Ranker's Return

Chapter 897

Hyeonu had great aspirations and started to formulate plans step by step. Of course, these were just in Hyeonu’s thoughts.

“Crazy guy. You are using this account as collateral, but you are doing it so sloppily...” Yeongchan clicked his tongue as he saw Hyeonu making a plan. It wasn’t the usual speed. He clicked his tongue as fast as a rapper doing rapid-fire rap. This was also a great talent.

“You are crazy, so can you get lost?” Hyeonu frowned and chased Yeongchan away.

“You are the one lying on the couch and rolling around. Who is the crazy one?” Yeongchan casually ignored Hyeonu’s gestures. In his view, Hyeonu was just taking a break.

“By the way, is this real? I think it is five years too early...?” Yeongchan liked Hyeonu’s great aspiration, but more than that, he was worried. Looking at Hyeonu today, he felt like he was seeing a psychopath dreaming of false success, not a young man from the countryside who came to Seoul with the desire for fortune. Hyeonu’s goal was absurd.

“I’m not saying I will do it right away. There is plenty of time.” Hyeonu was relaxed. It was a type of long-term project. He wasn’t in a hurry to get achievements.

“By the way, isn’t it too early now? Won’t you be unable to remember when you need it later?” Yeongchan didn’t understand Hyeonu’s plan very well. Preparing for a future that was too far away was a waste of time. It was an act that was meaningless right now.

“Let’s see? I might not remember it, but I can leave it somewhere,” Hyeonu agreed with Yeongchan’s words. In addition, Hyeonu wasn’t really confident in his own memory. Thus, he was going to make a video of everything.

‘The Hyung-nims are no different.’

It was the same with New World.

“Really? Then I’m glad.” Yeongchan nodded. A sigh of relief flowed out after knowing that his friend wasn’t just an idiot. “If they go and change their words later on... it will be a big deal.”

Perhaps a traitor could emerge. At that time, this video would be a great strength to Hyeonu. It would serve as evidence to condemn them.

“Not again? Unexpected opportunities will come.”

The thing Hyeonu was doing now was the minimum of preparations. Preparing to seize opportunities that he didn’t know when would come.

***

Hyeonu waved at the man who appeared in the arena. “You came, Liu Shei.”

The man’s name was Liu Shei. He was the leader of Kowloon, a large Chinese guild, and one of the best rankers in China.

“It is an honor to be able to come to Alley Leader Academy like this.” Liu Shei bowed his head and greeted Hyeonu.

“What honor? I am even more grateful for your willingness to accept the offer to appear.” Hyeonu shook his hands. He wasn’t in a position to receive such a greeting from Liu Shei. Hyeonu was the one who should say these things.

“Hey, you’re here?” Someone else arrived at the arena just then.

“Hyung-nim, are you here?”

“You came.”

Hyeonu and Liu Shei bowed toward the man approaching them.

“Yes, let’s have fun today.”

The identity of the man with a pleasant smile was Kim Seokjung. He had also been invited by Hyeonu to appear in Alley Leader Academy.

“Fortunately, the battle against the undead and the god tribe ended at similar times, so we can gather like this,” Hyeonu said as he looked between Kim Seokjung and Liu Shei.

“Yes, that’s right. I’m glad.” Liu Shei couldn’t stand up straight like he was standing in front of a superior. He was in a state of hesitation. It was natural to be so. Liu Shei owed quite a lot to Hyeonu and Kim Seokjung. Of course, this debt wasn’t monetary. The financial status of the Kowloon Guild wasn’t in a comfortable position, but it wasn’t to the extent of being in debt.

Liu Shei’s debt was a debt of the heart. The role of the New World Guild, including Hyeonu, in defending the Kowloon Guild’s territory that had almost been trampled on by the undead army was huge. Naturally, he couldn’t stand proudly in front of Hyeonu or Kim Seokjung.

“Right, did you speak about that?” Kim Seokjung looked at Hyeonu with both eyes while gesturing toward Liu Shei with his chin.

“I haven’t done it yet.” Hyeonu shook his head. Liu Shei had only just arrived, so there hadn’t been the time to speak.

“Then do it. Don’t drag out the time,” Kim Seokjung said with a smile.

"I understand, Hyung-nim.” Hyeonu smiled like Kim Seokjung and nodded.

‘What?’ Liu Shei heard the conversation in front of him and felt a creeping uneasiness in a corner of his mind. This was a fear of the unknown. It was natural to be anxious since he couldn’t predict what Hyeonu would say.

“Liu Shei,” Hyeonu called out Liu Shei’s name in a low voice.

“Yes, Alley Leader,” Liu Shei also replied in a low voice.

“Can you help me?” Hyeonu asked out of the blue. They were words with no context before or after.

“Huh?” Liu Shei asked with a dazed expression. He didn’t understand what Hyeonu meant.

“It is literally as I said. Will you help me?” Hyeonu wondered as he approached Liu Shei.

“You’re asking for my help? Is there anything I can do to help you?” Liu Shei instinctively took a step back. It was because the air that Hyeonu was giving off felt unusual.

‘Something is strange.’

That wasn’t all. There was something strange about this.

Alley Leader and New World—was there something the two of them couldn’t solve that they had to ask for help?

‘A dispute?’

Such a thing was impossible. There was a saying that was widely spread among the current large guilds. If there was no perfect evidence, they should unconditionally yield to New World. This meant they should absolutely avoid a conflict with New World. It had the same meaning as giving up the high self-esteem of the large guilds.

‘A quest?’

There was no way they could be asking for help because of a quest. If it were a quest that New World and Alley Leader couldn’t clear, it would be the same even if other guilds joined in.

‘It might be different if it is a quest that requires more numbers...’

Other than that, there was nothing he could point out.

Liu Shei and the Kowloon Guild—what could they do to help Alley Leader?

“You must keep what you hear a secret. You should know it alone. Can you promise me this?” Hyeonu asked Liu Shei with a firm expression.

“Yes, I will never spread it anywhere.” Liu Shei nodded.

“As time goes on and the players level up... I intend to take the position of emperor,” Hyeonu whispered very softly like he was worried someone would hear.

“Emperor...? Emperor!!!” Liu Shei cocked his head only to shout in the end.

The emperor…

Hyeonu definitely said ‘the emperor’.

“Is that possible?” Liu Shei asked in disbelief. Many people and guilds had analyzed it, but no one thought that a ‘player emperor’ could appear in Arena. Arena was a game where the power of NPCs was stronger than any other virtual reality game ever released. It was too high a mountain for players to overcome.

“I don’t think it is possible now, but one day, I can get to that position. Thus, I want to prepare for it in advance,” Hyeonu said as he stepped closer to Liu Shei. He moved closer still and asked, “Now I have to get an answer. Can you help me?”

“...I will.” Liu Shei dropped his head heavily. Words of rejection never came out of his mouth. His debt to Hyeonu and the presence of Kim Seokjung, who was looking at him hotly from behind him, were too burdensome.

“Thank you. I won’t forget this.” Hyeonu smiled brightly and grabbed Liu Shei’s hand. Hyeonu’s eyes didn’t stay on Liu Shei though. They curved in a crescent moon shape and looked at Kim Seokjung.

Kim Seokjung also smiled as he met Hyeonu’s gaze.

Just then, someone else appeared in the arena.

“It is nice to see you,” Kim Seokjung welcomed the newly arrived person—no, orc.

***

“Hello, everyone. I am Alley Leader.”

Hyeonu turned on his live stream as usual.

-The background is the arena, so today is Alley Leader Academy.

-It is the time for Jamie Moore’s full-fledged asceticism.

-The Buddhist scriptures will pile up in his body today.

-It isn’t Buddhist scriptures but bruises that will pile up.

The viewers expected today’s content the moment they saw the background behind Hyeonu. These days, Alley Leader Academy had been unconditionally held once a week. Jamie Moore’s leveling up speed accelerated. It got faster. This was natural as Jamie Moore was now more than a player who possessed items and skills bought with money. He had a certain level of ability. As such, the quality of the hunt increased.

“That’s right. As everyone knows, today’s content is Alley Leader Academy. The end is in sight, and it is a time that requires constant education. I hope you understand that it must be conducted frequently.”

Hyeonu bowed slightly to the viewers. He felt apologetic when he thought about how he never had fresh content on his live streams. It was similar content and similar scenes every time.

-But I am having fun with Alley Leader Academy.

-Other hunting live streams are fine as well.

-Honestly, even the same content has a different quality.

-It is only in Alley Leader’s live streams that you can see the core wherever you go. It feels like seeing it from the inside, not the outside.

Yet contrary to Hyeonu’s concerns, the viewers simply enjoyed watching Alley Leader’s live streams. The streams might be similar every time, but they still contained content that couldn’t be seen anywhere else. Even if it was the same battle, the live streams of other guilds mainly featured battles with ordinary monsters.

Meanwhile, Hyeonu had points that set him apart from others, such as his basic melee battle and the scenes where he fought boss monsters. Even today, there were things in Hyeonu’s live streams that others couldn’t imitate.

“Once again, today’s Alley Leader has daily instructors.”

-Daily instructors?

-There must be at least two.

-I think three.

-Now it will be three times harder for Jamie Moore.

-Wow, I’m already looking forward to it.

The daily instructors Hyeonu invited were the best rankers. Those lower than the master rank didn’t appear at all. Only those who were in the top 100 of the arena were invited. This was the difference. It was a scene that would never be seen anywhere else.

“Let’s welcome today’s daily instructors with great cheers.”

Hyeonu turned his body halfway and clapped. Then people started walking out from one side of the arena.

-In front of Sijong hyung-nim...

-It is time to come out. The waiting time for the reappearance has ended, hey.

-Next is Liu Shei.

-Isn’t it Teika after that?

-Is it Rain behind Teika?

-Today is a grandmaster feature.

-Huh? Is there another?

-It is Reina.

-Mascherano as well.

The viewers couldn’t keep their mouths shut at the shocking sight of the daily instructors. With the inclusion of Hyeonu who was the host of the live stream, six of the nine grandmasters in the arena were gathered here. Liu Shei was also an arena ranker. He wasn’t a grandmaster, but he was a master ranker who was close to it.

While everyone was cheering and feeling astonished, there was a certain man there whose astonishment surpassed everyone else’s. It was a man with a sword hanging from both sides of his waist—Jamie Moore.

‘I’m completely dead today...’

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