Ranker’s Return

The suddenly darkened screen sent the viewers into a fluster. They hadn’t expected him to really disappear like this.

-He’s really gone.

-Hey, it is understandable to go. 20,000 gold means 20,000 dollars.

-Even I wouldn’t be able to stand it.

-Next time he turns on the stream, let’s give a few gold coins. Use it for our Alley Leader’s enhancement fee.

However, public opinion in the chat window wasn’t bad as the viewers understood why the stream had ended so suddenly. Instead, many people were worried about Hyeonu. Due to the last failure, the enhancement value had been reset. In other words, 20,000 gold had flown away.

-Then see you next time.

-Now I will go to watch Reina’s stream.

-I need to play Arena.

The viewers started to leave one by one, and most of the viewers eventually disappeared. Once there were fewer than 10,000 people remaining, the screen regained color. A man wearing a child’s mask appeared on the screen. He bowed and said, “I’m sorry, everyone. I couldn’t hold back my anger temporarily and ended the stream. I will apologize again.”

-It’s okay. At least you came back.

-20,000 gold was lost, so I understand.

-Let’s do something. First of all, I want to see Tang-E.

‘Not bad.’

Hyeonu felt relieved by the sight of the audience’s comments. Their reaction wasn’t too bad.

‘Well, the viewers... They will come back in a little bit.’

Currently, it was a number that could be called almost nothing when compared to the original number of viewers.

“The reason I came back is simple. I still have one more chance, so I’m going to challenge it one final time.”

In fact, Hyeonu had quit the stream and used the massage chair to try soothing his sad heart. Then he returned to the capsule and removed the Mysterious Sky Sword. He placed it in his inventory, only to find something strange. Dorma, the tyrant of the Balder Mountains—it was the golden bead Hyeonu had gotten from Dorma. The item information was updated.

[30% Chance +12 Enhancement Stone]

[Instead of gold, place an enhancement stone in the enhancement capsule. Something good might happen.

Rating: Uncommon

Restrictions: None

Effect: There is a 30% chance of making the equipment become +12 when placed in the enhancement capsule.] 

‘I will believe in you.’ Hyeonu cherished the golden bead in his hand. This was really his last chance.

“Tang-E, come out.”

A colorful magic circle appeared, and Tang-E soon materialized in Yusma’s workshop. Hyeonu’s gaze became even more focused. It seemed to draw the eyes of everyone in the workshop. All of their gazes had the same intention.

“Master dude!” Tang-E kicked off from the ground and plunged into Hyeonu’s arms.

“Why is our Tang-E so spoiled today?” Hyeonu welcomed Tang-E with a smile as it was rare for him to see Tang-E behave so cutely. It was the same for the 10,000 viewers who weren’t in the workshop.

-I stayed to see this...

-I was lucky today...

-I’m going to buy a lottery ticket. Lick lick, Tang-E!

-No wonder why I didn’t want to leave the stream.

Nearly 10,000 viewers lit up the chat window. Each one was a match for 1,000—no, 10,000 people.

“Put this bead in this hole a bit later, okay?” Hyeonu carefully placed the golden bead onto Tang-E’s paw.

Tang-E spun the bead and observed it before saying, “Understood. I can do that.”

Hyeonu placed the Mysterious Sky Sword in the capsule, and its information was displayed. Then he waited until there was the message to put the gold.

[Add the gold.]

‘This is it.’

“Tang-E, put it in. You can put it in here.” Hyeonu pointed to a hole in the capsule. Tang-E carefully moved the bead with both paws and inserted the ball into the hole. Then the capsule showed a message that was different from before.

[The enhancement stone has been put in.]

[There is a 30% chance that the enhancement value will be +12.]

It was visible to the audience since it was a phrase that appeared on the capsule.

-What is that?

-Where, when, and how did he get that?

-Noooooo! Is he playing Arena alone?! Share some with others!!!

-Did he come back after getting that, or did he save it and then come back to try it?

The viewers were surprised while the numbers on the capsule continued to rise.

0%... 10%... 50%... 100%.

The moment the number above the capsule reached 100%, Hyeonu closed his eyes. He couldn’t bring himself to look ahead.

[The enhancement has succeeded!]

[The enhancement figure has increased.]

[The current enhancement figure is +12.]

-Amazing!!

-Hey, it’s out!!!!!

-Open your eyes, Alley Leader!

-It came out!!! It’s out!!! Arena’s first +12 weapon!

Hyeonu opened his eyes long after the result came out.

‘Can I open my eyes now?’

His frantic heart started to calm down and regain its usual stillness. As Hyeonu slowly opened his eyes, he looked at the capsule through a very narrow gap.

‘Please, success... Success...’

The problem was that the message on the capsule screen was hidden by his fingers, making him unable to see it although his eyes were open. So he moved his hands little by little to reveal the first character.

‘?

.’ The first character was an ‘?

’.

‘Both failure and success start with this...' [1] 

“Shit!”

Hyeonu eventually couldn’t overcome his curiosity and removed his hand.

‘Success!!!!’

A fanfare exploded in Hyeonu’s mind, and the exciting music flowed along with the movement of his body. With one hand, he pulled out the Mysterious Sky Sword from the capsule. Then with the other, Hyeonu grabbed Tang-E and quickly ran out of the workshop.

‘I can’t keep shouting in here.’

“I need to manage my image.”

Image—Hyeonu didn’t know that he already lost his.

-Yes, everyone except for Alley Leader knows it. He has no such thing.

***

“Then I will check the item information first.”

After exiting Yusma’s workshop, Hyeonu headed for Phinis’ internal office. He used his lord’s privilege to return to his territory. In fact, there was no place better suited for his current situation than this. Phinis’ internal office was an enclosed space without the eyes of other people, and Hyeonu could check on Phinis straight after the stream was over. It was a good choice in many ways.

‘Item Information.’

[+12 Mysterious Sky Sword]

[Edchan, the chief of the Red Anvil Tribe, has recreated the broken Mysterious Sky Sword.

The skill of a Golden Hammer has caused the restored broken Mysterious Sky Sword to boast a greater power than the original version.

The higher the achievements in the Mysterious Sky Demonic Art, the greater the power of the sword.

Rating: Epic

Durability: 6,300/6,300

Restrictions: One who has learned the Mysterious Sky Demonic Art.

Attack Power: 3,500 + 4,900

Effect: All stats +350, defense penetration is increased by 30%, magic power consumption is decreased by 30%, and magic power is increased by 30%.

Hyeonu’s mouth dropped open when he checked the information of the Mysterious Sky Sword.

“It’s crazy, crazy. Quency is crazy, Tang-E is crazy, I’m crazy, this weapon is crazy,” he muttered quietly and quickly.

-How much did it rise?

-Two times?

-Why admire it alone? Share it.

Hyeonu glanced at the viewers’ comments and waited for a long while. This was because it wasn’t time yet.

‘There aren’t enough viewers.’

There was no point in showing it now. New viewers would come swarming in soon, and he would have to show it again. This was a truth he learned through his past streaming experiences.

“By the way, I didn’t see the update properly... Does the weapon flash like this when it is enhanced?”

Hyeonu waved the Mysterious Sky Sword around. Looking closely, he found there was a strange glow around it. The Mysterious Sky Sword was shining with a pale blue color, but Hyeonu had been too excited in the workshop to take notice of it then. Consequently, he was only noticing it now that his excitement had finally subsided somewhat.

-Please read the announcement. It’s all written there...

-There are special effects from +10.

-Of course, it can be turned off.

-Now that you know, quickly release the item specifications!

‘Ah, is that so?’

Hyeonu nodded when he saw the information from the viewers. Then he once again examined the Mysterious Sky Sword from top to bottom.

‘Isn’t it okay?’

It was really cool. The sword was a murky black with a subtle blue glow, and it looked good.

‘I can just go around like this.’

Hyeonu didn’t have to turn it off. He never took out the Mysterious Sky Sword unless he was in a field, so there was no need to worry about others recognizing it.

‘The viewers...’

The number was fully recovered; all the viewers who left after the stream’s abrupt end had returned.

“Then let me show you how it has changed due to the enhancement.”

There would be no backlash from the viewers once he showed it to them. Knowing this, Hyeonu boldly revealed the enhancement.

[+12 Mysterious Sky Sword]

[Attack Power: 3,500 + 4,900]

It was the same status window as before. Only two numbers differed. +1 had become +12, and 350 had become 4,900. After seeing it, the viewers felt astonished.

-Look at the enhancement effect.

-It is more than twice as high as before the enhancement.

-Now I will really die in one blow.

-It was originally one blow anyway. ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

-Still, the strengthening is good. It’s worth it.

The viewers who saw the Mysterious Sky Sword’s enhanced stat were amazed and responded positively to the effectiveness of the enhancement. They felt it was worth spending gold to enhance it when the effect was at this level.

“I think the enhancement is okay. The returns you get in comparison to the risks are also good. It’s just that my weapon is so great that it consumed a lot of gold... You can slow down the timing of your weapon replacement by enhancing the right weapon.”

This was Hyeonu’s idea and also Quency’s intention. They couldn’t directly control the market price, but by imposing indirect sanctions in this manner, they were trying to lower the prices of items with a high market price.

-Yes.

-I can buy a rare or unique weapon, enhance it appropriately, and use it for a while.

-If you are lucky with the enhancement, you can save a lot of gold.

-If you think you’re unlucky, then just spend gold.

It was just that there was a side effect to this: the price of enhanced items would go up like crazy. The reason for that was so obvious that everyone knew why. Enhanced items meant high performance with low wearing conditions, so it was natural for the price to rise.

“Then I will go test it out.”

Hyeonu exited the inner office and immediately climbed the walls. His destination was Mount Canary.

‘I have to show them Mount Canary one more time. Right...’

Jumping off the wall with no hesitation, Hyeonu ran straight toward Mount Canary. Nevertheless, he didn’t forget about giving it some publicity while he was running.

“We are going to Mount Canary. It is the best hunting ground in Phinis, Mount Canary.”

Hyeonu quickly arrived at Mount Canary, and someone was there to welcome him. To be exact, it was a monster—a huge wild pig with black teeth and fur. This was a black wild boar.

When it discovered Hyeonu, the black wild boar charged forward.

“Let’s start the test.” Hyeonu’s eyes glowed as he gazed at the fast-moving black wild boar.

[1] In Korean