Ranker’s Return

“Um… Do you mean players who will play for Crescent Moon?” Kang Ujong spoke carefully.

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Hyeonu said it simply, but it was a very tricky thing. The qualifications required for the new players of Crescent Moon were too high. Talent and personality—only those who had these two things were possible candidates. 

“Let’s see…
The players that remain…” Jeong Byeongjin murmured to himself.
Honestly, all those worthy of being professional gamers were already active. As such, the number of rankers who became professional gamers was small.

“Isn’t there a single candidate you looked at during your days at JT Telecom?” Hyeonu asked again with a regretful expression.

At least two players should be recruited from these two men.
Hyeonu planned to get a few more recommendations from other acquaintances and pick only three or four people from the audition.

‘Is it not possible?’

Regardless of whether they knew Hyeonu’s worries, Kang Ujong and Jeong Byeongjin looked at each other and talked.

“How about Hyeonjun?”

“Didn’t he become a proxy knight after losing to Hanbaek? He said that he was in a hurry for money.”

“Then Jonghun?”

“Didn’t he already establish himself as a streamer? Will he do it? Will he give up the money he can gain from streaming?”

The first thing the two of them came up with was those who applied when players were being selected for JT Telecom. JT Telecom also had very high standards for selection, so they should meet Crescent Moon ’s desired standards. However, that was a long time ago. Time had passed by, and things had changed accordingly. One sincere person embarked on a dark road in order to solve an immediate problem, while someone else became a streamer instead of a professional player.

“Is there really no one?” Kang Ujong once again asked with a flustered expression. No one with a clean background came to mind no matter how he thought about it. For one reason or another, they all had reasons to be disqualified.

Unlike Kang Ujong, Jeong Byeongjin clearly reflected on what they needed to do.
“We will have to ask around.
In addition, look back at the kids in the scouting reports we wrote in the past.”

“Oh, let’s put the retired or those released from other teams on the shortlist,” Kang Ujong said. After listening to Jeong Byeongjin, Kang Ujong came up with an idea of how they could find people who could be chosen as Crescent Moon players.

“It is okay if they are a bit lacking in skills.
I hope you will focus on personality.
I hope they are players who will never be gossiped about,” Hyeonu said with a serious expression.

Kang Ujong and Jeong Byeongjin responded with a nod to Hyeonu’s words.

“One mistake is enough.
I won’t do it again.” Kang Ujong laughed at himself.
Most of JT Telecom’s players were pure. There was nothing special. They were young people in their 20s who wanted to play well and get people’s attention.

…Except for one person.

“I also believe in your discerning eyes.” Hyeonu smiled and nodded.
He believed in their vision. No, he had to believe in it.

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‘Otherwise, I will have to find everything myself.’

That wasn’t possible.
Moreover, these two men would also play a big role in the new Crescent Moon.

“Please do well from now on.”

***

Hyeonu connected to Arena, opened the friends window, and viewed the names of the players who were connected to the game.
He showed a subtle smile.

‘Good.’

There were many trustworthy people.
Hyeonu sent a whisper to Kim Seokjung, the most reliable person.

-To Kim Seokjung: Hyung-nim, what are you doing?

Kim Seokjung’s response was quick.

Anyone who saw it would think he was waiting to be contacted by Hyeonu.

-From Kim Seokjung: Uh, I was hunting. What’s going on?

-To Kim Seokjung: Nothing happened. I contacted you because I have a favor to ask you.

-From Kim Seokjung: A favor? You want to ask me for a favor? What is it? Tell me quickly.

Kim Seokjung smiled when he heard Hyeonu’s words. It was because he knew there were few people who could receive a request from Hyeonu.
This showed how much Hyeonu trusted him.

-To Kim Seokjung: Is there anyone around you who can be a professional gamer? A very clean first-class person.

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Hyeonu told Kim Seokjung the conditions he wanted. It was fine if they were close to the conditions, even if it wasn’t perfect.
This was what Hyeonu wanted.

-From Kim Seokjung: Um… Let’s see… I don’t know if there are any kids like that left… There probably isn’t anyone.

Kim Seokjung gave a negative answer to Hyeonu’s question. The conditions that Hyeonu mentioned were too tricky. A person whose background was as clean as pure water—there could be no such person.
Among the people that Kim Seokjung knew, Hyeonu was the only one with the strength to be a professional player and had the personality.

-To Kim Seokjung: Ehh, don’t be mischievous. Hyung-nim. Does it make sense that there isn’t one person like that?

Hyeonu showed a disbelieving expression.
Kim Seokjung was the man with the widest connections among the people that Hyeonu knew.

-From Kim Seokjung: Don’t you think the conditions are too tricky? Who wants to be a professional gamer? They want to be a streamer.

As Arena grew in popularity and A-World became more active, people’s interest in streamers also increased. However, the interest in professional gamers hadn’t changed at all. To be precise, people became more interested in them. They liked watching talented players compete, but few people wanted to become professional gamers.

There was only one reason for this: it was impossible to debut as a professional gamer. The professional scene was often referred to as the world of stagnant water. This applied to their levels, items, and skills. They even needed to have a personality that didn’t cause any scandals.

On the other hand, it was much easier to become a streamer.
It didn’t matter if they had a low level, bad items, or no strength.
They just needed unique content, and they could be a streamer.

-From Kim Seokjung: Generally, people don’t want to be professionals. Why would they do that when they can make money from streaming?

Hyeonu sighed at Kim Seokjung’s continued words.
Kim Seokjung was too adamant. There was no iron wall like this.

‘Is it so hard to form a team?’

Even so, Hyeonu couldn’t give up.
He had to utilize his acquaintance network no matter what.

-To Kim Seokjung: Even so, can you help me look for someone?

-From Kim Seokjung: Hmm… First of all, the person should be Korean. I will take a look first so wait.

Hyeonu found a shocking fact in Kim Seokjung’s positive answer.

‘Right, there is the problem of nationality…’

He only realized it now. Even if a player were to be recommended, they wouldn’t be able to be selected unless they were Korean. In the past, apart from Lee Hoon, the team could use English to a certain extent.
They also had a giant called Hyeonu supporting them, so they could achieve overwhelming results even if communication wasn’t perfect.

However, the future Crescent Moon wouldn’t have Hyeonu in it. This sentence meant that Crescent Moon’s level wasn’t much different from that of other teams.
Poor communication was a great weakness when teams were at a similar level.

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-To Kim Seokjung: Thank you, Hyung-nim. Please contact me when you come to South Korea. I will definitely go meet you.

Hyeonu bowed his head deeply to Kim Seokjung, who threw out unexpected words.
This was despite the fact that he couldn’t see the latter.

***

The rhino-shaped demonic creature ran briskly through the fields with its heavy body.
Hyeonu looked at the map he received from John Blake and told Reina, “We will be at Alfore soon.”

“What are you going to do this time? Like the other day?” Reina asked.

Hyeonu shook his head. He wasn’t going to do that this time.
It had been a very dangerous thing to do.

“No, I can ’t do that.
Weren’t we a mess the other day?”

Reina smiled at Hyeonu’s words.
The mess…

‘He should exclude me from ”we ”…’

It was done by Hyeonu and Tang-E.
Reina just dug a spoon in.

“Perhaps rumors have spread among the demons.
The nobles might’ve already gathered together.”

Hyeonu expected that this would be the case. It was a surprising thing for the demons that humans had left Etono and appeared outside of Tendmul. Beyond that, he ’d smashed a city. Humans had killed the ruler of Tendmul and take away the ring symbolizing the master.
It was a ridiculous loss.

‘Due to the ring, they will probably rush in with an excited light in their eyes.’

They could get the ring if they killed Hyeonu. This would be an individual success and the growth of their strength.
It was obvious that the demon kings and their people would try their best to catch Hyeonu.

“So we are just going to hunt around in the area.
Then I’ll sneak into the city and come back.
I think that is the easiest method,” Hyeonu said. 

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Reina nodded when she heard the method Hyeonu came up with. Hyeonu’s method was very simple.
Hyeonu alone was skilled enough to enter and leave the city.

“Then let’s do that,” Reina replied. 

Hyeonu patted the back of the rhino-shaped demonic creature, and the movements of the rhino-shaped demonic creature slowed down.

“The hunting should be done here.
It will be too close to the city if we go a bit further.” Hyeonu jumped down to the ground as soon as the rhino-shaped demonic creature stopped. Tang-E and Reina followed him.

It happened at this moment. Dust started to rise thickly in the distance.
The dust became clearer over time, but it was also getting closer to Hyeonu.

‘Three?’

He could sense three large sources of magic power. Hyeonu turned his head and informed Reina and Tang-E about the appearance of the enemy: “Monsters are appearing from the side with the dust.
I expected there to be at least three of them.
Tang-E, give Reina your buffs.”

Tang-E moved carefully according to Hyeonu’s instructions. He gave Reina the buffs and summoned the wish bead so he could use it at any time. Reina pulled out her white sword and prepared for battle.
Tang-E’s buffs made her body lighter. It was a familiar sensation now.

Then the owners of the dust appeared. They were riding on demonic creatures that looked similar to the rhino that Hyeonu was riding on.

‘It is them.’

Hyeonu looked at the three demons riding on the backs of the demonic creatures.
They were the identity of the magic power that Hyeonu felt.

“That guy?”

“One man and one woman.
In addition, a bear…
It seems right?”

“Don’t let your guard down.
He is the human who killed the earl.”

“What earl?! I don’t acknowledge a title he got through speaking.”

The three demons who suddenly appeared saw Hyeonu and started talking.
Their conversation entered Hyeonu’s ears.

‘They know me…
Did they come to retrieve the ring?’

It was a plausible guess.

Hyeonu pulled out and swung the Mysterious Sky Sword without hesitation. It was a neat slash that couldn’t be seen at all.
Hyeonu’s pure energy was fired at the demons who were still talking to each other.

‘Just kill them.’

Hyeonu immediately kicked off from the ground and rushed toward the demons without waiting to see the results of his first attack.
They were enemies he had to kill anyway.
It was a good idea to fight quickly.