Chapter 102

England, Secret Intelligence Service.

SIS.

Director Adrian was handed a fresh update by a field agent.

“A detonation just went off within the VIP lounge of a London casino. A nameless paramilitary crew seems to have taken control of the area.”

“Say again?”

The chief of intelligence felt his brow knot up.

An explosion, of all moments?

Right in the heart of London, the capital city, no less.

And what did he mean?

A paramilitary crew?

This is absolutely deranged.

The act of violence itself was incredibly problematic, but the far graver concern was that indicators must have existed, and the intelligence apparatus had completely overlooked them.

“Give me the numbers on casualties, who is behind this, and what the media knows. Lay out the current status.”

“Nothing is verified at this moment, and the press has not caught wind of it.”

That, at the very least, offered a sliver of relief.

Since the public remained unaware, it meant they had secured a brief window to formulate a response.

What kind of maniacs are they?

He was already drowning in responsibilities, and now this catastrophe occurs right on the eve of the World League?

“That is not the primary issue, Director.”

“Then what is it.”

“……Rachel is currently trapped inside.”

“WHAT?!”

CRASH!

The director leapt out of his seat, sending his chair flying backward.

The act of violence from a moment ago was a manageable crisis, but Rachel represented a completely different tier of danger.

This was a situation that held the geopolitical balance of an entire country in its hands. An incident capable of launching a global conflict.

Had not World War I itself been triggered by the targeted killing of the Archduke and his partner in Sarajevo?

Rachel held a weight and a narrative significance far grander than even that historic event.

“WHERE IS HER ESCORT CREW?!”

The moment the Day of Peace commenced, competitors on the national roster were granted protective details and monitoring far stricter than what was provided to the head of state.

A top-tier competitor was, by definition, a priceless national treasure and the cornerstone of what was to come.

There was absolutely no scenario where Rachel would visit such a place without her security element……

“Sh-she… reportedly made a very aggressive demand that she needed to step away for a brief moment regarding a private matter.”

“Have you completely lost your MINDS?! How could anyone permit that?!”

“……The security asset indicates they were left with no alternative. Based on the data we have gathered, every member of the Five Emperors ended up meeting at that location. The intelligence networks overseeing those jurisdictions are in a complete panic as well.”

“Ha.”

The state of affairs was utterly catastrophic.

“The Defense Minister was notified and is mobilizing the specialized anti-terror squad this instant!”

“Of course he is! Do we possess a manifest of everyone trapped in that room?!”

“Yes, Director!”

The director’s thoughts raced frantically.

First things first.

They had received zero advance warnings from their networks.

Even rival foreign intelligence outfits would typically pass along a professional alert if they stumbled upon an active security threat.

The reality that absolutely nothing came through…

It pointed directly to an operation that was designed with immense calculation and execution at a state-backed level.

And.

Out of all available dates, the Day of Peace—and they managed to hit the precise spot where the Five Emperors had congregated, executing it with military precision?

This was an act of League sabotage.

There could be no other interpretation.

A multitude of countries sitting right below the dominant summoning powers that claimed the Five Emperors were desperately eyeing those elite positions, and the roster of contenders was vast.

India, China, Indonesia, Pakistan, Nigeria, Brazil, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Mexico, the Philippines, Egypt, the Congo, Vietnam……

Astonishingly, every single nation listed was a rising summoning power contender that held four or more Player Zones.

Territories that stood to gain immensely if the Five Emperors were taken off the board. Countries boasting populations that surged past one hundred million.

“Begin sorting out the specific citizenships represented on that guest list.”

“Yes, sir, right away!”

Clench.

The director ground his teeth together tightly.

No matter who engineered this, they would face severe retribution for daring to make a move against England.

To state the outcome ahead of time: the anti-terror squad was put into action, but they made zero progress.

For starters, the VIP lounge was situated down on basement level eight.

The depth was staggering, and the access point was incredibly tight.

A small contingent of radicals had blocked the path using golem-type summons and were stubbornly maintaining their position. There was simply no path forward.

An incredibly infuriating bottleneck.

They were unable to utilize firearms or explosive projectiles.

Projectiles would merely deflect off the protective fields, and entering close-range scuffles was just as futile.

The radiant golden barrier, engineered directly by the System, pushed away anyone the very moment they harbored the intent to neutralize its creator through physical violence.

“Cease your attempts to push us.”

One of the masked radicals announced.

“Make another attempt, and we will no longer secure the safety of the captives within. The Five Emperors will not be spared either, naturally. As a point of interest, we have collected specialized tools that can neutralize a target’s barrier.”

“……”

“We offer no conditions. Simply remain where you are.”

Utter insanity.

Now they were entirely barred from even provoking the hostile forces.

This was a scenario that called for an entirely different strategic handling at the state level.

Following the initial strike.

A single hour slipped by, and the entire planet erupted into chaos.

With a gambling house experiencing this level of turmoil, it was completely impossible to keep the data from leaking out.

Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and various other nations experiencing the fallout sharply denounced England for its massive lapse in protective protocols, while news organizations simultaneously pumped out breaking publications.

[By official decree, England’s entire airspace is locked down!]

The unfolding events mirrored the atmosphere of America during 9/11.

Immediate grounding mandates were delivered to every vessel currently airborne, all outbound travel was halted, and incoming flights were sent to alternative regions.

In addition to that.

The allied treaty nations tied directly to the Five Emperors proclaimed national states of emergency and instituted military rule, simultaneously projecting their stance to the global stage.

[Focusing an attack on a territory’s top competitors has crossed an unacceptable boundary. This represents an unprecedented, completely novel manifestation of violence! We will not hold back from engaging in open warfare against whichever entity masterminded this operation!]

The public address vibrated with a rage that went far beyond what language could convey.

Countries under suspicion also put forward various statements denouncing the violence and offering thoughts for the safety of those captured, desperate to avoid being identified as the architects of the plot.

Yet that marked the limit of their actions.

There was nothing further anyone could accomplish.

A state had to at least identify the perpetrator before any warnings could carry real weight.

“It defies logic. No matter how deep our investigations go, we fail to uncover a single trail…… It seems the entire operation was conducted using highly specialized summons.”

Ever since the global structure had shifted, the primary engine behind the exploding international lawbreaking statistics was the existence of summons.

The director clutched his head in pure frustration.

“Dammit all, they truly have requested nothing?”

“No, sir, they merely repeat the instruction to keep our distance.”

“For how long.”

“It remains unstated, but most likely until the registration window for the World League closes. What they hope to achieve is blindingly transparent. These radicals do not appear to have mapped out a retreat path, either. They are quite literally trading away their lives.”

“Filthy bastards. Seal off the London Player Zone before doing anything else.”

“Should we remove the competitors who are already active inside as well?”

“Pay attention to me. Strip away the Five Emperors, and the World League ceases to EXIST.”

And what if a particular competitor refused to comply with the evacuation?

Inform them that they would be categorized as a criminal partner in the conspiracy.

Any country that failed to register before the clock ran out would face automatic disqualification, meaning if not a single person registered, the competitive arena would remain perfectly balanced.

For the moment, that was the strategy.

Simultaneously, mechanical teams were boring through the earth at maximum velocity, hunting for a back entry into the VIP lounge.

The only option left for him was to look to a higher power.

Please.

Just let them survive unharmed down there.

Rachel’s thoughts were spinning out of control.

There was no path to escape.

If the constraints of the Day of Peace were not active, she would have ripped every single one of them to pieces……

But in order to protect the individuals gathered in this room, she might actually have to part with her summons.

Ha.

That individual standing behind her position.

If she hadn’t developed a curiosity regarding Baek Jinwoo, she would never have crossed the threshold into an environment like this.

She had let her guard down too much.

She had been incredibly reckless.

In all honesty.

Even a person of her standing could not have predicted that an organization capable of delivering a blow this rapid and pinpoint accurate even existed.

“I will not repeat this directive.”

The cloaked enforcer barked out in a frozen tone.

The surrounding radicals tightened their frames, projecting a threatening aura over the assembled crowd.

“Five Emperors—and every single competitor in this room. Surrender your summons to us. Decline, and we execute every individual here.”

Those absolute monsters.

They had reviewed the registration records and were demanding the summons of every person present, intentionally excluding the Five Emperors.

An open heist, pure and simple. Though she could comprehend the underlying avarice.

“……We—”

Rachel found herself unable to utter the rest.

She felt completely castrated.

This marked the very first true bottleneck she had encountered since taking the mantle of the planet’s top-ranked competitor three years prior, and she possessed no leverage.

How fragile it all truly is.

What use was it that her summons possessed world-shattering might?

What purpose did all that suffering and perspiration serve, all that dedication? What use was being celebrated as the most formidable female force on the globe?

When she proved incapable of handling a single unexpected raid by radicals.

Her summons were incredibly dear to her heart.

Yet whether their worth outbalanced the continuation of a human life demanded a far more profound contemplation.

“……If I yield every single one of my summons, you give your word that you will permit forty individuals to walk free?”

A brief shift of her eyes.

Rachel directed her gaze toward Baek Jinwoo once more.

In the first place.

She needed to ensure Baek Jinwoo found a path out.

If it were him, he could undoubtedly formulate a strategy and orchestrate a counter-strike.

He was the very person who shattered a powerful Korean syndicate, after all.

Down the line, once the Day of Peace drew to a close, she could strike them from the shadows and reclaim what belonged to her.

“Very well, forty. However, any competitor must surrender their summons prior to making an exit.”

“That contradicts the terms you laid out just a mon—!”

It occurred at that precise juncture.

“That will do, Rachel.”

Thud, thud.

Rachel shifted her vision toward the sound of Baek Jinwoo’s voice filtering in from behind her position.

“Who do you think you are.”

The heavy asked, though Baek Jinwoo did not bother to even cast a glance in his direction.

Rachel.

Observing her face-to-face for the very first instance—she stood at an approximate height of 173 centimeters, just tall enough that the very top of her skull was faintly perceptible to his view.

“……JinuGod.”

“Lose that embarrassing name. Merely address me as Baek Jinwoo.”

“Very well, Baek Jinwoo. What exactly are you intending to accomplish?”

“Nothing major.”

TEAR!

Baek Jinwoo’s hands ripped right through the pale undergarment beneath his outerwear.

The defined, sculpted midsection brought to light underneath gripped the focus of everyone present.

Who could that be?

How can he communicate with Rachel in such an informal manner…?

Did she truly just utter the name JinuGod…? Don’t tell me—THE JinuGod from my recollections? The individual who allegedly held the peak position in BoS?

Twist, twist.

Baek Jinwoo systematically began wrapping the shredded strips of cloth across his knuckles.

I caught the exchange they had, and my decision has already been solidified.

This time, he engages.

Even if it results in him being battered to his grave, he engages.

Surrender MY own summons to some random entity?

That represented the single boundary he would absolutely never cross.

To an individual like Baek Jinwoo, his EX-rank summons held a value that completely eclipsed the existence of people he didn’t know.

He felt a twinge of regret for those people, but.

That is how the world functions.

At the very bare minimum, a man stands up for what belongs to him.

“Is it not far too pathetic to capitulate without even attempting a counter? We are supposed to represent our nations as roster players.”

Rachel clamped her teeth together tightly.

Yet regardless of how exceptional an elite you might be……

How are WE anticipated to defeat those gargantuan brutes?

In a physical melee, physical mass reigns supreme—and every single one of those operatives appeared to easily exceed a hundred kilograms in weight.

“Has this guy lost his mind?”

The heavy let out a mocking grin.

Just observe the fellow.

He was clearly fixing himself up to throw down, was he not?

And he wasn’t even attempting to rally the surrounding crowd to join his cause.

Completely solo……

“Hyungnim! I intend to assist!”

“Count me in as well!”

Ah, perhaps he wasn’t completely isolated after all?

Two youngsters who looked like they would be sent airborne by a single punch had stepped up to join the fray.

“We shall offer our assistance as well.”

“……We cannot simply sit idly by and accept this fate, even if it results in a beating. Most notably not against opponents who lack firearms.”

Kang Geonho, Ahn Gijeong, Hwang Juwon……

And even.

“I happen to possess a background in taekwondo, if you must know.”

Swish!

Song Yeonhui sank into a flawless leg split with effortless grace.

“Pfft.”

A muffled chuckle slipped past the lips of one of the heavy enforcers.

He had attempted to suppress it beneath the fabric of his hood, but ultimately, he failed to hold it back.

The display was so utterly ridiculous it bordered on being endearing.

“Hk, wheeze!”

“Hk, hkhkhk!”

“BAHAHAHA!”

The fit of giggles rippled through the room like a contagion.

By this point, they weren’t even making an effort to mask their amusement, bending over in complete fits of laughter.

The enforcer who appeared to hold the position of commander carried a look of pure entertainment.

“You lot…… genuinely believe you can take us on in a fight?”

The query was delivered with an air of absolute bewilderment.