Ranker’s Return

Tian Hu looked strange as he checked the video on the USB. He had mixed emotions, and the only thing he could do was swear.

“Damn, damn, damn!!”

Time was always fair. He had thought so until now. However, this wasn’t the case for Alley Leader. The time he was given seemed to be 48 hours, not 24 hours. Otherwise, how could Alley Leader’s phenomenal growth rate be explained?

“How did he become this strong so quickly?”

It was all questionable and didn’t make sense no matter how Tian Hu thought about it. How on earth did Alley Leader become so powerful? No, where did this level defying strength come from?

Tian Hu couldn’t help wondering. Alley Leader had only been playing Arena for two or three months, yet he had already risen up like this. In a single moment, he pushed five members of Tian Hu’s advance team. No, he overpowered and devoured them.

“I won’t be like them,” Tian Hu said. It was an expression of unfounded confidence. As if to prove it, Tian Hu’s left hand trembled continuously. It was so slight that even Tian Hu himself didn’t notice that his hand was trembling.

***

Hyeonu prepared gradually. He would get revenge on Tian Hu, who targeted him. The invitation list Nike handed him last night included Tian Hu’s name. Seeing that Tian Hu’s appearance was set to be in four weeks’ time, Hyeonu felt that he would be able to appear in Masked Fighting King at that time.

“I will step on him personally... in a terrible manner.”

Moreover, there was also Jung Hanbaek in that list. This was killing two birds with one stone. He had to work diligently from now on to properly grab the opportunity. The first thing he had to do was find the dwarf tribe and receive a weapon.

***

“Hyung-nim, did you really see a dwarf? Here?” Hyeonu made a disbelieving expression. Kim Seokjung might be a trustworthy person, but anyone who was told that the dwarves were found in such a strange space would have the same expression as Hyeonu.

After all, Kim Seokjung said he saw the dwarves here, beyond the frighteningly cold waterfall. Hyeonu couldn’t believe it until he saw it with his own eyes.

“Dongsaeng, you don’t believe me? I saw one here. I’ve seen them for sure. The dwarves crawled out. I saw them with my own eyes.” Kim Seokjung appeared aggrieved.

He had definitely seen dwarves wandering around the Kali Waterfalls when he accidentally passed by a few days ago. Thus, he brought Hyeonu here.

“A muscular dwarf popped out from over there. Dongsaeng, can’t you believe me? Truly.” Kim Seokjung pointed to the end of the waterfall.

“I believe you. Of course, I do.” Unlike his words, Hyeonu’s expression was cheeky. ‘It is a complete bluff. I am following him in vain...’

At this moment, Tang-E found something. ‘What is this?’

The thing that caught Tang-E’s eyes was a thick and muscular body and a face covered with a bushy beard. “Master dude! There’s something here.”

“Where? Where?”

Kim Seokjung responded faster and more violently than Hyeonu, who was the one who wanted to meet the dwarves. Behind the waterfall that Tang-E was pointing at was a big shadow. Hyeonu and Kim Seokjung quickly approached the waterfall.

“What are humans doing here?” The dwarf asked Kim Seokjung and Hyeonu in a voice full of vigilance. The waterfall didn’t show his face, but the pressure around him was strong.

However, Hyeonu wasn’t worried as he had been invited by Golden Hammer to visit.

“I came to see the Golden Hammer. I am Gang Hyeonu.”

“Golden Hammer? Do you mean Brother Edchan? Where did you meet him...?” The dwarf’s words trailed off.

Hyeonu replied clearly, “The Arti Desert. There, I found dwarves who were caught by black magicians.”

“Yes, the desert. No good sense. At that place, he believed humans and made low-quality weapons. Tsk,” the dwarf spoke ill about Golden Hammer, Edchan.

“E-Excuse me. Can you show me to the tribe? I must see Golden Hammer.”

“Huh? Yes. Come in quickly.” The dwarf waved, and the waterfall magically stopped. To be exact, the waterfall split apart, revealing the entrance.

“I’ll say it once again. I am Gang Hyeonu.” Hyeonu bowed toward the dwarves. It was to build up favorability to receive quests and items. In all games, dwarves were no different from Santa Clause, giving great items.

“You are polite, unlike other humans. I like you. I’m Tresha. I’m a Golden Hammer too,” the dwarf, Tresha, said. Then he saw Kim Seokjung and pointed a dagger at Kim Seokjung’s heart. “Why is one of our people behind you? Apart from being a bit taller, I can believe he is a dwarf.”

“Kuoong.” Kim Seokjung’s face turned red. He had heard the phrase ‘manly but with a wild taste’ all his life. Now he was told he looked like a dwarf. If it wasn’t for Hyeonu’s quest, he would’ve already grabbed and shaken the dwarf.

Hyeonu noticed that Kim Seokjung’s expression was strange and said to him, "Hyung-nim, just endure it once.”

“Understood.” Upon hearing Hyeonu’s words, Kim Seokjung decided to endure it this time. He didn’t want to harm the little brother he met again after a long time.

“Come along. I’ll directly guide you to Brother Edchan.”

Hyeonu and Kim Seokjung followed Tresha.

***

There wasn’t much that was particularly distinctive about the dwarf tribe. Like other places in Arena, it was just a place where people lived. The only difference was that dwarves moved around instead of humans. There were also too many workshops. After walking for 30 minutes, Hyeonu and Kim Seokjung finally arrived at Edchan’s workshop.

“Brother! Brother Edchan!!” Tresha shouted loudly outside without entering the smithy.

Then a familiar-looking dwarf wandered outside the workshop. “What’s going on Tresha? Why come to my studio?”

“There are two people bigger than me. Don’t you see them?”

Tresha’s harsh words caused Edchan to look up and see Hyeonu and Kim Seokjung.

“Aren’t you Gang Hyeonu? Why are you only here now? I thought you would come sooner...”

[-Meet Golden Hammer 1/1.]

“There were circumstances.”

Edchan shook his head at Hyeonu’s answer. “Generally, humans can’t be patient when they hear that we will give them weapons. You’re different.”

[The Red Anvil Tribe quest has been cleared.]

[You have received Golden Hammer’s weapon.]

“Come in. I will keep my promise.” Edchan went back into his workshop.

Tresha, Hyeonu, and Kim Seokjung followed him in order.

***

The workshop was of an unbelievable scale. From the furnaces to the hammers and tongs, magic circles were engraved on them all. Even the barrels containing water were engraved with magic circles.

“Whoa.” Hyeonu and Kim Seokjung were amazed by this high-tech studio.

‘I would get tens of thousands of gold if I sell that hammer,’ Hyeonu thought.

After a brief disappearance, Edchan appeared with a small pocket. “Now, here it is. Choose from one of the ones here.”

He turned it over, and all sorts of weapons poured out. There was a spear, single-edged sword, one-handed sword, mace, bow, and even staff. All of them had an old-fashioned appearance and were sharp. Hyeonu carefully picked up one item and checked the information.

“Wow...”

[Breath of Nature]

[-Staff made by processing a branch of the world tree. The magic power amplification rate is excellent because there is a good-quality magic power stone.

Rating: Unique

Restrictions: More than 850 strength.

Durability: 2000/2000

Attack Power: 1300

Effect: Magic power +50, magic power amplification +50%, increases magic power recovery by 50%. The durability is automatically recovered.]

“It is made from a branch I received from a co-worker who lives in the forest over there. It was pretty hard work.”

‘Just having this staff...’

Hyeonu liked its effects. In particular, the effect of magic power amplification and recovery was one of the most necessary things for Hyeonu, who only had magic power skills. It was the spear that Hyeonu picked up next.

[Moonlight Wedge]

[-A spear from processing a meteorite containing the magic power of the moon.

Rating: Unique

Restrictions: More than 450 strength and 400 agility.

Durability: 1800/1800

Attack Power: 2500

Effect: Defense penetration +25%, ‘Moonlight Magic Power’ can be used.

Moonlight Magic Power: Magic power is doubled when the moon rises in the sky.]

“Isn’t this okay?”

The options of the spear were decent. Its attack power was nearly twice as high as that of the Dwarf’s Single-edged Sword, and there was a defense penetration option. Magic power also doubled if the condition of the moon was met, so it was pretty good.

‘It is a pity.’ 

When Hyeonu picked up the Moonlight Wedge, he felt disappointed as he would’ve chosen it without thinking if it were of the sun instead of the moon. The condition of the moon was too restrictive. Still, there were many weapons left.

***

Hyeonu searched the weapons for a long time but couldn’t pick one.

“Dongsaeng, do you have a mental disorder about making choices? Just choose one like a man. What are you hesitating for?” Kim Seokjung urged Hyeonu.

Hyeonu had been looking at the unique weapons without selecting anything.

‘Keuk, if it were me, I would’ve just picked anything,’ Kim Seokjung thought.

Finally, Hyeonu’s hand moved. After a long time, Hyeonu ended up selecting red gauntlets. “I’ll take these.”

Edchan’s eyes widened at Hyeonu’s unexpected choice. Then he asked again, “You really want that? Really? It isn’t something I made. It is one of the artifacts that my father passed on.”

Hyeonu answered decisively, “Yes. I’ll take this.”

***

Kim Seokjung and Hyeonu trudged along after being driven out of the dwarf village. They were now on their way back to the Devil’s Valley, home to the New World Guild’s camp.

“Dongsaeng, what are those gloves? Why pick them over the weapons that looked good?” Kim Seokjung couldn’t understand Hyeonu’s choice. He didn’t know the exact options of the weapons, but he could take a quick look and estimate their options and attack power. Despite being a monk, the gauntlets didn’t look that great to him. They were outside his field. There was nothing the gauntlets could compare to. In short, they were of a low quality.

“It isn’t easy to get gauntlets with this option. I can get weapons at any time from monsters. I’m not lacking attack power right now,” Hyeonu replied.

‘Memories of Murder’—this was the name of the gauntlets Hyeonu had chosen.