章 134: Chapter 134
Click-! Click-!
A horde of journalists was already gathered at the entrance to the Battle Net Center, and camera flashes assaulted each national player to arrive.
Despite how relentless they were with their pictures, they still complained.
"How disappointing."
"When is he going to appear?"
The journalists were eagerly waiting for someone else.
"What's disappointing?"
"Ah, it… it's nothing."
Though the journalists were complaining quietly to each other, the national players still heard them and looked at them in disbelief as they passed by.
After about 10 people entered, a large Administration limousine pulled up to the entrance, and when JiHan stepped out of it, the journalists went into a frenzy.
"It's Sung JiHan!"
Their eyes lit up, and they quickly raised their cameras.
Click! Click! Click! Click!
The cameras flashed even more rapidly than before.
"Huh? Someone else is getting out of the limo!"
Following him, Sae-ah, Akari, and Ariel each stepped out as well.
"Is that Akari?"
"The summon is over there too!"
"Look, it's Sae-ah. Is it because of yesterday's incident?"
The journalists rushed over with their microphones.
"Mr. Sung! Please, tell us your thoughts on the upcoming match against Russia!"
"We heard there was an attack yesterday! Since then…"
"The government said they wouldn't overlook the incident. What's your opinion on this…?!"
The journalists stiffened after JiHan frowned.
'He won't use Force on us, right…?'
'It's his first day as a national player. I'm sure he'll be more careful.'
They knew he'd used Force on people before, but they thought he would respond to them after recent events.
JiHan wasn't so easily swayed, though.
He slightly raised his hand and said, "Ah. I'm still sensitive to crowds after what happened yesterday. Please, excuse me."
"Huh… Mmph?!"
The journalists felt their mouths and feet being restrained, and a few who were too close were pushed back.
With that, JiHan's way forward was perfectly clear.
"I'll give more details during my interview later," he said.
Just when it seemed like the commotion was over, a Japanese journalist approached Akari and said, "Ms. Gato! Is everything you said yesterday true? Shizuru strongly denied the allegations, claiming she was being falsely accused of murder!"
"Moreover, Japan asked the Korean government to send you back. They say you're an extremely vicious criminal who killed her parents! What are your thoughts on this?"
Since the biggest topics in Japan were the allegations being held against Shizuru, Akari was an even bigger scoop than JiHan for the Japanese journalists.
Akari glared at the journalist. "What? I'm being accused of killing my own parents?"
"Shizuru's lawyer claimed you're the only one who would do such a thing!"
"How dare you imply that—!"
"Wait." JiHan interrupted before Akari could create a scene. "Don't engage with them."
In the end, she could only grit her teeth and turn her back.
The interior of the Battle Net Center was luxurious enough to make even a top-tier hotel seem shabby in comparison.
"Mr. Sung! This way, please," Manager Yoon-sik said before guiding JiHan's group to the top floor.
"These are the three rooms you requested," he said.
"Separate rooms?" Sae-ah asked. "Shouldn't we use the same room? We're supposed to stick together, after all." It seemed like she was still shocked by recent events and wanted to stay attached to him like a magnet.
"Being in the next room is good enough. Don't worry."
"Really? We were also in the same place yesterday, though…"
"I can cover the distance in an instant if it isn't from the top floor of a skyscraper to an underground market."
After he reassured Sae-ah, JiHan turned to Ariel and said, "Stay with Akari for the time being."
[With her? Do you not trust her?]
"We can't be completely relaxed with her yet."
[Understood.]
After Ariel translated it for her, Akari nodded in agreement as well.
Yoon-sik cautiously spoke up. "The Intelligence Service's Battle Net Department asked to speak with Akari as well."
"The Intelligence Service?" JiHan asked.
After North Korea collapsed, the Intelligence Service's counterintelligence division shifted its focus to Battle Net, and they'd taken notice of her after she revealed information on the Sword King and Shizuru.
"Yes. They want to cross-check her information with the information they have before going to the public."
Akari's eyes sparkled after Ariel translated his words for her.
"Do you want to cooperate, Akari?"
"I'll do it. I'll do anything to drag that bitch down."
It could have been due to what the journalist said, but her grudge seemed even deeper than before.
"I'll kill her…"
The woman had stolen her body and made her kill her parents, so of course she'd be filled with killing intent.
"She seems extremely interested in helping out," JiHan said.
"Understood… I'll relay that to them." Manager Yoon-sik broke out in a nervous sweat.
As one would expect of a Diamond Assassin, her killing intent was no joke.
* * *
South Korea's 100 most outstanding players gathered in the Battle Net Center's 2nd-Floor National Team Strategy Room.
"Today's training map will be 'South Gate', and it'll be the same map used in the first two matches against Russia.
The goal of South Gate was to attack or defend a fortress's southern gate. One team would play as the attackers, and the other would be the defenders, and they would switch sides in the second game.
It was one of the most frequently used maps in international matches.
'What a simple map. As expected from the Tutorial Season,' JiHan thought after he heard the coach's explanation.
On South Gate, the gate was already destroyed, and the Warriors would create a formation to stop the attackers while the Archers and Mages kept the enemies in check from above. Lastly, the Supports would stay in the back and heal their allies or debuff the enemies.
"As you all know, Warriors are the most critical on this map. Points are gained depending on how long the team can hold the gate," the coach explained.
The moment the Warriors fell and the enemies breached the fortress, there would be a huge loss in points.
"Thanks to the map's unique characteristics, most believe that we'll lose our match against Russia."
It only made sense. Korea's national-level Warriors were deemed the weakest in the East Asian League while Russia had some of the strongest. They might not have been as strong as Japan was with the Sword King, but they were comparable to China, the next-strongest country.
Despite the difference in abilities, the map was focused on Warriors. Looking at it objectively, most believed Russia would win.
"I believe we can prove that negative opinion wrong. Especially with our newest member!"
Coach YeongJun looked at JiHan and gestured for him to stand up.
"I'm Sung JiHan. I look forward to working with you," he briefly said before sitting back down. His attitude was stiff and could be seen as arrogant, but…
Clap, clap, clap-!
The other national players, who were his seniors, didn't seem to mind at all and welcomed him with applause. Some players in other positions even whistled and greeted him very warmly.
"He's finally here!"
"Phew… Now I can breathe."
The Warriors were so weak that people called them 'automatic doors' because of how easily they broke formation, but they believed there'd be a significant change if JiHan joined them.
"We'll be focusing on teamwork in the Warrior team today," the coach said.
"Yes!"
Soon after, they began to practice.
"JiHan!" Dong-woo, the Warrior team leader, smiled and approached JiHan. "We owe you one."
"Owe him one? Everyone was blown away with one punch," another Warrior said.
"Hey, shut up. Do you want to bring up such dark history?"
"You're the one who said we owe him one."
All of the Warrior treated him in a much more friendly manner than expected, maybe because he'd defeated most of them with a single punch.
"Let's get started on our teamwork since we're all part of the same team now."
"Yes, understood."
"May I ask how old you are…?"
"I'm 27."
"Ah, I'm 30. Can I speak casually to you?" Dong-woo asked.
JiHan gave the man a look and judged that he seemed to have no ulterior motives.
'There's no need to keep myself at a distance.'
There'd be many situations where they had to work together, so it would be nice if they all got along well.
JiHan nodded and agreed. "Yes, sure."
"Ooh… Really?"
"My name's Lee YunGi! Please speak to me casually!" Another player, YungGi, quickly spoke up when he saw JiHan's relaxed attitude.
Coach YeongJun sighed in relief. He was thankful that Dong-woo had welcomed JiHan and that the man seemed to react well to it.
'Now, it would be great if the Warrior team showed good synergy,' he thought as their practice started.
South Gate allowed for up to 30 Warriors to be selected, and he placed the lowest-ranked elite member with JiHan, but there was a problem right from the start.
"You don't have a shield?" Dong-woo asked.
"No. I've never held one while playing," JiHan stated.
"Ah. You need a shield to participate in the formation…" Dong-woo scratched his cheek.
The most ideal way for the Warriors to defend the breach was to form a special 'Turtle Formation' and act as a single wall. They could only make the formation with shields, though.
"It's true. I've only ever seen him use spears and swords in his streams."
"Hmm… Can you use this shield for now? The coach would like to see the formation's efficiency with you in it."
Dong-woo took an unused, A-rank kite shield from his inventory.
JiHan looked at it. 'Tying myself down to defense would hinder my abilities…'
Usually, outstanding Warriors like the Sword King were given freedom of movement, and JiHan himself had always performed best with America First in his past life without restrictions on where he could go.
He figured he was qualified enough for that with Martial Soul, but…
"Thank you." He concluded that working well with the team was a priority. If he wanted to move freely, he'd have to prove his skill.
He accepted the shield, though he had never really used one before, even in his past life.
"Should I stand here?" he asked.
"Ah, yes. That's right. Come here. Now, block over here…"
JiHan joined the formation and awkwardly took his position with the 30 other Warriors.
'Maybe I should keep JiHan out of the first two matches…' Coach YeongJun thought.
But when the formation came into effect…
"Wh-what the…?!"
He was completely shocked.
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