Ranker's Return

Chapter 602

Translator: rainbowturtle

“Hello, everyone. It is already the last day of Arena Week.”

At the end of the host’s words, New York Arena Stadium was filled with the sighs and boos of the crowd. They thought it was a shame that Arena Week was going to end today.

“Everyone is sorry… I’m also very sorry. It is a pity that this is the last time that these players will come together to play.”

It was the same for the host. It was hard for teams from each league to come together to compete against each other. It was only possible during this Arena Week. Only three days a year.

“Today is the day to see each team’s ability to deal with monsters, not each other. Which team will kill the boss monsters the quickest? The raid time attack! That is today’s event.”

The host explained the schedule that would take place today. Everyone in the audience knew that the next words were very important.

“The raid time attack will be conducted three times in total. They will kill different types of boss monsters and compare the average of their records.”

Even the players focused on the host’s words. They received information about the raid time attack in advance, but it was only a few minutes ago. The players needed to make sure that the information they understood was correct.

“After each raid time attack, there will be a break time of 30 minutes. Additionally, the time limit of the raid time attack is four hours of Arena time.”

The actions of the players brought about the desired result. They obtained information that wasn’t written on the leaflet.

A time limit—it wasn’t written on the leaflet that the players received.

“The first boss monster is a humanoid type. The name is Clone. The humanoid boss monster is a boss monster created by mixing the collected data of the players who participated in Arena Week. It is from melee combat to magic. It is an all-rounder and there is nothing it can’t use.”

Once again, there was information that wasn’t given to the players. The boss monster could use magic as well as melee. It was great information. They would need to reformulate the strategy of fighting the boss monster. On the other hand, there were complaints from the players. The info they received in advance was too meager.

“No, why did they tell us in advance if they were going to do this? There were no details.”

“It is better to just listen here.”

Such complaints were brief. Rather than complaining, the players from each team discussed how to kill the humanoid boss monster. A boss monster that could use magic and melee combat at the same time. It was tricky just thinking about it.

“How about me and Tang-E keep its magic in check from the rear, while Hyung handles the melee combat?” Mason was the first one to comment.

His idea was simple. It was a strategy to stop the magic of the boss monster with Mason and Tang-E’s magic, while Hyeonu would kill the boss monster.

“It is simple, but I think it is the best way,” Lee Hoon agreed with Mason’s thoughts.

It was as effective as it was simple. Of course, this simple strategy required the corresponding strength to work.

“Me and Sunny unni can help with magic… I think it is okay?”

Yuri also positively evaluated Mason's strategy. Honesty, she was thinking it didn’t matter how they fought as long as Hyeonu was there. She thought that coming up with methods now to deal with boss monsters was pointless.

“Really? Then do so. I think Dwayne and Hoon can protect the team members, just like they did during the siege.”

Hyeonu nodded. Since everyone said it was good, he didn’t object much.

‘If it is Mason and Tang-E… they will be able to block it at least once.’

They just had to stop it once. He wouldn’t give the boss monster any more time than that.

“Then our preparations are done. Fighting until the end!”

Lee Hoon reached out his hand to the center of the table.

“Fighting!”

The rest of the Crescent Moon players followed by placing their hands over Lee Hoon’s hand. The host’s explanation ended here. There was no explanation about the second boss monster.

“I don’t think the audience wants the explanation of the second boss monster right now. Then I will start the raid time attack straight away.”

He announced the start of the raid time attack straight away.

Wahhhhhhh!

Cheers burst out from the audience’s mouth. The host’s words and the organizers’ choice were correct. In fact, the audience wasn’t very curious about what boss monsters would come out. How would the pro gamers kill the boss monster? Which team would kill it quickly and which team would kill it slowly?

They were only curious about the process and the results. The other things were just a foil.

“All players, please enter the cube set in advance.”

The moment the host’s words were over, the pro gamers of each team appeared on the stage. The New York Warriors, Red Bull America, Crescent Moon, Zenith, Xuanhua, PSG, JT Telecom, and Manchester—the crowd cheered again the moment the 90 players appeared. They shouted the names of the teams and players they were cheering for.

“Alley Leader!”

“Crescent Moon!!”

“Reina!”

“Aike!”

The overwhelming share belonged to Hyeonu. Awkward Korean rang out throughout the entire New York Arena Stadium.

“Sure enough, the voices for Alley Leader are the loudest.”

“I think I would call out his name as well. An individual greater than teams. This is Alley Leader.”

“I’m really looking forward to seeing what those overwhelming skills will look like in today’s raid time attack.”

The commentators made small talk to keep the audience from feeling bored until the players were ready. The players’ preparations quickly came to an end. It was because they didn’t have to do anything, just log in.

"The preparations seem to be over. Let’s start with the first raid time attack!”

***

The players of the New York Warriors waited for the boss monster to appear.

“What would it look like if all our data is combined?”

“It must be really strong.”

“Is it combined with the data of Alley Leader?”

After hearing one player’s words, the other players trembled. It was horrible to think about. On the other hand, they wanted to see the data of the rest of the players.

“Then it is just Alley Leader who can use magic.”

Alley Leader was perfect in many ways. Looking at what he showed on his streaming…

Alley Leader proved that he was good at handling almost everything, such as long swords, spears, fists, one-handed swords, and shields. Then add the magic of magicians and priests.

“If the organizers have any thoughts, then they would’ve adjusted the difficulty level accordingly.”

Otherwise, it was clear that no teams apart from Crescent Moon would be able to kill the boss monster. The question was how long they would last. It happened at this moment…

There was a white light and the boss monster appeared in front of them. The appearance of the boss monster was normal. It was an ordinary adult man. He had a height of over 180 centimeters and was dressed in colorful armor while holding a sword.

“The boss monster is here!” one of the players shouted.

Reina started to calmly give orders to her teammates, “Don’t make a fuss and take the formation.”

Following her words, the team members quickly took their places. The priests and magicians fell back, while the melee classes moved forward.

Reina stood in front.

“Try to consume as much health as possible before the pattern is visible, just like we practiced.”

The strategy the New York Warriors prepared for the raid time attack of Arena Week was simple. It used the characteristics of the boss monster. Boss monsters used powerful skills called patterns when their health dropped below a certain level., Before that, they usually only used skills or attacks of strength that could be endured. Boss monsters who went beyond these ordinary standards could be evaluated as tricky.

“The offensive buffs will be given to Reina, while the defensive buffs will be focused on Carter,” one of the priests in the back coordinated the raid.

If Reina led the melee classes, then he put forward the timing and utilization of important skills such as buffs and magic. Under the priest’s directions, the buffs were focused on Reina and the paladin, Carter.

“Let’s push. Use your skills one after another.”

Reina pulled out her sword and sped toward the boss monster. A deep blue magic power reminiscent of the sea flowed from Reina’s running body and gathered on her sword. Reina swung the sword covered in deep blue magic power. The air froze and clear ice flowers appeared.

It was Reina’s exclusive skill, Ice Flower. Perhaps it was because she used a lot of magic power, but the number and size were by far the best ice flowers Reina had ever shown. The ice flowers flew toward the boss monster, Clone. It was a speed that was neither fast nor slow. However, they were all on different trajectories, so it seemed impossible to stop them all.

Just then, Clone pulled out a sword. A dark line was drawn in the air. All the flying ice flowers exploded in the air. At the same time, the scattered ice fragments flew through the surroundings. Reina and the other melee class players of the New York Warriors had to swing their weapons to stop the ice fragments.

“I think he is stronger than the boss monsters in the Winter League?” Carter spoke with a cold face.

His words were a question, but he was actually convinced. The boss monster in front of them was definitely stronger than the boss monster in the Winter League.

“Reina is stronger than she was back then, but her attack was broken more easily than before…”

The evidence was clear. Reina had grown after the Winter League. The ranking of the most important skills of her class had risen. All the other skills were influenced by this and also became stronger. However, Reina’s attack was still broken.

“It is going to be harder than I thought…”

“We can’t afford to pay attention to the records of other teams. We have to focus on the boss monster in front of us.”

The eyes of the New York Warriors’ players shone. Their eyes contained only the boss monster in front of them.

***

Unlike the solemn atmosphere of the New York Warriors, the atmosphere of Crescent Moon was very peaceful. Tang-E whistled as he was held in Yuri’s arms.

“Tang-E, will Oppa win?”

“There are few opponents Master dude won’t win again. I don’t think that guy will be one of those few.”

“Really? So who are those people? Can I know who they are?”

Tang-E cocked his head at Yuri’s question. It was because he didn’t know who Yuri would know.

Then Tang-E nodded and opened his mouth, “Those people… Hmm… There are around four.”

“Four?”

“Master dude’s master, his master’s master, the magical grandfather, and the emperor. That is four.”

Yuri was momentarily lost in thought after hearing Tang-E’s answer. She knew three of the people Tang-E listed, but she didn’t know the last one.

‘Master’s master? There is someone like that?’

Yuri’s thoughts ended there. It was because Tang-E clapped.

“What’s wrong, Tang-E?”

“Master dude dealt a proper blow. I think the battle will end in no time.”

There was only one meaning behind the clapping. It meant Hyeonu’s attack was effective. However, the effective hit was a bit big.

“The boss monster is missing one hand?”

Yuri exclaimed with shock after carefully looking at Clone. Clone’s left wrist was empty. As someone was admiring the powerful boss monster, someone else’s battle was already reaching the climax.