Perfect World [EN]: Chapter 39

As Beomseok and his team navigated the throng of flashing cameras along the photo line, they made their way to the press conference hall. The interview was set to feature two individuals: the coach and the match’s MVP [Most Valuable Player]. This time, however, Beomseok held both titles.

‘Who should accompany me?’ he wondered.

The decision came quickly. Raymi, who had cultivated a strong reputation within the Avand area, seemed the obvious choice. Her decades of professional experience and familiarity with interviews would be invaluable. Beomseok promptly led her to the table at the front of the conference hall, and they took their seats.

Predictably, several reporters who recognized Raymi began peppering her with questions even before the interview officially commenced.

“Raymi! Long time no see! We haven’t seen you around the Dragon Knights team lately. Did you join this team?”

“Yes, I was traded about a month ago.”

“Oh, really? And you don’t have odd eyes [a sign of being a possessed elf]. Did you perhaps find an owner?”

“Yes, Beomseok here is my master.”

The local press reporters, already seated, began scribbling furiously. Raymi was a gladiator who had made a significant impact in the Avand Area League with her exceptional swordsmanship. While her appearances had become less frequent since the Dragon Knights team ascended to the Wide League, many gladiator fans still remembered her.

The fact that Raymi had found an owner, and that owner was the star of the day who had effortlessly defeated five King Krabs gladiators, was undoubtedly newsworthy.

After taking notes, one reporter, his curiosity piqued, raised his hand and addressed Beomseok.

“Excuse me, Gladiator Beomseok. Could you elaborate on the circumstances surrounding Raymi’s trade?”

“Yes, I can. I actually met her at a place called the Demon Sports Center.”

Beomseok recounted their first encounter. He had gone to take a professional course and met her at the sports center. Immediately afterward, they shared a meal at a convenience store, where she was horrified by the boiled beans and raw broccoli in his lunchbox. He then proceeded with the trade from the Dragon Knights team, bringing her and Oscar into his team as his elves… He provided a detailed account, omitting the illegal gambling incident.

Suddenly, several reporters widened their eyes and raised their hands simultaneously. Oscar, though not a frequent player, was a notorious troublemaker in the local community. The fact that Beomseok had brought such an elf into the team was undeniably intriguing.

“So, the Oscar who was at the forefront today was the same Oscar from the Dragon Knights?”

Beomseok nodded without hesitation.

“Yes, that’s right. As you saw, he’s quite a capable gladiator.”

“From what I know, his capabilities extend beyond gladiatorial combat…”

Beomseok, understanding the implication, waved his hand dismissively.

“Hahaha, he doesn’t cause such incidents anymore. He’s completely devoted to my commands as his master.”

“Wait, you have Oscar as a possessed elf too?”

“Yes, of course.”

If that were the case, it could be definitively concluded that Oscar had changed. No elf ever defied their master’s orders. It seemed certain that he would lead a diligent team life from now on.

However, a sense of unease lingered. While only two individuals were mentioned, the fact that he had turned professional gladiators with considerable value into possessed elves was somewhat peculiar. He seemed to be aiming for professional status with his semi-pro status and considerable skills, but listening to the story, it didn’t seem like it. Professional teams in this era were almost in the form of corporations or, at the very least, raising funds to recruit shareholders.

“Excuse me, but what is the goal of the Gods Knights team? Is it simply a gathering of amateurs who enjoy gladiatorial combat for its own sake?”

“No, we are definitely aiming to go pro.”

“Really? But why did you make Raymi and Oscar possessed elves? Isn’t it necessary to have team assets that can attract attention in order to raise funds and gather shareholders?”

“Of course, that’s true. But while I aim to go pro, I won’t turn the team into a corporation. I intend to fill the Gods Knights team with elves who have separate masters or are my own possessed elves.”

This was surprising. For an amateur team to enter the professional arena, substantial facilities and skilled gladiators were essential, inevitably requiring significant financial resources. Consequently, even amateur teams that turned professional eventually had to transform into corporations to meet the necessary qualifications.

Yet, here was a team rejecting this conventional approach. If they succeeded in entering the professional world, it would undoubtedly be a breath of fresh air in the professional sports landscape.

“Interesting. But to achieve that, a considerable amount of funding must be secured in advance. Have you made preparations for that?”

“Well, I don’t have any significant funds yet.”

At those words, the reporters visibly displayed their disappointment. The intention was admirable, but without financial backing, it was merely an empty promise. Some reporters began erasing sections of their notes and composing new sentences.

“Raymi, what was the most challenging moment during today’s match?”

Before they knew it, the reporters’ focus had shifted to the specifics of the day’s match. There was no point in dwelling on impracticalities. The match results alone were sufficient to make the news.

“I think it was probably the third round. Our team was significantly shaken by the javelin attack at the beginning.”

“But you ultimately won. I would have thought the forfeited 4th and 5th rounds were more difficult. That led to a showdown.”

The reporter was mistaken because he didn’t know the composition of the Gatz Knights team in detail. Raymi smiled and clarified.

“We planned to concede the 4th and 5th rounds as soon as we won the 3rd round. So, we only fielded our second-string team for those rounds. We wanted a showdown for a guaranteed win.”

“Why?”

“Considering the overall team strength, there isn’t a significant difference between us and King Krabs, but our top five gladiators are far superior. So, we allowed our main players to rest in the 4th and 5th rounds to conserve their stamina and prepare for the showdown.”

The reporter, reviewing the data, nodded in understanding. He noticed that the five Gatz Knights gladiators who participated in the showdown had played in the 1st and 3rd rounds but were absent from the 5th round lineup. It was clear that there was a deliberate strategy.

“Hmm. I see. So, what led you to believe that your top five were stronger than the representative gladiators of the King Krabs team?”

“First of all, as you witnessed in the match, our team has a master with exceptional skills. Additionally, Oscar and Erfina provided unwavering support from behind. I believe both of them are capable of playing as starters in the Wide League without any issues.”

The reporter, repeatedly muttering Erfina’s name, raised his head slightly.

“Raymi, is that Erfina perhaps the same Erfina who was on the Captain Bears team?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

The reporters quickly opened another menu and began jotting down information about Erfina. She was a gladiator who belonged to the Captain Bears team, which consistently maintained its top ranking in the Wide League. She was beloved by many fans for her overflowing fighting spirit and passion, and eventually became a legend and honorably retired. The fact that such an elf was being mentioned in this context was bound to attract attention.

“Wait a minute. Erfina was said to have suffered from severe aging and was eventually sold at the Walker Auction Market [a market for retired or weakened gladiators]… Are you saying she still possesses her old skills?”

Raymi hesitated. Revealing the truth to the media could create problems for elves seeking to advance to the Walker Auction Market in the future. Team officials who read this article would scrutinize elf gladiators more closely.

After a moment of contemplation, she offered a plausible explanation.

“Yes, initially, I didn’t expect much because she showed signs of injuries and poor physical condition, but after a prolonged rest, she gradually regained her skills. It seems that the excessive activity in the league had simply exhausted her.”

Some reporters nodded as if convinced. Erfina had always participated in matches and training without holding back, so it was plausible that she had suffered from short-term physical problems.

However, most reporters remained skeptical. They recalled the rumors of elves feigning weakness to be sold at the Walker Auction Market. However, without concrete evidence, they couldn’t openly challenge her statement and wrote it down as it was.

“Raymi, are there any other gladiators with special characteristics?”

“Well, there are Stephanie and Hina. Both have experience working as professionals in the Area League, so they possess excellent skills.”

“Besides that?”

“Hmm. Besides that, there’s Venus. Her career is quite short, but she performs her role well, so I’m very optimistic about her future as a promising player.”

A red-haired reporter sitting at the edge of the back row raised his hand. He was intrigued because she was a unique type of gladiator he had never encountered before: a dual-shielded gladiator wielding two shields. If she successfully established herself, she could revolutionize the gladiator world.

Moreover, the way she firmly held up her shield and protected the chief gladiator during today’s match was quite impressive.

“What is Venus’s specific background? I saw her performing well in the game today.”

“She graduated from elf school this year, and it’s only been a little over a month since she started holding a shield.”

Exclamations erupted from the press box. That level of experience was practically nonexistent. It was astonishing that she had completed the game smoothly today.

“Amazing. When you formed the circular formation in the second round, the King Krabs gladiators avoided the Venus gladiator as much as possible. This could be the birth of a great guardian gladiator in our area.”

“That’s right. If she’s trained well, she has the potential to become quite exceptional. But it’s a shame that she’s on this amateur team. If she were on a professional team with better facilities, her growth would be much faster.”

Before they knew it, the reporters were expressing their regrets. A rapid growth rate indicated high potential. If she honed her skills with access to superior training facilities, it wasn’t unrealistic to envision her becoming a gladiator in a higher league, even the Central League. It was a waste for her to be on this amateur team.

The reporters turned their attention to Beomseok, directing their questions to him. As the owner, the decision to transfer Venus to another professional team rested with him.

“Gladiator Beomseok, do you have any intention of transferring Venus to a professional team?”

“No, I don’t.”

His firm refusal created a wave of disappointment among the reporters. If Venus developed into an exceptional gladiator and reached the Central League or World League, it would bring great prestige to the Avand region government. They couldn’t understand why he was so adamant about keeping her on his team.

“Why not? If she joins a professional team with superior training facilities, her growth rate will accelerate. Wouldn’t that benefit you as well?”

“No, that’s not true. Her role model is the dual-shielded style. I am the only one who can teach and guide her. Even if she joins another professional team, she won’t be able to develop properly because there won’t be a coach to guide her.”

Indeed, the dual-shielded style was a very unconventional specialization. Without a proper instructor, there was a high probability that she would revert to being a sword-and-shield gladiator. If she wanted to continue pursuing the dual-shielded style, it was undoubtedly better for her to remain on this team with a dedicated mentor.

Now, all the reporters’ attention was focused on Beomseok. They were eager to learn more about him, the individual who had performed so admirably against a professional team and who possessed the knowledge to guide Venus in the dual-shielded style.

“Oh Beomseok Gladiator scored a total of 8 points against King Krabs today. In addition, after a close battle, he went to a showdown and single-handedly defeated all five of the opposing representative gladiators. It is difficult to achieve such results against a professional gladiator. Have you ever been a professional gladiator?”

“No. Not at all. I was simply very interested in swordsmanship before entering social life, so I trained diligently. As a result, I was selected as a sports scholarship student by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism this year and underwent body modification surgery.”

The reporters searched the website of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to verify the information. After reviewing the details of the pilot project plan, they examined it closely. The name Oh Beomseok was the only one listed, and the reporters nodded in understanding.

In other words, he had demonstrated the most innate sports talent among the students entering society this year. That explained his ability to achieve today’s results.

“Wow~ Amazing. With this much talent and today’s performance, I imagine many professional teams will be vying for your attention. Do you have any intention of transferring?”

Beomseok shook his head without hesitation.

“No. I will spare no effort to develop the Gods Knights team. I intend to participate in the promotion tournament next spring and proudly enter the professional world with the team.”

The reporters shook their heads one by one. Beomseok and Venus were both exceptionally talented. If they joined a professional team immediately, they could become outstanding gladiators who would greatly promote the Avand region government. They couldn’t understand why they were so determined to build their own team.

Still, in a democratic society, what could they do if they insisted on pursuing their own path? The reporters suppressed their disappointment and continued to ask questions about topics of interest or potential news value. Beomseok answered readily, successfully concluding the press conference.

—————

I will step down now. Have a great weekend, everyone.