Translator: rainbowturtle
Editor: LD & Jyazen
A new video was posted on Alley Leaderâs channel. The views of âA Day in Phinisâ soared faster than any other video. The reaction was also the most intense. After debuting as a pro gamer, Hyeonuâs popularity rose even more. He originally had a large number of subscribers, but the current number was far ahead of that time.
-Escape Ninja:This seems crazy.Iâve already watched it 10 times.I canât stop playing it.
-Deadline Gyur:Cute, cute, cute, cute.
-Deep Sea Sunfish:Can I get a bear like that if I go to Phinis?
-Spanish Sawedged Perch:What are you guys doing?Iâve already bought a return scroll to Phinis.Hehe.
The viewers who watched the video felt there was no exit. They couldnât get out. Tang-E was smiling happily all the time. Sometimes, he would even stick out his plump lips in a pout. There was nothing about him that wasnât cute. Most of them immediately thought of a way to get to Phinis. Those who were nearby immediately turned and headed there, while those who were far away rushed to the auction house to buy a Phinis return scroll.
However, some people visited Alley Leaderâs channel for reasons other than this video. They were mainly people who belonged somewhere else.
Power analystsâthey were part of a professional team, and their business was to watch and analyze everything about players from other teams. Among them, power analysts from leading and prestigious teams devoted more than half their work hours to analyzing Alley Leader.
There were reasons why the top teams spent such a great deal of time analyzing him. It was that there was still time left. Due to the nature of PvP, skills didnât increase in an instant. The top-class players were already at the peak, making it difficult for them to move forward from there. So the data they had from countless analyses was still valid.
Then what about Alley Leader? He had just made his debut, played two matches, and fought only nine times in PvP. It wasnât a lot. This was why even the videos on Alley Leaderâs channel were included in the analysis. Finding a small habit or pattern would be a success. It didnât matter how much time they spent.
A young man with curly blond hair appeared behind someone who was staring at a monitor. The curly-haired young manâs name was Leo. He was a happy young man living as a professional gamer under the name âAKâ.
âDid you achieve anything, Alvin?â
Alvin was a power analyst the same age as AK, and they had been good friends since childhood. He didnât have the ability to move his body, but his eyes were excellent. He used that to come to PSG, which was also a means for him to help a friend.
âNo, not at all. It is like looking at water.â Alvin shook his head violently. He looked at the monitor for a long time and closed his eyes with a frustrated expression.
âWater? What are you talking about?â AK asked after hearing Alvinâs mysterious answer.
âShould I say heâs like a chameleon? Or he canât be defined? Thereâs no such thing as a pattern with him. He just fights really well.â
âItâs to that extent? You canât find anything at all?â There was a look of surprise on AKâs face.
âEven Alvin canât find anything... â AK had guessed it would be difficult to find in a short period of time. He hadnât fought Alley Leader directly, but he had seen it. âHeâs overwhelming.â
Alley Leader wasnât pushed by anyone he fought. He was powerful even without a weapon. Once he held a weapon...
âI have to learn. This way, there is a chance.â
âJust look for weaknesses. Are there any features to his fighting style? A highlight I can absorb...â
âLetâs see... I donât know if I can say this is one. First, he uses magic power really quickly. He creates and gets rid of pure energy. This is the only thing that can be called a combat style,âAlvin said while pointing at the monitor.
The monitor showed the video of Gang Hyeonu participating in Masked Fighting King. Magic power that disappeared and reappeared momentarily.
âIâm practicing that too... Sometimes I will succeed in practice but not against pro gamers.â
âI know that. However, that is the only thing you can imitate. Itâs crazy psychological warfare. I donât know how far ahead he can predict. He has combat senses that turns a variable into a non-variable. It isnât something that can be followed.â
AK listened to Alvin and agreed. That explanation wasnât wrong. In the first place, talent was the most important thing in virtual reality. There were limits to what could be done with effort. Effort involved many things, but the easier yet most difficult aspect was money.
Moneyâit was used to buy items, good skills, and information, as well as level up. Fight using money as the basis.
However, it didnât work for PvP on the professional stage. This was a competition that compared the talent of each individual and measured how honed their talent was.
âStill... I have to try. Havenât I been trying hard? I wasnât very good in the beginning. Letâs do it slowly.â AK smiled brightly and tapped Alvinâs shoulder.
âYes. We should try it.â
***
While others were busy, Hyeonu was also busy. At present, he was diligently moving through the Hejin Great Mountain Range. He was also searching through his memories.
âShit... Donât you know how to get home?â Hyeonu asked Tang-E, whose face was buried in Hyeonuâs neck.
He was in the Hejin Great Mountain Range in order to go to Bung Bung Island. As for the reason why he was going there, that was simpleâTang-E told him to go. It was meaningless, but it didnât matter. The important thing was that Tang-E asked him to go.
That was it.
âI donât remember. I donât know. It seems to be a waterfall in a forest.â Tang-E constantly shook his head like he knew nothing.
âAish... Why did I trust a fool who only knows meat?âHyeonu sighed and exerted some strength in the arms holding Tang-E.
âIdiot Master dude, it hurts!!!â Tang-E screamed at the pressure on his body. Hyeonu used the scream as meditation music and fell deep into his thoughts.
âThe forest? Waterfall?â
Since starting Arena, Hyeonu had been to many forests. Most of the fields were mountains, forests, and plains. There just werenât many waterfalls.
âRemember. Remember, waterfall!â
Hyeonu continued to squeeze his memories as he walked endlessly. Then he started to remember bit by bit.
âBefore I went to Bung Bung Island... I met Reina. Why did we meet?â
He remembered meeting Reina before going to Bung Bung Island, but he just couldnât think of the reason why heâd done that. Why exactly had he met her? They wouldnât have met for no reason.
âThere was definitely a reason to meet... Ah!â
Just then, the memory of that day flowed through Hyeonuâs brain like a presentation. Heâd asked Ket about the widest forest in the Hejin Great Mountain Range. After hearing the answer, he went to visit Reinaâor to be precise, the New York Warriors.
âThe central waterfall in the High Elf Forest!â
It was thereâthe place where he could go to Bung Bung Island. A smile appeared on Hyeonuâs face as he remembered the exact location.
âCome up with it quickly, Tang-E. Are you sleeping?â He pretended not to know anything and nudged Tang-E.
âUhh... I canât remember, Master dude.â
It was because Tang-Eâs reaction was so funny. This was a bit of fun for Hyeonu to overcome the boring mountain hike.
***
âTang-E, why do you want me to go to Bung Bung Island? Arenât you there all the time?âHyeonu asked the question that came to him while walking diligently.
âIs it the same being on Bung Bung Island alone compared to being there with Master?â Tang-E replied with an expression that wondered why Hyeonu was asking.
âReally? There isnât anything else?â
âYes, I just thought it has been a long time since you went to Bung Bung Island, so I asked you to go.â Tang-E buried himself in Hyeonuâs arms again.
Hyeonu smiled when he saw such a Tang-E. Some time later, he heard the sound of water falling and found he had arrived at his destination. In front of Hyeonu was a familiar waterfall.
[Are you sure you want to enter Bung Bung Island?]
âI will enter.â
***
When Hyeonu appeared on Bung Bung Island, he admired the surrounding scenery. The deep green forest, as well as the white rapids flowing through it, was truly beautiful. Hyeonu sighed at the scenery he hadnât seen in a long time.
âIt is still the same.â
Bung Bung Island remained the same; it was unchanged. Rather, it seemed to emit a more brilliant life force than before.
âTang-E, shall we go see your parents?â
Hyeonuâs mood improved. He was influenced by the energy that the island was giving off.
âYes, Master dude. Letâs go see Mom and Dad.â
Hyeonu felt better, so Tang-Eâs mood rose as well. One human and one bear moved toward the same place with light footsteps.
***
âIt has been a while, Hugo and Manong,â Hyeonu greeted the handsome blond man and beautiful woman in front of him.
âIt would be nice if you came to visit a bit more often... Itâs been a while since Iâve seen Tang-E like that.â Hugo glanced at Tang-E in Manongâs arms.
Tang-Eâs smile was brighter than usual, and the reason for that was obviously the person in front of him. Other than that, there was nothing different from usual.
âYes. If I knew he would like it so much, I wouldâve taken the time to come more often.âIt was the same for Hyeonu, who smiled when he saw that Tang-E was happier than usual.
Yet contrary to their feelings, their conversation ended here. There was no conversation between Hugo and Hyeonu unless it was about Tang-E. Hyeonu started to feel uncomfortable in the awkward atmosphere. It was like this before, but he was still uncomfortable with it now.
So he struggled to find something to talk about. His troubles didnât last long though as he had experienced something recently.
âAh! Yes, there is that.â
âPerhaps... Do you know the Luos Empire? As I was wandering the continent, I visited ruins associated with the Luos Empire. There, a Marionette Bear like Tang-E came out. Of course, it was a fake embodied by magic.â
Hyeonu had learned from Rondal that the Luos Empire and the Marionette Bears had some type of relationship. So he asked Hugo about it. Hugo was the leader of the Marionette Bears after all. If he didnât know about it, no one else would.
âYes, I saw him as well. He was like a warm uncle... He felt like Uncle Tommy from next door,â Tang-E added to Hyeonuâs words. He remembered the encounter very well. It was the first kin member heâd met outside, so it was impossible for him to not remember the meeting.
âThe Luos Empire... Iâve definitely heard there was such an empire.â
âYou know it? The Luos Empire? Tang-E didnât know at all.â
âIt is natural that Tang-E doesnât know. Itâs a story heâll only know after his second awakening. Of course, it also depends on whether he has the will to know. It doesnât really matter if he doesnât know this history.â
Hyeonu stared at Tang-E. These words were clearly referring to Tang-Eâs usual life. It must be routine for Tang-E to not read or study.
âIt is true that there was such an empire in the past, and our clan did have a relationship with them. However, it is written that the exchange ended at one point.â
âAt one point...?âHyeonu questioned it.
âIt was the moment when the lineage of the first emperor was ended by the black magicians who were deceived by demonkin.â