The Miracle of the Amazing Mets
The entire United States was plunged into shock!
Because of the continent’s sheer size and market scale, the Guild War U.S.A. was split into Eastern and Western conferences. Perhaps that was why the American league had no relegation system, allowing guilds to build deep, enduring histories rooted in their home regions.
The Mets Guild was famous for its heavy historical atmosphere.
Though in the worst possible way.
A perpetual last-place team forever hovering near 20th. They delivered a level of misery beyond anything one could imagine, earning the nickname Amazing Mets. They became known as the Factory of Sorrow, ruining the mood of fans who paid premium ticket prices to watch them.
Yet this very Mets Guild had just defeated the powerful Lions Guild of the East!
“The perennial last-place Mets Guild has pulled off a stunning victory against this year’s championship contender, the Lions Guild……”
“It’s shocking. We’re witnessing the unthinkable: 20th place defeating 5th place. Ladies and gentlemen, this is real……”
“They overwhelmed them without giving them a moment to breathe! They savagely tore into the lion’s throat and finally ripped it out! The Mets did it! That Amazing Mets!!”
This wasn’t just any win.
It was a Miracle victory. A Great upset.
ESPN, America’s premier broadcaster, moved quickly. They decided to do an in-depth analysis of the match on Monday Night League.
Even with former Mets franchise hunter Mr. Barkley on the panel, ignoring the Mets—one of the big-market teams in New York—would have been unacceptable for the network.
“Oh My Baby!! Our Amazing Mets actually did it!”
“Hohoho, everyone, you’re not seeing things. This is indeed the usually stoic Mr. Barkley. Yes, the same sharp-tongued uncle who always delivers blunt commentary with that stern face.”
“Leave him be. He’s a die-hard Mets fan, a certified ‘sorrow addict.’”
“3-0! 3-0!! That performance was insane! Fuckkkk!!”
“That’s right. From now on, we’ll be breaking down the crazy game Mr. Barkley just described. Let’s start with the highlight reel.”
Summarizing the match…… it was basically the Mir Guild all over again.
What did that mean? The Mets Guild’s play was shockingly identical to Mir Guild’s.
Just like Hwarang and Sanwang charging across the map, the Mets Guild’s support and jungler were running rampant. Just like the Hwasan duo blowing up the top lane, the Mets Guild savagely dismantled the enemy’s top lane.
Admittedly, the opponent’s carelessness and some luck played a role, but the level of execution was still awe-inspiring.
“They secured the win in just 21 minutes and 10 seconds. The kill score was 12-0.”
“You’re not mistaken. The 20th-place Mets have 12 kills, while the 5th-place Lions have 0! Ye~!!”
“Maybe the shocking defeat in the first set rattled them? In the second and third sets, the Lions Guild looked remarkably shaken. Kevin, what do you think?”
“Tsk, mind if I speak honestly?”
“When have you ever not been honest?”
“That game was absolute garbage. Their mentality melted so badly it felt like their brains disappeared. Especially their top laner—he turned into a walking corpse after five deaths. Complete trash performance.”
“That’s our Kevin, always emphasizing that this game is a mental game.”
Thirsty for victory, the Mets ruthlessly exploited the Lions’ mental collapse, resulting in that glorious 3-0 upset.
At that point, the blonde female host paused the discussion.
“There’s one place we absolutely must highlight here. It might just be the biggest contributor to this miracle victory.”
“Gentle Dragooon―!!”
“……Someone shut him up.”
“Hoho, let him be. He’s just excited. Anyway, you’re right. The place Americans know as Gentle Dragon—the current number-one guild in the Korea League, Mir Guild.”
“‘MI─R (Mir)?’ That pronunciation is tricky.”
“It means the dragon of the East. Unlike our dragon, it’s sleek and slender.”
“Ooh…… You seem to know quite a bit. Must be interested.”
“Hehe, there’s a reason for that.”
Korea, once Asia’s absolute powerhouse.
Though now pressured by Japan and China, with India watching for an opening, when Westerners talked about Asian guilds, they still pointed to Korea first.
“Korean hunters are very popular in America.”
“Of course. They’re strong, diligent, and—rare these days—loyal.”
“In fact, it’s not hard to find Korean players on the rankings in both the East and West.”
“More than anything, they’re smart. That’s the really important part.”
“Right. Koreans are smart. Just look at Sanwang.”
That was it—their signature intelligence.
Perhaps because competition was a daily reality, Koreans had high academic drive and a strong desire for self-improvement. It was a strange country where even their competitive spirit manifested in studying.
When American teams wanted to add smart play to their roster, it became common to look for Korean hunters—an effect similar to the catfish effect.
Interestingly, there was someone who lumped all these Korean hunters together and called them “stagnant, rotten slackers.”
“The man we’re introducing today is the representative of Mir Guild. Lee Shin, the man called the unparalleled genius representative.”
“He’s truly a genius. After this victory, I looked into his past moves, and the result was… Wow! My jaw just wouldn’t close.”
“This time, I have to agree with Barkley. If you wrote something like this in Pulp Fiction, people would call it nonsense. It’s insane.”
He took a 4th Division guild to the majors in just three years.
Undefeated in every round. First place in every raid.
Without a single failure, he made his guild the most valuable in the league.
He was also the owner of the Woongjindan that all three of them were currently taking.
“Whoops, it’s rare to see you two on the same page. Shall we move on to today’s topic—strategy? Just a moment. Please comment along with the footage. Cue the video.”
At the woman’s words, the highlight reel began playing.
Footage of Hwarang and Sanwang tearing across the jungle like a storm and demolishing the top lane was broadcast across America.
The process was eerily similar to what they’d seen before. But the level of completion was on an entirely different dimension from what the Mets Guild had copied.
Meanwhile, the two panelists competed to shower praise.
“The support’s aggressive roaming, the jungler’s meticulous calculations, and on top of that, the perfect role execution from the top, mid, and bottom laners. It’s chillingly smart.”
“Agreed. Many outlets have already covered this, but the roaming meta the Mets Guild succeeded with was thoroughly designed play. Every piece has to fit together like clockwork.”
“I believe Lee Shin planned this play a long time ago. Because the five members fit together so perfectly.”
“Yeonwoo, Subin, Lira, Hwarang, Sanwang. It’s true—they mesh incredibly well.”
“Hard to believe, right? Honestly, even I can’t believe it. He dreamed of this play since recruiting Sanwang three years ago? It’s not a joke—it’s hard to even imagine. But look at the results.”
“I don’t know. I’ve decided to just accept it. There’s a saying that geniuses aren’t understood—they’re accepted. It’s no wonder Lee Shin finds Korea frustrating to look at.”
Incredibly precise insight.
The terrifying level of planning that followed, and his own ability to execute it at 100%.
If Lee Shin wasn’t a genius, then who could be called one?
“Sanwang was Korean, and now Lee Shin too…… Tsk, it’s a shame. We need a representative like that in America too.”
“Right. If the league had even one genius like that, it would develop further.”
“From what I’ve heard, it seems the Mets are hoping to actively partner with Mir Guild after this opportunity.”
“Makes sense. More than enough reason to.”
“By the way, I heard the Korea League matches have become really spectacular lately. Have you two watched any?”
“Insane.”
“No joke.”
They say no amount of individual creativity can beat collective intelligence. Yet an extraordinary genius can change the world.
That was exactly what Lee Shin was doing.
He was transforming the league.
“I’m jealous.”
“So jealous.”
“Jealous.”
Once again, all of America was turning its eyes toward the dragon across the sea.
* * *
On the way back to the guild after a business trip.
Inside the Rolls-Royce gliding down the road, Lee Shin was dancing with his shoulders nonstop.
Who cared about being praised in America across the Pacific? He just wanted to focus on the present and the beat currently playing……
“Attention!!”
Yeah! Rrrraaaah!
He shook his whole body to the rough voice coming through the speakers.
It was a legendary album from a singer treated as a legend even in America, the birthplace of hip-hop.
Having learned English through hip-hop and pop songs, Lee Shin prided himself on having a good sense for this genre. He’d memorized all the English songs back then.
“The basics of hip-hop? It’s all about the feel. Not with your height—with your heart.”
“Isn’t that basketball, sir?”
“Dongha-hyung T? That’s not the point. What matters is becoming an F. Feel!! Feel it, yeah!”
He wasn’t joking.
This music didn’t exist in his original world, which made it even better.
Rather than the gloomy feel of blues, it was a fast beat that pounded the chest.
Conversely, a voice as heavy as heavy machinery.
It suited Lee Shin’s tastes perfectly.
“This is so good. What’s this singer’s name?”
“……You were dancing without even knowing? It’s MK. The head of MK Records, America’s top label. You don’t know?”
“Oh, MK. Em-kay! I’ll remember that from now on…… Huh? MK??”
Wait, MK?
Lee Shin tilted his head. It felt like something was tickling at the edge of his memory.
But the Rolls-Royce came to a stop, forcing that thought to pause as well.
Break time was over.
The moment he stepped out through the door opened by Yun Cho-a, who had been waiting, Lee Shin transformed back into the professional representative.
“Documents.”
“Here they are.”
“You’ve sorted the urgent ones first, right?”
“Yes, the most important ones are at the front.”
At Lee Shin’s gesture, Yun Cho-a handed over the approval documents that the Strategic Planning Department had carefully filtered. Lee Shin popped open the cap of his electronic signature pen with his mouth and walked while signing the papers.
“What about the things I mentioned before—the Lair Cafe matter and Master Akbong’s request?”
“I received reports that they’re done, but I’ll double-check.”
“No, Dongha-hyung! Call the sales team leader and the equipment team leader to the conference room. I want to hear it directly.”
“Understood.”
“Noona, prepare the meeting right away.”
“Yes.”
As Chae Dong-ha grabbed his phone and ran toward the new building, and Yun Cho-a mobilized the Strategic Planning staff who had been following, the entire guild stirred at once.
A short while later, just as Lee Shin arrived at the conference room while signing documents, the team leaders were already waiting inside, fully prepared.
“Hi hello hey~”
“Welcome, Representative.”
“I called you because I wanted to check on the progress. Let’s sit down. Noona, that’s too cold. At least have some coffee ready.”
“I’ll prepare it right away.”
“While the coffee’s coming, should we chat? How’s everything lately? Our sales team leader’s face looks good. When was the wedding again? And the equipment team leader’s having his third child this time, right??”
And so Lee Shin promised to book a famous comedian as the wedding emcee for the sales team leader and slipped a generous allowance to the equipment team leader’s yet-to-be-born third child. Then, with coffee in hand, he began the meeting.
“Sales team leader, how’s the Monster Guild license extension going? Still dragging on?”
“Yes. We offered to buy the Monster Guild’s license or acquire shares in the production company, but they seem reluctant.”
“They still want to keep selling the stickers?”
“……It appears so.”
“Haha, those funny bastards. Did they put their conscience in the freezer before coming out?”
With Woongjindan as the starting point, Mir Guild had effectively become untouchable in Korea, beyond just the industry.
So naturally, the power dynamics in all related contracts had flipped—just like how business partners bowed their heads after the promotion back then.
Yet the production company behind Monster Guild, the dream and hope of children, seemed to only want to suck the sweet juice.
Had they sucked too much honey and gone strange in the head? Or were they underestimating him?
Lee Shin laughed for a long time before his expression hardened.
“This is your final warning. If they don’t sell by tomorrow, cut off all dealings.”
“Representative?”
“It’s about time we showed them who’s on top. Besides, we’re not exactly lacking in characters anymore, are we? Right, sales team leader?”
“That’s correct.”
Back in the 3rd Division days, they’d used cartoon characters due to lack of mainstream appeal. But Mir Guild was different now.
Sanwang, Hwarang, Subin, Yeonu, Lira, Hyejung, Malsuk, Princess, and so on.
The stage where they needed to ride the popularity of the cafe and its products had long since passed.
They could generate plenty of profit through other businesses anyway.
“Sales team leader, inform them of this the moment you leave. You may go.”
Once the sales team leader left, it was the equipment team leader’s turn.
“How’s the equipment reinforcement progressing?”
“I’ll start with what’s been confirmed. Here.”
Lee Shin took the document listing the equipment and checked it thoroughly.
They say a master doesn’t blame his tools—but that’s all nonsense. The better the master, the more sensitive they are to their tools.
Especially as hunters climbed to the very top, their skill levels became increasingly standardized.
Each had their own strengths in materials. At times like this, while the chef’s skill mattered, the seasoning couldn’t be ignored.
And that seasoning was equipment.
“Start with Lira’s shoes. No, Lira’s equipment must come first without exception. We’ve been deliberately focusing the promotion on Hwarang and Sanwang by calling it the number-one option and all that…… but you know, right? This strategy is only possible because Lira is holding the line alone.”
“I’m well aware.”
“And there’s something I really want to say—don’t skimp on money.”
“!!”
Lee Shin spoke casually while keeping his eyes on the documents.
“I know you team leaders have been with us since the early days and love this guild too much. I’m grateful that you want to save even a single penny of our assets. But listen—we have plenty of money.”
“……”
“Don’t delay equipment procurement by overthinking every little thing. Got it? If this happens again next time, it won’t end this gently.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Good. Ah, what about Master Akbong’s Five-Star Beds? We only need a few more, right? Report on that too.”
The meeting wrapped up quickly.
Just as Lee Shin was stretching and checking the time—
Knock knock—
Yun Cho-a entered with a knock.
“Representative.”
“What is it, Noona?”
“We received a call from a place called Mets Guild.”
“Mets Guild…… You mean those guys who became stars by copying our strategy?”
“Yes. The Mets Guild owner wants to meet with you. It seems they want to discuss guild management and raid tactics.”
“Hmm……? Right now?”
“Yes.”
“In the middle of the league?”
“Being in last place, they seem quite desperate.”
“Ah……”
Lee Shin frowned, then smiled at the word “last place.”
Well, if they were last place, he could understand. How frustrating must it be?
The cold-hearted Professor Lee would have refused outright, but the current him was a benevolent representative.
Offering some advice wouldn’t hurt.
“Tell them to do as they please.”
* * *
A few days later.
“Greetings. I am MK, owner of the Mets Guild and CEO of MK Records.”
Why is hyung here?