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—————————————————————
The celebration time ended.
Truthfully, the real challenge began now.
Everything up to this point had been for this single moment.
[You have exchanged the 'Iron Roulette' for a 'Silver Roulette' using a roulette exchange ticket.]
[Generating Silver Roulette.]
Unable to calm down, I stepped out from the rooftop.
Now, I was on the stairs below the rooftop.
Just how extravagant would a 1,000-point roulette be?
Slightly nervous, I checked the roulette wheel.
-Oh. The proportion of colored slots has increased a bit, huh?
The Stone and Iron Roulettes were identical.
Three blue slots.
Two yellow slots.
One red slot.
The rest were all brown.
But the Silver Roulette was different.
Five blue slots.
Three yellow slots.
Two red slots.
And… one silver slot.
The remaining slots were still brown, but upon closer inspection, even the brown ones were different.
[Positioning +1]
[Dribbling +1]
[Passing +1]
The brown slots in the Stone and Iron Roulettes only provided decimal increases.
For example, the Stone Roulette had:
[Positioning +0.1]
The Iron Roulette had:
[Positioning +0.5]
"So, 0.1 per 100 points?"
-Then how much was that damn rock worth back then?
Han Myung-shin shook his head as he spoke.
At his words, Kang Hyun also racked his brain.
How much had his stats increased back then?
If he remembered correctly, his weakest stat at the time was finishing.
-Was finishing at 21? It jumped all the way to 40, so if we convert that into points…
"Holy shit!"
For a moment, he thought he had miscalculated.
He initially thought it was 1,900 points, but upon recalculating, it was a staggering…
-What the hell. 19,000 points?
His jaw dropped.
And based on this information alone, even if this calculation wasn't perfectly accurate, it still provided a rough estimate.
"This means the red slot is at least 100 times more beneficial than a normal slot, right? At least according to my calculations."
-I'm not great at math, but yeah, it seems like that's the case. Just based on that rock alone, it was a 190x return…
"And since finishing was my weakest stat at the time, I got the maximum benefit. Still, that's insane. Wow."
The red slot, with its 1% probability, was at least 100 times more rewarding than a normal slot.
But the Silver Roulette had two red slots, and even a brand-new silver slot.
Meaning, the chance to gain at least a 100x reward had tripled.
The Silver Roulette was definitely worth it.
-Ah, but the more you expect, the less likely it is to happen. And you've been way too lucky so far—it's about time you hit a dry spell.
Han Myung-shin gnawed on his nails anxiously.
Honestly, Kang Hyun was worried too.
If he landed on silver, it would be the absolute best.
If he landed on red, it would still be great.
If he landed on any of the other colored slots, it would be a bit disappointing, but at least he wouldn't lose out.
But…
"If I land on shit-brown this time, I'm screwed."
-Be careful. Depending on what you get, your pro debut could be pushed way forward.
"It's a gacha. Being careful won't increase my chances of getting something good."
-What the hell is a 'gacha'?
Frustrated, Kang Hyun explained the meaning of 'gacha.'
"It's a lottery! A draw!"
-Then just say 'lottery'! Why use Japanese? Is this another Japanese term?
"Yes."
-Ugh, this damn Japanese lingo keeps popping up everywhere.
Sighing, Han Myung-shin crossed his arms and stared at Kang Hyun.
-So, what are you gonna do? Spin it now?
"Ah…"
He hesitated.
But…
***
Around 9 PM, after dinner.
The members of Misaeng FC were gathered in their dormitory.
Multiple cameras were set up in front of them, and the PD gave instructions.
"We'll now begin self-introductions. Since this will air on TV, the oldest, Ahn Tae-hoon, will lead the introductions."
Thus began the awkward self-introduction session.
Though it would appear on TV as if the eldest was leading it naturally, everything was orchestrated by the PD.
Kang Hyun sat quietly, lost in thought.
"My name is Kim Seok-joon, I'm 26, and my position is forward. I played soccer until my third year of college… but now…"
While Kang Hyun was deep in thought, cheers and applause erupted around him.
He clapped along reflexively.
"The world I wanted to reach was much higher than I thought. Being a pro was…"
"I didn't have connections or money, so I…"
"I got unlucky with my agent… Every time I tried to adjust to a team, I had to move to another one…"
At first, the atmosphere was cheerful, but as the introductions continued, it grew increasingly heavy and somber.
After all, this was a gathering of people who had all failed at least once.
It might sound funny to say this, but in a way, this place was like a shelter for abandoned dogs.
A shelter for players who had been cast aside—those deemed untalented and unskilled, now gathered in a desperate attempt to turn pro.
The odds were bleak.
How many of them would actually make it?
-Should I tell you? How many will make it?
'No thanks.'
The already gloomy mood didn't need an even more depressing answer.
Han Myung-shin smirked and sat down beside Kang Hyun.
-You're avoiding the answer because you already know, don't you? Am I wrong?
'...'
Yeah.
Honestly, even 2 or 3 would be a lot. Maybe even…
Suddenly, the room fell silent.
He could feel everyone's eyes on him.
Ah.
"Kang Hyun, it's your turn."
"Oh, sorry."
To others, it must've looked like he was spacing out.
Which wasn't entirely wrong.
"Alright, hyungs! My name is—"
The mood was so heavy that he forced himself to liven things up.
'Forced energy' (intentionally raising the mood despite discomfort)
Fortunately, the others caught on and played along.
After Kang Hyun's turn, the next person introduced themselves.
Kang Hyun forced a smile and glanced at the person beside him.
Above their head, a status window appeared.
[Park Joong-hyun. 27 years old. AM (Attacking Midfielder).]
-Stamina: 27/27
-Endurance: 25/25
-Detailed Stats (Click to Expand)
-Total: 26
-Skills: None
-Items: None
-Traits: Prefers passing over direct shots when attacking.
-Weaknesses: Low stamina, vulnerable to high pressure.
==
*
[Detective]
-Skill Rank: F
-Skill Effect: Allows you to spy on another player's status window.
-Usage Limit: Cannot spy on high-level players.
-Does not consume additional skill points.
==
A 1% chance.
The silver slot.
It would've been great if he had landed on it.
But, as if mocking him, he landed on red again.
Breaking through such slim odds multiple times was starting to feel eerie.
A 3% chance.
He had been happy when it happened, but now he felt conflicted.
Was this really better than the 'Silk Road' skill he got from the Stone Roulette?
More importantly, he wanted a skill that would make him stand out in actual matches.
'I was hoping for something like a guaranteed-goal kick…'
-You ungrateful brat. What, you want a banana kick or something?
'Banana kick? Like the snack?'
-No, not that. The skill.
'Oh, the banana shot? I know that one. Tecmo World Cup. I played it a lot as a kid.'
-…You too?
'What, you think I'm not part of the gaming generation?'
-You play StarCraft too?
'I even dreamed of being a pro gamer once.'
Before bed, he often imagined it.
But instead of hearing those cheers, he pictured himself hyper-focused inside a gaming booth.
His fingers moving so fast they could rival Paganini's 'La Campanella.'
Sweating from intense concentration, winning a close match, and high-fiving his teammates—
-Okay, okay, enough. I don't know much about StarCraft. Just heard of it.
'Right. Real Madrid's legendary footballer—'
-Hey! Cut it out! I'm gonna lose my mind. Everything you say somehow loops back to Real Madrid. I'm sick of hearing it.
Back to the main topic.
The skill 'Detective.'
This skill allowed him to peek at other players' stats.
However, it only worked on soccer players, not regular people.
After checking the stats of all Misaeng FC players, he noticed that while there were slight variations, most fell between 25 and 35.
Pathetically low.
Seeing in numbers exactly why these players failed to go pro made it hard to laugh along during the introductions.
-But those above 30 might have a shot in Central Asia or Southeast Asia, no?
At this point, Kang Hyun checked his own stats.
It had been a while.
[Kim Kang Hyun]
-Stamina: 50/50
-Endurance: 45/45
-Detailed Stats (Click to Expand)
-Total: 31
-Skills: Silk Road (F), Detective (F)
-Items: None
==
"31. I'm at 31."
At least it went up from 29.
-You know, Kang Hyun.
"Yeah?"
-You might not have been as bad as you thought.
"Huh?"
-Before training, you were at 29, but some of these guys are at 25 or 26. Have some hope. Your base stats might not be as low as you assumed.
"..."
Now that he could compare himself to others, he could gauge the difference.
Plus, when viewing others' statuses, he could see their 'Traits' and 'Weaknesses,' unlike his own.
-I'd say this skill alone is worth more than 1,000 points.
"Why?"
-In the future, you'll face many players. Knowing their weaknesses and traits without analysis is huge. Know what that means?
Han Myung-shin paused, thinking of an analogy.
After a moment, he snapped his fingers and continued.
-You know when you meet someone new?
"Yeah."
-It's like instantly knowing everything about them—hobbies, dislikes, height, age, blood type. Hell, even how often they take a dump.
"That's a bit of a stretch."
-Don't overcomplicate it. I've only ever known soccer…
"Too much MSG in that analogy."
-The point is, it's a massive advantage. Imagine knowing a defender's habits and weaknesses before a match. And this is just rank F. If it levels up, who knows? Maybe you'll see their movement patterns.
People naturally hope for the best in any situation.
Which is why I retired at 19 and enlisted like a fugitive.
So, he didn't fall for Han Myung-shin's sweet talk.
That was only possible under the most optimistic circumstances. Plus, he had no idea how to level up the skill.
-You pessimistic brat. Try seeing the bright side.
"Hyung, you succeeded, so the world looks bright to you. But for failures, it doesn't."
Kang Hyun slapped his cheeks to refocus.
From the introductions, the highest stat belonged to the most famous player, Park Yoo-seung.
About eight others had higher stats than Kang Hyun.
So why had Kang Hyun stood out the most in matches?
He theorized two reasons:
First, detailed stats.
Some players had extreme highs and lows, while others were balanced. But none of them knew their own stats—only Kang Hyun did.
Second, the legend's guidance.
With Han Myung-shin coaching him 24/7, even a complete amateur could become great.
Han Myung-shin was that good.
Plus, he did more than just coach—he practically played alongside Kang Hyun during matches.
Even with a stat gap, that made a huge difference.
Despite teasing Kang Hyun about never winning the Ballon d'Or, Han Myung-shin could've won it multiple times.
In any case, after checking everyone's stats, Kang Hyun set a new goal.
Goal:
Have the highest average stats in Misaeng FC before the program ends.
Honestly, even '35' was still low, but…
At least that would be enough to scrape by as a pro.
-Kim Kang Hyun.
"Yeah?"
Han Myung-shin glared at him, visibly furious.
His voice was dangerously low.
What's his problem now?
-So your goal is to reach '35' by August, when Misaeng FC ends?
"Yeah. Why?"
-Why? Did you just say 'why'?
Han Myung-shin raised his voice.
-We met in December, right? With this insane system. And with all these cheats, you're satisfied with going from 29 to 35? Are you fucking kidding me?!
He wasn't done.
No, this was just the beginning.
-At '1' per month, you'd hit '36' by August, you loser! And you're okay with 35? What the hell do you think being a pro means?!
"..."
Kang Hyun blinked in shock, silently enduring the tirade.
-With that mindset, you think you can go pro? You think soccer's a joke?
"H-Hyung, what's wrong?"
This was on a whole other level compared to Ahn Jung-hoon or Lee Yong.
Han Myung-shin seethed, as if personally disappointed in Kang Hyun's lack of ambition.
'Shit. Why's he freaking out all of a sudden?'
After ranting for a while, Han Myung-shin suddenly stopped.
Then, with a terrifying glare, he stared at Kang Hyun.
'Oh crap! I forgot he can hear my thoughts!'
-You little shit!
Han Myung-shin spent nearly two hours tearing into Kang Hyun.
If not for this outburst, Kang Hyun would've gone straight to bed after his walk.
Instead, he spent two hours bowing his head in shame.
During that time, Han Myung-shin forcibly reshaped Kang Hyun's mindset—with plenty of curses.
"I-I'm sorry, hyung. I was being shortsighted. Please forgive me."
-Ugh… I need a drink. Or a smoke.
In the end, Kang Hyun made a promise to Han Myung-shin.
-Minimum 45. Got it? Your goal is to debut as a pro right after this show ends. Forget Qatar or Saudi Arabia. Even Thailand or the Philippines are out of the question!
For a brief moment, Kang Hyun thought Qatar or Saudi Arabia wouldn't be so bad—but he quickly dismissed the thought.
If Han Myung-shin caught wind of that, he'd get chewed out for hours.
-Your goal is the K-League. Understood?
"The K-League, huh…"
-Don't tell me you're thinking of the second division!
"O-Of course not, hyung. Obviously the K-League 1."
-In Asia, the bare minimum is the K or J-League. If possible, Europe is the top priority. Got it?
"Yes, hyung."
Finally, Kang Hyun was allowed to sleep.
The next day.
"Today, we've invited a special coach just for you all. Let's give him a round of applause."
At Ahn Jung-hoon's words, the Misaeng FC players clapped as the special coach entered.
It was a very famous player.
Once known as the 'Pass Master' of the EPL.
Even Han Myung-shin recognized him, brightening at the sight.