AECS 60

Chapter 60

Player Differences

Late at night.

“Haa, haa!”
“Huhh, hkkk!”

The training hall was still filled with the sounds of heavy breathing.

The determination of his four disciples was incredible.

Even though their physical training wasn’t complete, they insisted on coming out at dawn to continue their drills.

All for the sake of meeting the minimum standards that Baek Jin-woo demanded.

“Damn it! Why is stamina so important! Haa, haa!”

After running thirty laps around the training ground, Hong Ah-ri collapsed onto the floor with a grumble.

Running was done, but it was time to move on to strength training.

Honestly, it felt like she might die.

“Still, don’t you feel a bit different?”

Gulp, gulp!

Beside her, Oh Sun-young gulped down an entire water bottle in one go. Half of it even spilled down her throat from how hurriedly she drank.

She was right.

Training under Hun-gyo’s method was actually quite effective.

“It’s amazing. Even with little sleep, my fatigue recovers faster, and my focus is better than before.”

The postures for strength training were completely different from normal methods.

It felt as if she was absorbing the energy of nature through her breathing.

Not only that.

Her eyesight had improved, her recovery and immunity seemed to have shot up.

“So that’s why we’re out here at night, huh, sister?”

Ki Jae-hyeok smiled.

For the record, this was all self-directed learning.

No one forced them to train.

Even the grumbling Hong Ah-ri knew it.

It was hard work, but their bodies were improving.

“There’s a reason the boss emphasizes stamina. Now, strength training! Get ready, sisters! Let’s go!”

“Ugh, fine, fine.”

Hong Ah-ri grimaced but got up.

Two weeks later.

“Okay, you passed.”

Finally, Baek Jin-woo announced their success.

“Not bad, everyone.”

Honestly, he was impressed.

Speed, endurance, agility, and strength.

They soon surpassed ordinary human levels.

Not as fast as Baek Jin-woo, but it proved that his disciples fully trusted and followed his instructions.

“Alright, time to move on to the next stage.”

“Me!”

Hong Ah-ri raised her hand.

“I have a question!”

For some time now, she had started speaking casually.

Some might think it disrespectful, but Baek Jin-woo didn’t care.

They were the same age.

As long as they listened well, it was fine.

“What is it?”

“The stamina training and everything are good. But if we follow your training properly, how well could we perform in the World League?”

The World League…

Baek Jin-woo shook his head.

He didn’t know.

He was too busy to check last year’s World League stats.

So he gave a straightforward answer.

“I don’t know. Simply put, if you’re strong, you win. If you’re weak, you lose.”

“…….”

What?

Hong Ah-ri was stunned. That wasn’t the kind of answer she was looking for.

“However, one thing is certain. If you follow my training well, you’ll become very strong.”

“……How strong?”

“Well…”

Claiming they could beat top-tier “Five Emperors” would be a lie.

But they could probably compete with regular world-ranked players.

Of course, strength is relative; it’s impossible to state definitively.

“If you’re curious, you can start experiencing it today. Let’s see… among you four, who’s the weakest?”

During their national-level consultations, his disciples often tested themselves in the arena, so they knew each other’s skill levels better than anyone.

Slowly, Kang Ji-ho raised his hand.

“I’m the weakest, sir.”

This was amusing.

Oh Sun-young, who wasn’t even a national representative, was stronger than Kang Ji-ho.

She couldn’t help feeling unfair.

Meeting Baek Jin-woo in a multi-person match was her misfortune, if any.

“Really?”

Baek Jin-woo’s mouth curled up slightly.

“Then let’s see. Ji-ho, give me all your summons.”

…Give him all their summons?

All four disciples’ eyes went wide.

Kang Ji-ho handed over his main battle team without protest.

This was the team he used in player-versus-player battles.

It was an enormous act of trust.

Levels, runes, learned skills—all of it transferred to Baek Jin-woo.

Even with a pact to never betray each other, handing over ownership required significant courage.

“What are your records against Ji-ho?”

“I’m 123 wins, 2 losses out of 125 matches,” answered Ki Jae-hyeok first.

Having been guildmates, they had faced each other many times.

“5 wins, 0 losses,” Hong Ah-ri said.

“7 wins, 1 loss,” replied Oh Sun-young.

Clearly, Kang Ji-ho’s summons were weaker.

Levels were lower, runes not optimal.

“Kang Ji-ho.”

“Yes, sir!”

“You think you lose because your summons are weak?”

“Pretty much, yes.”

Even during the national representative consultations, he had felt that way.

Half of that was correct, half was wrong.

Player skill mattered far more than most realized.

“What if I take your team and beat all three of them?”

“…That can’t…”

Kang Ji-ho was speechless.

Even if player control was crucial, weak summons couldn’t ultimately defeat strong ones.

“From now on, I’ll show you how little basic skill domestic ranked players have.”

Baek Jin-woo smiled faintly and looked at Hong Ah-ri.

“Ah-ri.”

“Yes?”

“You first.”

“…Huh? Not in the arena? Right here?”

“Yes, in real combat.”

As long as their HP didn’t reach zero, the healer could restore them and continue practicing.

“Is that fine?”

Hong Ah-ri faced his team five times.

She knew for certain she could never lose.

“Alright, go ahead.”

Then, ten summons started the battle.

Player battles are simple yet complex.

Basic movement, skill timing, synergy between summons, breathing—all affected the outcome.

In other words, it depended on the player’s hands!

“C-crazy.”

Hong Ah-ri couldn’t comprehend it.

The summons that had seemed weak under Kang Ji-ho now moved with weight and purpose.

Damage, tanking, healing, buffs—all timed perfectly.

Baek Jin-woo’s control was otherworldly.

“Why is the attack so strong? Are these the same runes?”

Attacks that once barely mattered now took a heavy toll.

Watching the HP steadily drop hurt her heart.

Most shocked of all was Kang Ji-ho.

‘This is impossible.’

Look at the expressions of these summons—they seemed thrilled as if they had found their true master!

In just five minutes, Ah-ri’s tank balance collapsed. It became easy.

By keeping his own balance, Baek Jin-woo gradually wore down her HP.

Finally…

“…I lost.”

Hong Ah-ri surrendered.

“……!”

Ki Jae-hyeok, Kang Ji-ho, and Oh Sun-young all gaped.

Yes.

This was a new world.

Just like in an AOS game, the same champion’s power varies wildly depending on who controls it, in Battle of Summoners, the same applied.

‘It’s not that the summons are weak—it was me.’

‘So the reason he made us train stamina was… this.’

‘This is what the world’s ranked players have been missing!’

At first, they thought he was strong simply because of his overpowered summons: Hun-gyo, Lamba, the Flame Dragon—all unique with absurd power.

But that was an illusion.

Baek Jin-woo—or JinuGod—was an absolute veteran, unmatched.

Newbies couldn’t stand against such a player regardless of their summons.

This was the difference in basic skill.

The lack of fundamentals.

“Next is Oh Sun-young.”

“Yes!”

“Go.”

The results were the same.

Ki Jae-hyeok and Oh Sun-young also experienced bitter defeat.

“Do you understand now?”

Baek Jin-woo murmured quietly.

“You’re all still chicks. Don’t get carried away just because others call you ranked players. In my eyes, even world-ranked players are chicks.”

Exceptions would be the Five Emperors or veterans over seven years.

They had fully internalized the basic battle mechanisms.

“Your summons aren’t what matters. First, become chicks.”

His four disciples gained many insights from this battle.

A sudden clarity hit them.

‘We’ll follow him no matter what.’

‘We’ll stick close and improve however we can.’

‘…This is insane.’

Their doubts vanished.

Baek Jin-woo wasn’t just the best—he was world-class.

A single sky!

One day!

The eyes of his disciples shone with full trust.

Hwang Myung-hee’s classmate, Jung Hye, was curious.

She was dying to know.

‘How did dirt-poor Myung-hee get a rainbow snail?’

Her son gave it?

What was his identity?

Or maybe some clueless kid gave it without knowing its value?

That was possible.

At that moment, Myung-hee said:

• “Ah, I just got it as a gift. I don’t know the price. It’s probably not that expensive.”

She didn’t know the value.

‘Hmm.’

Even after the reunion, the rainbow snail lingered in her thoughts.

Then she thought:

‘If she really doesn’t know, maybe I can buy it cheap?’

Rainbow snails were top-tier items in social circles.

Just one could make Gangnam moms envious all at once.

Jung Hye pondered.

Finally, she called her son.

“Hey, my proud son~ Busy?”

• “Uh, Mom, why? I can talk for a bit.”

Her son’s tone sounded rushed.

‘Right.’

After all, he just joined Baekho, Korea’s number one large guild. Being available at all was impressive.

“You know your mom’s friends’ gathering? One of their kids seems to be doing well.”

• “Uh, but?”

“It’s a friend named Hwang Myung-hee. I heard her son gave her a rainbow snail?”

• “…What’s that? Just get to the point, Mom.”

That brat?

Jung Hye’s vein throbbed, but her voice stayed gentle.

“Nothing much. If you have time later, could you join me when I meet my friends? Your son might be helpful, and we moms who play games can bond too. Contact me~”