Ranker's Return

Chapter 844

Hyeonu separated from Raccoon and headed straight to Linakalu. Linakalu was still bleak. It wasn’t an atmosphere that could be changed in a short amount of time. The Samsungga was similar. It was a heavy atmosphere, like it was a funeral home.

Hyeonu pierced through the low, sunken air and found Chen Long’s abode.

‘Why is he standing outside?’

Chen Long wasn’t in the wooden house, unlike before. He was lingering near the house.

“Chen Long.”

Hyeonu showed his presence in the distance.

“You came?” Chen Long raised his head and looked at Hyeonu. Chen Long’s expression was still in a stiff state. He was extremely serious.

“I came as soon as I heard that the southern cities had been attacked.”

Chen Long approached Hyeonu and put a hand on Hyeonu’s shoulder.

Then he made eye contact with Hyeonu.

“Seven cities have already been taken. The opponents are monsters I have never seen before. Even the city built by the different species has collapsed. From that point of view, they don’t seem to belong to the League of Different Species... do you know anything?” Chen Long kept making eye contact with Hyeonu as he spoke.

“Are you asking about the identity of the attackers?”

“What do you think I’m asking about?”

Hyeonu shrugged his shoulders and smiled hesitantly. It was because he thought he was asking something too obvious.

“Chen Long, I don’t think you would know. The identity of those who have invaded the southern part of the East Continent are the god tribe and the divine creatures. They are targeting the middle world and have invaded it,” Hyeonu immediately informed Chen Long of the identity of the attackers.

There was no reason to hide it. He had nothing to gain by playing push and pull with Chen Long.

“The god tribe? What are they doing with the middle world?” Chen Long asked with a surprised expression. Ever since the establishment of the Gucheon Secret Department, the demons had a history of invading the middle world several times. Meanwhile, the god tribe had never appeared. Their identities were just passed down like legends.

“Do you know the origins of the god tribe and the demons?” Hyeonu asked a question, but he wasn’t expecting an answer. If Chen Long knew this, there was no way he would’ve asked Hyeonu that type of question.

“I don’t know. There are no records of that.”

Chen Long shook his head at Hyeonu’s words. He didn’t know this. There were no records of their origins left in the Gucheon Secret Department.

“The god tribe and demons were among the different species tribes that originally lived in the middle world. Isn’t it instinctive to want to return to your homeland?” Hyeonu nodded and informed Chen Long of the information he knew.

“Did the demons and god tribe originally live in the middle world? So whether they were kicked out or migrated, they ended up abandoning the middle world.”

Chen Long realized why the god tribe had appeared the moment he heard Hyeonu’s answer.

“There must be a war... will you be ready?”

“What being ready? Just send the army. The empire might be at peace, but that doesn’t we don’t have an army.”

The East Continent had no wars. The conflict between the Gucheon Secret Department and the Yuxin imperial family was the only one. However, this didn’t mean the power of the empire was weak. The level of the majority of soldiers might be low, but the level of some of those who became elites was very high. It was a natural result since they had been fighting people continuously.

“Do you remember?”

Hyeonu changed topics.

“What? Do I need to remember anything?”

Chen Long cocked his head. He had no idea what Hyeonu was talking about.

“Didn’t I come to get a seal from you in the past?”

“There was something like that. That... I think it was an alliance pledge...”

“Right, it was one of the preparations for the invasion of the demon world.”

It was Hyeonu who nodded this time.

The alliance pledge—it was exactly what Hyeonu meant.

“If you are bringing it up now... are you saying that you are going to give support? That... I don’t think the situation is very good.”

Chen Long also heard the news. There was a war in the northern part of the West Continent, which was said to be the exact opposite location. It was news with such a ripple effect that he couldn’t be ignorant of it.

“Isn’t the war fought by adventurers anyway? It is also as Chen Long knows. Isn’t there a limit to pushing with numbers?”

The god tribe wasn’t humans. They were born strong. Sending ordinary soldiers to war was no different from committing suicide. Even if the number was insufficient, it was right to push with quality. Quantity was meaningless.

“I guess so. The information I’ve already gathered is attesting to this. We need a certain level or higher.”

Chen Long agreed with Hyeonu. The strength of the god tribe that he had put together based on the stories of the survivors of the attacks was difficult to even compare.

“So how are you going to support us?”

“I would like to send my teacher, who you once saw before. But...”

“Teacher? Perhaps... are you referring to Duke Lebron?”

Chen Long’s face was filled with delight.

Duke Lebron—a monster he had seen with his own two eyes. He was a man with power worthy of being called the best knight in the West Continent.

“Okay, I am going to make a suggestion to His Majesty the Emperor. In fact, our empire still has a lot of leeway. The adventurers are doing a good job. In fact, Teacher didn’t appear in the last war at all. Even so, we still blocked it. There is plenty of room to hold on if the war continues,” Hyeonu smiled and explained the situation in the West Continent.

This was something that would be hard for Chen Long to know because he was an NPC. Most of the players started in the West Continent and had laid a foundation there. Therefore, the war in the north was easily prevented and it could be prevented in the future. It wasn’t difficult at all to apply for one Lebron to be sent to the East Continent.

“That also isn’t the end. As you know, Chen Long, the god tribe attacked not only the Yuxin Empire, but also the city established by the different species. The anger of these species has soared to the sky. They are going to war as well. Perhaps the war against the god tribe won’t be as fierce as you think.”

“Yes, the different species have also suffered, so they can’t just endure it.”

Chen Long’s expression smoothed out slightly. He felt that things had improved after the conversation with Hyeonu. There wasn’t any obvious progress, but he felt more comfortable.

“I’m thinking of going to Taeyang now. Chen Long, will you continue to be here?”

“That’s right. I think this will be the next battlefield... I can’t easily leave my spot.”

Chen Long couldn’t leave Linakalu empty. Linakalu was included in the attack trajectory of the gods.

“I understand. Then I will come back with better news next time."

Hyeonu nodded and left the Samsungga.

***

Hyeonu was busy moving. It was from Linakalu to Taeyang. He used the return amulet and moved in a single breath.

Hyeonu appeared in Taeyang and crossed the wall of the imperial palace of the Yuxin Empire without hesitation. Then he naturally walked toward the great hall where the old emperor was located. There wasn’t a single NPC who stopped Hyeonu. They just bowed slightly as if it was natural for Hyeonu to walk through the imperial palace.

“Your Majesty, how have you been?”

Hyeonu entered the great hall under the guidance of the NPC, headed toward the old emperor, and bowed his head in greeting.

“Are you asking me that when you know?”

The old emperor sighed. The danger caused by the god tribe to the Yuxin Empire was too great to welcome Hyeonu.

“In times like this, don’t you need to be centered even more? If Your Majesty is shaken, the empire is shaken.”

Hyeonu poured out coaxing words toward the old emperor. He wasn’t just saying this to make the old emperor feel better. It was absolutely correct. If the emperor was shaken, then the entire empire was shaken.

“I have also come with news that might be of help to Your Majesty.”

“Helpful news? Is it support? Did the emperor of the Yusma Empire say he would send reinforcements?”

The old emperor rose from the throne. Hyeonu’s words were that surprising.

“His Majesty the Emperor didn’t say such a thing.”

“Is that so? It hasn’t been long since the Yusma Empire has escaped from the invasion of the undead... it can be burdensome to apply for reinforcements.”

The old emperor sighed and sat down on the throne again.

“I haven’t met His Majesty the Emperor yet. I naturally can’t hear anything from him,” Hyeonu said while opening his eyes slightly wider.

“Is that so? Then there is still hope.”

The old emperor showed great joy. There was still some hope left as long as the emperor’s official answer didn’t come out.

“If Your Majesty can write just one letter... I will persuade His Majesty the Emperor. Isn’t there an alliance pledge between the Yuxin Empire and the Yusma Empire? I’ll use that to get support.”

Hyeonu repeated the words he told Chen Long to the old emperor.

“Really?” the old emperor asked with a surprised face.

“What is the point of lying to Your Majesty? It is also natural to help your allies. I will try to help the Yuxin Empire as much as possible.”

Lebron would be a satisfactory support for the old emperor.

“Additionally, I have reinforcements who have already been confirmed.”

“You mean reinforcements who are already here?”

The old emperor once again had a surprised expression on his face. There were reinforcements. It wasn’t something that could be easily heard.

“The different species will form an army. They have been hurt by the god tribe, so they will definitely participate in the war. In particular, the orc who leads them is very strong. Really strong.”

“Can you use an easy analogy?”

“I can’t compare exactly, but I personally think he is stronger than my teacher.”

“More than Duke Lebron? That would be a great help.”

The old emperor’s expression changed dramatically this time. Lebron was one of the strongest humans that the old emperor had ever seen in his life. It would be perfect for the Yuxin Empire if someone stronger than him joined the war.

“I don’t think there will be any further damage to the empire. That’s about it,” Hyeonu asserted. If Raccoon entered the war, then at the minimum, the front line could be maintained. In order to break this minimum, the god of the god tribe, Luke, would have to appear at the front line.

“Wait a minute. I’ll write the letter for you soon.”

Shortly after the old emperor’s words finished, people appeared from nowhere with a small statue, paper, and brush. The old emperor quickly moved his brush.

“Take this. It is a letter to the emperor of the Yusma Empire.”

The old emperor held out a letter. Hyeonu approached the old emperor and carefully received the letter. Then he put it straight into his inventory.

“Then I will see you again with good news.” Hyeonu bowed and left the great hall.

***

‘Sigh... Is it finally the last one?’

Hyeonu stopped in front of the great hall where the emperor was staying and took a deep breath. The final boss remained. It was the emperor who knew everything Hyeonu had done so far. Just then, a shadow popped out behind Hyeonu. “What are you doing standing there? Are you praying for the palace to collapse?”

The owner of the shadow was the emperor.

“Huh? No, that can’t be. I should clean my mind and body before seeing Your Majesty...” Hyeonu couldn’t come to his senses at the sudden appearance of the emperor and spoke gibberish.

“Stop that nonsense and come in.”

The emperor left Hyeonu alone and stepped into the great hall first.