âThe ranking battles will stop here. I canât match it any longer.â
Hyeonuâs penalty ranking battle lasted for around four hours after his fight with Teika. It was just that the number of ranking battles wasnât high. Exactly five more battles were played, so it was almost one battle an hour. There werenât that many grandmasters or masters.
âSix battles is enough.â
Nevertheless, Hyeonu was satisfied. It was because his original goal had been met.
[66 consecutive PVP wins 66/66]
[The stage 4 open conditions are satisfied.]
[The item effect of âRainbow with Desireâ has changed.]
[All stats +300 â all stats +400.]
[Stage 4 - Distorted Beliefs: When dealing damage to an opponent, inflict additional damage equal to 15% of the damage dealt.]
[Stage 5 opening condition: Level up 0/15]
There was another reason why Hyeonu chose the ranking battles.
Rainbow of Desiresâits upgrade was another purpose for todayâs arena streaming, and he successfully achieved it.
âIf it is an extra 15% damage...â
The newly unlocked effect was powerful. It was a much more efficient effect than simply adding some skills or raising stats.
âI will end todayâs joint live stream today. Alley Leader has personal scheduling issues. Of course, I can continue.â Yeongchan proceeded with the live stream instead of Hyeonu while the latter was busy looking at the new item effect. It was possible because he had talked to Hyeonu about this beforehand. Hyeonu had said he would end the live stream if he won six ranking battles.
-Already? Just six rounds?
-However, the matching time is longer, and everyone seems to have run away...
-To be honest, there is no change in the rankings, but who would like to be beaten like that? It is worth running away.
-However, it takes a few dozen minutes for each round. It feels like he talks for a long time and then disappears once in a while?
The viewers were sad, but they didnât react seriously to Hyeonu leaving. It was because they felt he wouldnât get another ranking battle anyway.
âThatâs right. I was streaming.â Hyeonu heard Yeongchanâs words and realized he was streaming. Normally, he wouldnât have been able to forget about streaming and check an item effect, but there was Yeongchan to help him today. In some ways, Yeongchan had more skillful hosting abilities than Hyeonu, so Hyeonu could be so relaxed.
âDear viewers, I will go first. Please show a lot of love for Argonâs live stream.â Hyeonu quickly gave a final goodbye to the viewers.
-Before you go, tell us what you said to Teika earlier.
-Right, what was the last thing you talked about?
-Did he say to buy some rice served in soup?
-Which country is Teika from that you are talking about rice in soup? Is he Korean?
The viewers grabbed at Hyeonu who was about to leave and asked what happened during the first ranking battle with Teika. However, Hyeonu had disappeared. It was an escape without the slightest bit of hesitation.
-He is already gone.
-He should listen until the end.
-Iâll have to ask when Teika turns on his live stream later.
-Yes, that will be faster.
The viewers sighed when they saw Hyeonu disappear in an instant. However, they werenât terribly disappointed. It was because they still had hope in Teika.
***
Teika, who withdrew from the ranking battle with Hyeonu, immediately ended the live stream.
âSorry, see you next time.â
He gave the viewers the excuse that he couldnât overcome the shock of defeat. Yet in reality, he wasnât that shocked. He already knew it would be hard to win even if there was a penalty. The problem was that Hyeonu was stronger than expected. Even so, it was a satisfying ranking battle with its own achievements. He had learned how to handle the trickiest part of dealing with Hyeonu.
âCan I learn fighting energy?â
Hyeonu had kindly told Teika how. He said it was a secret he hadnât told anyone else.
âGo to the north of the Black Forest and find the orcs?â
Of course, Hyeonu didnât teach Teika everything. There were clearly parts Teika had to take care of on his own. However, there was a huge difference between not knowing at all and having a clue. Thus, Teika gave up on leveling up and moved to the Black Forest. He decided it was better for his future to get fighting energy than to level up.
âThe orcs that appear here are from the Meadow Wolf Tribe.â
Teika quickly broke through the Black Forest using on the information he knew in advance. The Black Forest was a field where people only hunted before the second class advancement, so for Teika, whose level was close to the fifth class advancement, it was nothing more than a leisurely walk in the neighborhood.
Teika quickly discovered the Meadow Wolf Tribe.
âIs it here?â
There were only a few weak orcs based on Teikaâs standards. These orcs were the orcs of the Meadow Wolf Tribe that Teika was looking for.
âCan I really get fighting energy from orcs like this?â
Teika already knew about the orcs through his research beforehand, but they were weaker when he saw them in person. He couldnât understand how he could get something as good as fighting energy from an orc like that.
âStill, he did get it from here.â
However, Teika trusted Hyeonu. He didnât think that Hyeonu had lied to him. Teika carefully roamed the interior of the Meadow Wolf Tribe. There seemed to be no place that he didnât explore. Yet for over an hour, the only orcs that Teika met were weak ones.
âIâm sure he got it from the boss monster...â
Teikaâs gaming career wasnât short. No, it was very long. He had played all types of games from a young age until now. Thanks to this, he also had a sharp intuition.
âWho are you? What is going on here?â A huge shadow appeared behind Teika at this moment.
Teika moved quickly as his vision darkened instantly. He sprang forward at explosive speed and pulled out the spear he was carrying on his back. Then he quickly turned around and threw the spear at the shadow. The advancing spear was covered with the image of a bloody wolf.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
âIf I ask a question, I should get an answer. Why are you throwing your spear?â The owner of the shadow expressed his displeasure at the sight of Teikaâs spear approaching him. Then he threw a fist the size of an adult maleâs face toward the bloody wolf. The fist and spear collided, and there was an explosion like a huge bomb had gone off.
âWhy did you come here? Why are you here?â the owner of the shadow once again asked Teika, who was being pushed away. This time, he was obviously annoyed.
Teika looked surprised when he saw the shadow standing behind him. âThat orc... It is that orc from Arena Week.â
The owner of the shadow was an orcâthe most famous orc in Arena. It was Raccoon, who bombed Arena Week and appeared on Alley Leaderâs live stream.
Teika retrieved the spear and told Raccoon his reason for visiting the Black Forest: âI came here because I was told I could learn fighting energy here.â
âFighting energy? Who said that?â Raccoon changed his attitude at Teikaâs words. He was now curious rather than annoyed.
âIt is someone I think you know very well. Gang Hyeonu...â Teika naturally sold Hyeonuâs name. It was true that Hyeonu told him this.
âGang Hyeonu? That guy? He doesnât seem like it at all...â Raccoon murmured with an expression of disbelief. The Hyeonu that Raccoon knew wasnât a human being who would say such things.
âHe doesnât seem like the type of person to share good things... Or was his weakness caught?â
âHave you caught any of his weaknesses? How did you hear this?â Raccoon asked Teika again.
âHis weaknesses? How am I supposed to catch those? Rather, I donât know if my own weaknesses were caught.â Teika shook his head. He didnât know Hyeonuâs weaknesses. He couldnât find any. In Teikaâs eyes, Hyeonu was a man without weaknesses.
Raccoon thought for a moment before nodding. âReally? Hmm... Well, it is okay to teach one person if he is the one who sent you.â
This must be a reliable human if Hyeonu had sent him. Hyeonu would also owe Raccoon a favor after this.
Teika approached Raccoon with wide eyes, grabbing his arm and asking, âReally? You will teach me fighting energy?â
âHowever, it is up to you to learn. It is entirely up to you if you can learn like him or just waste your time.â Raccoon frowned and threw away Teikaâs arm.
âI understand. I will do my best.â Teika nodded and pulled himself together.
âThen follow me.â Raccoon led Teika to Dakan's residence.
[You have entered the residence of Fighter Dakan.]
âAn instance dungeon?â Teika had a slightly bewildered expression on his face as he saw Raccoon leading him into the instance dungeon. He could now understand why he couldnât even find Raccoonâs nostrils after walking around for an hour.
âCancun!â Raccoon, who was stepping forward without hesitation, shouted at an axe-wielding orc in the distance who was exuding bloody energy.
âHave you been training well?â Raccoon strode toward Cancun.
Cancun swung his axe and answered Raccoonâs question, âIt is going pretty well. The problem is that I am only training with Uncle Dakan, so I am used to it. The training itself is pretty good.â
âThat is why I brought you a training partner. Say hello,â Raccoon said while pointing to Teika.
Cancun looked Teika up and down and complained, âHe looks weak... Will he help with the practice?â
Raccoon shook his head. âHe isnât that weak. He just isnât as good as the human you are aiming for.â
Teika wasnât weak. They had only exchanged blows once, but that was enough to ascertain that.
âTry to use fighting energy like you did when you first met that other human. This guy also wants to learn fighting energy,â Raccoon said.
Cancun heard that and frowned slightly. It was because these words reminded him of his first spar with Hyeonu. Hyeonu failed to deal with fighting energy properly, but he succeeded in clumsily controlling it after a few confrontations. There had been several meetings and fights since then, but Cancun had never won against Hyeonu.
âI understand. I will fight,â Cancun accepted.
Then Raccoon beckoned to Teika, who was standing in the distance. Teika approached at a quick pace.
âIâm not expecting much. Feel with your body what fighting energy is during your fight against Cancun,â Raccoon instructed Teika to fight Cancun directly. No other method was needed. Learning with the body was the surest method.
âI understand. I will do my best.â Teika pulled out his spear and stood in front of Cancun. He didnât express it outwardly, but his pride was hurt.
âHe is ignoring me too much.â
Cancunâs words were not pleasant. Raccoon looked like this, so Teika naturally had to bow and go in. However, Cancun was different.
âThen fight well.â Raccoon lightly patted Teikaâs shoulder.