Perfect World [EN]: Chapter 120

“Yes. I remember. We had some trouble in the second round.”

“That round was part of a test for you. Do you understand now?”

Bum-seok nodded. He would be a fool if he didn’t understand after hearing this much. No wonder the Natural Fairies team came up with such strange, unconventional tactics back then. Their coach originally preferred to play a standard, stable game.

“I thought it was strange. The coach’s influence made the Natural Fairies come up with such a strategy. But what does that have to do with me being selected as a Gladiator for the national team?”

“Teams influenced by you, no matter how strong, turn into insignificant teams that are defeated by such pathetic teams, just like in that match. That’s why we must weed out someone like you from the national team, but the problem is that it’s not easy. Dragon Knights coach Vincent, Chairman Brian of the association, and several Avand pro-gladiator lawmakers are putting relentless pressure on us to select you as a Gladiator for the national team.”

After hearing this, Bum-seok could roughly guess the situation. Coach Vincent, who was having trouble with the selection of Gladiators from his team, strongly recommended him, and Brian, the chairman of the Black Society, and several lawmakers put pressure on him to look good to the Black Society, which seemed to have created today’s situation. The fastidious man must have been upset that outsiders were meddling in the selection of Gladiators, which was his inherent authority as a coach.

However, the problem was why he, who knew nothing, had to suffer. He would have been annoyed by the national team selection. He had never tried to come here or used insidious tactics.

“Then you’re mistaken. I’ve never done anything strange to get on the national team.”

“You didn’t? Are you telling me to believe that now?”

“Whether you believe it or not is up to you, coach, but I certainly didn’t do anything like that. I think they did it for their own reasons. However, you don’t know about it.”

“What reasons?”

“Go and listen to them directly. Don’t take it out on me.”

Clark covered the terminal on his desk and looked at him.

“Well, it doesn’t matter. Anyway, you stay in the physical training room.”

That was absolutely unacceptable. There was no reason to stay on the national team when there was no chance of playing in a game. It would be better to return to his team and focus on recruiting Gladiators. Bum-seok needed to recruit at least one promising player in the winter transfer market.

“What’s the point of that? Since I don’t think I’ll be able to play in the game, just let me leave the national team.”

Clark snorted and said.

“Hmph. You’ve created this situation and you’re going to run away by yourself? If you want to leave, submit your resignation and go back. I’m the national team coach who gets paid by the Avand Regional Gladiator Association, so I can’t ignore the association’s offer.”

That was something Bum-seok couldn’t do. If a Gladiator refused a national team call-up for no reason, they would be heavily criticized by fans.

“Don’t be ridiculous. You know how much criticism I’ll get from the fans if I do that, don’t you?”

“Then shut up and go to the physical training room and do your physical training quietly!”

Bum-seok gritted his teeth. He acted all high and mighty, but in the end, he couldn’t fire him because he was worried about the association’s reaction? He was just a petty person. The tendency of career-oriented people with only strong self-esteem was evident in his words and actions. These were the kind of people who were weak to the strong and strong to the weak, a very good example of a loser.

“Okay. I’ll go if you tell me to. But get me a decent physical coach. It’s a good thing I need physical training anyway.”

Bum-seok retorted without giving an inch. Clark took out a stack of paper files from his desk drawer and placed them on the desk.

“Okay. I’ll do that much for you. Take this instead.”

Bum-seok picked up the paper files and looked at him with a cold expression.

“What is this?”

“It’s a blank leave pass. It’s stamped, so you can write the date and time whenever you want and go out. It’ll be better for both of us if we don’t have to see each other.”

Bum-seok clenched his fist and crumpled the stack of leave passes, his eyes filled with murderous intent. It was something a soldier would have loved, but not for him now. It was a blatant intention to ignore him, so there was no way he would welcome this free pass.

“Keuh. I don’t know if I’ll ever use it, but I’ll take it anyway. Then I’ll be on my way.”

Bum-seok turned his body and left the coach’s office, and Oscar and Rapine cast a sharp glance behind him before following him out. Clark silently watched them for a moment, then manipulated the terminal again to display a hologram image and began working.

The physical training room, located inside the indoor training facility, was quite spacious. Everyone was out training on the outdoor field, so Bum-seok was lying on a barbell bench, lifting weights in this deserted place. The steel bar was quite heavy, but his expression was relaxed. He had gained some strength through his previous strength training.

An elf with silver hair, who was watching him with a document screen next to him, said to Bum-seok.

“Okay. Now go to the treadmill over there.”

Bum-seok put the barbell on the rack, raised his upper body, and looked at the silver-haired elf. Her name was Elin. She used to play in the Wide League, but she was acquired by Walker Auction Market and had been working as a physical coach for the national team since last year. Her physical abilities had deteriorated a lot due to her age, but she had the ability to double the efficiency of physical training for one person, so she was quite powerful as a personal physical coach. But the strange thing was that she was the coach that Clark had sent to Bum-seok. He didn’t know if he had sent her knowingly or unknowingly, but it was very helpful to him. During his month on the national team, he would get the same effect as two months of physical training thanks to her.

“Okay.”

As Bum-seok got up from his seat and went to the treadmill, Elin immediately said.

“And you know you have to go to the audiovisual education room in 30 minutes, right? After running about 20 kilometers [12.4 miles], relax your body in the massage machine for a while and then move on.”

Another thing he didn’t understand was that Clark had assigned him a professional tactical coach without even asking. He said that he would go there during the national team Gladiators’ physical training time, but the fact that he had assigned him a personal coach separately at this important time was something he couldn’t understand at all.

‘What is this guy’s purpose?’

Bum-seok got on the treadmill, increased the speed gauge, and started running. He didn’t know what the coach’s intentions were, but for now, he had no choice but to follow. He knew that if he got angry and ran out of here, he would lose to Clique. The leave pass in his pocket was proof of that. He desperately wanted him to leave the national team camp.

Beep beep beep. Beep beep beep.

How long had he been running? A loud call sound came from his pocket. Bum-seok, who saw that the distance gauge on the treadmill was close to 20, immediately turned off the switch, got off, and took out his electronic notebook. Then, he walked to the automatic massage machine and connected the call.

“Who is this?”

– Yo. Bum-seok. Long time no see.

It was none other than Lexter. He wasn’t in a good mood, but he couldn’t show it, so he responded with a bright expression.

“Ah. Inspector. What’s going on?”

– What else? I heard you became a Gladiator for the national team, so I called to congratulate you.

Bum-seok smiled bitterly and stared at Lexter in the screen. He was not in a position to receive congratulations at all right now.

“Congratulations? I’m just a nominal Gladiator for the national team.”

– Nominal? That can’t be. I’m not who I used to be. I’m now the leader of a Gladiator team. I know enough about how skilled you are. How can you be a nominal Gladiator for the national team?

Bum-seok lay down on the automatic massage machine, turned on the switch, and activated the equipment.

“Hoo~ There’s a reason. Anyway, I don’t think I’ll be able to play in the game.”

– Why? Did you get on the national team coach’s bad side? From what I can see, the Avand Gladiator national team coach seems to be a bit prickly.

“Hehehe. A bit? He’s incredibly prickly.”

– Hahaha. Is that so? Then you must be having a hard time.

“I’m not having a hard time. I have to see the coach’s face to have a hard time. I just have to do physical training and tactical training, so it’s a bit boring.”

– Then that’s good. That’s exactly the training you need. Just think you’re dead for a while and rot for a month.

“Yes. Yes. I’m going to do that anyway.”

Lexter, who was smiling, changed the subject. The reason he contacted him this time was not to ask how he was doing, but for another purpose.

– But Bum-seok. What about the winter transfer market? If you’re stuck on the national team for a month, the transfer will be completely ruined, right?

“Well, Esther will take care of it. Please cooperate with her and proceed.”

– Ah. Okay. Then you’ll give me a promising player again this time, right?

Bum-seok nodded without hesitation because that’s what he was going to do. After all, the promising players he was going to give him were not at a satisfactory level of growth, so he had no intention of recruiting them. It was better to sprinkle them as bait to him, who would be of great help to him in the future.

“Of course, I’ll give it to you. I’ll introduce you to a very cool kid.”

– Hahaha. Thank you. Then you can recruit the promising player you want with that kid and hand them over to me.

“Yes. Instead, entrust the last transaction to Esther at the time of the transaction.”

– Why is that?

“She’s a pro at cutting prices, even if she doesn’t know anything else. She’ll probably reduce the purchase cost a lot.”

– Oh, really? Then can I ask her to buy my elf too?

The time Esther spent cutting prices was only a moment. She didn’t have much experience in this kind of trade, so it wasn’t bad to help her gain experience.

“Yes. I’ll tell her, so please ask her later.”

– Okay. I got it. Then I’m busy, so I’ll hang up now. Take care.

“Hahaha. Yes, I understand.”

Just as Bum-seok was about to hang up, Lexter hurriedly opened his mouth.

– Oh, right. I almost forgot. Did you hear the news?

“What news?”

– Who was she……? I can’t remember her name, but anyway, she’s on the release list.

He only said ‘she’ out of the blue, so there was no way Bum-seok could know.

“Ah. Who is she?”

– You know, the one who competed with you when we made money gambling at the Lima City Athletics Competition last year.

At those words, Bum-seok’s eyes widened. There was only one person who could be called his competitor back then.

“Are you talking about Agelia!”

– That’s right! Agelia! I remember now.

“Th, that Agelia has been released?”

– How can an elf be released! It’s just that she’s on the list for sale.

He looked urgent. Either way, if the word ‘release’ was attached to her, her value would naturally decrease.

Agelia’s growth potential was amazing, but especially the color that came from her long legs was really amazing, and she was a woman he had always wanted to hug. However, the reason why he had been spacing out until now was because she was so famous in the athletics world that her value was very expensive.

“No. But why was Agelia released?”

– She can’t forget the time when she was doing athletics in the past, so she keeps focusing on running training, so the team officials couldn’t help it. Besides, elf lovers who felt sorry for her are even picketing in front of her team’s door, so it must be a pain in the ass. Was Agelia a bit famous in the athletics world before?

“Oh, really? But how much is Agelia’s value right now?”

– Hmm. Well, I was interested, so I took a peek, and I think it was 35 million krang [fictional currency].”

Then he definitely had to buy her. This would renew Godz Knights’ highest transfer fee, but considering her growth potential and characteristics that he had confirmed before, it was not a waste of money at all. If he raised her well, she could be reborn as the strongest captain Gladiator of all time.

“Hehehe. I see.”

– But Bum-seok. I’m just asking in case, is she okay? If she’s okay, I’ll try to buy her.

Bum-seok immediately shouted.

“No way. I’ve already marked her!”

– Ah. You almost made my ears fall off. Is she that great?

At Lexter’s question, Bum-seok immediately spat out an excuse. It was better to reduce even one competitor.

“Of course, she’s quite good, but I’m more interested in her appearance. How long and well-shaped are her legs? It feels like it’ll be amazing to hug her.”

– What? You’re going to spend that much money because of her appearance?

“Hey. I’m trying to buy her because I have the ability. She has as much growth potential as the kids I introduced to you before.”

Lexter nodded as if he understood. The elves he had introduced were all expensive, but they were making his eyes very happy because they showed high potential for development. If it was only that much, then 35 million krang was not a waste at all.

– Hmm. This is a waste. If Agelia is only as good as our kids, then 35 million krang is not that expensive.

“Hey. Why are you doing this, Inspector? The kid I’m going to introduce soon has that much growth potential. And Agelia is just more expensive because of her reputation, so her economic efficiency is not very good. If you’re really interested, I’ll introduce you to two useful kids, so recruit them.”

-Oh really? What are they like?

“They’re at the same level as the kids you have now. The value is the same too.”

Then Lexter would have no complaints. After all, Agelia was forming a value that was close to twice as much as the kids Bum-seok had introduced before. If he bought her with his current pocket situation, dust would fly, so if they had the same ability, it would be more economical to buy two even if their recognition was low.

– Okay. Good. Then I’ll give up on Agelia as you said. But you have to introduce me to reliable kids?

Bum-seok nodded readily. The kids he would introduce in the future were not up to his standards, but they were very outstanding in terms of growth potential when viewed generally. Lexter would be satisfied enough in the future.

So, after handing over the list of two people to him, Bum-seok immediately went to the website of Agelia’s team and sent a message of intent to purchase to the trade manager.

============================ Author’s Notes ============================

Hew, it’s Yoon Seok-min after all. Complete game victory with 1 run allowed. It’s easy for the team if he does this in the first game. SK, who lost in the first game, will probably have a hard time in the semi-playoffs.

Then everyone have a good weekend. I’ll see you all again tomorrow.