Chapter 8

Chapter 8:

“Greetings. I am Park Changseok, a Councilman with Player HQ.”

The man with the heavy beard reached forward with an enormous hand.

Out of sheer muscle memory, Baek Jinwoo gripped it.

“Oh, right. Hello.”

“Please forgive the abruptness from before. Regardless, your assistance allowed us to neutralize a highly dangerous terrorist.”

“No, don’t mention it.”

In reality, survival had been my only goal.

As Jinwoo rubbed the back of his neck, a broad grin spread across the bearded man’s face.

“If you don’t mind me asking, which specific group are you associated with as a player?”

“Pardon?”

“Oh, you aren’t part of a guild? Since I’ve never run into you around headquarters… you must operate as a free agent.”

A free agent?

Is he referring to professional sports or something?

“Uh…”

What is the right response here?

As a complete novice who hadn’t even gone through registration yet, he was suddenly being questioned about team alignments and free agency.

This was turning into quite an awkward situation.

“I know it might feel like an invasion of privacy to request personal details, but this is necessary so headquarters can allocate your rightful reward.”

“A reward?”

Jinwoo’s interest was instantly piqued.

He was currently lacking in absolutely every category.

He possessed no cash, no runes, and zero summoning scrolls.

He simply wasn’t in a position to turn down handouts from anyone willing to provide them.

“Haha, indeed. You essentially preserved my life, and you assisted in neutralizing those criminals. Providing a reward is the least we can do. Still, we are required to validate your identity first. I trust you understand the policy.”

Park Changseok had no alternative.

Securing authorizations from headquarters demanded following proper paperwork and standard protocols.

“The thing is… I haven’t actually gone through the registration process with headquarters yet. Will that be an issue?”

Changseok’s eyes widened in surprise.

The individual who had just rescued him with a single piece of tactical guidance—saving a C-rank summoner like himself—was completely unregistered?

He scrutinized Jinwoo with an expression full of doubt.

Jinwoo, however, remained entirely unbothered.

He possessed zero secrets to hide.

Well, I suppose such cases exist.

Perhaps he was simply an inactive player throughout the previous year.

The legislation had only gone into effect during the current year, meaning these anomalies did surface from time to time.

“Hmm, do you at least possess your national identity card?”

Provided they obtained his basic identification details, pulling up his background profile would be simple.

“Yes, it’s right here.”

Swish.

Retrieving his wallet, Jinwoo extracted his national identity card and extended it.

He had originally thought about just walking away, but since a reward was on the table, why walk away empty-handed?

It made more sense to cooperate.

Declining at this stage would only make him look suspicious.

After snapping a photo of the card, the bearded man offered a polite bow.

“My gratitude once again. As soon as the background check clears, your reward will be processed according to our internal regulations.”

“Oh, is that so?”

“Yes.”

The bearded man offered another warm expression.

The location where Jinwoo and the remaining civilians had just departed.

CLATTER CRASH!

“Senior!”

“Are you unharmed, Senior?!”

The response squad from headquarters had finally arrived on the scene.

The distress signal had been triggered an eternity ago.

“Hey, you blockheads,” Changseok barked.

“An incident of this magnitude occurs right under headquarters’ nose, and you take this long to show up? What on earth were you lagging behind for? A total pack of incompetent fools.”

“W-we apologize!”

“The situation here has already been completely resolved. Secure the perimeter and handle the cleanup yourselves.”

“What is the status of the terrorist?”

“Dealt with.”

Changseok shifted his gaze to the side.

His C-rank Woodman was currently trimming its own roots with a look of immense gratification.

“Turned him into fertilizer for my summon.”

“Wh—are you serious?”

“If you harbor any doubts, go review the surveillance footage. Do you have any idea how many bystanders witnessed it?”

“Haha, fair point.”

“Right.”

Changseok gave a distracted reply.

The image of that young man remained stubborn in his mind, refusing to fade away.

— That isn’t the problem. The execution window for Flame Tortoise’s ability is completely mistimed, can’t you see?

— The support units backing up that Bloodstained Orc are maintaining Fire Resistance. If you trigger your ability at this moment, what do you think the outcome will be…?

In that exact moment of absolute peril.

With a terrifying lack of panic, almost as if he were relaxing, the young man had mapped out the perfect strategy.

Furthermore, he possessed exact knowledge regarding the titles of the summons and their attributes—Flame Tortoise, Bloodstained Orc, Fire Resistance.

Yet he was a player who hadn’t even bothered to register.

No matter how many times I review it, something doesn’t add up.

Brring brring!

Changseok punched in a contact number.

It connected to a subordinate working within the intelligence department.

“I just forwarded a captured image to you, understood?”

“Mm-hm. The name is Baek Jinwoo. Run a complete background check on him for me.”

Upon exiting the coffee shop, Jinwoo made a quick stop at a local bakery to pick up a handful of cream-filled pastries.

Following that, he made his way toward an isolated section of a nearby public park, ensuring he was shielded from public scrutiny.

“You are free to speak now.”

— Phew, PHEWWW!

The charming Ramba had clearly been restraining herself for far too long, unleashing a succession of heavy gasps.

— I genuinely believed I would perish from remaining silent! So this is the exact feeling people describe when they say they are bursting to speak!

“You performed admirably by staying quiet. Here, have some bread.”

— KYAAAA! CREAM-FILLED PASTORIES!

As a matter of fact, baked goods were the absolute top preference for the Wind Fairy.

Particularly pastries loaded with whipped cream.

“Consider this a reward for your good behavior. Continue acting like this, and I will obtain even more for you.”

— ABSOLUTE BLISS! Nom nom!

Chomp chomp chomp!

The miniature fairy began inhaling the pastry as though she were completely possessed.

Exactly how that volume of food settled within her tiny frame remained an absolute enigma.

In any case.

Ramba was exceptionally straightforward to manage.

She displayed none of the friction between master and summon that was practically standard across the board. A single sweet pastry solved every potential issue.

Naturally, discovering that cream-filled bread was her ultimate weakness had required a significant amount of trial and error.

Everything should turn out fine, right?

He had possessed zero desire to get involved, but absolute survival had forced his hand.

If complications arose because of it, he would simply navigate the fallout when it arrived.

“Hah.”

Jinwoo exhaled a brief breath.

He needed to initiate his hunting phase, and without delay.

The reality of this game brought to life was far more intricate than he had anticipated.

At the very least, the original game didn’t feature chaotic terrorists or a governing body regulating every minor detail.

Step one was to complete registration, followed by accumulating as many summoning scrolls as he could possibly acquire.

Among the specific summons Jinwoo had once commanded, a grand total of ten had been completely wiped out due to the balance adjustment patch.

Wind Fairy, Drill Instructor, Storm Dragon Sorcerer, Little Giant, Dhampir, Gale Slaughterer, Rune Dwarf, Aso, Demon Cat, Armageddon Dragon…

The exact level of absurdity each one possessed would become apparent when the time was right.

His immediate targets: Drill Instructor and Storm Dragon Sorcerer.

Drill Instructor occupied the E-rank tier, while Storm Dragon Sorcerer sat at D-rank.

This meant that if he tore through a sufficient volume of basic-tier summoning scrolls, he was bound to pull them eventually.

As for Little Giant and the ones above it, they were all classified as C-rank or greater, meaning basic scrolls wouldn’t be enough to summon them.

— Phew! Finished at last! Much appreciated, Jinwoo! Do you realize how much time has passed since I last tasted real bread?!

“Yes, I get it.”

— So what is our next objective?

“What do you think? Now that you’ve eaten, it’s time to put in some work.”

For context, summons were capable of undergoing training.

Regardless of how exceptional their initial rank might be, a summon left untrained would never increase its power.

In Ramba’s specific scenario, she was required to develop her upper-body strength.

That was the only way she could increase the swing velocity of her magical staff.

“You already know how this works. Given your current speed of execution, you can forget about the Tower of Trials Floor 10—you wouldn’t even manage to clear Floor 1.”

— Hmph! So that was your hidden motive for feeding me pastries!

“We’re doing this as a team. Let’s begin.”

Jinwoo tightened his fists and transitioned into a standard physical preparation routine.

He performed squats, jumping jacks, and push-ups, followed by executing quick, agile footwork drills.

He rotated his core, meticulously verifying the condition of every joint and muscle group.

No matter what path I pursue, the physical vessel must remain unbreakable.

Spending three consecutive years confined to a hospital mattress had completely decimated his physical frame. He was required to systematically restore all of it.

Cardiovascular endurance was equally vital.

A lack of stamina meant an inability to sustain extended operations, causing his mental clarity to rapidly deteriorate.

Peak physical condition served as the core foundation for any top-tier ranker.

Whoosh, whoosh!

Right alongside the training Jinwoo, Ramba began mirroring his movements, swinging her miniature staff in a highly amusing fashion.

— Regarding that individual named Baek Jinwoo you instructed me to investigate.

“Go ahead.”

— He is currently listed as an unregistered player. Furthermore, his records indicate a three-year period of hospitalization resulting from a motor vehicle accident.

“What?”

Changseok’s forehead creased deeply as he absorbed the data being conveyed over the line.

“Are your sources verified? A three-year timeline places his accident precisely around the period when the global shift occurred.”

The exact date when the entirety of mankind experienced their Awakening.

— Confirmed. He was only discharged from medical care very recently. What stands out is that he filed his player registration paperwork almost immediately upon his release.

What?

Changseok’s gaze shifted dramatically. He reached into his satchel and extracted a dense binder of paperwork.

The official roster for the player registration queue.

Propping the phone securely against his shoulder, he moistened his thumb and began flipping through the sheets until his eyes locked onto the target page.

It was Baek Jinwoo’s official intake application.

“Well, look at that.”

— Sir, did you uncover an issue?

“No, it’s nothing of the sort. Which evaluator is designated for the current cycle?”

— That would be Evaluator Oh Areum.

“Oh Areum? The introductory session takes place tomorrow morning, correct?”

— Correct, the registration window closed today.

“Inform the department that I will be personally overseeing this specific case.”

— Sir?

“Don’t press for details.”

— Understood.

Something about this scenario felt highly unusual.

Spending three full years isolated in a medical ward, only to instantly apply for registration the second he walks out.

On top of that, he displayed an incredibly sophisticated understanding of summoning mechanics.

The explanation had to be one of two possibilities.

The individual was either an absolute prodigy, or he belonged to the category of gamers.

A gamer.

The specific designation reserved for those who had dedicated themselves to the title 「Battle of Summoners」 prior to the real-world Awakening.

Whether their playtime spanned a full year or a mere three months, they were universally classified as gamers.

Within the ranks of the current elite players, the percentage of former gamers neared a staggering seventy percent.

An absolutely dominant statistical presence.

Changseok’s primary ambition in life had always been to locate raw talent capable of elevating South Korea’s standing on the world stage.

To discover the definitive champion who could extricate the country from its constant bottom-tier placement within Player vs Player competitions.

And right now.

His intuition was loudly screaming that Baek Jinwoo practically radiated an exceptional level of capability.

No. Keep your expectations in check.

Nothing had been definitively proven at this stage.

He would simply attend the session tomorrow and re-establish contact with him.

The hand holding the registration profiles clamped down with increased force.

The following morning.

[Greetings, Baek Jinwoo. This message is from Player HQ.]

[You are requested to assemble at Player HQ Auditorium 3 no later than 9:00 AM.]

[Location Map Attached.]

[Itinerary Attached.]

Upon receiving the notification, Jinwoo made his way to the headquarters building, arriving ten minutes ahead of schedule.

An immense gathering of people had already swarmed the venue.

Perhaps around a thousand candidates in total?

His schedule involved completing the introductory briefing alongside this crowd, followed by taking the written assessment and the practical evaluation.

And after that phase?

He would participate in three distinct bouts during the player combat tournament scheduled for the end of the month. His sole objective was to achieve a performance score high enough to secure a spot within the top fifty slots.

That specific milestone would finally grant him his official player credentials and authorize his entry into dungeons.

He located an open position and took a seat.

“Hahaha, throughout the old days, everyone referred to me as the Dungeon Killer! The only reason I bypassed the automated registration window was because I stepped away for a brief hiatus, that’s all. Keep your eyes on me—I’m taking the number one registration spot this cycle.”

“Seriously, this piece of legislation is quite something, isn’t it? My personal summon is rated at C-rank. Why do I even need to sit through an introductory briefing? If I genuinely applied myself, I could easily reach ranker status.”

“If I had anticipated that things would shift in this direction, I would have spent the entirety of last year clearing out dungeons.”

“I actually spent some time playing BoS during my younger years.”

“BoS? You mean Battle of Summoners?! Seriously, you were an actual gamer?”

“Yeah, haha. Though I only stuck with it for about a month before walking away…”

“Even so, that’s incredible… the common consensus is that former gamers possess superior combat efficiency.”

The prospective players were mingling, exchanging introductions and elevating their own reputations through grand claims.

Then again, perhaps their words weren’t entirely empty boasting.

The majority of the crowd genuinely appeared to possess some degree of background knowledge.

There was a visible comfort in their postures, an undeniable air of self-assurance.

Hmm.

This situation.

Could this process turn out to be… slightly more demanding than anticipated?

He would first need to observe the specific structure of the evaluation metrics.

No, it doesn’t matter.

Who exactly was Baek Jinwoo in this context?

Ilcheon.

The single entity recognized as the absolute pinnacle of the Battle of Summoners community—none other than the legendary JinuGod!

Was there anyone alive capable of rivaling his depth of comprehension in this field?

For all practical purposes, absolutely no one.

A period of time slipped by.

Tap. Tap-tap!

The distinct audio check of a microphone reverberated across the expanse of the auditorium.

— Testing, is the entire group assembled?

An individual standing at the front stage initiated the address.

— It is a pleasure to welcome you all. I am Park Changseok, acting as your primary evaluator on behalf of headquarters.

Huh?

That specific man!

Jinwoo’s eyes widened instantly in recognition.

He was operating as an evaluator?

The orientation segment itself turned out to be incredibly straightforward.

It covered entirely rudimentary concepts.

For an individual who had previously occupied the number-one spot on the global leaderboard, the presentation material could not have been more monotonous.

The vast majority of fusion protocols and tactical frameworks that current top-tier rankers were actively researching had been originally developed by Jinwoo himself during his past gaming career.

Furthermore, he had only ever made public the methodologies that were simplistic enough for the general populace to eventually deduce on their own. The truly revolutionary strategic data remained locked securely within his own mind.

Naturally so.

Battle of Summoners had functioned as a highly intense competitive environment.

There was zero logical incentive to hand over vital tactical data and specialized expertise to competing high-tier rankers.

Granted, when it came to the Five Emperors—he had maintained a close enough relationship with them to occasionally guide them through complex progression hurdles.

That was the absolute limit of his sharing.

The authentic core knowledge, the precise formulations that had elevated him to the status of Ilcheon, had never been disclosed to another soul.

Incredibly tedious.

Right as the introductory session concluded, an announcement granted a one-hour window for a midday break.

“Pardon me.”

An individual wearing the uniform of the facility staff navigated toward Jinwoo and called out to him.

“Um… the presiding evaluator has requested your presence for a brief moment.”