Chapter 143

Chapter 143

Spendthrift Necromancer (143)

DemonstrationVroooom!

The vehicles kept racing from morning until night.

Ever since Isabella appeared, everyone had more or less suspected the performance figures weren't fake…….

But seeing it with their own eyes was another matter entirely.―There's no way this could be rigged, right……?―It's being broadcast live, there are drones and cameras all over the inside and outside of the cars, and every foreign news outlet is gathered here filming too?―Wake up lol Isabella's the brand ambassador lol―No black cranes here who didn't go all-in on Ilseong, right? lololol―Every U.S. battery company is on a bankruptcy rally right now lololol―Hold on tight lol Circuit breaker's coming lololol―Black Monday lolololPanic selling.

Dumping every stock you owned out of fear.

That was exactly what the U.S. stock market was doing right now.

The previous night had been chaos too, but there was no comparison to the shockwave happening now. At least back then, a circuit breaker had triggered once and the market recovered.

Afterward, the index had managed to hold the line around –2.6%.

Now was different.

Every additional lap Voltron completed sent the indices sliding lower and lower along with it. A dramatic rebound after the circuit breaker like yesterday?

Nothing of the sort.

Even an ordinary person who knew nothing about technology could tell there was an enormous difference between 1,000 km and 3,000 km on a single charge.

For engineers, the gap felt even more overwhelming.

The U.S. battery industry?

They'd all lost the will to fight.

Wall Street was screaming just as loudly. America had maintained hegemony for decades. And not only through Gates, but through technology as well.

Naturally, stock prices had kept climbing beyond peak after peak after peak. It was an era when even complete stock-market beginners were told that if they didn't know what to buy, they should just purchase U.S. dividend stocks.

And now the circuit breaker had triggered?

S&P –9%.―9.1%.―9.3%...

“Sell! Sell everything! Dump every damn thing related to batteries, right down to your underwear!”

“Somebody save me!”

The bigger problem was that this shockwave wasn't likely to end today.

How many industries used batteries?

Apple alone was already taking a clean –5% beating and plunging hard. There was no guarantee another circuit breaker wouldn't hit tomorrow, or the day after.

The White House was in chaos over the unprecedented situation as well.

President Robert.

He sat with one hand pressed to his forehead, sighing as though his head were splitting.‘Damn it.’Turning a blind eye to entering the battery industry.

That had been one of Kim Minwoo's demands during their last meeting.

Robert had agreed.

Batteries?

That was a field America dominated.

Countless world-class companies had thrown down the gauntlet, yet not one had succeeded in breaking that dominance.

That was why.

He'd agreed.

And yet less than fifteen days after giving that agreement, this bizarre monster of a product had appeared.

After gathering engineers and scientists, he asked.

“……

Just how good is that thing?”

“If I may joke a little, it looks like they tortured aliens for it. Our current American batteries can't compete.”

“The technological gap is at least twenty years. The material composition is complex enough that even producing an imitation would be nearly impossible.”

“Haa…….”

Robert sighed.

Judging by Korea's recent import and export trends, it was reasonable to assume preparations for mass production were already complete. Enormous amounts of resources were flowing in from China.

And considering they were continuously expanding factories on top of that, the manufacturing process itself couldn't be particularly difficult.

Of course, they wouldn't be able to satisfy global demand immediately, so for the time being they'd probably export only to a handful of countries…….

Even that alone would destroy the battery industry. Companies were already flooding every corner of the White House with lobbying money while screaming for someone to save them.

It was understandable.

Companies that used batteries, Apple included, had already begun cutting their existing orders and desperately trying to establish connections with Ilseong.

Robert gathered his closest advisers and spoke.

“……

Let's think about the best course of action here.”

“We could pressure Korea through sanctions or export restrictions…….”

“That won't be easy. I've already signed an official contract with Kim Minwoo. It specifically includes a clause saying we'll turn a blind eye to their entry into the battery industry. Of course, if we work around it, there are still ways to impose measures like that…….”

That was when.

The CIA Director cautiously spoke.

“Mr. President. Kim Minwoo has a history of sitting in the middle of Beijing and waiting for the President of China to come to him. His temperament is anything but ordinary. He absolutely won't sit still.

“……

No, he won't. That's the problem. If we do that, how do you think Kim Minwoo will respond?”

“……

He'll strengthen his alliance with China. Since we'd be the ones breaking our promise first, he'd have no hesitation about joining hands with President Li.”

“Ugh…….”

“And that's not all. American Awakened may lose one of their most important sources of future growth. Kim Minwoo's training is worth that much. There's also the issue of Highest-Grade Elixir supply. He'd probably start spreading those everywhere.”

The scientific advisers added more bad news.

“Mr. President. The technology Kim Minwoo has revealed is what we'd call an overwhelming-gap technology. If we sanction him, you must also consider that American companies would lose access to Slime Batteries. Our competitiveness would deteriorate drastically.”

“There are major military implications as well. Submarines equipped with Slime Batteries and submarines without them will have completely different underwater ranges from the start.”

“……

Naturally.”

The rise of Awakened had reduced the dominance of conventional weapons systems compared to the past, but that absolutely did not mean they had stopped mattering.

“Then do you all believe we should simply accept this?”

The advisers fell silent.

America losing its technological hegemony.

Even if it was only in the battery sector, the ramifications would never be small.

“……

It's a difficult problem. Taking everything into consideration, I believe compromise is the optimal choice.”‘This is driving me insane.’Compromise?

As if that were easy.

People could only smile and laugh together when they were sharing profits.

But what exactly was America supposed to share from that Slime Battery?

At best, Korea could transfer the technology and let only the two countries monopolize it. But would they really hand it over peacefully?

Robert had only met Kim Minwoo briefly, but the man was absolutely no pushover.

He would probably demand a great deal in return.

Robert looked mournfully at the hair that had begun falling out in handfuls.

“……

All right. I understand. Everyone, leave for now.”

After dismissing the others, he sighed and picked up the phone.

In the end, no matter how he looked at it.

America was the side that had no choice but to contact him first.* * *‘They're really cruising.’The Voltrons kept running as though driving all night meant nothing.

Unfortunately, Isabella hadn't agreed to serve as brand ambassador for the vehicles themselves, but that was fine.

If anything, that had made the public even more certain that the Slime Battery was genuine. The share prices of American battery companies made that obvious enough.

That was when.

His phone rang.

A very familiar number.

Smiling, he answered.

“Yes. Kim Minwoo speaking.”―Robert here. I assume you have a rough idea why I'm calling.

“Reached a conclusion?”―We'll honor our promise. However, I'd like you to pursue coexistence with us. If every battery company collapses, America will be in serious trouble too.

“Of course. Coexistence. Such a wonderful word.”

Living together.

What a beautiful idea.

Kim Minwoo was more than willing.

As long as he was the one holding the leash.

“I happened to need a lot more production factories anyway. I'll share the technology with you. Just pay a generous royalty. As for the contract term…… let's see. Thirty years sounds about right.”

American battery companies?

Just convert all of them into Slime Battery production plants.

That would satisfy the overflowing demand immediately, and the speed at which Slime Batteries spread through the market would become absurdly fast.

And if America helped expand the market, the market itself would grow much larger too.―……

How much royalty are you thinking?

“Thirty percent of sales profit should be fine.”―Haa…… thirty percent sounds far too high. The battery industry will have a difficult time accepting that.

“Then they can refuse and all go bankrupt. Isn't it the natural order of the world for the incompetent to be淘汰?”

―…….

Robert fell silent.―……Thirty percent is excessive. I'd appreciate it if you could show a little more consideration.

Fair enough.Thirty percent as a negotiation term might end with American newspapers printing giant political cartoons the next morning.

Something like Robert kneeling and kissing Minwoo's shoes.

The man had reelection coming up soon enough. Naturally, he wouldn't want that.

“Then, Mr. President, you'll owe me one?”―……

Yes. I'll owe you one. So please…….

“Then twenty percent.”―Twenty percent……

?

“Let's be honest with each other now. Once you factor in how much the market will grow, it isn't an offer America can't accept. Twenty percent isn't the same as trying to kill the industry outright.”

He'd intended to charge twenty percent from the start.

But only an amateur opened negotiations with the number they actually wanted.

You had to start high so you could make a big show of giving them a discount.

Robert had probably guessed that much too.

Even so, accepting that he owed Minwoo a favor reflected his desire to maintain a smooth relationship.

After a brief silence.―……

Fine. But are you hiding anything else? These days, every time I hear your name, my heart starts pounding. And I don't mean that in a good way.

“Who knows? That's a trade secret. Anyway, make sure you explain things properly to the relevant CEOs. Feel free to take plenty of credit too. If you got me down from thirty to twenty, you worked pretty hard, didn't you?”―I'll arrange a meeting with the battery-company CEOs first.

“For reference, if they reject the first offer, the royalty will be higher the next time. Make sure they understand that too.”

The warning had been delivered.

If they stalled, America would be the one bleeding.* * *The demonstration, which had continued uninterrupted for thirty hours, came to an end.

A successful demonstration concluded after showing an astonishing driving range.

Just as everything wrapped up.

Step.

Step.

Isabella walked toward him.

After clearing her throat for a moment.

“I worked hard as brand ambassador. Sitting in a vehicle for thirty hours straight has left me sore all over.”

“With those stats?”

“……

Anyway, I'm saying I did my best.”

“Good work. Go back home, rest well, eat something delicious, that sort of thing.”

Kim Minwoo turned away.

Isabella hurriedly grabbed his wrist.

“Wait.”

“……?”

“……

That's it?”

“Did you have something else to say?”

“The Mind Fist?”

“Mind Fist? What about it?”

“When I asked before, didn't you tell me to work hard as brand ambassador first?”

“I did. Wasn't that payment for introducing you to the elders? Don't tell me you thought one demonstration would be enough to learn something like that?”

Her face instantly turned bright red.

“……

I-I'm not that shameless. It's just…….”

“Just?”

“……

You're telling me to return home like this?”

“Well, I'm not sure there's anything else I can get from you, Ms. Isabella. There's nothing in particular I need you to do.”

“……

Do you want the tablet?”

“Come on. Is something that trivial really important?”

“……

Trivial? You seemed to value it quite highly before.”

“The value of an object changes from moment to moment. Surely you've studied economics too, Ms. Isabella.”

The tablet?

The Isabella standing here right now wouldn't trade Mind Fist for three hundred of those things.

She'd already felt its power in her own body while sparring with Fist King.

To a thirsty traveler in the desert, a cup of cold water was worth more than a thousand pieces of gold.

The same principle applied here.

“What do you want?”

“I'm not really sure.”

“……

Are you still holding a grudge because I refused you before?”

“I'm not that petty. I genuinely don't know.”

He meant Voltron.

If she was already doing it, she could've just promoted the vehicle along with the battery as a package.

Instead she'd firmly rejected it, saying East Asian vehicles weren't the best and that, after checking personally, it still wasn't good enough.

Honestly, she wasn't wrong.

Compared to Western luxury vehicles, Ilseong's cars really were a step behind.

But facts were facts.

And how painful must it have been for the listener to hear them?

That was all.

“Then I'll be going. I need to hurry and grow if I'm going to keep our four-month promise.”

“W-Wait! Do you want me to advertise Ilseong products?”

“Who knows. But there's one thing I do know. If you want to learn something like Mind Fist, shouldn't you show some sincerity too? Whatever form that takes.”

“…….”

Isabella fell silent.

When you wanted something from someone, but had no idea what that person wanted in return.

That was always difficult.

Kim Minwoo knew it too.

That was why he was doing this.

The vaguer he remained.‘The more I can get.’Teaching her Mind Fist for nothing more than becoming an Ilseong brand ambassador?

The math obviously didn't work.

“Go home and think carefully. About what you could give me that would make me want to teach…….”

He was in the middle of saying that when.● You are humanity's ‘One Who Opened the Horizon’!● You recognize a change in the world!● You have caused more than ten great powers to choose a special option!● 50 Achievement Points are awarded…….● 150 points are awarded as the first Mass Selection Bonus…….● You possess the Achievement Vending Machine! Points are doubled…….

Familiar messages appeared.

He'd been seeing messages like these every now and then. SS-rank Awakened kept appearing, and the percentage choosing Necromancer continued rising.

There was one difference this time.‘Bonus points?’The eleventh Necromancer had appeared, granting additional bonus points.

And because of that…….● Your total acquired Achievement Points have exceeded 3,000!● ‘Gold’ rank products are unlocked!● A limited-sale product for ‘Necromancers’ has been created! (10 hours until sale ends)● The value of ‘Earth Credits’ has risen enough to establish an exchange rate with Achievement Points.● You have contributed more than anyone else to raising the value of Earth Credits. As compensation, you receive one privilege.● From now on, you may exchange Earth Credits for Achievement Points.

“Huh?”

Earth Credits.

That was the unit Rastan from the Sky Auction House used when referring to Earth's money.

So right now…….

Did that mean he could duplicate Achievement Points with cash?