Ranker's Return

Chapter 618

Translator: rainbowturtle

Editor: LD & Jyazen

‘I have to do something too...’

Hyeonu continued to worry while moving his body according to the fan’s demands. What gift would satisfy them? He thought about it again and again.

‘I am famous as Alley Leader... I can’t give just anything.’

It was a matter of pride. At the same time, it was the burden of the 200 fans who came to see him.

Before he knew it, all 200 people had received autographs and photos. Hyeonu’s urgency also intensified. It happened at this moment...

Someone opened the door to the hall and came in. It was Jamie Moore, a man whose appearance made it hard to believe he was a middle-aged man.

‘Jamie Moore is here as well.’

All the Crescent Moon players had signed contracts with Nike Management. This fan meeting was a collaboration between them and Crescent Moon. Naturally, Jamie Moore deserved to appear at this fan meeting.

‘Ah!’ Hyeonu had an amazing idea the moment he saw Jamie Moore. He remembered a gift that he could give to the 200 people gathered here today.

“Kale.” Hyeonu beckoned to Kale the moment the person in front of him temporarily left.

Kale shrugged and approached Hyeonu. “What’s going on, Mister Gang?”

“I prepared a gift for today’s fan meeting... please introduce me at the end.”

Kale looked at Hyeonu with surprised eyes. When did he prepare a gift? There was no spare time at all. Hyeonu used his time more tightly than anyone else.

‘I don’t think there is anything to give?’

In fact, no one would complain if Hyeonu didn’t give a gift. They were satisfied enough just to participate in the fan meeting. There just might be a bit of regret.

“The new Alley Leader Academy. The second student will be drawn here today. How about it? Isn’t it a nice gift?”

Kale once again showed a surprised expression at Hyeonu’s words. This was a gift that Kale hadn’t thought of. Perhaps none of the people who participated in today’s fan meeting would ever expect to receive such a gift.

“Everyone will cheer. It is a fantastic gift.”

Hyeonu laughed when he heard Kale’s words. On second thought, it was a brilliant choice.

‘Gifts aren’t necessarily material things. Right.’

A pleasant smile appeared on Hyeonu’s face.

***

After the time for autographs and photographs, the time for meals occurred. It was a bit late but everyone was focused on the fan meeting and hadn’t realized they were hungry.

“Finally, it is the time to draw gifts that you have been waiting for.”

As the meal progressed to some extent, Kale grabbed the microphone again.

“The first gift is from Dwayne. He will give an invitation to attend the premiere of the next movie shot by Dwayne. Five people will be drawn.”

Waaaah!

Kale’s words caused cheers. It wasn’t a material reward that would be given right away but this wasn’t important. Dwayne’s movie would definitely be a blockbuster movie produced in Hollywood and all sorts of famous actors would appear. It was great to be able to go to the premiere of such a movie.

“Then please take out the ball you have received in advance from your pocket. If you twist the ball, you will see a paper inside. That number is your number.”

At Kale’s words, the fans pulled out a small ball from their pocket. The 200 fans had received a ball at the entrance when entering the hall. They just thought it was a souvenir when they received it. They never expected such a function was hidden inside it.

“Dwayne will draw the lots by himself.”

Dwayne rose from his seat and approached Kale’s side. Next to Kale was a small table around waist-high. A box was placed on the table. Dwayne reached into the box and took out five pieces of paper at once.

“As expected of Dwayne. You are bold. You don’t waste time picking it five times.”

Kale looked at Dwayne and couldn’t help laughing. It wasn’t a choice that someone who wasn’t brave could make.

“Do you want me to announce it all right away?”

Dwayne smiled and shook the paper in his hand.

“Yes!”

“Right away!”

The fans actively agreed with Dwayne. It was good to give people a sense of tension, but it was different when they were the people involved. It was best to announce it as soon as possible.

Dwayne opened a piece of paper and looked at the number. Then he overlapped all the papers. “I will announce the first winner. Number 196. The fan with number 196 has won.”

The man with the 196th ball was a man. He was an Asian man who was slightly chubby. “Nice!”

The man got up from his seat and rushed forward. He looked really pleased.

“My sincere congratulations on winning the prize. Can I ask you how you feel about winning the prize?” Kale spoke to the man who couldn’t control his joy.

“Yes, yes. Uh... I am very happy to be chosen like this. And... it is really great to be here today.”

The man grabbed the microphone and continued to talk nonsense. The people in the hall watched with a smile, regardless of whether the man stuttered or not. It was because they were the same as that man. It was clear they would stutter when standing in front of so many people and they didn’t know what to do if they won the prize.

“Then I will call all the other winners. 77, 98, 113, 12,” Dwayne called out the remaining numbers in one breath. Accordingly, four people rose from their seats.

Clap clap clap!

The rest applauded to congratulate them. Dwayne took a group photo with the five people and received their accurate home address, telephone number, email, and other personal information. It was in order to contact them next time.

“The second item is a clay doll made by Sunny herself. This time, the odds of winning have increased dramatically. 25 people. The clay dolls will be given to 25 people.”

One was unable to win more than one of the prizes given by players. In other words, there won’t be any repeat winners and the 25 people that would be able to win the gifts would be from out of the currently 195 remaining people.

25 out of 195—the odds were more than five times higher than winning Dwayne’s gift.

“You won’t know if I just talk about it. I’ll show you it directly. Now, come in.”

The moment Kale’s words were over, the door of the hall opened and two men in suits pushed in a wheeled table. The clay dolls made by Sunny were placed on the table.

“Wow... Amazing.”

“Is that really homemade?”

“She has golden hands, golden hands.”

The fans who saw the clay dolls as the table passed by were amazed. It was of great quality. This wasn’t the end. Kale thought there might be some people who couldn’t see it properly, so he showed the clay dolls photographed in advance on the giant screen.

Sunny was standing next to Kale. Perhaps she was trying to imitate Dwayne’s actions, but Sunny grabbed a bunch of paper at once. Sunny counted how many sheets of papers she had before opening them. It was because it couldn’t exceed 25.

‘There are 24.’

Fortunately, Sunny had grabbed 24 pieces of paper. She pulled out one more piece of paper from the box. Then she opened it and called the number on it, “Number 37. If you have the number 37 ball, then come to the front and pick a doll!”

Sunny started to call for the winners. Starting with number 37, the 25 winners came to the table in front and picked the clay dolls one by one.

After Sunny was Lee Hoon and Mason’s turn. Then it was the long-awaited last one. It was Hyeonu’s turn.

“It is finally the last one. It is a gift prepared by Alley Leader. In my opinion, the people gathered here will want to receive this gift the most. I don’t think you will regret coming to the fan meeting with just this,” Kale added an explanation to Hyeonu’s offering.

It was understandable. Alley Leader Academy had over a billion people applying every time. Here, it was a competition with fewer than 200 people. Of course, it was a competitive rate for those at the fan meeting, but it was just a joke compared to the original competition rate.

“He is giving you the opportunity to become the second student of the re-opened Alley Leader Academy.”

Waaahhhhhhhh!

The whole hall was vibrating. Everyone shouted until their voices burst. This was the power of Alley Leader Academy. It made ordinary people yell like crazy people.

Just then, Hyeonu got up from his seat and raised a finger to his lip. The people who saw it fell silent immediately. In an instant, it was deathly silent.

Hyeonu moved alone in the quiet hall. He approached Kale and received the microphone. “Now I will choose the second student of Alley Leader Academy. The first student is already fixed. I hope you understand that.”

Hyeonu put down the microphone, inserted his hand in the box and moved carefully. In fact, it wasn’t a big deal to pull out a piece of paper, but it was about controlling the mood.

“Number 100. Please come out, number 100.”

No one stood up after hearing Hyeonu’s words.

“Is there no number 100? If you don’t come up... I will have to draw another number.”

Hyeonu called out a few more times. It wasn’t until Hyeonu tried to reach back into the box that the owner of number 100 showed up. The owner of number 100 was a man who gave off an ordinary impression. The man blinked several times like he still hadn’t believed he had won.

“It isn’t a dream. It is reality. You are the second student of Alley Leader Academy,” Hyeonu told the man.

The man seemed to become aware of reality and briefly shouted, “Nice!”

Hyeonu approached the man who couldn’t calm his excitement and asked some questions, “Please give a short-self introduction. Your name in reality or anything like that isn’t very important. Of course, it is okay to tell me, but it isn’t what the people gathered here are curious about, right?”

Hyeonu’s mischievous words calmed the man’s excitement and removed the tension that had arisen at the same time.

“I’m Ray, I’m 21 years old and I live in Hong Kong. My Arena character name is Ray. I am level 303. I don’t belong to any guilds. If people I know call me, then I will go hunting or raiding with them.”

Cries burst out throughout the hall. Level 303—this was a top ranker. He finished his fourth class advancement. It was impossible not to know a player like this. As if to prove it, many people in the hall started to whisper.

“Ray...? Ray...”

“Isn’t it that Ray?”

“Destroyer Ray!”

Ray’s title flowed from someone’s mouth. However, Hyeonu’s expression didn’t change.

‘Who is Destroyer Ray?’

He didn’t know who Ray was.