Ranker’s Return

‘So it’s like this...’

In fact, Hyeonu knew the truth. He knew that Jerry’s finger was pointing at Tang-E, not him. He was just rejecting reality.

“Yes, our Tang-E is different. He is enough to shake the continent.” Hyeonu stroked Tang-E’s head. Tang-E was smiling. He smiled because he liked Jerry’s words.

“Really? I... Master dude, did you hear it? This rock will be turned into me,” Tang-E said as he climbed Hyeonu’s body. After climbing onto Hyeonu’s chest, Tang-E extended his neck to let Hyeonu see him.

“Yes, he is going to make you.” Hyeonu felt at ease when he saw Tang-E’s bright smile. It was unnecessary for Hyeonu to feel regretful. He told Jerry, “Then, I’ll be depending on you.”

***

Later, Hyeonu climbed onto the city wall and held a meat party for Tang-E as promised. After the party, Tang-E returned to Bung Bung Island while Hyeonu returned to the castle. There was a place he had to stop by first before quitting Arena.

“My Lord, you’re here?” A knight in colorful armor greeted Hyeonu. It was Letner of the Knights of Keon.

“Did you hear the news?” Hyeonu asked.

“Yes, I heard. Earl, you did a great job. The captain told me to go back to the duke in two weeks when the other knights arrive,” Letner reported to Hyeonu and guided him somewhere. “The soldiers are training here.”

Letner knew what Hyeonu wanted. It was because Hyeonu would occasionally come to see the soldiers being trained.

‘If the soldiers grow quickly, they can be used in the siege...’ Hyeonu thought. He could support the troops at will right now, but there was no guarantee of that next season. To be fair, this might be the last time. Like most professional sports, he didn’t know when Arena would become more extreme.

This was the gap between the poor and the rich. To be exact, it was the gap in skill. The influence of the pro gamers would increase. Of course, this was even better for Hyeonu. After all, no matter what anyone said, Alley Leader was currently the best in Arena.

“It’s fine. I just came for a check today. Thank you for everything in the meantime. Once you go back, learn well.” Hyeonu touched Letner’s shoulder and turned around.

“That is natural. It is our duty. In addition... these people might become my juniors,” Letner said firmly to Hyeonu.

The knight was very trustworthy.

“I understand. Then I have nothing to say. Right, Letner, do you have any idea what you are going to learn?” Hyeonu asked.

He decided to give Letner a gift. It wasn’t big, but it was a better gift than getting nothing. Letner shook his head lightly. “Won’t I find out when I return? I am curious, but I’ll have to put up with it until then.”

Hyeonu pulled out the Mysterious Sky Sword and raised it to the air. “It isn’t very different from the techniques of the Knights of Keon. Your techniques are focused on the use of magic power, so there is no standardized technique. I just brought a few standardized techniques, like this.”

At the end of the Mysterious Sky Sword, a black bead was created, and it fired a beam of light into the sky. This was an unnerving sight.

“If you are a Knight of Keon, you should be able to learn it without much difficulty. It isn’t a difficult skill.” Hyeonu patted Letner’s shoulders twice and disappeared. Letner, who was left alone, glanced at the place where Hyeonu disappeared and then turned back to look at the air.

“Crazy. He isn’t the Captain’s disciple for nothing. He is a monster.”

In some ways, Letner could feel it more clearly because the Knights of Keon were more sensitive to magic power than magicians. The earl was a monster...

Clearly, their captain had accepted a disciple for that reason. That technique of firing a huge amount of magic power in an instant—the problem with executing it was that the condensed magic power had to be kept right to the end. Letner didn’t have the ability to condense magic power like that, so he wouldn’t be able to sustain it even if he had the ability.

“Truly a monster, a monster.”

Letner repeated the same words over and over.

***

Hyeonu came out of the cube and picked up his smartphone that was emitting a bright light.

“Who sent this message?”

The annoyed Hyeonu saw the name and content of the message on the screen. Then he soon started making a phone call with a serious face. He listened to the ringback tone ring.

One time, two times, and three times...

It became quiet at the third ring as the call was connected.

“Brother, what happened? There was a problem?”

Hyeonu was in a hurry, but he spoke in a calm voice without any agitation.

-That’s right. I’m sorry, Hyeonu.

The one Hyeonu was talking to was Gang Junggu. The message had also been sent by Gang Junggu.

-The one we were supposed to kill... we missed him. Our faces were covered, so we weren’t exposed... We will be careful next time. Arena’s NPCs truly aren’t simple. Gang Junggu seemed very apologetic.

However, Hyeonu didn’t take it very seriously. ‘This isn’t a big deal though?’

“Well, things can happen. Sometimes it just turns out like this. How can you always succeed? Don’t worry,” Hyeonu replied to Gang Junggu casually.

It didn’t really matter. Quests—they could fail. It was impossible to always succeed.

‘Is there a problem?’ Hyeonu wondered.

“Brother, the imperial family is on our side, and we even have an NPC with a fairly high rank inside the Gucheon Secret Department on our side. What’s the problem?”

-That’s true, but it won’t be easy to get rid of that guy. This is the problem. I’m sorry for delaying things.

Hyeonu shook his head when he heard Gang Junggu’s words. There was no need for him to be sorry.

“Brother, don’t be sorry and just give it to me. I will handle it. In return, I’ll tell you about one more person. Won’t that be okay?”

Putting aside New World, Hyeonu was close to Gang Junggu and Kim Seokjung. He didn’t consider them outsiders. The former was his guild, and the latter were brothers who cared for him. Hyeonu shouldn’t be hearing the words ‘I’m sorry’ for something like this.

“Are you feeling sorry just because of this? Is this the extent of the relationship between us? I’m honestly a bit sad.”

Hearing Hyeonu’s words, Gang Junggu had nothing to say. After a while, he opened his mouth and said, -...I understand. I’ll send the details separately. You can send the name and information of the 30th NPC too. Then I’ll hang up.

Just like that, Gang Junggu ended the call. It was over, but Hyeonu didn’t care too much. His attention was already directed elsewhere.

‘He is manly, so he’ll be fine.’

Gang Junggu was one of the manliest people Hyeonu knew. He wouldn’t care too much about these mistakes. Gang Junggu would likely be having fun with Kim Seokjung even as early as tomorrow.

“Who is the 31st person? That they failed to kill?”

That was the problem. Gang Junggu and Kim Seokjung—the two of them couldn’t have missed a normal NPC so easily. Even if they were careless, the other members of New World wouldn’t have stood by idly.

‘I’ll have to wait until the message arrives.’

Hyeonu couldn’t remember. To be precise, he hadn’t seen the list. He’d merely seen 50 numbers, ripped the paper from the 31st name, and then handed it to Kim Seokjung. So, it was natural for him not to remember. Who could remember names and information they hadn’t seen?

“Yeongchan! Let’s eat!” Hyeonu gave up on his thoughts and chose to eat instead. “Let’s eat meat! Do you want pork belly?” 

Yeongchan’s cry came back to Hyeonu like an echo: “Crazy jerk! Who cooks pork belly at home now?!”

It was Hyeonu who resembled Tang-E.

***

The next day arrived.

Hyeonu was preparing to go out early in the morning. He gradually thickened his clothes to be more suitable for the cold weather. From the inner shirt to the knitwear and jacket on top, he wore several thin layers. It was a styling done in preparation for the daily temperature difference.

“Are you going to see the building?” It was Yeongchan who was talking.

Hyeonu looked at Yeongchan seriously. “Why do you think I’m going to buy a building? I am going to see the dormitory.”

“Why don’t you live in the dormitory?” Yeongchan asked.

“I have a decent house. Why go there? Yuri has to go because of Sunny. Dwayne and Mason are foreigners, so they have to live here. Lee Hoon is living alone, so he is going to live together with them,” Hyeonu responded smoothly with a fluent tongue like he had already prepared the answer in advance.

“Will you live in this house for the rest of your life? Then pay rent or at least the utility bills, you jerk.” Yeongchan wanted to cry for a moment.

While thinking about it, he found it really unfair. This was definitely a house where they lived together, but Hyeonu didn’t pay even 10 won. What about food expenses? Yes, Hyeonu only covered the cost of their food.

“But I eat alone most of the time,” Yeongchan murmured in a small voice, unable to hide his boiling anger.

“Then I’m going.” Hyeonu left the house like he was ignoring Yeongchan or because he really didn’t hear it.

Naturally, Yeongchan trembled with resentment.

***

Hyeonu was in the elevator and pressed a button that said ‘1’, not ‘B1’. His Panamera was parked on B1, so going to the first floor meant he wasn’t getting in his car.

‘I can walk.’

The reason why Hyeonu didn’t ride his car was simple. It was because the dormitory of Crescent Moon was too close to go by car.

“Isn’t it a waste of money?”

Mason lived in the building where the dormitory was situated. In fact, Mason had purchased five floors of the residential complex facing the one Yeongchan and Hyeonu lived in. After exiting the building, Hyeonu walked for precisely three minutes. He crossed the pedestrian crossing and arrived at the main residence where Crescent Moon was located.

Mason had already arrived, and he greeted Hyeonu, “Brother, you’re here?”

Hyeonu waved to Mason.

“Isn’t this a waste of money? You’re overspending, overspending!” Hyeonu started nagging the moment he saw Mason.

It was an excessive expense no matter how Hyeonu thought about it. So much money was spent just for a period of 3 to 4 months.

“I didn’t just buy it casually. I’m investing. I’m not a shareholder of Crescent Moon. In addition, who do you think I am?” Mason laughed.

He found this Hyeonu very charming. Seriously, he was actually worrying about Rockefeller’s successor?? It wasn’t like Mason spent a lot of money. He didn’t even buy the whole building. He only bought five floors!

Hyeonu replied, “What? You are just a little brother I know well.”