Chapter 115
Japan Is Shocked, China Trembles (3)
5
The effect of the superconductor—no, the <Magic Power Core>—was truly incredible.
“Damn you shameless bastards! Even butting in has its proper order! Huh? What have you done to deserve sticking your spoon in here?”
“And what about you?! What have you done?! You think only you get to talk? We have mouths too!”
“You guys? Did you just say you guys?”
“I did. So what?”
“Want me to remind you of Japan’s past? About eighty years ago?”
“W-What? What are you talking about?!”
“Oh? I didn’t say anything.”
Look at that.
A fierce war of words was unfolding over the <Magic Power Core>.
This place was the Seoul branch of the Ability Management Department.
In a now-familiar conference room, two men were arguing heatedly, completely unaware that I had arrived.
Both were clearly speaking Korean… but somehow, neither of them was Korean.
One of them was an American I knew well.
The other one seemed Japanese—well, I wasn’t 100% sure, but considering the Japanese flag pin on his chest, there was about a 95% chance.
In short—
“Why don’t you just go back to your own country? We already formed a deep friendship with Player Meteor Shower. And what would you even do with Magic Power Cores? You’d probably just crawl around struggling on the 7th floor at best.”
“We have our own plans. Ryan Beckett. Haven’t you fixed that habit of running your mouth with that hole in your face?”
“What? You want to fix it? How about calling headquarters and sending a bomber? Hah. We’ve been treating you nicely, so you got cocky. What, did your supply of Magic Power Cores smuggled from China get cut off recently?”
“H-How do you know that?!”
“You think there’s anything we don’t know?!”
So America and Japan were locked in a standoff.
The American was someone I knew well.
Ryan Beckett—a man who had helped me quite a bit lately, including with information.
The Japanese guy, I didn’t know, but they clearly seemed acquainted.
Then—
“Ahem. Gentlemen? Player Meteor Shower has arrived.”
“Oh!”
“Ah.”
Only after Deputy Director Choi cleared his throat did the situation calm down.
I shrugged.
“I was enjoying the show. Too bad.”
“Mr. Yoo! My friend! It is the greatest honor in the world to see you again!”
Ryan Beckett greeted me with exaggerated, actor-like gestures.
He shot a glare at the Japanese man, then immediately turned back to me with the warmest smile imaginable.
“I sincerely congratulate you on achieving yet another great accomplishment. I never dreamed you would destroy that horrifying statue all by yourself. No matter how I think about it, Mr. Yoo always exceeds our narrow expectations. Hahahaha!”
“It was nothing.”
“Of course! Naturally! How could a mere pile of stones dare oppose Player Meteor Shower?!”
…This guy really was something.
Had it even been thirty seconds since he started talking?
His verbal dribbling was so flashy it was impressive.
Meanwhile, the Japanese man—probably conscious that it was our first meeting—bowed politely.
“Nice to meet you! My name is Takahashi Kenji, from the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs! It is an infinite honor to meet Player Meteor Shower!”
Wow, trying not to lose to Ryan Beckett, he went with infinite honor.
Short, neatly trimmed black hair. A clean suit.
The word “neat” suited him perfectly.
He bowed again and extended his hand for a handshake. I grasped it lightly and smiled.
“I’m Yoo Sung-woo.”
“Thank you very much!”
“Your Korean is really good.”
“My mother is Korean! I learned Korean from a young age.”
I see.
A Zainichi Korean, perhaps?
I nodded, then casually took a seat and folded my hands.
“You two.”
“Yes.”
“Yes!”
“You can continue what you were doing…”
“…Player Meteor Shower?”
“…Mm, Deputy Director Choi says no. So, what were you talking about?”
I already knew, but I asked anyway.
They exchanged glances, then Ryan Beckett spoke first.
“You know the new facility you discovered this time? The United States is very interested in it.”
“You mean the zone where unstable Magic Power Cores can be obtained?”
“Yes, of course. But stable supply is another matter. Being able to deliver them to companies and research labs exactly when and where needed—that’s extremely important.”
Just as expected.
Then Ryan Beckett took it one step further.
“And I would also like to mention in advance that we are interested in the <Complete Magic Power Core> you obtained.”
“Oh, that?”
“May I ask if you have any intention of selling it?”
“That one’s not for sale. I already have a use for it.”
“…That’s unfortunate. We had prepared an offer that would far exceed your imagination. Ah! Of course, such an offer might be nothing more than a joke to Mr. Yoo.”
Was he planning to offer some absurd amount of money?
Now I was curious.
America was rich enough to be called “Heavenly Empire,” so how much were they going to offer?
Still, Ryan Beckett knew exactly where the line was.
“Luxury items have their rightful owners. Haha! Then let’s pretend we never prepared that proposal.”
“Player Meteor Shower, would you be willing to hear our proposal as well?”
The Japanese diplomat, Takahashi Kenji, who had been waiting for his chance, spoke up.
“We also have no desire for the complete Magic Power Core. It is a precious item that has already found its owner. There is no reason to take it from you. Instead, we would like to make an offer regarding the unstable Magic Power Cores produced in that laboratory.”
On the way here, I had already looked up the approximate price of these <Unstable Magic Power Cores>.
They were classified as strategic resources, so there were almost no official overseas transactions—most sales were through smuggling.
The price per core: 30 billion won.
Not game money. Real money.
An amount enough to pulverize a normal person’s sense of money into dust.
With just one, I could buy Ian snacks for life, or build Peanut a peanut-sized house in an apartment complex.
However, the material cost was about 25 billion won per core, and maximum production was around 20 per month.
A ridiculous number of top-grade magic stones were required.
‘I don’t have that much initial capital…’
As I was doing the math, I realized something important.
There was no need to worry at all.
Who in the world runs a business using only their own money?
“When the facility is upgraded, production increases, right? And the materials needed can be collected in the Abyss.”
“Yes.”
“We’re listening!”
“Currently, the total producible amount is 20 cores.”
“T-Twenty?!”
“My goodness!”
Judging by their reactions, it was more than they expected.
“But half of them are for my personal use.”
According to Velua, besides the complete core, she also wanted as many incomplete ones as possible.
They could further enhance the city’s functions.
Eternel was basically a money-eating monster at the moment.
Production costs were huge too, so I was tightening my belt—perfect timing for customers to arrive.
“So that leaves ten.”
I smiled in satisfaction.
“So I was thinking… how about giving you an opportunity to invest, as a gesture of friendship?”
“…Invest?”
“I-Investment, you say?”
With demand this high, why start with my own money?
“An opportunity to join the Magic Power Core production business alongside Meteor—the symbol of honesty and trust. It’s not something that comes easily. What do you think?”
“…Player Meteor Shower?”
“Ah, Deputy Director Choi. Of course, the Korean Ability Management Department gets an opportunity too. I’d prefer not to involve private companies.”
Produce using other people’s money, and get mine produced for free too.
Beautiful.
This is what you call effortless profit.
“This opportunity doesn’t come every day. You came all this way, so I’m offering something special. Mr. Ryan Beckett, you don’t think I’m the type to rip off friends, right?”
“O-Of course not.”
“Mr. Takahashi Kenji, we’ve exchanged greetings, so we’re friends now, right?”
“…Yes? Ah, yes.”
“Then it’s settled. Everyone invest. I’ll accept your investments specially.”
I came expecting entertainment, and ended up with an unexpected jackpot.
I spoke confidently to the three of them.
“This is the lowest point. You’ll really be making money.”
I’m not a con artist.
…Probably.
6
It was truly a rewarding negotiation.
No matter how I looked at it, I had talent as a negotiator.
In exchange for the right to participate in K-Superconductor—no, <Unstable Magic Power Core> production, I dumped all the costs on the investors.
The details would be adjusted later, but it would become a joint project between Korea, the US, and Japan.
A consortium, basically.
To get a bigger share, the US and Japan showered me with benefits.
Unlimited access to the American and Japanese regions of the Abyss.
Thanks to the unstable cores, I now had free passes to roam their Abysses.
There were lots of interesting fields there too.
Maybe someday I’d go explore properly.
“Hehe.”
A smile crept onto my face.
So this is why people do business with other people’s money.
Then again, the core technology is mine, so isn’t this only natural?
At this rate, I might become a chaebol.
If I do, I’ll buy Peanut a house the size of Jamsil Stadium, and give my family a building each in Gangnam.
Now then, I should go home and brag to my brother about this legendary negotiation—
Thump.
“Ah, I’m sorry.”
As I hurried out of the building, I bumped shoulders with a huge man.
“Hey, bro.”
He was a black man, about 190 cm tall, with massive muscles.
A foreigner?
Time to show off my fluent English.
“I’m sorry. My mistake.”
“No, my fault. I was in a hurry. Sorry, bro.”
You shouldn’t judge people by appearances, but he looked like he could tear a bear apart bare-handed.
And more importantly—
Player.
An enormous amount of magic power flowed within him.
At least top-ranker level.
Similar to, or slightly higher than, Chen Wei from China.
Then why was a foreign ranker here?
Maybe he came with Ryan Beckett.
As I was thinking, he spread his arms.
“I Archmage. Hello.”
“What?”
“Archmage. MeTuber. I donated to you a few times, bro. Remember?”
“Archmage073?”
“Yes! That’s me. Nice to meet you, bro.”
Archmage073.
Top-tier American Abyss streamer, the most famous magic-type player.
Also a walking mega-corporation with over 15 million subscribers.
…I only knew because Inseop told me. I didn’t care much about other channels.
“You’re Archmage?”
“Yes.”
“…You?”
“What? You? You? What the f— Are you racist?”
“No, that’s not it.”
As I panicked, “Archmage073 (probably)” burst out laughing.
“Haha! Bro. Just a joke.”
What the hell is wrong with this guy?
