Chapter 590: Call of Duty(2)
Chapter 590: Call of Duty(2)
As everyone knows, entertainment in this world is scarce.
Given the setting—a medieval world transitioning into the modern era—it’s somewhat inevitable. Even now, public executions remain a popular form of amusement.
Games are no different. While Baduk has been spreading recently, it hasn't officially been released as a product, so its popularity remains limited.
There are board games like chess and card games similar to Trump, but they are mostly enjoyed by those with the leisure for them—specifically, the nobility.
Commoners, busy as they are with the daily struggle to survive, still have moments of downtime. Most of them spend that time wondering what on earth to do.
Nowadays, they have The Xenon Chronicle and Blood and Iron, but before those, there was nothing to play with. This is especially true for children, whose options for play are extremely limited.
Games like chess or cards have a bit of an entry barrier, making them unsuitable for children, and Baduk is out of the question.
Most kids just spend their time running around outside. Lately, they’ve been obsessed with my works, but even that has its limits.
In a world where the entertainment culture is as "medieval" as it gets, what would happen if a card game appeared?
‘It would be a massive hit.’
This was something I’d thought about a few times. It could contribute significantly to the culture and make some money on the side.
However, I had shelved the idea while I was still serializing The Xenon Chronicle. While the cards might be good for collecting, the setting made it difficult to turn into a proper game.
There were only two factions: the Humans and the Demons. You could differentiate them by rank, but the character variety wasn't that great.
The Xenon Chronicle was perfectly suited for collectible cards and nothing more. It would have to rely entirely on the prestige of the Xenon name.
Above all, the thought of having to balance the game gave me such a headache that I gave up.
"That’s why I came up with this. What if we made a card game based on Blood and Iron, and included one Xenon Chronicle card in every pack?"
However, Musk had come up with an idea far more formidable than mine, despite my memories of a past life. I was so stunned by his suggestion that I couldn't find the words to respond.
Since Blood and Iron was still being serialized, we could treat it like a game with constant "updates," while The Xenon Chronicle would serve as the purely collectible element.
He wasn't separating the two; he was merging them into one. It was a literal bundle package.
"…Isn't that a bit of a rip-off?"
"What does 'rip-off' mean?"
"It means the value of the product is significantly lower than the price."
The problem was that for people who only wanted to collect Xenon Chronicle cards, the cost-effectiveness was abysmal.
Musk said he would put six cards in a pack, and only one of them would be related to The Xenon Chronicle.
It was an idea only a true merchant could conceive. Musk had once said that while he might use sales tactics, he still maintained his integrity as a merchant.
This tactic, however, made me want to ask where his conscience had gone. Was it finally time for this man to go bald?
"In that case, wouldn't it be better to just make a separate card pack for The Xenon Chronicle? It might be hard to turn into a game, but it’s more than enough for collecting."
"If we do that, the value will drop. The Xenon Chronicle is revered as a book of prophecy. If the cards have a rarity that matches that status, everyone will accept it."
"What does that have to do with anything?"
I didn't see the connection between being a book of prophecy and card rarity. Technically, people were calling Blood and Iron a book that showed the future, too.
Musk, seemingly having anticipated this question, answered without hesitation.
"It means that even if we take a bit of flak, we can increase the desire to collect. Even if people complain, they’ll complain about the cards, never about The Xenon Chronicle itself."
"Just say you're doing it because it'll make money. Your explanation is getting hard to follow."
"Hahaha."
Musk gave an awkward laugh, looking a bit embarrassed. As expected of him, his brain worked fast when it came to making money.
Regardless, I didn't mind selling card packages. It didn't change the fact that it was a "gacha" system where people had to fight against abysmal odds.
It was settled that The Xenon Chronicle cards would rely on their existing prestige and rarity, and next was Blood and Iron.
In fact, Blood and Iron was the core of the project. This was the one intended to be a full-fledged game.
"You mentioned a game; do you have something in mind?"
"Yes. It’s like this…"
Musk began to explain his vision for a card game set in the world of Blood and Iron.
First, the game would be divided into distinct factions, with cards belonging to each.
Faction A would have power 'a', Faction B would have power 'b', and each would have its own unique characteristics.
Musk’s proposal was to mix these elements appropriately. Since the story was already divided by factions, it was easy to turn them into packages.
"What do you think? Isn't it quite good?"
"……"
Looking at Musk’s confident yet cautious expression, I felt bewildered. To be precise, I didn't know what face to make.
This man. I’d felt it before, but like Calz, he seemed to be someone born in the wrong era.
Was he really just an ordinary publisher? Being a publisher actually made it even easier for him to release card packs.
I could come up with innovative ideas because I had memories of my past life, but Musk was someone born and raised in this world.
"…It’s good, but how are you going to handle the balance issues?"
"We will handle the balancing ourselves. You just need to provide us with the characteristics, Sir Isaac."
"Hmm…"
It was a tempting offer. I had pushed the card game idea aside because I didn't want to deal with balancing, but he was offering to do it for me.
If we kept adding things here and there, a game similar to those from my past life would eventually emerge. Of course, it would have the unique flavor of this world.
‘It should be fine to release it, right?’
My main job is being an author, not a game designer. As Musk said, all I had to do was convey the basic personalities and traits.
I’d have to send the drafts to Calz—not just for Blood and Iron, but for The Xenon Chronicle as well.
It was a proposal that allowed me to make money while staying true to my main profession. It wasn't bad.
Though I might get cursed at if the RNG was too brutal.
"Alright. I’ll accept your proposal, but…"
"But?"
"I’d like you to add a few more rules. Since the world of Blood and Iron is complex, I think the rules should reflect that."
"For example?"
I thought deeply about Musk’s question.
The concepts themselves were easy. Nazi Germany and Japan would be strong in the early to mid-game but lose steam in the late game.
Conversely, the United States and the Soviet Union would struggle in the early to mid-game but explode with potential in the late game.
It would lead to a grueling battle of wits. The US and USSR would need to build up carefully, while Nazi Germany and Japan would need to gain an advantage early on.
"Certain effects could trigger if specific conditions are met, or if a certain person appears. There are more possibilities than you’d think."
"Mmm… As you said, balancing will be difficult."
"It wouldn't be fun if it were simple."
One thing did come to mind.
An ability only the United States could use, with conditions that were incredibly difficult to trigger.
To activate it, you would need three scientists, like Einstein, Oppenheimer, and John von Neumann.
And it wouldn't end with just gathering the scientists. You’d have to launch a specific project and possess the corresponding air force and commander.
As you might have guessed, the effect I was thinking of was 'Nuclear'—the Atomic Bomb. A power that deals a lethal blow to the opponent the moment it’s activated.
‘It might not be so bad.’
Regardless of the faction, if you trigger that, it’s game over. Of course, the probability of dying before you can complete that build-up would be very high.
Furthermore, it wasn't an effect that would be sold immediately, as it only appears in the very late stages of Blood and Iron.
"Come to think of it, Blood and Iron is still being serialized. Is it okay to sell it now?"
"It doesn't matter. We can just release new cards as the story progresses. In fact, releasing it now is actually a bit late."
So, real-time updates were a thing here. I nodded and then glanced at Calz.
Calz had an expression of profound existential dread. It seemed he had realized there was no escaping this reality.
I placed a hand on his shoulder. Calz looked up at me the moment I did.
"Mr. Calz."
"…Yes."
"You should probably find an apprentice soon."
"Do I really have to do this alone? Wouldn't other people gladly do it if you paid them this much?"
Calz finally protested, his suppressed frustration exploding.
"The problem is that there’s no one quite like you, Mr. Calz. Truly, no one."
"No one? That makes no sense…"
"Aside from Sir Isaac, there is no one with a work speed comparable to yours, Mr. Calz."
"……"
Before long, he found himself forced to accept Musk’s words.
"…I should have run away while I had the chance."
Calz’s regretful mumbling was a bonus.
*
After Blood and Iron was split into two "flavors," people were puzzled.
They wondered if they had to buy both to follow the story, or if it would be hard to understand if they didn't read the other part.
The answer to that question was 'No.' You could focus on just one, and the book would still provide glimpses into the situations of other nations.
The Soviet Union and the United States were part of the Allied Powers, and the Soviet Union, in particular, was barely holding back Nazi Germany through American Lend-Lease.
Since they were allies, their situations were intertwined and couldn't be hidden. The main difference was the atmosphere.
The Soviet Union, its homeland trampled by Nazi Germany, cried out for revenge, while the United States was biding its time to teach Japan a lesson.
The Soviet Union had a dark and heavy atmosphere, while the United States was vibrant and full of passion.
[If you have a faint heart, read The Giant; if you want a heavy story, read The Red Army.]
While the American chapters were easy and comfortable for all ages to read, the Soviet chapters featured every horrific atrocity of war imaginable.
One might ask what the point of such a classification was at this stage, but the maturity level of The Red Army was no joke.
There was no softening of the blow; all sorts of crimes were depicted graphically. Most people who disliked such things chose The Giant.
Of course, there were those who enjoyed provocative content, and it wasn't as if teenagers were forbidden from reading The Red Army.
In fact, given the times, it was even encouraged for youth to read it—as a way to ensure they didn't take the idea of war lightly.
And so, around the time Blood and Iron was selling like hotcakes…
"Huh? What’s this? Cards?"
"Call of Duty… Nazi Germany Pack?"
A new item appeared, not in bookstores, but in general stores. A card game created under Isaac’s guidance: Call of Duty.
Taking its name from a game in his past life, there were various types of packs: Nazi Germany, Soviet Union, USA, Japan, UK, and so on.
Actually, it had been announced in the newspapers that the cards would be sold. However, the people currently visiting the shops were quite young.
These were boys and girls who didn't read newspapers and spent their days on their parents' allowances—children whose happiness came from just hanging out with friends.
"Should we try buying one? Mister, how much is this?"
"It’s 50 coppers each."
Ten coppers was roughly equivalent to 100 won. In other words, it was 500 won.
The effects of the Great Depression were slowly fading, and it was a price that could easily be covered by an allowance.
The children were surprised by the low price for a moment, but they immediately purchased Call of Duty. One chose Nazi Germany, the other the Soviet Union.
Fitting for Nazi Germany, the packaging was black, while the Soviet Union’s was red. Each pack had a distinct personality.
"Huh? This is Blood and Iron, isn't it? When did it come out as cards?"
"I know, right? What did you get?"
"Let’s see…"
At his friend's words, the young boy began checking his cards one by one.
Common soldiers, Nazi German weapons, tanks, and so on. He pulled many interesting things, but nothing that looked particularly good.
Just as he was about to be disappointed, something caught his eye. The collectible Xenon Chronicle card Musk had mentioned.
"I got Jin? The name is…"
Was it beginner's luck? Or had the luck of Luminous graced the boy?
"Diabolus? It says 'Jin: The One Who Devoured the Soul of Diabolus'?"
"Isn't that the one who appears at the end of The Xenon Chronicle?"
"I think so."
The card that was presumed to have an abysmal pull rate, the 'Jin: Diabolus' card, was now in the boy's hand.
The card sparkled with a golden hue, as if it were gold-plated. It was a card that looked valuable to anyone's eyes.
"Is this a good one?"
"It’s shiny, so it must be good, right?"
Unfortunately, the boys didn't know the true value of that card.
"Hey kids. Would you happen to be interested in selling that card to me? I’ll buy it for 10 gold."
"Do you have no conscience? It should be worth at least 100 gold!"
"Hey! What are you saying to the kid! First, call the boy's parents…"
"Move! I’m buying that card!"
"Wh-what?! Stop him! If it gets even a little damaged, the value will drop!"
Except for the people inside the shop.
The children could only stare blankly at the shop, which had instantly turned into a scene of chaos.
"I think this is a really good one."
"Yeah. What do you think we could buy with this?"
"A carriage?"
"Nah. It can't be worth that much."
Isaac had unleashed another kind of poison upon the world.