Ranker’s Return

“Where is the skill? What is this quest?”

[A quest has been created.]

[Successor of the Mysterious Sky Demonic Art]

[Find the traces of the master of the Mysterious Sky Demonic Art who crossed the Balder Mountains in the past.

Rating: A+

Condition: xxxx’s Journal 0/1

Rewards: Experience, xxxx’s keepsake.]

Hyeonu was perplexed by the sudden appearance of a quest window. Then he quickly calmed down and read the quest.

“A+ difficulty... It is impossible right now. There is no information at all. Is it a quest that will be cleared when the East Continent is patched later?”

Hyeonu thought about it but couldn’t determine the right answer.

‘I will check the skill first.’

“Skill Window.” Hyeonu finally opened the skill window to confirm the information of the Mysterious Sky Demonic Art.

[Mysterious Sky Demonic Art]

[-A famous martial art in the East Continent.

Once the proficiency reaches 3, 5, 7, and 9 stars, new skills will be opened.

Type: Martial Art

Rating: Unique

Skill Proficiency: 1 star (the proficiency of martial arts is indicated by the star unit)

The attribute is fixed as the dark attribute.

The effect of magic power is increased by 50%.

Mysterious Sky Steps can be used.

Mysterious Sky Steps: Move quickly with magic power.

Duration: 10 seconds.

Cooldown Time: 3 minutes.]

“Amaaaaaazing!!!” Hyeonu’s cry rang through the imperial palace. He was so excited that he couldn’t care less about his actions.

‘It is a pity to give up the wind attribute, but this is worth it.’ 

There was the dark attribute, an increase in magic power, and the Mysterious Sky Steps. Additionally, there was a total of four additional skills that could be gained as the proficiency went up.

‘I was extremely lucky.’

After a moment of excitement, Hyeonu regained his composure. It all started with Lebron’s acknowledgment. A total of 10 people had received a gold coin. This meant there were nine people aside from Hyeonu. They hadn’t gotten the chance while Hyeonu had caught it. This was the difference between them and Hyeonu.

‘Still, it is good. This is what I acquired due to my skills.’

“I will talk to Lebron before returning to the great mountains.”

Hyeonu saw the guards approaching in the distance and fled.

‘It isn’t running away. I am going to see Lebron.’

***

“You came?” Lebron greeted Hyeonu as usual. Usually, Lebron would be in his training hall, but this time he met Hyeonu in his office.

“This is the first time I’m seeing it. So this is how you work.” 

“Don’t say anything superfluous. This guy... Do you have a guild? It is impossible to do this alone. There are adventurers who have brought information to Herard, but you are the one I believe in.”

“I don’t have a guild, but I know people. New World—the guild that stopped the last rebellion—and I are friendly.”

Lebron expressed disbelief at Hyeonu’s answer.

‘He has friends with that type of personality?’

Lebron knew talented people very well. It was because he was one himself. That’s why he couldn’t believe Hyeonu. “You don’t have to lie. I won’t belittle you just because of that.”

Hyeonu saw Lebron’s expression and realized what he was thinking. ‘Do I look like I have no friends?’

It made Hyeonu furious. “…? What are you talking about? I have many friends. Perhaps even more than Master?”

However, at this moment, Hyeonu was folding down fingers in his heart.

‘Yeongchan, Seokjun hyung-nim, Junggu hyung-nim, Kale, Ket, Mason... and Yuri and Yeongjun...’

There weren’t even 10 people who Hyeonu could call a friend.

Hyeonu realized and denied the reality of it. He hadn’t thought his relationships would be so few in number.

‘No, eight people is plenty. This is a game after all...’

“Do you think so? Then I’ll trust you.” Lebron had a good expression. “By the time you go to the Hejin Great Mountain Range, the imperial rangers would’ve arrived first. Help them. It doesn’t matter if you have colleagues because you still have to deal with them.” Lebron gave him a quest.

[A quest has been created.]

[Reality of the Monster Wave]

[It has been only three decades since the monster wave of the Hejin Great Mountain Range began.

Join forces with the imperial rangers to uncover the reality of the monster wave.

Rating: MS

Conditions: Find out the reality of the monster wave 0/1

Rewards: Experience, imperial contribution.]

‘A main scenario!’

The main scenario quest had reappeared in a month. It had a special meaning for Hyeonu. He had grown through the previous main scenarios. This time, he would use it as an opportunity to prove himself, rather than to grow.

‘Still, it is impossible to do it alone.’

He couldn’t eat up all the profit alone but the important ones should be monopolized. Hyeonu thought so.

‘I will pass it onto New World.’

He would only target the core.

“Then I’m going, Master. The next time I come back, I’ll be standing at a higher position than a Knight of Keon.” Hyeonu said farewell to Lebron and exited the mansion.

“Hyung-nim, it’s me. Do you want to do the main scenario together?” Hyeonu contacted one of his eight friends.

***

“Hyung-nim, who are you whispering to with such an expression?” Gang Junggu looked at Kim Seokjung who seemed to be smiling. It was very rare for Kim Seokjung to make such an expression as it only occurred when his dear acquaintances gave him gifts.

‘Who sent the gift?’

Gang Junggu’s guess was correct.

“It is my dongsaeng.”

“Hyeonu?” Gang Junggu couldn’t help thinking of Hyeonu after hearing Kim Seokjung’s words.

‘Did he say he would join the guild? I don’t think that is enough to be called a gift?’

“Did Hyeonu send you a gift? You have a very good expression,” Gang Junggu was eventually forced to ask Kim Seokjung. No matter how he thought about it, there didn’t seem to be anything that Hyeonu could give Kim Seokjung as a gift. Kim Seokjung didn’t lack money or items.

“The gift... It is a truly great gift.”

“…? What is the gift?”

“He invited us to a party.”

“Party?” Gang Junggu was frustrated with Kim Seokjung, who only spoke in roundabout words. In the end, the frustrated Gang Junggu was forced to urge Kim Seokjung.

“Hyeonu is holding a party? Where is it? South Korea? The United States? Southeast Asia? Hong Kong?”

“Arena. The biggest party in Arena.”

“!!! The main scenario!”

“Yes, he asked for a hand. My dongsaeng is calling, so shouldn’t I go out?” Kim Seokjung’s smile widened. This was the moment when New World participated in the fifth main scenario.

***

After contacting Kim Seokjung, Hyeonu scanned his friends window.

“Is there anyone else I can add?’

Yeongchan wasn’t possible. The guild that Yeongchan was the guild leader of was too small and weak to enter the main scenario. They would only be able to participate when the script of the main scenario got bigger. Otherwise, a bomb would explode among the big guilds.

“Ket... Yes, Ket should be enough.”

Ket, the leader of the Pioneer Guild as well as an accomplished ranker and explorer who had explored all over Arena’s continent—he was a highly credible person to Hyeonu and someone who he didn’t have to worry about leaking information.

-To Ket: Ket? Are you busy?

Ket didn’t immediately respond to Hyeonu’s whisper. He seemed to be hunting.

-From Ket: Alley Leader? I was late checking my messages. I’m sorry. What happened?

-To Ket: Where are you now? Can you come to the Hejin Great Mountain Range?

Hyeonu got straight to the point. Ket’s personality was extremely simple. Things he was interested in overwhelmed everything else. A player who enjoyed Arena as a game—that was Ket.

-From Ket: I am currently in the Hejin Great Mountain Range. There are rumors that a mysterious monster appeared, so I came to check it out.

‘Nice, the timing is amazing.’

Hyeonu was filled with pleasure as he was lucky. He hadn’t expected Ket to be in the Hejin Great Mountain Range.

-To Ket: Let’s meet up. I have to talk to you.

Hyeonu quickly moved to the Hejin Great Mountain Range.

***

After his whispers with Hyeonu, Ket was surrounded by the other Pioneer Guild members.

“What is it?”

“Does he want to meet?”

“He has something to say?”

“A confession?”

“Did you hear some good news?”

Everyone spoke at the same time. There was a trap in the middle, but Ket ignored it. “I will take a look. He has something to say and wants to meet in the Hejin Great Mountain Range. I told him I’m in the Hejin Great Mountain Range, so it seems he is coming here because he has something to say.” 

Once Ket’s words were over, all of them exclaimed.

“Wow, then we will get to see him again?”

“He became big news after separating from us.”

“He became more famous.”

“He was a bit of a maniac at that time.”

“Now he is a superstar...”

They were just words, but they rang in the ears of the enclosed Ket.

“Be quiet. Let’s take a break until Alley Leader comes,” Ket left these words and disappeared. He logged out. The rest of the guild members also disappeared.

Asu, the Pioneer Guild’s magician, was left alone.

“I’m going to have to add him as a friend this time,” Asu murmured before also logging out.

***

“Why make such an offer to me? Is it because I sponsored you?” Ket faced a man in a child’s mask. He was asking these questions to Hyeonu. “Don’t you usually monopolize things alone?”

“Do you think of me like that? I just want to share it. I will get indigestion if I eat it all alone. I know that better than anyone.” Hyeonu shook his head. He didn’t feel bad about Ket’s words because he knew why people thought that way. Rather, he wanted to applaud this person’s courage to say something like that. “Pioneer will be the second and last guild to receive my offer. Would you like to accept my proposal?”

As Ket struggled, the other guild members were scolding him inwardly.

‘The main scenario will be fun to see.’

‘Why hesitate?!’

‘He is still angry about when we tried to go to the Seong Kingdom, but is now the time to think about that?’

However, there was one man who couldn’t swear inwardly and expressed it out loud. “Ket, you idiot! Accept it now!!! We have been to icebergs, volcanoes, and swamps. I can’t go to such places anymore!! No, I won’t go!”

The player who yelled at him was the paladin, Jewel. He was the only one in Pioneer wearing heavy sheet metal armor. Jewel was very strong because he was a paladin, but he couldn’t do anything when he was mentally challenged.

“Yes, we will no longer follow your dictatorship.”

“Evil guild leader Ket, listen to the opinions of the guild members right now!”

Ket smiled bitterly at the guild’s revolution. “I think I have to accept the offer. As you can see.” He turned his head toward the guild members and shrugged. 

It was inevitable.

“Welcome to participating in the fifth scenario.” 

Ket and Hyeonu shook hands. Then Ket opened his mouth and asked, “By the way, you said I was the second. Who was first?”

Ket looked curious. How far did Alley Leader’s connections go?

“New World. It’s New World. They’re the first guild I made the suggestion to.”

Ket’s face filled with shock.