Ranker’s Return

People were speechless due to Hyeonu’s series of actions. After Aike created the white cross, Hyeonu threw the fire spear at him. Hyeonu threw the spear lightly, but it moved at a very high speed. As it did so, the flying spear went through a sudden transformation, instantly turning from a thin stick into something much larger.

It grew so huge like it was simply multiplying in size, and the stick quickly became a pillar. Then something protruded from it. The change was dramatic as the pillar-thick spear soon turned into a bird. The fire spear had become the firebird.

“What is going on here?”

“It is just as you see it. The fire spear disappeared, and the Firebird spell appeared in its place.”

“This is a really crazy use of magic power. He implemented the Firebird magic in that short time.”

The audience marveled and admired it. It was amazing that he implemented the Firebird magic in such a short time, but it was even more surprising when they took into consideration what they knew.

“The size of the firebird means it has a lot of magic power poured in. This also means it is difficult to control.”

“It isn’t just that. The fact that the fire spear turned into a firebird means the magic power contained in the spear was recovered and converted into the bird.”

This one set of magic contained a tremendous technique. They were in awe of Hyeonu who demonstrated it so easily. In addition to the magic power control, the commentators talked about the conflict that would soon take place.

“Player Aike is experiencing the biggest crisis. No matter how strong Grand Cross is, it doesn’t make sense to compare it to a firebird that is full of magic power.”

It was a fact that everyone knew. A priest’s attack magic wasn’t weak, but it wasn’t very strong either unless it was against opponents with the dark attribute. However, the fire phoenix had the fire attribute. It was a relationship where there were no benefits to Aike in terms of compatibility.

The red bird hit the cross, broke it in half, and sped toward Aike.

‘I’ve lost.’ Aike had a gut feeling of his impending defeat when he saw the firebird flying toward him. ‘I thought it would be hard to win, but...’

It wasn’t as if he had been expecting a victory. Aike had already thought he wouldn’t be able to win against Hyeonu. Hyeonu’s performance before the event was so good that Aike knew it was almost impossible to defeat him. Nevertheless, what Aike had expected was different from what was now in front of him. There was no way to stop the bitterness from sprouting in his heart.

‘I must get revenge in the siege...’ 

Aike dropped his sword to the ground and greeted the end with open arms. He embraced the flaming bird with his entire body.

***

The cube opened to reveal Hyeonu.

“Waaahhhhhhhh!”

“Alley Leader!”

“Gang Hyeonu!”

The spectators at New York Arena Stadium saw Hyeonu’s appearance and raised their voices at the same time. Hyeonu had gained the hearts of everyone at New York Arena Stadium in just one day—or actually just a few hours. It was really magical. They had just watched a unique play that only Hyeonu could show. He demonstrated how brilliant and overwhelming a magician could be in PvP.

“The winner of Arena Week’s opening event, the class-change event, is Gang Hyeonu of Crescent Moon!” The host announced the winner of the event in a loud voice.

Hyeonu was guided by the on-site staff and to sit in the interview seat at the center of the stage. The camera shifted to display Hyeonu on the screen.

“Alley Leader!”

“Magic!”

“Gang Hyeonu!!!”

When Hyeonu appeared on the screen, the audience shouted Hyeonu’s name again. The host smiled at Hyeonu and asked, “Player Gang Hyeonu, do you see it now? More than 100,000 viewers are only watching the event for you.” 

“I can really see that, and I feel really good about it. There are so many fans who like me... But at the same time, I feel sorry,” Hyeonu replied.

“Sorry?” The host looked at Hyeonu and blinked with surprise.

“I feel like I should have shown you a better look? I know that some people in the audience want to see me playing a melee class,” Hyeonu explained. This wasn’t simply lip service. He knew that there weren’t many stages where he could stand in front of so many people.

‘Arena Week is the last time...’

This was a precious opportunity, so he wanted to show as many things as he could.

“I don’t think so. No one expected the six matches that Player Gang Hyeonu showed today. I’m sure that everyone is satisfied.” The host admired Hyeonu’s thorough professional consciousness.

‘He’s so perfect,’ the host thought. The professional world needed a player like Hyeonu—a player with better skills than anyone else and a mindset that was more professional than anyone else.

‘It is too regrettable.’ The host knew it as well. It was very well known that Hyeonu would end his professional gamer life with Arena Week.

“Then let me ask you a few more questions in earnest. I want to ask what you think about playing the magician class today. How was it? Was it fun?” the host asked.

Hyeonu took the microphone to answer the host’s question. He didn’t need time to think about how to answer it since this wasn’t a sensitive topic.

“It was fun. I think it will be quite fun to teach the magician class at the next Alley Leader Academy,” Hyeonu said. He enjoyed the class-change event and now even wanted to play a magician if he were to play a different game.

‘If the items are good... whatever it is...’ Hyeonu thought about it. If he had money and items, he could play like a warrior while having the magician class.

‘Even then, I will probably still have the same kind of luck that I do now.’ Hyeonu nodded silently. 

“I see. It was fun... Player Gang Hyeonu, you are very good at magic. Have you ever played the magician class in another game?” It was the commentator sitting next to the host who asked the question this time.

“No, I’ve only played melee classes so far. I’ve played as normal warriors, paladins, and fighters. I’ve never played other classes,” Hyeonu answered.

He had experienced a singular path. No matter which game he played, he generally preferred melee combat as he thought it was more fun to move his body. These thoughts changed slightly starting from today though. This was because he discovered that magicians were fun in their own way.

“Does that mean you played a magician for the first time today? That’s amazing, really amazing...” The commentator showed a disbelieving expression.

‘He played a magician for the first time at this level...? Those magicians will feel a sense of shame,’ the commentator thought. 

The commentator recalled the faces of the magician players he knew. They all had very strong egos. There were many magicians, but they each thought that they were the only proper magician. Yet Hyeonu’s performance today was more than enough to crush their pride. It was simply overwhelming. His swift magic implementation speed was something that hadn’t been seen before.

‘It is good since I don’t like their usual actions.’ The commentator didn’t like those magicians who behaved unprofessionally. The really good ones didn’t do such things. They would respect others like Hyeonu and the other professional gamers did.

‘Shall I ask it?’ The commentator prepared a question that would drive a wedge in the hearts of such magicians.

He asked, “Then, did you have any inconveniences or difficulties in using magic? Well... based on your magic implementation speed, I don’t think you did. But I’m curious, so I will ask you anyway.”

Hyeonu nodded and pulled out the answer the commentator wanted. “It isn’t that hard. Rather, the skills that I usually use are more difficult. I just played it comfortably. The inconvenient thing is that my movements were a bit dull?”

Hyeonu had a calm and open appearance. He truly found nothing particularly hard in using magic as it was just about controlling magic power. Hyeonu had developed crazy magic power control through the Mysterious Sky Demonic Art, so he found using magic only a bit tricky.

It was routine for flying things to move in front of him, and he would keep his concentration maintained the whole time. Anticipating the movements of the opponent was also something that was originally done in melee combat, so it was very familiar to Hyeonu. Thus, there was nothing he found difficult. It was just that his body felt uncomfortable, like cotton full of water.

“Is that so? I understand.” The commentator nodded while trying to hold back his laugh that wanted to burst out.

“Then player Gang Hyeonu, do you have any last words to say?” The host saw that the interview time was up and rushed to finish the interview.

Hyeonu nodded and answered, “If you give me some time, I will finish it quickly.” 

The host moved the microphone slightly toward Hyeonu to let him say what he wanted to say.

Hyeonu said, “Uh... It is a great honor to be able to stand on this great stage. I also want to thank the fans who supported me today. I hope you continue to love Arena.”

Once he was done, Hyeonu held the microphone and waved with both of his arms.

“Wahhhhhhh!”

“Alley Leader!”

The audience cheered upon seeing Hyeonu wave his arms.

Then the host announced, “The interview with player Gang Hyeonu, the winner of the class-change event, will stop here. In a moment, we’ll start the draw to determine the order of the siege.”

After Hyeonu’s interview, the drawing was prepared on the stage, where the representatives of the eight teams would have to return to decide the siege order. In the meantime, the players of each team were talking about what siege order would be best. They were all thinking like Hyeonu.

“It is best to be first. Number eight is the worst.”

“It is better to defend when your concentration is good. We will all be together when attacking anyway. It doesn’t make a difference if one or two people are disturbed.”

Everyone had the same thought—defense before attack. Once their opinions were sorted out, they started to become curious about the method of drawing the order.

“By the way, what is the drawing method?”

“I don’t know.”

Just then, the host’s words flowed from the televisions in the waiting rooms, “One representative of each team, please come out to draw the lots.”

This was the moment when the siege order draw began.