Chapter 138

Chapter 138

Spendthrift Necromancer (138)

IsabellaIsabella Renoir.A once-in-a-century martial arts genius born in France twenty-five years ago.

She Awakened at only ten years old. Over the next fifteen years, she set countless records.A martial artist who represented the new third generation of Awakened.

Her aloof beauty.

And ability every bit as extraordinary as her appearance. The world beyond France had gone wild for her.

Queen of the Awakened world.

Legendary martial arts genius.

The Awakened with the highest advertising fees in the world.

In Korea, she might get mocked through memes like baguette martial artist or GOAT, but that was nothing more than envy directed at an unreachable ideal.

Korea?

A weak Awakened nation.

A country where a world-ranker-class Awakened like Isabella practically never had any reason to visit.

That had been true in reality too.

All Koreans had ever seen of Isabella were news clips, NewTube videos, or perhaps her face on advertisements.

But now…….―Isabella's coming to Korea? Is this for real?―Judging by the direction her private jet's flying, yeah lololol Should land at the airport in four hours.―Did she say why she's coming?―Oh. News just dropped. Looks like something happened at the Sky Auction House?―?―Looks like Kim Minwoo cleaned her out on every item she wanted lol She's probably flying over because she's pissed as hell lol―Wait, for real?―She bid up to 57 trillion on both Special Items and lost both lol Last item got cut off by a 5,000-won difference lol―How do they know it was her if everyone wore masks?―She's basically the only Awakened who can throw around that kind of cash lol And apparently the movement she showed when approaching Kim Minwoo gave her away too.―She had 57 trillion in cash?―Isabella's the advertising queen. You don't know cosmetics and luxury brands pay her trillions? lol She's globally rich lol―Yeah, her fanbase is insane. Anything she advertises sells out lol―And someone that rich lost by 5,000 won? Seriously?―Looks like she dug through every last cent trying to buy that tablet thing lol―Kim Minwoo apparently still had way more money left too. What kind of humiliation is this lol―For real, legendary. First half 40 trillion + second half 60 trillion for the die + 57 trillion for the tablet. He burned 157 trillion in one auction, fuck lololol―(Note) There's also a 2% commission. Factoring that in, he spent around 160 trillion.―(Horror) And after all that, the auction manager still said he had lots of money left.―Where the hell did he get that much? Even Ilseong can't support that kind of spending.―I knew I could trust hyung Abdullah lol―Looks like the President next door donated a little too?―So, you going to the airport?―Already there lol―Yep, got my tent up and everything lol―You bastards. You shit on Isabella every day, what's with the attitude now? lol―You think being a world star is a joke? lolThere was already an enormous crowd waiting at Incheon Airport, where she was expected to arrive.

The number had already surpassed five hundred thousand.

And that wasn't even everyone yet. People who learned about her arrival late were still heading toward the airport.

Finally, her private jet landed.

The moment she appeared from the plane, an enormous roar shook the surroundings.

Isabella looked over the people with her usual blank expression.

Countless media outlets that had already smelled a scoop swarmed toward her, desperately trying to secure even a single interview.

“Ms. Isabella! Why have you visited Korea…….”

“What does your schedule for this visit look like…….”

Reporters stubbornly hurled questions despite the intimidating wall of bodyguards.

“I only came for a personal matter.”

She answered fluently in English and began making her way through the crowd.

Her usual reputation for acting like a blunt, emotionless machine was on full display again.‘Damn it.’‘This won't do.’This was her first-ever visit to Korea. If they let her leave like this, they might never get another chance to interview her.‘No choice but to show her Korea's spicy side.’Several reporters' eyes sharpened.

“Ms. Isabella! We heard you failed to win the items you wanted at the Sky Auction House!”

“Is it really true you lost by only five thousand won?”

Stop.

She froze midstep.

Her eyes narrowed sharply.

Apparently the question had hit exactly where it hurt.

“We've heard that just before the auction ended, you aggressively confronted Mr. Kim Minwoo! Did you perhaps come here because you hold a grudge over what happened?”

“……

No. That's not it. I have no intention of doing anything like that. Excuse me.”* * *Isabella.

She was an incredibly direct woman.

Most people visiting another country would spend some time sightseeing or relaxing.

Instead, the moment she arrived in Korea, she somehow found his phone number, called him once, and came straight to the family estate despite it already being nighttime.

Ding-dong!

A familiar figure appeared beyond the intercom screen.

“……

My god. She really came.”

“Wow! It's Isabella unnie!”

From Mrs. Choi to Naye.

Their eyes widened at Isabella's sudden appearance.

Even Chairman Kim was staring anxiously at the intercom screen.

Isabella.

Just how famous was she?

And how high were her standards?

An Awakened who generated even more attention than her ability deserved—if anything, perhaps more fame than even her strength.

The moment she appeared in an advertisement, every product involved sold out.

There probably wasn't a single company among the world's top hundred that had never sent her a sponsorship offer.

Naturally, Ilseong was no different.

They contacted her agency every time.

The problem was that every single approach got rejected before going any further.

Money?

It meant nothing to her.

In keeping with her reputation as the world's best, every company she chose carried the title of the world's best in its field.

Unfortunately, calling Ilseong the world's best was still a considerable stretch.

The same applied to Korea as a country.

She had spent nearly her entire life moving between France and America. This was probably the first time she'd ever set foot in East Asia.

Minwoo had told his family she might come.

Apparently it hadn't felt real until she was actually standing outside the door, because everyone kept blinking at the screen.

“Impatient too, huh.”

He hadn't expected her to come running within a single day.

The tablets apparently became something quite worthwhile when combined.

Otherwise, why would she have rushed here this fast?

Chairman Kim asked with a bewildered expression.

“Minwoo, did you call her here?”

“Yes. We have something to discuss.”

“And that thing about the auction, where you beat her by five thousand won…… that's true too?”

“Just because you're rich doesn't mean you should waste money. You have to save every penny. I'll bring her in.”

“W-Wait!”

“……?”

“While she's here, ask her to sign a few things before she leaves. All right?”

“Are you a fan?”

“No, ahem. It's not just me. Our Naye likes her too.”

“That's right! I want an autograph!”

Naye looked up at him with sparkling eyes.

It was a scene that made Isabella's level of fame feel very real.

She had never even stepped foot in Korea before, yet his family was already clamoring for autographs.

Then he'd have to get them.

It wasn't difficult, so he nodded.

He walked to the front door and opened it.

“Why come this late at night?”

“The tablet. Let's talk.”

“Fine. If you'll do a little fan service first.”

“……?”

“My family's fans of yours. That's not difficult, right?”

Nod.

She nodded.

Minwoo brought her inside.

At some point, even Choi Yuna, who lived underground these days, had quietly come upstairs.

His family stared at Isabella with shining eyes.

Chairman Kim most of all.

“That's my father, next to him is my mother. Down there is my little sister. And next to her is the Alchemist renting a room here.”

“……?”

Isabella tilted her head at the explanation.

Only briefly.

“I-I'm Chairman Kim of Ilseong. I've always been a fan.”

“Ah. Is that so?”

“Yes. Especially when the Gate opened near Marigo, your performance there was extremely impressive. If you don't mind, could I shake your hand…….”

“Certainly.”

Isabella calmly extended her hand. Chairman Kim grabbed it at once, his face breaking into a huge grin.

“A-Ahem! Thank you. And perhaps an autograph too…….”

“Ah! Me too! Me too! Unnie, shake my hand too!”

“Okay.”

This time Isabella bent down and held her hand out to Naye.

Naye grabbed it tightly with both hands, then clung to Isabella's forearm.

“Hehe, you're cold.”

“Have you Awakened?”

“No?”

“You're strong.”

“Yeah! Naye's strong! Teacher says I'm super strong! Unnie, pick me up.”

Naye's terrifying natural friendliness.

Even Isabella couldn't escape it.

She scooped Naye into her arms, then looked toward Mrs. Choi and the Alchemist.

“Would you two like autographs as well?”

“Hoho. I'm fine. This man is the one who's always liked you so much. But you really do look exactly the same in person as you do on screen.”

“Uh…… I…… I'd be really, really grateful if you signed something…….”

Choi Yuna quietly held out an alchemy tool.

Holding a pen in one hand, Isabella signed it with a few strokes.

Chairman Kim got his golf club signed.

Naye got her kindergarten backpack signed.

“Hehe. I'm gonna show my friends!”

The family beamed happily.

At this point, Isabella had definitely done her share of fan service.

“We'll go talk for a bit.”

“Y-Yeah! Ms. Isabella, make yourself comfortable. It's late, so you can sleep here if you'd like. Think of this as your own home.”

Leaving Chairman Kim's desperate invitation behind, they headed upstairs.

Once they sat down, Isabella stared directly at him.

“What are you going to do about the tablet?”

“I bought it, so I'll make good use of it. The problem is you have one and I have one…… want to sell yours? I'll pay generously.”

“No. I don't intend to sell.”

Fair enough.

He'd expected that.

If she'd intended to sell it, she wouldn't have rushed all the way here like this.

“Then I'll make the opposite proposal. Sell yours to me.”

“I have plenty of money too.”

Isabella stared at him.

Then she sighed.

“I obtained the First Tablet from a Hidden Gate. It was a dangerous Gate.”

“So?”

“Combining the two tablets will probably make the difficulty far greater. Our lives may be at risk. From the look of things, we'll have to cooperate. I'll be honest. I won't entrust my back to someone I can't trust.”

“You doubt my character? Or…….”

“Your ability.”

Her gaze settled calmly.

“Character? That doesn't matter. I can just kill someone if necessary. But if they're incompetent, that's troublesome.”

“You've seen a fair amount of what I can do…….”

“If that's everything, it'll be a problem.”

Minwoo nodded.

Isabella certainly had the right to say that.

Even netizens who mocked her never questioned her actual ability.

Level?She had passed 1,000 long ago.

Talent?

Among the best in the world.

Equipment?

Thanks to France's relentless love, she was covered head to toe in Ancient-grade equipment with high Level requirements.

Level, talent, equipment.

An Awakened possessing all three.

That was why she carried the title of world ranker.

She was a walking strategic weapon.

She had shown far too much for anyone to dismiss her merely because her Achievement Skill had only been S-rank.

Her arrogance was justified because she had the strength to back it up.

Kim Minwoo acknowledged that too.‘She's the real thing.’If he fought Isabella right now, he would lose.

Her countless Bound Skills and +9 Skills.

Her overwhelming equipment setup.

And she was a monster whose talent itself was considered among the finest in the martial arts world.

To defeat someone at this level, Minwoo still needed time to grow.

But that didn't mean the gap was so enormous they couldn't even form a party together.

“You seem to be misunderstanding one thing.”

“……?”

“You aren't the only one who needs to verify anything.”

“Is that so?”

“Of course. For all I know, your ability could be inflated by hype.”

“Then I suppose we need to verify each other.”

“The best way is to fight.”

“I agree.”

“There happens to be a training ground right outside the house. A sturdy one.”

“I saw it. You live well.”

Nothing else needed to be said.

Both of them stood at the same time.