Chapter 73

The Arena configurations were finally set.

As the clock counted down, the four students quickly took up their positions.

Their opponent was none other than Drill Sarge.

A terrifying entity comparable to a high-level raid boss.

“Prepare yourselves!”

“Fanning out, left and right sides!”

Ki Jaehyeok and Oh Seonyeong commanded their goblins and wolves to advance toward both flanks.

Whoosh!

Hong Ari sent her B-rank Firebird soaring down the middle lane.

Meanwhile, Kang Jiho refrained from bringing forth his primary offensive summon.

Every single one of his five active entities was entirely focused on healing and defensive enhancements!

His strategy was clear: play a pure support role to amplify the offensive power of his three comrades.

– …….

On the other side of the field.

Drill Sarge remained motionless.

His weapon stayed resting in its sheath.

The second the clock struck zero—

“ADVANCE!”

“Overwhelm him together!”

“Keep the enhancements flowing! Cast healing magic even if health is full!”

The collective summons of the four students charged forward simultaneously toward Drill Sarge.

Indeed.

Hong Ari squeezed her fists tight, focusing all her attention on directing her Firebird.

Regardless of Drill Sarge being an absolute monster, there was no way he could cleanly deflect an onslaught of THAT scale.

Twenty distinct summons. A massive group of twenty.

Furthermore, these weren’t ordinary creatures; they were entities controlled by the absolute highest-ranking players in South Korea.

This was an issue of personal pride.

Hong Ari thought to herself.

Couldn’t they manage to take Hyungnim down a notch, just this once?

Ki Jaehyeok and Kang Jiho harbored identical thoughts.

Clinging to that tiny thread of optimism, they maneuvered their forces with immaculate accuracy.

However.

Ching!

The instant Drill Sarge gripped his hilt and slowly slid the steel out, an icy realization washed over everyone that things were about to go horribly wrong.

RUMBLEEEEE…!

A suffocating shockwave of pure aura blasted outward from his position, instantly freezing every single advancing creature in its tracks.

“What is this…?”

“Ugh?!”

Even the players themselves gasped for air.

The sheer intensity rolling off Drill Sarge’s frame squeezed the breath right out of their lungs and paralyzed their limbs.

If the players—who couldn’t even wield internal ki—were paralyzed by this atmospheric pressure, what hope did the summons have?

– Kiirrrrr……

– SCREECH!

The charging beasts completely lost their fighting spirit from the aura alone.

Snapping out of their tamers’ commands, they began backing away in terror.

– ……!

Drill Sarge offered no leniency.

His master had explicitly commanded him to reveal his true capabilities, and Drill Sarge himself was eager to gauge the extent of his newfound strength.

BOOM!

He sprang effortlessly into the air.

He began concentrating every ounce of his internal energy straight into the edge of his blade.

The entire process took a mere single second.

CRACK-SNAP-CRACK……!

The gathered energy grew so dense that the atmosphere began to fracture, producing a relentless tearing sound.

Following that.

Drill Sarge swung his blade downward in a straight, central arc.

Two seconds.

KABOOM!

The arena floor turned completely upside down with a earth-shattering explosion.

The stone tile blasted into fragments, and dense walls of debris completely blinded the players.

Immediately following.

[All summons belonging to player ‘Hong Ari’ have been unsummoned.]

[All summons belonging to player ‘Ki Jaehyeok’ have been unsummoned.]

[All summons belonging to player ‘Kang Jiho’ have been unsummoned.]

[All summons belonging to player ‘Oh Seonyeong’ have been unsummoned.]

And that concluded it!

With the bout instantly resolved, the system automatically warped the players back out to the exterior.

Collapsing onto the floor of the Arena lounge, they could only stare blankly at one another.

“……What in the world just happened?”

Hong Ari spoke up, her face completely pale.

“A single vertical strike. That was honestly all it took?”

It defied logic!

How could anyone possibly defeat a summoned entity of THAT caliber?!

This crossed the line into sheer absurdity!

She narrowed her vision, scanning the immediate area.

Every face around her reflected the exact same shock.

They were undoubtedly sharing identical thoughts.

“Haha, wow. This is honestly just comical.”

Ki Jaehyeok shook his head, letting out a hollow laugh.

“To think we actually believed we stood a chance against such an absolute monster, even for a brief moment……”

“Right? Our Master isn’t praised as JinuGod without good reason.”

Oh Seonyeong flashed a melancholic smirk.

“It makes total sense why the renowned Five Emperors treat him with such caution.”

“Even so, it still doesn’t register in my head. Regardless of his JinuGod status, he practically just started his journey as an active player not too long ago…… Yet the four of us combined got absolutely obliterated without landing a scratch? Not to mention that Drill Sarge just now. Good heavens.”

Ki Jaehyeok chuckled.

It defied all logic, certainly.

Yet Baek Jinwoo possessed a knack for turning the impossible into reality.

Thud. Thud.

Baek Jinwoo, emerging as the undisputed champion, walked out of the portal last.

He checked the timer with a perfectly relaxed demeanor.

“Exactly two seconds, right? Any complaints?”

“……”

The disciples pouted their lips in unison.

That insufferable guy!

If he intended to finish it like this from the start, why act so benevolent by offering them a ten-second head start?!

Had he offered three seconds instead, they might have at least felt like they were within arm’s reach……

“Change those expressions, everyone.”

Baek Jinwoo flashed a knowing grin.

He was feeling spectacularly happy at this very moment.

Witnessing the sheer magnitude of Trinity’s capability firsthand had far surpassed his grandest calculations.

“I have excellent updates for each of you. Let’s start with Oh Seonyeong.”

“Yes, Master.”

“Step over here for a brief chat.”

Baek Jinwoo gestured for Oh Seonyeong to follow him.

The Rune Dwarf.

He had dedicated a massive amount of mental energy toward maximizing the utility of that ridiculously broken summon.

As it stood, the entity was creating runes for members of Arirang, Baekho, Ilwol, and Carpe Diem utilizing its basic Craft ability.

However, the true potential of the Rune Dwarf was locked behind Masterwork Crafting.

That particular expertise remained stuck at level 1.

Advancing its level demanded the production of a massive quantity of runes, and the necessary components were incredibly steep.

They consisted largely of premium resources sourced exclusively from the Tower of Trials, and the volume required was staggering.

Initially, a specific concept had crossed his mind.

What if I simply acquire all the components utilizing a massive fortune, manufacture non-stop, and trade the final products away?

Upon deeper reflection, however, that seemed like a flawed approach.

Exceptional runes were strictly limited-run items.

Unbelievably valuable—and he was going to distribute those to complete outsiders?

Premium assets belonged in the hands of his inner circle.

Executing it that way ensured his factions grew more formidable, establishing a secure perimeter to protect his personal interests.

[Displaying list of producible Masterwork items.]

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

These comprised the specific categories of runes he was capable of manufacturing at present.

Baek Jinwoo’s attention was firmly fixed on the Howling (Rare) variant.

[Rune]

[Grade: Supreme-rank (Rare)]

– Limited to a global total of 100.

[Set Bonus: Howling]

– Equipping 6 pieces: STR +200%, AGI +200%, HP +10,000.

– When utilized by a wolf-type summon, triggers the unique effect ‘Howling.’ Upon activation, the attributes of all friendly wolves are doubled. (Cannot be stacked.)

[Level: 1]

[Attribute Upgrades]

STR +12%, AGI +12%, Critical Rate +10%, Critical Damage +20%

Evaluating it solely by its stat modifications, this specific rune was completely tailor-made for Oh Seonyeong.

Given that her roster consisted entirely of wolves, if she managed to outfit a single beast with the Howling set?

Every wolf under her command would inherit that massive attribute multiplier.

“W-what exactly is this?”

Perplexed as to why she had been singled out, Oh Seonyeong’s eyes dilated with a blend of excitement and nervousness.

Baek Jinwoo had just slid a parchment containing the rune’s detailed metrics across to her.

“Examine it. This is a Howling rune that the Rune Dwarf can construct. It’s essentially a custom blueprint for your build.”

“……Ah!”

Oh Seonyeong’s hands began to quake.

Her focus sharpened instantly.

Throughout more than three years of active play, she had never even conceived that a rune of this caliber could exist.

And how could she have?

With only a hundred available across the entire globe, and players utilizing canine summons as their primary offensive engine being an extreme rarity.

“Is it genuinely possible for you to manufacture this?”

“It is, though the raw materials required are incredibly demanding.”

“Name the items! I will secure them regardless of the cost!”

The typically stoic features of Oh Seonyeong’s face had completely softened.

Wow.

She was actually capable of making a look like that?

Baek Jinwoo observed her expression with genuine fascination.

Perhaps realizing he was staring.

“M-my apologies.”

Oh Seonyeong lowered her gaze toward the floor.

As a point of reference, she was twenty-eight years old.

Exactly one year older than Baek Jinwoo.

“Don’t worry about it. There’s zero reason to apologize. But are you absolutely confident you can pull this off?”

He pulled out an additional parchment and extended it forward.

This document detailed the necessary components.

Oh Seonyeong’s vision blurred as she scanned the requirements.

Lunar Essence ×100, World Tree Root ×10, supreme-grade Wolf Rune ×100, supreme-grade Roar Rune ×100.

Completely nuts.

Both Lunar Essence and World Tree Roots could only be acquired as clearing rewards from the Tower of Trials.

Consequently, their market value was exorbitant, and they rarely ever hit public trading boards.

A multitude of top-tier players simply stockpiled them on the slim chance they might find a use for them down the line.

Furthermore, acquiring Wolf Runes and Roar Runes on top of that?

Those particular items were notoriously scarce drops even within the supreme-grade Day Dungeon.

The Wolf Rune, specifically, was a piece Oh Seonyeong had personally designated as her ultimate end-game target.

And he needed a hundred of each?

“Just so you know, those quantities are required for a single rune. To unlock the full set bonus, you’ll need to multiply that list by six.”

“……That is completely overwhelming.”

Oh Seonyeong swallowed with difficulty.

Overwhelming, certainly.

Yet far from impossible.

This was a hurdle she absolutely had to clear if she intended to elevate her capabilities any further.

If anything, she could only feel immense gratitude that he was presenting her with this path.

“I am deeply grateful, Master. I will gather every single required item.”

A sharp spark of ambition returned to Oh Seonyeong’s eyes.

“Phew.”

Baek Jinwoo let out a measured breath.

Another three-hour session completed today.

Concluding his daily routine with Geoncheongsimgong (乾淸心功), the esoteric breathing system that Drill Sarge had instructed him to practice.

Yet, there were still no concrete advancements to show for it.

He remained unable to comprehend what true “breathing” actually entailed, and the concept of directing internal ki across the Three Meridians remained an absolute riddle.

According to Drill Sarge’s instructions, if he persisted without stopping, he would eventually detect a spark of warmth deep within his core……

Once that spark ignited, Drill Sarge would step in to guide the flow and force a comprehensive circulation throughout his body.

“Ah, the weather is fantastic.”

Baek Jinwoo pushed himself up and cracked his spine after wrapping up his meditation.

The calendar had already shifted into the middle of September.

The heat of summer had dissipated, replaced by a crisp, chilly airflow.

The transition to autumn signaled that the global tournament known as the World League was rapidly closing in.

It was definitely a topic worth pondering.

If he threw his hat into the ring for the World League, how high could he climb?!

His personal assessment? He was aiming squarely for the championship title.

What roster could genuinely halt the combined force of Drill Sarge, Ramba, and Rolly at this point in time?

He couldn’t even visualize an opponent capable of doing so.

Especially considering that Drill Sarge and Ramba had already been outfitted with their absolute ultimate end-game runes.

Looking at it from that angle?

The likelihood of South Korea becoming a prime target for international coordination and political bullying skyrocketed.

The younger version of Baek Jinwoo had detested academic studies, but he had always possessed a deep fascination with historical narratives.

And looking back at global history, what was the fate of undefended territories?

They were pushed around by global superpowers, stripped of resources as vassal states……

Forced to swallow bitter, soul-crushing degradation.

This current strength still isn’t sufficient.

Relying solely on Drill Sarge wouldn’t cut it.

If Baek Jinwoo wanted to completely overshadow the legendary legacy of the former JinuGod?

Stormy.

He absolutely had to unlock the hidden talent of the Storm Dragon Sorcerer: Devour.

– Devour: Every instance a major boss entity is eliminated via Dragon Burst, the baseline output of Dragon Burst receives a permanent amplification.

The second he unlocked that function and manufactured a maximum-payload Dragon Burst through tireless tactical farming?

Not a single soul across the globe would dare to cross him.

“Drill Sarge.”

– Standing by, my lord.

Shhk!

Drill Sarge, who had been practicing forms by himself across the training grounds, materialized the very millisecond his name was uttered.

Incidents like this constantly drove the point home.

An incomparably devoted follower.

“How exactly did you manage to unlock Stormy’s hidden talent back in the day?”

Baek Jinwoo lacked a comprehensive understanding of the specifics.

During that period, it hadn’t manifested in physical reality—they were merely digital sprites interacting across a touch screen.

Out of nowhere one afternoon, Drill Sarge had successfully unlocked the ability known as Devour……

And the sole detail remaining in his memory was that the developers had completely patched it out of existence during a balancing update shortly afterward.

– Regarding Stormy, you inquire……?

Drill Sarge paused.

His posture stiffened slightly.

It appeared as though he was deeply hesitant to answer.

“What is it? Speak plainly.”

Yet when his master commanded it, absolute transparency was the core of Drill Sarge’s programming.

– The reality of the matter is…… she must survive an absolute brush with mortality.

“A brush with mortality? That’s a simple fix.”

We’re talking about Stormy, after all.

Getting wiped out and sent back to the summon pool was practically a daily ritual for her.

– It does not apply to Stormy. The summoner…… Meaning you, my lord, must personally survive a brush with absolute death.

……

Say what?