Chapter 48

Chapter 48: I Alone Am an EX-Class Summoner

The weekly routine was established.

The instructional meeting concluded with great success.

“Unbelievable! It never crossed my mind to approach the problem from that perspective.”

“Taking Player Baek Jinwoo’s counsel to heart, I must diversify my lineup of summons to implement more complex psychological tactics. I also need to gather a wider assortment of runes.”

“That concept was actually detailed in the foundational textbooks…… You possess a much firmer grasp of the basics than your age suggests, young man. To be completely honest, I assumed your Drill Instructor summon was merely a flashy gimmick. You have truly won my admiration. I appreciate your assistance today.”

Even though he had only provided rudimentary guidance, every single high-ranking player departed with a sense of fulfillment.

Following half a day of intensive instruction, each participant could perceive their own advancement compared to their previous limits.

As established before, the vast majority of current strategic frameworks utilized by mankind had originally sprung from the intellect of a junior high student named Baek Jinwoo.

Furthermore, a multitude of advanced techniques that had not yet been formally documented remained perfectly preserved within his memory.

It was only natural that the elite players were deeply moved.

It is a relief to see they found it valuable.

Nine high-ranking players.

These were not ordinary combatants either—they were high-level administrators from the most prominent guilds, and all of them were thoroughly pleased. This meant his compensation was fully justified.

The real issue lies with my own progress.

He was faced with a daunting list of tasks.

The most pressing objective was ascending the Tower of Trials.

Baek Jinwoo walked out onto the expansive practice grounds located within Yubaek City, extending his limbs in a deep stretch.

Ah.

No matter how often he gazed upon it.

This facility was utterly flawless.

The meticulously landscaped zone fronting the cutting-edge structure, combined with the wide vista that captured the vibrant spirit of the mountains—a single look made it obvious how much effort and focus the architect had dedicated to the project.

Yu Jia had delivered exactly as expected.

He found himself appreciating her contributions more with each passing day.

Partnering with her was undeniably one of the wisest choices he had ever made.

He had merely requested a simple space to train, yet she had provided a luxury penthouse, an expansive estate, and a subterranean shelter to go with it……

Furthermore, her seamless management and protection of his family left him profoundly appreciative.

“Stormy.”

— At your service, Jinwoo-nim!

The moment Baek Jinwoo uttered her name, Stormy rushed over from her practice area, her wings vibrating excitedly.

“What stage of your training have you reached?”

— I have completely unlocked the Storm Dragon Arts up to the Shift level!

“Is that so?”

Following their previous misunderstanding, Stormy had abandoned any attempts at deception toward Baek Jinwoo.

She had been dedicating her absolute best efforts to mastering every single technique without taking any shortcuts.

“Demonstrate it for me.”

— Right away!

Storm Dragon Arts, Shift.

Fwoooosh!

Vibrant, hellish blazes erupted spectacularly from her magical staff.

The Dragon Burst—which normally manifested in the shape of a massive serpentine dragon—shattered into countless tiny shards, coalescing into a shimmering, crimson protective wall.

— This allows me to utilize the technique as a defensive shield, and…

An additional Dragon Burst summoned via Chain fragmented further, shifting into a multitude of projectile weapons.

— I can also generate flaming projectiles and lances using this method!

Her versatility did not stop there.

She transitioned effortlessly from a Fire Wall, which conjured an immense barricade of pure heat, to a subtle temperature control technique that adjusted the output to warm the immediate environment.

Everything was executed fluidly and without hesitation. She had clearly dedicated immense effort to her practice.

“Your hard work is clearly reflected in your performance.”

— Hehe, thank you.

“Excellent performance.”

Baek Jinwoo gently patted Stormy’s head.

This served as her form of payment.

While Ramba preferred sweet pastries as compensation, Stormy desired nothing more than the recognition of her master.

“Do you believe you can handle Blaze as well? Or does that remain beyond your current capabilities?”

— Let me think……

Stormy paused to reflect for a brief moment before offering a confident nod.

— Achieving Annihilation is still out of the question for now, but because I possess the latent memories of Blaze, I can certainly unlock it if given enough time. Drill Sarge is an exceptionally talented instructor. I will master the technique as rapidly as possible!

“Understood.”

Attempting to scale the Tower of Trials without having Blaze unlocked would be an exercise in futility.

If I can just secure Blaze…

He would be able to effortlessly tear through floors eleven through twenty.

On that note.

How many Omni Runes had his team successfully acquired by this point?

The advancement rune required for Drill Sarge’s evolution was just as critical to their success as Stormy mastering Blaze.

“YES!”

Baek Ajin pumped her fists in the air, celebrating enthusiastically.

“That makes twelve secured for our initial batch!”

Reports were flooding in from various operatives who had been deployed across international borders.

The acquisitions had been finalized just moments ago.

Because they were utilizing state funds, the bureaucratic procedures had been incredibly tedious, but…… her relentless, non-stop efforts had finally yielded success.

Her older sister’s calculations had been completely accurate.

By adhering to Yu Jia’s strategy and coordinating the operatives to make simultaneous purchases, tracking down the items had proven remarkably efficient.

Furthermore, an independent player had initiated contact directly through the acquisition notice they had published on the global trading platform.

The seller offered an immediate transaction at a price of 100 billion won—which equated to approximately 72 million dollars.

This was a fresh offer, completely distinct from the pre-existing entries on the platform.

By capitalizing on such fleeting chances without a moment’s hesitation, she had successfully cornered a total of twelve units.

Ten of them had been acquired at a median price of 150 billion won each, while the remaining pair were secured for 100 billion won a piece.

The total expenditure from their finances so far reached 1.7 trillion won.

To think that a mere dozen runes could command such an astronomical sum……

Baek Ajin clicked her tongue in disbelief.

The scale of the transaction felt entirely surreal.

Exactly how much power would a summoned entity gain once it was outfitted with enhancements of this caliber?

Particularly her brother’s Drill Sarge……

The entity was already remarkably potent even without these modifiers. If they stacked these enhancements on top of that baseline……

Would he truly be capable of dethroning Rachel to claim the pinnacle of the global rankings before the current year concluded?

Ring, ring!

Baek Ajin quickly answered the vibrating device.

— Director.

— Yes, Director Baek. Please provide your update.

— We have successfully locked down twelve units for the time being, but our financing is nearly depleted. We are left with only 300 billion won.

She found herself amused by the sheer absurdity of her own statement.

She had never anticipated a time in her life where she would refer to 300 billion won as “only” an remnant amount.

— Understood, let us proceed as follows.

Yu Jia had clearly been tracking the market dynamics in real-time, as her directives were delivered without a second of delay.

— Exhaust the remainder of the funds if necessary. Secure one additional unit.

— Pardon me? If we deplete the entirety of our reserves, that equates to a full 300 billion won for a single unit?

Baek Ajin pressed for clarification.

— Information regarding our acquisitions must have leaked out. The available listings are being deleted across all platforms.

— Wait, is that truly happening?

Clack, clack-clack!

Baek Ajin quickly supported the receiver between her shoulder and her ear, her fingers racing across the input keys.

She rapidly checked every transactional platform across the globe.

— She was right.

The reality matched Yu Jia’s assessment perfectly.

Offers listed at 200 billion won, and even the outrageous entries demanding 250 billion won—every single listing was rapidly vanishing from the boards.

It could only mean one of two things.

The owners were withdrawing their items from sale, or an external party was purchasing them in a state of panic.

Regardless of the motive, the affordably priced options had already been entirely drained from the market. Any units remaining would command a massive scarcity premium.

A heavy breath escaped Baek Ajin’s lips.

— What is our next move then? Securing just one more does not resolve our ultimate shortage…… We are still short by six units in total.

— Do not let that distress you. Focus entirely on acquiring one more piece before the window closes completely. Even if it requires the full 300 billion won, make the purchase. There is an active player based in India who goes by the alias Nemesis—I will forward their direct network link to you. They represent our highest probability of success.

— Understood. I will instruct the team to initiate contact immediately!

Baek Ajin’s typing speed reached a frantic pace.

The final outcome: a complete success!

Yubaek managed to claim one additional pinnacle-grade Omni Rune by spending the remaining 300 billion won.

The massive 2 trillion won reserve designated for this specific endeavor had been entirely consumed to acquire thirteen Omni Runes.

It was only after Yu Jia had personally gathered every single rune brought back by the returning field agents that she finally permitted herself a moment of relief.

“Haah.”

They were still short by five units.

With the state-allocated finances entirely depleted, she would be forced to dip into Yubaek’s private capital.

Securing the monetary resources itself would not pose an obstacle—multiple financial institutions were eager to extend substantial lines of credit.

The true dilemma lay elsewhere.

There were simply no remaining units available for purchase anywhere.

She had meticulously inspected every trading network spanning the globe, and the results showed zero active listings.

It mattered little if she offered 300 billion won.

Even if she brandished a staggering trillion won, there was a very real possibility that she would fail to uncover a single seller.

The aggressive purchasing campaign orchestrated by Yubaek had single-handedly inflated the market value of Omni Runes into an entirely different echelon.

To look at the situation with absolute pragmatism……

She felt a strong temptation to put the thirteen gathered units back on the market at an inflated price.

With an aggressive promotional strategy, it was an entirely viable plan, and the resulting financial gain would be astronomical.

Yet, she could not execute such a scheme.

Because Baek Jinwoo had personally requested them.

At least for the present moment.

There was a specific calculation behind her instruction to Baek Ajin to secure that final unit regardless of cost.

However, this particular strategic dilemma was an issue she required to deliberate with Baek Jinwoo face-to-face.

It was also the perfect opportunity to hand over the acquired items.

Yu Jia turned her steps toward the training zone where Baek Jinwoo was stationed.

“Oh, you managed to secure thirteen already?”

Baek Jinwoo’s expression brightened considerably as the items were transferred into his possession via the secure interface.

He had requested a rapid acquisition, but the speed of her delivery exceeded his most optimistic projections.

At long last!

Drill Sarge was on the precipice of a massive power upgrade.

The mere anticipation of refining these enhancements caused a wide smile to manifest on his face.

Conversely, Yu Jia’s countenance remained fraught with concern.

“We are still lacking five units to complete the set, but tracking down these thirteen completely exhausted our allocated financial resources. Furthermore, the global trading boards have been completely cleared of listings.”

Yu Jia chose a spot at the edge of the practice grounds to rest.

She outlined the market realities to him in her characteristically composed, analytical tone.

“I see, so that is how the situation stands?”

Baek Jinwoo gave an understanding nod.

When it came to Omni Runes, this scarcity was entirely in line with his expectations.

They were ranked among the most elusive and high-tier unique modifiers within his knowledge base.

“It cannot be helped. Being short by five is manageable. It will require a certain amount of time, but I possess the capability to manufacture them independently.”

“……Manufacture them? Runes of that caliber?”

Yu Jia tilted her head, her features twisted in absolute bewilderment.

What could he possibly mean by that?

Synthesizing restricted, high-tier modifiers from scratch?

Was such a feat even theoretically achievable?

If he truly possessed that capability, it represented an infinite stream of wealth.

He could simply produce them continuously and dominate the global trade—

“Haha, let us simply say I possess unique methodologies.”

This was the exact trait that rendered the Rune Dwarves an utterly game-breaking existence.

Provided they were supplied with the correct raw components, they were capable of forging any modifier that existed within the world.

Whether an item was deemed a restricted edition or an absolute rarity made no difference to their craft.

However.

The required components are exceptionally difficult to harvest.

Naturally.

In order for a Rune Dwarf to successfully forge a restricted-grade modifier, its hidden capabilities had to first be unlocked through specialized training provided by Drill Sarge.

This specific limitation was the exact reason why, during the era of Battle of Summoners, the Rune Dwarves were widely dismissed as nothing more than a commonplace, mid-tier entity.

“Jinwoo-ssi, on that note.”

“Yes?”

“An alternative path does exist…… though it is less of a systematic method and more of a situational opportunity. It turns out there is an individual who currently holds five Omni Runes in his personal collection.”

“Is that a fact?”

“Yes. His identity is…… Jasim. He is a prominent billionaire from the Middle East—frequently referred to in the media as the Oil King. Word has it that his young daughter is afflicted with a critical, unidentified illness that defies conventional medicine. Given how heavily the modern era revolves around the capabilities of summons, he has been dropping significant hints that he would bestow immense rewards upon anyone capable of delivering a cure.”

“Ah.”

The proposition was straightforward—find a way to restore his daughter’s health, and request the five remaining Omni Runes as compensation.

Then again.

I do not possess medical credentials.

How was he supposed to resolve a terminal condition that had baffled global specialists?

Particularly when dealing with a billionaire of that magnitude—the man had undoubtedly already exhausted every cutting-edge medical option available across the globe.

“I took the initiative to obtain his secure network address just in case, though I assumed this particular undertaking would prove too complicated for your current toolkit?”

“True, no immediate solution springs to mind. Perhaps if I had access to a maximum-tier entity specializing in absolute restoration, it might be feasible……? No, hold on a moment.”

An epiphany suddenly sparked within Baek Jinwoo’s thoughts.

Omni.

The specific entity that served as the absolute definition of that exact term was currently stationed just a short distance away from him.

“Drill Sarge!”

Baek Jinwoo raised his voice, calling out across the facility toward Drill Sarge, who was currently supervising exercises on the far side of the field.

— Ready for orders, my master! I await your command!

Drill Sarge had been in the middle of correcting the physical stance of another companion. He covered the distance between them in a flash.

“Are you capable of eradicating diseases or internal ailments?”

Drill Sarge was defined by his absolute versatility.

Frontline combatant, restoration expert, defensive support, tactical specialist—he encompassed every archetype.

His depth of comprehension was vast enough to unlock the hidden capabilities of any entity, regardless of their primary classification.

He directed Stormy’s magical progress. He instructed the Rune Dwarf in the precise art of metalworking. Those achievements spoke volumes about his capabilities.

— I cannot state with absolute certainty that I can eradicate every form of biological ailment, however…… utilizing the extensive insights I gained while instructing Aso, I am confident I can analyze a biological subject’s internal state with a high degree of precision.

“Is that true?”

Aso was a master of internal physical disciplines.

An individual capable of perceiving the inner workings of their own anatomy to manipulate vital energy and physical pathways—it was precisely due to inheriting that specialized physical mastery that the current Drill Sarge could wield bladed weapons with such fluid perfection.

“Are you serious right now?”

Yu Jia, who had remained close enough to overhear the exchange, was completely shell-shocked.

What manner of entity is that summon supposed to be?

The widespread rumors insisted he was merely an E-rank combatant, but what logic could explain an E-rank entity possessing such a ridiculous array of absolute capabilities?

Evaluating his track record up to this point, classifying him as a top-tier S-rank would not cause a single person to question the designation.

“Simply possessing the ability to accurately diagnose the root cause of the ailment would likely fill Jasim with immense gratitude, you know?”

“Initiate contact with him immediately. His name was Jasim, correct?”

“Yes, Jasim.”

“Confirm with him whether he is truly prepared to transfer ownership of the Omni Runes provided we successfully restore his daughter’s health.”

“Rest assured! I will establish a secure line of communication right this second and report back with his response!”