Chapter 65

CLAAANG!

The Rune Dwarf brought his mallet down with absolute rhythm.

Drip!

Perspiration slid across his brow in heavy droplets.

Masterwork Crafting.

The ultimate hidden capability that had previously caused the Rune Dwarf to be placed in Isolation!

The Rare and Unique runes available to forge at Lv.1 were rigidly preset.

[Behold the roster of accessible masterworks.]

[Rampage (Rare), Omni (Rare), Howling (Rare), Emperor (Rare), Trinity (Unique)]

Exactly five for each level.

Upon reaching Lv.2, a separate set of five would become accessible, and the pattern would continue.

The runes in this category called for raw components on an entirely different magnitude than anything that could be built using standard Craft, though the likelihood of a successful creation stood at a perfect 100%.

The grand prize.

This was precisely the method JinuGod utilized to lock down his dominant number-one spot in days past—entirely through the power of Masterwork Crafting.

Heh heh heh.

Baek Jinwoo could scarcely suppress the smile forming on his features.

Visualize it for a moment.

Summoned beasts outfitted completely with the highest-tier runes that the forge could generate.

Heavens, that is mind-blowing.

Furthermore, he stood alone as the sole individual on earth capable of producing them.

Merely forging these runes and distributing them to the ideal candidates would give him immense leverage!

I will eventually craft them all, but as of this moment—

“Drill Sarge.”

• Affirmative, Master.

“Take this.”

Baek Jinwoo at once unequipped the Omni Rune that had been attached to Drill Sarge.

Following that.

“Rune Dwarf, what raw elements do I require to forge a top-tier Trinity Rune?”

• Ho ho, allow me just a brief moment to check.

[Required elements for the top-tier Trinity (Unique) Rune.]

[Upgraded top-tier Omni Rune x1, top-tier Omni Rune x2]

Just as anticipated.

Nothing had altered.

A total of three Omni Runes were needed to create a single Trinity Rune!

• Surely you do not mean… you are already providing me with the opportunity to utilize Masterwork Crafting?

The Rune Dwarf’s eyes shone brightly.

As a metalsmith, swinging his hammer yielded more happiness than any other activity, and the scarcer and more formidable the assignment, the more intense the excitement.

“Is there even a reason to ask? Here, take hold of these.”

Baek Jinwoo emptied out the entirety of the eighteen Omni Runes he had put together.

• Wha— WHOA! Eighteen Rare runes?! And every single one is an Omni!

The Rune Dwarf uttered a shout of pure ecstasy.

Initiating with the creation of Unique runes meant he would accumulate an immense amount of mastery experience.

“Are you able to begin immediately?”

• Indubitably! A rate of one rune each day, so simply allow me six days!

“Understood, get to work.”

This was the turning point.

The exact juncture where he would leap far beyond the global rankers and ascend into a tier completely independent of anyone else.

As of late, the whole mood within both Arirang and Carpe Diem had undergone a total transformation.

‘Every person trains. Zero exceptions!’

High-ranking officers, standard members, everyone.

Each person was obligated to develop their fundamental VIT and STR.

“What is the reason for this sudden shift?”

“Our only duty is to properly cultivate our summons, so why on earth are we pushing our bodies…”

“The chief of the guild commands it, so we execute it. Regulations are regulations.”

A time limit was established. Fail to satisfy the criteria, and a penalty notice would be issued.

Three penalty notices?

Termination from the group, without question.

The competitors had no choice but to clench their jaws and follow through.

Picture getting dismissed from a major organization simply because you refused to engage in physical conditioning. There was absolutely nothing more embarrassing than that.

They had even redesigned the entry examination to place far greater importance on physical endurance.

“This ought to have been implemented from the very beginning.”

Huuu.

Oh Seonyeong let out a breath and cleaned away her perspiration, speaking softly under her breath.

She along with the remaining three followers of Baek Jinwoo were walking back following another productive conditioning bout.

Lately, it was far from just the human competitors who were conditioning.

The summoned beasts conditioned right alongside them.

Naturally, Drill Sarge directed all physical conditioning, and the summoned beasts had been programmed to recognize his directions above all else.

“Unni.”

Hong Ari spoke up to Oh Seonyeong.

“Yes?”

“In all honesty, does it not bother you?”

“Does what bother me.”

“If they were to conduct the squad tournament once more, you would capture a spot on the national squad for certain.”

“……Most likely.”

If given the opportunity to reverse time, she would have steered clear of Baek Jinwoo by any means necessary.

In that scenario, she would have effortlessly cruised onto the national squad.

“However, rather than feeling bitter, I am… content.”

She genuinely meant those words.

She was an enthusiast of the canine species.

Each and every one of her summoned beasts belonged to the wolf family.

Dedicating oneself to a solitary creature type unavoidably resulted in blank spaces in strategy—vulnerabilities that could not be bypassed.

Not long ago, she had been crashing into her personal boundaries so severely that she had contemplated abandoning that dedication altogether.

Yet following that?

The very instant Baek Jinwoo stepped in as her Master, every single anxiety dissolved.

What an extraordinary individual.

Even while employing nothing but wolf-type entities, he addressed every single vital vulnerability, and furthermore, he demonstrated to her exactly how to leverage those specific vulnerabilities to execute counterstrikes.

And that was not the end of it.

The canine beasts under the guidance of Baek Jinwoo functioned on an entirely separate plane.

Disregard all else—if she could merely duplicate even a small fraction of his methods, she would be completely satisfied.

She felt entirely certain.

At this current pace, it was merely a matter of time before Arirang closed the gap on Baekho.

Positioned beneath Baek Jinwoo, there would be Arirang. And following that, Carpe Diem.

“My thanks to you.”

Oh Seonyeong shifted her gaze toward Ki Jaehyeok.

“Pardon?”

Ki Jaehyeok blinked his eyes in confusion.

“It is due to the two of you. You suggested that we relocate here as a collective unit back then—that is the reason Ari and I managed to progress.”

“Oh, come on now, do not start becoming all emotional on us at this moment.”

“I am entirely serious.”

Had she never crossed paths with Baek Jinwoo, she would have dropped further behind with every single passing day.

Forget about making the national squad.

She might have found it difficult merely to protect her position as a ranker.

But as of right now?

Truthfully, she felt as though she could hold her ground even when matched against Kang Geonho, the undisputed number one in the country’s standings.

Naturally.

After engaging in practice combat against Baek Jinwoo day after day, suddenly encountering Kang Geonho in a one-on-one match?

She already felt relaxed merely visualizing the scenario.

The anxiety completely departed.

“If you are truly serious, treat us to a dish. Every one of us.”

“A dish?”

“Yes, are you aware? A massive poultry establishment just launched right across from Yubaek City very recently.”

“…?”

“Word going around says that Jinwoo Hyungnim’s father is the one operating the establishment.”

Pardon?

The father of Baek Jinwoo?

Oh Seonyeong’s eyes dilated instantly.

Ki Jaehyeok was already aware of such information?

She felt a deep sense of appreciation toward Baek Jinwoo.

Appreciative enough to assist him without any conditions whatsoever if he ever made a request.

Yet Baek Jinwoo was entirely self-sufficient.

To be frank, the man was performing so exceptionally well that he possessed zero requirement for her assistance in any capacity.

“Let us move. I am paying.”

And given that state of affairs, his blood relative launches a chicken eatery?

There was no scenario where she could allow that to pass by unnoticed.

This was Baek Jinwoo they were discussing—the individual famously dedicated to his household!

She would flood the establishment with consumer traffic!

I will provide food for the wolves as well.

Rankers earned excellent compensation.

Particularly a deputy guild master of a prominent organization.

Chicken?

Regardless of the quantity they requested, it would not so much as scratch her funds.

She would march in today and drop a casual one hundred million won.

「Baekssie Chicken」

“Greetings!”

Park Jonghun, clad in a protective apron, called out to them in a booming voice.

He was a companion of Baek Jincheol.

He had been moving and organizing freight containers at a distribution depot prior to Baek Jincheol extending the offer to serve as an equal business partner of the poultry eatery.

Naturally, the ownership distribution stood at 90% for Baek Jincheol and 10% for him.

“Wait? Hong Ari and Oh Seonyeong…?”

Park Jonghun’s eyes became as wide as plates right in the middle of his greeting.

The four individuals who had just stepped inside were far too celebrated.

“Ki Jaehyeok and Kang Jiho as well…!”

All four of them were rankers so incredibly famous that any person in South Korea who failed to identify them must have been cut off from civilization entirely.

It made perfect sense.

Gulp.

Park Jonghun drew a heavy breath.

The reality was, he had already been informed.

The reality that Baek Jincheol’s male offspring was none other than the legendary competitor Baek Jinwoo.

When he first discovered the fact, the astonishment had been so immense that he had wandered around with his mouth open for several days.

Following that event, Park Jonghun pledged his absolute allegiance to Baek Jincheol.

Allegiance, commitment, whatever label you preferred to assign it.

He swore never to depart from the man’s side.

Self-serving? Certainly. But for a regular citizen, it was the completely logical pathway.

Those associations are mind-boggling.

Merely remain close by his side, harvest even the most minuscule leftovers that dropped from the dining surface, and three generations of his lineage could exist in luxury.

Only an idiot would look past that kind of opening.

“Right this way, please! I will escort you to the finest seating available.”

“Thank you. Tell me, is the individual who manages this establishment…?”

Oh Seonyeong inquired with care.

“Hahaha, you are referring to Jincheol!”

Baek Jincheol.

Currently celebrated as the father of Baek Jinwoo.

The casual manner in which Park Jonghun spoke his name, like a familiar companion, caused Oh Seonyeong’s demeanor to grow even more polite.

“Yes, that is correct. We intend to place a very large order today!”

“O-Of course! Absolutely, ma’am!”

Park Jonghun bowed his torso deeply, visibly affected by the interaction.

They claimed her disposition was frozen solid, but she is actually incredibly pleasant.

Just as anticipated.

A person had to digest what the press reported with a healthy dose of skepticism.

“I will have your poultry cooked up beautifully and crisp!”

「Baekssie Chicken」 was notably spacious.

Positioned in the premium spot directly across from Yubaek City, the entire three-story structure comprised the chicken establishment, equipped with a large number of staff members.

It was unavoidable.

Yu Jia had orchestrated all the necessary arrangements.

The third level in particular contained VIP chambers—isolated areas for rankers and prominent figures who preferred not to interact with the general public.

Oh Seonyeong’s assembly made their way there.

“Request whatever appeals to you. Please feel free to call forth your summoned beasts and nourish them as well.”

“What has come over you, Unni? My youngsters consume a massive amount, just so you are aware…”

“It is of no concern.”

The greater the volume they consumed, the better the outcome.

She could boost the business revenue by that exact degree.

“You boys request a massive portion as well. Drill Sarge consistently mentions that you must nourish yourselves heavily following a grueling training session.”

“Understood, Noona!”

“So we can truly just push the limits?”

Ki Jaehyeok and Kang Jiho were absolutely delighted.

They were right in the middle of choosing their food items when—

Slide!

The sliding entrance parted, and a gathering walked inside.

Four individuals. Judging by the cadence of their talk, they sounded as though they were Japanese.

“Japanese?”

Hong Ari tilted her head in confusion.

“For what reason would Japanese individuals be present in this location?”

It was peculiar.

This location was not Seoul or some highly regarded vacation spot. This was Hanam.

The probabilities of Japanese travelers appearing in the sparsely populated Geomdan Mountain construction zone?

Directed by the third-floor attendants, the gathering was being escorted to a separate chamber, which happened to be situated directly adjacent to theirs.

That was precisely when it occurred.

• Grrrr.

Oh Seonyeong’s Fenrir (A-rank) produced a deep, menacing growl.

“Oh.”

Hong Ari blinked her eyes.

“They must be players. Quite potent ones, too.”

Fenrir possessed a specific talent for detecting hazards.

Which signified?

Those Japanese travelers were highly capable.

“Shh, quiet down! Step over here.”

Oh Seonyeong attempted to pacify her canine beast.

Irrespective of who the opposite group might be—

Causing others to feel uncomfortable via your summoned entity in a communal setting was simply flat-out discourteous.

• Grrrrr……

“Tch, he is refusing to cooperate.”

When the wolf continuously declined to quiet down, she simply dismissed it back to its plane.

No chicken for you.

“What are your thoughts?”

Hong Ari felt inquisitive.

Something appeared highly unusual, did it not?

Japan stood as one of the five grand summoning authorities, a country possessing immense capability…

And competitors from that specific nation were hanging around Yubaek’s immediate vicinity?

Highly questionable.

Knock, knock.

Right at that moment.

“Pardon me?”

One of the Japanese travelers stood up and knocked against their entryway.

Oddly enough, the speech arrived perfectly converted into their language.

“We appear to be fellow competitors. If it does not cause too much trouble, might I pose a question to you?”

“……”

The four rankers traded quiet looks.

A peculiar stillness blanketed the space.

“I recognize that this situation may appear highly questionable. My identity is Takahashi Shusuke, arriving from Japan.”

Takahashi Shusuke!

The eyes of both Hong Ari and Oh Seonyeong bulged.

A major figure.

Positioned third within Japan and thirtieth on the global scale—a true powerhouse!

What business brought him to this location?

Any individual placed within the top 100 of the global standings was treated as a person of high priority, strictly observed by national administrations.

Because if they made the choice to execute an act of public devastation, the fallout would be utterly ruinous.

Naturally.

If an individual of Shusuke’s status chose to unleash a full-scale assault, South Korea would possess no viable countermeasure.

This was the identical territory that proved incapable of effectively managing a localized faction of domestic rankers.

The country’s foremost competitor, Kang Geonho, did not even break into the earth’s top 100.

Ultimately, Ki Jaehyeok pushed out of his chair and slid the entrance open.

An older gentleman stood before them, a translation avian settled upon his shoulder blade.

So that was the mechanism by which the interpretation had delivered itself so distinctly!

The older gentleman, Takahashi Shusuke, exuded a commanding aura.

Decidedly striking in appearance, with a powerful frame.

“A Japanese national, and a globally ranked competitor on top of that—what purpose brings you all the way out to this spot?”

Hong Ari got to her feet, absolute skepticism painted across her entire countenance.