Ranker's Return

Time passed by, and it reached 6 o’clock, the time of Tian Hu’s proposal. The Colosseum—the agreed place—was packed full of people. There were originally many people, but after rumors spread about Hyeonu and Tian Hu, more people gathered to watch them.

“Isn’t it the time for the appointment?”

“It is 6 o’clock, but I don’t see Alley Leader.”

“Idiot, that was Tian Hu’s one-sided suggestion. Alley Leader didn’t show his intentions. It is unknown if he will appear or not.”

“Yes, but I still hope for him to appear.” 

“Why?”

“Isn’t it interesting?”

“Yes, it is.”

Just like the Black Skull Guild, ordinary players considered the duel between Alley Leader and Tian Hu as a game. It was like watching a football game. They felt a surrogate feeling of satisfaction from watching others fight.

“However, haven’t the market prices gone down recently?”

“Is this sword rare rated? I bought it for 20,000, and now it is 15,000? The price has gone down,” a warrior player said while showing his sword.

It was true. Once Hyeonu deleted the characters of the high-level Aisis Guild members, Tian Hu no longer had the ability to manipulate the situation. Hyeonu sold all the items he had. As a result, the prices for level-130 rare rated items plummeted. The distorted price line collapsed. Under this influence, the prices of all items started to go down.

There was only one section that climbed. It was the lowest level section. The prices for items below level 30 skyrocketed. Supply was due to items being dropped by deleted characters and demand was due to those seeking items to raise their characters again.

“Based on this, it seems like Aisis really was doing the manipulation?”

“It isn’t ‘seems’. They really were doing it. Clap.”

The players gathered in the Colosseum were talking about various things when a man in a mask, Alley Leader appeared in the distance. “Hello everyone! I am Alley Leader!”

“It is Alley Leader!!”

“He showed up!”

The Colosseum filled with shouts at Hyeonu’s appearance. They hadn’t known if Alley Leader would appear, but he did. A character deletion bet between a workshop and an individual, Aisis VS Alley Leader, would take place. If so, it was worthwhile to come here.

“I came here to do a character deletion bet with Tian Hu!”

“Wow!!!”

“Wow!!!”

“However, you might not be able to see it well because too many people are gathered. I hope you watch my live stream!”

“Ohh! Don’t advertise!”

“Ads OUT!”

Hyeonu used the interlude to advertise his streams, and the people booed him. However, the number of people soon decreased like Hyeonu’s advertisement was effective. All the people, who thought they would watch Hyeonu’s broadcast since they couldn’t see, logged out. Hyeonu walked toward Tian Hu with slow, laid-back steps. “Well, I won’t greet you. It is strange to say hello.”

Tian Hu didn’t respond to Hyeonu’s words.

Hyeonu didn’t care and continued speaking, “Can I set the rules? I want to do a level-one duel. I don’t care if it is a captain battle or team battle.”

He took a breath before stating his final words, “Do you want to accept?”

Tian Hu’s firmly closed mouth finally opened, “I...”

***

“I accept.”

‘I don’t know what you’re thinking, but the level-one rule is a mistake. Will you win with pure skill? Bah, not a chance.’

Tian Hu accepted Hyeonu’s offer. He didn’t know what Hyeonu was thinking. He just accepted with the idea that this offer would benefit him. The level-one duel was to fight with level-one stats. Thus, the effect of items wouldn’t be acquired. Of course, they could wear items, but the options wouldn’t be applied. Only passive skills applied. In short, level-one duels allowed people to see the control of the players.

Hyeonu wondered out loud, “Then do you want a captain battle or do you want a team battle? You decide.”

Tian Hu was troubled by the continuation of Hyeonu’s proposal.

‘Captain battle? Or a team battle? What should I do?’

For practical reasons, it had to be a team battle. Even so, it was a level-one duel. This way, it wouldn’t seem like he won even if he did win.

‘A captain battle can also have variables. There are many in a team battle... Yes. This time, I need to choose for practical interests.’

Tian Hu thought for a long time before declaring, “A team battle.”

‘Yes, he has to do a team battle. He is that type of person,’ Hyeonu wasn’t surprised by the expected result. The fact that Tian Hu initially contemplated it wasn’t part of Hyeonu’s calculations. He had expected Tian Hu to shout a team battle immediately.

“Then let’s get started without dragging it out. Let’s duel.” 

[Player ‘Gang Hyeonu’ has applied for a duel.]

The moment Hyeonu’s words ended, a message window appeared in front of Tian Hu.

[Would you like to accept?]

“I accept,” Tian Hu shouted without hesitation.

[Yes.]

He just wanted to delete Hyeonu’s character as soon as possible.

[Player ‘Gang Hyeonu’ has set the rules.]

After listening to Tian Hu, Hyeonu immediately set the rules. There were four rules. It was one more rule than he usually set.

[The rules set are ‘winner-takes-all’, ‘delete character’, ‘level one’, and ‘team battle’.]

[Would you like to accept?]

“I accept.”

[Yes.]

It was carried out in rapid succession. Both Hyeonu and Tian Hu were unstoppable.

[Please determine who will participate in the duel.]

“I alone.”

“Six people.”

The former voice was Hyeonu, and the latter voice was Tian Hu. Tian Hu thought, ‘This makes Liu Shei’s absence even more regrettable.’

Liu Shei had gone to Masked Fighting King on behalf of the Kowloon Guild. As a result, he didn’t participate in this duel.

‘I’m sorry, Brother. I don’t think I can participate this time.’ 

Tian Hu shook his head. The train had already left, and he should focus on the present.

[The number of participants who will participate in the duel has been determined.]

[Player ‘Gang Hyeonu’ VS Player ‘Tian Hu’s team of six’.]

The moment the message appeared, everyone except for Tian Hu’s party and Hyeonu was pushed back to make way for a giant dome.

[The duel will start shortly.]

[5... 4... 3... 2... 1.]

[The duel has started.]

‘This is the end, Tian Hu.’ 

***

-It finally came.

-Won’t it be hard for Alley Leader to participate in a 1:6 showdown at level one?

-Is this bullying with numbers?

-Then will it be the president today?

Hyeonu’s streaming audience also predicted that Hyeonu’s chances of winning would be low this time. A level-one duel wasn’t much different from a real-life fight. No matter how good the skills, it was like the difference between a trained fighter and an ordinary healthy person. It was highly likely that Alley Leader would be hit by the large number of people.

-Uh?

-What is this?

-Is it a joke?

-ㅋㅋㅋㅋ It’s a mad movie today.

Then the chat room exploded with admiration because Hyeonu showed off his amazing movements. He broke through two people in a wonderful manner and dealt a fatal wound to one person.

-He might win this.

-Refrain from being too excited.

-It is starting now, but I seem to be drinking too much kimchi soup.

The eyes of the two million viewers watching Hyeonu’s stream were full of doubt.

-What is this?

-This is the level-one rule, right?

-It was the level-one rule earlier...?

The chat room was filled with astonishment.

***

“Cough!” An Aisis Guild member was killed in vain. His neck was cut by Hyeonu’s single-edged sword. The dead guild member had avoided Hyeonu’s single-edged sword by approximately 30 centimeters. It had been a natural act. So far, no one had ever used sword energy in the presence of the level-one rule.

However, he had overlooked that his opponent was Hyeonu. Then something light blue emerged from Hyeonu’s sword, and the guild member died.

“W-What is this?!!”

“Does this make sense?”

Everyone who saw the scene shouted. Tian Hu was no different. “What is going on? Is this possible? How can it be done?!”

It naturally wasn’t possible for Tian Hu to do. However, it was possible for Hyeonu who had the unique class of Knight of Keon.

‘My magic power will run out after using it for a while.’

It was possible because he had various magic power skills.

“There are still five people left. It has a different feeling from six people,” Hyeonu told the audience. It was a professional streamer’s stance. After that, Hyeonu ran forward first.

[Master of Combat is activated.]

[Your stats have increased.]

[The stat ‘fighting energy’ has caused your stats to rise.]

[Mindset of a Murderer has activated.]

[All stats have increased by 15%.]

His stats, which were increased due to various skills, allowed him to move twice as fast as the opponent. Jiang, a starter who died to Hyeonu not long ago, barely managed to block Hyeonu’s way.

‘Why is he so powerful? It is the same level-one, right?’

It was a natural question. Jiang also had a skill that increased his stats, but it was inferior compared to Hyeonu’s. Even at this moment, Hyeonu’s single-edged sword didn’t stop, and he continued to strike Jiang.

“Damn! Help me!” Feeling the strength of his hands weaken, Jiang called out for help. Xiao and Wei stepped forward to help, but it was a bad idea. Xiao and Wei were overwhelming within the Aisis Guild. The problem was that Jiang was between them. The lines of movement of the three people overlapped, and Xiao’s body helplessly moved in the way of Hyeonu’s single-edged sword, causing him to die.

‘This can’t continue!’ Tian Hu realized he had to change the atmosphere of the situation after he saw two people die.

“Run forward all at once!”

The moment Tian Hu finished talking, the four of them moved toward Hyeonu. It wasn’t fast because they were level one, but the movements were orderly.

‘They think it will change if they come at once,’ Hyeonu thought.

“However, it won’t change.” 

He had no intention of just standing there and welcoming the rushing enemy. Instead, Hyeonu threw himself to the approaching opponent at a faster rate. His sword collided with Tian Hu’s sword, and Tian Hu was thrown back. Immediately afterward, Wei’s sword aimed toward Hyeonu, and Hyeonu stretched out his single-edged sword to block it.

Wei and Hyeonu entered a struggle. Then after a while, Wei was gradually pushed back. It was because Hyeonu’s stats were overwhelmingly higher than Wei’s. The basic strength stat at level one had 10 points. Meanwhile, Hyeonu’s current strength stat exceeded 20 points due to various buffs and skills. It was natural for Wei to be pushed back since the lower the level, the more extreme the difference in stats became.

“Eat this!”

When Hyeonu heard a voice ring out behind him, he instinctively turned his head and saw a sword quickly shoot toward his back.

“Eh?”

The sword pierced Hyeonu’s back.

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