Chapter 71: Duel (1)
‘With this, I’ve secured 60 trillion.’
60 trillion was almost all of Ilsung’s surplus cash reserves.
Knowing the true value of this guild, Chairman Kim would do his utmost to convince the board.
Once the investment came through, our stake in the guild would be around 70%, with Ilsung holding 30%.
We’d take the equipment from the gates, while Ilsung would get the new materials and magic stones inside.
That was what Ilsung had been aiming for from the start with their investment.
‘Getting more investment from Ilsung will be tough from now on.’
It takes time for a corporation to grow.
60 trillion was what Ilsung had accumulated over decades.
Once they burned through it all at once, it would take a considerable amount of time to gather the next sum.
Given their recent growth trajectory, it wouldn’t take a full few decades, but at least a few years.
It didn’t matter, though.
‘The remaining shares can just be sprinkled out bit by bit to places with deep pockets.’
Ilsung was a powerful friendly stakeholder.
A guaranteed ally that would always vote on our side.
The rest of the shares, I planned to split up and sell to a few countries and wealthy individuals.
That way, they couldn’t band together and cause trouble.
Not right now, of course.
‘They’re still nowhere near recognizing our true value.’
3 trillion per percent.
Even that was a mega fire sale.
If America really understood our worth, they’d offer quadrillions for 100% of the shares. Those guys would print dollars like crazy to pour it all in.
They were obsessed with the title of the world’s strongest Awakener nation.
In about a year from now, they’d be scrambling in panic to contact us somehow.
‘Though they’re not that desperate yet.’
America?
S-rank Awakeners were overflowing there.
No matter how much I showed off in Korea, there was no reason for America to come begging on their knees for investment.
At most, it was like, Oh, that guy’s pretty impressive?
There was an Awakener like that in Korea?
That was the vibe for now.
The same went for other Awakener powerhouses.
If I tried to get investments from other countries right this instant?
They might offer a bit more per percent than Ilsung.
‘But it’d be like openly getting played for a sucker.’
Right now, Kim Minwoo was a super rookie.
But if I looked at it coldly, I wasn’t quite at the level of evaluation as a top S-rank Awakener at this moment.
I was still low-level, after all.
The core reason for my high valuation.
My performance far exceeded what my low level suggested. That’s why there was such a premium attached.
Because of that, it was hard to negotiate favorable contracts at the national level.
America?
They’d stand tall with noses in the air, toss some money, and bark orders for me to obey.
That kind of money was like junk food—eat it and you’d just get sick.
Ilsung’s money, on the other hand?
It was wellness cash that filled you up healthy.
‘I need to raise my market value higher.’
As my level kept rising, I had to keep proving I was getting uncontrollably stronger.
Until one day, they realized.
Oh, we can’t even touch this guy anymore?
We should’ve brought everything we had from the start…
If we don’t pour in money now…
Something like that—make them drown in regret, ruin, and obsession.
I looked at Chairman Kim.
“By the way, Father. Can we get that Jo Pilwook punk thrown in jail?”
“Hmm… Now that you’ve come back alive, it won’t flow as smoothly as before. They’ve staked their all on it too. They don’t want the stigma.”
Once the verdict came down in court, it’d be game over for them. Public opinion toward Dorim would sour naturally.
The reaction was obvious.
See? We knew it.
Mistake? Bullshit.
They’d just get cynical backlash like that.
To avoid it, they were thrashing about desperately.
‘Putting him away will be tough, then.’
As Chairman Kim said, if I’d died, they might’ve tried pinning murder or whatever on him, but I survived. And Dorim, being the number two group, would roll out a stacked legal team.
“It’ll go all the way to the Supreme Court, right?”
“Probably?”
Even whether we could actually jail him was up in the air, and it would take forever.
‘I’ll have to use him differently.’
Just then, a way to make use of Jo Pilwook popped into my head.
A 300-level A-rank achievement Awakener.
In short, a newbie crusher.
What if I smashed him instead?
‘Perfect for proving it.’
My own strength.
All people had seen so far was the F-rank gate record break and the first A-rank clear.
The hidden gate was just speculation that I’d cleared it somehow.
Even the A+-Rank gate clear relied solely on Seo Yerim’s word.
Of course, the Sword Sage was the type who couldn’t lie to save his life, so they’d believe it to some extent.
‘But there’s a world of difference between hearing it and seeing it with your own eyes.’
Jo Pilwook was perfect—no pressure, great for showing off dominance, and the ideal prey to demonstrate my power.
Perfect timing, too.
‘It’s about time for a broadcast.’
My subscribers had jumped to 40 million after this gate clear.
Time to do some advertising and lure the guy out.
Turning on a stream wouldn’t be a bad idea.
* * *
The notice posted a few hours ago.
[Streaming tonight. Big stuff coming.]
Viewers had been waiting eagerly for evening after the massive hook.
[Mangnani’s live stream has begun.]
[Viewers: 103,230]
[Viewers: 302,324]
[Viewers: 504,453]
The stream went live, and viewers flooded in instantly.
―Big stuff coming, what is it??? Big stuff coming, what is it??? Big stuff coming, what is it???
―Real big stuff? Real big stuff?
―Two months since last stream, for real? Two months since last stream, for real? Two months since last stream, for real?
―Please stream at least once a week lol Please stream at least once a week lol
―Is this the channel of Mr. Kim?
―Overseas peeps flooding in now lol
Viewers broke a million in a flash, chat flooding the screen chaotically.
“Hello, everyone. Kim Minwoo here. Long time no see.”
―It’s Cedric.
I greeted them alongside Cedric.
“I said big stuff was coming tonight, right? Yes. We’re doing big stuff. But…”
I glanced at the viewer count.
It was starting to surpass 5 million.
The steep rise suggested overseas subscribers were piling in too.
This should be enough to start.
“Before the big stuff, I have one important announcement.”
―Important news?
―What’s up?
―I’m excited.
“A bunch of new products have come out from Ilsung. Premium versions with really great effects.”
―Oh yeah haha
―That’s important news haha
―We already knew that though…
“So, shall we review them?”
―Ah.
―What?
The chat exploded in fury.
I ignored it all and put on a full ad performance with Cedric.
I couldn’t stream often. Normally, I was swamped conquering gates and crafting.
So, I had to milk it when I could.
Two hours later, I checked the viewer count. It had risen to ten million.
―Full stream again lol
―Getting addicted to the ads too lol
―Perfect to watch while munching snacks?
―What is that?
“Ten million already. You guys are honest with your bodies. Hope you enjoyed.”
―Foreigners all confused lol
―This is Korea’s spicy flavor lol Coming to your senses?
―Is this the famous ad?
―A bit dizzy.
―Please, the big stuff now… Please, the big stuff now… Please, the big stuff now…
―Haha. Let’s get to the main point.
“New Plus items will be releasing from Ilsung soon too. Level restrictions will be a step up from last time, around 51 to 100. Please show them lots of love.”
―Magic ones too?
―Wow lol Around 100, I gotta buy lol
―Same cheap prices as before?
―Please discount… Auction house too expensive…
“Discount? Of course. Same as last batch.”
―Ilsung is god! Ilsung is god! Ilsung is god! Ilsung is god!
―Wow lol At this rate, high-level gear Plus items next?
―If they sell those cheap too, Ilsung’s spine breaks lol
―Sweet deal lol Pitching tent at the gear shop lol
I’d spread the word about the gear sales, so time for the main event.
“Jo Pilwook. Looks like you’ve got a stacked legal team? Our side says it’ll be hard to put you away.”
― 😨 Big stuff incoming
―Jo Pilwook? Yeah, heard he’s gearing up to countersue.
―Funny bastard lol Pushed me first and now gritting teeth lol
―Dorim covering for him is the problem lol Chaebols eat it up among themselves lol
―Hey, watch the target.
―Of course, not talking about Ilsung ^^
―Jo Pilwook, we know him. Famous guy.
“This dragging on forever isn’t what I want either, so here’s a proposal.”
The chat went silent for a moment.
Then, Kim Minwoo stared straight at the camera and spoke.
“Pilwook, are you watching? Let’s have a go. If you win, I’ll drop the lawsuit. If you lose, you get wrecked.”
―Wow lol
―Level difference at least double? lol
―Conqueror’s Haki lol
―This guy lol
―Anyone who missed this stream wasted half their life, lol.
“Come to the Ilsung Training Center. I’ll be waiting.”
Kim Minwoo stood up.
Whether the guy was watching or not didn’t matter. With this many viewers, word would spread like wildfire.
Jo Pilwook.
Could that hothead really stay put after hearing this?
On top of that.
A guy like Jo Pilwook was far more likely to blame others than reflect on his own faults.
He’d come charging out, thinking jackpot.
‘And I’ll rip him apart.’
Proving it.
My true worth.
I headed out with the stream still on.
The camera crew hustled to follow.
Once they were in the car, he said, “You guys take a car each too.”
I pointed at the parked sports cars.
―Wow; How many is that?
―Sports car parade lol
Soon, dozens of sports cars roared down the boulevard.
Before long, a massive building came into view.
Ilsung Training Center.
Korea’s largest Awakener training facility, equipped with everything from training tools to sparring grounds.
Even fully free for Awakeners above a certain rank.
Thanks to Ilsung’s efforts to cozy up to high-rankers.
I’d never set foot here before.
No point in training on good machines when stats wouldn’t rise.
But today was different.
No better place to discipline Jo Pilwook.
Soon after.
Another group of sports cars pulled up. Out stepped Jo Pilwook, as expected.
“Hey, Pilwook! Your legs still work? You actually showed up.”
“You fucking bastard! Who the hell are you to act chummy? Do you know how much shit I went through because of your frame job?”
Jo Pilwook spewed curses the moment he saw me.
I shrugged.
Hayangi perched on my shoulder was probably shrugging too.
“Pushing someone and calling it a frame job? Did our Pilwook pop some pills again? Eyes are all bloodshot…”
“You son of a bitch!”
Dorim staff hurriedly held back Jo Pilwook, who looked ready to lunge.
Millions were watching live. A spar was one thing, but starting trouble here would be disastrous.
Then.
Panting with rage, Jo Pilwook glared at me and said.
“Hoo, let go! I’m calm now.”
The guards cautiously released him.
He took a step forward and jabbed my chest with his finger.
“Hey, Kim Minwoo. I thought about it, and you probably don’t wanna scrap like scrubs either, right?”
“So?”
“Then duel me, asshole.”
“Duels?”
“Yeah, duel. Just need guarantors. What, getting cold feet now?”
I wondered when he’d bring that up.
Perfect.
All nice and legal.
The stage was set to turn Jo Pilwook into a fool.
Kim Minwoo grinned.