AECS 71

Chapter 71

Korea-Japan Friendly Match (7)

Grit.

Shusuke gritted his teeth.

How did it come to this?

South Korea?

They were supposed to be the obvious winners.

And yet, against them, Baek Jin-woo even pulled out the “Top-Grade Movement Speed Boost Scroll.” That alone was insulting to his pride.

• “Tear it if you want to.”

Seeing Baek Jin-woo anticipate this and mock him made his blood boil.

If I lose here, it’s over.

Of course, losing wouldn’t be broadcast worldwide.

It’s an unofficial match.

But his pride would crack.

The pride he felt as a Japanese summoning powerhouse and a top-ranking player would suffer an irreparable fracture.

That fracture would slowly drag Japan down.

“This humiliation ends here.”

Shusuke glared fiercely at Baek Jin-woo.

Then—

Snap!

He tore the scroll.

Kugugugugugu…!

He could feel a massive buff going to his summons.

“You’re finished now. Even Hikaru would have trouble handling this the moment you tore it.”

“…Really?”

Baek Jin-woo scratched his head.

“Not exactly curious. Never asked, anyway.”

Sugo-san can’t beat that?

Well, that might be possible.

Even if he ranked 3rd in Battle of Summoners, his main stage was the Tower of Trials, not player battles.

“Don’t underestimate me!”

Pabababat!

Shusuke’s summons charged at Baek Jin-woo’s wolves.

But Baek Jin-woo already swung Doldol’s scythe into their path.

In fact, all five summons were within attack range.

“Doldol.”

Hwaaaak!

The Death Reaper suddenly appeared, swinging its scythe in a circle.

“Huh?”

Shusuke froze.

All five summons lost a large chunk of HP at once.

‘But it’s still survivable.’

That Reaper seemed to be Baek Jin-woo’s main summon…

That was a huge mistake.

‘Not even basic strategy.’

Sending a summon alone into the enemy’s center?

That’s basically asking for a gangbang.

“All of you, rush in and tear them apart!”

The speed-boosted summons charged at the Whirlwind Slayer (EX-class).

‘What the…?’

Baek Jin-woo looked like he got lucky.

If they trusted their speed and charged in, they could have been confused—but he made it easier for himself.

Doldol’s attack had splash damage.

And right now, Lamba’s stacks had been building for over 4 hours, giving massive attack speed.

So if they charged like that—

Hwa hwa hwa hwa hwa hwa hwa hwa hwa hwa hweng!

Doldol spun its scythe at a speed too fast to see.

From a distance, it looked like a tornado.

In that flurry, Shusuke’s five summons vanished.

Literally evaporated.

“W-what?”

Shusuke stared at the front in shock.

‘A bug?’

What was this?

At least his tank summon, the Guardian (A-rank), had over 100,000 HP.

Yet even it got caught in that tornado and was shredded.

Thud-thud-thud!

In less than ten seconds, its HP hit 0 and it was recalled.

“I told you not to tear that scroll. Such a waste.”

“Thi….”

“I honestly wanted to just use the wolves. But if you use that broken item, I can’t help it. I have to use OP summons.”

Swoosh!

The scythe-wielding summon vanished into thin air.

‘Unbelievable….’

How can such a summon even exist?

It was unfair, but there was nothing he could do.

No status window appearing meant the summons were following the contract properly.

Vrrrr!

Shusuke’s shield disappeared.

That meant—

‘I… lost?’

He, ranked 30th in the world?

Even with the OP scroll, he lost completely.

In other words, all five top-ranking players had to pay Yubaek 100 billion won together…!

Thud.

Shusuke dropped to his knees, his face full of despair.

“Wow, Jiho, did you see that?”

Gijaehyuk couldn’t stop exclaiming.

“…I saw it. Is this even possible, hyung?”

Kang Jiho looked stunned too.

“Ha, I really have nothing to say now.”

Hong Ari just shook her head.

It was unfair.

It was too unfair.

To overwhelm Japan’s Shusuke like that?

Now South Korea had truly risen as a summoning powerhouse.

‘Even if we didn’t do it… Baek Jin-woo did it.’

But it’s the same thing, right?

Baek Jin-woo is representing South Korea.

And they are his students.

Clench!

Hong Ari suppressed her rising emotions and clenched her fist.

‘Potential.’

It was clear now.

If they just followed Baek Jin-woo’s words and orders…

What would they become in a year or two?

Perhaps they’d dominate the world.

‘Wow, really.’

Hong Ari still couldn’t believe it.

Shusuke.

The fearsome Kei.

Kneeling there in defeat.

Not just him.

Ryo, Atsuto, Makoto…

All utterly crushed here in Yubaek City.

Of course, Japan had two stronger top-ranking players than Shusuke.

‘Baek Jin-woo.’

Seeing him calm and confident as if beating Shusuke was nothing gave her a sense of trust.

“Ari.”

“Yes, unnie.”

“I’ve made my decision.”

O Sun-young must have felt the same.

Now, just by looking at each other, they knew.

“From now on, I’ll only follow the master’s orders.”

Click.

Hong Ari smiled.

She used to not listen either.

She even wanted to abandon Ari and live in Yubaek City with him.

Though she knew she shouldn’t.

“Shu, Shusuke hyung!”

“Are you okay?”

The Japanese top-rankers approached to support him, but their minds were elsewhere.

They had to face reality.

South Korea was no longer what it once was.

They were strong.

Not a young dragon, but a dragon ready to ascend.

‘I understand now.’

Shusuke remembered Hikaru’s warning.

Never.

Never provoke him.

‘Hikaru knew everything.’

About the past JinuGod player being an abnormal monster.

No matter the Five Emperors, top-rankers, or anyone else.

He was someone beyond common sense.

That’s why he sent Shusuke—to confirm if he really was JinuGod.

And to avoid hurting his feelings in the process.

‘He could be JinuGod.’

And the result?

‘He must be JinuGod.’

There was no other explanation for what just happened.

So… did he do the right thing?

‘No.’

He demanded 1 billion won per match from the start, and Ryo, a national player, had fought them as a killer.

If Hikaru heard that?

‘…I’d be abandoned.’

Shusuke was disheartened.

He was scared.

All he had built could collapse in this journey.

‘What do I do?’

There was only one way.

Settle quickly and leave!

If they received 100 billion in one go, maybe it would calm them down.

Suddenly!

Shusuke looked at Yu Jia.

“We lost. We’ll pay as promised. Please give me the account.”

“Ah.”

Yu Jia nodded and provided the account.

In a hurry, Shusuke transferred the money himself.

On this journey.

Two scrolls and 100 billion were taken.

A huge loss, but he wanted to end it quickly.

“I’ll send the video within a week.”

“…Thank you. We also learned a lot from this unofficial match. We’ll be on our way now.”

Shusuke hurriedly wrapped up and called the Japanese top-rankers.

“Everyone, get ready. Take Ryo with you!”

Ryo was still lying on the ground, sniffing and drooling from the pain.

“Yes, understood.”

“Hey, get up! Let’s go!”

The defeated players slunk away like broken soldiers.

The students watched with impressed eyes.

But one person—

Baek Jin-woo—smiled faintly, watching them silently.

Trudging along.

Arriving at Yangyang Beach, the Japanese top-rankers prepared to cross the East Sea.

The atmosphere was so depressed that not a word was spoken.

Anger?

No.

It was more emptiness.

And worry.

How should they report this to Hikaru?

“Phew.”

He sighed, watching the Japanese top-rankers.

Ryo.

He was still passed out, refusing to wake.

Maybe he didn’t want to.

When he regained consciousness, he would face this terrible reality.

The others?

All lifeless eyes.

First-time humiliation.

And worse—it came from Korea, whom they usually looked down on.

If it were another powerful country, at least they could acknowledge the loss.

“…Spread the wyverns.”

Sky wyverns (B-rank).

They rode them to cross the East Sea.

“Yes, hyung.”

Right.

No need to overthink.

Let’s go home.

Just as they summoned the wyverns—

• Kirururururu!

Another wyvern flew down from the sky.

Flap-flap!

It landed, blowing a sandstorm at them.

“Where are you rushing to?”

Shusuke’s eyes widened.

A man lightly jumped down from a massive wyvern.

Baek Jin-woo.

‘Why is he…?’

Did he really follow them?

‘C-could it be…?’

Shusuke had one reason to leave Korea quickly.

He was afraid Baek Jin-woo would keep questioning their mistakes.

And that it might reach Hikaru.

‘Please…’

Shusuke prayed his assumption was wrong.

“Now that I think about it, I got mad.”

But.

Seeing Baek Jin-woo smile faintly while approaching gave him a bad feeling.

Something.

Like he could see through your mind.

“What… what are you mad about?”

“My student was almost killed by Ryo… and demanding 1 billion per match in the beginning…”

‘As I thought!’

Shusuke was shocked.

JinuGod!

Not just skilled with summons, but cunning.

“I think I should ask the Japanese government… or that Yoshida Hikaru guy? That national team representative. Whether this is really true or if it can just be ignored.”

Baek Jin-woo smiled faintly.

Honestly, he wasn’t very generous.

He was a bit petty.

He didn’t forgive mistakes lightly, preferring to dig into them.

“…What do you want?”

“Oh.”

Baek Jin-woo’s eyes widened.

“You’re sharper than I thought.”

“….”

“Yeah, I think it’s best to keep our internal matters internal anyway.”

Lie!

He came to threaten them!

Shusuke looked shocked.

“But.”

Baek Jin-woo continued.

“Someone who easily tries to take lives shouldn’t be on the national team. If you remove him, I’ll keep our matter secret for life.”

“….”

Shusuke’s eyes wavered.

Then he thought fast.

Ryo?

Rank 9 in the Japanese national team.

If he removes him, he can stay close to Hikaru.

“…Can I trust that?”

To add trust, a system contract would be needed.

But Baek Jin-woo shook his head.

“You’re mistaken.”

“Eh?”

“I’m not here to negotiate. Just to inform you.”

Baek Jin-woo smiled faintly.

“I see Ryo active. I’ll ask Yoshida Hikaru about responsibility. The choice is yours, so choose well.”

Tap-tap.

Baek Jin-woo tapped Shusuke’s shoulder twice, then whirled around.

He said his piece and boarded the wyvern again.

‘…Damn.’

Shusuke could only stare with a bitter expression.