EX rank supporting role’s replay in a prestigious school-Chapter 1035: Injection (5)

Eungwang High Residential Area, Korea National Team’s Quarters.

The players who had finished the second match sat in a heavy atmosphere.

At least Jo Yi-shin opened the hologram of his device and brightened his expression while organizing the photos he took of Dokgo Miro today, but it didn’t help improve the mood.

Yong Je-geon, who had been watching the faces of the players with a sly grin, threw in some pointless words.

“Good job, everyone. Third place, huh? Such a pity. We could’ve made a comeback in the end, but it’s really unfortunate.”

While it might sound like comfort, considering his tone and expression, it only seemed like he was mocking them.

The first place in today’s match was Japan’s national team, second place was China’s national team, and third place was Korea’s national team.

Though it was technically third place, it was essentially last, and while the gap with second place, China, wasn’t much, the difference with first place was significant.

Several of the players glared at him with frustration, but only Yeom Jun-yeol responded to his words with a sincere tone.

“Thank you for the comfort, Teacher Yong Je-geon.”

“It’s nothing. As the head coach, it’s my job to care for the mental well-being of the students.”

Of course, what Yong Je-geon said about mental well-being was just for his own amusement.

After replying kindly to Yeom Jun-yeol, Yong Je-geon flashed a grin at the students who had been glaring at him, as if comparing the difference in their worth.

Seeing this, the students’ hearts grew heavier with frustration.

Yong Je-geon relished the scene, but inwardly, he had a cool, calculated thought.

“It was an unfavorable event, but it wasn’t an impossible match to win.”

After the first round of the exchange competition, Renzo-in Karen from the Japanese team won in the commemorative coin draw against Yeom Jun-yeol.

The event chosen by the Japanese team was ‘Reconstruction Simulation.’

In the reconstruction simulation, it is set shortly after an invasion of another world, and players must clean up the aftermath left by the invasion.

At first glance, it might seem like the players are just wasting their powers by cleaning, but the aftermath of a high-difficulty world invasion is best handled by the players for safety.

The players aren’t just cleaning up—they restore unstable foundations or buildings that could collapse, purify the scene when needed, and if there are any sources of contamination, they must find and remove them.

While the audience murmured in confusion about the unfamiliar event, Renzo-in Karen spoke.

—The potential of the player is infinite. We want to show you what players can do beyond just fighting and defending. Thank you.

Renzo-in Karen spoke first in Japanese, and then in another language, not his native one.

Despite the murmurs of the crowd, Renzo-in Karen remained unwavering, and although he finished last in the first match, the reactions from Japan’s audience and media were very positive.

But that was Japan’s story.

The Japanese team’s words and the event they proposed seemed to have a plausible justification, but the Chinese national team couldn’t accept it.

According to the rules of the youth player exchange competition, the event must be selected based on a common curriculum used internationally.

Because of that, the Chinese team, despite having other fields they were more confident in, had to pick the random world invasion event, which Japan had brought out with an unheard-of simulation, so naturally, they were upset.

“But just a few days before the exchange competition began, that simulation was added to the international curriculum. Since the Hwangmyung Group wouldn’t change the rules, they must have worked on other areas.”

When Hwang Ho appointed Yong Je-geon as the head coach of the Korean national team, he shared some of the context regarding past events.

That context included a transaction attempt by the Japanese national team against the Hwangmyung Foundation.

Also, as the head coach of the Korean team, Yong Je-geon was keenly observing the process of the Chinese team’s opposition and Japan’s rebuttal.

The Japanese team boldly declared that while the Reconstruction Simulation was created by Japan, it had recently been included in the international curriculum.

“Do they want to win that badly? Well, of course they do.”

The premise of the Reconstruction Simulation was not problematic.

The issue was that the background of that simulation was the Chiyoda District.

While the background for the random world invasion in the first match was based on the myth of the opening of the Korean Peninsula, it was randomly decided without any involvement from the Korean team.

In a place where academic subjects like Korean, English, and Math were expected in a competition based on academic prowess, it was like setting a very minor second foreign language taught only in a few schools as an exam subject.

“Chiyoda District has had high-difficulty world invasions occur frequently since the Great World Invasion. Moreover, the contamination left by the wreckage of those invasions is substantial. It seems like they made that simulation to train players who could help restore that area.”

Renzo-in Karen was known as a player at the forefront of Chiyoda’s reconstruction efforts, so much so that it was said that Chiyoda was called “the lotus of Chiyoda” after his work there.

In essence, the Japanese team had been preparing for a game centered around Renzo-in Karen’s leadership to claim victory.

Regardless, since it was included in the curriculum, the Chinese team’s objections were dismissed.

In the end, the second match was confirmed to be the Reconstruction Simulation.

Thus, the Korean team had to prepare for the second match without Jo Yi-shin.

—There’s almost no information on the Reconstruction Simulation. I’ve organized the data from the player international curriculum archive. I’ll brief you.

As Cheon Dong-ha’s briefing went on, the morale of the students continued to decline.

The key player in the Reconstruction Simulation was the support role, and the Korean team had fewer support players compared to China or Japan.

Jo Yi-shin, who could play both as a dealer and a support, was a versatile player, but with his absence, the number of support players dropped even more.

—No matter what strategy we come up with, Cha A-rang and Seung-hyun must be included. And Jin-seung too...

—Oh! Finally, it’s my turn!

When Ma Jin-seung’s loud voice interrupted the conversation, Cheon Dong-ha continued.

—Jin-seung can also participate.

—...Isn’t it decided?

—No, you’re a candidate.

As Ma Jin-seung noticeably deflated, the strategy meeting continued, but no significant conclusions were made.

The students still couldn’t figure out what exactly the Reconstruction Simulation was.

Cheon Dong-ha had requested data from the relevant institutions multiple times, but since it was a newly added curriculum, the response came back that the latest information had not been updated yet.

Though the curriculum registration had been completed first, it seemed like the Japanese team had intentionally delayed the registration of information.

—When the time comes to split into two groups, Jun-yeol, you’ll handle the group formation. But you’d better not change the fixed members here.

—So you mean Cha A-rang and Seung-hyun should stay separate?

—Exactly. And there’s another member who should be separated.

Cheon Dong-ha’s hologram displayed Ahn Da-in’s name.

Ahn Da-in’s name was placed in a different group from Heo Cha-a.

—You’ve all noticed that Da-in has a special purification ability, right? Those who fought alongside her in the defense team would know well. Even if the enemy casts a wide-area debuff skill, Da-in’s surroundings were fine, weren’t they?

Cheon Dong-ha simply listed the facts about Ahn Da-in’s unique traits without asking whether they were innate or due to a blessing.

Because Da-in had that trait, Heo Cha-a, who had debuff-removal skills, had to be placed in a different group.

Some team members were curious about what exactly Da-in’s unique trait was but didn’t ask directly.

What mattered now was the upcoming match.

The day before the match, Cheon Dong-ha spoke apologetically.

—On match day, I’ll be absent. Sorry.

If you are reading this translation anywhere other than Novelight.net or SilkRoadTL, it has been stolen.

—It’s fine. I know you’re busy. Originally, you were supposed to be absent today too, but you came because Yi-shin isn’t here.

—If Yi-shin comes tomorrow, it’ll be okay, but if he doesn’t...

Cheon Dong-ha trailed off and looked at Yong Je-geon.

Since the announcement of the match’s event, Yong Je-geon had been quietly watching the Korean team members hold meetings without interfering.

He was grateful for not interrupting, but his constant smirking from nearby made things uncomfortable.

—Dong-ha, do you want to ask me for help? Can I come up with a strategy? If I do, will the kids follow my instructions?

At Yong Je-geon’s words, Cheon Dong-ha fell into deep thought.

Yong Je-geon was a playful dragon of the leisure realm, but he was also an ancient being who had lived for thousands of years.

Moreover, despite his playful appearance, Yong Je-geon had a vast network of information and was well-versed in the affairs of various countries.

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In terms of ability, Cheon Dong-ha wasn’t lacking if he were to leave the strategy planning to him.

The problem was that the dragon was Yong Je-geon.

—...No. There are more important things in this world than victory or defeat. Jun-yeol, everyone. Stay strong.

Cheon Dong-ha decided to give up on entrusting something to Yong Je-geon.

Thus, the second match was played without Jo Yi-shin or Cheon Dong-ha.

As expected, the Reconstruction Simulation took place in the devastated Chiyoda District, and each national team had to secure safety in the area and carry out reconstruction tasks.

The Japanese team, led by Renzo-in Karen, made overwhelming progress.

Renzo-in Karen’s movements were fluid and graceful, like the blooming of a lotus.

‘The Korean team has to search for areas that need restoration in unfamiliar lands, use unfamiliar restoration abilities, attempt purification, and destroy sources of contamination. Meanwhile, Renzo-in Karen just has to make a lotus bloom in a predefined area. It’s hard to catch up.’

Yong Je-geon found the dynamics of the match uninteresting.

Unlike the first match, where the flow of time was synchronized inside and outside the simulator, making the broadcast smooth and thrilling, it was all the same for him.

The Japanese team was guaranteed high points simply by moving to a predefined area and making the lotus bloom.

At least the struggle between the Korean and Chinese teams was more entertaining.

‘Still, when it comes to abilities, the Korean team is at a disadvantage.’

Initially, both the Korean and Chinese players were struggling to navigate the Chiyoda District, making similar progress, but gradually the Chinese team pulled ahead.

The Chinese team had several players proficient in restoration abilities, as they were involved in heritage restoration projects, and Li Wei could use a wide-area purification skill.

On the other hand, Ahn Da-in’s unique trait had a limited range, and Heo Cha-a’s support skills couldn’t keep up with Li Wei.

As the Korean team’s chances grew slimmer, Heo Cha-a pushed herself too hard, raising her powers and collapsed.

—Cha-a!!

And when Ma Jin-seung, who was the first to notice Heo Cha-a’s condition, shouted her name, something miraculous happened.

As soon as Ma Jin-seung shouted, the dead ground below began to sprout with grass.

The grass that Ma Jin-seung called forth rose in the center of the contamination and, using a purification skill, caught the collapsing Heo Cha-a.

And it was revealed on the spot that Ma Jin-seung’s skill had a purification effect, turning the atmosphere around.

Though time ran out and the game ended before the Korean team could catch up to the Chinese team, the atmosphere had shifted.

—Ugh, if /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ only I had handled the Glorim better, we could’ve won!

After the match, Ma Jin-seung spoke in frustration.

Although Renzo-in Karen was the MVP of the second match, if anyone were to pick the MVP from the Korean team, it would definitely be Ma Jin-seung.

During the announcement of the second match results and MVP, the Korean team briefly discussed the third match event.

—Thanks to Jin-seung, we avoided a crushing defeat. Now, we need to think about the third match.

Yeom Jun-yeol spoke softly.

Although it had decreased after their third year, Ma Jin-seung still often made provocations disguised as challenges to Yeom Jun-yeol, so it was surprising to see him act so politely.

Hearing Yeom Jun-yeol’s voice, Yong Je-geon seemed to enjoy it, smiling to himself, which made a few team members nearby change their seats.

The Korean and Japanese teams had each won once and placed third once.

The Chinese team had taken second place twice.

Considering the points of each team, it was tied.

—In reality, the last match will determine the final winner of the exchange competition. We need to decide carefully.

Opinions quickly gathered.

It was decided that they would choose an event to honor Jo Yi-shin’s legacy.