Ranker’s Return

“Preconceived notions?”

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Jamie cocked his head.
He couldn’t think of any connection between preconceived notions and hunting.

Breaking preconceived notions and playing Arena well—there was no link between them.

“If you think the idea of preconceived notions is awkward, then you can think of it as stereotypes.
We have to break it.” Hyeonu started to explain to Jamie Moore, who was looking confused.
“Your problem that I saw isn’t anything special.
Jamie ’s skills? That is what you need to raise.
Yet the fact that hunting is impossible at this level means there are other problems.”

 Jamie had questions after hearing Hyeonu’s explanation.

“Another problem?”

“Your problem is your thinking.”

“My thinking?”

Jamie Moore looked bewildered by Hyeonu’s unexpected words.

“Your stats are higher than the same level, monster but you can’t fight properly.
This means that you can’t use your character’s stats properly.
Jamie, this is Arena.
Throw away the standards of reality.
Don’t think it is impossible.
Think that you can do it.”

This was Jamie’s problem that Hyeonu thought of.
He didn’t really understand a virtual reality game itself.

‘Based on his expression, he hasn’t understood yet…’

“Is Arena the first game you’ve played?” Hyeonu asked the silent Jamie Moore. Jamie Moore’s problems were all explained if Arena was the first virtual reality game he played.

“Yes, it is the first.” Jamie Moore nodded.

“Then I’ll explain it more easily for you to understand.
Arena was a virtual reality game.
It isn’t reality.
It is possible for me to fly around like this because it is a game.”

Hyeonu’s body rose in the air. It was a sight that didn’t make sense if it was reality. He would definitely say that Hyeonu was playing some type of trick. However, this was Arena.
It was a virtual reality ‘game.’

“Don’t think that it isn’t possible.
Think that it is possible.
Believe in yourself.
Jamie, that is what you need.”

Many of those who couldn’t play virtual reality games had the same symptoms as Jamie Moore. They couldn’t accept realistic virtual reality games as a game, but instead accepted them as reality. So of course, they couldn’t show all the movements that were possible in a game. Virtual reality games were technically more influenced by the mind than the body. If the brain didn’t recognize it, then the player’s character couldn’t move.

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“Take the game as a game?” Jamie Moore felt a tingle, like he was hit on the back of the head with a hammer.

Take the game as a game.

‘Was I taking Arena as reality? So I was limiting my movements myself?’ Jamie Moore asked himself.
It was the first time he had this thought.

“Now try sparring against the scarecrow.
A scarecrow is weak.
It is at least one or two levels below your current stats.”

Hyeonu cleared the broken scarecrow and summoned a new one. Now that he informed Jamie of the method, it was time to become proficient in it. There was no quicker way to learn than direct physical contact.

“Jamie?” Hyeonu grabbed the shoulders of Jamie Moore, who was still immersed in his thoughts

“Mister Gang?” Jamie only came to his senses when Hyeonu pressed against his shoulder.

“Don’t defeat it with your mind.
Smash it with both fists.
Of course, it requires a lot of effort.” Hyeonu left such words for Jamie. 

The moment Hyeonu’s words ended, the scarecrow started to move.

“Today, I will end the training when you defeat the scarecrow without getting a single hit.
You know I am unemployed now, right? I have a lot of time.”

Hyeonu grinned at Jamie and moved back.

“Mister Gang!” Jamie Moore shouted as he watched the scarecrow running toward him. The scarecrow’s aura was quite dangerous.
For Hyeonu, it doesn’t even qualify as a passing breeze, but for Jamie Moore, it was as threatening as a beast.

“Why don’t you raise your shield and wield it in the time when you are calling my name? Jamie.
Are you going to call someone else’s name when hunting? Or are you going to use the weapon in your hand?” Hyeonu severely criticized Jamie Moore.

‘Yes…
I should swing my weapon…’

Jamie Moore looked at the scarecrow running toward him and drew his sword. He had to overcome this situation to experience the fun of Arena himself.
He had always watched the streaming and videos, but he couldn’t be satisfied with the indirect experience alone.

‘There is the saying that ‘a picture is worth a thousand words’.’

It was better to see it once than listen to it a hundred times. It was also better to move directly than to look a hundred times.

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Jamie Moore carefully swung his sword. It was because the scarecrow had already reached in front of him. However, his appearance was ridiculous. It wasn’t the sound of a sharp sword cutting through the wind, but a heavy sound that made him feel that a club had been swung.

There was only one reason for it. It was because Jamie Moore was so awkward. Jamie Moore had rarely swung a sword in reality or in the game.
He naturally didn’t know how to use a sword.

‘It is too unnatural even considering that.’

Hyeonu’s eyebrow soared into the sky.
Jamie’s movements were slower than he thought.

‘He still can’t distinguish between reality and the game…’

The more problematic part of Jamie’s movements wasn’t the awkwardness. Slow swinging arms and a sword that didn’t contain strong power—these were the problems. The poor posture could be corrected and it was the same for the awkward movements.
It was just that the failure to utilize the stats was a different matter.

‘Let’s wait and see a bit longer.’

It was greedy to want it fixed right away. Nevertheless, Hyeonu couldn’t help being greedy.
He had faith that Jamie Moore could do it.

‘He is a man who can do it.’

“Tang-E, give him Forest ’s Blessing,” Hyeonu asked a small favor from Tang-E, who was in his arms.
No matter how much the scarecrow hit him, Jamie wouldn’t die if he was protected by Forest ’s Blessing, which increased physique and health recovery.

‘If he doesn’t have it, I can forcefully make him have it…’

Then Jamie’s movements started to change, as if meeting Hyeonu’s expectations.

***

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‘This isn’t reality, it is a game.
Arena, Arena.
Gamers use magic and aura.
It is Arena that has dragons!’

Jamie Moore was constantly beaten by the scarecrow, but continued to fight it. Jamie Moore already knew that the scarecrow’s level was very low. Jamie was inferior when it came to moving his body, but he was second to none in terms of vision.
Based on his eyes, this scarecrow was definitely less than level 10.

‘On the other hand, I am wearing rare items, so I am at least level 20.’

This was why he couldn’t understand the current results even more.
He was being beaten by the lowest grade scarecrow that didn’t even have outstanding artificial intelligence.

‘Move, damn body!’

Now even anger rose. It was anger against his incompetent self.

“Uwaaah!” A roar erupted from Jamie Moore’s mouth. At the same time, his arm moved quickly. The sword in his hand tore roughly through the air. It showed a different power from the previous blows dealt by Jamie Moore.
The scarecrow that blocked Jamie Moore’s attack directly collapsed.

‘What is this?’

Jamie Moore was surprised by the scene he created and stared blankly.

“Jamie! Finish off the scarecrow!”

Hyeonu’s words that came at this moment awakened Jamie Moore’s spirit.
Hyeonu’s voice shook Jamie Moore’s eardrums like lightning.

‘Yes, I need to finish off the scarecrow…’

Jamie Moore instinctively wielded his sword. His sword moved quickly again. It was an attack very similar to the strike he just showed. The scarecrow barely managed to raise its sword to stop Jamie Moore’s attack. However, it didn’t block it from a normal position, so it failed to defend properly. The scarecrow rolled around and retreated over 10 meters.

Jamie Moore kicked off from the ground. He moved at a pace he would never show in reality. He ran at the same speed as a 100 meter sprinter. Jamie Moore’s sword moved roughly, but the scarecrow couldn’t stop the attack. It was because it let go of its sword in the process of rolling.
Jamie Moore’s sword stopped only when it cut halfway through the scarecrow’s neck. Jamie Moore’s skills and strength were lacking to cut more than that.

Clap clap clap!

Hyeonu clapped loudly.
Jamie Moore had adapted faster than he thought.

‘I think he is still confused, but…
I should be satisfied with this.’

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Based on Jamie Moore’s bewildered expression, this person still hadn’t realized it properly. Even so, the beginning was important.
If it was done once, then it could be done twice.
If it was done twice, then three times was possible.

“Jamie, how does it feel to utilize your stats properly?”

Hyeonu approached Jamie Moore, who was standing still.

“I don’t know what is going on, but I definitely know one thing.
It is that I can enjoy Arena like everyone else in the future.”

Jamie Moore turned his head toward Hyeonu. He was smiling. It was a very bright smile.

“No, Jamie, you won’t enjoy it like everyone else,” Hyeonu shook his head and answered.
Jamie’s expression momentarily stiffened at Hyeonu’s answer.

“You will enjoy it much more than others.
I’ll make it that way.”

Jamie’s smile stretched out again at Hyeonu’s words.
Hyeonu’s words gave him relief.

“Ah, additionally…
there is an issue I have to ask for your understanding on, Jamie.”

“My understanding? Mister Gang wants to ask me?”

Jamie Moore’s eyes changed.
Until now, he was a simple and honest novice player.
Then from this moment on, he would be the seasoned boss of Nike Management.

“It is nothing.
Just…
Jamie, your growth needs time.
I will take it as a long term project.
In the short term, I will release another player as the second student of the second season of Alley Leader Academy.”

“Ah, you mean that man.
It is fine.
I don’t want to show a useless side to me either.
I want to avoid becoming a mockery as much as possible.”

Jamie Moore nodded. He knew the person Hyeonu was talking about.
He was also present at the Crescent Moon fan meeting.

“Then please continue to level up until we meet next time.
Right, this is my gift.”

Hyeonu pulled an old book out of his inventory and handed it to Jamie.

“What is this?”

“It is a gift.
I’ve prepared it in the hopes it will help you play Arena in the future.”

The book Hyeonu was holding was the skill book obtained from a marquis of the demon world.