abcnovels
Chapter 244
Chapter 244
Chapter 244
Translator: rainbowturtle
Editors: LD & Jyazen
Silence wrapped around the Korean team’s bench. It was Shin Taeil who opened his mouth first, “What does that...? Who is the player?”
“It is a secret.”
“However, I need to know his name to register him as a player...”
Everyone's gazes were focused on me. They were all confused. Perhaps it was natural. A man wearing a strange mask came with a Union employee and they said they were going to change players. Yoo Minseok glanced at me and nodded. It meant he would leave the decision up to me.
“Choi Chuntaek.”
“...Choi Chuntaek. I see. This is the first time I’ve heard of you. Are you a Korean ranker?”
I nodded again at Shin Taeil’s question. I remembered that the last time I checked, my chef’s ranking had gone up to 3rd place. If this meant being a ranker then I was a ranker.
“What place...”
“Third place.”
Small exclamations of amazement burst out from all over the bench. Those who seemed to be candidates were taken aback.
“Wow. Amazing. Third place.”
“So why is he wearing a mask?”
“Is it a mysterious concept?”
“What class is he?”
Shin Taeil asked like he was also curious, “What class...”
I shrugged like it was inconsequential. “I’m a chef.”
“......”
“......”
“......”
The admiration flowing from the Korean team’s bench stopped and they fell silent again. Shin Taeil asked with a disbelieving face, “Wait a minute. I don’t think I heard it properly. You are a chef?”
“Yes.”
“......”
There was another moment when the bench was engulfed in silence. Just then, the excited voices of the commentators filled the stadium. The countdown had already ended and the match had begun.
-Ahh! The flag bearer of the Korean team is Choi Mido!
-This time, I hope there are better results.
-The Korean team is running quickly from the start. What are they thinking?
-It seems they are aiming for the golden flag in the middle of the island.
-I don’t know if it is reasonable. Even if they win the golden flag, the Korean team doesn’t have the strength to defend it.
-Choi Mido is drawing in the air and giving the players a movement buff. The Korean team is running quickly toward the pyramid!
It seemed my granddaughter had become the flag bearer this time. Then there was no reason to hesitate. The enemies would soon be intensively attacking Mido. I spoke to Shin Taeil, “I will replace a player.”
“Huh? A-A chef isn’t possible! Additionally, you can’t replace anyone because they are playing right now. Furthermore, how can an unverified person enter the match? Wait until the next match. Then...”
Yoo Minseok interrupted Shin Taeil, “He can enter as the Joker.”
“Joker? That won’t work. It isn’t possible. I won’t back down even if you are a Union staff member. I still have the pride of a director. He is a chef. There is nothing he can do if he enters! Are you joking right now?”
The director in front of us seemed to be quite a stubborn man. However, there was no time for this.
-The Korean team has arrived at the pyramid without getting caught! The Korean team is climbing the pyramid!
The South Korean team was already climbing the pyramid. Mido would probably get the golden flag soon. Then it was clear that all countries would intensively attack the Korean team once the fact was made known as a message window. It meant that Mido would soon be hurt. If so, I had to act now. There was a Union employee who was a strong backer so it was great.
I looked over at Yoo Minseok. “I believe that you can stop whatever happens afterward.”
“Huh? What does that...?”
I approached Shin Taeil, who had a question mark over his head. I looked down at him and ordered, “I am going to replace the player.”
“No, this person... who are you? I am the coach of the national team! Why aren’t you using honorifics?! Eh? Why are you doing this?!” Shin Taeil shouted in an agitated voice and swung at my chest with his fist.
The part that was hit tingled. I told him, “Obviously, you hit me first.”
“What? What are you saying...?”
At this moment, the lid inside me was completely open. It didn’t matter if I was hiding my identity with a mask. He hit me with his fists and scolded me. I had never seen such a bad person. “...You son of a bitch.”
Slap!
I slapped Shin Taeil’s cheek. Perhaps I hit him too hard. Shin Taeil fell to the ground and rolled around. This expression was quite worth seeing.
“Keuk. You jerk, what are you doing?!”
“Damn guy!”
Slap!
“Eek!”
Director Shin Taeil was stunned as he fell to the ground again. I was a bit sorry, but it couldn’t be helped. I didn’t have much time left. I stared at the candidates sitting on the bench and asked them, “Is there anyone else who isn’t satisfied?”
Everyone on the bench shook their heads from side to side.
* * *
The team’s morale was truly at the rock bottom without Lim Sara. Mido felt a great sense of duty as the only other woman present on the team.
‘I’ll carry it.’
She had this in mind and volunteered to be the flag bearer. It was because she didn’t want Kim Donghyun to create more trouble with his temperament. From the very beginning, Mido proposed to Captain Lim Changyong about a defense-oriented operation to quickly climb the pyramid and take the golden flag. Lim Changyong nodded and said this was the only way for them to fight.
The Korean team was able to reach the pyramid first by running quickly and taking a shortcut. All of this was due to Mido’s map skill and her ability to identify the topography and find shortcuts.
“Ah. There is shaking.”
“There must already be teams facing each other.”
Eun Jeonghyeok and Kim Hyeonu murmured as they listened to the soundwaves around them. Some countries seemed to already be in a fierce battle. A huge vibration was felt and it seemed that the scale of the battle was bigger than expected. The South Korean team was too shabby compared to them.
“There is no time to be dazzled. Climb up quickly!”
Mido pointed to the top and the Korean team climbed the pyramid at a high speed in a triangle formation, starting with Captain Lim Changyong. Fortunately, Kim Donghyun and Han Sanghyuk followed the commands with their mouths closed like they were trying to make up for their mistakes in the first match. They soon reached the top.
“This is the golden flag.”
All of the members surrounding Mido nodded.
“Captain oppa, please.” Mido nodded at Lim Changyong.
Lim Changyong grabbed the map created by Mido that was floating in the air and started to give orders. “Let’s move to a suitable place. Cheol, you will snipe from the grass behind there. Park Jangsoo will be with me and provide long-distance support to the team members from behind. Hyeonu, Haeil, and Jeonghyeok...”
The Korean team took their places after seeing the map created by Mido. Lim Changyong nodded with satisfaction as he saw the perfect defense formation. Then he looked at Mido again and nodded. Everything was ready so take the golden flag with confidence.
Mido snatched the golden flag without hesitation.
[World: The South Korean team has grabbed the golden flag!]
[They have received the golden flag privilege of 5 points.]
The golden flag rose from Mido’s hand and soon disappeared. All that was left to do was to wait. However, Mido thought that no one would come up easily. There was only one staircase up to here and other countries would be aiming for the golden flag. Therefore, Mido thought the other countries would meet on the stairs and fight each other. Her thoughts were correct.
[The Arab team has been eliminated.]
[The Argentina team has been eliminated.]
[The Netherlands team has been eliminated.]
Teams started to be eliminated one after another.
‘That’s it. At the very least, we aren’t last place in this match.’
Mido nodded with satisfaction and waited for the enemies. There was just one thing she hadn’t thought about...
“Huhu. Stupid Koreans.”
A Brazilian Beast Master who transformed into a giant eagle and reached the pyramid from the sky. Carlos moved his beak and laughed. Carlos was notorious for having the same personality as a psychopath and he was doing the ‘only one target’ plan today. The target was naturally the Korean team, which was the weakest team.
“Be prepared. There are prey.”
Carlos’ team members showed a sinister smile at his command.
“...Understood.”
“Huhuhu.”
“I’m sorry for this again.”
“Let’s enjoy it again.”
The eagle flew behind the Korean team. The worst development was approaching.
* * *
“Huh? You will play in my stead?”
Yoo Minseok and I were able to meet the Korean team’s Joker, An Seunghyun, backstage. The capsule that the Joker would connect to was located at the back of the stage. Each country had different strategies for the Joker so it was kept a thorough secret from the audience.
Right now, Yoo Minseok and I were persuading him. Yoo Minseok told him, “He can save the Korean team if he appears. Will you help us? I am an employee of Union.”
Yoo Minseok showed his employee card to An Seunghyun, but An Seunghyun was still looking at me suspiciously.
“However, I don’t even know this person...”
Then it couldn’t be helped. I had to do this. “Dark Wolf.”
“Huh...?”
“I am Dark Wolf.”
“......”
In the moment of silence, An Seunghyun looked dumbfounded. He asked again like he couldn’t believe what he had heard, “I-I think I heard you incorrectly?”
“I am Dark Wolf,” I declared with confidence and An Seunghyun’s eyes widened.
“Ahhh...! Ahhh!!” An Seunghyun was unable to keep his mouth shut and he looked like a fool. I patted An Seunghyun’s shoulder.
“Thank you for conceding.”
Then I immediately entered the capsule. The situation of the Korean team appeared on the screen located within the capsule. The Korean players were flustered by the Brazilian surprise attack and I instantly pressed to enter. In the darkness as the lid closed, I thought of Mido’s face. She was in danger. As her grandfather, I couldn’t turn away. This was a blood relationship.
“Please wait a little bit longer, Mido. Grandpa is coming.”
* * *
The stadium was heated up.
-Ah~!!The moment I spoke, South Korea’s Choi Mido has taken the golden flag!
-South Korea is now ranked #1 with five points!
-However, from now on, all countries will be attacking South Korea intensively...!
“Honey, our Mido... will she be okay?”
“It will be okay. Believe in her. Our daughter will do well. She is a strong kid.”
Mikyung and Kanghyun held each other’s hands tightly as they watched the game. Their bit their lips nervously as they were unable to take their eyes from the screen. It was natural since the young woman currently fighting on the screen was their daughter.
“By the way, I haven’t seen Father. What is going on?”
“Well, he is probably late because he is busy bragging about his granddaughter.”
”However, it has already been a while since he said he would go to the bathroom...”
“He will call if there is anything. Don’t worry too much, Mother.”
Her son next to her relieved her concerns. Mikyung couldn’t help laughing. “Huhut. Indeed, it is true...?”
-Ah!!There was an upset!The South Korean team has fallen into the trap of the Brazilian team!
-Brazil’s infamous Carlos is running toward Choi Mido!
-Flag Bearer Choi Mido is in a crisis!
-Will the South Korean team be eliminated?
“Oh my, no!”
“Mido...!”
“Noona!”
Everyone held their breaths as Mido fell into danger. It was over. She held out for a long time and fought well. They lamented while thinking about how to comfort her. At this moment, a message appeared in front of everyone.
[The Joker of the South Korean team has appeared.]
-...?
-???
-What...?
The commentators all had blank expressions. The same was true for the spectators watching the game. It was a strange masked man who appeared as the Joker of the South Korean team. It was a mask that was very familiar. The unexpected surprise sparked silence and confusion in the stadium.
Suddenly, he started kicking the air. Everyone was captivated by the footsteps that followed, drawing a fine line like a dancing crane. Then in an instant, he disappeared from the screen.
-Kuaaaaack!
Carlos’ scream suddenly echoed.
-......
-......
-......
The commentators were all at a loss for words. At the same time...
“O...”
“Uwaaaaahhhhh!”
Roars filled the stadium.
-Kuack, who is this person? What... is your identity?
Carlos pressed a hand over the blood flowing from his chest and asked the man who attacked him.
The masked man replied, -Who am I?
Finally, he took off his mask. It was a man with white hair and a nice white beard. He spoke while pointing to Mido, -This child’s grandfather,you bad guy.
“Father??”
“Father???”
“Grandfather?!”
Choi Kanghyun, Kim Mikyung, and Choi Jeongdo’s mouths dropped open. Lightning was striking the minds of the three people.