Chapter 84

The evening sun dipped below the horizon, giving way to the gathering shadows of night.

Baek Jinwoo made his way up to the flat roof of his residence, lowering himself into a meditative cross-legged posture.

“Pheeew.”

He inhaled a measured, deliberate breath.

“Haaaaa.”

He exhaled the air with the same careful deliberation.

He persisted with these breathing drills, straining to detect any trace of internal energy moving through the energy pathways and lower dantian that Drill Sarge had previously explained to him.

The results remained unchanged.

Was this internal force even a reality?

Granted, it clearly existed because his summoned entities utilized it, but was it truly possible for an actual player to harness it as well?

Skepticism of that sort would be completely expected, yet Jinwoo remained steadfast.

His confidence endured because his ultimate instructor, Drill Sarge, was the one who had imparted this knowledge.

Besides, there was absolutely no reason to rush the process.

The Geoncheongsimgong method was merely a routine he maintained to improve his physical well-being, bolster his endurance, and refine his perception……

The heavy lifting in combat was taken care of by his summons anyway.

As he fell into a steady breathing pattern, random reflections began to surface in his mind.

The foremost thought that emerged centered on Yu Jia.

Man, that woman is truly incredible.

Her internal drive was far more profound than he had initially realized.

He had figured she would be perfectly content with simply expanding Yubaek, but the very moment the topic of forming guilds arose, a fierce spark had ignited in her gaze.

When he suggested a conservative approach of gradually signing ten guild members, she returned a mere few hours later with a comprehensive strategy fully drafted.

Her blueprint involved placing his four disciples alongside the entire leadership of Ilwol under their organization’s banner, and going a step further to occupy all ten positions on the national roster exclusively with SKY members.

It wasn’t a bad strategy whatsoever.

The domestic arena was simply too restrictive to stay confined in anyway.

Once the global tournament concluded, their sights would have to be set on international competition. Consolidating the entire domestic hierarchy under a single dominant guild was a highly strategic initiative.

Furthermore, Jia was the person who would navigate all the administrative headaches.

Jinwoo’s sole responsibility was to select the candidates he approved of for the SKY lineup and consult on their development. That was the extent of it.

Hwang Juwon and Ahn Gijeong.

He had personally provided training to both, and they had proven themselves capable.

While they didn’t possess peerless natural reflexes, they possessed a wealth of veteran experience that made up for it.

In any event, Jia’s perspective on the matter was clear:

Rather than clashing directly with the established roster, they would manipulate public sentiment to remove the four representatives from Baekho Guild from the national squad, opening up a spot for Oh Seonyeong.

As for the remaining three vacancies?

They would conduct open tryouts for the founding members of SKY prior to the organization’s formal debut!

They would invite submissions from the current top-tier rankers!

Yet, would the situation genuinely progress without a hitch?

To be perfectly candid, he harbored some skepticism.

Yubaek would effectively be dictating the entire framework of South Korea’s national roster by itself. This raised obvious issues regarding equity, and he found it hard to believe that the myriad of corporate stakeholders would just sit idly by.

Nevertheless, Jia assured him that he needn’t worry.

She promised that everything would proceed smoothly.

She intended to conduct a formal media briefing the following day regarding the rumors of internal strife, and all he needed to do was adhere precisely to the prepared statement.

A press conference, of all things.

Huuuuu.

A quiet chuckle escaped Jinwoo’s mouth right in the middle of a breath.

He had done nothing more than wake up following a vehicular accident, and his entire existence had been turned upside down.

Wealth? A grand residence? Premium vehicles?

The luxuries he used to look upon with envy were now nothing more than ordinary aspects of his routine.

On occasion, he even found himself pondering:

What if my life actually ended back then, and this reality is paradise……

No.

That couldn’t be it.

Even if that fantasy were true, it wouldn’t alter his reality.

His perceptions were incredibly sharp. The evening breeze felt cool against his skin.

Baek Jinwoo was undeniably anchored in the actual world.

At any rate.

Having an individual as exceptionally sharp as Yu Jia managing his affairs was an immense stroke of luck.

For the time being, he was content to follow her guidance.

The subsequent day.

“Put this on.”

Jia spread out a sharply tailored suit, holding it up against Jinwoo’s frame to check the fit.

“Wow, premium tailoring truly stands apart. The craftsmanship is immediately obvious.”

“What is this for?”

“What do you mean, what for? It’s your attire. You weren’t actually planning to step into a major media event wearing the activewear you use for training, were you?”

“……”

Without offering a counterargument, Jinwoo grasped the formal wear and stepped away to change.

Click!

The door handle turned, and Jinwoo walked out, presenting an appearance that was……

“Oh my.”

Clap clap clap!

Jia broke into enthusiastic applause.

Jinwoo possessed the sort of features that could elevate any garment, but formal suits complemented his build flawlessly.

— As anticipated of my master.

“……Exactly when did you manifest?”

— It had been nearly five full hours, so I returned to replenish my energy reserves, and it just so happens I arrived to view this spectacular sight.

“You’ve been growing increasingly bold with your remarks lately, haven’t you?”

Swoosh!

Jinwoo dismissed Drill Sarge into thin air, only to summon him back a moment later.

Resetting the duration of the manifestation!

The summoned entities referred to this process as “replenishing.”

“In any case, I just need to wear this outfit and read aloud from the prepared statement, correct?”

“That’s right. No taking questions, just deliver the formal announcement. Have you committed the text to memory?”

“Pretty much. It was considerably briefer than I anticipated……”

“Ha, what point is there in dragging it out? Deliver the critical remarks and make your exit.”

He didn’t completely grasp how the entire situation was slated to resolve, but evidently, simply reciting those specific lines would resolve the entire issue.

There was no downside to complying.

Murmur murmur.

Maehwa Hall, a top-tier gathering venue in the heart of Seoul.

The auditorium reserved for the media briefing was completely filled.

The whispers surrounding the national squad’s internal divisions were already the dominant topic across the country, and now the very leader at the center of the controversy, Baek Jinwoo, was presenting himself to speak directly. It was a spectacle no one could afford to miss.

A pair of seats were positioned on the elevated platform.

One was designated for the focal point of the event, Baek Jinwoo, and the other for the host, Yu Jia.

— Audio check, audio check. We are now securing the entrance doors to the auditorium.

Every single credentialed media representative was already in their seat.

With a guaranteed front-page story hanging in the balance, not one journalist was willing to risk arriving past the start time.

A few moments ticked away.

— National squad leader Baek Jinwoo and Yubaek executive Yu Jia will now present their official statement. We request your absolute silence.

The directive vibrated through the audio system, and with a sharp creak, the access door to the stage swung wide.

Click-click-click-click-click!

The rapid firing of camera shutters drowned out all other noise in the hall.

Step. Step.

As Jinwoo and Jia advanced with absolute poise through the storm of flashing white lights, the assembled media could only gaze in fascination.

These were the two most prominent individuals who had completely electrified South Korea over the past months!

Furthermore, their physical presence was undeniably striking.

Man, that’s incredibly striking.

Those two genuinely look like a perfect match, to be completely honest.

They don’t even look like competitive players; they seem more like elite icons at this stage.

The media personnel were South Korean citizens before anything else.

The mind-boggling displays of skill that Jinwoo had put on during the selection trials replayed vividly in their minds.

And some individual had the audacity to voice objections against HIM?

Park Ho is entirely in the wrong here, without a shadow of a doubt.

Park Ho? More like Park the Moron.

Public sentiment had already tipped drastically in a singular direction.

If a journalist took the risk of releasing a piece disparaging Jinwoo?

Not only the individual writer but the entire news organization could face complete ruin. That was the sheer magnitude of influence Baek Jinwoo currently held.

Therefore, what exactly was he preparing to disclose at this gathering?

“A pleasant evening to everyone, I am Yu Jia, Chief Executive of Yubaek.”

Jia grasped the microphone to initiate the proceedings.

“The objective of gathering you here this evening is to state Yubaek’s stance regarding the national squad’s internal friction with absolute clarity. Consequently, we will not be conducting a question-and-answer period.”

“……Pardon me? No media questions?”

“You gather this many press outlets only to pull a stunt like that? Don’t you believe that’s crossing a line?”

A handful of short-tempered journalists voiced their irritation loudly, but Jia paid them no mind.

There was no regulation anywhere stating that a press event required an open forum for questions.

She offered Jinwoo a subtle sign, and he stood up from his seat.

The vocal complaints dissipated instantly as if wiped away by sorcery, and every single gaze locked onto his figure.

Over the course of his journey, Jinwoo had developed an aura of sheer Command that could govern an entire assembly purely through his presence.

“Ah, check.”

Following a brief vocal adjustment, Jinwoo initiated the speech using the exact phrasing Jia had crafted, his delivery steady and resonant.

“Good evening. My name is Baek Jinwoo. First, addressing the friction involving the senior members of Baekho, I will confirm it directly. Regarding my statement that I refuse to cooperate with Baekho Guild moving forward, I trust that everyone here understands the circumstances.”

Owing to the intense PR campaign that preceded this moment, the populace was already aware of the core details.

They understood what grievances Park Ho had voiced, and the reasons Jinwoo had halted his training assistance for Baekho.

The general public could comprehend that aspect.

However.

The documentation of the backroom maneuvering Park Ho had directed following those events, combined with recorded accounts from firsthand witnesses, was more than enough to plunge him into irreversible disgrace.

“The World League represents an arena so brutally competitive that even ten competitors operating in absolute harmony might only secure a passable outcome. Consequently, when I witnessed him executing political games behind closed doors, I simply could not bring myself to suggest that we join forces.”

Precisely. Completely accurate.

A large majority of the media representatives nodded their heads in collective agreement.

“Therefore, I wish to present an alternative.”

An alternative?

What sort of alternative?

The camera shutters erupted into a frenzied rhythm once more.

“Utilizing my rightful discretion as team captain, I intend to overhaul the national team lineup.”

“Overhaul the national roster?”

“Is he planning to purge every single member associated with Baekho?”

“……Taking things to that extreme?”

As anxious whispers spread across the auditorium, a composed smile appeared on Jinwoo’s face.

“If this adjustment is permitted, I will wager my title and every resource at Yubaek’s disposal to guarantee a placement in the final four or higher in this upcoming World League.”

“……!”

T-the final four?!

Stunned silence gripped the entire room.

This declaration by itself was an absolute media bombshell!

“……South Korea, a squad that failed to advance past the initial knockout phase and consistently suffered elimination during the qualifying brackets, reaching the final four?”

“Is such a feat even remotely achievable? With a mere three months remaining before the tournament commences?”

“That isn’t a result a single individual can achieve on their own strength, regardless of how peerless they might be……”

The populace remained unaware of the true boundaries of Baek Jinwoo’s capabilities.

Yet, one reality was beyond dispute.

He stood as the apex combatant in the entire country!

And for this iteration of the World League, they had no choice but to place all their chips on him!

Honestly, Baekho Guild hadn’t accomplished anything of note over the preceding three years regardless!

“That concludes my statement. I will leave the ultimate conclusion to the citizens of this country.”

The legal discretion to assemble the national roster technically remained with the Player Administration Bureau.

Yet, even the administrative leaders could not disregard the will of the populace.

Because they occupied public, elected seats.

Good grief, this is monumental.

What an intimidating individual. He grasps the country’s desperate craving for international success better than anyone else.

Frankly, who gives a damn if the Baekho representatives are on the squad or not? If a superior talent pledges to deliver results, that’s nothing but a benefit for all of us.

Taken to its logical extreme, there were countless citizens in South Korea who would openly declare they wouldn’t mind if a convicted felon were placed on the national squad, provided they secured a spot in the knockout stages.

The entire nation’s economic momentum oscillated based on their standings in the World League.

This was a matter of basic economic survival.

South Korea was desperate for a win.

The media event concluded as a massive triumph.

The feed had been broadcast live across the nation, and the public sentiment was overwhelmingly supportive.

“Those Baekho clowns. They get thoroughly embarrassed on the international stage and then spend every day walking around like they own the place. Good riddance to them.”

“Seriously. Of all the individuals to provoke. You don’t try to bring down a national savior.”

“Jinwoo was the one spearheading the dungeon suppressions, so from my perspective, the guy can do no wrong. I’m backing him regardless of the issue.”

“Agreed. Because of Jinwoo, I finally managed to sleep peacefully for the first time in a long while. Let’s cast Baekho aside this year, shall we?”

“If we genuinely break into the top four, that would be absolutely legendary.”

The dominant opinion across the board was: Let our Jinwoo execute whatever plan he sees fit!

Excellent.

Jia clenched her fist tightly and pumped it in celebration.

The entire situation was progressing precisely down the track she had mapped out.

Granted, she and her corporate team had exerted considerable effort in directing the initial waves of public opinion, but that was standard operating procedure for everyone, wasn’t it?

Beep, beep-beep!

Jia had just concluded her business at the administrative building and was on the verge of entering her personal vehicle when—

THOOM!

A terrifying entity boasting sharp, sword-like appendages for hands slammed downward directly in front of the car.

“Huh?”

It was a summon she recognized instantly.

“Hey there.”

From the shadows close by, four high-ranking members of Baekho stepped into view.

Kang Geonho stood there, silent and grim, appearing lost in his own thoughts.

And alongside him were Park Ho and the remaining two senior members.

“Don’t you think the two of us have some matters to discuss?”

Park Ho’s lips twitched violently, struggling to contain an intense, burning fury.