Damn, I recarneted As A Judge in Fantasy World

Malcolm was singing the cheer song more passionately than anyone else.

But the man sitting next to him called out a name.

"Trevor! Trevor! Trevor! Trevor!"

"Who is that?"

"He's our team's best running back. Look at him. He runs so well!"

As soon as he finished speaking, one of the players started running like crazy.

He quickly evaded the defenders and scored his second touchdown.

It was a truly amazing play.

Malcolm felt a shiver run through his body.

The moment he saw that scene, it felt like a hot fire was rising in his chest.

"Wow! This is really cool."

"I heard he was a lumberjack from Midias. He used to be in the Western Defense Forces."

"That's amazing. An ex-military person?"

"That's why he's such a popular player. You should give it a try too."

"Me?"

"Since you're on the tall side, you just need to put on some muscle. Of course, you'll need to obtain at least the qualifications of a Class A mercenary."

Malcolm was left speechless.

He had no idea what the old man was talking about. He played football—what did it mean to be a Grade A mercenary?

After a while, the old man spoke again, this time with a sly smile.

"These days, the most preferred job among mercenaries is football player. It's much safer, and the salary is no joke. I think the minimum is 50 gold."

"Oh! Really?"

"But everyone has learned a little bit of Aura. That's why they say you have to become an A-class mercenary first."

"Okay."

A strange longing took hold in Malcolm's eyes as he nodded. Originally, his dream was to become a mercenary and travel around the world.

He wanted to be a free and wealthy person, not a stuffy wage laborer in Shuguri. The thought of getting a job on a farm, like his parents, filled him with dread.

Malcolm admired mercenaries, but his thoughts were slowly beginning to change.

"Brother!"

"What's wrong, Chazz?"

"Football players are really cool. Give it a try. I'm sure you can do it."

"Me?"

"My brother was the fastest runner in our neighborhood."

"Pfft! That's right."

Malcolm suddenly remembered his childhood days of playing tag with Chazz. Those memories felt recent, only a few years old.

Back then, Malcolm had been truly invincible. If he decided to run away, no one could catch him.

Out of nowhere, the movements of a running back named Trevor came to mind. Trevor's incredible speed, unmatched directional ability, and perfect feint motions to fool opponents were unforgettable.

It was an extraordinary performance—one Malcolm couldn't even begin to compare to his own abilities. Still, he didn't want to disappoint Chazz.

"After all, athletes are safer than mercenaries."

He reasoned that pursuing a football career might face less opposition from his parents. The real problem, though, was how to master Aura.

Not only did it require talent, but obtaining the training method itself was notoriously difficult.

If you bought one on the market, it would cost at least 5,000 gold.

"It must be a bit difficult, right?"

Even if Malcolm poured in all his parents' fortune, it wouldn't be enough. He wouldn't even be able to afford the cover of an Aura manual.

Malcolm's heart grew heavier at the thought. But then, something caught his eye.

It was a promotional text at the back of the stadium.

"Recruiting players! If you pass the test, I will teach you the Aura training method."

Malcolm's heart, which had felt as though it had stopped, began to beat again.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

***

"Hey, hey, hey! I can't stand this!"

Peltron flapped its wings furiously and swayed in place, its agitation evident.

Three exhibition football games had been scheduled. However, the third game was now meaningless as the Shuguri team had already secured two wins.

Of course, Abel couldn't afford to lose again until the end. For him, this was a matter of pride.

"I'm sorry, sir. I didn't expect there to be such a talented person among the lumberjacks…"

"Recruit players by any means necessary. If we lose to Team Shuguri again, I'll cut their salaries!"

"All right!"

A man bowed his head toward a small, white bat. Judging by his stylish attire and precise manners, he was undoubtedly a nobleman of the baronet rank or higher.

It seemed that Peltron had taken over the club's front office.

"Why on earth are you doing this in my office?" Abel asked, crossing his arms.

"There's nothing we can do. The club office is still under construction. The captain told us to prioritize building the stadium first, so that's why it turned out like this," Peltron replied with a shrug.

"Is it true that arrows are suddenly coming back at me?"

"Then give us more support money!" Peltron demanded, his tone desperate.

"This is hilarious. I can clearly see your sponsor advertisements on your uniforms."

"Running a club naturally costs a lot of money," Peltron said, coughing and making a fuss. Even the most shameless creatures couldn't avoid feeling embarrassed in front of Abel.

Abel scoffed, shaking his head. He was already providing nearly everything needed for the football games. Asking for more subsidies on top of that? What kind of crazy operation was Peltron running?

Even Peltron's half-demon pride couldn't mask his discomfort, and he kept his mouth shut.

What made the situation even more absurd was that the leader of the Shuguri team—Team Shuguri, the very rivals Peltron was complaining about—was right here.

"Your competitor is right next to you, and you still say something like that?" Abel asked, baffled by the absurdity of the situation.

The leader of Team Shuguri, Shuguri himself, climbed onto Abel's desk and asked a question.

"Hey, human duke."

"What?"

"Your energy level has definitely changed since you went to Namhae. Did something happen?"

Perhaps because of his seniority and experience, Shuguri noticed the change before Peltron.

Having absorbed the power of a demigod, it was only natural for Abel to have undergone some changes.

"Ah! Now that I think about it, I can do that now!" Abel exclaimed.

"Do what?" Shuguri asked.

"Absorb power."

"… … ."

In an instant, the two half-demons' expressions turned blank. It was clear they didn't understand what Abel was saying.

So, Abel decided to explain it to them personally.

"I created a demigod named Albanocetus, and its powers were absorbed. Thanks to that, I gained new abilities."

"Is that true?" Peltron asked, his wings trembling slightly.

"Why would I lie about something like that? If you don't believe me, I'll show you right here."

"No! I think it's okay just to hear it," Shuguri interjected quickly. "What are the other abilities besides power absorption?"

"Nothing much. It just explodes wherever it wants."

"Anywhere?"

"Yeah. Anywhere."

Shuguri and Peltron hesitated, stepping back cautiously with wide-open mouths. Then, they started whispering among themselves.

"Do you know Albanocetus?" Shuguri asked.

"Oh, of course, senior."

"What kind of guy is he?"

"If we were in the North, he'd be the best in the East Sea. People would call him the Sea God."

"A demigod? But is he as notorious as you?"

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean? It's just a difference in personality."

Even though Abel overheard their conversation, he didn't interrupt. Their chatter was amusing, and Peltron wasn't entirely wrong. Whether they were half-gods or half-demons, returning to their original dimensions would be near impossible for them.

Here, they could live freely, but in the heavenly or demonic worlds, they'd just be absorbed by higher beings.

"Wait a minute," Abel thought, "isn't that true here as well? Someone like me… Oh, never mind."

Honestly, Abel was a very irregular being. His soul wasn't even native to this world, which meant logical explanations wouldn't apply to him anyway.

Shuguri and Peltron finished their private conversation and cautiously approached Abel.

"Uh, human duke," Shuguri began nervously.

"What?"

"We've built up a relationship so far. You won't take away our authority, right?"

"Oh, no?"

Abel simply looked down at the two trembling creatures in silence.

Unable to endure the tension, Peltron raised the white flag first.

"Ugh! Say no. I'm the leader!"

"Oh no? You're being so rude to me, beating up this senior! If we're going by fate, I'm the one who got close to him first. Right? Human duke!"

Their desperate plea was ridiculous. Abel couldn't help but smile slyly.

"Actually, I can't absorb half-demons, but maybe I should let them misunderstand? It might be better to use them this way," Abel thought.

"Of course," Abel said aloud, his tone calm. "If you guys don't do anything unnecessary, why would I bother absorbing you? It's much easier to just order you around."

"Then that's right! It's a human operation after all!"

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"

Shuguri and Peltron let out sighs of relief and began hopping around joyfully.

Despite their antics, Abel had to admit these two were useful. Shuguri was great for large-scale civil engineering projects, and Peltron excelled at surveillance.

They often provided information that couldn't be found through the employee management window alone.

On top of that, Peltron was serious about being the football club president. His dedication had significantly contributed to promoting healthy entertainment.

For once, Abel was genuinely impressed by the half-demons' commitment.

However, just as Peltron was basking in his happiness, he suddenly raised his front paw and shook it.

"Captain! Captain!"

"What?"

"We recruited some young players for our team, but they all said it was hard for them to participate in training because of their aura."

"Wait, is the club supporting meals, equipment, and even the Aura training method?" Abel asked, frowning slightly.