78. Alliance (3)
In conclusion, Lee Hyun-ah decided to settle for securing copyrights and patents for the technology from the United States. The technique itself was quite simple anyway, and it was bound to be exposed eventually the moment the Balhut Cult's coins gained recognition from America. She figured it was to their advantage to preemptively lock in international patents and copyrights.
Once the cult's technology was protected by patents and copyrights in America's name, Lee Hyun-ah revealed the secret of the Bahamut Bullets without a second thought.
"Indeed. So this tiny coin is the decisive ingredient that births Bahamut Bullets?"
Steven stared at the coin before him, questioning in disbelief whether it was truly the main material for the bullets.
But Lee Hyun-ah nodded lightly, as if to dispel his doubts, and explained the trick embedded in the coin.
"Yes. The coins we use are inherently infused with mana. The enchantment technique that harnesses this is the core of Bahamut Bullets."
"Anna. Is that for real?"
"Yeah. It's dense... and impeccably pure mana. Who would've thought such potent power could be packed into a little coin like this! It doesn't even compare to the mana stones we rarely harvest from those monster scum."
Steven glanced at Anna, who confirmed it with utter conviction etched on her face—the coin brimmed with powerful mana.
Stunned that such overwhelming force dwelled in this minuscule coin, she invoked mana stones, those rare drops from monsters, and marveled that they paled in comparison.
Mana stones? The kind you always hear about in hunter stories?
Lee Hyun-ah latched onto the term, pegging it as akin to the mana stones from the hunter genre.
Admiring the coin's mana and citing mana stones as an example, Anna had given Lee Hyun-ah grounds to assume they were similar items.
"Where on earth did you source this?"
"We didn't source it. This coin was minted directly by Dragon God Bahamut for our cult."
Snapping out of his awe at Anna's reaction, Steven inquired about its origin. Lee Hyun-ah replied it wasn't acquired but crafted by Dragon God Bahamut, the object of the Balhut Cult's worship. Steven's eyes widened in genuine shock.
"So you're saying Bahamut himself produced this. I'd heard the tales from the temple, but I never imagined it was a coin this extraordinary!"
"Exactly. Our artisans refine it into Bahamut Bullets. In other words, coins issued by Bahamut are prime material for magical weapons right out of the gate."
Bahamut had mentioned it at the temple, but no one had dwelled on it then. Now, beholding the Bahamut Bullets and the coin up close, the value of the Balhut Cult's currency was surging into sharp focus.
Then, with American tech and craftsmen... couldn't we craft something even more devastating?
The industrial setup here was solid enough, but it paled against the full-throttle military-industrial complex the White House had mobilized.
Combine that US prowess with Bahamut coins, and they could forge weapons surpassing the cult's own Bahamut Bullets. The potential was undeniable.
But...
The Balhut Cult wouldn't overlook something like that.
They'd already claimed the copyrights and patents, with America pledging to uphold them. That meant the cult fully grasped the coins' worth—and knew precisely how to leverage it—better than anyone.
"Haha. That thing's got to be priceless."
"Precisely. It's why we hold value steadily, even without precious metals or gold to back our currency."
"Of course. It's a masterpiece of art and a powerhouse weapon! Just announcing it was forged by a dragon would send every potbellied tycoon back home into a frenzy."
Steven conceded the Bahamut coin's value, effectively waving the white flag.
Word that a Dragon God had handcrafted it would have those homegrown fat cats salivating, dragging hidden troves of precious metals from their warehouses to claim this exquisite rarity and artwork.
In the capitalist world Steven knew, the dragon-made-for-humans backstory alone minted premium value.
Above all, as both sublime art and lethal armament, it fueled the cult's currency economy despite any shortfall in gold reserves.
"So, you're requesting we recognize this coin as legal tender on the Korean Peninsula?"
"Yes. We've shared the tech too—a bonus, if you will. To produce your own Bahamut Bullets, you'll need the key ingredient: Bahamut coins, right?"
"Ahaha, can't argue there! Bullets are just processed coins, after all. Home country might balk, but they'd have to swallow it. My call: we recognize it."
Recognizing Bahamut coins as currency meant they could buy American goods with them now.
Steven admitted they had no choice, conceding even his nation would yield.
From America's view, developing proprietary Bahamut Bullets or arms required the cult's Bahamut-minted coins. Better yet, swap surplus logistics for coins, convert to magical weapons for reclaiming cities—a win-win.
"But can you guarantee every coin in circulation matches this one's performance?"
"No worries there. Dragon God Bahamut personally vouches for quality and value. Detection-types like Miss Anna would be extra attuned to any flaws, making illicit counterfeits a breeze to spot."
But it all hinged on uniform value across all circulating coins.
Steven probed aggressively, laced with doubt, yet Lee Hyun-ah countered that Bahamut guaranteed quality—and detection awakeners would hyper-focus on imperfections.
"What do you mean by that?"
"Memorize Bahamut's mana scent and pattern, and fakes mimicking the look get sniffed out instantly."
As an awakener-friendly currency, it was ironclad against counterfeiting—the Achilles' heel of any monetary system.
Lee Hyun-ah explained that memorizing the coin's mana signature made fakes obvious, then pulled one from her pocket. It looked identical to standard Bahamut coins in circulation.
"Raiders made this counterfeit. 3D-printed shell, looks convincing. Feel the difference?"
"...The mana quantity and vibe are off. No refreshing purity—just foul, smoky unease."
Anna, the detection-type awakener, clocked it as fake on sight.
Juxtaposed against the real deal, the disparities leaped out; she nailed the counterfeit's flaws precisely.
"Even non-detection awakeners can spot it easily—it's that straightforward. Mimicry by some lone awakener yields junk quality. In this apocalypse, good luck finding a coin this trustworthy."
"Can't argue with that."
Not just detection-types—any garden-variety awakener could vet counterfeits effortlessly. When Lee Hyun-ah challenged if any coin rivaled its reliability amid the end times, Steven gave a wry smile and nodded.
In an era of ascendant awakeners, this awakener-attuned currency was peerless in trust. Even America couldn't match it now.
"Stronger awakeners might spawn better fakes down the line, but at that tier, why counterfeit? Honest work pays big. Frankly, I'd bet on 10—no, 20 years of this reliability."
Lee Hyun-ah projected ironclad confidence for at least a decade.
"Assuming human civilization lasts that long."
Steven countered with apocalyptic cynicism.
"We can guarantee it."
Lee Hyun-ah shot back with unshakeable poise—the swagger of regional overlords.
"Haha. Perks of serving a Dragon Priestess bound to the Dragon God?"
It was the cheat-code luxury of their divine pact.
Steven probed if Bahamut underpinned her bravado, but...
"...That's blasphemous. I'm no contractor of the Dragon God. Merely a humble bureaucrat in service to the great Dragon Priestess."
"My apologies—I seem to have offended you, Miss Hyun-ah. My bad, lady."
Even the audacious Lee Hyun-ah recoiled, drawing a firm line: not a contractor, just staff to the Dragon Priestess.
Steven backpedaled on his gaffe and addressed her dignified retort.
"Your currency recognition request? Granted. I'll cable home, ensure you can buy our goods with it. We're starved for magical arms in the monster wars anyway. Mutual gains all around."
"And the core tech?"
Steven reaffirmed the cult's terms.
America offloaded hoarded supplies for arms; the cult scored essentials. Incentives aligned—the deal was sealed.
But Lee Hyun-ah zeroed in on the tech transfer. Steven nodded, pressing on.
"Patent fees, naturally. And we'd like your expert dispatch. Oh, and military—no, awakener exchanges."
He pledged royalties, proactively floating US extras: personnel swaps, awakener liaisons.
Might as well vacuum up every cult secret mid-deal.
"If push comes, deploy your awakeners to our fronts for fair pay. Let's forge something tighter, deeper."
Allied muscle in US fights meant fewer American casualties—and Bahamut aid? Jackpot.
"Compensation won't disappoint."
America never skimped. Eyeing bursting grain silos, Steven flexed their inexhaustible riches.
That bottomless wealth. America, alright. Even with our edge from the jump...
Lee Hyun-ah sweated bullets at the fiscal juggernaut, grateful her desired terms held despite the lopsided power.
Starting strong, the talks wrapped smoothly—America's dominance laid bare.