Chapter 68

Chapter 68:

Gulp.

Kang Jiho took a deep, tense breath, his stomach twisting into knots.

Atsuto.

The competitor standing across from him was a celebrated player from Japan, a nation recognized globally as a powerhouse in summoning.

Naturally, Jiho was well aware of his reputation.

During the previous year’s tournament, the Japanese team had successfully fought their way into the semifinals.

The video recordings of those intense battles had spread rapidly all over the internet, ensuring that Atsuto’s name echoed with formidable authority throughout the professional community.

His primary summon, the Soul Hunter (A-rank)—a dangerous fusion of a front-line brawler and a stealthy assassin—was particularly infamous for its overwhelming combat capabilities.

“I look forward to a good match.”

Fwshhh!

He arrayed his five active summons into a defensive formation and offered a respectful bow.

“Likewise.”

Atsuto acknowledged the greeting with a brief nod of his head.

The battlefield was locked in. There was no point in delaying the inevitable.

I’ll strike first.

Kang Jiho ordered his durable vanguard summon, the Snowflake Berserker (B-rank), to spearhead the offensive.

Trailing directly behind the massive warrior, which was outfitted with the most expensive and high-grade runes wealth could provide, were a dedicated healer, a utility supporter, and a long-range summon meant to rain down covering fire.

From any tactical standpoint, this setup was the textbook approach.

It represented the most reliable and trusted team composition known to professional players.

Oh?

Atsuto’s gaze sharpened with sudden interest as he observed the opposing forces surging toward his position.

There is something unusual about this.

He picked up on it purely through seasoned intuition.

The spacing of each summon, the calculated trajectory of their approach, their overall coordination—it was all executed at an elite level.

Since when did competitors from South Korea possess this degree of tactical refinement?

Even so, it won’t be enough to overcome me.

He had received personal coaching from Yoshida Hikaru, a legendary figure recognized as one of the elite Five Emperors.

Furthermore, he was widely touted as a rising star destined to secure a position within the global top 100 leaderboards.

Suffering a defeat against a standard formation like this would be an unforgivable stain on his pride.

KRAKOOOM!

The heavy greataxe of the Snowflake Berserker (B-rank) descended with crushing force, but the Soul Hunter (A-rank) intercepted it with flawless timing, parrying the massive weapon completely to the side with its massive greatsword.

Thwack, thwack!

The Soul Hunter even managed to deflect the incoming projectiles from the rear sniper summon, casually rotating its heavy blade in smooth, effortless motions to bat the arrows out of the air.

“No way.”

Kang Jiho’s eyes stretched wide in utter disbelief.

How could anyone execute defenses like that?

The vanguard’s frontal assault was meant to be completely oppressive. Among the nation’s top-tier players, the vast majority would choose to evade such momentum rather than contest it directly—hardly anyone would attempt to block it head-on.

Yet Atsuto’s Soul Hunter had absorbed and redirected the impact effortlessly.

And the display didn’t stop there.

SCHLICK!

In the exact same heartbeat as the deflection, the Soul Hunter pirouetted fluidly, carving its blade deeply across the berserker’s midsection as it glided past.

SPURT!

A crimson spray painted the air.

“Healer, focus!”

Wmmmmm!

The backline healer and supporter immediately began funneling a relentless stream of restorative magic into their frontline asset.

SHWEEEEN!

The enraged vanguard swung its axe in a frenzy, unleashing violent, icy tempests one after another.

However—

Schlick, SCHLICK!

The evasive maneuvers of the Soul Hunter bordered on the supernatural.

Before Jiho’s vision could even register the trajectory, the berserker’s flesh was being systematically carved with deep lacerations.

This is ridiculous.

Kang Jiho felt an oppressive sense of despair looming over him.

It wasn’t just a matter of superior runes or raw stat values…

The fundamental difference lay elsewhere.

The level of technical control was completely incomparable.

As if it could foresee every single trajectory of the incoming axe, the greatsword shifted precisely to neutralize every attack.

And whenever it successfully mitigated a blow?

It exacted a painful toll in return.

Right.

This pressure felt remarkably similar to dueling Hyungnim.

No.

On second thought, it wasn’t quite at that staggering level just yet.

If he were actually facing Hyungnim…

His vanguard’s head would have been separated from its shoulders within the opening seconds.

Regardless of that comparison.

The challenger before him was undeniably several tiers advanced in every tactical category.

Even with the wealth of knowledge he had accumulated during intense practice sessions with his teammates since establishing Carpe Diem, this particular chasm was too vast to cross through standard means.

Perfect. This is exactly what I need.

Kang Jiho’s eyes filled with a fierce, competitive hunger.

He couldn’t rely on fighting weaker opponents forever if he wanted to achieve greatness.

The harder he collided with a truly elite player, the more rapidly his own capabilities would sharpen.

Hyungnim explicitly told me that suffering a loss is acceptable.

However?

That statement was never an invitation to lay down and surrender without a fight.

Pour out everything left in the tank.

Engage with the absolute determination to drag down at least one of the enemy’s vital pieces before falling.

Snowflake Berserker!

Kang Jiho projected his fierce willpower directly into the mind of his battered companion.

In that very instant—

Ba-ba-ba-BASH!

The vanguard completely abandoned its engagement with the Soul Hunter, pivoting to sprint at maximum velocity directly toward the opposing backline.

When you are hopelessly outmatched in technical skill, you are left with only one viable strategy.

Obliterate their utility units, their source of healing, and their ranged damage dealer first!

It was irrelevant if his own forces were completely wiped out in the process.

This was not a tactical blueprint meant to secure an outright victory for himself.

My role is to make the next match as manageable as possible for whoever steps up after me.

The structural format of this competition was a continuous gauntlet, after all.

Atsuto would be forced to confront the subsequent challenger with whatever remaining resources survived this round—there would be no health replenishment and no opportunity to swap out damaged summons.

Therefore?

Accept destruction if necessary, but tear down their support network first!

“FORWARD!”

Injected with adrenaline, fine veins mapped across Kang Jiho’s eyes.

There was a definitive reason he had managed to surpass higher-ranked competitors to claim his position on the official national roster.

He possessed the reckless drive of youth.

And that youthful passion held a far more dangerous, venomous edge.

“Disregard their counterattacks and just CHARGE! It doesn’t matter if you drop—JUST ABSORB THE DAMAGE!”

“What is he—?”

Atsuto was caught completely off guard by the sudden shift in behavior.

His calculated approach had been to utilize the precise swordplay of his Soul Hunter to systematically wear down the opposition without taking unnecessary risks.

Preserving his units’ health meant he could easily sweep through the subsequent challenger as well.

He was a premier ranker from Japan, after all. When matched against Korean underdogs, he fully expected to eliminate at least two or three of them single-handedly, didn’t he?

But.

This reckless maneuver threw a massive wrench into his plans.

“INTERCEPT HIM!”

THWACK!

The Soul Hunter spun on its heel, racing backward in a desperate attempt to execute the berserker before it could reach the rear line.

SCHRRRK!

Yet the offensive power of the Snowflake Berserker’s axe remained a lethal threat.

With freezing gales swirling around its blade, it hacked through the fragile backline summons one after another.

Even though Atsuto’s ranged attackers had successfully whittled the vanguard’s health pool down to a critical 5%, the heavily damaged creature refused to fall, releasing a thunderous roar as steam billowed from its lungs.

— GROOOOOAAAAAH!

The opposing healer’s wings were utterly ruined. The supporter’s magic staff was splintered cleanly into halves.

It may have ultimately been outmatched by the Soul Hunter, but its final contribution had exceeded all expectations.

Surused with a profound sense of accomplishment, the Snowflake Berserker let out a final, triumphant battle cry.

And then.

THUNK.

The Soul Hunter, closing the distance from the blind spot behind it, impaled its blade directly through the vanguard’s throat.

Ha… it’s over.

A definitive loss, but it was a battle fought with absolute honor.

He had delivered a highly commendable performance against a representative from a dominant global powerhouse.

With the anchoring presence of the Snowflake Berserker removed from the field, the remaining elements of his team were cleaned up in short order.

First match conclusion!

Kang Jiho — Defeat vs. Atsuto — Victory!

“Hong Ari, you’re up next.”

Baek Jinwoo stated calmly.

“Understood.”

The second representative to step onto the stage was Hong Ari.

Thud, thud.

She stepped forward onto the arena floor, her expression hardened with absolute resolve.

“…Noona, that opponent is incredibly dangerous. However, I managed to deplete a significant portion of his forces.”

“Understood. You did an excellent job.”

She offered a firm nod as she passed Kang Jiho to take his place.

Jiho sacrificed everything to give us this opening. I absolutely cannot afford to let this match slip away.

Hong Ari had observed Atsuto’s capabilities carefully from the sidelines.

As a result, she understood precisely what kind of monster they were dealing with.

Under normal circumstances…

An individual operating at Kang Jiho’s previous level would never have possessed the capability to neutralize any of Atsuto’s primary summons.

Forget about eliminating the backline healer or support unit—he wouldn’t have even been able to land a single scratch on them.

However, the Jiho standing here today was undeniably a formidable combatant.

He had grown powerful enough to genuinely threaten an elite international ranker like Atsuto.

Our grueling practice sessions have truly borne fruit!

Hong Ari centered her focus and inhaled deeply to steady her racing heart.

The tense line of her shoulders revealed just how immense the pressure truly was.

“Firebird.”

— KREEEEEE!

Her primary, signature summon answered the call—the B-rank Firebird.

FWOOOOSH!

The majestic, flame-enveloped avian entity manifested into the arena, radiating intense heat.

Her opponent was still Atsuto.

While the Firebird was technically considered a lesser variant when compared to a legendary Phoenix (A-rank), within the hierarchy of fire-elemental summons, it still commanded immense respect and authority.

Furthermore, having recently endured a brutal regimen of fundamental conditioning under the direct supervision of Baek Jinwoo, its foundational techniques were incredibly precise.

I will demonstrate it to him.

Hong Ari’s gaze drifted away from Atsuto for a brief moment, locking onto Baek Jinwoo instead.

Baek Jinwoo offered her a subtle, reassuring nod.

Exactly how much my capabilities have expanded.

Hong Ari initiated the engagement without hesitation.

All five of her summons moved forward in perfect synchronization, applying relentless pressure against Atsuto’s depleted unit composition.

Even though he was visibly rattled by the aggression, Atsuto was far too experienced to collapse easily.

KA-KRAKAKAKOOM!

Summons collided violently across the battlefield, explosions of elemental energy detonating in some sectors while chaotic brawls erupted in others—and the final outcome?

It materialized far more rapidly than anyone had anticipated.

Hong Ari — Victory vs. Atsuto — Defeat!

She had managed to clutch out a win by the absolute narrowest of margins.

The Firebird’s beautiful plumage was heavily scorched and torn. The rest of her surviving units were hanging on with less than 10% of their total health pools remaining.

It was true that Atsuto had only been able to field three damaged units for that final stretch…

Regardless, a victory was still an indisputable victory.

“ALRIGHT!”

Hong Ari let out a passionate shout of sheer relief and triumph.

Then, turning her attention toward the opposing dugout, she extended her hand toward the Japanese delegation.

“Send out your next competitor, please.”

“Impressive display.”

The individual stepping forward to represent Japan next was Ryo.

While he hadn’t yet achieved global ranking status, he held the prestigious position of being ranked 9th overall within Japan’s fiercely competitive domestic circuit.

“Who could have guessed that a pair of underdogs would manage to completely eliminate Atsuto.”

Ryo murmured quietly as he materialized his own suite of summons onto the field.

The turn of events was undeniably startling to the spectators.

No matter how unconventional or desperate their strategies had been, the fact remained that just two competitors had successfully taken down a player of Atsuto’s caliber.

To be completely honest, prior to the start of the tournament, the Japanese contingent had been operating under a very specific assumption:

Atsuto will easily dismantle at least three of their players, right?

With a bit of luck, he might just run through their entire roster by himself.

That would be an absolute embarrassment for them. Imagine getting completely wiped out by Atsuto when he isn’t even our top ace, Shusuke.

But it didn’t really matter. That just reflected the mediocre standard of South Korea’s competitive scene, didn’t it?

They had anticipated a dominant opening performance. Instead, their strategic calculus had been completely thrown into disarray right out of the gate.

“Hmm.”

Baek Jinwoo stood near the edge of the arena with his arms crossed over his chest, a look of genuine amusement playing across his features.

They are performing significantly better than I anticipated.

Kang Jiho and Hong Ari.

Both of them had effectively implemented the core mechanics and foundational discipline he had drilled into them during their training.

It appeared they were finally beginning to internalize the philosophy that a duel isn’t determined by the tier or rank of a summon, but rather by the precision of the player’s execution.

If they hadn’t grasped that concept?

They would have been utterly decimated by that Atsuto kid long before Ryo ever had a chance to step into the arena.

“…Master.”

Oh Seonyeong spoke softly from her position right beside him.

“I am genuinely overwhelmed with emotion right now.”

She found herself unable to repress the mounting excitement bubbling up inside her.

After all, who exactly were they competing against today?

An elite nation firmly entrenched within the top five summoning powerhouses on the planet!

She had never dared to imagine such a scenario.

That within such a brief window of instruction, their ragtag group would develop the capabilities required to stand on equal footing with Japan’s elite national representatives.

“Oh, give me a break. Calling it ‘overwhelmed’ is a bit dramatic.”

Pfft.

Baek Jinwoo let out a soft scoff.

“The reality is that all of you, along with these Japanese competitors… are still completely riddled with fundamental flaws in your execution.”

If a minor step forward like this was enough to leave her feeling emotional, then Baek Jinwoo felt his reputation as their instructor was being severely undervalued.

“As things stand right now.”

He shifted his focus toward Ki Jaehyeok and Oh Seonyeong, who were both waiting attentively for their instructions.

“Hong Ari is guaranteed to suffer a total defeat against Ryo.”

It was a statistical certainty.

In all likelihood, she wouldn’t even manage to register a meaningful counterattack against his units.

That was simply the reality of how exhausted her current summons were.

Therefore, one of the remaining pair would need to step up immediately to contest Ryo’s advance.

“Which one of you intends to take the field?”

Since Baek Jinwoo intended to personally anchor the final position on the roster, only one slot remained open—meaning either Oh Seonyeong or Ki Jaehyeok would get the chance to fight.

The real dilemma was determining who would benefit most from receiving this level of high-stakes competitive exposure.

“Let Jaehyeok take this round.”

“Noona?”

“…I’m not an official member of the national squad. Jaehyeok is the one who desperately needs to accumulate live match experience to prepare for the upcoming World League.”

Oh Seonyeong selflessly stepped back to offer Jaehyeok the opportunity.

Baek Jinwoo nodded in approval.

Choosing to defer for the greater good of the team?

An excellent display of maturity.

“As a reward for that decision.”

Baek Jinwoo’s lips curved into a knowing smile.

“I am going to present you with a unique reward later, Seonyeong.”

“…A reward, Master?”

“You’ll find out exactly what it is when the appropriate moment arrives. Jaehyeok.”

“Yes, Hyungnim!”

“You’re fully capable of dismantling a competitor like Ryo, correct?”

“…Ryo?”

Ki Jaehyeok’s eyes widened in sheer astonishment.

Even if Ryo technically occupied the lowest rung on the Japanese national roster, the man was still viewed as an absolute juggernaut by the standards of the South Korean scene.

The viral video showcasing South Korea’s top-ranked player, Kang Geonho, barely managing to overcome Ryo after a grueling, minute-long struggle was still widely circulated across the internet.

That single fact illustrated just how terrifyingly potent a ranker Ryo truly was.

And yet here was Hyungnim, casually referring to him as “someone like Ryo”?

“What’s the matter, are you telling me you don’t have the confidence to win?”

“……”

Gulp!

Ki Jaehyeok swallowed hard, his throat suddenly dry.

If Hyungnim was framing the situation with that level of casual certainty, there simply had to be a concrete justification behind it.

To hell with doubts!

He steeled his resolve and fully committed to the task.

“…I will secure the victory. No matter what it takes.”

Hyungnim was essentially demanding a win from him—what other response could he possibly offer?!

Just find a way to win, damn it!

“Excellent. That is precisely the attitude you need to maintain.”

FWOOOOSH!

Out on the arena floor, the battle was already reaching its natural conclusion.

Hong Ari’s Firebird was visibly flickering out of existence as its energy stores depleted.

Even while engaged in conversation, Baek Jinwoo’s eyes had never stopped analyzing the intricate nuances of Ryo’s summon positioning and micro-management.

His definitive assessment:

Jaehyeok will emerge victorious.

The version of Ki Jaehyeok that Baek Jinwoo observed was nothing short of a natural prodigy.

The young man possessed an innate talent for manipulating summons that closely mirrored Jinwoo’s own capabilities when he was operating at that exact same age.

Provided he strictly adhered to the principles he had been drilled on and avoided making foolish unforced errors?

He possessed the mechanical skill required to edge out a victory against Ryo by a razor-thin margin.

Naturally, if anyone else were to overhear this internal evaluation, they would brand him as completely unhinged.

To confidently dictate the precise outcome of a match before the participants had even engaged one another!

But how could he help it when the theoretical path to victory was so glaringly obvious to his eyes?

It had been the exact same phenomenon back when he participated in the Battle of Summoners.

Simply by observing the initial posture and deployment choices of the players, he could accurately determine the victor long before the countdown timer reached zero.

A brief interval of time elapsed.

The current round reached its predictable conclusion.

The outcome matched his internal calculation perfectly.

Hong Ari — Defeat vs. Ryo — Victory!

“Ki Jaehyeok, you are up.”

“Understood, Hyungnim!”

Fixing his gaze on Ryo, who was currently maintaining a smug, condescending posture after easily sweeping aside Hong Ari’s remaining forces, Ki Jaehyeok confidently stepped across the boundary line into the active combat zone.