2 Billion Coins (1)
The reason the Silver Whisper Staff (SSS) sold by Madoje had caused such an uproar was simple.
A few days earlier.
Starting in forest dungeons across Korea and the rest of the world, a new breed of insect monsters had begun appearing.
Centipedes and giant hornets.
These insects had started showing up in level 40-50 forest dungeons.
With their novel attack patterns, hunters initially panicked.
But.
The Insect Spray Gun—shortened to Insect Gun—had become widely available in Korea, rendering insect monsters no longer a threat.
Centipedes and hornets were no exception.
But.
In countries where Insect Guns weren't widely distributed, cries of frustration echoed everywhere.
Mid-tier superhumans at levels 40-50 were thrown into total chaos.
Naturally, superhumans from abroad flocked to the Mado Corporation website to buy Insect Guns capable of taking down giant hornets.
Superhumans overseas began envying Korea, once a perennial weakling nation.
Korean superhumans puffed up with pride.
Especially seeing neighboring Japan and China scrambling for Insect Guns.
Amid all the overseas attention on Mado Corporation.
A new equipment sales post went up on Mado Corporation.
◈ Type: Staff
◈ Equip Limit: Lv 70+
◈ Options:
1) Mana Amp +40%
2) Mana Cost -20%
3) Cast Speed +20%
4) Cooldown -20%
5) All Elemental Magic Dmg +10%
6) Special: Mana Resonance
— On spell cast, chance to resonate with ambient mana, instantly recover 10% mana.
— Resonance grants +10% All Elemental Magic Dmg for 5 sec.
An absurdly overpowered staff!
It dwarfed existing Lv 70-restricted staffs in options.
The frenzy was inevitable.
Mithril gear with 100% mana conductivity had boosted performance over old gear.
But nothing had bridged a massive gap yet.
People were even saying 100% conductivity wasn't that big a deal.
Then this dream-tier staff dropped.
No wonder everyone lost it.
The auction hadn't even started, yet top superhumans worldwide gathered, wallets ready for the Silver Whisper Staff.
Then.
The staff's origin was revealed.
Not everyone was supportive, of course.
Where there's light, there's shadow.
Forces jealous of Madoje existed.
In this atmosphere.
Messages flooded Madoje even more.
Asking if he really forged it.
......
...
.
Hmm.
I first set private messages to reject and stroked my chin.
I understood the situation.
Last time I'd briefly enabled privates and forgot to toggle back—didn't expect this.
No need to explain right now.
No point wasting energy on nonsense.
First, send Taesan the gauntlets.
SSS-Grade
Equip Limit: Lv 80+
As expected of Bellerin.
In that short time, she produced gauntlets perfectly matching Taesan's requests.
SSS-grade, no less.
Transmit.
Fwaaaah!
The Frozen Judgment Gauntlets in my hand dissolved into particles of light and vanished.
Sent straight to Taesan as a gift.
He's working hard for Earth. Can't charge him for this.
During his commission, I'd learned some of Taesan's circumstances.
Named-grade monsters showing up.
Grim Reaper, Jalares, Velgram, etc.
Mention of replica entities appearing made me inwardly flinch.
How do guys who died here become replicas on Earth?
Fortunately, their levels were manageable for Taesan.
Still, questions lingered.
My giant hornet bugs would appear too.
No charge—as a token of extra support needed.
Not like I could sell it at full price anyway.
Auctioned, it'd fetch trillions in won.
Taesan couldn't afford that.
Better to gift than undersell and tank the market.
Now that it's with Taesan, info on the Frozen Judgment Gauntlets will leak soon.
That'd naturally hype the gear I gave him.
A win for me.
Next.
Section Chief Lee Jeong-won.
I messaged him.
I explained the situation.
Needed nearly 2 billion coins.
I'd saved a decent amount, but nowhere near—even 100 million was a stretch.
So.
Asked if I could deliver mithril first and settle payment upfront.
2 billion coins.
Nearly 20 trillion won.
Way beyond Section Chief Lee's paygrade.
But not impossible.
I'd supply mithril worth 20 trillion upfront.
Years' worth of sales volume.
Some mithril bleed, but fine.
Plenty left in the Mithril Room even after.
If short, buy from Platinum Lounge.
At 1/10th price.
With rising mithril prices, even cheaper effectively.
A literal money-printing fountain.
Is this what the Fed felt printing dollars?
I chuckled dryly and moved to the next topic.
Liri tribe-grown elixirs and herbs.
Lower level than Lair's.
But still outclassed external ones.
Slower growth, cap at Lv 100 when mature.
Lair's all exceed Lv 100.
Still, mass-producible, and Lv 100 was Earth-shaking.
Plenty distributable.
Skip Seondo—not scaled up yet.
Lunadria, Baekyang Herb, Millennium Rock Mushroom, Heat Yang Mushroom on list.
Mandragora too—enough grown.
Levels showing now.
Since I hit Lv 110.
Previously hidden levels now visible.
Was about to tell Lee their levels.
Huh? What?
Missed the timing as Lee continued.
I listened quietly.
Hmm.
Middlemen screwing everyone in Korea.
Heavy exploitation.
Maybe smash that structure this time.
Mithril accidentally hyped me—maybe again.
Time to harvest samples.
I summoned Dania and the guardians.
"Let's head out of the Lair today and catch up a bit."
No objections, naturally.
We moved outside immediately.
Hm.
Last time I left.
That friend's probably hungry again.
The buddy beyond Gongcheong Oil spring.
Left some herbs for it and headed out.
......
...
.
The quiet Lair remained still.
From the calm Gongcheong Oil spring, a blue-glowing lifeform peeked out.
"Fweee~"
It spotted the herbs by the spring and floated up lightly.
Larger body than before.
Scales more mature.
Its blue scales sparkled over transparent Gongcheong Oil.
Resembling dragon scales.
***
"What? 2 billion coins?"
Lee Jeong-won headed to Director Kim Do-chul.
Needed his approval for Madoje's request.
"2 billion coins ain't pocket change."
Over 20 trillion won.
Hunter Bureau budget was far smaller.
Could borrow, but required Finance Ministry approval and supplementary budget.
Kim Do-chul scowled.
Finance was picky.
And if Madoje ghosted?
Heads would roll—his included.
"He'll deliver that much mithril first."
"Hmmm."
Less burden then.
Justifiable.
Even Finance would buy it.
But...
Still need to mull it over.
Kim drummed the desk silently.
Lee Jeong-won, watching, spoke up.
He'd anticipated the reaction.
Time for his trump card.
"Oh, and Madoje-superhuman will supply elixirs and herbs going forward."
"Elixirs and herbs? What's that now?"
Kim looked baffled, like a ghost story out of nowhere.
Elixir Distribution Union monopolized that.
No quality, instant flop.
But!
"Samples he sent."
Lee laid out the elixirs.
Lunadria, Baekyang Herb, Heat Yang Mushroom, Millennium Rock Mushroom, Mandragora.
"Ho."
New curiosities piqued Kim's interest; he checked levels.
"......!!!"
His eyes bulged like saucers.