Dorim (1)

“Ah, yes! Thank you for that. Ilseong phones are great. I use one myself. Everyone, please give their new product plenty of love. Now, I think it’s time we interviewed someone else. This lady made quite an impression right from her entrance, didn’t she?”

After letting the advertisement run for a reasonable stretch, Choi Yongjun cut it short and turned to Merhen.

“Stunning beauty, matched by equally formidable magic! May I ask your name?”

“Merhen.”

“Yes! Let’s welcome Merhen!”

Merhen stepped forward. After briefly tapping the microphone, she seemed to work out how to use it and brought it to her lips.

“Hello, everyone.”

She looked into the camera and waved.

—Her face is the size of my fist lol.

—Now THIS is what I’m talking about~ lol.

—So fucking cute lol.

—Is it normal that I’m already grinning like an idiot?

—Completely fucking normal lmao.

“I have so many questions! After all, today was your very first public appearance!”

“Yeah. Cedric was summoned before me.”

“I’m asking because you look so human, but you aren’t actually human, are you?”

“I’m undead, yes. A banshee.”

“Pardon? A banshee?”

Choi Yongjun blinked. Did she mean those ghostly undead with maggots crawling all over them and holes riddling their bodies?

“You don’t look anything like one...”

“Because I’m the queen.”

“Ah. You mean you’re the Banshee Queen?”

Merhen nodded.

“Our viewers have plenty of questions. About Spell Disruption—you made it look so easy. Is there some secret to it?”

“Choi Yongjun, right?”

“Pardon? Yes, that’s my name.”

“Do you need a secret technique to breathe, Choi Yongjun?”

“Uh, no?”

“It’s like that.”

—It’s like that... taking notes...

—Damn, after what she showed us, we can’t even doubt her lol.

—Just do it like breathing... great tip...

“Ah... I see.”

“Yeah. The ones here are simple, so it’s even easier.”

“You mean the mages?”

“Yeah. Angela? She’s terrible at magic, but Minwoo only praises people like her.”

Angela was one of America’s top ten mages. Ranking in the top ten of the world’s strongest awakener nation put her on par with at least one of Korea’s top three mages. Her water-attribute magic, in particular, was considered one of the finest specialties around.

Yet Merhen’s assessment was brutally harsh. If some unremarkable mage had bad-mouthed Angela like that, criticism would have poured in immediately.

But this was different. Merhen had not only performed Spell Disruption as naturally as breathing, but unleashed magic beyond anything they could have imagined. No one disputed that her abilities were far more overwhelming.

Angela? She would probably struggle for half a day and still might not manage Spell Disruption even once.

This was arrogance with substance behind it. And since they were in Korea, not America, Choi Yongjun tactfully played along.

“Guild Master Kim Minwoo, isn’t that rather cruel? Praising other mages when you have someone like her right here?”

“It was all for our Merhen’s benefit. Competition drives improvement.”

“Minwoo, is that why?”

“Of course. You even created a brand-new spell in no time because of it.”

Choi Yongjun hurriedly interjected.

“Wait, you mean she created a spell on the spot?”

“Was it the spell that summons water shaped like a dragon? She did create something similar.”

“... You’re saying Merhen copied the water dragon summoning spell?”

“That’s right. An upgraded version, too.”

“I’d really love to see that.”

“Well, showing it to you is easy enough. Merhen?”

[Merhen uses Water Dragon Storm (SS)!]

The water gathering above her hand transformed into an enormous dragon.

Choi Yongjun’s eyes widened. It was clearly the same kind of magic as Angela’s, yet it was different. From its appearance to the power that seemed to swirl within, it felt like something on an entirely different level.

She had “created” a spell. He immediately understood why Kim Minwoo had phrased it that way.

‘This is far beyond copying!’

Choi Yongjun wasn’t the only one astonished. Nearly two hundred thousand spectators, along with tens of millions of viewers, were watching the spectacle unfold live.

He swallowed and gripped his microphone.

“A-amazing. It certainly seems similar to the water dragon summoning spell... but it’s very different somehow.”

Even a seasoned broadcaster like him could find nothing to say beyond calling it amazing.

—Angela’s crying tears of blood right now lmao.

—What is this live magic NTR? lmao.

—And she’s even better at using it lol.

—One summon just wiped the floor with every Korean mage lmao.

—That summon is fucking insane. All I can do is laugh in disbelief lol.

—Hey. Calling her a summon is rude. Address her as the “God of Magic.”

“... You said sixty trillion won was a discounted price, didn’t you? Honestly, I’m starting to understand. Am I the only one?”

From the audience in the stands to the viewers watching the broadcast, everyone inwardly nodded. As if the Divine Bow weren’t enough, there was now a summon capable of devouring the entire global magic scene.

—Sixty trillion for twenty percent? That actually does sound like a discount.

—Looking at it now, that’s way too cheap.

—Is this that family discount thing people talk about?

—(Breaking) America’s Goldman offers fifty trillion won for a ten-percent stake.

—Is that real?

—Huh? Why is that actually real?

—Financial firms in the major awakener nations are going nuts. One just offered sixty trillion for ten percent. (Breaking news link.)

—Think he’ll sell?

“Uh, Guild Master?”

“Yes?”

“I’m hearing that things are going wild overseas. A Wall Street firm in America has even offered sixty trillion won for a ten-percent stake. Would you consider selling any additional shares?”

“That’s a hell of a lowball.”

“Pardon?”

“Just kidding. I have no intention of selling more right now.”

Kim Minwoo shrugged as he spoke.

Why sell now when its value had nowhere to go but up? Especially to those Wall Street bastards, who weren’t even family.

Letting them sink their teeth into him could become a real headache. They had neither pity nor compassion when money was involved. Besides, there were plenty of nicer backers in the world who had deep pockets and rarely interfered.

He subtly signaled Choi Yongjun with his eyes. The three major broadcasters were organizing this event, but Ilseong was bankrolling them. Naturally, Choi Yongjun couldn’t possibly be free of ties to Ilseong either.

What to ask and what not to ask—the guidelines had been laid out long ago. In other words, this was like a carefully scripted play.

Of course, they couldn’t have imagined the Money-Blowing Guild would be this powerful.

Choi Yongjun nodded at the signal and spoke.

“I think it’s time for our final question. You all know the government recently gathered awakeners to hold a tournament, don’t you?”

“Yes!”

The spectators nodded as they answered. It was fairly well-known news, especially because other countries, not just Korea, had been making similar moves.

The reason had soon come to light, too. Word had quickly spread that they were selecting competitors for a tournament organized by the System.

“The selection tournament will choose three people in total. And those three... will face the members of the Money-Blowing Guild here in the finals!”

Normally, it would hardly have been surprising if that announcement had sparked complaints. After all, didn’t it mean the Money-Blowing Guild was getting a free pass through the preliminaries?

But here and now, things were different.

“Woooo!”

Instead, the crowd erupted in cheers.

The Super Rookie Selection Tournament was an international competition, one with each nation’s pride at stake. Korea had spent years tasting bitter defeat in competitions like these. People had privately worried that this time would be no different.

But if the Money-Blowing Guild competed?

They might sweep straight to the championship. That was how incredible today’s performance had been.

Preferential treatment? After a display of skill like that, of course they deserved special treatment.

That was how the awakener world worked. For the most part, ability reigned supreme. Treating awakeners of that caliber the same as everyone else would have been stranger.

The viewers watching at home were cheering, too.

—Ah, this is so easy I could die of boredom. “Championship secured.”

—Is Korea finally going to win something? sob

—We’re finally escaping the preliminaries! sob Doesn’t look like a huge event, but I’ll take it!

—Yep. Get some experience here, then head to the Gate Contest. We’ll be in heaven lmao.

The stadium was ablaze with excitement.

* * *

The guild battle was over. By the time they left the stadium, the sky had already grown dark.

“Minwoo, are we going out to celebrate?”

Park Siwoo asked with shining eyes.

“Come to think of it, you became an adult this year, didn’t you?”

“Yes! I can legally drink now! We should use the occasion for some team bonding! Don’t you think so too, Yerim?”

“... Well, if everyone’s going, I’ll go.”

“Then I’ll give you the address. Head over without me.”

“Why? Do you have something to do?”

“Yeah. Someone to meet.”

Chairman Jo of Dorim. He must have been desperate, given how insistently he had asked to meet as soon as Minwoo had time. When Minwoo said he would be busy with the guild battle for a while, the chairman had practically begged him to meet on the very day it ended, saying he would wait.

So Minwoo had agreed to a meeting.

‘He must be shitting himself.’

Things might have been a little better if the Money-Blowing Guild had kept quiet. Instead, it kept turning Korea upside down. This guild battle had brought that to a peak, proving the guild could offer far more than mere Super Rookies.

The more they accomplished, the more Dorim’s sales plummeted, with public resentment driving them down even harder. The drop was so severe that even the government had begun hinting that perhaps it was time to ease off.

‘Ideally, I’d like to take all their core businesses.’

Ilseong’s products had been selling like hotcakes lately, and production was starting to fall short. But new factories couldn’t be built overnight. At times like this, simply absorbing someone else’s operations was the best option.

They could pick up some personnel in the process, too.

‘But that’s probably asking too much.’

There was a reason people said even a worm would turn if stepped on. And his opponent was Korea’s second-largest conglomerate, no less. If he tried to crush them without leaving them room to breathe, they would lash out fiercely. They still had considerable strength in reserve.

‘Well, I’ll have to settle for a reasonable amount.’

It was time for some skillful negotiation.

“Do you two like savory pancakes?”

“Pancakes? I can never get enough. What about you, Yerim?”

“They’re good.”

“Then let’s go to a pancake place. I know one that makes incredible scallion pancakes. You’ll love it. Here’s the address...”

The two nodded after checking the address.

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

Chairman Jo represented Dorim, and Minwoo held a position that more or less allowed him to represent Ilseong. When the people at the top met, they didn’t need to discuss every last detail. They only had to establish the broad terms, and their subordinates would handle the rest.

“Take one of those cars. The driver will get you there.”

Getting there was nothing to worry about. Ilseong’s cars and drivers were lined up outside the stadium.

After the other two left, Kim Minwoo got into a car himself and gave his destination.

“Let’s go to Hannam-dong.”

It was time to meet Dorim’s chairman.