Ranker’s Return

“Player Luke has achieved the first all-kill of Arena Week. He has defeated JT Telecom with six consecutive victories.”

Manchester’s secret weapon was worthy of its name. It wasn’t easy, but Luke eventually beat the six players of JT Telecom to obtain six consecutive victories.

“Following Aike in last year’s season, there is another player who has completed an all-kill in PvP this year.”

“The process wasn’t easy. In particular, he was on the verge of losing to Player Jung Hanbaek of JT Telecom.”

“Nevertheless, he overcame it and succeeded in the all-kill. Manchester has gained a great weapon. Teika would probably turn on his stream tonight and say something like, ‘Manchester isn’t one of the two weak teams. They are 6th.’” 

Despite Luke’s success with the all-kill, Manchester didn’t make the top four. They were evaluated as 6th. It wasn’t just the broadcasters. Many people watching the match thought the same. It was too unreasonable for them to become 1st since Alley Leader was there.

Alley Leader had already proven he was perfect even as a magician and that he was superior in many other aspects. The Korean League was weak compared to the world level, but Alley Leader was still undefeated. He hadn’t been defeated even once. They couldn’t compare Luke to such an Alley Leader. Luke had only shown it once. Moreover, Luke wasn’t the first one to have shown an all-kill at Arena Week. Aike had shown it a year ahead of Luke. This was the very same Aike who also knelt helplessly before Hyeonu.

“The first match was won by Manchester... The second match was won by PSG,” Hyeonu muttered before looking away from the screen. At the same time, he put on his earphones. There was no need for him to listen to the broadcasters, including the commentators. Now he was going to look at Zenith’s information.

‘As expected of Aike.’

PSG suppressed Xuanhua overwhelmingly. Aike was at the heart of their win. He was PSG’s third player and swept away all of Xuanhua’s players. Like Luke, Aike fought six players alone and won against all of them. The 0:2 score was overturned and became 5:2.

‘Aike will win the last game as well.’

Hyeonu was convinced. PSG would win. It was a match that wouldn’t get another reversal.

‘Aike won’t lose to the remaining players.’

Those who could already be called Xuanhua’s aces had all been defeated by Aike. In this case, it would be even stranger to think that Aike would lose.

‘Luke did better than I thought...’ Hyeonu was so serious due to Luke’s unexpected excellence in PvP. Luke’s skills were good enough for Ryan to speak confidently. The first PvP match proved that what Ryan said previously weren’t empty words. Luke certainly had the strength for Ryan to say such words.

‘Zenith... Aside from Karelin, there is only one person who is worth noting.’

Hyeonu browsed the materials he’d received from Nike and the information Crescent Moon collected themselves. Of course, the information was nothing special. It was just a collection of things that everyone already knew and could see. Most of them were videos of Zenith’s league matches and the streams of the Zenith players.

However, those alone were enough. The PvP shown in the league would be the same as what they’d show in Arena Week. The reason for collecting stream videos was to find habits or patterns that would be the same from the league PvP.

‘Sergei...’ Sergei, the number two player of Zenith, was actually the ace with similar skills to Karelin. In contrast to the beast-like Karelin, Sergei was as cold as Vladivostok.

‘This is the hidden person.’

Karelin’s prowess was so great that Sergei didn’t even participate in the league matches. Usually, the other players took two or three wins, and Karelin finished off the rest. It was only when Karelin was defeated that Sergei would appear. He never came out first.

‘I don’t see the desire of a professional gamer...’

Sergei didn’t seem to have the desire for honor or victory that was unique to professional gamers. Most professional gamers tended to show off their skills and step on others to climb up, but Sergei never did such things.

‘His skills are very clean...’

In some ways, the player that other teams were most vigilant of was Sergei. After all, having no information was dangerous. Once Hyeonu reviewed all the information, he attracted the attention of his teammates, “Everyone, look at me.”

In particular, Hyeonu made eye contact with Yuri, Dwayne, and Lee Hoon, who had to go out for PvP first.

“How did your analysis of Zenith’s combat go?”

In the face of Hyeonu’s question, the players took turns to speak, starting with the players who weren’t participating in PvP.

“Karelin is the ace. However, his play style is so famous that we can try coming up with tactics to overcome it. For his stats distribution, he probably places the minimum amount in magic power. Most of the points will be in strength and physique, and agility will have a bit more than magic power,” Mason said, revealing what he’d analyzed.

He had been analyzing the teams that were likely to enter Arena Week since the end of the Winter League. It wasn’t just the efforts of Crescent Moon’s own power analysts. Mason had also used his own money and manpower to buy information from the best experts, and it contained many things. There wasn’t just the information spread on community websites through streaming and media but on many hidden things as well. Mason bought all of the information.

However, such things were useless before Hyeonu. He said, “That is too obvious. Doesn’t everyone know that Karelin uses strength and physique as his main stats?”

The information Mason bought would be very helpful in the siege and arena, where it was a great advantage to know how many skills the opponent had, as well as their item skills and types. The problem was just that PvP in the league was different. Items and skills weren’t important. The only thing that mattered was the person. What formal pattern did that person have? What habits? These were the important things. It didn’t matter what they possessed in Arena.

Hyeonu continued, “Karelin has one habit. I don’t know if he doesn’t know how to fix it or if no one knows about it. Every time Karelin uses his distinctive charge, his eyebrows will rise in the direction he wants to move.”

When Mason heard Hyeonu’s words, he displayed a dumbfounded expression. This wasn’t in the information he’d analyzed or bought; it was his first time hearing about how Karelin’s eyebrows would rise in his intended movement direction before he made his charge.

“You don’t understand? Then look at this,” Hyeonu said. He put down his tablet so the other players could see it more comfortably, then he played Karelin’s combat video. “Watch carefully. Karelin is about to charge at his opponent.”

The nearly two-meter-tall muscular man ran like a wild boar. Just then, Hyeonu stopped the video and moved his fingers to zoom in on the video. “Look at his face. See if I’m right or wrong.”

The video started to play again. Karelin’s stiff face was very overbearing and threatening. At this time, the tip of Karelin’s left eyebrow went up into the air.

Hyeonu asked, “Did you see? Look at it again.”

The enlarged screen returned to its original appearance. Moments later, the replayed video showed Karelin rushing to the left.

“You don’t believe it with just one time?” Hyeonu played three videos in a row. Karelin’s actions were the same every time. He attacked in the direction his eyebrow was raised.

“You have to find something like this, Mason. Got it?” Hyeonu patted Mason on the shoulder. Then he shifted his gaze to the other Crescent Moon players, who were all busy avoiding Hyeonu’s eyes. Hyeonu’s desired level of analysis was too high. It wasn’t a level they could achieve.

***

“It is the match that many people have been waiting for! The PvP between Crescent Moon and Zenith!”

“Crescent Moon has only four players competing in PvP. Players Gang Hyeonu, Dwayne, Lee Hoon, and Yuri. However, Crescent Moon said it would cooperate with the other team. Zenith said they want to send six players to participate. So in this match, the first team to get six victories will win.”

The Crescent Moon’s players stuck to their decision not to play six games even at Arena Week. To be exact, all the players except for Hyeonu said so, and Hyeonu accepted it. In fact, it didn’t matter if it was four or six. The match was only lost if Hyeonu lost. Regardless, Hyeonu had no intention of losing at all.

“I will announce the order of appearance submitted by Crescent Moon and Zenith respectively,” the voice of the host rang through New York Arena Stadium.

It was finally starting.

“Dwayne, do well so that you have no regrets left. This is your last stage. Starting next week, you won’t be Dwayne Evans of Crescent Moon. You will return to being the Hollywood superstar, Dwayne Evans,” Hyeonu said as he grabbed Dwayne’s arm.

Hyeonu wanted Dwayne to achieve his desire—a desire that no one had expected.

“I’ll do my best. Jennifer is here today as well,” Dwayne replied. Jennifer was Dwayne’s partner. He certainly didn’t want to show a bad performance in front of her.

“Do you remember what I said before? There is no need to be conscious of it. But... I want you to use it when you need it.” Hyeonu hadn’t only shown Karelin’s habits. He showed the subtle habits of the other players as well.

“I’ve learned everything. It is in my head, so I’m sure my body will definitely remember it when I’m fighting.” Dwayne shook Hyeonu’s hands a few times before getting onto the stage.

Hyeonu showed a sorry expression as he watched Dwayne. ‘This is an unexpected result. The process will be tougher than ever.’

Hyeonu’s wish for Dwayne to achieve his desire was ultimately just a wish as the mountain he had to cross before that could happen was simply far too large. It was an enormous mountain called Karelin.

“The first game between Crescent Moon and Zenith. The starters for both teams are Dwayne Evans and Karelin!” The host read out their names from the cue cards the moment the players from both teams made their appearance on the stage.

Crescent Moon and Zenith’s first game was definitely as exciting as hoped. The battle between Hollywood’s top action star, Dwayne Evans, and the Russian wrestler, Karelin was, in short, the most exciting confrontation so far.

‘I must win. I absolutely need a victory,’ Dwayne thought. He didn’t care about the host or commentators’ words. His gaze was on Jennifer. For her, he couldn’t have a helpless defeat today.

“Then I will start the game now!” the host announced.