Chapter 87

CRASH!

“More registration forms are coming in!”

“Wow, there’s still this massive pile left?”

“Stop complaining. We haven’t even processed ten percent of the total.”

“GAHHH!”

The main headquarters of Yubaek was completely overwhelmed, buried under a mountain of paperwork.

The criteria for the initial stage were basic.

Working in tandem with the central bureau: any applicant possessing a valid player certification and a clean record moved forward.

Yet, the sheer quantity of submissions turned even this straightforward check into a monumental ordeal.

“Did literally every player in the nation sign up for this?”

“Most likely. It’s an obvious ticket to the top. People figure they might as well take a shot and see what happens.”

It felt identical to buying a lottery ticket.

The likelihood of actually winning was close to zero, but hitting the mark meant a complete transformation of fortune.

That was the underlying mindset for the vast majority of the pool.

SLAM! SLAM!

As the office workers rapidly validated and stamped the documents, the responsibility for the second stage shifted to Yu Jia.

Her task involved auditing each candidate’s history, stated intentions, and general background to filter out anyone who lacked genuine dedication.

Following three grueling days of scrutiny, Yu Jia successfully pared the list down to five thousand individuals.

This group contained several unranked prospects, alongside numerous high-profile rankers whose reputations preceded them.

“Whew, it is finally finished.”

Yu Jia extended her arms, looking completely drained of life.

Her obligations for this phase were fulfilled.

The next step belonged to Drill Sarge.

The five thousand competitors who had congregated inside Yubaek City were utterly mesmerized, letting out collective murmurs of awe as they observed the premises.

“Incredible…”

“Is this a corporate headquarters or a royal estate?”

“Honestly, it feels more like an elegant park than an estate. A park crafted with deep artistic passion.”

They had caught glimpses of the facility via online forums and news broadcasts over time, but experiencing it firsthand was a different matter entirely.

The grounds had been further upgraded beyond their prior splendor.

Having evolved into a major corporate power, 「Yubaek」 spared no funds regarding its aesthetic design.

The physical appearance of the organization directly reflected the personal reputation of Baek Jinwoo.

Yu Jia had no reservations about investing significant financial resources into upholding Baek Jinwoo’s status.

While immediate earnings might take a brief dip, she focused heavily on long-term prospects.

At present, Baek Jinwoo was primarily operating on a domestic level. The moment he stepped onto international territory, the financial returns would become astronomical.

“……Remarkable.”

Kang Geonho stood among the individuals who had successfully cleared the initial review.

Following Park Ho’s incarceration, he had chosen to completely dissolve Baekho.

Rather than watching the organization he had dedicated three passionate years to building have its name dragged through the gutter, he concluded that dismantling it entirely was the wisest path.

The elite rankers from Baekho would naturally chart their own courses, either joining existing massive guilds or launching new ventures…

Tramp, tramp.

Walking across the manicured grounds toward the heart of Yubaek City, Kang Geonho noticed a staff member shouting through a megaphone.

“Please move along this way! No need to rush! Just stay in line and proceed forward!”

The queue stretched out incredibly far.

Participants displayed their identification, had them authenticated, collected a package, and continued onward.

“The moment your credential is authenticated, claim your travel reimbursement and make your way home! The payout is exactly one hundred thousand won!”

Pardon?

Kang Geonho was completely taken aback.

What sort of evaluation method was this?

They just needed to show up, and that was it?

The central bureau had organized these trials as a legitimate, formal initiative… Was this setup truly permitted?

They were even providing monetary compensation for the commute.

Distributing one hundred thousand won to five thousand individuals totaled exactly five hundred million won.

Throwing around five hundred million won on an evaluation this basic proved that the whispers regarding their immense financial wealth were absolutely accurate.

What could they possibly be aiming for? Countless inquiries raced through his mind, but Kang Geonho had no means to alter the situation.

His only option was to remain in line.

Hmm.

On the fifth floor of the primary corporate building, Drill Sarge stood with folded arms, peering out the window as his gaze shifted rapidly.

While the participants viewed this as an absurdly basic screening process, Drill Sarge was actually conducting a comprehensive evaluation of every player’s physique as they cleared the checkpoint.

Entirely unimpressive, the whole lot of them.

He was measuring their innate martial prodigy.

These were individuals gifted with remarkable natural bodily attributes.

Such individuals advanced far quicker than standard peers, even when subjected to identical regimens for the exact same timeframe.

The figure who had elevated martial prodigy to its absolute peak was Aso.

Granted, there were fundamental distinctions between players and traditional martial artists, but…

That biological instinct was something that should never be ignored.

The primary reason his master displayed such flawless execution and management as a player was precisely because his martial prodigy was so exceptional.

“Spotting anyone promising?”

“Master, you have arrived.”

“It looks like roughly one thousand people have cleared the line so far… Anyone stand out?”

“Not a single one yet…”

“That is unfortunate.”

Baek Jinwoo offered a quiet sigh.

They had gone through the trouble of filtering down five thousand prospects, dedicated funds to establish the venue, and yet not a single individual met the requirements?

It felt like a waste of resources and effort.

“Perhaps your benchmarks are set a bit too high?”

“……Out of the players you have already resolved to accept, the individual with the poorest starting traits is Hwang Juwon.”

“Right, you mentioned that before.”

The two prominent representatives from Ilwol.

Ahn Gijeong and Hwang Juwon.

He had ultimately resolved to bring them under his wing as pupils, though Drill Sarge had not given them a glowing assessment.

And yet?

“Not a single person I have evaluated up to this moment has displayed potential exceeding that of Hwang Juwon.”

Drill Sarge’s revelation was startling.

He had already scrutinized twenty percent of the massive gathering, and not one possessed greater martial prodigy than Hwang Juwon?

“Are you serious? Is the quality truly that low?”

“To be fair, Hwang Juwon was a competitor who managed to secure a spot in the top ten within your nation, Master. He meets a necessary baseline minimum, at least.”

That was a reasonable point.

It made sense when analyzed that way.

The man had forced his way onto the national roster through sheer willpower alone, without any proper mentoring or instruction.

“Then where do I stand?”

“Pardon me?”

“How do I compare? If you take into account everyone on our national roster.”

Curiosity naturally got the better of him.

Even if he wasn’t sitting at the very top, surely he ranked near the pinnacle? Filled with quiet anticipation, he looked toward Drill Sarge.

“You are, without question, the most exceptional among them all, Master.”

“Hey, don’t just say things to flatter me. I won’t get upset, so give it to me straight.”

“I am speaking with absolute honesty.”

Drill Sarge replied without a hint of doubt in his expression.

“Is that the truth?”

“Out of every single person I have ever encountered and analyzed, your physical gifts are second only to Aso, Master.”

Oh.

Truly?

Observing Drill Sarge’s demeanor, Baek Jinwoo could tell the companion meant every word.

An irrepressible smile began to show on his face.

It explained why micro-managing and execution had always felt so effortless to him.

There had been instances that genuinely baffled him in the past.

Commanding summons wasn’t particularly complicated, so why did other players struggle so immensely with it? He had never quite understood until now.

“You possess an extraordinary natural talent, Master.”

“What the? Where did you even learn to speak like that…”

Ha.

Who else could it be.

It was obviously Ramba’s influence.

“Regardless, thank you. Keep your benchmarks right where they are. Anyone who falls below Hwang Juwon’s level gets eliminated without a second thought.”

Innate capability mattered.

You could motivate an individual to work hard regardless of their baseline, but natural talent? That was something that could never be manufactured.

Even if they failed to find a single viable candidate here, it was far better to onboard nobody at all.

The national selection could always be populated simply by drafting players according to their official standings.

“Understood, Master.”

Drill Sarge’s eyes returned to their rapid, analytical tracking.

As it happened, fortune smiled on them.

As the evaluation advanced into its secondary phase, individuals possessing genuine talent began to emerge one after another.

By the time the final tallies were compiled, they had successfully gathered a pool of thirty prospects.

“Jinwoo, here is the official list.”

Yu Jia stepped forward, presenting thirty neatly sorted dossiers.

“Drill Sarge indicated that every individual listed here meets the necessary standards.”

“Is that so?”

Baek Jinwoo answered, wiping away perspiration with a towel following an intense workout session.

“Thirty candidates. That is actually quite a substantial figure.”

Given what he knew of Drill Sarge’s rigorous criteria, Baek Jinwoo was genuinely taken aback.

Supposedly, all thirty of these players possessed superior raw capability compared to Hwang Juwon.

Should he simply onboard the entire group?

The concept briefly crossed his mind, but he quickly dismissed it.

No matter how gifted someone might be physically, they could be completely corrupt on the inside.

He required an absolute, foolproof screening process.

Moving forward, once per day.

For the duration of an entire month, Yu Jia would carry out comprehensive, face-to-face evaluations.

Utilizing the unique capabilities of the Mindreader Eagle, she would expose every hidden aspect of each player’s true character.

“I previously stated we would only bring on three individuals, correct? Forget that rule. If we have a surplus of excellent candidates, just onboard as many as you deem appropriate.”

“Are you entirely certain about that?”

“Yes. Even if we accept the entire group, it remains a relatively compact circle.”

At least when compared to standard top-tier guilds.

“But what about the arrangement for the national team…”

“Down the line, we will need to cultivate internal rivalry within our own organization.”

The most effective catalyst for accelerating an individual’s Growth was fierce peer competition.

“Ultimately, I am leaving the definitive selection entirely up to you, Jia.”

“Understood!”

An entire month passed by.

Throughout this period, Baek Jinwoo focused on conquering high-tier Day Dungeons, instructing his apprentices, and monitoring the well-being of both Stormy and Hwang Jiwoo.

Amidst these activities, a major piece of international news captured global attention.

Rachel of England had successfully overcome the 50th floor of the Tower of Trials.

[England’s Rachel conquers floors 29 through 50 within a single month without taking a break — the global community watches in awe!]

[An upgraded Rachel! Her perspectives on the World League: “Barring unforeseen circumstances, England will secure the championship once again this year!”]

[Strategy utilized for the 50th floor mirrors the exact tactics seen in Battle of Summoners! Gaming enthusiasts celebrate!]

Impressive.

Baek Jinwoo nodded slowly in acknowledgement.

Nearly four years had passed since the global cataclysm altered reality, and she had already achieved the fiftieth floor.

It served as clear proof of the intense, relentless pressure Rachel had been placing on herself.

‘That implies her capabilities are exceptionally well-rounded.’

In Baek Jinwoo’s current situation, only Drill Sarge and Ramba were outfitted with their optimal, completed setups.

Summons like Stormy or Rolly possessed absurdly powerful baseline attributes, certainly, but they had not yet been socketed with graduation runes.

Attempting the Tower of Trials, which demanded a full deployment of fifteen distinct summons, was currently unfeasible.

Even if he managed to force his way through the challenge, his success rate wouldn’t sit at an absolute hundred percent.

How would a confrontation unfold?

If he ran into Rachel during the World League?

Could he secure a victory against her?

Initially, he had been entirely confident in his ability to win.

However, learning that she had cleared the fiftieth floor cast the situation in a different light.

She would possess a minimum of three distinct summons outfitted with complete graduation rune configurations.

Well, it changed very little in the grand scheme of things.

Baek Jinwoo fully intended to clear up to the fiftieth floor himself in due time.

He simply chose to wait until the conclusion of the World League.

His strategy involved firmly establishing his presence on the global stage beyond any hint of skepticism first, before unleashing his full potential.

Once that objective was achieved?

While the current year’s outcome might hold variables, by the following year, he would decisively lock down the number one spot in the global rankings.

‘Actually, thinking about it realistically…’

If Stormy simply mastered the mechanics of Devour properly, Rachel wouldn’t pose a threat at all.

“Jinwoo.”

Yu Jia walked into the room to meet him.

“We don’t have a large group to onboard. In fact, there are only two individuals who managed to pass with pristine evaluations.”

“……Only two? That is the final count?”

“Yes.”

Yu Jia’s expression appeared incredibly downcast.

She had dedicated the entire prior month to unmasking the authentic motives of the players via the Mindreader Eagle, and the data she uncovered had left her thoroughly disheartened.

‘I will cooperate with them for the time being, but the moment SKY begins to falter, I am making my exit.’

‘My goal is the international stage. I will use SKY as a temporary stepping stone until I can secure a spot in England.’

‘They offer massive contracts, right? Once I get signed, I will just coast along for a bit and then head into early retirement.’

The Mindreader Eagle’s brief, ten-second exposures of each player’s internal monologue revealed that the vast majority held these exact views.

It was human nature to prioritize self-preservation and personal gain, of course. Yet, the individuals who ought to be feeling a sense of urgency here were the applicants, not the guild.

No matter how physically gifted they were, there was absolutely no incentive for Baek Jinwoo to spend his limited, valuable time mentoring people of that mindset.

They were issued immediate rejection notices on the spot.

There had even been an applicant who thought this:

‘Wow, Yu Jia? She is absolutely stunning. If I get accepted, the daily view alone will be worth it. Heh. Hong Ari is quite a catch as well……’

When those specific reflections were echoed aloud by the Mindreader Eagle’s beak, Yu Jia had found herself momentarily paralyzed with shock.

The sense of degradation was intense, but she consciously maintained her composure.

It was merely an unexpressed, vile thought inside his mind, rather than something he had boldly stated aloud to her face.

Nevertheless, the collective psychological weight of reviewing dozens of such candidates left her emotionally exhausted.

Yet, that grueling effort ultimately paid off. By the end of the process, she managed to isolate two genuine competitors who would truly dedicate themselves to SKY and their nation.

1. Ranked 1st — Kang Geonho.

2. Ranked 60th — Song Yeonhui.

These were the sole players who successfully endured the filtering process out of the original five thousand, earning their places as the newest additions to SKY Guild.