Ranker's Return

Chapter 656

Translator: rainbowturtle

“Do you know that person?”

The trainer didn’t know of Reina. He loved Arena, but he didn’t care about the pro league. It was all about watching the streaming or videos on A-World. It was natural that he didn’t know Reina. To him, Reina was just a pretty member. She was a member he was very grateful for as she raised the sales of his fitness center, but that was it. Nothing more, nothing less.

“Ah, she is the one who lives in the apartment in front of mine. She is also a pro gamer of Arena,” Hyeonu explained about Reina.

It wasn’t hard to teach when the person didn’t know anything.

“The front apartment? Ah, you live in the same building? However, she isn’t Korean, right? Isn’t she a Westerner? It seems like she is from Europe or America.”

“No, you are right. She isn’t Korean.”

“Then why is she living in the front apartment? Surely she isn’t playing for a Korean team?”

“It is a vacation. This is her hobby. She likes spending this time in foreign countries.”

The trainer nodded at Hyeonu’s explanation. He didn’t have much to say.

“Thanks to that member, we get to go to work together in the morning. Tell her ‘thank you’ on my behalf. I only have to do half the work since the fitness center is opened by the two of us. If I knew it was this comfortable…” The trainer secretly looked at Hyeonu and coughed. It was an obvious act to anyone. If it wasn’t for Hyeonu, the trainer’s work time would be delayed by two hours.

“Even if you say that, I won’t change my time. I have long days. Let’s hurry up and work out.”

Hyeonu felt his condition becoming better and patted the strong trainer on the shoulder. It was obvious what the trainer meant by these words, but he didn’t mean to change his exercise schedule. If he didn’t have to exercise in the morning, he would end up sleeping at dawn, not at night.

"I understand, I understand. This spiteful guy. A spiteful guy who exercises in the morning.”

The trainer opened the folder and confirmed today’s workout schedule. Under today’s date, the words ‘lower body’ were written.

‘You will die today.’

A smile spread on the trainer’s face. The file in his hand contained Hyeonu’s exercise journal. He knew Hyeonu’s limitations better than anyone else in the world.

‘Why is it so cold?’

Hyeonu slowly started to warm up in the fitness center where cold air seemed to be flowing today. It was without noticing the danger to come.

***

Hyeonu threw the barbell on his shoulder to the ground.

“I can’t do any more!”

Hyeonu, who was soaked in sweat, lay down directly on the ground. It was unreasonable to move any further. He felt like he would vomit if he moved even a little bit more.

‘I’m going to die.’

Hyeonu breathed roughly. His heart felt like it was going to burst.

“It is up to here. Still, it was a long time of 1 hour and 20 minutes.” The trainer handed Hyeonu a water bottle. Hyeonu’s physical strength was amazing. It could probably be called the best among ordinary people.

1 hour and 20 minutes—anyone who didn’t know much about weight training would laugh when hearing these words. However, this was a great thing. It was hard for people to hold on for even 50 minutes when there was a trainer. They were often exhausted in 20 to 30 minutes.

“Are you working harder today because there is a person watching? You did more than usual?”

The trainer continued to speak to Hyeonu, who was drinking water.

“I’ll wash up and go.”

Hyeonu ignored the words of the trainer. It wasn’t worth listening to. He was too tired to respond to every joke.

Hyeonu stood up with the water bottle. The sight that followed was even more unbecoming. He staggered and walked like he was drunk toward the dressing room to shower. After entering the shower room, or a bathhouse would be more appropriate, Hyeonu headed straight to one place. It was a place that said warm bath.

“Oh, I’m going to die.” Hyeonu soaked in the warm water and let out a sincere cry. Today’s movement was exceptionally difficult. It was more intense than usual.

‘Is it that time again?’

It was something he experienced every time he went up in weight. It was clear that he would have to live with muscle pain for a week or two before he could adapt.

Then a thunderous sound came from Hyeonu’s stomach. Originally, those who woke up to exercise in the morning rarely did weight training, especially with an empty stomach. However, Hyeonu insisted that exercising with an empty stomach wasn’t burdensome. It actually worked out well.

However, after exercising, he couldn’t help feeling the hunger. He didn’t eat before exercising, so his hunger became even bigger.

‘Let’s go and eat.’

He worked hard, so he needed to heal with delicious food.

‘Should I eat meat?’

Hyeonu’s purpose was to be moderately healthy, not to diet. Therefore, it didn’t matter what he ate for one meal. Hyeonu was walking out of the dressing room with happy worries when he found someone waiting for him.

“You came out earlier than expected?” It was Reina. She had finished exercising before Hyeonu and took a shower first. After that, she waited for Hyeonu.

“Reina? Have you been waiting long?” Hyeonu looked at Reina with a surprised expression. In fact, Hyeonu had half forgotten Reina’s existence. It was because the workout was too hard. There was no time to care about Reina.

“Have you eaten?”

“No, I’m going to eat now. What about you, Reina?”

“I also haven’t eaten yet…” Reina’s voice trailed off vaguely.

“Do you want to go eat together?” Hyeonu brought up the words that Reina wanted to hear. It was a different behavior than before.

“That’s good. Then I am asking for a delicious restaurant.”

Reina smiled and nodded. She wondered if Hyeonu had finally noticed.

“Then I’ll take you to a great place for lunch.”

Of course, this didn’t happen because Hyeonu suddenly noticed.

‘It is terrible to eat alone.’

It was just because Hyeonu hated eating alone. This meant that after exercising, Hyeonu usually returned to the officetel for lunch with Yeongchan. However, his stomach was poisonous today and there was a person to eat with in front of him. It was natural for Hyeonu to ask such a question.

Reina didn’t know this and just smiled. ‘It is half with this…’

Reina was smiling due to Hyeonu’s invitation to eat, but there were also other large reasons. It was due to what Hyeonu said in the past. She had achieved it.

Meeting naturally and often. Reina was almost attached to Hyeonu in Arena and encountered him a few times a week in real life. Now they had the opportunity to meet periodically three times a week. It was a bonus to have lunch with him.

‘There are two months left…’

Reina burned with determination.

***

Hyeonu finished an early lunch with Reina and immediately returned home. He entered the cube without taking a proper rest.

Hyeonu was busy. Very much so.

In a way, he was several times busier than when he was a professional gamer. He had to hunt and he had to stream. He had to teach two students for Alley Leader Academy and also participate in the selection of new players for Crescent Moon. Naturally, there was more to worry about than when he was a player who focused solely on hunting and training. He had to spend his time really well.

Thus, he couldn’t accept the trainer’s joke-like suggestion. Everything would be distorted if he didn’t get up in the morning. The reason Hyeonu entered Arena instead of resting was Jamie Moore. He needed to know Jamie Moore’s changes and engrave the right combat methods into this person’s body. The basic video on how to fight with two swords was sent, but that alone wasn’t very reassuring.

‘It is a problem if he develops a strange habit.’

A bad habit could be fixed. It wasn’t something impossible. Nevertheless, not letting people form bad habits in the first place was a greater advantage in terms of time. Hyeonu arrived at the arena ahead of Jamie Moore. He made a custom room as decided by the two of them in advance and waited. Just then, Hyeonu received a whisper from someone.

-From Kim Seokjung:Hey, dongsaeng.Are you busy?

It was from Kim Seokjung.

‘Hyung-nim?’

-To Kim Seokjung:No, Hyung-nim.Have you been well?

Hyeonu didn’t ask why Kim Seokjung contacted him like a fool. He naturally asked how Kim Seokjung was doing.

-From Kim Seokjung:It is always good for me.Have you been doing well?I heard that a beautiful lady moved into the house in front of yours.I’m envious.

Kim Seokjung burst out laughing. Hyeonu’s words were very pleasant. His eloquence was great compared to his young age. It wasn’t known if it was because of his deep thoughts.

-To Kim Seokjung:Hyung-nim, you know about this?

Hyeonu was surprised that Kim Seokjung knew about Reina.

-From Kim Seokjung:I have ears as well.I should be able to hear the news.By the way, do you still have positions left?

Kim Seokjung quickly changed his words. He pulled out what he originally planned to say to Hyeonu.

-To Kim Seokjung:Position?What position are you talking about…?

‘Position? Did I say I would give Hyung-nim a position?’

Hyeonu was pondering on it when the meaning of ‘position’ came to Hyeonu’s mind. There was only one position that Kim Seokjung could be talking about.

-To Kim Seokjung:Do you perhaps have someone to recommend as a Crescent Moon player, Hyung-nim?

-From Kim Seokjung:Yes, I should’ve found one.He is Korean and his level is high. He has finished his fourth class advancement.

‘What is this profit?’

Hyeonu tried to calm his excitement so he could ask questions. He couldn’t accept just anyone, even if the person was recommended by Kim Seokjung.

-To Kim Seokjung:Has he ever acted as a proxy knight or did any misdeeds?Something that is enough to be talked about in the community?

Hyeonu asked while inwardly praying.

‘Please tell me there is nothing, Hyung-nim. Please.’

The person that Kim Seokjung recommended should be as clean as a whistle. There should be no reason for any disqualification.

-From Kim Seokjung:He hasn’t acted as an arena proxy.He also should’ve never streamed.He is a person who can’t do things like that.

‘Nice!!!!’

Hyeonu couldn’t help cheering.

He barely suppressed the sound that rose to his throat.

-To Kim Seokjung:Is his willpower firm?Being a pro gamer is a harder job than it looks.

-From Kim Seokjung:Yes, it is very firm.No one can stop him.

-To Kim Seokjung:Is he a member of New World?

-From Kim Seokjung:Yes, that is why I’ve been having a headache these days.Hunting without him is very hard.

Hyeonu felt relieved by Kim Seokjung’s words that this person was a member of New World. The senior executives and members of New World had infinite acquaintances with Kim Seokjung. Even if Kim Seokjung was secretly trying to do something bad, he couldn’t do it. It was because he didn’t know what type of retaliation he would face.

-To Kim Seokjung:So what is his class, Hyung-nim?

-From Kim Seokjung:A priest, a priest.

Hyeonu once again suppressed the cheers that wanted to burst out.

A priest. It was the next hardest position to find after a tanker. Kim Seokjung found such a priest.

‘Now I just need to obtain the ordinary people.’

Hyeonu asked one last question.

-To Kim Seokjung:When can I meet him?What is his ID?I would like to contact him, Hyung-nim.

-From Kim Seokjung:Aren’t you talking to him right now, dongsaeng?

Hyeonu stiffened like a statue at Kim Seokjung’s final whisper.

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