Ranker's Return

Even if Hyeonu wanted to turn things around, this was too much. He saw this battle and called it a dogfight.

‘It is more accurate to say that this is a battle of the gods rather than a dogfight...’ Tang-E thought.

Every time Luke and Raccoon collided, the ground split, and the clouds in the sky disappeared without a trace. It was a scene that fit the words ‘battle of the gods’.

-Is this a dogfight?

-How is this at the level of a dogfight?

-The continent will disappear with two dogfights.

-How nice would it be to be an owner with a dog like that?

Unlike Tang-E, the viewers had already watched a battle like this several times. Yet they were surprised every time. They couldn’t get used to it. It was amazing every time they saw it. This was why Hyeonu’s words felt even stranger.

-It doesn’t fit no matter how I look at it.

-What level do you have to be to fight like this?

-Can one fight like this just because the level increases?

-I’m already feeling the limit. I don’t have the capabilities, so I don’t feel like I’m getting stronger even when I level up.

-It doesn’t feel less; it just feels up to there. There is no control.

There were a lot of messages about how this was fighting in a completely different realm altogether. They weren’t words that should come out in a game where experience points and skill proficiency would increase unconditionally through hunting. Even so, there were similar messages one after another in the chat window.

‘Was my comment that much of a problem?’ Hyeonu smacked his lips. He felt regretful, but it couldn’t be helped. The spilled water couldn’t be taken back, and he couldn’t swallow down the words that had already come out of his mouth.

‘Then...’

“I’m sorry, everyone. I made a mistake. It isn’t a dogfight; it is a battle of the gods.”

Hyeonu’s choice was to make an apology. He quickly bowed his head and changed his words.

-Well, it doesn’t really matter... Why did you come this far?

-He is probably here to see that.

-Honestly, it is the first time I’ve seen it this close.

-No, no. The first battle was around the same distance as now.

The viewers couldn’t even hear Hyeonu’s words. They focused only on the battle in front of him. It was a great battle they never got tired of no matter how many times they saw it. It was as thrilling as a movie that cost tens of billions of won to produce.

The sense of immersion was several times higher than that. The movie was just for watching, but Arena was different. It was a world they could experience firsthand.

‘50:50?’ Hyeonu carefully observed the battle between Raccoon and Luke. Seeing the battle with his own eyes was different from seeing it in a video. The vivid atmosphere of the battlefield came to him.

“The battle seems to be 50:50. Of course, this doesn’t mean they are equal.”

Hyeonu evaluated the battle between Raccoon and Luke. He expressed exactly what he saw and felt.

-It is 50:50, but they aren’t equal?

-What type of nonsense is this?

-The result is a draw, but if one side is stronger... Does it mean one of them is going easy on the other person?

-That’s what it sounds like based on the result.

The viewers showed an immediate reaction to Hyeonu’s words. They had previously acknowledged Hyeonu’s perspective. Therefore, it was even more difficult to accept this new statement.

Hyeonu shook his head. “It isn’t going easy on the opponent. He has no choice but to do so in this situation.”

This wasn’t the right way to look at it.

“You can see if you look closely, but the orc is a bit stronger. He has the advantage,” Hyeonu said while pointing at those who fought fiercely.

-Is that so? I can’t see it?

-It just looks like they’re fighting well.

-Please explain it.

-How is he at an advantage?

-Alley Leader is more of an expert than those who call themselves experts on TV. So please explain it.

The viewers couldn’t agree with Hyeonu’s words. It was 50:50 in the eyes of the viewers no matter how they looked at it. This was a fierce battle where who was at an advantage or disadvantage couldn’t be discussed.

‘Are they asking because they really don’t know?’

Hyeonu couldn’t understand the messages of the viewers.

‘I can see it just by looking at it though?’

“If you look closely, you can see that the orc is mainly attacking.”

-How does that lead to the conclusion that the orc is better?

-Right, right. The orc might simply have more strength.

-Right. That is possible.

“Do you really think so? What type of plan would the god tribe have that would involve being deliberately pushed in this way? You need to think again. The battle on the first day and the battle so far. What do you think when considering it from this angle?” Hyeonu posed a question to the viewers.

-The first day? Didn’t the orc visibly win on the first day?

-The first day... All I can remember is one of the god tribe cutting off his arm and splashing blood.

-Indeed, there was a bit of an impact.

-There was nothing else after that, right?

-It was roughly the same every day. They fight like this for a few hours, then the battle is over.

The viewers searched through their memories. There was the shocking scene that Lebron showed on the first day. Additionally, they had been a bit dominant during the battle of the first day.

“Why does the orc look so similar after that even though he prevailed on the first day?” Hyeonu asked another question.

-Is it because his details were grasped?

-Yet if they were grasped, isn’t it right that the god tribe should prevail?

-If he figured them out, and he still got pushed... Isn’t the orc really stronger as Alley Leader said?

-Did he ask because of this? There must be something else...

The viewers bickered among themselves to find the answer to Hyeonu’s question. However, the differences weren’t easily resolved. Everything they said was different and was suitable for the saying ‘so many men, so many minds’.

“The thing I want to ask is this. On the first day, Lebron appeared and stopped the one who was the king of the god tribe. Then starting from the next battle, Lebron either appeared late or not at all. Does anyone know what this means?”

-Lebron came out late?

-The king of the god tribe has always appeared on the battlefield?

-So he is saying that the orc is conserving power due to the king of the god tribe.

-That’s right. That is how it is.

The viewers immediately realized what Hyeonu was trying to say. Hyeonu’s explanation was easy and intuitive.

“But... there is another reason why I am so certain.”

-Another reason?

-A hidden secret?

“It is because I know the two of them well.”

-Huh?

-Ah, right. That orc and Alley Leader are a bit friendly.

-It isn’t just a bit. They are quite close, right?

The viewers nodded. It was right when thinking about it. Hyeonu was friendly with the orc, Raccoon. This was already a widely known fact.

‘Eh? He came out.’

Hyeonu shut his mouth as he was about to continue. He couldn’t afford to talk any longer. It was because Jeras, whom he had been looking for, had finally appeared on the battlefield.

“Hey! It’s been a while!!!” Hyeonu waved toward Jeras who appeared in the distance. Then he threw the spear without the slightest bit of hesitation. From the end of Hyeonu’s spear, a small bead flew through the air with a trembling roar.

Jeras frowned when he saw this and moved his hand. The spear that appeared in Jeras’ hand stabbed at the bead that Hyeonu fired. There was a strong vibration, and Jeras’ body was pushed backwards. He didn’t suffer much damage but Jeras’ expression didn’t look good.

‘I almost died.’

If he had been pushed back a bit further, he would’ve been caught up in the battle between Raccoon and Luke and killed. The others didn’t know it, but it was a desperate moment for Jeras.

“Human!!!” Jeras immediately recognized the face of Hyeonu, the man who made a deadly threat to him. It was impossible for him not to know Hyeonu. If he forgot the face of the one who fearlessly rescued humans from the divine world, he wouldn’t be qualified to be the king of the god tribe.

“Do you recognize me?” Hyeonu smiled and approached Jeras.

“Were you originally this strong?” Jeras had an expression of disbelief. At first, he was angry. That anger was fleeting. There was a huge difference between the Hyeonu he had met not long ago and the man in front of him now.

“Why? Are you scared?” Hyeonu uttered blunt words. He was going to kill this person anyway, so he had no intention to speak politely.

“It has been a long time since I’ve heard such vulgar words... ever since I last encountered all the lowly ones in the demon world.” Jeras quickly erased the emotions on his face. Agitation was forbidden in battle. He had to do everything while relying on calm reason.

“I heard that you knelt down to my teacher, cut off one of your arms, and begged for your life. Then what should I do even if I feel sorry for you? I’m not as merciful as Teacher... Should I just take your head?”

Then Hyeonu’s provocative words shattered that type of mindset in an instant. It was a provocation so powerful that its effect never seemed to end.

A few words broke Jeras’ composure.

“You!!!” Jeras screamed and quickly ran toward Hyeonu. Simultaneously, he quickly threw the spear. It was a blow with a strong will to kill. At the same time, it was revenge against his opponent who didn’t hesitate to speak such words.

However, Hyeonu wasn’t an easy opponent either. He poured magic power into his spear and slammed it against Jeras’ spear. Jeras was pushed back faster than the speed at which he rushed forward.

Hyeonu used Mixed Sky Steps to chase after the flying Jeras. He appeared above Jeras in a single breath and slammed the spear down. Then the wings that appeared behind Jeras’ back flapped, creating a rough wind. His speed increased in an instant.

Jeras was barely able to escape that trajectory of Hyeonu’s spear. The ground where Hyeonu’s spear was inserted exploded, forming a huge crater as if a bomb had exploded.

“Is it because of the wings? You are fast like a young mosquito.” Hyeonu chuckled as he looked at Jeras, who had escaped far away. Jeras just had a surprised expression on his face. He seemed a bit out of his mind.

“Why? Do you think it is strange because I am now so strong compared to back then?” Hyeonu laughed. He knew all too well what Jeras was thinking.

‘In the meantime, how many items have I obtained and how many buffs have I received?’

Things were now different in many ways from when they first met in the divine world. Hyeonu had gone through some really big changes. In addition, Hyeonu had NPCs to protect when he was in the divine world, so he hadn’t been able to fight with all of his strength.

‘The spear is stronger than I thought. It is enough to use this with the Mixed Sky Sword.’

In terms of attack power, it was better than the Mixed Sky Sword. It was worthwhile to enhance it to +12.

“Today is really your death day, Jeras. It is the same... for your god,” Hyeonu said.

Then his gaze shifted slightly. Hyeonu wasn’t looking at Jeras but behind him. Jeras knew all too well where Hyeonu’s gaze was directed at. He knew it without looking.

‘Luke...’ Jeras thought. It was where Raccoon and Luke were engaged in a fight. They were quite a far distance away, but shockwaves strong enough to give him goosebumps were pouring in.

‘I have to help...’

Jeras didn’t want to admit it, but Luke was being pushed by Raccoon. Raccoon was truly a monster. He improved every time he fought Luke. This small difference cut at the heart. Luke didn’t develop, while Raccoon kept developing.

‘I have to deal with the human in front of me...’

However, there was no way for Jeras to help Luke. The human standing before him had changed. He should’ve killed this human back then.

‘Is the change because he is an adventurer?’

Laughter emerged from Jeras. An adventurer…

He never dreamed he would be beaten by an adventurer. At this moment, the human in front of him started to do strange things.

“You are lucky... I will spare you today,” Hyeonu said strange words before suddenly turning around and running away. He didn’t run away alone. He took another human being with him and fled.

“Wh...at?” Jeras, who was left alone, barely managed to speak.