Ranker’s Return

“Will there be a problem? Of course not. Master is strong. Originally, he was the master of the upper-rank units. He was demoted because he had a problem with the old people. His position originally... Anyway, it means no one will say anything even if he plays around like this,” Bakar replied in a natural manner after hearing Hyeonu’s question.

-What? Is he a gold spoon?

-We don’t know this. Perhaps he is self-made.

-Didn’t you hear that he isn’t fired because he has good abilities?

-Dig out your earwax.

‘Is it like that?’

Then Hyeonu had a feeling. Moreover, it was a very intense feeling. It was that the guard leader was the clue he needed to solve the quest. What was the contradiction? What was the position of the guard leader? He needed to figure it out.

“I see... Then I should get along with the master,” Hyeonu stated his goal. Friendship with the guard leader was essential for the quest.

“It won’t be easy though? Master is a bit shy with strangers,” Bakar scoffed at Hyeonu.

*** 

-Who is shy?

-That person?

-Bakar doesn’t know his master well.

-That is why he works every day.

The viewers clicked their tongues as they watched the scene unfold before their eyes. Bakar’s prediction was completely wrong. Hyeonu and the guard leader were sitting shoulder to shoulder with alcohol bottles in their hands.

“From today onward, you are my cherished team member! Work? Don’t make me laugh!!! What work should an adventurer do? Just relax and train leisurely! Tell me if you need anything! I will listen to anything!!!” The guard leader was drunk and shouting with a red face.

It seemed he didn’t even know what he was saying. He told a guard not to stand guard.

“Thank you, Master. Then I will only trust you,” Hyeonu agreed to the guard leader’s words.

After that, the guard leader raised the bottle to this mouth like he was in a good mood. He half spilled and half swallowed it. Then the bottle of alcohol fell from the guard’s hand. There was the sound of the glass bottle shattering, and the remnants of the bottle scattered.

Hyeonu laid down the unconscious guard leader in a corner of the training ground and started to clean up the glass fragments. While Hyeonu was cleaning up the pieces of glass, Bakar stood up and carried the guard leader into the small house.

“I never knew Master liked to drink alcohol so much,” Bakar said when he came out of the small house and wiped his forehead. This was truly the first time Bakar realized it. He had known the guard leader for many years, but it was only today that he discovered the guard leader loved drinking so much.

‘I have to finish streaming...’ Hyeonu thought. He had joked with Bakar and drunk with Bakar and the guard leader. It took quite some time. The stream had to end even if he continued playing Arena.

‘If it stretches out once, then it will have to stretch out again next time.’

He had to cut it now like slicing with a knife to make his next stream more convenient. However, he couldn’t end the stream if Bakar was right in front of him.

“So where do I stay?” Hyeonu started to find the right timing to end the stream.

“You can stay anywhere. Come here anytime. There are only three guards, including you. In the first place, the guards were created by Master...”

Hyeonu heard Bakar’s explanation and asked, “Then why choose me?”

What was the reason for choosing Hyeonu? If the guards were a formal force, then there was no need to choose Hyeonu...

“Just... Isn’t it fun? It would be fun to have three people. So I pulled you to join.”

This was an unexpected answer. It was just...

“Then why recruit newcomers...?”

“That is the higher-ranking unit, not us. You won’t know that place anyway, so it’s fine,” Bakar answered shamelessly.

“Then I will come again,” Hyeonu bid farewell to Bakar and escaped Southern Star.

*** 

“It’s better than I thought.”

Hyeonu left Southern Star and sat down randomly.

-What is good?

-It looks like you screwed up by being intercepted in the middle.

-Don’t pretend to be okay. There are tears behind the mask.

-In any case, just speak sincerely.

The viewers didn’t believe Hyeonu’s words. This definitely wasn’t a good thing. Hyeonu had an opportunity to get closer to the depths of the group even if he just stayed still, yet it was ruined by the guard, Bakar. At least, it seemed this way in the eyes of the viewers.

“Not at all. You shouldn’t think this way.”

Of course, Hyeonu didn’t think so. This was a far better opportunity than entering the higher-ranking units.

“Listen carefully. Let’s say that I entered the high-ranking unit. What would I do there? I have to clear the quest. That won’t happen until I can meet the NPCs in higher positions. Isn’t that right?” 

Hyeonu expressed his opinion to the viewers in order to explain why this was a good opportunity.

-Yes. That is normal.

-Of course.

-So isn’t this bad? There are only two NPCs in the guards.

Perhaps it was because Hyeonu’s explanation wasn’t finished that the viewers were still unaware of Hyeonu’s intentions.

“Did you collectively become goldfish? Wasn’t the guard leader a leader of the high-ranking unit? It is said that he was demoted, but he is still untouchable.” Hyeonu stopped and took a breath. “Either I am one person among hundreds of people or I am one person among three. Which one is more advantageous to me? In addition, isn’t the guard leader definitely someone who doesn’t obey orders?”

The viewers finally understood after hearing Hyeonu’s lengthy explanation.

-I understand it now. I have thought about it.

-It makes sense after hearing the explanation.

-In addition, haven’t they already become friends after the drinking party?

The viewers felt admiration toward Hyeonu after hearing his explanation. However, it was only for a moment.

-They got so close? So is this Alley Leader’s secret?

-Arena’s fly. Rubbing against the emperor. The birth of Alley Leader?

They started to downplay Hyeonu’s actions. As usual, the viewers were teasing him. Of course, as usual, Hyeonu didn’t care. He had his own thing to say to end the stream.

“There is an old saying. The enemy of an enemy is a friend. I will slowly tempt him into joining my quest. Then once it ends successfully? How good would it be to have a friendship with a leader of such a famous force?”

Hyeonu shrugged. This was all for when things worked out successfully. Still, Hyeonu didn’t think he would fail.

‘How long will it take? A week at the most?’

He was already considering the amount of time it would take to clear the quest. To be precise, it was how much time it would take before he could enter Senu.

“Then there is one thing left—the last player to join Crescent Moon and the best player I have hired. The time has come to call out their name.”

The chat window was burning at Hyeonu’s words.

-Who is it? Who?!!!

-Which ranker did you hire?

-It is better if it is a famous ranker...

-Won’t it be hard for Uncle?

Choi Yoon’s name was mentioned, but it was unlikely. It was an objectively impossible story.

“I won’t drag it out. I don’t like doing that. The last member of Crescent Gate is Sunny—A-World’s representative reporter, Sunny!!!” 

Hyeonu finally called out Sunny’s name. Silence followed, and the chat window stopped. After a while, messages poured out like water being released from a dam.

-No!!! What do you mean by Sunny? Alley Leader!

-Going pro isn’t a joke!

-Let’s do it with five people!

-Self-handicap!

Hyeonu shook his head. It was all calculated, and this was the result of his deliberation. “Everyone, you might think so, but Sunny isn’t a handicap. She is an ace.”

-Ace?

-Don’t package it nicely.

-It looks like you’re trying to make her float right now.

“There is no packaging. I really needed her, so I recruited her. The weakness of Crescent Moon is that it has fewer players. But Sunny has a rare necromancer class, and there is no better class when it comes to numbers. Necromancer is also a rare class among professional gamers. It can be a hidden card,” Hyeonu tried hard to persuade the audience.

“Please aim all the criticism and blame at me. I will take it all. I was the one who scouted and persuaded Sunny,” he continued unrelentingly like a racehorse running on the track.

-Having heard this, I have confidence again...

-My emotions are telling me to refute it, but my reason is stopping me.

-He is overflowing with bluffs, but I can’t refute it.

The viewers were impressed by Hyeonu’s energetic explanation and gave up on criticizing him. When Hyeonu saw this public opinion, he quickly announced the end of the live stream. “Then I will end the streaming here today. I will definitely see you next time!! Hahat!”

*** 

At that time, the Crescent Moon players received an email from Nike asking to meet with them for the contract signing. Dwayne stared at his monitor and didn’t even notice that his other half, Jennifer, was in front of him. He was too focused on the monitor. The thing that Dwayne wanted and had been waiting for had finally arrived.

“Jennifer, it is finally here. It is finally starting.” Dwayne stared at the monitor for a long time before finally turning and looking at his lover.

“Congratulations, Dwayne. By the way... I honestly still can’t believe you. You are going to be a pro gamer,” Jennifer spoke cold words to Dwayne.

Despite Jennifer's cold words, Dwayne responded with a smile, “I think so as well. How did I become a pro gamer? I can’t believe it.”

He rose from his seat and approached Jennifer’s side.

“Thank you for respecting my decision when everyone else said it was reckless right now and in the future.” Dwayne pulled Jennifer into his arms.

Jennifer told him, “I didn’t do anything for you. Everything was done by Alley Leader. So you have to work really hard in order to repay the grace you have received.” 

“Of course. I will work hard, harder than ever. In addition, I have to go to South Korea on the weekend. Do you want to go with me?”

“Why are you asking something so obvious, Dwayne? Of course, we have to go together.”

*** 

Mason also confirmed the email as soon as it came. Unable to hold back his excitement, he ran around the spacious room and screamed: “I did it!!! I’m a pro gamer now!!! I’m on the same team as Alley Leader!!!”

Becoming a pro gamer was Mason’s first goal in life. He had accomplished it with his own skills and without relying on anyone else’s power. His heart was filled with an overwhelming sense of achievement. Meanwhile, there was someone watching Mason run amok. The watchful gaze belonged to John, Mason’s butler.

“Young Master, congratulations,” John congratulated Mason with a warm smile. He was holding Mason’s favorite New York hotdog in his hand.

It was only after hearing John’s words that Mason came to a stop.

“Thank you, John. Is that a gift for me?” Mason’s eyes shone when he saw the New York hotdog in John’s hand.

“It naturally belongs to you. I have prepared a Coke here. You just have to eat slowly,” John replied with a soft smile. However, there was a bit of uncertainty on his face.

“John, really... Am I a kid? I am over 20 years old. Stop worrying about me,” Mason said while taking a bite of the hot dog.

“Right, did you do what I asked for? How is it?” Mason took a sip of the Coke and stared at John.

John took out his smartphone, tapped on it for a moment and handed it to Mason. “I have put my hands in many places, including Quency. In particular, I am paying close attention to South Korea, where you are going.”

Mason listened to John while looking closely at what was written on the smartphone. ‘Europe has the mafia. What about the United States? Is the mafia here as well? Meanwhile, South Korea is a typical collusion between politics and businesses.’

“John, handle this... I’m still worried. South Korea... I hope that South Korea’s matter will be finished as soon as possible. Once my brother appears, I want all the attention to only be focused on him. Do you know my heart?”

John nodded as he received his smartphone from Mason. “I understand. I will deal with it as soon as possible.”

Mason finished everything he had to say and started chewing on the New York hotdog again. Then John looked at Mason and opened his mouth like he had thought of something: “Can you tell me the date and place of the contract signing? I have a duty to know your schedule.”

“Ah, I’m going on the weekend. We are meeting on Sunday, so I have to go on Saturday.”

“I understand. I will prepare it.”

Hyeonu’s players were gathering in South Korea one by one. It was to sign a contract with Crescent Moon.