Chapter 43

Once the group confrontations concluded, the focus shifted to the 1v1 engagements.

In contrast to the global tournament, which utilized an extensive group phase followed by a sixteen-team knockout bracket, the domestic qualifiers relied on a direct round-robin structure.

There were ten rounds in total.

A triumph yielded three points, a tie offered one, and a defeat deducted a point.

Should the timer hit ten minutes without a definitive outcome, the bout was recorded as a tie.

The top ten players with the highest scores would secure their places on the national team.

Consequently, Baek Jinwoo adjusted his tactics for this phase.

He positioned Drill Sarge at the vanguard to act as a frontline anchor, buying time while accumulating enhancement stacks from Ramba onto a hidden Rolly.

The subsequent move?

Once the enhancements reached a critical threshold, Rolly would execute a flurry of rapid strikes.

The visual result?

It created the illusion that Drill Sarge himself was executing Rolly’s personal techniques.

• There it is! The expected outcome holds true! Competitor Baek Jinwoo secures yet another triumph!

• By the way, did you catch that specific detail just now?

• No, there is a faint blur, but… it is impossible to identify! Could it be an unrevealed trait of the summon known as Drill Instructor, as the announcer suggested?

• Regardless of the mechanics, the performance is breathtaking!

Rolly possessed two distinct abilities.

[Skills Owned]

• Assassinate: Briefly grants complete concealment. The initial strike inflicts 100% Critical Damage.

• Gale: Rotates the death scythe in a complete sweep, inflicting area-of-effect damage.

Assassinate, alongside Gale.

This particular combination highlighted Rolly’s absurd capabilities.

Rolly’s standard strikes functioned as Gale.

It required no cooldown period. In essence, it was a passive feature.

The implication?

The higher the frequency of his standard strikes, the more devastating the area-of-effect damage became.

When supplemented by Ramba’s scaling enhancements, the result was devastating.

Total obliteration.

The very instant Rolly emerged from his concealment—

He discharged standard strikes at incredible speeds, and the massive burst of concentrated damage obliterated every single opposing summon.

He lacked optimized runes at this stage.

Even so, the damage output was more than sufficient to dismantle the top tier of domestic rankers effortlessly.

• Competitor Baek Jinwoo’s style is incredibly precise and unrelenting, wouldn’t you say?

• Not a single one of his matches has crossed the sixty-second mark! He remains completely undefeated across five consecutive rounds, keeping pace with the top-ranked Kang Geonho for the crown.

• And right now! The bracket has paired him directly against Kang Geonho!

• Absolutely thrilling! A direct confrontation between the two primary title contenders!

At long last, the moment arrived.

The showdown with the top-ranked competitor, Kang Geonho.

Entering the staging area, Baek Jinwoo directed his gaze toward his opponent.

This was their initial face-to-face encounter.

Kang Geonho occupied the position of vice leader within the Baekho guild.

He appeared to be in his early thirties.

[Please prepare for Player vs Player.]

“It is a privilege to face you,” Kang Geonho initiated the greeting politely, and Baek Jinwoo acknowledged the gesture.

“Likewise.”

Respect commands respect.

Since his opponent demonstrated proper etiquette, Baek Jinwoo matched the civility.

The two competitors stepped onto the elevated stone square arena and called forth their forces.

Predictably, Rolly materialized under total concealment.

[Are you ready?]

The moment both participants confirmed their readiness, the massive translucent divider separating them would dissolve.

From there, the objective was simple: battle until all five of the adversary’s summons were forced off the field.

Baek Jinwoo evaluated Kang Geonho’s chosen formation.

Two white earth dragons, a dirt fairy, a horned eagle, and a great nature shaman.

Experienced rankers typically maintained extensive rosters, making it difficult to predict which entities they would deploy for a specific engagement.

Certain competitors altered their lineups based on their rival, while others adjusted their rune configurations.

The current setup was undeniably sturdy. It was highly optimized.

The dirt fairy enhanced the elemental attributes of the white earth dragons, which functioned as the primary frontliners, while the horned eagle provided an offensive amplification.

Furthermore, the great nature shaman offered healing support for extended durability.

Without seeing the runes directly, it was impossible to know their specific traits, but the structural synergy of the team was outstanding.

Had Baek Jinwoo lacked EX-grade entities, this engagement would have posed a severe challenge at his current progression.

However, he did possess EX-grade entities.

Four of them, to be exact.

“Ready.”

There was no reason to hesitate.

He confirmed immediately.

[Player vs Player begins!]

The instant the countdown concluded, Ramba immediately commenced transferring enhancements to Rolly.

Stormy began gathering energy for a devastating Dragon Burst.

Drill Sarge bolted forward, hoisting his blade into a defensive diagonal stance to anchor the perimeter.

An absolute determination to stop any advancing threat in its tracks!

Wind Falcon applied an acceleration enhancement to Drill Sarge.

The opposing side responded instantly.

The pair of white earth dragons shattered the stone floor, digging deep into the subterranean terrain.

Concurrently, the supportive enhancements from the dirt fairy and horned eagle activated!

“Drill Sarge, execute the standard protocol.”

Maintain the frontline and endure for sixty seconds.

To achieve that goal?

Drill Sarge lifted his weapon, a brilliant white luminescence enveloping the steel.

Pure weapon energy!

The white earth dragons were highly effective in duels because of their capacity to bypass frontlines by traveling beneath the surface.

Yet, Drill Sarge retained the tactical memories of the ancient 「Battle of Summoners」.

Having fought alongside JinuGod in those arenas, he possessed unparalleled combat wisdom.

Subterranean dragons?

They could be targeted right through the terrain.

Drill Sarge released a focused breath and drove his glowing weapon straight into the stone floor.

The accumulated energy separated into two distinct pillars, piercing the ground like massive lances!

The twin constructs of energy targeted the exact positions of the buried white earth dragons with perfect precision.

Agonized by the sudden strike, the massive beasts erupted from the earth.

Upon surfacing, they shook violently, scattering fragments of rock and soil in their distress.

“How… how is that possible?” Kang Geonho stammered, his composure shattering as he witnessed the event.

Damaging white earth dragons while they were completely submerged underground was an unprecedented feat.

Astonishing.

That entity was truly exceptional.

He recalled the sheer disbelief he felt when analyzing the video from the group phase.

Oh Seonyeong, Oh Jimyeong, and Park Hoseop—all elite top-ten rankers—had been utterly suppressed by a singular summon!

After analyzing that footage, he had never truly believed he could win.

Even so, he intended to offer his absolute best effort.

This had nothing to do with the pride of holding the top spot; it was simply his integrity as a competitor.

“Great nature shaman!”

The summon, resembling an ancient woodland druid, gestured with its staff, sending a refreshing current across the arena.

The ability was known as ‘Forest’s Healing’—a massive area-of-effect restoration skill.

Its distinct mechanic amplified the recovery output based on the physical dimensions of the targeted summon.

The pair of rejuvenated white earth dragons bellowed threateningly at Drill Sarge.

However, Drill Sarge remained stationary, weapon poised, completely unflustered.

There was no incentive to initiate an offensive.

His sole task was to hold the line for one minute.

With Ramba utilizing her peak-tier graduation rune, sixty seconds was all that was required for Rolly’s scaling enhancements to reach terrifying levels.

‘Time is slipping away.’ Kang Geonho recognized the urgency.

Prior to the round, his guild director had presented him with a brief breakdown of Baek Jinwoo’s recent data.

‘An unorthodox offensive is imminent. I must breach his defense before it lands, but…’

How could he? It seemed impossible.

Observing Drill Sarge standing resolute with his weapon raised left him paralyzed.

An impenetrable bastion.

His adversary projected an aura of absolute defense, suggesting no assault could ever crack it.

Yet, remaining idle was not an option!

“ATTACK!”

Following Kang Geonho’s desperate order, both white earth dragons charged Drill Sarge simultaneously.

Utilizing precise movements, Drill Sarge leaped into the air, using the physical frames of the white earth dragons as stepping stones.

The two massive creatures contorted, colliding with one another in a desperate bid to intercept him.

Their heavy, slow movements were far too sluggish to apprehend Drill Sarge, who was accelerated by the speed enhancement.

The one-minute mark arrived.

Baek Jinwoo directed his focus toward the concealed position of Rolly.

The Gale Slaughterer had already positioned himself in the absolute center of the arena!

The entity’s features twisted into an unsettling, ominous smile.

The weapon rotated once.

Then a second, third, and fourth time.

The entire sequence consumed roughly one second.

Within that single second, the health indicators of Kang Geonho’s forces dropped catastrophically.

The velocity of the assault was staggering, leaving onlookers bewildered by the sudden devastation.

• Just now! What exactly transpired?!

• Did anyone else spot a dark silhouette moving through the arena?!

The broadcasting team attempted to analyze the moment, but there was nothing left to observe.

Rolly had already returned to total concealment after dismantling the opposition.

Even if the cameras had captured a frame, it would have merely shown an indistinct dark shape wielding a massive blade.

[All summons belonging to Player ‘Kang Geonho’ have been unsummoned.]

[Player vs Player has concluded.]

A decisive, flawless triumph for Baek Jinwoo!

Even the confrontation with the nation’s premier ranker failed to yield an upset.

At that exact moment, Yu Jia’s features radiated sheer delight.

Her expression mirrored that of a legendary manager securing a dramatic, high-stakes victory on rival turf.

‘As anticipated of JinuGod. There is no room for skepticism. Jinwoo is the absolute, legendary JinuGod!’

Who else could deliver such an extraordinary exhibition?

Decimating three elite rankers simultaneously during the group tournament!

Maintaining an untarnished record against every participant during the 1v1 phase.

Even Kang Geonho, the top-ranked individual in the nation, had been thoroughly bested.

How could someone achieve this?

Yu Jia found the reality difficult to comprehend.

Even considering his identity as JinuGod, he had only recently returned to active play—yet his absolute dominance was already undisputed.

Beside her, Kim Byeongjin, Hwang Taeseop, and Park Changseok were embracing and celebrating enthusiastically with every consecutive win.

Park Changseok, in particular, was grinning so intensely his joy was unmistakable.

And it made perfect sense.

Im Huisu—the individual who had continuously looked down on him—had not only seen his arrogance shattered but completely obliterated.

This went beyond merely matching the elite top ten. Baek Jinwoo was on the verge of securing an undisputed, dominant championship, and the sole organization possessing any leverage with him was Yubaek.

“Yu Jia! No, I should say Director Yu! Director Yu!” Park Changseok hurried over, wiping the perspiration from his face.

“Heeding your counsel and securing Baek Jinwoo for Yubaek is undeniably the finest choice I have ever made.”

“Hehe, your capacity to recognize exceptional capability was accurate from the start, Councilman.”

“I told you before. I might lack expertise in certain areas, but when it comes to evaluating an individual’s potential, my judgment is flawless. Hahaha!”

“The path is now clear for your continued advancement in the political arena, Councilman. Jinwoo entered this competition backed by your endorsement, after all. The public will certainly take note.”

It represented a mutually beneficial arrangement.

Yubaek would persist in providing resources for Park Changseok.

Meanwhile, Park Changseok would utilize his ascending status within the central offices to safeguard and advance Yubaek.

From inception to execution, everything was unfolding precisely according to Yu Jia’s strategic blueprint.

• Competitor Baek Jinwoo! He is absolutely DOMINATING the arena! Seven consecutive triumphs! At this tempo, are we about to witness a flawless 10-0 run?

• Undoubtedly! This is the very individual who dismantled Kang Geonho, the War God, in under sixty seconds. Additional validation is entirely redundant!

Throughout the discourse, Baek Jinwoo’s winning streak persisted.

• He claims the eighth round as well! Utilizing the exact same tactical sequence!

• There is simply no viable strategy to counter his approach! Baek Jinwoo! Baek Jinwoo represents our future!

“Ha, hahaha…” Yu Jia laughed softly in sheer amazement.

‘Jinwoo… just how much further do you intend to push these boundaries, and what other surprises do you have waiting for us?’

Nine rounds passed, leading into the final engagement.

Baek Jinwoo’s focus never wavered.

He concluded every single bout identically, employing the exact same sequence.

With absolute supremacy.

As if demonstrating that their capabilities required no tactical adjustments on his part, he maintained his approach without a single alteration.

• TEN VICTORIES, ZERO DEFEATS! Competitor Baek Jinwoo cements his status as a LEGEND!

• With this outcome, Baek Jinwoo secures the title! He has earned his spot on the national roster! Furthermore, he will serve as the TEAM CAPTAIN!

• Hahaha, given this level of performance… we have genuine reasons to be optimistic about the upcoming World League, don’t you agree? At the very least, his inclusion in next year’s official ranker standings is completely guaranteed!

Absorbing the enthusiastic commentary from the broadcast, Yu Jia gently closed her eyes.

‘I have found it.’

The realization struck her intuitively.

Much like her grandfather before her, she had finally identified the venture to which she would dedicate her entire life’s energy to construct.

Yubaek.

Providing absolute backing to Baek Jinwoo was simultaneously an act of national pride and the quickest route to unprecedented success.

Above all else, it was exhilarating.

Following his undisputed triumph, Yu Jia observed Baek Jinwoo exiting the stage with his trademark composed expression, a gentle smile appearing on her face.

In that moment, she made a silent commitment.

She had invested everything up to this point, and she would continue to dedicate herself completely moving forward.