White Ink 2
“W-what the hell? This has to be the right place.”
Saneda arrived at the Enchanter Workshop only to find it completely deserted, and his mind went half-blank in shock. The nightmare he'd half-expected had become reality, leaving his head spinning.
He'd rushed straight from the airport to Seoul and called Choi Deokhui immediately, but her phone was off—no answer. Not just her; he'd tried everyone else he knew from the workshop, but all their phones were dead too.
That's when the dread started creeping in, and now the proof was staring him in the face.
Saneda stood there in a daze for a moment, staring at the empty workshop, then snapped out of it and made a call.
“Track down Choi Deokhui right now! Hell, anyone from the Enchanter Workshop—find them. Mobilize every contact we have in Korea and locate them immediately. This is extremely urgent.”
After issuing the order, he was about to hang up when something occurred to him, and he added more instructions.
“Check all foreign hunters who entered Korea through the airports—any enchanters among them. Go back a week—no, two weeks. Investigate every single one who arrived. Send an official cooperation request to the Cabinet Intelligence and Investigation Bureau in my name and coordinate with them.”
With all orders given, Saneda immediately dialed Shigeru, the director of the Cabinet Intelligence and Investigation Bureau.
The reason Saneda was calling the bureau instead of Japan's Hunter Management Bureau was simple: they had one, but it was useless. It was a sub-agency under the Cabinet Intelligence and Investigation Bureau, with the bureau director doubling as its chief.
With that structure, Japanese hunters were under strict state control. Whenever the leadership changed, the favored classes shifted, and hunter factions rose and fell accordingly.
Saneda had ridden that wave once and thrived, but his influence had waned significantly since.
The failed development of correction ink hadn't helped.
Then, out of nowhere, correction ink had appeared. The fact that it came from Korea—a nation the state disliked—was a minor annoyance, but irrelevant. In fact, it was a relief it was Korea. If it had been America, he'd never have dared dream of it.
Since it was Korea, the odds of securing it were better than from anywhere else.
Above all, he was convinced that obtaining the white ink would bring back his former glory.
That's why he'd moved so quickly, even reaching out to the bureau for help.
The call connected, and Shigeru picked up.
“What is it?”
Saneda flinched at Shigeru's flat, emotionless voice—like the tone of a corpse. It sent chills down his spine just hearing it.
He'd steeled himself before dialing, but he still couldn't get used to it.
“Yes, it's Saneda. I have an urgent report. Today, with Choi Deokhui in Korea…”
Saneda gave Shigeru a full rundown of the situation and requested the bureau's assistance.
“I see. What's the likelihood of acquiring that white ink?”
“If we offer high-grade mana ink in exchange, we could secure an initial batch, but not much. Choi Deokhui grinds her teeth at the mention of our country. That's why my real focus isn't the initial supply—it's finding and recruiting the white ink's developer.”
Saneda had zeroed in on the heart of the matter with the white ink.
And he believed it was entirely feasible.
“So Choi Deokhui isn't the developer?”
“No, definitely not. I know her better than she knows herself. She's an excellent enchanter, no doubt, but her skills are limited to magic pattern engraving. She doesn't have the ability to create white ink. The developer is probably a new hunter, and this whole thing boils down to who finds them first. That's why I'm asking for your help, Director.”
Saneda would stake his life on Choi Deokhui not being the creator. She simply didn't have the chops.
Convinced there was a separate hunter behind it, he'd pushed forward with this plan.
As he answered Shigeru's questions and requested backing, a brief silence fell before Shigeru spoke.
“Fine. I'll grant your request. But remember one thing.”
Saneda's face lit up at first, but the sudden condition sent a chill through him—and that premonition came true.
Saneda. You know full well that the Enchanter Association presidency is a high-reward position for the effort. There are plenty of people who could replace you if needed. So this mission must succeed.
“Yes. I will make it happen, no matter what.”
Even over the phone, Saneda bowed at a perfect ninety degrees as he replied, and the call ended.
His expression now steely—far harder than before—Saneda burned with resolve to see this through.
“I really don't get it. Why send a sample to Saneda? You never planned to let him bid in the auction anyway.”
Kim Seungmin couldn't fathom Choi Deokhui's decision.
All the actual bidders for the white ink auction were already gathered, and it was about to start any minute.
Saneda, naturally, was nowhere in sight.
Why send him the sample when they were proceeding without him? Seungmin just couldn't wrap his head around it.
“Why? To watch that bastard squirm in rage, obviously. After all the shit he's put me through, I can't just let it end quietly.”
Choi Deokhui shot him a look like he'd asked the stupidest question.
Honestly, considering everything she'd endured, wrapping it up this neatly felt almost merciful.
But dragging out revenge would look petty, so she'd graciously cut it short.
He was probably crossing the sea from southern Japan right now; she hoped he'd hurry here.
That way, she could savor an even sweeter payback.
“Enough about Saneda. Everything ready?”
“Of course. Perfect.”
“Good. Then I'll go play the big shot.”
With a smile playing across her face, Choi Deokhui entered the conference room.
“What the hell does this tiny country have? First Miracle, now another freak invention?”
“Tell me about it. White ink. This is a miracle on a whole different level from the miracle potions.”
Italy's enchanter Antonio and France's Benjamin chatted ahead of the auction.
“Exactly. Miracle potions? They're just basic potions with a special skill to nullify mana addiction—basically a tweak. But white ink? That's pure creation territory. Where the hell did this monster come from?”
Britain's Claudio jumped in, valuing the white ink even higher than miracle potions.
Everyone gathered here shared that view.
Or at least, most hunters didn't rate miracle potions that highly.
The societal impact was huge, sure, but they saw them as basic potions modded to remove mana addiction.
Plus, they'd all gone to civilians, so few hunters had tested them.
A few had snuck some by hiding their identities and posted reviews: from a hunter's perspective, they weren't much different from standard healing potions.
Thus, miracle potions were dismissed as a lucky fluke by some fortunate hunter.
And these attendees were all enchanters who'd tried—and failed—to make correction ink themselves.
So the white ink hit differently, on another plane entirely.
Similar conversations buzzed among the nine nations' enchanters.
“This hunter's got their head screwed on right, unlike Miracle. Leaving out the US? Smart move.”
Other countries had just one enchant workshop each, sending one rep apiece.
But the US had at least three, each sending one—three enchanters total.
Jonathan from Houston's Soul Enchanter Workshop spoke up, and Jeff from LA's Heavitz shot back.
“Hey, watch your mouth. That was our screw-up. Guys like you thinking looting's fine are what's rotting America from the inside. The strong protect, not steal.”
Jonathan and Jeff, infamous for their bad blood, were growling at each other even here.
Brian from New York's David Enchanter Workshop, who'd been quietly brooding, shut them both down.
“Fight all you want—I don't care. But if your squabbling makes Choi refuse to sell to me too? I swear, I'll stake everything to wipe Soul and Heavitz off the map.”
Jonathan and Jeff clamped their mouths shut at Brian's words, eyes like daggers.
Amid the friendly chats and spats, two were left out: Sweden's Sebastian and Iceland's Saibir.
Nine countries, eleven enchanters total: US (3), Russia, Italy, France, Germany, UK, Canada, Sweden, Iceland (1 each).
Top nations by hunter power and enchant prowess.
Sweden was mid-tier at best; Iceland barely scraped the bottom.
They didn't belong here, no matter how you sliced it.
So Saibir from Iceland still felt dazed.
Why the hell am I even here?
He couldn't figure it out.
He'd rushed here after hearing about the white ink and an auction, but hadn't expected such an elite crowd.
He'd flown in a daze, then worried mid-flight if he could even afford to bid.
Now, facing these powerhouses, winning even one vial seemed a pipe dream.
As the group mulled their worries, the auctioneer—Choi Deokhui—finally appeared.
“Thank you for waiting. I'm Choi Deokhui, chief enchanter of the Support Guild's Enchanter Workshop.”
With her introduction, the white ink auction began. The eleven hunters fixed grave expressions on her, hanging on every word.
To be continued in the next chapter...