“Cho Yeonghun?”

-Yes, a Korean ranker called Cho Yeonghun. He doesn't have a guild and is known to be a professional until last year’s Summer League.

“Then why did he quit?”

-Externally, he said that his intention to retire was strong. I think there was a disagreement with the team or the players.

Hyeonu swallowed down a groan as he talked to Kale. A discordant player was a problem. Trust between players was as important as skills.

“What did Hyeonsu say?”

-Yoo Hyeonsu has added weight to the rumors of discord with the team. I think the community on that side believes it.

“They must’ve shown displeasure.”

-Perhaps a large stir will be caused when he is recruited.

“Why?”

-His former team is Big Stars.

“Big Stars? Ah, right...”

Hyeonu clicked his tongue.

Big Stars—he hadn’t heard that name in a long time. It was the name of Crescent Moon’s predecessor and also the name that disappeared due to the match-fixing,..

“It is a great story to attract people’s attention. Returning to the team he was released from.”

-It hasn’t been confirmed yet. However, he won’t hesitate to join if he still feels nostalgia toward being a professional player.

Kale was convinced. If there was any desire to still be a pro, Crescent Moon had better conditions than any other team.

Outstanding coaching staff and contract terms. Additionally, as much power as other teams. It was a team well prepared to win the championship.

-By the way, didn’t you say that you are going to meet a new player to recruit today?

“That’s right, Kale. It is today. I heard he is the best priest in New World.”

-It isn’t just New World. He is the best priest player in Arena. His class is different.

Kale seemed to know who Hyeonu was talking about.

‘Does Kale know who it is?’

“Do you know him?”

However, Hyeonu still didn’t know the priest. He had a few opportunities to search after hearing about the priest from Kim Seokjung, but he pushed it back because he was busy with other things.

-I think so. I can’t think of a ranker who doesn’t know him. Especially those in the same guild.

Kale shook his head.

Of course, not everyone would know his existence. It was different for a ranker. It was normal to know the rankers of the guilds they belonged to, not other guilds.

“I wasn’t interested.”

Hyeonu easily admitted it. In any case, it was right that he didn’t know.

-I wish both of you to have good news today. If both of you are successful in the recruitment, there will already be six people. That is half.

Kale spoke in a sincere manner.

“I have the same idea, Kale. I hope Supervisor Kang’s side will go well and I also hope to succeed.”

If so, the future schedule would be very comfortable. He just needed to fill Crescent Moon with close-ranged classes.

‘I can take it tightly there. I have a lot of resources.’

“Then I’ll tell you the result of today’s meeting when I contact you tomorrow.”

-Yes, Mister Gang.

Hyeonu ended his call with Kale and immediately changed clothes.

‘I told him to come to the Hannam-dong mansion.’

Today’s meeting place was Kim Seokjung’s house. There was no need to go anywhere else. It was because there was nothing in this house.

‘Please, I hope it goes well...’

***

During the time when Hyeonu was expressing concern, Kang Ujong and Jeong Byeongjin looked very flustered.

“So... you want to enter the team...” Kang Ujong asked with an absurd expression.

"Yes, that's right. Supervisor-nim. I want to enter Crescent Moon. I really want to enter it.”

Cho Yeonghun, the young man sitting in front of Kang Ujong, nodded energetically.

“I haven’t explained anything yet?”

“It doesn’t matter. I want to join the team no matter what, Supervisor-nim. You don’t know how happy I was to be contacted.”

After receiving the news that Kang Ujong wanted to meet him, Cho Yeonghun was so excited that he couldn’t sleep properly for a few days.

Crescent Moon—currently, Alley Leader was there as a coach.

“I’ve already earned enough money. Even now, I am making a lot of money from streaming. It is the same for A-World income.”

For Cho Yeonghun, the conditions of Crescent Moon didn’t matter. The money they could give him wasn’t a lot anyway.

‘If I can just learn to use that magic...’

The past also wasn’t important. He had already forgotten about the matter with Big Stars. The important thing for Cho Yeonghun right now was to be coached by Alley Leader. That was the only thing.

“Then sign the contract first. There is no problem with our contract.”

Kang Ujong took a contract out of his bag and placed it in front of Cho Yeonghun.

“The contract is very good?” Cho Yeonghun asked with a surprised expression.

Kang Ujong said it was good, but he hadn’t expected it to be so good. He thought Crescent Moon’s contract would be similar to most contracts offered by professional teams. However, it was different. It was a contract with conditions that were much better than the contracts of the players he knew. Few teams in South Korea would have these conditions.

‘Perhaps only JT Telecom or UK Heights would have it.’

Cho Yeonghun signed the contract without hesitation. The team that he passionately wanted to play for offered such good conditions that there was no need to delay signing it.

“Here you go, Supervisor-nim.”

Kang Ujong placed the contract submitted by Cho Yeonghun back in his bag.

“Let's get along well in the future. We will talk about the details while eating.”

***

Hyeonu was unaware that Cho Yeonghun’s recruitment had been successful as he arrived at Kim Seokjung’s home in Hannam-dong.

‘It smells good.’

Hyeonu breathed in heavily at the stimulating smell of barbecue from the entrance.

“Hyung-nim, I’m here.”

Hyeonu approached Kim Seokjung, who was in the midst of grilling meat.

“Yes, you came? What are you doing not coming empty-handed?” Kim Seokjung asked as he looked at the shopping bag in Hyeonu’s hand.

The shopping bag had the name of a brand he knew well.

“I’ve always been treated so I should fill it up occasionally.”

Hyeonu’s shopping bag contained soju. Hyeonu remembered drinking quite expensive alcohol every time he came, so he brought this as a gift.

“You don’t have to buy it... well, my brother bought it so I can’t refuse. Let’s drink today.”

Kim Seokjung left the meat he was cooking and went into the house with the shopping bag.

Hyeonu continued to grill the meat Kim Seokjung left behind without caring about his clothes. After a while, Kim Seokjung returned with other people. One person was a face that Hyeonu knew well, and the other was a face he was seeing for the first time.

"Now, say hello. This is my favorite dongsaeng, Gang Hyeonu. This is Go Eunho, who I decided to introduce today,” Kim Seokjung introduced a man to Hyeonu.

“Is he the one who wants to join my team?”

Hyeonu instinctively glanced at the man called Go Eunho.

The man was youthful. No, he was young. He looked around a year or two younger than Hyeonu.

‘This is the best priest in Arena...’

“Go Eunho-ssi, I am Gang Hyeonu.”

Hyeonu extended a hand to Go Eunho.

‘What is this?’

Hyeonu’s eyes widened at Go Eunho’s behavior. It was because an unexpected action came out.

“I always wanted to meet you, Hyung-nim.”

Go Eunho bowed deeply and grabbed Hyeonu’s hand with both hands, shaking it.

“Ah, yes. You wanted to meet me?”

Hyeonu watched Go Eunho shaking his hand without hiding his flustered expression.

“Yes, yes. I’m really a fan. I really wanted to meet you.”

Go Eunho didn’t seem like he was going to let go. It was Gang Junggu who ended the bizarre meeting. Gang Junggu saw that the meat had started to burn, so he grabbed the tongs from Hyeonu’s hand. Hyeonu took advantage of this to pull back his hand from Go Eunho.

“You said you want to play for Crescent Moon, but do you have a reason?” Hyeonu asked Go Eunho a question.

“The reason? Won’t I be on the same team as Hyung-nim if I go there? That is enough.”

There was only one reason why Go Eunho asked Kim Seokjung to let him join Crescent Moon—it was just to see Hyeonu. Go Eunho was a fan of Hyeonu. He was born in a wealthy family in South Korea and grew up without lacking anything. Go Eunho was enjoying virtual reality games as usual when he noticed a streamer called Alley Leader. Alley Leader was splendid and fun. He seemed to have all the things that Go Eunho didn’t have. From then on, Go Eunho became a fan of Alley Leader.

He accidentally overheard Kim Seokjung talking about selecting players for Crescent Moon and he talked to Kim Seokjung. He wanted to be a player of Crescent Moon.

“Is your A-World nickname perhaps...”

Hyeonu heard Go Eunho’s words and had a guess for some reason. He thought he would definitely know the name if it was a fan at this level.

”My nickname is Leader Big Fan. I was lucky. I watched your streaming a bit earlier than everyone...” Go Eunho replied with a proud smile.

‘As expected...’

Hyeonu nodded lightly. It was a name he knew. The nickname ‘Leader Big Fan’ sprinkled gold on his livestreams like it was water. It would be stranger to not remember it.

“A professional gamer’s life might be harder than you think... is it okay?”

“No matter how hard it is, I don’t think anything will change much? In any case, I am a priest and I don’t have to prepare for PvP. For the raid or siege... it won’t be much different from what I’m doing now,” Go Eunho replied in a tone like it wasn’t important.

Hyeonu couldn’t refute it. In fact, it was actually like this. It might be different if Go Eunho was a middle-ranked player, but he was part of Arena’s best guild, New World. Among them, he was a priest who belonged to Kim Seokjung’s party, which was said to be the most elite. The level of hunting was higher than any other professional gamer.

‘A priest also doesn’t have a significant role difference between hunting and PvP.’

In any case, a priest’s role was mostly proper buff distribution and using defense magic at the right timing. It was no different whether it was hunting or PvP. The essence was the same.

“Then is the hard talk over?”

Kim Seokjung, who was quietly listening to the conversation, approached and held out both hands. He held glasses full of wood-colored liquid that gave off a deep scent.

“Then we should make a toast. This is special alcohol brought by my brother. Let’s drink it together.”

Hyeonu and Go Eunho accepted the glasses from Kim Seokjung.

“Today!”

Gang Junggu approached them, raised the glass over his head and cried out.

“Live!!”

(2/4) Weekly chapters. No set days. Temporarily decreased release rate for January

Editor: Jyazen

Art and Fanfiction Page

If there are Korean honorifics you don't understand, please check out my Glossary of Common Korean Terms

Glossary of Common Korean Terms