Chapter 86

Chapter 86: I Alone Am an EX-Class Summoner

Tightening his grip!

Obeying Baek Jinwoo’s command, Drill Sarge adjusted the grueling tendon-ripping, bone-crushing technique back to a full ten minutes.

— That wailing is giving me a headache.

Irritated by the racket, the summon proceeded to strike their vocal pressure points to silence them completely.

Park Ho and his high-ranking associates were suddenly unable to release even a whimper of their intense torment.

“……”

An abrupt quietude consumed the surroundings. Kang Geonho swallowed roughly.

This defied all logic.

How on earth could someone cultivate a summoned beast like this? Exactly what kinds of mystical runes had to be embedded to yield that magnitude of strength?

Those three individuals had been his fellow faction members just moments ago.

Because of that shared history, he understood intimately how formidable they were and how grueling it was to face them.

When he had chosen to stand against them to protect his principles, he had fully braced himself to perish.

Yet Drill Sarge had utterly demolished all three with a solitary motion.

It didn’t even qualify as a battle.

It resembled a man casually striking a bothersome insect out of midair—one swift hit, and it was finished.

So this was the legendary power of JinuGod?

Park Ho had never stood a chance from the very beginning.

In all honesty, he had never envisioned the disparity would be this astronomical.

Park Ho himself had calculated Baek Jinwoo’s maximum capability to be that of an upper-tier, next-generation international competitor at best.

Had he realized the man already possessed this degree of dominion?

Forget about staging a rebellion—he would have been groveling on his hands and knees like a servant from the first moment.

“Kang Geonho.”

The instant Baek Jinwoo addressed him, Geonho’s throat went dry.

Without his realizing it, a freezing perspiration had completely drenched the fabric of his shirt.

“Y-yes……”

“I am placing these individuals in your custody. When the ten minutes expire, deliver them directly to central command.”

“To central command?”

As a point of order, standard societal offenses were processed by regular law enforcement, whereas player misconduct fell under the explicit jurisdiction of HQ.

“I will be forwarding the gathered proof alongside them. They are facing charges of conspiracy to commit assassination.”

“Ah, understood, sir! Right away.”

Kang Geonho was thirty-three years old. Baek Jinwoo was merely twenty-seven.

Nonetheless, Geonho addressed him with absolute, formal deference.

After witnessing Drill Sarge’s display, even an octogenarian would have adopted the exact same posture.

“Hah.”

Baek Jinwoo observed Geonho standing as rigid as a taut wire, then exhaled a slow breath.

None of this culpability belonged to Kang Geonho.

He had reviewed the recordings.

Every single offense had been orchestrated under the explicit guidance of Park Ho. The remaining high-ranking players had merely capitalised on the situation for personal benefit.

Geonho had committed no wrongdoing, by his estimation.

“Aside from that matter—I appreciate you stepping forward to defend Yu Jia.”

“Please, there is no need. If anything, I owe an apology. I detected the warning signs and ought to have pushed back harder, but I faltered.”

Truthfully, he had attempted to deter them on several occasions.

The issue was the others refused to listen.

In reality, part of his motivation for accompanying them was the anxiety that they would lose control and cause a catastrophe without his presence.

Baek Jinwoo gave a slow nod.

“In the beginning, my intention was to bar any former member of the Baekho leadership from entering the upcoming national roster permanently.”

“Yes. That would be entirely justified.”

“However, you are an anomaly. When the trials for the national selection are reopened down the road, you are welcome to submit your name if you wish. Ah, naturally—”

He gestured toward the feline insignia resting on Geonho’s chest.

“You will need to discard that emblem first.”

Baek Jinwoo offered a brief smirk and shifted his stance.

Kang Geonho.

Quite impressive, truthfully.

The competitive standings would reset the following year, but as it stood, the man still held the top position within the country.

The sheer variety of tactical setups achievable with the Paladin class he utilized was immense.

If a proper mentor guided him and allowed him space to flourish, he could turn into a formidable asset.

“Well, shall we make our departure?”

When he turned to speak to Yu Jia, she replied with immense enthusiasm.

“Yes, let’s go!”

Fortunately, the high-end vehicle had escaped the altercation without a scratch.

“Good grief, there is absolutely nothing here to debate, is there?”

The Director let out a hollow, humorless chuckle.

Displayed across his desk was the recorded evidence of Park Ho intimidating Yu Jia.

“Ha! Park Ho, that complete idiot. I assumed he possessed some intelligence, but he is a first-rate fool. Out of everything to target, he targets Baek Jinwoo’s inner circle? And not just anyone—Yu Jia, his right hand.”

It was undeniably true.

No matter how compromised central command might be, they could never place a convicted felon on the national roster.

National selection, what a joke!

With documentation this absolute, the man was destined to spend the remainder of his life behind iron bars.

Realistically, if the matter proceeded through traditional courtrooms, the attempted homicide accusation might have resulted in roughly five years.

The advantages of a former judge acting as a defense lawyer, structural loopholes—the domestic judicial framework had always been somewhat unreliable.

But these individuals were bound by different rules.

Players did not get processed through the standard legal system.

They were brought directly to central command, which maintained the right to issue immediate, final verdicts.

Because of the scale and peril of their abilities, the penalties were vastly more severe—a special classification, in every sense of the term.

“Director, sir. You are fully aware, correct? A lifetime sentence. No room for compromise.”

“I am well aware, I know. Did I not assure you? I will defer to your judgment for the remainder of my administration.”

“A highly prudent choice. Daesung Group has also made their position clear. They stated that if the outcome is anything short of life behind bars, they will retaliate fiercely. They were actually demanding a death penalty—I had to personally convince them otherwise.”

The outrage from Daesung was entirely expected.

A faction had dared to strike at the direct lineage of their patriarch and heir. It would be bizarre if they weren’t bloodthirsty.

Regardless.

Under the uncompromising pressure of Park Changseok, the culprits were transferred to the player-specific penitentiary without delay.

What if they attempted a breakout later?

An impossibility.

“……Uh.”

“Hiiiih.”

“Heh-heh.”

The grueling physical trauma from the tendon-ripping, bone-crushing technique had shattered their psyches so thoroughly that they could scarcely articulate coherent sounds.

They might salvage some function down the line, but by that point, their capabilities would plunge far beneath their prime status.

Completely under control.

“Ah, Councilman Park Changseok.”

“Yes, Director.”

“That media briefing you organized? Release a formal announcement tomorrow. Declare that central command respects the stance of Baek Jinwoo and will provide full backing.”

“Heh. The populace is going to be thrilled.”

“Heh heh heh.”

The Director had felt as though he were floating on clouds recently.

Merely by aligning the organization’s policies to support Baek Jinwoo, his public approval metrics had skyrocketed to unprecedented heights.

At this trajectory, securing the upcoming electoral cycle would be a certainty.

Park Changseok might try to usurp the Director’s position eventually, but for now—one takes advantage of the immediate gains!

“The national team trials. Launch them without a single moment of delay! Simply grant Yu Jia total autonomy to manage it as she sees fit.”

The Director’s tone was exceptionally buoyant.

[Player HQ Executes a Rapid Restructure! “The National Team Selection Will Be Completely Re-run!”]

[The Director Broadside Passes the Mandate Without Public Balloting—Councilman Park Changseok Backs the Move. “Time is of the essence. The World League is looming.”]

[Baek Jinwoo’s Thrilling Top-Four Declaration Has the Country Electrified!]

└ AWESOME!!

└ Ohhh! This is exactly what we needed to see!!

└ This is unreal. Since when does central command actually execute plans with efficiency?

The citizenry was jubilant.

If anything, they were delighted that the choice had been finalized boldly, rather than languishing through bureaucratic voting processes.

└ Wait, can we actually accomplish this goal?

└ The top four?

└ Imagine if we actually reach the semifinals, I am getting goosebumps just contemplating it lol

└ No way, it’s impossible. He is merely proclaiming it to project absolute certainty. Let’s be practical, if the top four were that simple to achieve we wouldn’t be stuck in this crisis

└ If he fails to reach the top four, are you going to lambaste Baek Jinwoo?

└ Why would anyone do that?

└ I mean, even Baek Jinwoo ought to face criticism if he fails to grasp the severity of his own declarations, shouldn’t he?

└ Did you miss the latest publication?

└ What publication?

└ Here is the link, check it out for yourself

└ Alright lol

A new piece of journalism had arrived.

A press release directly from Yu Jia.

[Yubaek Drops an Enormous Guarantee! “Should We Fail to Achieve a Top-Four Finish, We Will Provide 10 Trillion Won in Compensation to the Public! To Be Disbursed as Social Welfare!”]

An impeccable strategic reply.

In defeat, it serves as an incredibly generous gift. In victory, it represents an absolute triumph.

Inevitably, the public’s devotion expanded massively.

└ UNBELIEVABLE!

└ Holy cow, is this legitimate?!

└ 10 trillion won, that is astronomical backing.

└ So essentially they are declaring they will reimburse every bit of funding the national squad ever utilized?

└ There is absolutely zero room to criticize them here

└ It isn’t mere posturing—they are guaranteeing the funds regardless of the outcome. You have to admire that level of accountability. Even if they miss the top four, that is beyond generous.

Utterances carry immense weight.

Up until this moment, top-tier rankers had done nothing but absorb government funding year after year without ever securing genuine victories.

Crashing out during the preliminary rounds every single occasion, never offering so much as a single regretful statement, strutting about arrogantly simply because they belonged to the Big Three.

This situation was entirely different.

Baek Jinwoo was courageous, and he backed his rhetoric with a massive financial guarantee to solidify it.

Nothing in existence was more transparent or reassuring than tangible, solid currency.

The populace was beginning to realize it.

Ah.

A genuine transformation is sweeping through South Korea.

And at the very center of that whirlwind of transformation stood, naturally, Baek Jinwoo.

Yubaek published a formal notice.

To condense the details, it stated:

1. We are officially accepting candidates for the national squad—send in your credentials! Final selections will be determined via paper screening, practical evaluations, and a closing panel interview!

2. National squad participants must align with our unified philosophy, meaning only individuals prepared to sever ties with their current syndicates need apply!

3. Exactly three vacancies are available!

4. Holding high-ranking status is NOT a requirement!

5. Chosen candidates must affiliate with the newly established guild, SKY!

It was an absolute revelation, and the most staggering aspect of all was that elite status was entirely optional.

The dominant reaction from the public was utter astonishment.

And Yu Jia shared that exact sentiment.

“Jinwoo.”

“Yes?”

“Something about this strategy feels precarious. Shouldn’t we be prioritizing elite rankers? We cannot participate in the World League alongside unranked players. We have ten trillion won riding on this outcome……”

Yu Jia trusted Baek Jinwoo without reservation.

Even so, she could not suppress her apprehension.

Three years of witnessing the massive global standard firsthand had rendered that anxiety inevitable.

“I am an unranked individual myself, as you well know.”

“Oh, stop it. Obviously you are the grand anomaly!”

“In all sincerity.”

A subtle smile appeared on Baek Jinwoo’s face.

“Given South Korea’s current standard, an elite ranker or an unranked player—they are virtually indistinguishable.”

At least from Baek Jinwoo’s viewpoint, that was the absolute reality.

If you looked at the larger picture?

International rankers and local players were all essentially occupying the same basic level.

One had to formulate strategies for the far future.

It had merely been three years since the global structure transformed.

No person could accurately project who would gain immense power and who would stagnate.

Rather than a standard high-ranking player, a combatant who specialized in a highly particular attribute was significantly more advantageous.

Take Hwang Jiwoo’s Body of Flames, for example.

He had genuinely pondered the concept previously.

Perhaps he should simply place Jiwoo onto the national roster.

Drill Sarge’s commendations regarding her had been unceasing, which demonstrated she was truly dedicating herself to the training.

However, that step remained slightly premature.

That was the reasoning behind his choice to seek out three additional members.

The current confirmed layout for the national squad was as follows:

[National Squad Roster]

[1. Unranked, Baek Jinwoo]

[2. Rank 3, Hong Ari]

[3. Rank 4, Ahn Gijeong]

[4. Rank 8, Hwang Juwon]

[5. Rank 15, Ki Jaehyeok]

[6. Rank 25, Kang Jiho]

Precisely six individuals.

Include Oh Seonyeong, and the count rose to seven.

Ahn Gijeong and Hwang Juwon had severed connections with Ilwol and were currently in a holding pattern to affiliate with SKY.

He had no confirmation on whether Kang Geonho would submit an application or abstain.

Whichever path he chose was perfectly acceptable.

Should he choose to apply, Drill Sarge would manage the preliminary elimination round, after which Yu Jia would administer the formal interview face-to-face.

By utilizing the Mindreader Eagle, she would assess how authentic his drive to be a player truly was, his level of dedication, and how faithful he would remain to the collective.

The operational limits of the Mindreader Eagle meant she could only perform one assessment per day, but……

It was far better than having no diagnostic tools.

The very second an individual stepped into SKY, they would become his direct apprentice. If he intended to bring people in, he was determined to bring in the correct people.

Ninety days remained until the World League commenced.

They had better hope they finalized the roster before time expired.

“Are the candidate numbers substantial?”

“Don’t even get me started on it……”

Yu Jia shook her head in sheer astonishment.

“Such a massive wave of applicants arrived that the digital portal has already gone offline twice.”

“Wait, this early?”

Baek Jinwoo clicked his tongue in surprise.

Hmm……

Could they realistically sort through this mountain of evaluations?

Only time would tell.

If no candidates proved suitable, he could always insert Hwang Jiwoo into the remaining slot.

“When does the practical evaluation begin?”

“Precisely one week from this moment. We need to analyze the documentation incredibly rigorously prior to that date. Before the candidates even face Drill Sarge, we must weed them out during the primary paper screening.”

This was turning into a major undertaking.

His schedule was already completely packed, and responsibilities were about to multiply exponentially.