Ranker’s Return

After Lee Hoon disappeared, the viewers wondered about the brief conversation between Hyeonu and Lee Hoon.

-What did you talk about?

-Alley Leader, what did the two of you say?

-Share... No rumors.

“We didn’t talk about anything.”

-Wiretap in my Ear has gifted you 99 gold coins.

-Divide the Good Things has gifted you 99 gold coins.

“We really didn’t speak about anything. I have nothing to say, even if you give gold coins.”

Hyeonu acted with his whole body. The things he heard from Lee Hoon were extremely private and shouldn’t be spread. He didn’t find Clear scary, but there was a difference between knowing and not knowing. Fortunately, Hyeonu’s acting seemed to work on the viewers. He used a voice filled with unfairness that he had honed against Yeongchan.

-I guess there was really nothing. The unfairness can be felt from head to toe.

-That voice is really disgusting. ㅋㅋㅋㅋ

-I’ve never heard that type of wronged voice in my life. ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

“I don’t see a queue anymore. Has it been around five minutes now?”

Up until now, he had been immediately matched with an opponent in the ranking battles. Currently, Hyeonu had passed through the section that could be called ‘outside of rank.’ It was a zone that more than half of the hundreds of millions of players participating in the arena enjoyed.

Those with a bronze medal covered the ranks of 1,000,000 to 9,999,999. The bronze medal zone was where only the top 5% of arena players were in.

-It is time to slow down after getting a bronze medal.

-I’m a silver medal, and it takes at least 10 minutes to be matched to someone. 15 minutes if it is a long time.

-Are you going for a silver medal today?

“A silver medal? I’m checking the rankings now.”

[Gang Hyeonu’s current ranking is 4,875,662.] 

“I think it will be tough today. I’m still below 5 million. I think I will reach silver in the next arena broadcast.”

While Hyeonu was communicating with viewers, his next ranking opponent finally appeared.

***

“By the way, is the person called Clear reliable?” Liu Shei was so curious that he couldn’t sit down till the end. 

“He is one of the top five proxy knights. In fact, he is someone I know.” Tian Hu extended his right hand.

“A proxy knight... They are like that Mopi jerk? I would rather you ask me. Why use them?” Liu Shei had bad feelings toward Mopi, so his expression turned sour.

Tian Hu noticed it and patted Liu Shei on the shoulder. “I know that there is something bad about Mopi, but I can’t use a cow-killing knife to catch chickens. Ah! Is it a dragon, not a cow?”

“No, Brother.” Liu Shei smiled at Tian Hu’s praise. “Is that Clear guy good?"

“Naturally. How much money did I give him? He will probably work hard in order to collect the money.”

“Why don’t you see it for yourself?”

Tian Hu heard Liu Shei’s words and frowned. It was a sign of dislike. However, Liu Shei suggested one more time, “Wouldn’t it be better to go and see him in real-time?”

Tian Hu was persuaded by Liu Shei and nodded. “Yes, that would be good. How about seeing him right now?”

“Okay, Brother.”

They moved to another room. There were two A-cubes in the room. 

“Alley Leader... I'll take a good look at you.”

Tian Hu and Liu Shei got in the cubes.

***

[The ranking battle has started.]

Hyeonu’s opponent was revealed. Hyeonu had been worried about a magician, but it looked like a warrior player. He was holding two swords. “Two swords?”

-A fellow who only cares about appearance has taken the mound.

-Dual wielding swordsmen should die. Don’t they just come to a party with good appearances?

-Locke uses two swords.

“Today it is someone who only cares about appearance. Everyone, take a good look at how weak dual wielding swordsmen are.” 

Hyeonu was in a bad mood after he saw the chat window. He didn’t expect Jung Hanbaek’s ID to appear in his stream. The son of the man who ruined his family...

The one who dealt an indelible insult to him...

From the moment Hyeonu saw the name, he started to fill with ugly emotions. Hyeonu walked forward with his single-edged sword on his shoulder. It was a unique posture as always.

-I don’t know how that appearance-obsessed fellow is.

-It is a conflict between appearance and appearance.

-It seems to be a conflict between bluff and appearance. Drunkard and being drunk.

However, to the audience, it was like a pot calling the kettle black.

***

Hyeonu was responsible for the advance. The one to charge was clearly his opponent, but Hyeonu was the first to attack. Hyeonu’s single-edged sword struck down like lightning. The opposing warrior crossed his two swords to block Hyeonu. Then he used strength to bounce off Hyeonu’s single-edged sword.

‘You’re caught, bastard.’

At this moment, Hyeonu poured magic power into his sword. The opponent had taken Hyeonu’s bait. A smile flashed across Hyeonu’s face. People might’ve made fun of him if it wasn’t for the mask. Hyeonu was smiling that widely.

However, his smile didn’t last. Hyeonu was about to split apart his opponent. No, he thought he would at least cause some damage. Then the opponent did a roll like he knew Hyeonu’s intentions. The appearance was ugly, but the effect was excellent. He pulled himself out without taking any damage.

Clear, the warrior who rolled, felt like he was going crazy. This was a sniping job he usually wouldn’t have accepted if it wasn’t for the fact that he was asked to do it by Tian Hu, who often gave him jobs.

The risk was great.

Even so, Tian Hu was a longtime customer and a big person. Clear weighed the scale, considering between Alley Leader and Tian Hu. Eventually, Clear accepted the commission to snipe Hyeonu. The problem was from now on. Alley Leader was better than he had expected. Hyeonu’s character itself was powerful. It was at least twice as great as what was known. 

The level of the account he was playing was 140, and the rare item set was quite good. Nevertheless, he was pushed back. Tian Hu said this person would be a maximum of level 80.

‘If this is level 80, then he is worth seeing after the second class change.’

Clear judged that he was pushed back in strength. He thought the key was to make it a melee battle, preventing the use of large skills or skills that required high concentration. In general, this was the right judgment... if the opponent wasn’t Alley Leader. If the opponent wasn’t Hyeonu, this judgment would naturally be the best.

The absence of information about Alley Leader—Hyeonu—led to Clear’s misjudgment. He would’ve never accepted the sniper role if he had known Hyeonu was meleegod. meleegod was like this. If there was something that pro-gamers were wary of saying, it was a comparison with meleegod.

Clear held the two swords and stayed attached to Hyeonu’s side. He swung quickly and indiscriminately. The viewers saw several swords swing at the same time. Hyeonu blocked them well with his single-edged sword. It looked like he had to get rid of the prejudice that he was vulnerable to melee because he was holding a long single-edged sword.

Hyeonu attempted a counterattack by stretching out his sword. This attack eerily passed directly in front of Clear. Hyeonu declared, “I let you off once.”

“Don’t talk nonsense,” Clear spoke like it was obvious. Let him off...

It was obvious that he was evading Alley Leader’s attacks. Alley Leader didn’t let him off.

Clear was angry. This was showing disregard for himself. “I am Clear. There is no reason to say that, even if you are Alley Leader.”

“Clear?” Hyeonu recalled Lee Hoon’s explanation from a few minutes ago.

Lee Hoon added, “That person is unique because he uses two swords. Please be careful.”

‘That's right. Two swords!’

“So? What about them? After all, you are just a proxy knight. What is special about that?” Hyeonu shrugged. In fact, he actually had such thoughts. If this person was Clear, then so be it. Why did it matter? It was true that he let Clear off.

“Come at me one more time. This time, I won’t let you off.” 

“Those words—you’ll never be able to speak them again.” Clear had a furious expression and was obviously full of anger. He thought that Alley Leader should pay the price for provoking him. Of course, the price was defeat. He would beat Alley Leader, receive the remaining money, and earn fame. That was what Clear planned to do...

At least, until he was beaten by Hyeonu.

***

“You only have this much ability as a proxy knight? Your standard is inferior to that of the other proxy knights I encountered. I’m sorry to those tied to the same group as you,” Hyeonu fired a poisonous arrow made of words at the fallen Clear.

The arrow was lodged in Clear’s heart. “Uwahh!”

Three minutes ago, it was Clear who had the momentum. Yet this disappeared the moment he rushed to Hyeonu with his two swords. Clear’s two swords moved in a fluid curve. The curves were like gorgeous roses. It was like the Plum Blossom Sword used by the seven dragons of the Kowloon Guild’s Nine Dragons. Then it fell, and the flowers were lost.

Hyeonu split apart the roses that Clear had created. Clear made more flowers, and Hyeonu cut the flowers again. A snake that took the spot of numerous flowers. Hyeonu’s single-edged sword had become like a snake, and it devoured everything made by Clear.

Clear’s ego was shattered. His self-esteem was broken. His honor was gone.

Clear collapsed.

***

“Do you know what I want to say?” Hyeonu crouched down in front of Clear, whose body was covered in scars. “This is something a boxer once said. I want to say it to you.”

Hyeonu whispered in Clear’s ear, “Everyone has a plausible plan... At least, until they are beaten.”

Then Hyeonu stepped back and stabbed his single-edged sword into Clear’s back.

“I don’t know how he became a proxy with that skill, but it will be hard for you to do so in the future.”

[Player ‘Gang Hyeonu’ has won.]

The ranking battle ended. Clear’s life as a proxy knight was also over because of Hyeonu.

***

Tian Hu couldn’t get himself together after seeing Clear collapse so terribly. His anger reached its peak. “Uwah!!! This son of a bitch! What are you doing? Weren’t you confident?”

Tian Hu couldn’t control his body. He threw everything he could get his hands on. A luxurious glass flew through the air, and the chair was broken.

“Brother! Please be patient!!! You will be hurt!!” Liu Shei ignored the glass shards and moved toward Tian Hu. He hugged Tian Hu tightly from behind.

Tian Hu couldn’t move. “Let go! You son of a bitch. I’ll kill all of you.” 

Tian Hu struggled. However, he couldn’t bet Liu Shei, who was bigger than him.

“Brother, didn’t I say that a proxy knight wasn’t trustworthy?”

“I should’ve listened to you.” Tian Hu sat down in a chair in an exhausted manner. He looked devastated. Tian Hu was angry, but now he was also exhausted.

“Brother, don’t be too sad. I've learned something important. I know how to get revenge.”

“What are you talking about?” Tian Hu heard the word ‘revenge’ and suddenly came to life.

“Nike is secretly contacting rankers. Alley Leader is preparing content for streaming. Why don’t you come out there?”

“I should come out? What is the content?”

“It is called Masked Fighter King, where rankers fight in PvP. I will suggest that you will only appear on the condition that Alley Leader participates. Why don’t you handle it yourself?”

After listening to Liu Shei’s explanation, Tian Hu pulled something out. It was a phone.

“Uh, clean up the room here. Take care of the businesses. I won’t be able to look after them for a few weeks,” Tian Hu gave orders and then hung up.

He glanced at Liu Shei and continued, “Now, I will go all-in in Arena, Liu.”