Changed South Korea (2)
If Hong Ari had been the first day's starter, then Oh Sunyoung was the second day's starter.
Her Fenrir (A-rank), Shadow Wolf (B-rank), Blood Wolf (B-rank), and the like delivered standout performances against Spain.
A whopping 6 kills!
According to world experts, if the seventh player she had faced had not been a world-ranked player, she probably would have pulled off an all-kill.
That was how mysterious and incredible her wolf control was.
- Amazing, Orang! You did so well! Can five wolves really feel that reliable?!
They clung on with unbelievable tenacity! To think she even managed to take down three summons against a world-ranked player! This makes things so much easier for the next player!
- Starting from Hong Ari yesterday, doesn't it feel like the level of the Korean national team has completely changed?
- Yes, the world is gradually starting to acknowledge it. That the Republic of Korea has entered the ranks of the great powers!
- Who's next?
- Gi Jaehyuk! It's player Gi Jaehyuk!
- The Goblin maniac!
The remaining 4 kills were finished off by Gi Jaehyuk.
His opponent was a world-ranked player known as the "Wall of Spain", but it was too much to ask of him to deal with Gi Jaehyuk using only two summons.
Even so, Spain was still considered a regional powerhouse, yet two Korean rankers had wrapped it all up!
"Hmm, was the league level always this low?"
Oh Sunyoung muttered as if she could hardly believe it.
"...Right, noona. Why is this so easy? These Spanish guys. They weren't this bad before. They don't even have the basics at all."
Gi Jaehyuk felt the same.
In particular, the dazzling swordsmanship of the Goblin Master (A-rank) that Gi Jaehyuk controlled was enough to become the highlight of today's league!
Could this ever have happened in the past?
'No, absolutely not.'
This was exactly the importance of fundamentals.
Gi Jaehyuk felt it once again.
There was definitely an entirely different dimension between having someone guide you and simply throwing yourself in barehanded.
'If big brother hadn't given us his consulting, we probably would've ended up just like them.'
Just like during the last three years.
"Gi Jaehyuk! Gi Jaehyuk! Gi Jaehyuk!"
"Oh Sunyoung! Oh Sunyoung! Oh Sunyoung!"
For the Republic of Korea, it was no different from a festival.
Was this how Brazil, France, or Argentina felt when watching a football match?
The more one-sided a game was, the more fun it was.
There was a reason Koreans always flocked to archery in summer and short-track speed skating in winter.
"Haha, at this rate, I'm not sure we'll even get the chance to show anything before it ends."
Hwang Juwon said, and An Gijeong picked up the remark.
"Seriously. There are only five days left, and if the kids' level is this low...."
"There's still Indonesia and the Philippines. We'll have to show it there."
Indonesia in particular was a traditional powerhouse that had made it into the round of 16 in all three league appearances.
They even had three giant-class world rankers!
"That's true."
"Though if Guild Master gets drawn as the starter even there, it'll all be over."
"Ugh, that's true too."
By now, An Gijeong could no longer imagine Baek Jinwoo losing.
Unless it was one of the Five Emperors, they probably would not even be able to brush against HunGyo or Gale Slayer.
"But still."
Hwang Juwon smiled and nodded.
"Anyway, let's enjoy it. It's a feeling we haven't been able to enjoy for three years, right?"
To be honest, Hwang Juwon was beginning to feel his limits.
Young talents were charging upward from below, and it was getting hard to keep up with them.
Hwang Jiwoo and Song Yeonhee too.
They were growing at a frightening pace, while he himself had nothing much to show.
Even so, there was only one thing he could do.
"Just keep doing what we've been doing, and do our best according to the situation."
That was to steady the players' mental states!
"Heh heh heh, that's right, big brother! Let's enjoy it! Let's really enjoy it!"
An Gijeong burst into hearty laughter.
* * *
The league went on.
Entry into the arena was on average at 10 a.m., and exit was on average at 4 p.m.
The matches were conducted by group, and as long as you fought properly according to the system's instructions, there was no reason to be disqualified.
Then what did the players do after their matches ended?
They either relaxed at delicious restaurants, or they reconditioned themselves once again through breathing techniques, control practice, and the like.
In Baek Jinwoo's case, he analyzed videos.
With Yoo Jia's help, he obtained broadcast footage of the Five Great Powers and examined their players one by one.
'The UK is definitely good.'
Rachel went without saying, and Olivia was definitely good too.
And that wasn't all.
Bale, Sharp, Deng, McKiver, Walsh, White, Boon, Cork... every single one of them was so famous and so skilled that their information filled page after page on namu.wiki.
'They've got the fundamentals too... Looks like Rachel taught them all.'
He could tell just by the movements of their summons.
How strong was the UK national team?
You only had to look at their rankings.
All ten of them were overwhelming names filled with giant-class world rankers!
[UK National Team Roster]
1. World Rank 1, Rachel Rose
2. World Rank 6, Olivia Abernathy
3. World Rank 7, Gareth Bale
4. World Rank 12, Rory Sharp
5. World Rank 13, Joel Deng
6. World Rank 17, Sandy McKiver
7. World Rank 24, Keira Walsh
8. World Rank 31, Ellen White
9. World Rank 33, Ella Toone
10. World Rank 41, Ryan Cork
They were truly formidable.
In fact, even from the footage alone, last-place Ryan Cork did not look like someone who was merely world rank 41.
He had clearly improved further over the past year.
'Even so, they still won't be enough against me.'
The problem was that there seemed to be no answer if Korea's national team members had to face them.
If that happened, it would mean Baek Jinwoo would have to deal with the majority of them by himself.
'Could I really all-kill them?'
Maybe not the others, but with Rachel and Olivia there too, it might be a bit tough…...
Heh.
A smile bloomed across Baek Jinwoo's lips.
'This is fun.'
Having enemies that were hard to deal with was always enjoyable.
The tougher it was, the greater the satisfaction when you seized victory!
That was the mindset Baek Jinwoo had when he used to enjoy 「Battle of Summoners」.
Baek Jinwoo also broke down and analyzed the forces of Japan, the United States, Russia, and Taiwan one by one.
He memorized their summons and drew their habits and combat styles in his head.
'The others are all the same too.'
They all showed traces of having been taught by the Five Emperors.
For starters, their fundamentals were solid. They could even apply them to some extent.
Though not enough to satisfy Baek Jinwoo.
"Why do you look so happy?"
Yoo Jia, who had been watching him absorbed in it from beside him, spoke up.
Baek Jinwoo tilted his head.
"Happy? Me?"
".....Yes, your mouth is smiling."
"Is it?"
He gave a small grin.
'This is kind of...'
It really did feel like it was going to become a battle of pride...
If it was like each of the Five Emperors had raised their own disciples, then wouldn't the league results also become a matter of whose disciple was stronger?
'Then in the next fifth league, I'll really have to crush them overwhelmingly.'
Looking at that UK team, it stirred his greed.
The greed to surround SKY with nothing but world rankers!
"I guess I'm just... suited for leagues."
"...Pardon?"
"First of all, Ms. Yoo Jia."
"Yes."
"As I told you before... I have no intention of keeping the SKY roster fixed as it is. Starting after the league ends, search every corner of the country and find talent for me. People verified by the Mind-Reading Eagle and recognized by HunGyo."
"Understood. About how many people are you thinking?"
"Roughly ten more?"
Too many would make things hard for Baek Jinwoo.
He would select them, train them, then make them compete fiercely on the inside so that only those who placed in the rankings could become members of the national team.
'That's how the Korean archery association does it, right?'
They said becoming a national representative there was harder than winning Olympic gold...
Baek Jinwoo wanted to build a system like that too.
'Big brother Hwang Juwon is a good person, but...'
There were too many disappointing points when it came to skill or instinctive sense.
That big brother was perfectly suited to being an advisor.
A role where he steadied the players' mental states and coached them from the side.
There were always people who were better at that sort of thing than at competing directly.
Hwang Juwon and An Gijeong fit that exactly.
'Of course, that doesn't mean I'm kicking them out.'
Since they too had sworn loyalty before joining, SKY would guarantee them a complete career until retirement.
That was loyalty.
A group that calls for people when it needs them, then throws them away once it no longer does, cannot last long.
Because it loses trust.
Still, for that to work, they would have to keep helping them carry out a clear division of roles within the guild.
"Ten people! Okay, I understand."
Yoo Jia nodded as she wrote something down.
Baek Jinwoo felt newly grateful to her.
Even now, while everyone else were resting or taking time for personal maintenance, wasn't she still here beside him, helping him analyze the videos all by herself?
So he said it.
"Thank you."
"Pardon?"
"It's just that I always get a lot of strength from you, Ms. Jia. You make me feel reassured."
Uh-oh.
That was a bit too direct an expression....
And yet Yoo Jia's mind started spinning rapidly.
She was a born merchant.
She decided instinctively to bring out what she had kept hidden in her heart all this time.
"Really? You're really grateful?"
"...Of course."
At Baek Jinwoo's answer, Yoo Jia lightly bit her lower lip.
"Then could you grant me just one favor?"
"A favor? Let me hear it first."
A favor from Yoo Jia.
'What could it be?'
Baek Jinwoo's eyes filled with curiosity.
She was someone who had never asked him for a favor before.
If anything, Baek Jinwoo had been the one asking her for more things.
"Actually, my grandfather can be a bit meddlesome.... I think he wants to meet you. I keep turning him down, but he's really persistent."
"Ms. Jia's grandfather would be Daeseong's..."
Yoo Jia gave a slight nod.
"Yes, Yoo Byeongcheon of Daeseong."
Ah, Yoo Byeongcheon!
Baek Jinwoo thought of it simply.
The Daeseong Group?
'It was a good company that always helped our Yoobaek well.'
If the head of a company like that wanted to see him, there was no reason not to meet him.
"Sure. It's not that hard. Let's set a date."
"I-is that really okay?"
Yoo Jia shot to her feet.
Meaning she had not expected him to accept so easily.
Yoo Byeongcheon may have once been Yoo Byeongcheon, but he was no longer in a position where he could order Baek Jinwoo around.
"If he wants to see me, of course I can meet him. It's not difficult at all.... Besides, he's your grandfather, Ms. Yoo Jia, isn't he?"
"Ah."
"Any time after the league ends is fine, so just set a time and let me know."
He approved it coolly.
* * *
Time passed.
Indonesia, the Philippines, Canada, Belgium....
The Republic of Korea overwhelmingly crushed every country randomly assigned by the system, and secured a perfect ticket to the Round of 16 as the top team in its group.
"Waaaaaaah!"
"The Round of 16! It's the Round of 16!"
"Uwaaaah!"
By now, the Republic of Korea had already surpassed even the fever of the Red Devils during the 2002 World Cup.
Every media outlet was talking about the Round of 16, and overseas media were also mentioning the changed Republic of Korea.
[The selection of the Round of 16 has been completed.]
[Beginning tomorrow, the highlight of the World League! The tournament stage will continue.]
And the countries selected for the Round of 16, along with the bracket, were as follows.
111. Changed South Korea (2)
If Hong Ari had been the first day's starter, then Oh Sunyoung was the second day's starter.
Her Fenrir (A-rank), Shadow Wolf (B-rank), Blood Wolf (B-rank), and the like delivered standout performances against Spain.
A whopping 6 kills!
According to world experts, if the seventh player she had faced had not been a world-ranked player, she probably would have pulled off an all-kill.
That was how mysterious and incredible her wolf control was.
- Amazing, Orang! You did so well! Can five wolves really feel that reliable?!
They clung on with unbelievable tenacity! To think she even managed to take down three summons against a world-ranked player! This makes things so much easier for the next player!
- Starting from Hong Ari yesterday, doesn't it feel like the level of the Korean national team has completely changed?
- Yes, the world is gradually starting to acknowledge it. That the Republic of Korea has entered the ranks of the great powers!
- Who's next?
- Gi Jaehyuk! It's player Gi Jaehyuk!
- The Goblin maniac!
The remaining 4 kills were finished off by Gi Jaehyuk.
His opponent was a world-ranked player known as the "Wall of Spain", but it was too much to ask of him to deal with Gi Jaehyuk using only two summons.
Even so, Spain was still considered a regional powerhouse, yet two Korean rankers had wrapped it all up!
"Hmm, was the league level always this low?"
Oh Sunyoung muttered as if she could hardly believe it.
"...Right, noona. Why is this so easy? These Spanish guys. They weren't this bad before. They don't even have the basics at all."
Gi Jaehyuk felt the same.
In particular, the dazzling swordsmanship of the Goblin Master (A-rank) that Gi Jaehyuk controlled was enough to become the highlight of today's league!
Could this ever have happened in the past?
'No, absolutely not.'
This was exactly the importance of fundamentals.
Gi Jaehyuk felt it once again.
There was definitely an entirely different dimension between having someone guide you and simply throwing yourself in barehanded.
'If big brother hadn't given us his consulting, we probably would've ended up just like them.'
Just like during the last three years.
"Gi Jaehyuk! Gi Jaehyuk! Gi Jaehyuk!"
"Oh Sunyoung! Oh Sunyoung! Oh Sunyoung!"
For the Republic of Korea, it was no different from a festival.
Was this how Brazil, France, or Argentina felt when watching a football match?
The more one-sided a game was, the more fun it was.
There was a reason Koreans always flocked to archery in summer and short-track speed skating in winter.
"Haha, at this rate, I'm not sure we'll even get the chance to show anything before it ends."
Hwang Juwon said, and An Gijeong picked up the remark.
"Seriously. There are only five days left, and if the kids' level is this low...."
"There's still Indonesia and the Philippines. We'll have to show it there."
Indonesia in particular was a traditional powerhouse that had made it into the round of 16 in all three league appearances.
They even had three giant-class world rankers!
"That's true."
"Though if Guild Master gets drawn as the starter even there, it'll all be over."
"Ugh, that's true too."
By now, An Gijeong could no longer imagine Baek Jinwoo losing.
Unless it was one of the Five Emperors, they probably would not even be able to brush against HunGyo or Gale Slayer.
"But still."
Hwang Juwon smiled and nodded.
"Anyway, let's enjoy it. It's a feeling we haven't been able to enjoy for three years, right?"
To be honest, Hwang Juwon was beginning to feel his limits.
Young talents were charging upward from below, and it was getting hard to keep up with them.
Hwang Jiwoo and Song Yeonhee too.
They were growing at a frightening pace, while he himself had nothing much to show.
Even so, there was only one thing he could do.
"Just keep doing what we've been doing, and do our best according to the situation."
That was to steady the players' mental states!
"Heh heh heh, that's right, big brother! Let's enjoy it! Let's really enjoy it!"
An Gijeong burst into hearty laughter.
* * *
The league went on.
Entry into the arena was on average at 10 a.m., and exit was on average at 4 p.m.
The matches were conducted by group, and as long as you fought properly according to the system's instructions, there was no reason to be disqualified.
Then what did the players do after their matches ended?
They either relaxed at delicious restaurants, or they reconditioned themselves once again through breathing techniques, control practice, and the like.
In Baek Jinwoo's case, he analyzed videos.
With Yoo Jia's help, he obtained broadcast footage of the Five Great Powers and examined their players one by one.
'The UK is definitely good.'
Rachel went without saying, and Olivia was definitely good too.
And that wasn't all.
Bale, Sharp, Deng, McKiver, Walsh, White, Boon, Cork... every single one of them was so famous and so skilled that their information filled page after page on namu.wiki.
'They've got the fundamentals too... Looks like Rachel taught them all.'
He could tell just by the movements of their summons.
How strong was the UK national team?
You only had to look at their rankings.
All ten of them were overwhelming names filled with giant-class world rankers!
[UK National Team Roster]
1. World Rank 1, Rachel Rose
2. World Rank 6, Olivia Abernathy
3. World Rank 7, Gareth Bale
4. World Rank 12, Rory Sharp
5. World Rank 13, Joel Deng
6. World Rank 17, Sandy McKiver
7. World Rank 24, Keira Walsh
8. World Rank 31, Ellen White
9. World Rank 33, Ella Toone
10. World Rank 41, Ryan Cork
They were truly formidable.
In fact, even from the footage alone, last-place Ryan Cork did not look like someone who was merely world rank 41.
He had clearly improved further over the past year.
'Even so, they still won't be enough against me.'
The problem was that there seemed to be no answer if Korea's national team members had to face them.
If that happened, it would mean Baek Jinwoo would have to deal with the majority of them by himself.
'Could I really all-kill them?'
Maybe not the others, but with Rachel and Olivia there too, it might be a bit tough…...
Heh.
A smile bloomed across Baek Jinwoo's lips.
'This is fun.'
Having enemies that were hard to deal with was always enjoyable.
The tougher it was, the greater the satisfaction when you seized victory!
That was the mindset Baek Jinwoo had when he used to enjoy 「Battle of Summoners」.
Baek Jinwoo also broke down and analyzed the forces of Japan, the United States, Russia, and Taiwan one by one.
He memorized their summons and drew their habits and combat styles in his head.
'The others are all the same too.'
They all showed traces of having been taught by the Five Emperors.
For starters, their fundamentals were solid. They could even apply them to some extent.
Though not enough to satisfy Baek Jinwoo.
"Why do you look so happy?"
Yoo Jia, who had been watching him absorbed in it from beside him, spoke up.
Baek Jinwoo tilted his head.
"Happy? Me?"
".....Yes, your mouth is smiling."
"Is it?"
He gave a small grin.
'This is kind of...'
It really did feel like it was going to become a battle of pride...
If it was like each of the Five Emperors had raised their own disciples, then wouldn't the league results also become a matter of whose disciple was stronger?
'Then in the next fifth league, I'll really have to crush them overwhelmingly.'
Looking at that UK team, it stirred his greed.
The greed to surround SKY with nothing but world rankers!
"I guess I'm just... suited for leagues."
"...Pardon?"
"First of all, Ms. Yoo Jia."
"Yes."
"As I told you before... I have no intention of keeping the SKY roster fixed as it is. Starting after the league ends, search every corner of the country and find talent for me. People verified by the Mind-Reading Eagle and recognized by HunGyo."
"Understood. About how many people are you thinking?"
"Roughly ten more?"
Too many would make things hard for Baek Jinwoo.
He would select them, train them, then make them compete fiercely on the inside so that only those who placed in the rankings could become members of the national team.
'That's how the Korean archery association does it, right?'
They said becoming a national representative there was harder than winning Olympic gold...
Baek Jinwoo wanted to build a system like that too.
'Big brother Hwang Juwon is a good person, but...'
There were too many disappointing points when it came to skill or instinctive sense.
That big brother was perfectly suited to being an advisor.
A role where he steadied the players' mental states and coached them from the side.
There were always people who were better at that sort of thing than at competing directly.
Hwang Juwon and An Gijeong fit that exactly.
'Of course, that doesn't mean I'm kicking them out.'
Since they too had sworn loyalty before joining, SKY would guarantee them a complete career until retirement.
That was loyalty.
A group that calls for people when it needs them, then throws them away once it no longer does, cannot last long.
Because it loses trust.
Still, for that to work, they would have to keep helping them carry out a clear division of roles within the guild.
"Ten people! Okay, I understand."
Yoo Jia nodded as she wrote something down.
Baek Jinwoo felt newly grateful to her.
Even now, while everyone else were resting or taking time for personal maintenance, wasn't she still here beside him, helping him analyze the videos all by herself?
So he said it.
"Thank you."
"Pardon?"
"It's just that I always get a lot of strength from you, Ms. Jia. You make me feel reassured."
Uh-oh.
That was a bit too direct an expression....
And yet Yoo Jia's mind started spinning rapidly.
She was a born merchant.
She decided instinctively to bring out what she had kept hidden in her heart all this time.
"Really? You're really grateful?"
"...Of course."
At Baek Jinwoo's answer, Yoo Jia lightly bit her lower lip.
"Then could you grant me just one favor?"
"A favor? Let me hear it first."
A favor from Yoo Jia.
'What could it be?'
Baek Jinwoo's eyes filled with curiosity.
She was someone who had never asked him for a favor before.
If anything, Baek Jinwoo had been the one asking her for more things.
"Actually, my grandfather can be a bit meddlesome.... I think he wants to meet you. I keep turning him down, but he's really persistent."
"Ms. Jia's grandfather would be Daeseong's..."
Yoo Jia gave a slight nod.
"Yes, Yoo Byeongcheon of Daeseong."
Ah, Yoo Byeongcheon!
Baek Jinwoo thought of it simply.
The Daeseong Group?
'It was a good company that always helped our Yoobaek well.'
If the head of a company like that wanted to see him, there was no reason not to meet him.
"Sure. It's not that hard. Let's set a date."
"I-is that really okay?"
Yoo Jia shot to her feet.
Meaning she had not expected him to accept so easily.
Yoo Byeongcheon may have once been Yoo Byeongcheon, but he was no longer in a position where he could order Baek Jinwoo around.
"If he wants to see me, of course I can meet him. It's not difficult at all.... Besides, he's your grandfather, Ms. Yoo Jia, isn't he?"
"Ah."
"Any time after the league ends is fine, so just set a time and let me know."
He approved it coolly.
* * *
Time passed.
Indonesia, the Philippines, Canada, Belgium....
The Republic of Korea overwhelmingly crushed every country randomly assigned by the system, and secured a perfect ticket to the Round of 16 as the top team in its group.
"Waaaaaaah!"
"The Round of 16! It's the Round of 16!"
"Uwaaaah!"
By now, the Republic of Korea had already surpassed even the fever of the Red Devils during the 2002 World Cup.
Every media outlet was talking about the Round of 16, and overseas media were also mentioning the changed Republic of Korea.
[The selection of the Round of 16 has been completed.]
[Beginning tomorrow, the highlight of the World League! The tournament stage will continue.]
And the countries selected for the Round of 16, along with the bracket, were as follows.
Group 1 - United Kingdom vs Italy.
Group 2 - Mexico vs Bangladesh
Group 3 - South Korea vs France
Group 4 - Germany vs Ethiopia
Group 5 - Japan vs Indonesia
Group 6 - Taiwan vs Brazil
Group 7 - United States vs China
Group 8 - Nigeria vs Russia
The winners will be promoted to quarterfinals.
Winners of Group 1 and 2 will face off in quarterfinals and same as winners of group 3 and 4 and so on….