Chapter 14

“Ah, haha… ha.”

Lying completely flat on the floor, Baek Jinwoo let out a foolish chuckle.

The Drill Instructor. And the Storm Dragon Sorcerer.

Those were the two figures he needed to focus on today.

To begin with, the Drill Instructor.

• Where… am I?

A striking man dressed in vivid red armor cast an indifferent glance around his immediate environment. This newcomer was none other than the Drill Instructor—or Drill Sarge, as he was often called for short.

In his initial state, he was merely an E-rank summon lacking any notable fighting prowess, making him one of the least desired options available.

Yet, the person who figured out his true utility was none other than Baek Jinwoo.

The man was simply obsessed with training. Quite literally a fitness fanatic.

[Summon: Drill Instructor]

[Race: Human]

[Rank: EX (Quarantine Designation)]

• A balance-disrupting factor has been identified under certain parameters. Quarantined.

[Level: 1]

[Stats]

STR: 1, INT: 1, VIT: 1, AGI: 1

HP: 1,000, MP: 0

Crit Rate: 20%

Crit Damage: 20%

[Skills]

• Growth: Enhances his own capabilities through rigorous exercise.

• Charisma: Dominates and controls fellow summons.

At the moment, his attributes were completely unimpressive.

However, what would happen once he was properly nurtured and gained power?

He would eventually unlock a capability known as ‘Instructor,’ an ability that defied all logic.

• Instructor: Reveals the hidden capabilities of fellow summons and accelerates their advancement rate.

That specific ability was the key……

During his glory days as JinuGod, this solitary trait allowed him to pull ahead of rival high-rankers by an astronomical margin.

The Drill Instructor himself lacked personal combat power; rather, he served as the catalyst that elevated everyone else around him.

Whether they were B-rank or A-rank, it made no difference. He dragged every single one of them into his regime.

Utilizing his Charisma attribute, not a single entity dared to defy Drill Sarge’s commands.

Ah, those bygone days.

Those were spectacular times.

Recalling it only served to aggravate him now.

He had been peacefully capitalizing on his solitary advantage when the game’s artificial intelligence took it upon itself to roll out an unauthorized update, wiping out summons at its own whim.

The justification given was that a certain user’s advancement speed was progressing at an unacceptable rate.

• You are……

Step. Step.

Drill Sarge, who had materialized last among them, caught sight of Baek Jinwoo and marched directly over.

• Who might you be?

It made perfect sense.

Holding an EX-rank status meant he possessed the capacity for speech.

As reflected upon previously, throughout the traditional timeline of Battle of Summoners, neither Ramba nor Drill Sarge had ever uttered a word.

“Drill Sarge, it has been quite a while.”

• Drill… Sarge?

The Drill Instructor’s gaze intensified as he contemplated the phrase uttered by Baek Jinwoo.

It was a display very much like his initial encounter with Ramba.

• Could it be that you are JinuGod?

“That’s right.”

• My master!

Thud!

With flawless precision, the Drill Instructor dropped down onto a single knee.

Naturally.

Drill Sarge had always operated in this exact manner.

The instant he recognized his summoner, he would take a knee without hesitation, offering his unyielding devotion.

• This is truly incredible. Previously, I was placed into confinement for reasons I could not comprehend…… I genuinely believed I would never gaze upon your face again, my master……!

This settled the matter completely.

Ramba and Drill Sarge—the pair of them.

They were precisely the same entities he had nurtured in his past endeavors.

This meant that any entities locked away at the EX-rank tier could only ever be brought forth by Baek Jinwoo himself.

• Wait? JinuGod? Is that truly you, JinuGod?

The Storm Dragon Sorcerer, who had arrived just a brief moment prior, had been standing in place completely bewildered until the utterance of ‘JinuGod’ jolted her back to reality.

“Wow, this is the very first time I’ve ever heard you speak as well, Stormy.”

The Storm Dragon Sorcerer.

Originally classified as a D-rank asset, she took the form of a youthful sorceress with vibrant crimson hair.

She had started out as an underachieving magic apprentice, but beneath that exterior lay an incredibly potent fire-based damage dealer. The secret? A mythical storm dragon was sealed within her very soul.

[Summon: Storm Dragon Sorcerer]

• Dragon Burst: Projects a draconic wall of flames straight ahead.

Currently, she didn’t possess anything remarkable either.

However, down the line, what would happen when Drill Sarge brought forth her hidden talents?

She would gain access to an absolute powerhouse of an ability known as ‘Devour.’

• Devour: Every instance where Dragon Burst eliminates a boss-tier target results in a permanent scaling increase to Dragon Burst’s offensive power.

An ability so utterly ridiculous that it made one question if the creation team had paid any attention to game balance whatsoever.

The Storm Dragon Sorcerer had been a highly favored choice for the opening phases of the game back in Battle of Summoners, yet no average user had ever managed to push her to her absolute limits the way Baek Jinwoo had.

It was obvious why.

That specific Devour capability could never be brought to light without the direct intervention of Drill Sarge.

And predictably, the moment Stormy’s true strength was unleashed, she was stripped from the game within seven days.

That was likely the exact turning point.

The moment when even the incredibly tolerant Baek Jinwoo lost his temper, shouting “WHAT A PIECE OF TRASH GAME” and nearly deleting the software entirely for the very first time.

Because he had poured genuine affection into raising Stormy.

When engaging with a game centered around collecting entities, aesthetics played a massive role. A massive one.

The Storm Dragon Sorcerer was easily one of the most endearing entities available, which naturally made her incredibly popular.

• JinuGod! I… I truly……! I longed for you so deeply!

Ah—

Stormy brought her hands together tightly as she spoke, a display that sent a wave of affection through Baek Jinwoo’s chest.

That is simply too adorable.

Good grief.

Focus.

“I missed you as well.”

In any case.

With three god-tier summons successfully acquired, the tedious cycle of pulling from the gacha was finally over.

The only task left on the horizon was to engage in a relentless hunting spree and scale up his power.

“For the time being, the identical restriction applies to you as it does to Ramba—refrain from speaking whenever outsiders are present.”

• As you command, my master.

• Understood, JinuGod……

“Oh, and one more thing, Stormy.”

• Yes!

“Refrain from calling me JinuGod. Simply refer to me as Jinwoo.”

JinuGod was an honorific he wasn’t quite ready to sport just yet.

However, once Stormy’s inner capabilities were fully realized?

At that point, absolutely.

JinuGod, Ilcheon—they could address him by any title they pleased.

Mainly because nobody would possess the strength to challenge him.

• Jinwoo? Understood!

“Alright, as for the rest of today.”

Shhh.

Baek Jinwoo turned his gaze toward the heavens.

The daylight had entirely faded away, replaced by the faint, dark atmosphere of nightfall.

“Let’s get some proper rest. Come tomorrow morning, we push forward with everything we’ve got.”

The district of Jamsil.

Baek Jinwoo’s small apartment unit.

He collapsed heavily onto his comfortable bed, drifting into unconsciousness within moments.

He hadn’t managed to secure a solid night of rest for a long stretch of days, completely drained from tearing through endless piles of calling papers.

Regardless of the objective, recuperation remains paramount.

His physical form had completely given in to a profound, natural slumber.

Simultaneously, within the confines of his living space—

• ……

Ramba, Drill Sarge, and Stormy were all gathered together.

• It truly has been a long time.

Drill Sarge initiated the conversation.

• O-oh, haha. It certainly has.

Stormy offered a reply while gently rubbing the back of her head.

The two of them had shared a considerable amount of history in their past lives.

Conversely—

• And then there is you. Am I accurate in identifying you as Ramba?

• That’s me! Greetings! You’re Drill Sarge, correct? We did manage to cross paths for a brief moment back then, at least.

• Indeed we did.

Drill Sarge and Ramba had only shared a connection for roughly four weeks.

JinuGod had integrated Drill Sarge into his lineup quite deep into his progression.

By the period Drill Sarge was brought into the fold, Ramba was already tearing through top-tier challenges like an unstoppable force, and a mere month after that, she was locked away by an official system update.

From Drill Sarge’s viewpoint, Ramba held far more seniority than he did.

However.

Such distinctions meant absolutely nothing to a man of his nature.

Ability: Charisma.

The individual capable of dominating every single summon in existence had previously subjected even Baek Jinwoo’s elite A-rank entities to relentless physical conditioning.

• I have precisely one point to make.

A sharp gleam flashed across Drill Sarge’s eyes.

• EEK?!

Ramba let out a sharp cry, her wings beating frantically as she propelled herself backward through the air.

Stormy, meanwhile, simply maintained the weary, knowing grin of a person who had already survived this particular ordeal before.

• Our current state of power is completely unacceptable.

Drill Sarge pressed on, his tone carrying an absolute, heavy seriousness.

• Even while our master takes his rest, we are obligated to push our limits. Without pause. That is the fundamental duty of serving him.

His eyes locked onto Stormy.

• You. Take a seat and begin channeling your magical energy. We shall start from the absolute basics. I lack the ability to assist you directly at this moment, but the instant I experience my Awakening, unlocking Devour will be my absolute priority.

• Devour…… I understand.

A spark of fierce resolve ignited within Stormy’s eyes.

Devour.

Armed with that broken ability, she would be able to secure a special place in JinuGod’s favor—there was no possible way she would decline.

Every entity thrived entirely on the affection provided by their summoner.

• As for you, Ramba.

Drill Sarge redirected his intense focus toward Ramba.

• U-uh, yes? Me?

• Your primary objective is to maximize the velocity of your strikes. You will be participating in physical conditioning alongside me.

• P-physical conditioning?

The color completely drained from Ramba’s face.

• Surely you do not desire to see Stormy and myself monopolize all of our master’s appreciation, do you?

• N-no, of course I don’t.

• In that case, follow my instructions.

• Ughhhhh, fine……

For the very first instance, Ramba felt a wave of authentic appreciation toward Baek Jinwoo.

At the very least, Jinwoo provides me with sweet pastries before putting me to work.

Drill Sarge, however, was entirely unyielding.

And merely observing his demeanor made it crystal clear that his training program would be downright torturous.

Even if she harbored the desire to object, she found herself powerless to do so.

The oppressive pressure radiating from his form had completely dismantled her capacity to fight back.

Furthermore.

This turned out to be an incredibly fortunate turn of events for Baek Jinwoo.

Under normal circumstances, a baseline level-1 Drill Instructor only found satisfaction in pushing his own limits.

He would never dream of issuing directives to others or assuming a leadership role.

He only adopted that mentoring behavior after successfully acquiring the ‘Instructor’ attribute!

Yet, owing to his unique EX-rank status, Drill Sarge operated under a different set of rules.

The retained recollections of his past service to his master had spurred him into immediate action.

• Take this.

Following a quick search through the cooking area, Drill Sarge thrust a massive metal frying pan straight into Ramba’s grasp.

• Execute swings with it. Given that this marks your opening day, we shall restrict the volume to a mere five thousand repetitions.

• F-FIVE THOUSAND?!

Ramba’s jaw practically dropped to the floor.

• You honestly consider that a reasonable number?!

• Would you prefer that I elevate the requirement to ten thousand?

• ACK!

She snapped her gaze instantly toward Baek Jinwoo, who remained sound asleep in his bedding.

Her eyes were completely filled with absolute desperation.

Jinwoo! PLEASE RESCUE ME!

User Headquarters.

Talent Support Division.

“Councilman.”

Yu Jia, the administrative assistant positioned before her display, was wearing a heavy frown.

“We are facing an issue.”

“What is it.”

Park Changseok, who had been strolling across the room with his hands tucked into his trousers since the early hours of the morning, tilted his head.

“What has taken place?”

“More along the lines of the inevitable finally occurring. The Logistics Department has indicated that they will no longer be fulfilling our requests for low-rank calling papers.”

“What? For what reason?”

Park Changseok abruptly pulled his hands free from his pockets, thoroughly startled.

“A formal directive was issued. It appears to be a straight command coming down from the Director.”

“The Director……?”

The Director.

The absolute highest authority within User Headquarters, plain and simple.

A position reserved strictly for the councilman who managed to secure the highest volume of public backing during elections.

Because of this, the position was also referred to as the Grand Councilman.

“Furthermore, they are requesting a comprehensive report details-wise regarding exactly where every single low-rank calling paper we drew out has been allocated.”

“This has to be some sort of joke.”

A structured investigation.

They intended to verify whether every asset had been deployed in an appropriate fashion.

And should the findings indicate otherwise?

Disciplinary action, or a demand for complete financial restitution.

“It looks highly probable that Councilman Im Huisu used his leverage to orchestrate this.”

“Im Huisu.”

Krrr.

Park Changseok clenched his jaw tightly, his teeth grinding together.

The pair had locked horns over administrative strategies more times than he cared to remember, and there was absolutely no goodwill remaining between them.

Politicizing issues and keeping rivals under scrutiny?

Fine.

But at the very least, display some competence regarding your choice of timing.

Baek Jinwoo represented the ultimate prospect for the Republic of Korea.

Disrupting his progression? Causing him unnecessary agitation?

If such actions drove him to seek citizenship within a foreign territory, it would amount to nothing short of absolute betrayal to the nation! Betrayal!

“How do you wish to proceed? I actually have the investigation paperwork fully assembled and prepared for submission, but the pressing issue lies with the Logistics Department halting our acquisition of calling papers. We will have absolutely nothing to pass along to Mr. Baek.”

“What is the status of Byeongjin?”

“Currently locked in a heated argument with the management staff down at Logistics.”

“Sigh.”

7:00 AM.

Under normal circumstances, he would need to arrive at the vacant property Baek Jinwoo frequented by 9:00 AM to hand over the necessary supplies.

What is the best course of action here?

This was a formal commitment he had made to Baek Jinwoo.

Failing to provide the promised material backing?

That would be a direct demonstration of his own lack of capability.

Should I perhaps fund the purchase using my personal finances for the time being and seek a payout at a later date?

Park Changseok was still weighing his options when—

Bzzzt!

A notification alert chimed.

It was a message from Baek Jinwoo.

“Ah!”

Park Changseok hurriedly adjusted his focus to read the text.

[Baek Jinwoo: You can stop gathering those low-rank calling papers now. I’ve managed to obtain the specific target I required. I appreciate your efforts.]

“Wow.”

The arrival of the message could not have occurred at a more opportune moment.

“What does it say?”

Yu Jia inquired, prompting a measured nod from Park Changseok.

“We no longer need to exhaust our energy securing those low-rank calling papers. However, putting that matter aside.”

Squeeze.

Park Changseok’s hand balled into a tight, rigid fist.

Im Huisu.

It appeared he would need to resolve that situation once and for all before that fool managed to create any further complications.