READ NOVEL ONLINE Chapter 57 - Taking on a Disciple
Chapter 57: Taking on a Disciple
“Hyung-nim said it before! ‘The thirsty must dig their own well!’ Of course, I receive teachings from you once a week, but I realized something. You’re keeping a certain distance while teaching us.”
It was, in fact, an obvious statement.
No matter how much money the government offered, why would he teach everything to people he had no connection with?
‘Teaching, huh.’
Baek Jin-woo knew his own value better than anyone else in this world.
The vast knowledge of 「Battle of Summoners」, ownership of EX-grade summons, and his innate genius-level instincts.
‘Even the Five Emperors wanted it so badly.’
They constantly begged.
Offering financial support, they pleaded to be taken on as his disciples.
Baek Jin-woo, however, had never taken on a disciple.
At best, he might give a hint if someone begged earnestly enough, but he had never truly mentored anyone.
The reason?
‘I’m busy growing myself.’
Especially back then, he was obsessed with the Tower of Trials.
As Baek Jin-woo pondered, Ki Jae-hyuk suddenly knelt down.
“Please allow me to train alongside you, Hyung-nim!”
“If it’s too inconvenient, just guide me for an hour a day! I promise to follow your every word!”
Kang Ji-ho also knelt beside Ki Jae-hyuk.
‘What’s up with these kids?’
Hong Ah-ri looked on with a fed-up expression.
Are they really going this far?
Was it because they were young and more reckless?
‘Come to think of it.’
It wasn’t a coincidence that Ki Jae-hyuk and Kang Ji-ho, despite being lower-ranked, made it to the national team.
Their relentless effort and persistence in seizing opportunities weren’t to be underestimated.
“Then, at least allow us to observe your training. We promise not to interfere.”
Thud!
Oh Sun-young also knelt beside Kang Ji-ho.
“Uh, unnie?”
Hong Ah-ri was startled.
That wasn’t like her at all.
Oh Sun-young was like a bamboo tree.
No matter who the opponent was, she never bent.
And now she was kneeling for something?
“Sigh.”
Baek Jin-woo exhaled.
Four players were asking to be taken as disciples.
These people had saved Yoo Ji-ah and his parents.
‘I can’t refuse them.’
Baek Jin-woo, who valued his family above all else, was able to make a decision because he understood his own worth.
“Alright.”
Baek Jin-woo nodded and continued.
“But there are conditions.”
Teaching them was easy.
However, there was no way he would do it for free.
“Conditions?”
“Just name them! We’ll do whatever it takes!”
The four rankers’ eyes sparkled at Baek Jin-woo’s somewhat positive response.
The conditions were simple and only three in total.
First, they were never to reveal any information about the training or Baek Jin-woo to anyone.
This was a given.
Information equaled value, and Baek Jin-woo especially disliked exposing details about his summons.
Second, Arirang, Carpe Diem, and YooBaek were never to betray each other.
If they did, after all his effort in training them?
There would be nothing more infuriating.
Third, the teacher-student relationship must be strict.
While he had been informal with the two high schoolers, Hong Ah-ri and Oh Sun-young had always maintained a mutual respect.
However, as disciples?
No exceptions.
Regardless of age, they would be required to uphold the master-student dynamic.
Moreover.
Baek Jin-woo’s training was anything but ordinary.
Even if they found it unreasonable, they were to follow it without question.
“These are the three conditions. Do you agree?”
Naturally, the contract would be processed through the system.
“We agree, Master!”
“These are perfectly reasonable conditions!”
The high schoolers had already adapted and started calling him “Master” instead of “Hyung-nim.”
What remarkable adaptability!
“I’m fine with it too.”
Hong Ah-ri nodded.
“Understood. I’ll serve you as my master. Feel free to push us hard from now on.”
Oh Sun-young also gazed at Baek Jin-woo with determined eyes.
A sly grin spread across Baek Jin-woo’s face.
‘Even better.’
The rankers before him were some of the best talents in South Korea.
By teaching them, he had secured eternal allies.
Especially since one of the Big 3, Arirang, was as powerful as a major corporation.
‘Connections.’
No matter how extraordinary Baek Jin-woo was, he couldn’t wield immense power alone.
The limitation was spatial.
‘If I can raise and utilize them properly.’
He might one day wield power equivalent to that of a nation.
It would also make protecting his loved ones easier.
However.
“Pushing hard, huh.”
The process would be grueling.
Because Baek Jin-woo valued the physical and mental endurance of players just as much as he did the training of summons.
“Make sure you don’t regret those words.”
Baek Jin-woo’s lips curled into a sly smile.
The sudden shift in his demeanor sent shivers down the four rankers’ spines.
From that day forward, the four rankers would report to YooBaek’s training ground every morning.
At 7 a.m., they would complete their daily dungeon runs and gather by 8 a.m.
When Baek Jin-woo arrived, they were already present.
For reference, Yoo Ji-ah would arrive around 9 a.m., train with Hun-gyo for an hour, and then return to her duties.
“Everyone here?”
When he asked.
“Yes, Hyung-n…… No, Master.”
“We arrived 30 minutes early to warm up!”
The rankers answered with bright, eager eyes.
After parting the previous day, they had dreamt of this moment.
Dreams of receiving Baek Jin-woo’s guidance and becoming global rankers, dominating dungeons and leagues.
Naturally, they showed up with a mixture of excitement and reverence.
“First, I’d like to introduce some friends.”
Baek Jin-woo smiled and signaled with his eyes.
Then.
– My lord.
Hun-gyo approached.
– These must be the new family members.
“……!”
Their pupils gradually dilated.
Hong Ah-ri’s mouth opened slightly, while Oh Sun-young froze.
Unbelievable.
That summon.
It could speak?
Moreover.
– Wow! Are they people we can talk to? Hello~ I’m Lamba!
Lamba spun mid-air and greeted them.
– Nice to meet you. I’m Poryong.
In a corner, Poryong, who had been practicing her Explosive Dragon techniques, bowed.
“W-what is this?”
“Ahhhh, the summons talk……!”
“What kind of sorcery is this, Master?”
While it was already known that Baek Jin-woo’s summons were unique, they never imagined they could talk.
“Introduce yourselves. Especially Hun-gyo, who will manage your physical fitness from now on.”
“……!”
Swoosh.
Hun-gyo scanned the four players’ bodies.
– Just by looking, your muscle mass is lacking.
“What, what?”
Hong Ah-ri flared up.
Unlike other players, she had consistently balanced her training with regular exercise.
Thanks to her well-maintained physique and looks, she had even appeared in a few commercials recently!
– Hmm, while you don’t have excessive fat, your physique suggests significant effort will be needed. My lord, may I start immediately?
“Go ahead.”
Baek Jin-woo nodded and slowly removed his shirt.
Revealed beneath the fabric were his chiseled muscles.
‘W-what the hell?’
Hong Ah-ri blushed furiously.
‘…Whoa!’
Oh Sun-young’s jaw dropped.
Meanwhile.
“Master!”
“We respect you…!”
Ki Jae-hyuk and Kang Ji-ho gaped in awe.
Following Hun-gyo’s regimen daily, it was impossible for fat to accumulate on one’s body.
No matter how much you ate.
“The basics of being a player aren’t just tremendous agility or vast knowledge. It’s mental strength.”
Baek Jin-woo grinned.
“And what supports that mental strength is physical stamina. The body never lies.”
At the same time.
Whoosh!
He began running around the training ground.
– What are you waiting for? Follow him.
“Uh… oh.”
“Yes, on it!”
“…?”
The rankers were filled with confusion.
They had come expecting tips on managing summons, growth techniques, and combat strategies, but suddenly they were being told to run?
Was this the right approach?
Still, they had no choice.
They had signed a contract promising to follow any command.
Breaking it would nullify the agreement.
Losing the opportunity to learn from Baek Jin-woo was out of the question!
In the end, they reluctantly began running.
Time passed.
Since the gang’s disappearance, peace had returned to Korea.
Baek Jin-woo’s life had also settled into a rhythm.
Daily dungeon runs, consulting for the national team, disciple training, personal practice, and so on.
His meticulously crafted schedule left no room for idle moments.
And now.
“I’ll be off.”
The time had come.
“You’re going to challenge the Tower of Trials?”
Yoo Ji-ah jumped to her feet.
While Baek Jin-woo might see the Tower of Trials as a trivial matter, to ordinary people, it was a place of sheer terror.
Most who entered never made it out alive.
“And you’re going straight to the 20th floor?”
“Yes.”
He was fully prepared.
Poryong had mastered Explosive Dragon Flame and Hun-gyo had even gained a fortuitous encounter.
‘Honestly speaking.’
Even if he went in blindfolded and told to figure it out on his own, there was a 100% chance he’d clear the 20th floor.
It had reached the point where he could simply bulldoze through without a strategy.
“Can I record it?”
“Of course.”
If they filmed the 10th floor, why not the 20th?
Naturally, it would remain private.
“Well, also… though it’s unlikely, I just wanted to ask. What are the chances you don’t come back?”
“…”
Baek Jin-woo stared at Yoo Ji-ah with an expression that asked why she even bothered asking.
And then he answered.
“0%.”
The theme of the Tower of Trials from the 11th to the 20th floor was vampirism.
As you cleared increasingly complex missions and ascended, an S-grade boss awaited at the end.
The King of all Vampires.
The original vampire, “Dracul” (S-grade).
True to its S-grade ranking, it was a tremendously difficult opponent.
Resistant to every attribute except fire, nearly impervious to damage, and capable of recovering all HP with just one bite.
It even had numerous subordinates.
The vampires Dracul personally turned were as strong as well-developed A-grade summons.
Slash!
One of those vampires was cut down in a single strike by Hun-gyo’s blade.
– Whoa, Hun-gyo! You’re insanely strong!
– Quiet, Lamba.
It was astonishing.
Normally, dealing with vampires required bringing at least 15 fire-attribute summons.
But Hun-gyo?
He didn’t need any of that.
11th floor, 12th floor, 13th floor, 14th floor, 15th floor.
He cleared them effortlessly.
On the 16th floor, where 10 powerful sub-boss-level vampires attacked simultaneously?
– Flame!
Whoosh!
Poryong unleashed a massive wave of Explosive Dragon Flames, incinerating them all at once.
[You have defeated Dracul’s ambush squad.]
[Congratulations!]
[You have conquered the 16th floor of the Tower of Trials!]
‘Wow, this is so easy.’
What did Baek Jin-woo have to do?
With his hands clasped behind his back, he leisurely strolled around, enjoying the tower’s ambiance!
‘So sweet, so smooth.’
It was so easy, it felt almost decadent.
In 「Battle of Summoners」, the sections he had attempted hundreds of times to clear were now effortlessly swept away by Poryong and Hun-gyo.
– Jin-woo! I want to eat that cream bun again! The one we had in that city… Dubai?
The ultra-luxury cream bun Ja-sim had specially ordered?
– You’ll make it for me, right?
Swish, swish, swish!
Fine.
Truthfully, the one working the hardest was Lamba.
With stats resetting at every floor change, she was swinging her staff with all her might, as if her life depended on it.
“I’ll just ask Ji-ah to hire a chef. Preferably a master baker.”
– Aaaahhhhhh!
Lamba screamed in joy, her shout echoing through the air.
– Loyalty! I’m ashamed I can’t swing faster!
Where she picked up such phrases was anyone’s guess.
[Congratulations!]
[You have conquered the 17th floor of the Tower of Trials!]
– Let’s gooooo!
[Congratulations!]
[You have conquered the 18th floor of the Tower of Trials!]
– Flame!
– My lord, I’ve dealt with Dracul’s secretary, “Renfield” (A-grade).
[Congratulations!]
[You have conquered the 19th floor of the Tower of Trials!]
It had been just two hours since he knocked on the door of the Tower’s 11th floor.
And already, the final boss, “Dracul” (S-grade), was within reach.
‘Seriously.’
That was insanely fast.