Chapter 58: Branch Tower (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 58: Branch Tower (4)
By the time Saram123 cleared the third Branch Tower in Japan, Wang Kai was beyond livid.
Under normal circumstances, he should have cleared them all and secured ownership of the Branch Towers himself, but he had already been robbed of two.
Of course, it wasn't out of some patriotic desire to serve China that he was so desperate to secure the towers. While it was true that handing over the Mana Veins to the Party as promised would bring him immense personal gain, that had become a secondary concern.
It was the simple fact that his prizes were being snatched away one after another that made his blood boil.
Saram123. The record holder for the highest floor in Nightmare difficulty.
Wang Kai found it disgusting how people worshipped the guy as some kind of "Savior," but he hadn't paid him much mind until now. They hadn't really had a reason to clash. After all, he was the highest-level Climber in the world.
But if the guy was going to interfere like this, it was a different story.
Wang Kai was the type of man who needed everything to go his way; if something got in his path, he had to either remove it or crush it to feel satisfied. To make matters worse, the public opinion on the communication window—busy mocking Wang Kai while comparing him to Saram123—was really grating on his nerves.
These insects wouldn't dare chirp a word if they were standing right in front of me...
"Why don't you just launch a fighter jet and drop me there?" Wang Kai barked.
"...That's absurd. Are you telling us to violate sovereign airspace?"
"If you can't do it, fine. Tsk."
The guy had only cleared the Japanese tower because he was lucky enough to be in Japan when it appeared. That kind of luck wouldn't strike twice.
Wang Kai had the full, unconditional support of a nation behind him. Unless a Branch Tower appeared right in the guy's backyard again, there was no way that Japanese bastard could reach a tower in another country faster than he could.
Wang Kai waited impatiently for the next Branch Tower to appear.
[The fourth Branch Tower has appeared.]
A week later, the fourth tower emerged.
"Brazil? Good."
The location was Brazil. Finally, one had appeared outside of Northeast Asia, on the American continent. This time, it would naturally take Saram123 a long time to get there. The guy was likely still in Japan.
The fourth tower is mine. I'll clear it immediately and leave him with nothing but his thumb to suck.
With that thought, Wang Kai boarded his private plane.
[The fourth Branch Tower has been cleared to the final floor.]
"...!"
The moment he saw the message pop up—just as he was settling into his seat—he nearly spat out his drink.
Coughing, Wang Kai wiped his mouth, his face contorting into a grimace.
"What?"
What was this? No... how?
Faced with a situation he couldn't comprehend, he stared blankly at the message.
* * *
After clearing the Japanese Branch Tower, I posted the strategy information on the communication window.
[Saram123: Information for clearing the second Branch Tower.]
[Saram123: Information for clearing the third Branch Tower.]
Both the Mongolian and Japanese towers.
Originally, I hadn't planned on posting information about the Branch Towers. I was going to clear them all anyway, and since the monsters changed with every tower, there didn't seem to be much point.
But on second thought, I figured it was better to post it. Even after being cleared, the Branch Towers allowed re-entry like a repeatable dungeon, so someone might decide to go in.
Regardless, another week passed after I posted the info. The fourth Branch Tower appeared in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
It had finally moved out of Northeast Asia, but that wasn't exactly something to celebrate. Brazil was practically on the other side of the planet. When I looked up the distance, I felt faint.
"Eigh... eighteen thousand..."
Nine times the distance to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. The willpower I needed to charge was 1.8 million. That was about 1,400 hours' worth. Even subtracting the 120 hours I had charged bit by bit over the week, I still needed 1,280 hours...
In terms of days, that was over 50 days!
"Holy crap."
This was insane. It even exceeded the maximum capacity of the Warp Device, meaning I'd have to make the trip in two legs.
I seriously debated whether it was even worth going there via warp. Should I just look for a flight to Brazil before a travel advisory was issued? I could tell my family I was going on another trip.
But... I didn't know. I just had a feeling.
By now, China was probably desperate to clear a tower first, negotiations be damned. They knew about the ownership rights too. If I took a plane, I might arrive later than the Chinese.
Should I just skip this one? No matter how much of an expert I was at stopping time and killing time, 50 days was just too much. That daunting number was enough to make me consider letting China have this one.
In the end, I chose the warp. If I decided to do something, I had to see it through to the end.
I'll spare you the details of how tedious and boring that time was. After fully charging the Warp Device, I traveled all the way to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
[The fourth Branch Tower has been cleared to the final floor.]
The conquest was, of course, an immediate success. The monsters were different this time too, but the overall difficulty was similar. The 10th-floor boss was a wyvern-like monster that breathed fire. I dodged it easily with Teleportation and finished it off with a single click of my Destruction Ray.
[You have acquired ownership of the fourth Branch Tower.]
"Hehehe."
Wow. Now I have to charge another 50 days' worth just to get back.
I laughed like a madman as I exited the tower. Please, let the last Branch Tower pop up somewhere close.
* * *
After the Japanese Branch Tower was cleared, rumors that Saram123 was Japanese spread like wildfire. Furthermore, Saram123 had posted the strategy guides for the towers on the communication window. It was already considered a given, but this confirmed that he was indeed the one who cleared the Mongolian and Japanese towers.
[Ratata: The 10th-floor boss is as strong as a Level 50?]
[Ice: But how did he beat it? Isn't Saram123 Level 40?]
[Geek: He probably has some over-specced skills or items. He did take all the first-clear rewards for Nightmare.]
As always, people marveled at Saram123's capabilities. Meanwhile, the Japanese Climbers were still having a field day.
[Writer: As expected, it is our Japanese race that saves the world.]
[Winter Snow: Looking at Saram123-sama's noble spirit of sacrifice, it honestly fits our national character well.]
[Heaven and Earth: The world should be grateful to Japan.]
Some people were being incredibly extra about it. Saram123 didn't explicitly deny it, though he was the type who never posted anything on the communication window unless it was necessary. The current atmosphere was as if Saram123 being Japanese was an established fact.
[Tadaki: Now, out of Japan, China, and Korea, Korea is the only one without a Nightmare clearer lol.]
[Cats and Dogs: They don't have a Mana Vein either. A Branch Tower didn't even show up in Korea.]
[Secret: Quite pitiful (laughs).]
[Gangnam: Look at them go.]
[Chicken Leg: Go talk amongst yourselves.]
And then, the fourth Branch Tower appeared in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This one was also cleared in about 20 minutes. Just like the Japanese tower.
[Latinha: ?]
[Soso: Huh?]
As a result, the communication window exploded once again.
[Hansen: What? The Brazil tower only took 20 minutes too?]
[Coffee Bean: Did someone else clear it...?]
[Reset: No way. The clear time is exactly the same.]
People wondered if someone else had cleared it, but...
[Saram123: Information for clearing the fourth Branch Tower.]
Shortly after the clear, Saram123's strategy post went up, confirming it wasn't anyone else. How was this possible? People fell into a state of cognitive dissonance. Did Saram123 just happen to be in Brazil by some incredible coincidence?
Regardless, the theory that Saram123 was Japanese lost its steam instantly with the clearing of the Brazilian tower.
[Salanco: Was he actually Brazilian and not Japanese?]
[Placebo: Why don't you just say he's half-Japanese, half-Brazilian?]
[Half Moon: Finally, those eyesores are gone lol. Where did all the Japanese Climbers go? They were so loud a second ago.]
[Salamander: They went to go cry because they're upset.]
[Persimmon: They really should have toned down the hype.]
[Musashi: Whatever, we still got a Mana Vein~]
[One-Third: But no joke, how did he do it? Is this even possible unless you know where the towers will appear?]
[Sangun: Saram123-sama is using teleportation magic lol.]
[Dinosaur: He must have a clone skill.]
[Fun Party: Maybe he has a long-range teleportation skill?]
People now turned their attention to what would happen with the fifth and final Branch Tower.
Meanwhile, at the Japanese Prime Minister's official residence.
"Based on the amount discovered on the surface alone, it's estimated to be at least 50 tons. If we include the underground reserves..."
A meeting between the Prime Minister and the Cabinet ministers was underway. The Mana Vein formed after the Branch Tower in Sendai, Japan, was cleared.
From the current perspective of the Japanese government, the biggest concern wasn't uncertain rumors about whether Saram123 was Japanese or not, but how to best refine and swallow this massive gold mine. It was a very happy problem to have.
The approval rating for the current Sato cabinet was near rock bottom; considering the overwhelming economic effect the Mana Vein would bring, a dramatic rebound was possible.
Can things really go this smoothly?
Prime Minister Sato struggled to suppress the corners of his mouth from twitching upward. Back when the tower appeared in Ulaanbaatar and China pressured Mongolia, the Branch Towers seemed like nothing but a disaster for a nation.
But Saram123 had stepped in and cleared the towers at lightning speed, completely flipping the situation. It was a lifeline sent from heaven—no, a lifeline sent by Saram123. He truly was the Savior of humanity. Sato felt like performing a dogeza in Saram123's direction if he only knew where the man was.
"...One issue that bothers us is the Mana Stone Agreement. According to the clauses, there's a possibility that Japan might have to endure unnecessary losses."
There was a Mana Stone Agreement signed between Japan, Korea, and some Southeast Asian nations. It was a treaty signed a year ago by countries that lacked a Nightmare clearer and thus had a shortage of highest-grade mana stones, in order to counter China's market manipulation.
But now Japan had its own Mana Vein producing highest-grade mana stones. The treaty had become a cumbersome shackle. One minister immediately offered an opinion.
"How about we proceed with a withdrawal? With the international situation in chaos due to the Branch Towers, now is the perfect time."
They could come up with any number of excuses. The resulting backlash was worth enduring with a smile compared to the vast wealth the Mana Vein would bring the nation from now on. The best choice was to cut ties as quickly as possible before the others, especially Korea, had time to react.
Of course, doing so might deal a significant blow to the mana stone liquidity of Korea and the Southeast Asian nations... but so what? That wasn't Japan's concern. Even if they protested now, Korea would eventually have no choice but to bow to Japan over mana stone distribution issues in the future.
Prime Minister Sato nodded. "Very well. Let us move first, before the Branch Tower situation concludes."
* * *
After clearing the Brazilian tower, I finally returned home. In real-time, it had been less than 30 minutes, but for me, it had been such a long journey that I collapsed onto my bed immediately.
[Chicken Sandwich: Mr. Kim, how on earth did you manage the Japanese and Brazilian towers?]
Looking at the communication window, I saw a whisper from Villon. Villon rarely asked questions first, but I guess he was too curious to hold back this time. Understandable.
I satisfied his curiosity.
[Saram123: I have a long-range teleport item I got from a Nightmare clear.]
[Chicken Sandwich: Ah!]
Only then did Villon seem to understand the secret behind the 20-minute clears in Japan and Brazil.
[Chicken Sandwich: You've worked hard. According to information gathered by the CIA, it seems China is still constantly looking for an opportunity to clear a Branch Tower.]
Ah... so that was the case? That meant if I hadn't warped to Brazil, China might have beaten me to it.
I guess I wasn't just wasting my time.
But how does Villon know what the CIA has gathered? Is this the power and connections of the world's richest man?
[Saram123: But is it okay for you to just tell me things like that?]
[Chicken Sandwich: If it's you, Mr. Kim, I wouldn't even mind sharing US national secrets, though it's a pity I don't know much about those myself.]
[Saram123: I appreciate the sentiment, haha...]
[Chicken Sandwich: By the way, is there a personal reward for the one who clears a Branch Tower, other than the Mana Vein? There's no other reason for China to be acting this way.]
[Saram123: It gives ownership of the Branch Tower as a reward. Apparently, it's possible to activate and deactivate the Mana Vein.]
[Chicken Sandwich: I see... so that's what China was hiding.]
I finished my conversation with Villon and went back to resting. Once I cleared the fifth and final tower, it would all be over. However...
[Time remaining until the appearance of the fifth Branch Tower: 3 days 10 hours 25 minutes 7 seconds]
A few days passed. I saw a news report on the TV.
— The Japanese government has announced a unilateral withdrawal from the Mana Stone Agreement with Korea, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Thailand, claiming the existence of severely unfair clauses. Our government has immediately issued a formal protest...
News that Japan had arbitrarily scrapped the Mana Stone Agreement with our country and several Southeast Asian nations. They used a ridiculous excuse, but the reason was obviously the Mana Vein.
I felt like I'd been stabbed in the back after going through the trouble of clearing their tower for them.
"Wow..."
I don't know why everyone has to be so greedy. I hadn't really planned on exercising the ownership rights I got from clearing the towers, but this changed things. If I let this slide, other countries that got Mana Veins might try to pull similar stunts.
I decided to make an example out of them.
[Would you like to deactivate the Mana Vein of the third Branch Tower?]
Shut the valve.
Mana stones confiscated.