Chapter 131

Chapter 131

Spendthrift Necromancer (131)

“Uh…… then I can't even go outside…… is that what you mean?”

“Come on. I'm not that bad of a person. Humans need some sunlight.”

“R-Right?”

“Don't worry. Even though it's underground, the place gets decent sunlight.”……

Underground?

“I had the whole facility properly designed, and the security is excellent. You should even be able to go outside once every three months.”

“……

What?! Once every three months?”

That was when.

“Ms. Choi Yuna.”

“Y-Yes!”

Kim Minwoo suddenly turned serious, and she straightened her back.

“You roughly understand how valuable the manufacturing method is, don't you?”

“Yes.”

“If word gets out that you learned it, China will send people immediately. Do you have the strength to protect yourself?”

“Probably……

not.”

Her father might be a Guild Master, but so what? He wasn't overwhelmingly powerful.

If a genuinely strong Awakened decided to harm her, there was nothing she could do.

“Your best option is to live quietly somewhere safe, where nobody knows you exist. Somewhere like a very quiet underground security facility.”

“W-Where exactly is that place?”

“Come on. I'll show you.”

“I haven't even contacted my family yet…….”

“I'm not telling you to move in this second, so don't worry. You're only looking around.”

He got into a vehicle with Choi Yuna.

Before long, they reached the destination.

“Isn't that…… your house, Mr. Kim Minwoo?”

“Correct.”

The enormous, sprawling main estate.

It was so huge that the yard itself was divided into separate zones and facilities. The interior was no different.

When they entered, Mrs. Choi greeted them.

“Welcome. I've heard a lot about you from Minwoo. He says you're an incredible Alchemist.”

“Ah, hello.”

Choi Yuna greeted her with a dazed expression. One moment she'd been hearing terrifying talk about being canned underground, and now she'd been brought to his family estate. Of course she'd be confused.

After exchanging suitable greetings.

They headed toward the underground area.

“Wow…….”

Basement Level 1.

Basement Level 2.

And down to Basement Level 3.

After passing sections filled with every imaginable facility, Choi Yuna reached Basement Level 4 and exclaimed in amazement.

A vast space filled with every kind of alchemy tool and production facility. It was so enormous that thousands of people could move around inside without trouble.

“How do you even build something like this underground…….”

“There's nothing money can't do.”

And if there was?

Then you simply hadn't spent enough.

Especially now, when Gates had flooded the world with all kinds of materials.

Constructing an underground facility like this wasn't particularly difficult.

Constantly manufacturing things at facilities outside the estate had become incredibly annoying, so he'd expanded the floor area significantly while he was at it.

Adding production facilities was a bonus.

Of course, Chairman Kim had paid for everything. Minwoo already supplied him equipment at honest, bubble-free prices. The man could do at least this much.

Since it lay beneath the Ilseong family estate, the security was naturally top-tier. There was no better place for secret production.

“But who uses this place? Are you planning to bring in more people besides me?”

“No. Only you and me will use it. So, your answer?”

“……

If I accept, do I have to stay only here on Basement Level 4?”

“If you get bored, come upstairs and eat with us. Naye will probably like you too.”

“……

Naye?”

“My little sister. She's smart and sweet.”

“Ah…….”

The conditions weren't as brutal as she'd imagined.

From the details, apparently she'd even be allowed to walk around Ilseong's enormous estate grounds.

“But like I said earlier, leaving the estate itself is limited to once every three months. And you'll have dedicated bodyguards with you.”

“I-I'll do it!”

Choi Yuna squeezed her eyes shut and answered. Seven years of life in confinement awaited her, but the reward was far too sweet.

And did anyone really think this one Recipe would be the last Kim Minwoo ever brought back?

Whenever he found another, who would be the first person he thought of?‘Me, the Alchemist!’She'd get first taste of all that delicious honey. Taking that into account, seven years was absolutely an investment worth making.

“Want to start today?”

“Yes! I'll live here! So what do I do first?”

That was when.

Rumble.

A mountain of materials piled up beside Kim Minwoo.

She barely had time to be shocked by the scale.

Choi Yuna's eyes widened when she received the paper he'd handed her.[Highest-Grade Elixir Manufacturing Method][Ingredient List][1. Colossus spinal fluid 10mg][2. Half a teaspoon of Demon heart (3mg)][3. 2.5 strands of Medusa hair]..[Manufacturing Method][First pour in 5mg of spinal fluid and add one strand of Medusa hair (8cm)

then after 2.73 seconds, add the Giant Chameleon's salivary gland…….]‘This isn't a Recipe.’Normally, obtaining a Recipe triggered a registration message.

Once registered, her body would move automatically when she manufactured it.

Just like a Skill Book.

This, on the other hand, was nothing more than a simple note painstakingly written in ballpoint pen.

“Um, the Recipe…….”

“You'll have to discover and register that yourself, Ms. Yuna. I wrote down the entire manufacturing method, didn't I?”

“Th-Then it's going to take an enormous amount of time…….”

Simply following the written instructions didn't automatically register a Recipe.

One tiny mistake during the process, even a slight error in timing, could cause registration to fail.

And this was the Highest-Grade Elixir, infamous as one of the most difficult elixirs to manufacture.

Without the Recipe, trial and error alone could take forever.

Of course, this was still a hundred million times better than knowing nothing at all about how to make it…….‘Don't tell me that's why he said he'd give me the manufacturing method instead of the Recipe?’She'd assumed he was simply unfamiliar with another profession and had mixed up the terms.‘……

He knew exactly what he was saying?’That was when.

Kim Minwoo shrugged.

“There are more materials than you could possibly use over there, so help yourself. It doesn't matter if registration fails. I'll supply them infinitely.”

“Uh…….”

“For reference, no walks until you register it. My mother will bring your meals on schedule, so don't skip eating. You can get sunlight in that room over there. Then I'll be going.”

“Uh…… wait…….”

Kim Minwoo stepped into the elevator and vanished in an instant.

Left behind alone, Choi Yuna stared blankly across the empty space.‘H-Huh?’No walks until I register it means…….

Am I trapped here now?* * *Choi Yuna.

An Alchemist talented enough to rank among the best in Korea. The one thing she lacked was Recipes.

In other words, if she possessed enough good Recipes?‘She could absolutely compete with the Witch.’Why was the Witch so famous?

Because she possessed the Highest-Grade Elixir Recipe.

And because she received overwhelming support from America, the strongest Awakened nation.

For example, whenever a decent Recipe appeared, they funneled it straight to the Witch.‘Her reputation definitely has a bit of a bubble.’If Minwoo raised Choi Yuna properly, she'd probably strip away that bubble beautifully.

Raising the Skeletons' Alchemy to high ranks would take considerable time.

For now, the Skeletons could handle mass-produced goods while Choi Yuna handled high-rank items.‘Now that I've canned her…….’Considering how quickly and skillfully she worked, she'd probably show results within two days. If she wanted her walks, she'd work hard enough.

‘And now…….’It was time to set up the real big game.

Kim Minwoo's eyes gleamed.

Sell Highest-Grade Elixirs at ten times the price.

No proper country would buy elixirs at that price no matter how good they were.‘But China is a little different.’The flow of money?

Whatever the leadership wanted.

Then the conclusion was simple.‘Make the people at the top unable to resist buying.’Time to start working the angle.

The training ground at the Ilseong family estate.

Seo Yerim and Park Siwoo were already gathered there.

And they weren't alone.

Ilseong Guild's entire first team had assembled too.

The training Nam Cheolmin had requested before.

They were here to carry it out.

Minwoo summoned Merhen and Cedric and approached them.

“Good to see everyone.”

The Ilseong Guild members bowed politely. Since they had come to receive instruction, it was essentially a declaration that they would treat this side with proper respect.‘Looks like their heads are in the right place.’Maybe because of the shock of their previous defeat.

Every one of them had sharp eyes, as though desperate to take away even one more lesson.

That made things easier on the instructors too.

Kim Minwoo spoke.

“Spendthrift Guild has grown, but Ilseong has no intention of abandoning you. In fact, we plan to increase investment even further.”

“……

Investment too?”

“Really?”

The Awakened brightened.

Kim Minwoo.

An Awakened who stood in a position capable of representing Ilseong. His words were practically Ilseong's answer itself.

Of course they'd react happily.

Kim Minwoo smiled.

“Of course. Those who distinguish themselves during training will even receive Highest-Grade Elixirs.”

“H-Highest-Grade Elixirs?”

“Yes. And enough to completely max out your stat gains.”

Gulp.

The Awakened swallowed.

Highest-Grade Elixirs.

Precious treasures whose astonishing effects were only whispered about, with only a tiny handful of people knowing the truth.

Naturally.

Their export was completely controlled, so very few Awakened had ever even seen one.

And even the Awakened who had seen and consumed them kept their mouths shut as if by agreement.

All they ever said was that the effects were incredible.

Everyone and their dog already knew that.

Ever since the Witch obtained the Recipe, hadn't America won nine out of ten international competitions?

According to Kim Minwoo, the production cost was eight billion won per pill.

Even if you consumed only the two hundred pills other elixirs normally required, that came to 1.6 trillion won.

Invest 1.6 trillion per person?

They had no idea exactly how many people would receive the benefit, but one thing was certain.

His statement about making a massive investment wasn't a lie.

For Kim Minwoo, it wasn't much of a burden either.‘It's not my money anyway.’Highest-Grade Elixirs?

Unlike everyone else, Kim Minwoo knew their exact effects.

The total stat increase was 600.600 pills completely maxed it out.

The production cost for one Awakened came to around 4.8 trillion won.‘America's going to supply all the materials anyway.’That was one of the prices America would pay in exchange for him not selling Highest-Grade Elixirs to other countries.

Of course, they hadn't promised infinite supply.

Enough for roughly 200 people per year.

He'd reached an understanding with the ambassador that America would provide materials on that scale.‘Of course they should.’From America's perspective, rather than losing the trust of every ally and beginning a bloody competition with Minwoo, it was far more profitable to prevent the Recipe from leaking and simply supply materials.

In monetary terms, it came to around 960 trillion won.

For the price of not losing their hegemony, wasn't that incredibly cheap?

Naturally, that wasn't the only detailed condition.

That was merely the first.

There were several more.

Either way.

Since he expected to receive huge amounts of materials, he intended to share some of the benefits with Ilseong Guild too.‘Because that investment will all come back.’At ten times the amount, no less.

“Then let's begin class.”

The method was identical to what they'd done during the second trial.

As they divided everyone by Class.

Minwoo spoke to Guild Master Nam Cheolmin, who was heading toward Seo Yerim.

“Guild Master Nam.”

“Yes.”

“Come to me.”

“Excuse me?”

“You'll have plenty to learn from me too.”

Nam Cheolmin tilted his head.

Only briefly before approaching.

“Vice Guild Master, you come here too.”

Kim Minwoo gathered ten people in total. They were the absolute top line, all S-ranks even within the first team.

He drew his sword.

“Let's begin class. All of you come at me.”

“……

You aren't summoning the undead?”

“No.”

Park Siwoo had finished the Vice Guild Master in ten exchanges.

And Minwoo used a sword better than Siwoo and had far higher stats.

He'd win even without undead.

Still, Nam Cheolmin was reasonably skilled, so maybe it would take five minutes.

They hesitated for a moment, apparently feeling their pride sting.

“……

We're coming!”

Ilseong's first-team members all charged.

The result came in less than five minutes.

Every Ilseong member lay on the ground after taking a sword sheath to the temple.

The only reason it had even lasted close to five minutes was because Nam Cheolmin held out somewhat. Without him, it would've ended in less than two.

Minwoo gathered them together.

“First, Guild Master Nam.”

“……

Yes.”

Nam Cheolmin answered weakly, apparently shocked by how helplessly it had ended.

“You mix your movements while evading with Phantom Step. Like this.”

“……

You know Phantom Step too?”

“I do.”

He'd played this game for fifteen years.

There were almost no Skills Kim Minwoo didn't know.

“Mixing it like that isn't good. Try it this way instead. Like you're riding the wind.”

Kim Minwoo demonstrated with a few fluid movements.

Nam Cheolmin stared doubtfully for a moment.

Then activated his Skill and copied what he'd just seen.

That was when.[Title, ‘Greatest Master,’ activates!][You are providing instruction!][The target's learning effectiveness greatly increases!]

Along with the message, student Nam Cheolmin's movements improved visibly.

A title he'd obtained thanks to Sword Immortal.‘The effect really is excellent.’It activated occasionally when he sparred with Siwoo.

And this time was no different.

“……

Huh?”

“Much better, right?”

“How did this…….”

Nam Cheolmin stared at him, completely dumbfounded.

A Necromancer giving advice on an Archer Skill probably did seem absurd.

Kim Minwoo shrugged.

How many times had he fought world-ranker-level Archers while playing this game?

After experiencing countless Awakened who used every trick and technique imaginable, advising an Archer at Nam Cheolmin's level wasn't particularly difficult.

“And when you shoot, you've got a few bad habits too…….”

The advice began pouring out almost immediately.* * *The uproar over China's export controls lasted only briefly.About two weeks later, the situation gradually quieted down.

China, which had been foaming at the mouth and savaging Korea, suddenly went silent. It looked like April might end without further incident…….[(Breaking!) Ilseong Guild issues challenge to Nine Dragons Guild!][(Breaking!) Confidence with a reason? Ilseong Guild feeds Highest-Grade Elixirs to every S-rank member of its first team!][(Breaking!) Guild Master Nam Cheolmin vows to show just how much they've changed! Declares they'll crush Nine Dragons through a King-of-the-Hill Match and earn recognition as a global tier-1 guild…….]

The sudden explosive news set communities in both Korea and China ablaze.