“Hey, did you hear? Manager Kim from Sales Team One got kicked out along with the team leader.”

“Yeah, I heard... His reputation tanked so bad that HR finally fired him.”

“I knew it would happen. He stole all his team members’ results. Serves him right.”

Eun-Ho had seen it all. Those who bullied their subordinates just to get promoted, those who latched onto other departments' successes only to swoop in and steal the credit, and those who dumped the real work on clueless juniors, then reaped the rewards with a few well-timed words.

Yet, many of those people had actually climbed the ladder. After all, promotions had less to do with what subordinates thought, and everything to do with what the higher-ups liked.

Then again, I guess most of them never ended well, Eun-Ho thought.

Naturally, people no one wanted to work with would eventually be weeded out. Hence why he believed there was no need to stand on every stage. If it was a battle that could be won without him, then so be it.

[All players, please gather on the field!]

The stadium was impressively well-crafted. Twenty-two players gathered in the center of the grassy field, half in white uniforms and half in yellow, complete with socks and cleats.

From the surrounding stands, the crowd’s cheers and murmurs filled the air.

“Are you stupid? Everyone’s scrambling just to get on the roster, and you’re giving up your spot? And besides...” Jang Han-Il approached, lowering his voice, “with your ability, you could score goals too, no?”

“My ability?” Eun-Ho asked.

“Yeah! Teleportation! You could crush the Brazilian national team if you wanted.”

Teleportation, huh.

Clearly, that was how Han-Il saw it. Well, to be fair, anyone would think that way because Eun-Ho tend to disappear and reappear somewhere else in the blink of an eye.

However, whether it was acceleration or teleportation, it was not all-powerful.

“This is soccer,” Eun-Ho said calmly. “You have to follow the rules. It’s better to send out players who can actually sync with each other.”

“I get that, but there were two positions open.”

“Yeah, but there were people suited for those spots.”

According to Park Gong-Chan, there were two vacant positions—a winger to support the forwards and a goalkeeper. For those, Eun-Ho had personally recommended players to fill them.

“But that guy—”

“I picked him because he’s useful,” Eun-Ho cut in. “Nothing personal.”

There’s no need to keep showing off my ability when there are better fits for the team.

The more he revealed his skill, the more it worked against him. Someone could figure out the cooldown time or worse, discover a counter.

It was a perfectly rational decision. Though to Han-Il, who didn’t understand the situation, it only seemed frustrating.

“Ha, you’re probably the only one here thinking about the team. Everyone else just rushed to put their own name on the list.” Han-Il grumbled, scowling.

Eun-Ho hadn’t asked him to get angry on his behalf, but here he was, bristling anyway.

“You’re not even worried about the participation bonus?”

“I already have plenty of points,” Eun-Ho said.

“... What?”

So far, he had earned 179 Training Points. In second place was Jae-Hyuk, the security guard, and Yul, each with 152 Training Points. The rest of the Koreans, who hadn’t even joined the Calvary Battle, were sitting at 145 Training Points.

Besides, Eun-Ho would earn another bonus just for being a representative here.

There’s no need to push myself any further.

His decision had been calculated. Still, being aware that everyone’s eyes were on him, he said a few words for clarity, “I’m just choosing the option with the highest chance of winning.”

“You mean the team’s chance of winning... Not yours, right?” Han-Il asked.

“Of course,” Eun-Ho replied. “It’s a team game.”

The answer was obvious, but the system’s sudden chime wasn’t.

[Leadership(Lv. 2) skill has been activated.]

[Some individuals are now paying closer attention to your words.]

“... You smug bastard,” Han-Il muttered.

“Thanks for the compliment,” Eun-Ho said lightly.

Beeeep!

While they were chatting, the match began. A soccer game led by nine national players and two mercenaries had just kicked off.

***

“Wow! The cleaning lady’s really killing it out there!”

“Wow, so the intensive training actually worked!”

“Worked? That’s an understatement! It’s like she got private tutoring from an expert!”

[Multiple observers are amazed by the unexpected lineup!]

[The Crow from the Bureau of Management is stunned that you deployed your subordinates like this!]

Whether from above or below, the reactions were the same. No one had expected an ordinary woman, a cleaning lady no less, to be playing in a match against the Brazilian national team.

“How did you even think about stopping the suction halfway?”

“Oh, they said there’s a weight limit to how much can be stored, so I figured why not use that to our advantage?” Eun-Ho replied.

Then he thought about the conversation he had with the cleaning lady earlier.

“How exactly was the skill description worded again?” Eun-Ho had asked.

“It said I can suck in any object I want, but there’s a range and weight limit. Thirty centimeters and three kilograms.”

“And what happens when it’s full?”

“Well... I can spit it out somewhere else, or it disappears after a while, I think.”

“Let’s test that right away.”

Every vacuum cleaner needed its dust bin emptied once it was full. It turned out, the same rule applied to her cleaning skill.

After sucking in as many nearby objects as possible to hit the limit, the vacuum’s intake had jammed, and nothing else could go in. That meant she could suck in the soccer ball without actually absorbing it.

“Too bad it doesn’t reach farther. It would’ve made a big difference,” Eun-Ho said. “You’ve already used up all your trial rewards, I assume?”

“Eh? Nope!” the woman replied brightly.

“... What?”

“I heard that stuff can heal broken bones and all that, right? It’s way too precious to waste! I’ve been saving every bit!”

She had been hoarding her rewards like a squirrel saving acorns. Therefore, she could pour them all into upgrading her skill range and make it three meters and thirty kilograms.

“Holy crap, this is insane! They can’t even touch the goal!”

There she stood, arms spread wide in front of the net. The Vacuum Cleaner Goalkeeper, sucking in any ball that came her way.

[The Newbie from the Bureau of Corporate Relations is amazed, saying this must be the legendary soccer of District 13!]

[The Prince from the Bureau of Investigation chuckles awkwardly, claiming this isn’t the soccer they know.]

“She’s blocking everything! That’s unbelievable!”

“Damn! How the hell are they supposed to score against that?!”

“Honestly, that skill looks like it was made just for goalkeeping!”

It really did seem like fate. Even the rest of the team was performing far more smoothly than expected. Their coordination was sharp, with their rhythm precise.

“Young Men! Catch this!” the cleaning lady shouted.

“Go, Ms. Song! Throw it!”

The ball she threw arced beautifully across the air, the cheers trailing behind it like contrails.

Thud!

A waiting defender met the ball with a firm header. It dropped from his forehead to his chest, rolling smoothly to his foot in a fluid, practiced motion. With one clean strike, he launched a long cross. The ball soared through the air, arcing toward the team’s forward, Park Gong-Chan.

“He’s kicking it long! Is he going straight for a shot?”

“Man, whatever it is, crush them!”

Park Gong-Chan’s skill was called Shoot. Anything he kicked would go exactly where he wanted. It was just like during basic training, when he had knocked down stones one by one with a single pebble.

Let’s go.

Only the shot remained. It was destined to land in the net, sharp as a missile. Eun-Ho clenched his fist as the ball wove through the Brazilian defense like water flowing downstream.

“Wait! Over there!” shouted Eun-Ho.

One of the Brazilian midfielders closed in fast, almost at the speed of light.

Jae-Hyuk and Ji-Eun gasped at the impossible speed.

“That’s Brazil’s captain, Luiz Silva!”

“He’s too fast! We better not lose the ball now!”

Tap!

Suddenly, a massive figure appeared alongside Luiz, tackling him.

“Nice! Block him! Or just throw him out!”

“Hey, that’s a foul, you idiot! He’s just going for a shoulder check.”

“Shoulder check? Why not just throw him out?”

Swear-Master wasn’t wrong, because a violent tackle could trigger a system penalty. However, the big guy wasn’t planning a mere shoulder check.

“Protection!” he shouted.

An impenetrable wall of light flared between Park Gong-Chan and the Brazilian captain.

Flash!

The energy spread, and suddenly, the opposing players froze in place.

“Huh? What the hell! What’s wrong with my body!”

“What did you do?! Let us move!”

“That guy used to be Myung Seung-Tae’s father’s bodyguard, right?”

“Yeah. If I’d gone for Seung-Tae first back then, I’d be the one frozen now,” Eun-Ho replied.

There were barely five seconds, but it was enough.

Swish!

Park Gong-Chan slipped free and fired, the ball launching from his foot like a cannon. “Shoot!”

The ball cut through the air, straight toward the left side of the goal. The opposing goalkeeper dove, but the ball curved mid-flight. It glided just past the keeper’s fingertips and the post before striking the net cleanly.

Whoosh!

[ROK district, Goal!]

[4 : 0]

“Goal!”

“That’s unbelievable! Did you see that? It went in!”

The cheers from their side of the stands erupted like a tidal wave, crashing over the silent Brazilian fans.

Sorry about that, Eun-Ho thought.

The scoreboard now read 4–0. More than the score difference, the zero under conceded goals said it all. There were only ten minutes left and there was no way to turn it around now.

“It’s over,” Eun-Ho said quietly.

“Huh?” Ji-Eun blinked.

He stood up with certainty. “The match. It’s already done.”

“W-wait, Eun-Ho! Where are you going?”

“To scout,” he replied simply.

“... Sorry?”

It was time to prepare for the final match.

“Would you lend me a hand?” he asked.

***

With Ji-Eun’s help, Eun-Ho rose high into the air.

“Wow... You can see everything from up here!” said Eun-Ho.

Below them, the emerald-green field stretched out wide, the players in white and yellow uniforms darting back and forth like quick brushstrokes on a canvas.

The familiar roar of the crowd echoed faintly from below. However, beyond that, something else caught his widened view.

Other stadiums... Eun-Ho thought.

“Over there! There’s still time!”

“Pass it! I said pass!”

The vast land below wasn’t home to just one arena. Each zone seemed closed off to outsiders, but apparently, the skies were still open.

“Eun-Ho, look over there,” Ji-Eun said, pointing.

“That’s China,” he replied.

Among all the stadiums, one definitely stood out. In front of the goal sat a small boy, calm and composed. Around him were rows of glossy black Go stones he had arranged himself.

“He placed those at an angle on purpose, didn’t he?”

“Yes. He tilted the entire board so it’s not parallel to the goal. He’s probably trying to block any direct approach.”

Thick lines of oversized Go stones formed a double wall before the net, leaving almost no space for a ball to slip through. Even the few visible gaps were crowded with defenders, so much that not even Park Gong-Chan’s Shoot would stand much chance.

Meanwhile, the opposing forward was red-faced, stomping in frustration, unable to break through.

“Hey! Come on! Is that even allowed?!”

“Stop that and play fair!”

“Well... Looks like it worked,” Ji-Eun murmured.

To Eun-Ho, it looked like more than just a defense. It was as if the boy had built a fortress to shut out the entire world using a massive black wall.

Wei lifted his head and their eyes met just for a moment. The distance between them was considerable, but with his improved eyesight, Eun-Ho was sure it wasn’t just his imagination.

Inside that dark barrier, Wei finally seemed at peace.

“At this rate, they won’t let in a single goal,” Ji-Eun said. “They’ll win easily.”

Eun-Ho nodded, but not entirely in agreement.

“They’ll win, but not by much. Soccer isn’t a game you can win by blocking alone.”

“Oh... Right.”

“Let’s check the others.”

“Okay!”

They soared again, moving toward another stadium hosting Russia versus Germany. Germany, one of the world’s traditional soccer powerhouses, was completely overwhelmed.

“Block them!”

The Russian players were blisteringly fast. Eun-Ho had once thought Brazil’s national team was the pinnacle of speed and skill, but this was something else entirely.

They moved like artillery shells fired from a cannon—explosive in velocity, yet unnervingly precise. Besides, there was no delay between motion and reaction or wasted movements. Just pure, efficient force.

“I had no idea Russia was this good at soccer!” Ji-Eun gasped.

“I’m surprised too,” Eun-Ho said quietly.

However, what shocked him most was that the entire team moved like superhumans.

“All eleven of them are incredible!” Ji-Eun exclaimed.

How is that possible?

If the team had just one or two star players, he would’ve assumed it was a special skill. Yet, every single one of them was beyond human limits. It was almost as if the Russian squad alone had received double the trial rewards until now.

“We’ll need to prepare,” Eun-Ho said grimly.

“Yeah... We’re bound to face them in the final round.”

By the time their brief scout ended, the stadium was roaring with cheers and laughter. The announcement echoing across the field, confirming their victory.

[4 - 1!]

[Victory goes to the ROK district!]

[Congratulations! You have advanced to the final round!]

“Ma’am, you were amazing! That was insane!”

“Holy shit, that was fucking badass!”

“What was that? I run my legs off and get cursed at for it?!”

“No, no! That’s not what I meant. Ah, forget it!”

[Thirty Training Points have been awarded based on goal difference.]

[An additional ten percent, three points, has been granted to all participants. Please check your totals!]

Then, another announcement followed.

[To all teams advancing from round 3, please pay attention.]

[The final round will be Relay.]

The moment the word dropped, Eun-Ho froze.

A relay race?

Thump. Thump. Thump.

His heartbeat quickened.

Ji-Eun, noticing his facial expression, smiled softly and patted his shoulder. “Looks like it’s your specialty, Eun-Ho.”

“... Haha. But it’s been a long time,” he said, trying to sound casual.

However, the truth was, he didn’t need to calculate anything. He already knew what to do.

First, I’ll need to decide the lineup and the running order. We won’t have time to practice baton passes, so it’s best to go by the basics.

His thoughts were racing, and heat building in his forehead when suddenly, an additional announcement echoed through the air.

[You have been granted first choice of items for the final round.]

“... What?”

His thoughts screeched to a halt because this wasn’t the kind of relay he knew anymore.

“Items?!”

“What the hell do you need items for in a relay race?!” Swear-Master shouted.

[Each team may use one item, and only once per match.]

[Selection order is determined by Training Point rankings. Please choose carefully.]

Fwoosh!

A glowing blue window popped up before his eyes. The moment Eun-Ho read what was on it, he frowned. Anyone would have reacted the same way. The so-called items were absolutely absurd!

[Please select your preferred item.]

The list scrolled before him.

- [Acceleration] Booster

- [Acceleration] Magnet

- [Offense] Water Bomb

- [Offense] Water Fly

- [Trap] Dark Clouds

- [Trap] Banana Peel

Eun-Ho stared at it blankly for a moment. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

I’m supposed to pick from these?