Ranker's Return

Supplementary Story 32

Callioraks, a beautiful young man with purple hair, had a very annoyed expression. He sincerely told John Blake’s story, which Hyeonu had been so curious about.

“This guy, you are making me run errands now...”

However, Hyeonu had the audacity to ask Callioraks for another favor.

“You are asking me to bring one of the two?”

The two people that Hyeonu wanted were John Blake and Lebron, who were stuck in the demon world and sharpening their swords.

‘Did he say he was going to use it as a shackle?’

Hyeonu had said he needed someone to control Edward. Yet from Callioraks’ perspective, this was just an excuse.

‘He just doesn’t want to play around.’

There was no need for any shackles. Edward wasn’t strong enough to fight back against him. As long as nothing happened, Edward would keep his promise.

‘Still, I can’t help agreeing to do it because of him...’

However, it had been too burdensome for Callioraks to ignore Hyeonu’s request with Tang-E staring at him with wide eyes.

‘I’ll go and see him when I come back.’

Nothing would change even if he grumbled. It was better to get the job done quickly so he could play with Tang-E.

“Your Master, he really ruins things by adding superfluous things...”

Callioraks clicked his tongue with dissatisfaction and snapped his fingers. He was covered by light, then he disappeared from the imperial palace.

***

“Hmm...” Callioraks took a deep breath in the familiar air. The freshness of the middle world was good, but he was still used to the heaviness of the demon world.

‘Good...’

Callioraks started to look around with a sentimental expression. At this moment, a powerful roar of sound disturbed his ears somewhat.

“In any case, it is still the same...”

Callioraks frowned and moved toward the source of the roar.

‘As expected, it is here.’

He quickly found the epicenter of the noise. The two men in the drill hall of the lord’s castle were the main characters. They wielded swords at each other so fiercely that it was hard to believe they were teacher and student. Every time their two swords collided, there was always a strong explosion.

This was the roar that Callioraks heard. He watched the two of them for a while before clapping and saying, “Come on, concentrate.”

Then the sword sounds that filled the drill hall disappeared in an instant. At the same time, the two men turned their heads toward Callioraks.

“Callioraks.”

“Callioraks.”

Two men, John Blake and Lebron, walked toward him.

“What brings you here?” Lebron asked with a puzzled expression. He had just met Callioraks a week ago.

‘He spoke as if he wouldn’t come at all...’

Callioraks had appeared out of the blue like he was doing now and disappeared immediately after saying that he wished them well in the demon world. The absurdity of that time still hadn’t disappeared.

“I didn’t come because I wanted to come. I came due to a request,” Callioraks said. This time, Callioraks didn’t come out as brazenly as he did before, and he scratched the back of his head with a hint of embarrassment.

“A favor? Who can ask that of Callioraks?” Lebron asked with wide eyes. It was almost impossible to ask Callioraks for a favor.

‘To a monster like that?’

To some extent, a request was an act made between people who were of similar statuses. If someone were to ask Callioraks for a favor, it had to be Lebron himself.

‘No, there is someone else who can do it.’

At this moment, someone’s face quickly popped into Lebron’s mind. It was someone with a clever and bold personality who possessed the brilliant talent to support it.

“Was it Hyeonu who asked for the favor?” Lebron asked cautiously.

“That’s right, he asked it.” Callioraks nodded.

‘This...’ Lebron felt uneasy. He seemed to know what it was that Hyeonu asked of Callioraks.

“He asked me to bring one of you. It is amazing. I’m not even a messenger, yet I have to do this,” Callioraks said.

Lebron lowered his head when Callioraks finished speaking. The thing he had expected became a reality.

‘I didn’t join in just to take only a few months off...’

No matter how short, he had thought he would be able to live like this for a few years. This was why he joined forces with Alexander. If he had known he would be dragged in this way, he never would’ve placed his disciple in the emperor’s seat.

Just then, John Blake placed his hand on Lebron’s shoulder. “You stay here.”

“Teacher?”

“I want to breathe the air of the middle world for the first time in ages.” John Blake spontaneously stepped forward. If someone had to go, he thought it was better for it to be him.

‘There is no reason to send the guy who came here on purpose.’

“Don’t stop supplementing the Mixed Sky Demonic Martial Art,” he added. John Blake and Lebron had created the Mixed Sky Demonic Martial Art based on magic power with the chaos attribute. Since then, they’d continued to work on modifying and supplementing it.

“I understand, Teacher.” Lebron nodded with excitement.

“Then let’s go.” John Blake made eye contact with Callioraks.

“Good, good.” Callioraks had a happy expression. To be honest, he expected it to take some time to persuade the two of them. It was because he knew the two of them were putting a lot of passion into the Mixed Sky Demonic Martial Art. So he couldn’t help feeling good about it now that things were going so smoothly.

“Let’s go right now.” Callioraks clapped lightly just as he had done when he first appeared. Purple light surrounded John Blake and Callioraks.

‘I’m finally going back.’ John Blake’s face was brighter than ever as he was engulfed in the light.

***

John Blake opened his closed eyes.

‘Yes, this is it.’

It was a completely different scenery from before. He was greeted by a sky that exuded vitality, not the dull atmosphere unique to the demon world.

‘It is a familiar sight.’

The only disappointment was that the space where John Blake stood was all too familiar to him. It was a space full of buildings that felt gorgeous and elegant at the same time.

‘The imperial palace...’

He stood right where he had devoted most of his life.

“Long time no see, Duke Blake.”

“It has been a while,” John Blake greeted as he turned his head toward Hyeonu, the young man who slightly bowed his head. Then he asked, “Callioraks…?”

Rather than answering, Hyeonu raised his chin and gestured somewhere.

John Blake’s gaze naturally turned in that direction. ‘Umm...’

There was a purple-haired young man playing with two small bears.

“Yes, why did you call me?” John Blake talked to Hyeonu with a strange smile.

“I wanted Teacher to come... I didn’t know you were coming, Duke Blake.” Hyeonu shrugged. The one he wanted was Lebron, who had fled to the demon world.

“The old man with nothing to do should come. That guy still has a lot of work to do there.”

“Is that so?”

“Do you need help?”

“Yes, I do. I want you to control Edward.”

“Edward? Did something happen?” John Blake frowned.

‘I thought he was doing well because he inherited the memories of an ancient species...’

He knew how Edward was doing. There were things he’d heard from Hyeonu and Callioraks.

“It isn’t anything big. I just want to put a safety device in place.”

Hyeonu judged that Callioraks’ words alone couldn’t move Edward completely as he wanted. This was why he wanted to control Edward by moving Lebron.

“I want to hear precisely what is going on. Can you tell me?” John Blake realized there was something going on between Hyeonu and Edward. At the same time, he felt the need to grasp the proper situation.

“There is a problem with the empire—no, the continent,” Hyeonu started talking with a very serious expression.

“A problem?”

“I don’t know if you know this, but there were big problems on the continent not too long ago.”

The continent integration, the undead in the north, the League of Different Species in the south, the divine tribe that invaded the East Continent, and the demon world invasion—big events had occurred one after another.

Hyeonu continued, “It was a disaster for the citizens, but it was also an opportunity for adventurers to become stronger.”

“Yes. Adventurers don’t die, and they become stronger by killing.”

“Then what about the present empire? It is so quiet.”

“That means... The adventurers will cause an accident. Is that what you are implying?” John Blake’s expression hardened. As he listened, he found that this wasn’t an easy task. In fact, it was a pretty big problem.

“That is what I think.” Hyeonu nodded with a serious expression.

‘Well... it never would’ve happened originally...’ Hyeonu was laughing inwardly.

The situation that he spoke of could never ever happen. The players weren’t stupid. They didn’t harbor excessive greed and knew how to be satisfied with what they had.

‘Who would do such a thing when I’m around?’

The existence of Alley Leader meant it was difficult to do something against the empire. New World, the guild behind Alley Leader, was also burdensome to deal with. Lebron and Alexander were also a problem.

“So? Have you found a way?” John Blake didn’t know what Hyeonu was thinking and was just in a hurry.

‘I have to stop that from happening.’

It was only natural since the empire would be chaotic if the immortal monsters went wild. As the former commander of the Knights of Keon, John Blake found this unacceptable.

“The solution is simple. We just have to block adventurers with other adventurers.” Hyeonu smiled.

“Block adventurers with other adventurers?”

“Adventurers are everywhere. They are even under Edward and the League of Different Species. Some have even joined forces with the god tribe.”

John Blake’s eyes widened. It was a wonderful method.

‘This is why he is asking me to control Edward.’

Now he understood what Hyeonu’s request meant.

‘It is good... but it is hard.’

John Blake still had some concerns. Hyeonu’s plan was obviously fine. It was just that it would be tricky if it were to be done properly.

“Can you move them as you want?”

“I’m not proud of it, but... I have rather wide connections. If I ask for help, everyone will help,” Hyeonu answered confidently.

‘How many people owe me...?’

Kalen, Rain, Teika, and Yeongchan—Hyeonu had helped every one of the players representing each faction.

‘It is good enough to give quests to the players in the empire.’

If they moved first, the other players would move on their own. Even if this wasn’t the case, there were still plenty of ways. For example, he could use the emperor’s authority to move the guilds.

“Will you help me, Duke Blake?” Hyeonu asked while looking into John Blake’s eyes.

“If the empire wants this old body... I will have to move.” John Blake nodded.

“Thank you,” Hyeonu responded with a bright smile.

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