Chapter 79
Early Morning.
“Haak… haak!”
Hwang Ji-woo was running along the edge of the training grounds, while nearby, Pokryong was watching her and manipulating magic.
Now, Ji-woo was also doing endurance training.
It was in line with Baek Jin-woo’s philosophy, who valued players’ stamina and self-management.
- “Ji-woo, keep going!”
Pokryong, now much closer to her, waved and cheered her on.
Even now, Pokryong’s quest time continued to run.
As mentioned before, she just needed to make contact within an hour.
“Huh…huh!”
About ten minutes into the run, Ji-woo collapsed, sweat dripping down her face.
‘I can’t do this!’
Her heart was racing uncontrollably, and her breathing was so heavy that inhaling was difficult.
- “Uh? Ji-woo? Are you okay?”
Pokryong jumped up, concerned.
Baek Jin-woo had assigned a full one-hour run!
For someone who had never exercised in her life, this was an extreme challenge.
Especially for Ji-woo, whose body type meant she spent most of her life in bed.
‘I’m dizzy.’
Even though her eyes were open, her vision went black at the edges.
Everything spun around her.
“This is terrible stamina.”
At that moment, a man appeared and pressed a puffed-up bag to her mouth.
It was Baek Jin-woo.
“You’re hyperventilating. Breathe slowly.”
“Huh…huh! Okay…”
Feeling the bag at her lips, Ji-woo frantically exhaled.
“Think of it like this: inhale for seven seconds, exhale for eleven. Even if it’s hard, take it slow!”
This was a temporary hyperventilation countermeasure.
The person must regain composure and breathe slowly, but the bag helps her inhale the air she just exhaled.
Temporary, but effective.
If used for too long, however, hypoxia could occur.
Maybe it was the trust in his voice, but Ji-woo quickly calmed down and tried to breathe slowly.
“Tsk, a girl who wants to be a top-tier player collapsing after just ten minutes of running…”
“Huff! Hooo…! Sorry!”
“It’s fine for the first time. Once you recover, you’ll need to finish the remaining hour. All today. Got it?”
“Yes.”
“Okay. Rest in the shade for a bit. Once you’ve recovered, come to me. I’ll check your summoning skills.”
“Yes!”
Ji-woo was not alone in the training grounds.
With national-level ranked players and their summons, plus Hoon-gyo and Baek Jin-woo’s summon, the vast outer area felt packed.
Hoon-gyo seriously controlling his summon.
And then…
“Haahhh!”
“Let’s gooooo!”
Watching the ranked players’ dedication, running with huge tires hanging from their bodies, Ji-woo felt an invisible wall of pressure.
“What is that pace? Are you even trying?”
Even Hong Ah-ri, the slowest of the four, had Baek Jin-woo hopping on her tire.
“Gyaaa! You jerk!”
“Jerk? How dare you talk like that to your master? You’re doing ten extra laps today.”
“Aaaah!”
Even screaming, they didn’t stop—they just ran as if their muscles would burst.
Ji-woo watched silently, thinking, Where am I? Who am I?
Even in this chaotic moment, she envied them.
‘I want to train there… proudly, like them.’
To do that, she couldn’t just rest.
Baek Jin-woo said it himself.
Finish the remaining hour, no excuses.
“Huff.”
Ji-woo staggered to her feet.
Her heart still racing.
‘I can’t waste this 100-day opportunity.’
To become a great, the average effort isn’t enough.
Even giving it everything, she might not make it into a major guild.
Run again.
Eyes shut tight, Ji-woo forced herself forward.
Countless times she wanted to collapse, but she didn’t give up.
The energy in the training grounds kept her going.
A few hours later.
“Alright, attack me using your usual combination.”
Click!
Baek Jin-woo summoned the Combat Security Officer (C-rank).
Even with a weekday dungeon-exclusive summon, it was enough for Ji-woo alone.
“Yes!”
Ji-woo deployed all five of her summons.
All were ice-element E or F-rank fodder summons.
During Battle of Summoners, they were always treated as mere materials.
She claimed she could show meaningful control to Hoon-gyo with these?
Baek Jin-woo licked his lips, curious.
And then…
Flap!
The E-rank Ice Butterfly’s wings froze the surrounding area.
The Security Officer’s movement slowed, but its sniping skill—honed from countless dungeon experiences—was impressive.
Bang!
A bullet from its gun pierced an F-rank Ice Fly.
Fwah!
Blood sprayed as the Ice Fly was forcibly recalled.
Baek Jin-woo didn’t even control the Security Officer; it acted autonomously.
And it took down a summon.
‘Is that it?’
Just as he was about to be slightly disappointed…
‘Huh?’
The Security Officer’s movement became odd.
It staggered slightly, then…
Bang! Bang!
Two shots missed the Ice Butterfly entirely.
‘Oh?’
And then…
Thwack, thwack, thwack, thwack!
The E-rank Ice Herons flew above and dealt massive damage to the slowed Security Officer.
“Ho.”
Baek Jin-woo muttered in admiration.
The chain combo was impressive, even for fodder summons.
‘Slightly prodigious.’
He now understood why Hoon-gyo had praised her.
Not only was her control comparable to top Korean ranked players, but her fire-natured body type amplified movement slowdown and ice damage effects.
Also, when she aimed expecting a certain slow-down, it became even slower than expected, further disrupting the summons.
She clearly understood her own body and knew how to leverage it—impressive.
‘Definitely a merit.’
Baek Jin-woo nodded.
If developed as an ice-specialist player, she could compete on the world stage.
Thwack, thwack, thwack!
The herons, excited by successful hits, attacked even harder.
But do you know the biggest weakness of ice summons?
Damage output is very low.
Even the low-HP Security Officer couldn’t take a scratch from the herons’ attacks.
‘Time to end this.’
Baek Jin-woo took back control of the Security Officer, previously left autonomous.
Bang!
He immediately blew the heron’s head off.
Three of Ji-woo’s summons remained.
Bang! One by one.
Bang! Bang!
At close range, using consecutive fast-zoom shots, the Security Officer recalled all of Ji-woo’s summons.
No matter how promising, she could not match Baek Jin-woo—not now, not later.
“…A-amazing.”
Ji-woo admired him, witnessing why he was the national team captain.
Baek Jin-woo briefly nodded and spoke.
“Hmm, okay. That’s it for today. Rest. I’ll give feedback tomorrow.”
“Yes!”
- Master.
After Ji-woo left, Hoon-gyo approached, having watched the battle.
“Hmm?”
- “How is she?”
“She’s definitely useful. I understand your strategy.”
- “Really?”
“Your old infinite ice-freeze combo, right?”
- “As expected, Master.”
The infinite ice-freeze combo was once popular in Battle of Summoners.
Using A-rank Ice Birds and Liches to reduce enemy speed and attack speed to the maximum,
with frost-resistant Frost Cats and ice-buffed dealers for sustained damage.
Even Baek Jin-woo had briefly used it mid-game—it was effective.
‘It became useless later, though.’
Its weaknesses were clear.
As mentioned, ice damage is limited.
It works for mid-tier dungeons, but high-tier ones are disappointing.
Bosses take half a day to defeat.
But with a fire-natured body and graduation runes from Roon, that lacking damage can be fully compensated.
Then?
‘Definitely overpowered.’
She had good control, and her combos were well-timed—a rare player.
‘Hmm.’
Should we raise her in Yubaek?
Or maybe start a guild?
Need to think about that; Yu Ji-a’s opinion would matter too.
Time passed.
Meanwhile, national-level training continued.
“Hmm.”
“Hong Ah-ri… and why are the Carpe Diem kids so strong?”
Inside, murmurs began.
Except for Baek Jin-woo, the strongest in Korea’s national team had always been Kang Geon-ho.
But over time, Hong Ah-ri began winning more against him.
Not only her—Jae-hyuk and Ji-ho were also impressive.
Their summons’ movements changed dramatically.
Baekho Guild Meeting Room.
“Brother Ho.”
Kang Geon-ho, confused, called the guild master.
“Hm?”
“What’s going on?”
“I mean, they received consulting together, but why are only they showing results?”
It had been a while since the three students went to Yubaek, but it wasn’t publicly known yet.
The national team naturally wondered.
They had invested the same time and effort, yet skill differences emerged.
And it wasn’t small—it was noticeable.
“Also, another strange point.”
Kang Geon-ho rested his chin on his clasped hands.
“When did Hong Ah-ri start speaking casually to Baek Jin-woo? Jae-hyuk and Ji-ho were always respectful, okay. But Hong Ah-ri didn’t even like talking before, right?”
It was truly strange.
Except for Oh Sun-young, Hong Ah-ri had never been that close to anyone—but now she spoke casually to Baek Jin-woo?
Even considering their age, something smelled fishy.
“Maybe it’s romantic? So she gets private tutoring?”
“Sure, Hong Ah-ri could do that. Both are good-looking, so maybe. But Jae-hyuk and Ji-ho? They’re also advancing too fast. They couldn’t absorb it that quickly if it were only age. Last fight, it felt like they faced an overseas ranked player.”
“Hmm.”
Park Ho squinted.
It was a serious problem.
Baekho maintained the position of Korea’s strongest guild.
But if this continued, they’d be overtaken by Arirang and Carpe Diem.
They couldn’t let the crown slip.
“First,”
Park Ho looked at other national players, Bok Jeong-hee and Seo Sang-won.
“Check if those three have any connection with Baek Jin-woo.”
“And if they do?”
“Stop it.”
Park Ho said firmly.
Baek Jin-woo received an additional 1 trillion won from the government as compensation for leading the national team.
Could he give favoritism to someone?
“No matter the reason, we must investigate.”
Otherwise… the Baekho stronghold would collapse—it would only be a matter of time.
