Ranker’s Return

“The sword of Alley Leader—Gang Hyeonu—has pierced the opponent’s heart. Crescent Moon has won PvP with four wins and three losses!! Today’s Crescent Moon is once again powerful!” Jang Junhyung’s cry resounded through Arena Stadium.

The PvP ended one-sidedly. Judging from the score alone, 4-3 wasn’t a one-sided result. However, the content of the match was very one-sided. It was a bit fierce at first. Then the games progressed as always, and the gatekeeper called Hyeonu tore the other side apart.

When the players of Crescent Moon finished their interviews and went back to the waiting room, they found people waiting for them there. Gang Junggu, Kim Seokjung, Yeongchan, and Jung Sehun—these four people were waiting for them.

“Did you only just come here now?”

“Why did it take so long? You should’ve just finished it.”

Yeongchan and Jung Sehun flew forward like bullets when Hyeonu opened the door. It was as if they had been waiting for the Crescent Moon players to arrive.

‘They must’ve been very uncomfortable.’

Hyeonu chuckled when he saw the appearance of the two people. He knew why they welcomed him so much. Kim Seokjung and Gang Junggu weren’t easy to get close to. It wasn’t just difficult for Jung Sehun, who was meeting them for the first time, but also for Yeongchan, who had met them several times before.

‘It is weirder that my team members can get along with them,’ Hyeonu thought. Jung Sehun and Yeongchan weren’t strange at all for reacting like that. Rather, the Crescent Moon players, who didn’t have any difficulties, were the unusual ones.

“So who told you to come first and wait for me? If you had come here at this time instead, you wouldn’t have needed to wait,” Hyeonu shot back with an expression like he didn’t know anything.

Meanwhile, Yuri approached Hyeonu’s side and greeted Sehun: “Sehun oppa, it’s been a while. Has it been two years?” 

Jung Sehun was one of Yeongchan’s close friends, so he knew Yuri. They hadn’t met recently because Jung Sehun was busy, but they had met frequently in high school.

“Eh? Yes. I’m always fine, but isn’t it tiring for you to be a professional gamer?” Jung Sehun asked.

“If it is tiring, then Hyeonu oppa must be very tired. What’s hard for me? Hyeonu oppa is doing everything.”

“Well... that is true.” Jung Sehun laughed. Once the number of faces increased, their usual personalities reappeared.

Kim Seokjung walked up behind them and wondered, “Is everything over today?”

“We just need to grab our things, and we can go back, Hyung-nim,” Hyeonu answered.

Kim Seokjung didn’t know what was happening in Arena and spoke with a happy expression, “Really? Then go ahead and grab them. I haven’t seen you for a long time and want to go play.”

“Yes, we haven’t seen each other in a while. Let’s have a beer.”

The same was true for Hyeonu. He was excited at the thought of unburdening himself to Kim Seokjung. The Crescent Moon players packed their bags faster than usual and left Arena Stadium. As they moved toward the parking lot, Hyeonu shifted to Gang Junggu’s side and asked, “Everything is okay, right?”

Gang Junggu placed an arm around Hyeonu’s shoulder and started speaking in a very low voice: “Hyeonu, you haven’t met all of Kowloon right?” 

“Yes, I haven’t met all nine of them.”

“And you haven’t seen their videos?”

Hyeonu lowered his head silently. It was true. Liu Shei was the only one that Hyeonu knew properly in Kowloon. He didn’t know how the guild had changed recently as he had no updated information.

“Don’t worry. They might not be monsters like you, but they are good enough to be called monsters among regular rankers. Jang Hoon is also there. They can’t have any problems.”

“What if something does happen?”

“Then you have to go and get revenge. They won’t be depressed from dying just once or twice.” Gang Junggu patted Hyeonu’s shoulder and walked ahead.

Hyeonu who was left alone was deeply thoughtful.

***

“Jang Hoon, do the attackers normally hit people in the back like this?” Liu Shei looked at the attackers that suddenly appeared at the beginning of the battle.

“Nothing like this has happened until today... Well, it just means that the heads on their shoulders aren’t decorations,” Jang Hoon answered with a calm face. Something unexpected had happened, but he didn’t panic at all. They just used their heads and showed a different pattern. However...

“Don’t they look like small fries? It might be different if they’re a powerful guild, but they are just guys who only know how to come in droves,” Jang Hoon added calmly.

By his standards, the alliance merely consisted of small fries. They were fruit that couldn’t ripen, worms that couldn’t become adults.

“Indeed... There is a difference between people who are beaten up and those who beat up others in their daily lives.” Liu Shei’s thoughts were no different.

Large guilds—the guilds who guarded their name—had a lot of combat experience. In particular, those guilds fought every day during the times of chaos from before Hyeonu took the name of Alley Leader. All of Kowloon, including Liu Shei, had experienced that period of time.

“Kill them all!” Nine people, including Liu Shei, shouted and ran out at the same time. They didn’t shrink back at the hundreds of players surrounding them.

Seeing this scene, Jang Hoon shouted, “We are going too! Annihilate the attackers!”

New World couldn’t just stand by after all. At Jang Hoon’s shout, the players of New World rushed to the attackers around them. It seemed like a reversal. In a way, it appeared as if New World and Kowloon had lured the alliance into a trap, not the other way around.

Jang Hoon ran toward the attackers and wielded his fists. White pure energy filled the air as he used a powerful skill from the start. His pure energy flew toward the pure energies coming from the other side. Then it happened at this moment. White pure energy dozens of times more powerful than Jang Hoon’s poured out from behind him. The flood of hundreds of pure energies flew directly to the attackers, sweeping over them.

This was perfect cooperation. It was the difference between normal guilds and guilds that fought on a large scale. Their many combat experiences allowed them to develop precise skill-timing depending on the situation and without any need for orders. Of course, there were no real damages or losses among the attackers. However, once such damage was accumulated, it would lead to defeat. 

Just then, 10 players appeared among the scattered attackers. They were the backbone of the alliance and also the masters of various guilds. Among them were those who had gathered at the round table to talk.

One of them pointed to Kowloon and shouted, “Kill them first! They are the real ones!” 

The members of Kowloon were designated as the top targets. The alliance knew that the most threatening ones here weren’t New World, which consisted of more than 50 Liru monks, but the nine Kowloon members.

“Bah, what are you doing? Worthless jerk.”

“Why don’t you come forward and kneel down? Then I will forgive you once.”

“Forgiveness is killing them the moment we see them. It won’t be hard to kill them.”

Kowloon showed off from the moment they entered the battle. They returned more blows than they received, even if Liu Shei didn’t give any orders.

‘Where is Tian Hu?’ Liu Shei’s eyes were chasing the traces of the past. He was looking for Tian Hu, a man who knew Liu Shei’s faults in the days before he became a dragon.

‘There he is!’ Soon, Tian Hu entered Liu Shei’s eyes. Liu Shei was able to recognize Tian Hu with one glance because there was nothing covering Tian Hu’s face.

“Let’s finish this quickly. There are many quests left in the East Continent, don’t you know? Others could come and mess things up,” Liu Shei urged the others to act quickly with a casual expression like nothing had happened. He wanted to deal with Tian Hu quickly. In order to do that, he needed the help of others. He alone couldn’t deal with all of the 10 masters.

‘I am envious of him at times like this.’

At this moment, he was really jealous of Alley Leader. If it were Alley Leader, he wouldn’t be worried like Liu Shei was now. He would’ve just stepped forward, sliced them all, and killed Tian Hu. Those who knew Liu Shei’s feelings moved as one. They took up their weapons and fought the ten masters.

Kowloon was outnumbered by one, but that wasn’t a problem. The level difference between the two groups ignored the numeric differences.

“I’ll take care of this one.” Liu Shei moved in front of Tian Hu. It was a chance to get rid of his past.

***

“Hyung-nim, it seems your drinking capacity has increased greatly during the time I haven’t seen you? Why does time seem to flow several times faster for you?” Hyeonu asked while holding onto Gang Junggu’s shoulder.

It was the fourth round. After an exciting night with dinner and accompaniment, they went to an izakaya before finally settling in an atmospheric lounge bar.

“Me? I’m not drunk yet, Hyeonu. These friends already seem to be wasted despite being in their prime...?” Gang Junggu clicked his tongue when he looked at Yeongchan and Jung Sehun who had completely lost their minds. The two men had been in a dangerous situation and insisted on following Kim Seokjung in drinking whiskey. As a result, they were now traveling in dreamland on the couch.

“These guys are weak. By the way, you’re fine?” Hyeonu was speaking to Kim Seokjung this time.

“Yes, our dongsaeng, I’m still fine!!! Let’s drink more.” Kim Seokjung nodded and laughed.

Then he filled Hyeonu’s straight glass with whiskey. Hyeonu naturally poured the whiskey from the straight glass to a glass full of ice.

“I’ll pour Hyung-nim a drink as well.” Hyeonu took the whiskey bottle from Kim Seokjung’s hand and filled his empty glass.

“I should accept what Dongsaeng gives me.” Kim Seokjung put down his full cup and glanced at Gang Junggu. “What are you doing? Aren’t you going to drink?”

Gang Junggu failed to win against Kim Seokjung and reluctantly raised his glass. He was already at his limit. There was no guarantee that he wouldn’t be like those friends lying on the couch if he drank a bit more. However, he couldn’t refuse Kim Seokjung’s words.

“Yes, Hyung-nim,” Gang Junggu said and extended his cup to Hyeonu. Hyeonu once again poured the whiskey and filled Gang Junggu’s empty glass.

“Cheers.” Kim Seokjung raised his glass. Accordingly, Gang Junggu and Hyeonu also raised their glasses. The glasses struck each other and made a light clink.

‘It’s good.’ Hyeonu enjoyed the aftertaste of the bitter whiskey. Then he chewed on the sweets, which had been placed on the table.

Kim Seokjung laughed at such a Hyeonu.

“Why are you laughing, Hyung-nim?” Hyeonu asked.

“Just because you are cute, cute. I think it is good to be young,” Kim Seokjung replied, dropping his glass onto the table with a loud sound. Then he lowered his head toward Hyeonu and said, “Don’t worry about it. I will handle it so you won’t have a problem.”

“Huh? What are you talking about?” Hyeonu asked with a frown. He couldn’t understand what Kim Seokjung was talking about.

Kim Seokjung mouthed something to such a Hyeonu.

“!!!” Hyeonu’s eyes widened.