Chapter 123

The consolation final for third place between the United States and Japan had commenced.

They were perennial adversaries and intimate companions!

The clash pitted Yoshida Hikaru against Xenos.

To be perfectly candid, Baek Jinwoo possessed absolutely zero curiosity regarding that bout.

They are both far beneath my level regardless.

The sole individual occupying Baek Jinwoo’s thoughts at this precise moment was a single woman: Rachel.

How could he overcome her? That isolated dilemma persisted in looping through his mind.

To begin with, the pair of summons Rachel had at her disposal was already established.

Golden Dragon (S-rank).

And Baekho (S-rank).

They were genuinely absurd.

Merely contemplating them was sufficient to make his chest feel constricted.

Though, truly…

It was not as if his adversary was the only one holding overpowered cards.

I am an EX-rank, after all.

If S-rank summons were considered unfair advantages by their very nature, then the EX-rank tier was the sort of glitch the system creators had never anticipated.

Furthermore, Baek Jinwoo commanded seven EX-ranks.

Wind Fairy (EX-rank).

Drill Instructor (EX-rank).

Storm Dragon Sorcerer (EX-rank).

Little Giant (EX-rank).

Dhampir (EX-rank).

Gale Slaughterer (EX-rank).

Rune Dwarf (EX-rank).

It was quite an array.

Reflecting upon it, his fortune had been incredible.

To accumulate this many units in a span of less than twelve months.

However, Little Giant, Dhampir, and Rune Dwarf are unavailable.

Rune Dwarf was designed for non-combat utility, while Little Giant and Dhampir had not yet received adequate development.

That left a solitary position vacant, meaning…

Step, step.

Ever since the morning hours, his stride had directed him toward the Market situated within the Player Zone.

The London Market.

Being the location most frequently visited by global elites, it showcased the highest caliber and rarest entities available for purchase.

Baek Jinwoo was searching for one precise asset.

An A-rank tree spirit.

The vulnerability of the golden dragon had previously been unmasked by Yoshida Hikaru.

Immobilizing the player!

Nonetheless.

A tree spirit was fragile. Far too fragile.

A single focused sharpshooter summon, such as Battle Warden, would eliminate it before it could execute any action.

Even so, it had to be deployed.

It resembled an arrangement where both competitors sacrificed a single slot.

Provided Rachel was genuinely committed to securing a victory, she could not risk disregarding the potential of him deploying a tree spirit.

She would be forced to allocate a low-cost sniper to counter it.

One possessing extensive range.

Countless strategic bluffs could be layered here, but Baek Jinwoo resolved to utilize the tree spirit.

This entity does not even require a high level.

It did not even necessitate runes.

Its function was strictly that of a psychological deterrent. Nothing further.

What if she failed to bring a marksman?

The moment the contest commenced, toxic fumes would disperse, and she would experience that immobilization all over again.

Acquiring it proved uncomplicated.

He strolled through the area for roughly half an hour.

He located the appropriate vendor and completed the transaction.

[South Korea’s Baek Jinwoo Acquires ‘Tree Spirit’ at the Market! Is He Formulating Finals Strategy?]

[Baek Jinwoo Mimics Yoshida Hikaru! Potential Mind Games Against Rachel.]

The amusing aspect?

Scarcely ten minutes following the acquisition, the event was already circulating as breaking news.

All the better.

Precisely as the reports indicated, this constituted psychological warfare.

The more maneuvers he displayed, the more calculations Rachel would be forced to undertake.

Shortly thereafter.

[Japan Claims Third Place! Yoshida Hikaru’s Execution Ultimately Triumphs Over Xenos!]

[Xenos Suffers Defeat — Lingering Effects of Chimera?]

[Yoshida Hikaru: ‘I am Finishing on a High Note’ — Highly Content with Outcomes! Desires a Spectacular Showdown Between England and South Korea!]

The contest had concluded.

A triumph for Japan.

Sugoi Hyung truly is exceptionally skilled.

In spite of a heavily disadvantaged lineup, he had triumphed over the odds and secured the win.

“Jinwoo! Where on earth have you been?! You are only returning just now! You failed to even observe the contest!”

The instant he crossed the threshold of the hotel, Yu Jia was the first person to intercept him.

“And if your intention was to purchase a tree spirit, you ought to have informed me! I could have acquired one for you discreetly! The media reports are already circulating and everything is in disarray. Have you observed them?”

“I chose to purchase it publicly on purpose.”

“Oh, intentionally?”

Yu Jia blinked in confusion.

Baek Jinwoo offered a faint smile.

“What is the point of a secret acquisition? Absolutely everyone anticipates my usage of a tree spirit. Rachel is aware, the commentators are aware. The entire world is conscious of it.”

“Hmm, I suppose that stands to reason. In that case, have you perceived this? This report went live literally ten seconds prior to your arrival.”

“What does it say?”

Yu Jia presented her mobile device.

Oh.

Yet another report so swiftly?

Witnessing another urgent media headline, he truly felt as though he stood at the epicenter of global attention.

[Rachel Formally Accepts Baek Jinwoo’s Proposition!]

[As Requested, England’s Nine National Competitors Commit to Participating Unarmed!]

“What?”

Hold on, wait a moment, WHAT?

Baek Jinwoo’s gaze intensified.

She actually agreed? He had merely thrown that condition out on a whim, and she truly embraced it?

“This is massive. What sort of influence did you exert upon her yesterday? For an individual like Rachel to… consent to such terms? It was an entirely preposterous demand!”

“…I merely informed her that I would facilitate a partnership between SKY and Red Rose.”

“Pardon me?”

Yu Jia’s mouth remained agape.

What sort of absurdity was that?

Red Rose — what manner of organization was that precisely?

None other than the enterprise Rachel herself commanded. England’s premier entity. No, the most powerful organization across the globe.

And she conceded to a 1v1 ultimatum in exchange for an association with an enterprise of that nature?

“…That is incredibly monumental.”

This served as validation that the Five Emperors genuinely held JinuGod in immense regard.

Furthermore.

Following this tournament, SKY would possess the capability to contend on an international level as well.

“Even I find myself astonished, quite frankly. It makes me view Rachel in a completely different light.”

“This surpasses mere astonishment! The British populace is absolutely frantic at this moment! They are questioning what sort of performance this is supposed to be!”

“Proceed and release a statement from our perspective as well. Verified — every participant of our national roster aside from myself will enter the fray without weaponry. We shall execute a formal agreement, whatever is deemed necessary.”

“Understood!”

Yu Jia gave a firm nod and departed in haste.

This was immense.

It stood as an epochal occurrence that would be etched into South Korean — no, global records.

Concurrently, a certain sensation was silently building within her.

Truly?

Could they genuinely claim the ultimate victory?

She already felt as though she could perish from sheer contentment given the current state of affairs — what would the sensation be if they actually emerged victorious?

Yu Jia could not prevent herself from accelerating her steps.

“Hoo.”

Baek Jinwoo utilized his authorized clearance to step inside a standard dungeon that had materialized in the vicinity.

The training facilities provided by England could not be deemed secure.

The absolute safest location from inquisitive gazes and monitoring anxieties.

That location was a dungeon.

— My sovereign.

Baek Jinwoo instantaneously invoked his four entities.

Drill Instructor, Gale Slaughterer, Storm Dragon Sorcerer, and Wind Fairy.

Verifying the absence of any onlookers, they materialized in the atmosphere with revitalized counts.

— Jinwooooo! Hah, hah, I believed I would expire from being restricted from speaking! Where is my pastry?

“Right here. Consume it.”

— That is my Jinwoo!

Gale Slaughterer in particular must have been losing her sanity maintaining silence.

She had been incapable of uttering a solitary phrase since the Battle Royale concluded.

— By the way, Jinwoo! That Rachel individual. Are you capable of besting her? She was genuinely formidable.

Chomp chomp!

Gale Slaughterer inquired while rapidly consuming the pastry.

— Precisely, my sovereign. Is it your objective to engage in combat utilizing precise execution once more?

“Naturally.”

Baek Jinwoo shifted his position, seeking an expansive clearing.

Fwoosh!

Minor adversaries that ventured near were instantaneously obliterated by Storm Dragon Sorcerer’s blazes.

“However, on this occasion, I shall be utilizing Gale Slaughterer to a greater extent than you, Drill Instructor.”

The Gale Slaughterer.

An entity specifically engineered for player-versus-player combat. Equipped with the proper enhancements, S-rank adversaries presented no cause for alarm.

In reality, it displayed such overwhelming capability that it could dismantle even S-ranks within a matter of moments.

Within Battle of Summoners, there existed a documented instance of Gale Slaughterer rendering Rachel’s S-rank vanguard into pieces in precisely five seconds.

— Gale Slaughterer’s runes have not quite achieved that tier yet, have they?

“We must attempt it regardless.”

— In that case… the purpose of our journey here is…

“Precisely. Preparation.”

Baek Jinwoo signaled toward Gale Slaughterer.

— Krrk…!

Gale Slaughterer glided across the air and positioned himself before his master.

Shing!

The frigid sapphire edge of the Arbiter’s Scythe pointed directly at Drill Instructor.

— My sovereign, this implies…

“You represent the nearest approximation to an S-rank adversary in my possession, so I require you to serve as my sparring opponent.”

— You desire to polish your command over Gale Slaughterer, I presume.

“Correct. This marks the initial instance of properly revealing him before a global audience. If I am to deploy him, I must execute it flawlessly.”

— Very well.

Drill Instructor’s gaze intensified.

Instructing others constituted his fundamental purpose, his ultimate pleasure.

Even at this moment, the reality that he could provide guidance to his sovereign filled him with gratification.

— Seeing as our window of opportunity is limited, we shall proceed with rigorous instruction.

An interval of time slipped away.

Droplets of perspiration clustered upon Baek Jinwoo’s brow.

Astonishing focus.

He was not even physically exerting himself, yet his garments were entirely drenched in sweat.

Such was the demanding nature of Drill Instructor’s regime.

There?

Initially, he was required to track Drill Instructor’s velocity with his vision alone.

Ordinarily, he could accomplish this with his eyes closed, but having deliberately disconnected their mental bond, Baek Jinwoo could discern absolutely nothing.

Left!

Right there — a subtle distortion in that direction.

Whoosh!

The split second he identified it, Gale Slaughterer propelled forward as if coasting along the atmosphere.

Simultaneously.

SKRRK!

Gale Slaughterer swung the scythe through a sweeping trajectory!

CLAAANG!

Drill Instructor had failed to evade completely — there he stood, parrying with his blade.

“Ha!”

Baek Jinwoo at long last registered a strike and regarded Drill Instructor with an expression that implied, That is sufficient, is it not?

Shk.

Drill Instructor lowered his blade and tilted his head negatively.

— Deficient as of yet, my sovereign.

“For what reason? I distinctly struck you.”

Baek Jinwoo grumbled, a trace of irritation evident in his tone.

A substantial duration of time had elapsed.

And he remained unable to advance beyond “locating the rapidly repositioning Drill Instructor.”

— Your perception is acute, my sovereign. However, that is the extent of it. Gale Slaughterer’s scythe is failing to penetrate deeply. A strike of that caliber is something Baekho’s talons could intercept without experiencing any strain.

“Blast it.”

His target was an S-rank Baekho. It was difficult to dispute that logic.

Though, truly.

It mattered little.

If everything progressed effortlessly, what purpose would preparation serve?

He actually experienced appreciation that Drill Instructor was approaching this with absolute gravity and pushing him to his limits.

On this day.

Regardless of the difficulty, he intended to extract a “That is perfection, my sovereign!” from Drill Instructor’s lips.

That previous strike had merely skimmed the exterior, correct?

In that case, he was required to execute the swing with greater velocity.

And with absolute conviction.

“We begin anew.”

— Understood, my sovereign. If I may supplement, you ought to dedicate greater focus toward Gale Slaughterer’s equilibrium.

Drill Instructor gestured in agreement and offered his guidance, yet even he was immersed in profound contemplation.

There is discomfort.

He had articulated “deficient as of yet,” but his forearm was experiencing a throbbing sensation.

Utilizing merely ordinary human sight, his sovereign had successfully anticipated the trajectories of a combat specialist who had achieved the absolute peak — and managed to deliver a critical strike on top of that?

My sovereign is, indisputably, an incomparable prodigy.

Yet he could not offer adulation at this juncture.

That was the methodology required for geniuses.

One had to subject them to harsher demands, extract greater potential.

If he permitted his sovereign to experience contentment at this tier, the obstacle ahead would materialize that much quicker.

One must never establish boundaries for their potential.

On this occasion, I shall operate at eighty percent.

Drill Instructor was experiencing immense satisfaction.

He was inquisitive regarding this sovereign who adhered to instruction better than any individual he had ever witnessed, and zealous to ascertain exactly how far he could advance.

If his sovereign, already possessing such might, persisted in refining himself in this manner…

Perhaps at some future juncture… I might truly find myself capable of surrendering absolute command to him.

SHWEEEEE!

Even at an eighty percent threshold, Gale Slaughterer tracked his path and came plunging forward. Observing that display, Drill Instructor could not suppress a grin.

Predictably characteristic of his sovereign.

He remained oblivious to what tomorrow’s outcome might entail.

But a solitary fact remained indisputable.

It was bound to be an extraordinary contest.

Truthfully, even he felt intrigued.

Whether his sovereign would triumph, or Rachel.

From a practical standpoint, Rachel held the advantage, yet having observed his sovereign intimately throughout this duration…

He genuinely could not make a definitive prediction.

My sovereign, you must achieve victory. By any means necessary.

SKRRRRK!

Confronting the Arbiter’s Scythe as it descended like a flash of lightning — BANG! Drill Instructor propelled himself away from the surface once more.