Chapter 112

“Ha ha ha!”

The Director burst into a hearty laugh upon arriving in London, England.

“I genuinely never thought a day like this would come in my lifetime. Coming all the way to England for a World League schedule.”

“Is that so?”

Park Changseok smiled at the Director’s words.

The heads of state from nations selected for the Round of 16 received invitations from the British Royal Family, and it was one of those gatherings every country in the world desperately wanted a seat at.

Because it meant being recognized as a bona fide summoning superpower.

In South Korea’s case, they’d sent Player HQ Director Kwak Gyujun as their representative.

He was popular with the public, and his pro-Baek Jinwoo policies had earned him considerable credit.

After all, wasn’t it headquarters’ decision to overhaul the national team with the SKY roster this time?

“Councilman Park Changseok.”

“Yes.”

“Thank you again. Bwahaha! If I hadn’t listened to you, could I ever have attended a gathering like this as the presidential envoy? It’s all thanks to you. Bwahahaha!”

“As long as you’re aware.”

“Yes, yes. Very much aware.”

The Director nodded vigorously.

The remark was a touch impertinent, but he didn’t mind.

He had sins to answer for from the incident with Councilman Im Huisu, and there was also his blunder of nearly scrapping a mere few-billion-won investment in Baek Jinwoo because he’d thought it wasn’t worth it.

The one who’d buried all of that was none other than Park Changseok.

Yubaek only listened to that councilman, after all.

Haa, the Round of 16…

The Director’s heart was already racing.

The World League was in an entirely different class from sports events like the World Cup or the Olympics.

The format resembled sports, but in reality, it was also a venue for gauging each nation’s strength and sorting them by tier.

And in that league, South Korea had reached the Round of 16.

Moreover, he himself, the Director of South Korea’s Player HQ, was personally receiving the treatment accorded to a great power.

The President told me.

That he could make snap decisions on all matters at this summit and essentially carry them out as-is.

Heh heh heh.

The Director had always been a man of towering ambition and a hunger for power, and his chest began to burn with heat.

A politician to his very bones, he only grew greedier from here.

At this rate, am I seriously going to run in the next presidential election?

They hadn’t even officially secured the Round of 16 yet.

What if they made the quarterfinals?

No.

What if, as Baek Jinwoo said, they reached the semifinals?

Or what if they actually…

Winning or even runner-up would be an absolute jackpot!

“Director.”

Park Changseok spoke gravely.

“Hm?”

“Please don’t get carried away.”

“Wha— who said I was getting carried away?”

“It’s written all over your face.”

“A-ahem.”

“Placing in the top 16 out of 92 nations is already something to be immensely proud of. Of course, if Baek Jinwoo continues to grow, one day we might even surpass England, but realistically, isn’t it too early to expect that?”

“Haha, right! That goes without saying!”

“Naturally, I’d love for us to win it all too, but even if we don’t, Baek Jinwoo is our country’s future and our hope. Just keep that in mind.”

“Exactly.”

The Director smiled softly.

Even if he really did become president someday, all he’d have to do was stick exclusively to Baek Jinwoo-friendly policies.

And if they actually won the whole thing?

Then South Korea would truly become the Republic of Baek Jinwoo.

“Uhehehe, uhehehehe!”

The Director couldn’t stop laughing.

Even as they traveled to Buckingham Palace in Westminster, London, his face was in full bloom with laughter.

And then.

Thump!

He collided with a passerby.

Good grief, can’t you watch where you’re going? What kind of Director walks around with zero dignity?

Park Changseok stifled a deep sigh and bowed his head.

“My apologies. We should have been watching where we were going.”

Interpreter birds floated above the rooftop of Buckingham Palace.

They weren’t up there every day — only launched during events like this one.

“Hey, watch where you’re going.”

The man they’d bumped into scrunched his face in displeasure.

Large nose, plenty of wrinkles — definitely looked Western……

Wait.

Park Changseok froze.

The President of the Italian Senate?

He recognized the man at a glance.

Knowing the key figures of other delegations was a basic requirement of diplomacy when representing your nation.

Of course.

“Who the hell is that guy?”

…the Director, Kwak Gyujun, who muttered that at the man’s retreating back, seemed rather far removed from such refined sensibilities.

As if he’d heard, the Senate President whipped his head around.

“What did you just say?”

“Excuse me?”

“You bumped into me first and now you’re picking a fight?”

Oh no.

Park Changseok slapped his palm against his forehead.

Lord have mercy.

What kind of Director causes an incident the moment he arrives?

Face twitching, Park Changseok seized the Director’s shoulder in a vise grip.

“Are. You. Ser. Ious?”

“Ow, ow! That hurts! I said it hurts!”

“Just stay still, I’m begging you.”

“F-fine! I get it! Let go of me already!”

No matter when you looked at him, the Director was simply a man who excelled at political maneuvering.

Not politics in the noble sense of governing a nation, but politics with “scheming” tacked on the end……

Which was precisely why he was so easy to use.

The less capable a man is, the easier he is to handle.

“Who are you people? What country? China? Huh?”

As the Senate President’s voice rose, the atmosphere turned hostile in an instant.

Park Changseok, having pulled the Director behind him, bowed his head once more with practiced courtesy.

“I sincerely apologize. Given the venue, we should have been more mindful of our surroundings, and we failed to do so.”

“No, I asked what country! China?”

“Not China — Korea.”

“……Korea?”

The hostile expression on the Italian Senate President’s face began to slowly smooth out.

“……Korea? South Korea?”

“The Korea with JinuGod?”

“……That’s right.”

Park Changseok learned something new that day.

That the large-nosed man’s scowling face could actually soften to that degree.

“Oh, ahahaha! Distinguished guests from Korea! I studied up, I really did, but I’m afraid I didn’t recognize you. The president didn’t come in person, then? May I ask your positions?”

“……Player HQ Director. I’m a councilman under him.”

“Ahahaha! Is that so?”

Invitees from other countries besides Italy began edging closer as well.

Nations eager to build even the slightest connection at the mention of Korea.

“Goodness, I should have been watching where I was going. And then I went and raised my voice. I’m the one who should apologize. Terribly rude of me on our first meeting.”

He even killed the attitude from before, swallowed his pride, and offered a personal apology.

The President of the Senate of Italy, no less — a summoning superpower.

Ah, so this is it.

Park Changseok felt it in his bones.

This was what it meant to be treated like a great power.

And at the same time, he was grateful.

To Baek Jinwoo, who had elevated South Korea’s standing this high.

The league began in earnest.

The World League ran through the end of January, and once it concluded, both the world ranking and the national ranking would be updated.

Day one was the match between England and Italy!

It ended, predictably, in an overwhelming victory for England.

Italy was, quite literally, dismantled and had to go home…… but their faces were still full of satisfaction.

Drawing the strongest nation, England, in their first Round of 16 match meant they’d barely squeezed in at the very tail end of the bracket.

They were perfectly content just making the Round of 16, and hadn’t entertained the thought of beating England in the first place.

Even the Italian fans were too busy oohing and aahing over England’s national team showcase to care.

Day two was the match between Mexico and Bangladesh!

A razor-thin contest where the outcome hung in the balance until the very end, and Mexico clawed out a tearful victory.

And then, day three.

[The match between South Korea and France will begin shortly.]

[Participating nations, please proceed to the Arena.]

At last, South Korea’s first Round of 16 match was upon them.

“YEAHHH LET’S GO!”

With Ki Jaehyeok’s battle cry, everyone marched into the Arena.

“Hyungnims, Noonas! Let’s do this! Let’s gooo!”

“Yeah, let’s go! Let’s go out there, win clean, and come back!”

“Whoever we’re up against, let’s show them another solo-wipe!”

“Hah, a solo-wipe in the Round of 16! Absolutely perfect! People are gonna lose their minds again!”

The guild members were overcome with emotion.

The fact that they could stand here joking about solo-wipes against France, a summoning superpower.

Baek Jinwoo watched them and said nothing.

He didn’t even know who France’s players were in the first place.

He’d only analyzed the players from the five great nations where the Five Emperors resided.

“For France, you only need to watch out for two.”

Surprisingly, the analysis came from Hwang Juwon.

He gathered everyone into the classic national team huddle, arms around each other’s shoulders, and rattled off French player intel.

“Evan Parker, world ranking 19th. He’s the captain. Ian Hayes, world ranking 42nd — vice-captain. There’s also one more, Kevin Diaur or something, ranked around 96th? But we won’t even get to him. Take out the top two and it’s over. And ideally, let’s wrap this up on our end without the guild master even needing to step in.”

Hwang Juwon had memorized everything — the summons each opponent favored, their combat habits, their known weaknesses — and reeled it all off in one breath.

Oh.

Baek Jinwoo smacked his lips appreciatively.

Hwang Juwon-hyungnim really was cut out to be a coach.

And the man himself seemed to know that was his niche.

He’s showing me right now.

That he was a player who could be useful in this capacity too.

Once this league was over, he should sit down and have a serious talk with him.

About joining their training sessions and taking on the role of dedicated coach.

Naturally, the compensation would match the national team’s.

After all, the slogan Yu Jia had set when she founded SKY was “World-class skill, world-class treatment.”

Baek Jinwoo had no intention of breaking that slogan.

[All players, please prepare for the tournament.]

[The order will be determined by the Dice of Fate!]

Always the same.

Player order was random.

And it wasn’t revealed before the matches — instead, a die was rolled after each bout to select who’d go next, making quick strategic thinking essential.

First.

[France’s die is rolling!]

[The first match contestant is player ‘Amadou Jean Lyon’!]

France’s opening pick was a player named Lyon.

Of course, Baek Jinwoo neither knew nor cared who he was.

Didn’t even look like a world ranker.

[Next, South Korea’s die is rolling!]

Whirrrrl!

The die on the Scoreboard spun in a comical fashion.

It had six faces, but the names inscribed on them were randomized anyway.

Clatter, roll roll roll!

The tumbling die began to slow, and the guild members clasped their hands together in desperate prayer.

Please, let it be me!

I want to be the one to show them!

A scrub like Lyon — I should be the one to crush him!

Baek Jinwoo had told them.

Show the world what you’ve got in this World League.

And France was a fairly weak opponent for that purpose.

The deeper they went — quarterfinals, semifinals — the tougher the competition would get.

In other words, now was their chance……

But the Dice of Fate delivered a slightly cruel result for the guild members.

[The first match contestant is player ‘Baek Jinwoo’!]

What?

The guild members’ eyes went as wide as saucers.

“Huh?”

Baek Jinwoo blinked and scratched the back of his head.

Me, right off the bat?

Well, this was something.

What could you do?

They were about to be sent packing without getting to do a single thing.