Ranker’s Return

The words from Mascherano’s mouth shocked everyone at the table.

“Who is that?” Mascherano had no choice but to ask this as he didn’t recognize the name he heard. Upon seeing that, the Crescent Moon players showed a flat response.

“Eh, what?”

“How dull...”

Mascherano showed an aggrieved expression when he saw the reactions of the players, including Hyeonu. He said defensively, “No, it really is the first time I’ve heard of it... Maybe none of you will know if I tell you?”

Mascherano felt it was unfair since it truly was his first time hearing the name that Ryan mentioned. Turning to look at Ryan, Mascherano asked, “Can I say it?”

Ryan nodded. After receiving Ryan’s consent, Mascherano repeated the name he had heard. “Luke. It’s Luke. Does anyone know him?”

Everyone shook their heads. They didn’t know a person by that name. Out of the six Crescent Moon players, not a single person knew Luke.

“This is the first time I’ve heard of him?”

“Is he a ranker?”

“I don’t think I’ve heard this name among any of the rankers I know...”

“It seems like his ID isn’t Luke. Don’t think too much. It is useless knowing now anyway.” Hyeonu waved his hand at his team members who seemed to have no idea about the person in question. There was no need to care if it was a name that no one recognized.

‘So what if this person is at a decent standard?’

He would kneel at Hyeonu’s feet anyway.

Hyeonu smiled and continued to talk to Ryan and Mascherano. There was more to be gained from these two people’s words than he expected.

Their conversation ended when the last team, the New York Warriors, entered New York Arena Stadium and sat at their designated table. All the participants were now gathered, and Quency started Arena Week in earnest.

“Today, the once-a-year festival, Arena Week, is being held here at New York Arena Stadium. Let’s all celebrate the magnificent opening of the festival!” the blond-haired announcer shouted in English. The moment the announcer’s words were over, carbon dioxide emerged at the front of the stage like fog.

Simultaneously, colorful firecrackers started to explode above New York Arena Stadium. It was like watching a fireworks festival. The staff, audience, and players gathered at New York Arena Stadium stared at the fireworks dazedly like they’d lost their souls.

“Arena Week will last a total of four days. Today’s opening ceremony was prepared for those of you who really love Arena. PvP will be held on the second day, the siege on the third day, and the raid on the last day. After it is over, there will be the award ceremony and closing ceremony.” The announcer’s explanation of Arena Week’s detailed schedule was for the spectators and those watching on the TV or Internet.

It had already been communicated to the players, but it was information that other people didn’t know.

“There are two events that everyone is curious about. It is the class change and lucky-person selection.”

Quency had deliberately concealed the events that were held on the first day. To be exact, they asked the management company and progress staff to refrain from informing the players.

“What is the class change?”

“Who knows? This is the first time I’m hearing about it as well.”

“What is the lucky-person selection?”

This time, exclamations emerged from the players who had been listening quietly as this was their first time hearing about it. It was the same with Crescent Moon.

“Have you heard anything? Dwayne?” Hyeonu asked his fellow players sitting at the table, but they all showed the same reaction. They shook their heads and shrugged, expressing they were hearing about it for the first time.

“What about Hyung? You’re close to Kale.”

“Right. Hyung, what have you heard?”

Mason and Lee Hoon questioned Hyeonu. However, Hyeonu hadn’t heard about it either.

“This is my first time hearing about it. Let’s just listen to all of it together. It is a surprise event...” Hyeonu gestured with his chin to the blond-haired announcer. It was best to listen quietly since this was new information.

At this moment, the announcer started explaining the class change and lucky-person selection that everyone was wondering about. “First of all, let me explain the class change. Just like the name, the class change event is changing classes. Melee class players can change to a magician or priest class. On the other hand, priests and magicians will become a melee class. PvP will proceed in this state. The match will be played as a tournament, and the table will be decided by a draw. 1st place will get a good product.”

The content of the announcer’s explanation was amazing. Changing classes to play PvP—it was a useless thing that no one had ever thought of.

The announcer continued, “However, this class change has a minimum distribution per stat. Let’s take magicians for example. No matter how much you want to raise your strength stat, you can’t raise it by more than a certain proportion.” 

The announcer’s subsequent explanation made people sigh. The limitation of the class change was a countermeasure to prevent players from playing tricks.

“No, what is this?”

“Who came up with this idea?”

“Hah... Really...”

Words of disbelief burst out from the players’ mouths. This was an event, but it was too ridiculous. A warrior who was used to fighting with a sword would have to use magic... Nevertheless, some people weren’t affected.

“We are fine since we have Yuri.” The Crescent Moon players welcomed the event. After all, they had Yuri—a talented person who participated in PvP with a priest class. If her class changed... it would naturally be a more favorable battle for them than if anyone else were to do the same. Now, she would become a melee class, while the others in Crescent Moon’s PvP line-up would become priests or magicians.

“Oppa, what class will you change to? It should be a priest?” Yuri questioned Hyeonu. It was Hyeonu who taught her how to fight as a priest, so she naturally thought he would become a priest. Yet she received an amazing answer.

“No? I will go out as a magician. I should also show you that magicians are useful in PvP. I will give hope to the 300 million magician players,” Hyeonu said with an exaggerated expression like a comedian. The players of Crescent Moon laughed when they saw that.

“What? Magician?”

“Hyung, aren’t you taking magicians too lightly?”

Lee Hoon and Mason spoke to Hyeonu respectively. The two of them were incredulous at Hyeonu’s confident attitude. In fact, it wasn’t just the two of them. All of the Crescent Moon players had expressions showing they felt it was ridiculous. They knew very well that Hyeonu was more amazing than anyone else, but this was when he was using a melee class. There was no proof he was just as good as a magician or priest. In fact, they even questioned if he could use a magician’s skills properly.

“Isn’t it just moving magic power around and exploding it?” Hyeonu asked Mason in a teasing tone.

“What? Are you belittling magicians now? You are belittling 300 million magicians?”

“When did I belittle you? I am the good one. Aren’t you belittling me?” Hyeonu was rather angry at Mason’s words.

‘I’ll have to show them once.’ Hyeonu was confident. This was magic. Even if there was a limitation of skills, the most important thing was the ability to harness magic power. He continued, “Watch and learn well. I’ll show you how magic works.”

Mason shook his head. He felt it would just be his loss if he listened more.

Just then, the announcer’s explanation continued and moved on to the topic of the lucky-person selection. “The lucky-person selection is literally an event to pick the lucky person. Players will come out and pull a ball out of the box. Inside the ball is a piece of paper with a variety of things written on it. The things written on the paper might be good or bad. Among them, the player who picks the paper that says ‘lucky person’ will be named ‘Lucky Person of the Year’. This year’s lucky person will receive a special reward.”

The lucky-person selection was literally looking for a lucky person. It was very suitable for the word ‘event’.

“We all seem to be similar. There’s no lucky person among us, right?”

“Who knows? Won’t Hyeonu hyung have a hard time?”

“I don’t think Hyung will get it?”

“I don’t think it is possible for me either.” Hyeonu nodded in agreement. He thought the same as Sunny and Mason.

‘I don’t have a chance of being the lucky person... I just hope it won’t be anything weird.’

Hyeonu didn’t expect to be the lucky person and simply wished that a strange punishment wouldn’t be written on the paper. That would be good enough.

“Then I will start the lucky-person selection with the team introduction. The players of the called team, please come out to the middle of the stage,” the announcer said. 

Then he looked down to see the cue list on the table. The name of last year’s winning team was written at the top.

“The first team I will introduce is last year’s Arena Week winner, Red Bull America!” the announcer read out the name accordingly.

The players of Red Bull America got up and headed to the center of the stage. Mascherano was the team’s captain and took the microphone as the representative. “Hello, I am Captain Mascherano of Red Bull America. I’m glad to be able to participate in Arena Week again this year.” 

For the interview, Mascherano conducted himself in a serious manner, unlike his usual self. It was evidence that this position was precious to him. Moreover, the process of qualifying for Arena Week this year had not been easy. Red Bull America had been defeated by the Reina-led New York Warriors and could only come here as a wildcard. In a way, Mascherano’s serious attitude was natural.

Once Mascherano’s words were over, the announcer guided the players, “Then please pull out a ball in order.” 

Starting with Mascherano, a dozen players pulled out a ball from the box at the center of the stage. The color and shape of the balls were the same—red balls the size of an adult male’s fist.

“If you twist the ball, there is a piece of paper hidden inside it.”

At the announcer’s words, the Red Bull America players twisted the balls open and pulled out the paper. The paper was rolled up, so they couldn’t see what it said. Red Bull America, led by Mascherano, opened the paper and started to check the contents.

“Write your name with your ass?”

“Dance with a blond man?”

“Flick the forehead of the person standing next to you three times.”

The Red Bull America players read the words written on the pieces of paper with dumbfounded expressions. There were some ridiculous penalties.

Moments later, the Red Bull America players had to do the actions written on the paper. Someone wrote their name with their butt while someone else started to crawl on the ground. Among them was a man who stood out. It was Mascherano. He wrapped his arms around himself.

‘Where does it say to do that?’ This was the common thought of the people who saw it.