Ranker's Return

Chapter 628

Translator: rainbowturtle

The journey to Penn was not a short one. Nevertheless, Reina didn’t find that time boring at all. Rather, it was pleasant and happy. Hyeonu was always gentlemanly and cool. Tang-E was always cute. Always. There was not a single moment when he wasn’t cute. Additionally, fighting was so easy. The word hunting really suited it.

The two of them thoroughly tailored themselves to Reina. Hyeonu and Tang-E’s cooperation was already perfect, so they cared about Reina. It was natural for Reina to feel comfortable while hunting. This wasn’t the usual role she placed. She was just in charge of attacking comfortably.

“Can you wait here for a bit? I am going to get a mount.”

“A mount?”

Reina’s eyes widened. A mount—it was the first time she heard there were mounts in the demon world.

“There is a very large rhinoceros. It is very big and fast,” Tang-E waved his paws and explained to Reina, who looked like she didn’t know anything.

“Is there such a thing?”

“That’s right. There is.”

Tang-E and Reina looked at each other and repeated the same words.

“In any case, hide well until I come. I think it will take around an hour. Or… you can just log out.”

Hyeonu thought it wasn’t necessary for Reina to wait for him with Tang-E. It wasn’t bad for her to just log out and reconnect when Hyeonu came back with the rhino demonic creature.

“Can’t we go together?” Reina asked. She wondered if there was a reason to stay and wait, rather than going together.

“It is because I am the only one who can enter the city. Reina, you can’t go in and out.”

“Hyeonu, you can go in and out of the city?”

Reina was once again surprised by Hyeonu’s answer. The city that Hyeonu was talking about was clearly a city of the demon world. It was bustling with demons and demonic creatures. She couldn’t believe that Hyeonu, a player, could enter such a city.

“I guess I look like a demon. Everyone has a hard time deaing with me? I’ll show you when I have a chance later.”

Hyeonu vaguely passed over Reina’s question. In fact, he didn’t know much. It was right that they considered him a demon like them. He just didn’t know the reason. That’s why he didn’t give Reina a proper explanation.

“I understand. Go quickly. I will be fine with Tang-E.” Reina nodded and waved her hand. She couldn’t hold Hyeonu any longer. He had to leave as soon as possible to come back as soon as possible.

"I understand. Tang-E… don’t do anything weird and hide well. Understood?” Hyeonu spoke to Tang-E before running toward the distant Penn.

“Tang-E.” Reina looked at the disappearing Hyung and turned her head toward Tang-E once Hyeonu was completely out of her sight.

“Why are you calling me?” Tang-E looked at Reina, who had called out his name.

“How can you be so cute…?” Reina couldn’t shut her mouth when she saw Tang-E looking at her with his big eyes. Even if he was cute, this was too cute.

“Tang-E isn’t cute. I’m cool. You are also cool…” Tang-E pouted and touched his ears with his paws. Anyone could tell he was sulking.

“Yes, Tang-E is cool. Even so, you are also cute. That’s why I like you more.” Reina hugged such a Tang-E.

‘He’s so cute.’

His grumbling was really cute. Reina originally liked cute things, so she couldn’t put down Tang-E for a moment. She kept touching and talking to him.

"Is that so? Hehe. Tang-E is cool and cute. No, cute and cool.”

Tang-E didn’t hate such a Reina. It was because he felt a deep affection from her words and touch.

At this moment, something appeared in front of the two of them who were enjoying a peaceful time.

“What is this…?” Reina cocked her head at the sight of the thing that appeared. At the same time, she tightened her grip on Tang-E in her arms.

***

Hyeonu, who didn’t know anything, entered Penn without being stopped by anyone. The area around Hyeonu was empty. No one approached Hyeonu’s side. No, they couldn’t do so. If Hyeonu did anything…

They would die.

‘I have to grab it quickly…’

Hyeonu came up with a method to get a mount. If he said that he had an appointment with Viscount Garcia, his subordinates would definitely be very flustered. Why? Viscount Garcia wasn’t within the castle. It was none other than Hyeonu, and not someone else, who told Viscount Garcia to vacate his castle and flee elsewhere.

‘I will act angry like someone who doesn’t know anything…’

Hyeonu just had to be angry like he didn’t know it. After continuing to go hard on them, he would look at the time and tell them to bring the rhino demonic creature.

‘It is perfect, perfect.’

A huge gate appeared in front of Hyeonu, who had confirmed his prearranged plan again. This was the gate blocking the entrance to the lord’s castle.

“I’m here to see Viscount Garcia,” Hyeonu spoke to the guard in a very polite manner that was unlike a demon noble.

“I’m sorry, but Viscount Garcia isn’t at the castle at the moment…” The guard bowed deeply to Hyeonu with a truly apologetic expression. However, Hyeonu acted according to his original plan.

“What?! Not in the castle?!!!” Hyeonu shouted. It wasn’t in a simple manner. It was filled with magic power. At the same time, he released Dragon Fear and fighting energy, showing that he was extremely angry. “How dare you look down on me? How can Viscount Garcia do this?!”

As Hyeonu continued to yell, the demon guards were restless and just watched Hyeonu. They knew that they could suffer a disaster if they weren’t careful.

“Where did he go?”

“We don’t know that either… the viscount doesn’t always tell us his schedule…”

“Hah…” Hyeonu sighed like he was dumbfounded. “Do you know when he left?”

“I know this. It has been about a week.”

“Then it will be a long time before he returns.”

The demon world was very wide. The return stone only belonged to some nobles. Even the number of those who knew about its existence was small. If the viscount had been gone for a week, then it would naturally take a long time before he returned.

“It is impossible to wait… I think I know where he went…” Hyeonu’s performance reached its peak. Hyeonu naturally put forth an excuse to demand a mount. “Bring me a mount. I will go find Viscount Garcia myself.”

Hyeonu’s body was covered with purple magic power. At this overwhelming sight, the guard couldn’t even think of words of refusal.

“I understand. Please wait. It is only for a moment. I will get it right away.” The demon guard quickly disappeared. As he said, he came back as quickly as possible. There was a thick chain in the guard’s hands. The chain was the leash for the rhino.

“I brought the mount.” The guard bowed to Hyeonu and extended his hand.

Hyeonu stared at the chain with cold eyes and snatched it.

“I am going.”

Hyeonu floated up and rested on the rhino demonic creature’s back. Then he shook the chain lightly. The rhino demonic creature received Hyeonu’s signal and sped roughly down the street.

***

After returning with the rhino, Hyeonu was flustered to see that Tang-E and Reina were missing.

‘Where did they go without saying a word?’

There was neither a whisper from Reina nor a note.

‘Did she go somewhere with Tang-E?’

Hyeonu came down from the rhino’s back and examined the surrounding land. Then something caught Hyeonu’s eyes.

‘Why are there four different types of footprints?’

There should’ve only been three types of footprints. They should belong to Hyeonu, Reina, and Tang-E. Now there was a large footprint that didn’t belong to Hyeonu.

‘It is a bit bigger than mine…’

Hyeonu looked more closely. There weren't a lot of footprints. The depth also wasn’t that deep.

‘There was no battle…’

Otherwise, they would’ve been dragged away or logged out without being able to resist. There couldn’t be such shallow footprints in the ground. Then in Hyeonu’s eyes, another footprint appeared. The footprints that had disappeared due to the leaves piled up on one side reappeared again.

‘Did they walk side by side?’

There was one footprint presumed to belong to Reina and the footprint of the presumed visitor was next to it.

‘I guess I have to follow…’

Hyeonu dragged the leash of the rhino and started walking in the direction of the footprints. He didn’t know what he would find at the end.

***

During the time when Hyeonu and Reina were moving together in Arena, the Korean Arena community had to face another bomb. The bomb’s identity was the sudden press conference from the supervisor of JT Telecom. As Supervisor Yoo of JT Telecom had told Choi Hyunsung, he contacted reporters as soon as he entered the country.

Then he immediately set up a date for a press conference. There was no procrastination. The press conference was on the afternoon of their day of return.

“Why are the players in the United States and only the coaching staff, including the supervisor, returned home?”

“You had the worst performance at Arena Week this time. What do you think is the reason?”

“Do you have any plans to rebuild JT Telecom?”

Reporters asked the questions they wanted to ask even before Supervisor Yoo opened his mouth. Supervisor Yoo kept his mouth shut. It was only when the reporters stopped talking that he brought the microphone to his lips.

“Ah, ah. Good morning. As you all know, I’ve been the supervisor of JT Telecom since the last Summer League.”

Supervisor Yoo pushed up the sunglasses he was wearing and continued his announcement.

“Arena Week was really shocking. The walls of the world are so high. That’s what I thought. I was also disappointed in myself and disappointed in the players.”

The reporters listened to Supervisor Yoo’s announcement. At the same time, they quickly tapped on the laptops in front of them. It was in order to publish the article even the slightest bit faster. Of course, it was essential to have a stimulating headline.

“In particular, there is one player who has often shown that he doesn’t fit with the name of a professional gamer, starting with the Winter League. We have decided that his past actions don’t match our JT Telecom, so we have decided to release him with the mentality of a sacrifice for the cause of justice.”

Even the tapping noises in the conference hall disappeared.

Supervisor Yoo glanced at the reporters and opened his mouth again, “A new player will be selected for that position. This time, it will be a public audition, so I hope we will get a lot of support.”

After finishing his words, Supervisor Yoo got up from his seat and exited the press conference.

“Does player Jung Hanbaek know about this?”

“How will the audition proceed?!”

“Is there only one player who was released?!”

The reporters quickly tapped on their laptops while moving their mouths. It was in order to gain even one more bit of information.