Chapter 17
Chapter 17.
"First, I'd like to apologize. I was too eager, so I asked people around me to contact you."
"Well, it was a bit sudden."
Shin Yuri bowed once more at the cafe entrance.
"Huh... that woman, could she be Shin Yuri?"
"Wow. This is my first time seeing her in person."
"What's she doing over there?"
"Huh? Isn't that person the Heavenly Demon?"
"What's the Heavenly Demon?"
"Don't you even watch the news?"
As she greeted from the entrance, murmuring sounds could be heard from the people inside the cafe.
She really must be a celebrity.
"I wanted to meet the Heavenly Demon so badly. I apologize once more."
"You wanted to see me? Why?"
"Of course, because I really wanted to recruit Lee Ganghan to our agency."
Lee Ganghan tilted his head.
This famous person came directly to contract with him, who was merely Iron grade?
'Even though it was revealed that the Heavenly Demon Constitution grade is E.'
The Heavenly Demon Constitution, evaluated as having a time limit and could disappear at any time.
Even the person who said they'd give 10,000 TP if he opened his status window on TowerTube just ran away after it was revealed.
But why did this person come all the way here?
While Lee Ganghan was puzzled.
"Ahem! Khehem...!"
A coughing sound came from behind Shin Yuri.
When Lee Ganghan turned his gaze.
"Hey, there. Instead of just standing there, how about we go to a seat first?"
A middle-aged man with a scar across his face and a rough appearance said so.
"Me? Why?"
"What? Aren't you going to talk with GLASS?"
"I can't even get guild contracts anyway, so why would I need an agent?"
The Heavenly Demon does not serve under others.
Under such a creed, Lee Ganghan could do nothing guild-related except establishing the Heavenly Demon Divine Sect.
So what use would an agent be?
When the middle-aged man couldn't respond to Lee Ganghan's logical point.
"Uncle, let me explain."
"Y-yeah."
Shin Yuri stepped forward again.
"Agents don't just arrange guild memberships and contracts. We can also arrange advertising contracts with various companies, or explore progressive directions together regarding TowerTube."
Although arranging guild contracts was an agent's role, that wasn't all there was to it, said Shin Yuri.
However, it wasn't a particularly appealing proposal to Lee Ganghan.
"Who would give advertisements to a player with a time-limited trait?"
Since receiving an E grade, Lee Ganghan was now considered by people to have a trait that would soon disappear.
Who would give advertisements to a player whose abilities would soon vanish?
He was skeptical, but.
"The Heavenly Demon Constitution isn't confirmed to be time-limited, is it? I really want to sign a contract with Lee Ganghan."
Rather, Shin Yuri approached more aggressively.
'...Why is she coming on so strong?'
This wasn't some new agent either, but the representative of the already well-established agent GLASS.
Not only had she stolen personal information, but she came all the way to his house in Yongin asking for a contract.
And regarding the Heavenly Demon Constitution trait that everyone thinks is 'time-limited', it was questionable what grounds she had for thinking otherwise.
'But in the current situation, there's no need to hurry into a contract with an agent.'
Even if he needed an agent as Shin Yuri said, it would be better to do it after proving his abilities more and showing that the Heavenly Demon Constitution wasn't time-limited.
There was no need to rush into a contract now when his trait grade came out as E and he was being heavily undervalued.
Thinking this, Lee Ganghan was about to reject Shin Yuri's proposal, but.
"Ah. And since you don't have a guild, haven't you been having difficulties exchanging TP? I'll exchange it at a 120% rate for you."
"120%?"
"Yes."
His thoughts changed upon hearing the TP exchange rate.
120%.
Even major guilds gave TP exchange rates of 110%.
Getting 10% more here would be a tremendous benefit.
"Alright. I'll listen to what you have to say."
"That's a good decision. Ah. But from now on, talking in the cafe is a bit... could you possibly come to our GLASS office?"
"The office? Sure, let's go."
When Lee Ganghan readily agreed, convinced by the 120%, Shin Yuri guided him to the parking lot.
Among the cars parked in the cafe parking lot, she approached the most luxurious-looking sedan.
"Uncle, please drive."
"Sigh... Fine."
Shin Dongseok sat in the driver's seat first, and when Shin Yuri personally opened the back seat door.
"Ah, you don't need to do that..."
Lee Ganghan scratched his head and got in.
"No, Heavenly Demon is a VIP among VIPs."
"Khehem..."
"To the office, Uncle."
"Tsk..."
The middle-aged man in the driver's seat looked at the rearview mirror with a displeased expression.
"Fine. Let's go for now."
He drove the car.
***
Agent GLASS's company office located in Seoul.
"Please look it over, and if you have any questions, feel free to ask anytime."
Lee Ganghan carefully examined the contract that Shin Yuri showed him.
Although he didn't know much about the agent industry, besides the guild contract agency fees, he noticed that all other fees were set at 1%.
'Plus, if I'm not satisfied, I can terminate the agent contract anytime... the conditions seem pretty good?'
Not only the 1% commission, but also the 120% TP exchange rate, plus a clause that Lee Ganghan could terminate the contract at any time.
The contract Shin Yuri presented was full of clauses favorable to the player.
Yes.
So favorable that it was suspicious.
"The contract conditions seem good, but I'd like to think about it."
"What? You're not going to do this...? Even Diamond players couldn't get contracts like this?"
The middle-aged man standing behind Shin Yuri with crossed arms and a displeased expression jumped up more when Lee Ganghan said he'd think about it.
However.
"Uncle, stop it."
"Yuri, even so..."
"Uncle."
When Shin Yuri stepped in.
"Grumble... Fine."
He closed his mouth with a displeased expression.
"Is there perhaps a clause in the contract conditions that you don't like?"
"Not particularly, but I'd still like to think about it."
"Yes. I understand. You'd naturally need time to think."
Shin Yuri smiled as she said this.
"Ah. TP exchange is possible even now without a contract."
"At 120%?"
"Yes. So."
Swoosh.
Shin Yuri picked up her phone.
"May I officially register your contact information?"
"Ah. Please do. I'll save it too."
Lee Ganghan turned on his phone and saved Shin Yuri's number.
'Then I should exchange the remaining TP right now.'
He thought he should exchange all his remaining 33,000 TP at this opportunity.
Although he had some money left in his account for living expenses, it wasn't very abundant.
To focus on player work with peace of mind, he needed to fill his dwindling account first.
"Then can I exchange TP right now?"
"Of course. I'll send a trade request right away."
As soon as Shin Yuri finished speaking.
Whirrrr...
A system window appeared before Lee Ganghan's eyes.
In the window titled 'TP Trade' at the top, there were empty fields for the TP to trade and account number on the left, and the exchange rate showing 120% on the right.
'So this is how you exchange TP? Interesting.'
When Lee Ganghan entered all 33,000 TP and finished filling out the account number.
[Trade completed.]
A trade completion message appeared, and ding, a notification that 51,480,000 won had been deposited appeared on his smartphone.
'Now that actual money is coming in, it feels real.'
Until now, even when he secured TP, since he didn't convert it to cash, it didn't feel like he was actually earning money.
But with 50 million won entering his account like this, the perception was completely different.
The money that would have taken over two years to earn through part-time work as usual, he had earned in just a few days.
'I need to focus even more on the Tower of Infinity from now on.'
After receiving financial therapy, Lee Ganghan was renewing his determination.
"Oh my."
After the TP exchange was completed, Shin Yuri suddenly widened her eyes.
"This person must be the right one, Uncle!"
"What? This kid is the strongest?"
"Yes. As expected, the Heavenly Demon...!"
"Really? I can't believe it."
"But more letters are appearing right now!"
Then, unlike her calm image until now, she started jumping up and down.
'Why is she acting like that all of a sudden?'
When Lee Ganghan blinked at the two making incomprehensible sounds.
"Ah... I'm sorry."
Shin Yuri, who had calmed her excitement, slightly bowed her head to Lee Ganghan.
"Today, you found it puzzling, didn't you? That I came looking for you so obsessively."
"Yes, well."
"Actually... This matter wasn't just about business, but also related to my trait."
"Your trait?"
"Yes. Let me show you."
Shin Yuri took out her phone.
There, whether it was taken by opening TowerTube, Shin Yuri's trait information was displayed.
However.
*** *** (Grade: SSS)
*** **** **** ****.
**** *** ***** *** *** *******.
** strongest humanity ****** ***.
*** assistance *** ***.
*** *** *** *, *** *** **It is.
Most of the letters were covered in black, and only the SSS grade and the words 'strongest humanity' and 'assistance' were clearly visible.
"...What is this?"
What kind of trait doesn't even show its name?
When Lee Ganghan frowned.
"At first, only the grade was visible."
Shin Yuri sighed deeply and explained the situation.
She awakened as a player 8 years ago.
However, at the time of awakening, except for the grade, all letters were covered, and the trait effects didn't manifest at all, so she gave up tower climbing at Bronze grade.
"Rather than having a mediocre grade, having an SSS grade clearly visible but not being able to use the ability... it was maddening."
"I see."
"But strangely, after meeting my father and uncle, letters started appearing one by one... and as I worked as an agent meeting top players, more letters gradually opened up."
"Top players?"
"Yes. Following my father, I had opportunities to meet world-famous players."
World-famous players.
Especially when meeting warrior-type players, letters began to appear one by one.
"But recently, even when meeting excellent warrior players, no letters appeared at all, so I was in a half-giving-up state... but when I heard news of the Heavenly Demon's appearance, I came to meet you with hope."
"Hmm."
"But letters really appeared...! As expected, Heavenly Demon is humanity's strongest!"
"I'm Iron grade though."
Humanity's strongest to an Iron grade player.
The letters appeared so she's being way too dramatic.
Lee Ganghan found it absurd, but.
"No. From meeting various people, everyone whose letters appeared had at least one physical stat at 10+. But even such players had only 1 or at most 2 stats at 10+, there was no case like Lee Ganghan with 3 stats at 10+!"
Physical stats that even athletes find hard to achieve 10.
Having a + attached meant being inhumanly strong even before awakening as a player.
But Lee Ganghan had all three physical stats at 10+, not just one.
It was somewhat understandable why Shin Yuri tried so hard to meet him.
"And I solved one more secret. Even when we met, letters didn't open up... but after processing Lee Ganghan's TP exchange, letters appeared."
"Why is that?"
"Isn't it because I assisted humanity's strongest? Since I bought TP at a high price..."
Then Shin Yuri clapped her hands.
"Ah! Then if I help Heavenly Demon more now, would more letters appear?"
"I wonder."
"Heavenly Demon, you said you need 100 million TP to establish the Heavenly Demon Divine Sect, right? I'll donate to the Heavenly Demon Divine Sect. Could you give me your account number?"
"...Donate?"
What?
She's giving money?
Her eyes seem completely turned around because letters opened up in her trait.
"Yes. I only have... ah, only 500 million right now. A lot is tied up in stocks... this wouldn't even be close to enough for donation, would it?"
"Excuse me?"
"Please wait a moment. I'll sell all my stocks and send more. For now, starting with what I have..."
If I assist humanity's strongest, trait letters appear.
So let me send money to help.
With this logic, Shin Yuri immediately tried to send money.
"Hey, hey. Yuri! Wait, wait!"
The middle-aged man urgently stopped her.
"Calm down! This is why I followed you...!"
"Ah Uncle, why are you stopping me? If only my SSS-grade trait opens up, this is nothing!"
"Be patient! I'll talk with this guy for a moment too."
"Ah really... I need to 'assist' quickly right now!"
After desperately stopping Shin Yuri from sending money, the middle-aged man looked toward Lee Ganghan.
"Hey, you. Your strength was 10+, right?"
"That's correct."
"My strength is 10+ too."
"Ah. You're a player?"
Earlier Shin Yuri said letters appeared one by one after meeting her father and uncle.
That uncle must be this person.
When Lee Ganghan thought this, the middle-aged man asked with a 'no way' expression.
"You... don't tell me you don't know me?"
"...This is the first time I've seen you today."
"A player... doesn't know me, Shin Dongseok?"
Korea's player ranked 11th place.
Among warrior-type players, a top player ranked 3rd.
Shin Dongseok made an incredulous expression.