Chapter 103

[Translator – Prøks]

[Proofreader – Prøks]

Chapter 103: Dorim (1)

“Ah, yes! I heard you well. The Ilsung phone is great, isn’t it? I’m using it well too. I hope you all will show a lot of love for the new product. Well, I think it’s time to interview someone else. This person, their appearance has been really impressive since they came out.”

Choi Yongjun, who had been listening to the advertisement and then cut it off, looked at Merhen.

“Beautiful appearance! And magical skills that match her beauty! By any chance, what is your name?”

―Merhen.

“Yes! I will interview Merhen-nim!”

Merhen stepped forward.

She stopped tapping the microphone for a moment, and then brought it to her lips as if she was familiar with its use.

―Hello, everyone.

She greeted the audience by waving her hand while looking at the camera.

―Her face is the size of my fist? Lol

―So cute~ 😗

―She’s soo cute, is this normal?

―Totally normal lol

“I had so many questions! After all, this is your first time showing yourself to the public!

―Yeah. Cedric was summoned sooner.

“Your appearance is so human-like that I have to ask, are you not really human?”

―I’m undead. A banshee.

“Huh? A banshee?”

Choi Yongjun blinked.

Does she mean that grotesque, maggot-like body, that undead with holes all over its body?

“You don’t look like that at all……”

―Because I’m the queen.

“Ah. You’re the Banshee Queen, I see?”

Merhen nodded.

“The viewers have a lot of questions. About the magic blocking, you made it look so easy. Do you have any secret techniques?”

―Choi Yongjun? Right?

“What? Yes. That’s my name.”

―Does Choi Yongjun need a secret technique to breathe?”

“Uh, no?”

―That’s how it is.

―That’s how it is… Memo…

―Oh my god; I can’t believe what I just saw lol

―It’s as easy as breathing… A pro tip…

“Ah… I see.”

―Yeah. It’s easier here because these kids are simple.

“You mean the mages?”

―Yeah. Angela? She’s really bad at magic, but Minwoo only compliments those kinds of kids.

Angela.

She was a mage who ranked in the top 10 in the United States.

Even if she couldn’t do it well, being in the top 10 of the strongest awakening powerhouses meant that she was on par with the top 3 mages in Korea.

In particular, her water attribute magic was considered to be one of the best.

However, her evaluations were very harsh for someone like that. If it were a mediocre mage bragging, she would have been immediately criticized.

But it was different now.

Merhen, who not only pulled off magic blocking as if it were nothing, but also unleashed magic beyond imagination.

There was no disagreement that her skills were far more overwhelming.

Angela?

It would probably take her half a day to barely use magic blocking once.

Arrogance with a reason.

And on top of that, Choi Yongjun, being Korean, not American, was also treated with some deference.

“Guild Master Kim Minwoo. Isn’t that a bit much? How can you praise other mages while having a mage like this?”

“It’s all for the good of our Merhen. We need a sense of competition to grow.”

―Minwoo, was that it?

“Yes. That’s why you were able to create magic that didn’t exist in an instant.”

Choi Yongjun hurriedly interjected in their conversation.

“No, are you saying she created magic right away?”

“Was that the magic that summoned a water dragon that looked like that dragon? She did create something similar to that.”

“……So Merhen-ssi copied the water dragon summoning magic?”

“Yes. And it’s an upgraded version.”

“I’m really curious about that.”

“Well. It’s not difficult to show you. Merhen?”

[Merhen uses Water Dragon Storm (SS)!]

On her hand, the clump of water transformed into a colossal dragon.

Choi Yongjun’s eyes widened.

Though it was undoubtedly a type of magic similar to Angela’s, it was different.

From its appearance to the swirling power within it.

It felt entirely on a different level.

Kim Minwoo had said that she had ‘created’ magic.

Choi Yongjun immediately understood why.

‘It’s not on the level of replication?’

Choi Yongjun wasn’t the only one who was surprised.

The crowd of nearly 200,000 spectators.

And even the millions of viewers watching on television were witnessing this spectacle live.

Gulping, Choi Yongjun grabbed the microphone.

“W-wow, this is incredible. It’s definitely similar to Summoning the Water Dragon… but something is very different.”

Even the veteran caster couldn’t help but utter words of awe.

―Angela must be crying tears of blood LOL

―Real-time magic NTR, what is this 🤣🤣

—And to make matters worse, the other side is even more ridiculous lmao

―Just one summon and all the kimchi mages got destroyed XD

―This summoner is crazy for real hahah. I can only let out an empty laugh 😂

—Ahem. What do you mean by summon, so rude. Call her ‘God of Magic’

“…You said 60 trillion won is a discount price. To be honest, I’m having trouble understanding. Is it just me or others think like that too??”

Everyone from the spectators to the viewers watching the broadcast inwardly nodded their heads.

A summoned beast that could devour the entire world’s magic system had appeared.

―20% off for 60 trillion? That sounds like a bargain?

―Looking at it this way, it’s too cheap, right?

—Is this a family discount or something?

—(Breaking News) Goldman Sachs Offers Proposal for Investment, Suggests 50 Trillion Won for 10% Stake.

[TL/N: Name not final subjected to change]

—Is this real?

—What do you mean, is it real?

—The financial companies of powerful nations are in chaos, right? A place offering 60 trillion for 10% has also appeared. (Breaking news link)

—Are they selling out?

“Uh, Guild Master?”

“Yes.”

“Right now, they say a ruckus has happened overseas. From America’s Wall Street, a place offering 60 trillion won for a 10% stake has even appeared. By any chance, do you have thoughts of additionally disposing of shares?”

“That’s a lot of money, hmm?”

“Yes?”

“Just joking, for now I have no thoughts of selling any more.”

Kim Minwoo said this while shrugging his shoulders.

Why sell now when the future holds only an upward climb?

Not to mention, to those Wall Street guys, not even family.

It would be a pain if he got screwed over by those guys.

They’re the type who don’t care about blood or tears when it comes to money.

There are plenty of other good-natured rich people in the world who are willing to invest without getting too involved, like Mr. Choi over there.

Kim Minwoo gives Choi Yongjun a sly wink.

This event is being sponsored by three broadcasting companies, but the real financial backer behind those companies is Ilsung.

Naturally, Choi Yongjun, the caster, would have to be on Ilsung’s good side.

There were clear guidelines for what questions he could and could not ask.

In other words, this whole thing was like a well-rehearsed play. Of course, no one could have imagined that the Money Talks Guild would be this strong.

The caster, Choi Yong-jun, nodded in response to Kim Minwoo’s wink and said:

“I think it’s time to move on to our last question. As you all know, the government has recently been holding tournaments for Awakened individuals, right?”

“Yes!”

The audience responded with a nod.

It was well-known news, especially considering other countries besides South Korea were also starting similar events.

The reason for these tournaments was soon revealed: a system-sponsored competition. Word quickly spread that the tournaments were being held to select players for this event.

“A total of three players will be selected from the preliminary tournament. And those three players will… compete in the final against the Money Talks Guild right here!”

Normally, this wouldn’t have been a surprising announcement.

After all, the Money Talks Guild had basically gotten a free pass to the finals by not having to participate in the preliminary tournament.

But in this case, the crowd’s reaction was different.

“Waaaah!”

Instead, the crowd erupted in cheers.

The Super Rookie Tournament was also a kind of international competition.

[TL/N: Super Rookie Selection -> Super Rookie Tournament]

The tournament was not just a competition; it was a battle of national pride. For years, South Korea had tasted nothing but defeat in such events.

A sense of unease gnawed at him. What if the “Money Talks” guild decided to participate?

With their overwhelming performance today, a swift victory seemed inevitable.

Special treatment?

Given their exceptional skills, they deserved special consideration.

This was the norm in the Awakened world, where strength was paramount.

Treating such powerful Awakeneds the same as everyone else would be an absurdity.

The viewers echoed the stadium’s jubilant roar.

―Oh, I’m so embarrassed, I could just die. ‘Victory is assured.’

―Is this finally our turn to win? 😢😢😢

―Finally escaped the preliminary round! 😢😢😢 It doesn’t seem like a big deal, but where is it? 😢😢😢

―Yeah, yeah. Let’s gain some experience here and then go to the Gate War. Paradise guaranteed! 😂😂

The stadium buzzed with excitement.

* * *

As the guild battle concluded, the sky had already darkened by the time we exited the stadium.

“Hyung-nim, are we going for a post-victory celebration?”

Park Si-woo asked with gleaming eyes.

“Oh, come to think of it, you’re an adult this year, aren’t you?”

“Yes! I can finally drink legally! We should have a team bonding session! Don’t you think so, Noona?”

“….Well, I guess so.”

“Then I’ll let you know where we’re going, so wait here for a bit.”

“Why? You have something to do?”

“Uh, yeah. I have someone to meet.”

The Chairman Cho of Dorim.

He had been insisting on meeting him as soon as possible, calling him incessantly.

When he told him that he was unavailable due to the guild battle, he pleaded with him to meet him the same day, saying he would wait.

So, he agreed to meet him.

Just once.

‘I’ll just humor him.’

It would be better if the “Money Talks” guild kept quiet, but instead, they were causing more trouble for South Korea.

The guild battle marked a turning point, showcasing their potential beyond that of mere rookies.

As their performance soared, Dorim’s sales plummeted even further, a sharp decline fueled by the guild’s popularity.

The government had even hinted at putting an end to the guild’s dominance, such was the severity of their downfall.

‘If only we could seize their core businesses as well.’

Recently, Ilsung products had been selling like hotcakes, pushing production to its limits.

However, constructing new factories was not an overnight task.

In such cases, absorbing existing facilities was the most efficient solution.

And while at it, they could also acquire some manpower.

‘But that’s probably going to be tough.’

There’s a reason they say even an earthworm will squirm if stepped on. After all, they were dealing with South Korea’s second-largest conglomerate.

If they were to corner them mercilessly, they would only provoke a fierce backlash. The company still had considerable power left.

‘Well, we’ll have to find a middle ground.’

It was time to employ their negotiation skills.

“Do you both like Jeon?”

[TL/N: Jeon is a fritter in Korean cuisine made by seasoning whole, sliced, or minced fish, meat, vegetables, etc., and coating them with wheat flour and egg wash before frying them in oil.]

“Me? No, I can’t eat it because it’s not there. How about you, Noona?”

“It’s fine.”

“Then let’s go to the Jeon restaurant. I know a place that’s insanely good. I’ll treat you. Here’s the address….”

The two nodded as they looked at the address.

“Go ahead. I’ll probably be done within an hour or two.”

The Chairman Cho, Cho, was the head of Dorim.

Kim Minwoo, too, held a position that represented Ilsung.

When representatives met, there was no need for unnecessary small talk.

They would typically set a general framework, and the subordinates would handle the details.

“Get in the car there. The driver will take you where you need to go.”

Transportation was not a concern.

Ilsung’s drivers and vehicles were lined up outside the stadium.

With that, the two left, and Kim Minwoo also got into a car, stating his destination.

“Let’s go to Hannam-dong.”

It was time to meet the Dorim’s Chairman Cho.

[Translator – Prøks]

[Proofreader – Prøks]