, to the West Continent. No, they firmly believed the weapons would be registered at the integrated auction house.

“Do I look like a person who is greedy for money? Hah... I feel sad?”

However, Hyeonu’s words were a bit strange. He seemed to have no intention of selling it. Just then, the quick-witted viewers flattered Hyeonu.

-Are you going to give them out as gifts?

-Give one to me, and I’ll always watch your streaming in the future.

-No, give it to me, Alley Leader...

“I can’t give them to just anyone. If you go to my channel right now, there is a very old post that I left up. If you go there, I will draw lots and send them out to 100 people. Simply write down the name of your Arena character.”

It was a surprise event. Moreover, it was an event held using his own money. This was an event Hyeonu thought about doing for the price of 350 gold.

‘If someone who is always good doesn’t do it once, people will frown. If someone who has always been bad does something good, people will like it tremendously.’

Hyeonu knew it well. This was why he tried not to be too good to the viewers. He wanted to give more, but he didn’t believe in human nature anymore.

“Here are 100 weapons.”

Thump!

The owner of the weapons store had returned and dropped a box in front of Hyeonu that looked heavy at a glance.

“Here are 35,000 gold coins.” Hyeonu handed over the pouch of money and dragged the box in front of him.

Then he whispered to the audience, “Now, go ahead and leave your comments. Everyone, don’t you want a weapon worth 3,500 gold?”

6th Anniversary Event Link