Chapter 88

A faint smirk played on Baek Jinwoo’s lips as he accepted the folder containing the chosen candidates from Yu Jia.

Glancing through the double stack of papers, a particular identity immediately jumped out at him.

Kang Geonho.

So the guy managed to pull it off.

It had always been clear to him that Kang Geonho completely outclassed Hwang Juwon when it came to both raw physical capability and tactical awareness in the game.

The only minor twist was that he had also successfully cleared the trial set by Yu Jia’s Mindreader Eagle.

It seems he truly lives by the principles he declared to me during our first encounter.

Indeed.

That determination alone was more than enough to claim a spot on the vessel known as SKY.

Approved!

But who was this Song Yeonhui?

The name didn’t ring a bell at all.

She was ranked, without a doubt, but was her standing high enough that she would willingly show up to an open audition?

“Drill Sarge.”

• I am here, Master.

“Take a look at this one. Does she look familiar?”

He slid the profile across the desk, pointing to the portrait attached to the upper corner.

Song Yeonhui.

A twenty-three-year-old woman.

That made her four years younger than both Baek Jinwoo and Hong Ari.

Quite promising.

While age wasn’t the ultimate deciding factor in cultivating talent, younger individuals generally possessed much sharper reflexes and adaptability.

Jaehyeok and Jiho were living proof of that.

Their speed of progression had been nothing short of mind-blowing.

• Ah, I recall her. This young woman is endowed with the Heavenly Heart Constitution (天心之體).

“Heavenly Heart Constitution? What exactly does that entail?”

Yet another unique physical trait?

• It signifies a physical vessel meticulously molded by the heavens themselves, ensuring that the individual is bound to thrive as a natural genius regardless of the path they choose to walk.

“Wow, a trait like that actually exists?”

• It is not quite as extraordinary as it sounds. It cannot compare to a once-in-a-generation trait like the girl with the Nine-Yin Severed Meridian Syndrome, nor Hwang Jiwoo’s Body of Flames… Nevertheless, it manifests approximately once in every ten thousand individuals.

“Is that so?”

Baek Jinwoo found himself captivated by Drill Sarge’s insights.

So a person’s innate potential was locked in from the moment they entered the world.

Life truly is unbalanced from the start.

One out of ten thousand, then…

With South Korea’s population hovering around fifty million, that meant roughly five thousand individuals possessed it nationwide.

The numbers globally would be far greater.

• Furthermore, she simultaneously carries the Limitless Constitution (無極之體).

“Wait. Those traits can actually stack?”

Physical constitutions could overlap?

Setting that aside, Limitless Constitution sounded far more imposing.

“What are the benefits of that one?”

• It grants absolute equilibrium across all attributes, preventing the individual from favoring one specific discipline. In standard martial traditions, those born with such a frame thrive as Weapon Masters or adepts of the Thousand Arms (千般兵器). Because their foundations are naturally balanced, her performance as a player should be exemplary.

I see.

Though the finer technicalities eluded him, it was obvious they had secured an incredibly reliable asset.

The issue lay elsewhere.

Only two candidates had successfully made the cut…

Consequently, they were missing a single member to complete the official national roster.

He was faced with either scouting a completely fresh face or giving a second chance to the eleventh-ranked player who had just been cut…

But that alternative left a bad taste in his mouth.

Baek Jinwoo was the sort of person who required flawless execution, or the loose ends would constantly bother him.

If he was going to take charge of molding every player on the national squad?

He wanted every single one of them under the SKY banner.

People he could view as his genuine disciples, individuals he could instruct with absolute dedication.

Comrades who would remain fiercely loyal.

There is really no avoiding it, is there?

Only a single path remained.

He would simply bring Hwang Jiwoo into the guild ahead of schedule—the very girl he originally deemed unready for the grand stage—and forge her into shape himself.

Following a brief period of reflection, Baek Jinwoo gave a firm nod.

Right.

That’s the move.

Even taking this route, their collective output in the upcoming tournament would vastly eclipse whatever the old roster could have achieved.

Roughly two months remained before the World League commenced!

It was time to fully commit to intense training regimens, optimizing summon variations, and refining rune combinations.

And so.

“Hwang Jiwoo.”

“Present, Jinwoo-nim!”

Baek Jinwoo signaled for Hwang Jiwoo to step forward and extended an invitation.

He explained that he had been closely monitoring her progression over the weeks, and her advancements had been remarkable.

Her sheer work ethic was so inspiring that he wanted to extend an offer: would she be open to becoming a part of SKY?

“M-me?”

She gasped so hard that she instinctively clamped both palms over her mouth.

SKY?

There wasn’t a soul in the community who hadn’t heard that name.

It was the most explosive sensation dominating the entire domestic scene!

To tell the truth, she had desperately wanted to throw her own name into the recruitment pool.

However, she had restrained herself, clinging to his assurance that if she gave her absolute all for a full hundred days, he would officially take her under his wing.

There were acquaintances who questioned her.

They wondered if it wasn’t utterly exhausting, enduring grueling training beside the Storm Dragon Sorcerer day after day.

Yet such a thought had never crossed her mind, not even for a second.

Hwang Jiwoo was filled with genuine joy.

As time marched on, the only thing that truly caused her anxiety was the terrifying prospect that this routine might eventually reach its conclusion.

“…If I accept membership in SKY, does that mean I get to remain living on the premises?”

“Naturally. We will arrange accommodations for your entire household, the compensation package is astronomical, and you will retain unrestricted access to the training facilities.”

Oh goodness!

An overwhelming wave of ecstasy washed over her, causing her entire frame to tremble.

“And Jinwoo-nim will continue to personally oversee my growth?”

“Without a doubt.”

Baek Jinwoo offered a reassuring smile and nodded.

“Those within the SKY guild are fundamentally my apprentices. And they also happen to comprise South Korea’s national roster.”

“The… the national roster as well?!”

Ah.

Her strength vanished entirely, causing her to drop directly onto the floor in a dazed crouch.

Of course.

This entire evaluation process wasn’t merely about finding guild recruits. The primary objective had always been assembling the national squad, hadn’t it?

Is this real?

Am I truly going to represent the nation?

What in the world is happening.

Could this be an illusion?

To ground herself, she squeezed her own cheek and gave it a sharp tug.

A dull ache followed.

Praise the heavens, it wasn’t a fantasy.

This was the exact scenario she had visualized during her private moments every single day.

Thriving as a professional player, securing a spot in a premier organization, rising to the upper echelons of the rankings, and wearing the national colors!

She had made a solemn vow to herself that one day, by any means necessary, she would turn that vision into reality.

And now, the turning point had arrived far sooner than anticipated.

Yet, a lingering doubt persisted!

“Is it truly acceptable for an amateur like me to take a spot on the national team? The internet forums are going to absolutely tear me apart.”

“Oh? Are you considering passing up this chance simply because you are intimidated by anonymous critics?”

“No, absolutely not! That isn’t what I meant at all!”

Hwang Jiwoo waved her arms in a frantic panic.

She then took a deep, stabilizing breath to bring her soaring emotions back under control.

“I will do it. I am absolutely taking the spot.”

Online backlash?

If it secured her entry into SKY, she would willingly endure a mountain of toxic commentary without complaint.

Once I fully immerse myself in this environment, I will break into the ranked tiers within a single year. No question about it.

She possessed absolute certainty.

Anyone fortunate enough to sharpen their skills here would arrive at the identical conclusion.

Drill Sarge operated with flawless precision, while Baek Jinwoo served as an immovable bedrock of inspiration.

He pushed himself so relentlessly right beside you that it was impossible not to get swept along by his momentum.

“So you’re on board?”

“Yes!”

“Keep in mind, joining the guild doesn’t void the terms of our hundred-day arrangement.”

“Understood completely!”

Observing Hwang Jiwoo’s enthusiastic response, Baek Jinwoo let out a soft chuckle.

Attempting to stuff the lineup exclusively with established veterans from the word go would have been a tactical misstep regardless.

The reality was that South Korea lacked a deep pool of elite talent to begin with.

If you cultivate them from the ground up, they will eventually reach heights that exceed all expectations.

Perfect!

The national line-up was finalized.

The remaining task was to publish the decision and begin their rigorous preparations in earnest.

“Um, excuse me.”

Hwang Jiwoo spoke up, her voice tinged with a hint of hesitation.

“Am I permitted to inform my parents that I made the national selection?”

“Ah.”

Baek Jinwoo offered a gentle expression and gave a nod of approval.

“Go right ahead. They would have discovered it via the media eventually anyway.”

The following morning.

The official roster for the national squad was publicized.

[National Team Competitor Roster]

[1. Unranked, Baek Jinwoo]

[2. Rank 1, Kang Geonho]

[3. Rank 3, Hong Ari]

[4. Rank 4, Ahn Gijeong]

[5. Rank 5, Oh Seonyeong]

[6. Rank 8, Hwang Juwon]

[7. Rank 15, Ki Jaehyeok]

[8. Rank 25, Kang Jiho]

[9. Rank 60, Song Yeonhui]

[10. Unranked, Hwang Jiwoo]

The public response was instantaneous and massive.

While the absence of Baekho was somewhat understandable, a Rank 60 player? And an entirely unranked amateur on top of that?

└ Is this some kind of joke?

└ They claimed they would consider unranked individuals, and they actually went through with it?

└ Can a lineup like this even crack the top four? We are completely doomed…

└ Well, at least Kang Geonho is still anchoring the team.

└ Oh wow, Oh Seonyeong actually survived the cut. She really had a rough time though, haha. She managed to pick a fight with Baek Jinwoo during the evaluations without realizing who she was dealing with and got booted on the spot.

While a portion of the fanbase aired their frustrations, others took a different stance.

└ Let’s just trust their vision for now.

└ Honestly, it’s not a mind-blowing upgrade, but it’s far from terrible.

└ We don’t really have anything to lose anyway. If they fail, they have to pay out 10 trillion won, haha.

└ Exactly. I had pretty much zero faith to begin with. If we were sticking with the previous squad, there wouldn’t be a shred of hope.

The prevailing sentiment across the boards became: what choice do we have, let’s give them the benefit of the doubt this time around!

Unsurprisingly, the individual capturing the absolute center of public curiosity was Hwang Jiwoo.

└ Who is Hwang Jiwoo?

└ She doesn’t even have a rank, so what kind of hidden talent does she possess to get selected?

└ Word is she’s only 22? Incredibly young.

└ Youth means faster reaction times. That’s a plus.

└ There’s no way Baek Jinwoo would scout her unless she had serious capabilities, right?

The entire online community was in a state of absolute frenzy over Hwang Jiwoo.

Total pandemonium!

Meanwhile, a similar level of chaos was unfolding inside Hwang Jiwoo’s family residence.

“Father.”

Hehe.

Hwang Jiwoo placed the call, a radiant beam stretching across her face.

She had been dying to deliver the spectacular news immediately, but her rigorous training obligations had left her with zero free time.

Her absolute priority remained keeping pace with her daily exercises and attending to Stormy, who was training with immense focus.

• My girl, my wonderful, precious girl!

Her father’s voice boomed through the speaker, brimming with warmth and revealing just how much he missed his daughter.

• My dear.

“Yes?”

• I witnessed something truly unbelievable today.

“What was it?”

• I happened to have the television on, and they broadcasted the names for the new national squad! And believe it or not, there’s a name on that list identical to yours! Even the family name matches! Hwang. Ji. Woo. Isn’t that an incredible coincidence?

“Haha, Dad, regarding that…”

That’s actually me!

She was right on the verge of ecstatically announcing the truth, but her father continued to ramble without giving her an opening.

• Moments like this make me regret my choices a bit. Whatever possessed me to name you Jiwoo? Let’s be honest, it’s incredibly commonplace these days, isn’t it? Back when I selected it, I thought it was a remarkably unique, neutral name. Now it has exploded in popularity to the point where just about anyone is walking around named Jiwoo.

“Just about anyone… that’s a bit harsh, don’t you think?”

• Hahaha, I’m only teasing! My daughter’s name is the most magnificent name in existence! Setting that aside, sweetheart, are things treating you well over there?

“Dad, that’s completely beside the point right now.”

• Beside the point?! How can you say that! I don’t care how massive an enterprise Yubaek is! They have you practically locked away, working non-stop without a chance to visit home, and you’re telling me there’s something more vital than your well-being?!

His daughter had wrestled with fragile health ever since her childhood.

She wasn’t naturally assertive either, which caused him to fret endlessly whenever she was away from home. It had already been over a month since she last stepped through their front door.

His anxiety was entirely justified.

“You need to give me your word that you won’t panic, alright?”

• Why are you creating all this suspense?

“The reality is, that person on TV is me.”

• That person? What are you talking about?

“The individual listed on the national squad. Hwang Jiwoo. It isn’t a random stranger who shares my name. It is literally me.”

• What?

What could she possibly mean by that?

• …What did you just tell me?

Her father’s lively, high-spirited tone vanished in an instant, replaced by a heavy stillness.

It was the voice of a person completely paralyzed by disbelief.

• You are… representing the country?

“Yeah, things just aligned perfectly and it happened.”

• Aligned perfectly? Are you being serious right now?

“Yes, completely serious.”

• This isn’t a cruel prank, is it?

“Why would I joke about something like this? My registration details are already being shared all over the internet. Go take a look for yourself.”

• ……

Left utterly speechless, her father frantically opened his browser and began looking up the public listings.

• It’s actually true.

He verified with his own eyes that his daughter wasn’t spinning a tale.

Good heavens.

His mind went entirely blank, unable to process the reality.

Since when did making the national roster become as simple as joining a local hobby club?

His daughter had only ever been a mid-tier, conventional player. What sort of miraculous transformation could she have undergone to earn a spot among the country’s elite?

Confronted with a reality that defied all logic, her father found himself unable to form words.

“To be honest, I’ve been receiving intensive, specialized coaching here recently. It seems Jinwoo-nim recognized my potential. He even bestowed an incredibly rare and valuable summon upon me… He mentioned that he was deeply moved by my commitment and encouraged me to take a shot at the national selections.”

• If that’s the case…

Her father tightened his grip on the device, audibly clearing his throat.

• Does that mean you’ve also been brought into that high-profile new association, what was the name, SKY?

“Yes, exactly.”

• The very organization managed by Baek Jinwoo, the one offering astronomical compensation packages, where they supply top-tier runes and summons to all members…? The exclusive circle that only permits national competitors?

“Why do you keep repeating the questions? I already confirmed it for you. I made the national team.”

• Gah, aghhk!

An erratic, choking sound echoed through the receiver, as if her father was literally suffocating from pure shock.

“D-Dad?!”

What in the world?!

Did the sheer weight of the news cause him to lose consciousness?

From somewhere in the background beyond the phone line, her mother’s sharp voice cut through: Honey? Dear, wake up!

“Dad, are you alright?! Please pull yourself together!”

A brief moment later.

• Sweetheart, don’t worry, he’s breathing.

Her mother took over the call.

• Your father just collapsed right backward onto the floor and he’s just lying there staring at the ceiling with a massive, foolish grin. Goodness gracious, what a ridiculous man! What on earth did you whisper to him to trigger another one of his dramatic episodes?

Whew.

Hwang Jiwoo let out a long, relieved sigh.

She had worked herself up into a panic over absolutely nothing.

Seriously, her father.

What an absolute character.