Kung!

The giant Scorpion King, ruler of the desert, fell to the ground. It was the end of the Scorpion King, one of Arena’s greatest bosses. There was only one person standing in front of the king’s corpse.

“Ah! This time it was a bit better,” Hyeonu said as he stretched.

He was quite relaxed catching the raid boss alone. However, this was natural. So far, there hadn’t been a single monster that he hadn’t caught alone. His brilliant and perfect combat style made it possible for him to catch any boss monster, even a raid boss.

“Now what should I catch? I’ll be bored again for a while,” Hyeonu muttered under his breath. Although, he was still bored these days...

***

Hyeonu put down his cup.

“You worked hard,” he greeted the people sitting on the opposite side and then immediately left his seat.

“W-Wait a minute!”

“Hyeonu-ssi!” The front desk of the JT Telecom Professional Gaming Team, Supervisor Gang Ujong and Coach Jeong Byeongjin chased after Hyeonu hurriedly. (Front desk\= organization leading a sports team i.e. staff responsible for running the team) “The salary is 100 million, 100 million! Don’t you know how much 100 million is?” Supervisor Gang Ujong uttered a sweet temptation from behind Hyeonu, but...

‘What is 100 million?’ There was a smile on Hyeonu’s face.

100 million? It was a large amount of money, but it didn’t hold any merit for Hyeonu.

He was born with a gold spoon. Yes, a gold spoon. Hyeonu’s father was the president of Freshwater Constructions, a mid-sized company. So, of course, Hyeonu couldn’t be moved by an annual salary of 100 million. Furthermore, the job of a professional gamer had the fatal disadvantage of a short life spanning three to four years. Their future would become uncertain as soon as they retired. It went without saying that a gamer in their 30s would be washed-up because they played games during the time when they should be self-improving in university.

Jeong Geonnung, a professional gamer of League of Legends—an AOS game that swept the world in the past—and who was famous for the catchphrase ‘Ddang-ddang-ddang bbang!’, had once said, “The future of professional gamers isn’t bright.”

This shadow loomed behind the profession of a professional gamer, who received a brilliant spotlight when active. Of course, becoming a professional gamer wouldn’t be a problem for Hyeonu who was born with a gold spoon...

‘I’m tired of it now.’

The problem was that he had lost his interest in the game, Arena.

1st place on the consolidated server rankings...

1st place in character level...

1st in arena points...

Additionally, his items were worth tens of millions of won in cash.

What was the fun of being a professional gamer in a field that had already reached its peak?

‘Quit and focus on reality. I need to inherit my father's business.'

Hyeonu decided to leave Arena.

***

“G-Group Leader-nim!” Kim Daeri, one of Arena’s developers, shouted in a desperate voice. “It’s serious!!!”

“...What is it?” The leader of Arena’s general planning team, who was tired from a series of late night work, rubbed his sleepy eyes.

“Player meleegod!”

“...?”

“He deleted his character!”

“W...What?!?!” The leader of the general planning team was shocked.

“S-Stop him! Hurry!”

“H-How do I stop him??”

“No matter what you have to do, stop it! What are you doing right now?!!”

“It is already deleted, Group Leader-nim...”

“Hah, what should I do now?”

Kim Daeri asked the leader of the planning team, who sat in the chair like his soul had been drained, “Has the professional debut of ‘meleegod’ been abolished then?”

“You’re f*king saying that? You jerk!!! Come up with an alternative somehow!!!”

For the planning team, meleegod and Hyeonu were the springboard to take Arena to the next level as Hyeonu was always unique. In particular, no one could compare to him in terms of control.

‘An incomprehensible control’—these were the words that described Hyeonu’s combat style. He caught monsters in ways that no one expected. It was the case with his first solo raid as well as in a war where he fought against some rankers. The group leader of the planning team had no doubt that Hyeonu’s colorful and perfect combat style, in combination with his handsome appearance, would be enough to shake up the virtual reality market. Now, Hyeonu’s sudden deletion of his character drove them into a panicked state.

“Group Leader-nim, this is a no smoking area...”

“Shit, is that important right now? I’ll just pay the fine. Sigh...”

The leader of the general planning team touched the cigarettes he had promised his wife he had quit smoking.

***

One year and eight months passed.

“Hey, Gang Hyeonu, is it already your final year’s vacation? Time passes by really quickly.”

“Not at all. It is just the end of the boring time.”

Hyeonu felt refreshed during the vacation of his final year. This was the moment when he could see the end of his military life, which seemed like it would never be over. Time had passed by well until he became a wounded soldier. Before he knew it, he had become the king of hard living. From that moment on, it became more boring as he became a living, breathing invisible soldier and continued the free military life.

Due to the nature of the troops’ vacation leave, it had been a long time since Hyeonu last returned home.

Ding dong, ding dong, ding dong.

“What? No one is at home? Open the door.”

Upon arriving at the front of his house, Hyeonu pressed the bell as usual, but there was no response. Eventually, he pulled out the keys from deep in his wallet and unlocked the door. As he crossed the yard, Hyeonu thought it was strange that he couldn’t hear any noises from his mother and the helper auntie.

“!!!” Hyeonu entered the house and was shocked. Every corner of the house was covered with red stickers. What the hell was going on? Why were there red stickers stuck all over the house that was fine during his previous vacation...?

Three months later...

“Give me the red one. The red one.” A drunk middle-aged man staggered to the checkout of a convenience store.

The part-time worker pointed to two cigarettes boxes with a typical red color. “Would you like this one or this one?”

“Give me this.” The drunk man handed over the money and slammed the door.

“It is hard to make money...” Hyeonu muttered to himself as he looked at the drunk man’s back.

Yes, it was hard to make money. He was earning an hourly rate of 6,030 won. If he stayed at the convenience store for a whole month, the amount of money accumulated in his bankbook would be around a million won. One month’s salary was less than half of things he had bought (bags, wallets, watches, etc.) in the past.

Still, it couldn’t be helped. His family was bankrupt. If he didn’t do any of these part time jobs, he wouldn’t be able to put food in his mouth. The ‘gold spoon’ Gang Hyeonu who casually spent millions of won a day didn’t exist anymore. Now, there was only the eldest son of a fallen family, the ‘dirt spoon’ Gang Hyeonu...

At this moment, his phone vibrated. The name that appeared on the screen was a friend, Yeongchan.

-Hyeonu?

“Why did you call? I’m doing something, so call me later.”

-Why did I call? Dude, I want to see your face. It is harder to see you nowadays than when you were in the army. Contact me if you are having a hard time.

“What’s hard?” Hyeonu replied brusquely to Yeongchan’s words that suggested he knew something.

-Someone said they saw you working part-time. Are you really okay? You aren’t the type of guy to do that. No. Where are you? I’ll go to you now.

“Why are you coming? I’ll contact you later. See you then.” Hyeonu hung up the phone.

Yeongchan was a friend who had taken care of him since he was a child. He was the friend who approached Hyeonu when he went to kindergarten late. Yeongchan was a family friend who had always taken care of Hyeonu from elementary school until high school. In a way, Yeongchan knew Hyeonu better than Hyeonu’s own parents. Now... Hyeonu was ashamed and had no confidence to face such a friend.

‘It was nice to have a laugh with you. Now... I honestly don’t know... Yeongchan...’

Honestly, Hyeonu was afraid. He wondered if the fall of his family might change Yeongchan’s view of him. Additionally, Hyeonu didn’t want Yeongchan to see his miserable appearance as he ate foods with no expiration date because he had no money for food. It was a situation where Hyeonu had to skip meals if he had to throw away food.

“Hyeonu, you did a good job! Hurry and leave it to me! You should go in there and rest.”

Had he been thinking too long? Before he knew it, the day worker Sangjin had entered the convenience store.

“You’re here?”

“Yes, dude. You must be really tired. Hurry and leave it to me. I came 10 minutes early because I was afraid you were too tired.”

“Thank you.”

“Man, what is with the thanks?” Park Sangjin laughed. Park Sangjin was one of the few acquaintances who didn’t treat Hyeonu sensitively after Hyeonu was reduced to a dirt spoon overnight. The problem was...

“Ick! Sehui is calling!”

He had so many women on the side that he received dozens of calls at work and women kept coming to the convenience store.

“Hyung, please do your best! Thank you for today!”

“Yes!”

Hyeonu left the convenience store.

“Hey, Gang! Are you done?” It was a familiar voice. At the table outside the convenience store, a glamorously dressed Yeongchan sat waiting with an Americano.

Hyeonu was amazed when he saw Yeongchan, but he soon regained his usual expression. “Yeongchan? What are you doing here?”

“What is the relationship between us? I’m hurt. Someone said you were working part-time here.”

“What... Since you’re here, let’s have a meal.”

Hyeonu took Yeongchan to the nearby soup restaurant. Yeongchan sat down at the floor table of the soup restaurant and looked anxiously at Hyeonu, who was showing a foul expression. “What happened to your family? Why are you working part-time? Hey, tell me honestly. What’s going on at your house?”

“...”

“I know everything.”

“...!”

“I don’t know the exact details... but I have a rough idea.”

“Is that so...”

“It’s disappointing, Gang Hyeonu.”

“Disappointing?”

“Yes, you jerk!” Yeongchan shouted. “Is this the only thing between you and me?”

“Huh?”

“Is this the only thing between Kwon Yeongchan and Gang Hyeonu?! What does your family going through hard times have to do with seeing me? Will you not want to see my face if my family goes bankrupt? Eh?”

Gang Hyeonu felt like he had been hit hard by a blunt force and could not say anything for a while. He had been worried about it, but his friend—Yeongchan—had not changed and was still righteous. It was Gang Hyeonu’s inferiority that made him run away from the people around him.

“Jerk.” Yeongchan pushed forward a bottle of beer with a complicated expression. “Tell me everything. We’re friends.”

“Thank you.” Gang Hyeonu raised his cup.

Gulp gulp. The cool, bitter beer spilled down his throat.

“What happened exactly?”

“It is just...”

After that, Gang Hyeonu and Kwon Yeongchan spent time telling each other the stories they hadn’t shared.

“Hey.” Three hours after sitting face to face and drinking beer, Kwon Yeongchan carefully opened his mouth. “You...”

“What is it?”

“That...”

“Why aren’t you saying it? Was your house ruined as well?”

“Yes, I’m ruined... wait, no!” Kwon Yeongchan fell for Hyeonu’s self-diss and screamed. “Brat, stop joking around!”

“What is it?”

“You...”

“Why are you hesitating so much?”

“Perhaps... you should... try Arena again?”

“...!”

“Huh???”

It was an unexpected suggestion—play Arena again. This was something Hyeonu had never considered.

“I hadn’t thought about this.”

“I’m not saying to decide now. Just think about it. There is an option like this.”

The two of them gave a final toast before leaving the soup restaurant and separating.

“I understand. Brat! Just think about it!” Kwon Yeongchan shouted to the back of Hyeonu’s head.

‘Arena... Can I do it again?’ Hyeonu thought about Arena.

Was it possible to return and succeed? Physically...? He was confident that he was ‘overwhelming.’ Even if he started right now, he was confident that he wouldn’t lose to anyone.

However, the difference of ‘items’ wasn’t easily overcome. People were aware of the importance of time in RPG games. Why? The difference between sets of gear was the so called ‘unsurmountable wall’ that was hard to overcome even with skill.

A few days later, Hyeonu stopped by a department store to buy a birthday present for his mother. By the way...

‘Arena... Arena...’

His thoughts were complicated. He said he wouldn’t do it, but thoughts of Arena were constantly lingering in his mind. The time he had was naturally insufficient. Catching up with the players was never an easy thing to do. There was simply no time. His life was one where time was split up between working different part-time jobs. If he touched the game, he wouldn’t be able to make a living right away. Moreover, he didn’t have the money to buy the expensive A-Cube.

“Chanel...”

He walked through the department store as he thought and happened to pass by a brand his mother used to wear.

“It is too expensive... I can’t afford it.”

The price of the shoes he looked at was ridiculous. No, it wasn’t only the shoes. Everything was expensive. The shoes, bags, clothes, and so on that he had bought thoughtlessly during his rich period were now too far away for him to reach.

‘I took such expensive things for granted... My family is really ruined...’

He felt the downfall of his family even more.

“Hah...”

Eventually, Hyeonu had to pass through the store empty-handed. The 880,000 won on him was the only money he had. If he bought anything with this money, he wouldn’t be able to pay his father’s medical bills. At this moment, a voice entered Hyeonu’s ears, “Jihye, do you like this?”

The owner of the voice was a young man wearing luxurious clothes who was with a girl.

“Yes, Oppa. Thank you. Do you want a kiss?”

“No? Something better than that.”

“What is it?”

“Later, a mo... eh? Are you perhaps?” The young man pretended to be friendly to Hyeonu. “Who is this? Aren’t you Gang Hyeonu?”

However, Hyeonu couldn’t remember this young man. “Who are you?”

“Hey, you don’t remember. Are you saying that I’m not worth remembering?”

“Who are you?”

“It's me. Jung Hanbaek.”

“Jung Hanbaek? Ah!” Hyeonu remembered the moment Jung Hanbaek said his name. Jung Hanbaek—he was a sheep-like boy Hyeonu’s father had introduced to Hyeonu in junior high school. Hyeonu had a bad first impression of the boy, so he had intentionally kept his distance. That’s why he didn’t remember this person.

“What? The son of the ex-president of Damsu Construction can’t remember a person like me?” Jung Hanbaek blatantly wanted to start an argument.

“What are you saying all of a sudden?” Hyeonu wondered.

“What do I mean? Kuk!”

“...”

“It is nice to see the gold spoon son after a long time. Kuk, kukukukuk!” It was a bad laugh.

“Buy what you want to buy and go home.” Hyeonu decided to ignore this Jung Hanbaek. It was no good to quarrel with such a person. In many ways, it would be less tiring to just ignore it.

“Ah, right? I am buying something. What about you?”

“...?”

“Aren’t you buying something? No, you don’t have the money to buy it?”

“What does that...”

“Or can you still buy it? If your family is bankrupt, you shouldn’t appear in a place like this.”

“How do you know that...” Hyeonu was startled. How did Jung Hanbaek know about the fall of his family? He had only just told his close friend Yeongchan.

Jung Hanbaek’s lips curved into a smile as he looked at Hyeonu. It put Jung Hanbaek in a good mood to meet Hyeonu, who ignored him previously, at the department store while buying a gift for his girlfriend.

‘I wanted to see his face become distorted just once.’

The backstory that Hyeonu was unaware of started to flow from Jung Hanbaek’s mouth. It was a story that stabbed at Hyeonu’s heart.

“How do I know…? It was actually my father who ruined your family, so it is impossible for me not to know.”

“What???” Hyeonu felt a heat rise in his body at Jung Hanbaek’s derisive words. He couldn’t figure out what this person was saying. It was Jung Hanbaek’s father who destroyed his family? “Don’t tell me...”

There was a place that his mind went to.

“The man who struck my father in the back of the head... It was your father?” He threw out the question he wanted to ask.

“Yes.” Jung Hanbaek didn’t deny it. “My father. He suffered a lot in the rear. He has been bending over for decades, so isn’t it now time for him to get something? Isn’t that right? Hyeonu?”

“...!”

“Brat, you were a gold spoon and strutted around arrogantly with your shoulders up. You should enjoy life as much as you can, enjoy it!”

“Enjoy...? What the hell...?”

“Isn’t it the pain of a dirt spoon? Become a beggar and live like a dog. Kuk!”

“...”

“Then, shall I see you next time?” Jung Hanbaek changed his expression and tone while talking like he was an actor in a play. He looked really happy and cheerful. “Let’s go, Jihye.”

“Yes, Oppa.”

Jung Hanbaek turned around. Then he talked to himself, “Stupid son of a *****... He must’ve lost courage now that he has no money... His mouth is shut despite listening to those words...”

He deliberately did it loudly so that Hyeonu could hear.

“Son... Son of a *****...” These words became the bomb that caused Hyeonu’s anger to explode.

Snap! Hyeonu grabbed Jung Hanbaek’s shoulder and pulled it. Then Jung Hanbaek’s body spun around. Next was a punch! Hyeonu’s first slammed into Jung Hanbaek’s face.

“Ack!!”

“O-Oppa!”

Jung Hanbaek screamed in pain.

“W-What?”

“Over there, come on!”

The department store staff saw the scene and hurried over to stop Hyeonu.

“L-Let go, you bastards! Don’t stop me before I kill him!!”

However, Hyeonu had already lost the strings of reason and was a beast. Then...

“Stop it, that person is President Jung’s son!”

“Catch him!”

“You jerk! Stay still!”

The staff at the department store weren’t on Hyeonu’s side. Jung Hanbaek was a VVIP while Hyeonu was a man in his 20s dressed in shabby clothes.

Money...

His money...

‘Money’ was word that made him angry and it was also the thing grabbing at his ankle.

...What was that fellow’s money for?

“What are you doing? Aren’t you reporting it to the police? Quickly!” Jung Hanbaek finished speaking, wiped his nose, and shot a mean smile at Hyeonu.

***

A few hours passed. In front of a nearby police station, Hyeonu pulled out his phone the moment he exited the station. There was something he needed to check. It was an answer he needed to hear from one person, no one else.

-Hello?

“Mother, it’s me. Is Father okay?”

-Your father is still lying down sick... Are you okay?

“I’m doing well. I’ll go to the hospital on Mother’s birthday. By the way, regarding Father’s business—was it Uncle Jung who betrayed him?”

-T-That...! His mother started to stutter like she was surprised by Hyeonu’s sudden question. -Y-Yes, how did you...

“Really?”

-That... Hyeonu...

His mother’s answer was a sigh. All types of frauds... The things that Jung Hanbaek’s father had done to Hyeonu’s father weren’t things a human could do. Hyeonu hurriedly hung up at his mother’s words. It was hard to hear anymore. The uncle who once seemed like family had betrayed them. Furthermore, based on how quickly the company moved, it couldn’t have been done by him alone. There were surely helpers.

‘Somehow… I’ll get revenge... no matter what method I use...’

Hyeonu quietly swallowed his anger. He clenched his fists and shuddered with a burning rage. His fists were clenched so tightly that blood dripped from where his fingernails dug into his skin.

‘Son of a *****... wait and see... It will never end like this.’

The anger, that was like an active volcano, wouldn’t go out. Nevertheless, he had no way to do it. How could he get revenge?

‘How... How....’

There was no answer from working part-time day and night due to the tight costs of the hospital and living expenses. He hadn’t gone to university, so there was no way to find a job. Hyeonu somehow needed to make enough money to raise his family and get revenge.

What should he do? Hyeonu’s mind was focused on revenge as he headed home. It was at this moment that the sound coming from a nearby electronics store pierced Hyeonu’s ears.

-That player—he signed a contract for an annual salary of 500 million won!

-The streaming revenue is said to have already exceeded billions! It is really great.

Hyeonu’s footsteps paused.

‘Yes, this is the only answer...’

There was still an ember of hope. Hyeonu immediately pulled out his phone. “Yeongchan? It’s me.”

Then he stated, “I... Arena—let’s start it again.”

Arena’s strongest player, the 1st place in the rankings, and the protagonist of Arena’s undefeated myth—he was considered as one of the best players in the game. Now, he wanted to return to Arena.