Chapter 178: New Member (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 178: New Member (2)
"You're aware that anomalous signs are appearing in Japan, right?"
At my question, the executives exchanged glances again.
The observation results themselves aren't exactly a secret, so why are they acting like this?
As they looked at each other, an Association staff member approached from behind, whispered something in their ears, and disappeared.
"Are you referring to the phenomenon observed in Sakami Bay?"
You guys didn't know, did you?
They were speaking as if they knew all along, but didn't that staff member just tell them?
I could understand them not knowing since it's a foreign country, but it's been making quite a stir. If they don't even remember it, are they even doing their jobs at the Association?
"Yes, Sagami Bay near Tokyo Bay is correct."
Since they hadn't even heard the staff member correctly, I naturally corrected their pronunciation while pretending not to notice. The executive nodded.
"Right. Is there some problem with the anomalies in Sagami Bay?"
While that executive spoke to me, the others were all staring down at their own feet.
They probably had tablets hidden under the balcony railing and were reading information off them. I don't know why they're acting like this instead of just admitting they don't know.
"Japan has announced that there are no issues with the observation results, but Square Garden sees it differently."
"How so?"
"The anomalous observation wave is a value derived from the difference between non-linear gamma values and uniform linear values, and it is abnormally high. The Japanese government judged that this included values influenced by atmospheric pressure and surrounding errors."
"... ..."
You guys have no idea what I'm talking about, do you?
To be honest, neither do I.
I was just reciting the lines Rahiya gave me as an explanation after this event triggered.
The people in Square Garden's Strategy Department understood immediately once I gave them the numbers, but none of the executives here looked like they understood a word.
Rather than calling them incompetent, I suppose it's just a different field of expertise.
Even when I'm criticizing, I should avoid forced hate.
Most of these executives were former Heroes, so they're clumsy with scientific theories.
I'm the same way, so it's actually a relief; if they suddenly pressed me for details, I wouldn't be able to answer.
After checking the numbers I provided, Square Garden's Strategy Department reached this conclusion:
The possibility is small, but the probability of it manifesting exists.
The Japanese government ignored it precisely because the probability was low.
However, the event would occur by piercing through that low probability.
"Square Garden predicts that a Dungeon Impact will occur."
"A Dungeon Impact?!"
Dungeon Impact.
In the previous world, they used the term 'Mass Dungeon Outbreak,' which was easy to understand just by hearing it, but the game developers must have thought that lacked style and changed it to this.
It literally means dungeons breaking out in large quantities all at once.
However, it's a major incident akin to a natural disaster.
Even if the number of dungeons increases, countries usually manage them with enough leeway to respond, but if a mass outbreak occurs suddenly, Hero activities become paralyzed.
They simply can't keep up with the workload of managing existing dungeons plus the new mass-produced ones.
And, being a game, the dungeons created by a Dungeon Impact are different from others; you have to destroy the Dungeon Core multiple times for the dungeon to disappear.
It's a uselessly grindy system.
If handled well, you can leave behind only high-benefit dungeons; if you fail, it becomes a catastrophe where monsters pour out of the dungeons and overrun the country.
For this world, which relies on the Jewel of Life to barely keep the monsters bottled up inside the dungeons, it's a nightmare.
The executive, who had been staring at me with a look of horror, spoke in a tense voice.
"Can you take responsibility for those words?"
"Yes. I expect a Dungeon Impact to trigger within half a year."
"It must be a certainty, not an expectation, for this information to have value."
"I'm not a prophet, so how can I answer with absolute certainty?"
"Then this information is useless."
I understood their point.
If they made full preparations after hearing a disaster was coming and nothing happened, they'd lose money and face total humiliation for making such a fuss.
"How you use it is the Association's decision. However, I believe I have repaid my debt in full with this information."
"Ho-ho... You're being quite stubborn. Is it because you're young?"
"It's not because I'm young, but because the potential profit if this information is true is immense."
"Isn't the 'if it's true' part the problem?"
"Then let's do this: if our prediction is wrong, I'll give you one more A-rank dungeon. That should be enough to cover the costs of preparation and response, right?"
At my words, the executives' eyes gleamed with greed.
It was like being given a hot stock tip with a guarantee that if it failed, not only would the principal be returned, but a premium would be added on top. Unless it was a scam, it was a deal where you'd lose out by not taking it.
But our Square Garden shouldn't just be a pushover that gives everything away.
"In exchange, if the prediction is correct, the Association will owe Square Garden a major favor."
When I spoke confidently, Hong Ok glared at me as if she wanted to kill me.
Whatever.
I gave her a bright smile and looked back up at the executives.
"Heh-heh-heh... I see now. You didn't come to repay a favor; you came to make a deal."
"The brat has quite the nerve, daring to propose a deal to us."
The reaction wasn't bad.
Even if the Association owed Square Garden a debt, they stood to gain much more.
Whether Japan accepted the warning or not, we could stand on the moral high ground by saying we warned them. We could also stockpile supplies to support them and send them directly, building up gratitude.
If necessary, we could suppress Korean dungeons according to the timing and provide massive Hero support to Japan.
All of this would put Japan in our debt.
If the Association could put a whole nation in its debt by owing a small favor to a clan, it was a bargain that would pay off dozens of times over.
"However, this is such a major matter that we must deliberate amongst ourselves for a moment. Step outside."
Yes, yes, have a nice meeting.
I bowed politely and walked out.
"Is it over already?"
"No, I think I'll have to wait a bit longer."
I took the coffee Woo Jae-hee handed me, and the two of us leaned against the wall, chatting.
A male staff member guarding the door glared at us with a scowl, but I ignored him and talked to Woo Jae-hee about the new members who would be joining.
When I mentioned that Hornet, who had nearly killed her, was coming, she was surprised but said it was fine since it was my decision.
Just as I was expressing my gratitude for her trust, the male staff member told us to go back in with a stiff attitude.
"Very well, we accept the deal. However, if your prediction is wrong, in addition to the dungeon, Square Garden, Black Unicorn, and Square will all owe us a great debt. Since our reputation is on the line, you must be prepared to risk that much, right?"
They're really trying to fleece me just because they found an opening.
I put on a troubled expression.
It was definitely going to happen, but I had to act conflicted so these bastards would get overconfident.
"What, lost your confidence? Then let's call the deal off."
As I agonized and groaned for a long time, the executive urged me on with a creepy smile.
"I-I'll do it. It's fine."
When I answered urgently, the executive nodded, looking down on me.
Are you happy now?
I managed to put the greedy Association in my debt and give Japan a warning, even if they'd probably treat it as nonsense for now.
Even if they thought it was nonsense, it was still better than having no preparation at all.
The game is set four years before the present reality, so my knowledge of dungeon appearances is limited to those four years.
If I acted like a prophet and then ran out of knowledge after four years, I'd be screwed, so I didn't get too deeply involved in dungeon predictions.
Instead, I should use it when it counts rather than letting it go to waste.
It was a bit of a flaw that I'd shown Lee Ru-da too much of my knowledge since I had to use Square Garden's name, but she wouldn't push me too hard.
Since two A-rank dungeons appeared in the investigation I designated, giving one to the Association still left one for us. And since I'd put the Association in our debt, I'd only gained profit while recruiting Hornet.
Since I help Black Unicorn so much, I should at least give Lee Ru-da a gift like this.
*
After returning to the clan, I conducted video calls with the Heroes I planned to recruit.
I suppose you could call it a sort of interview.
From the list Han Ju-hee had narrowed down, I met and spoke with foreign Heroes who had reacted positively to the recruitment offer one by one.
It's better to gauge a person face-to-face like I did with Anna, but there were too many people to meet this time, and since the recruitment wasn't confirmed, calling them all the way to Korea would be too much of a burden.
Black Unicorn is famous, but it's not like we're a top-tier American party or anything.
In Anna's case, she was desperate enough to come looking for me herself, so we could meet in person, but usually, you check things out this way first.
I spent several hours talking to the scheduled Heroes via video call, but no one gave me that 'spark.'
They're all too obsessed with being Attackers.
It's true that Attackers are important in a party, but I want someone who understands their specific role, and that concept is lacking.
Weren't you all supposed to be researching Supporters diligently?
Since it's been less than a year since Black Unicorn became active and well-known, it seems it's taking time for the concept of roles to be recognized at higher ranks.
If even B-ranks are at this level, there's still a long way to go.
Since the number of members has increased, my healing ability alone won't be enough, so I want to find a proper Healer, but they're practically an endangered species at B-rank and above.
We have the Jewel of Life, so why do we need a Healer? Small wounds? Just use magic.
Because they think like this, Awakened with recovery skills often choose other professions rather than becoming Heroes.
There seem to be a few in the US, but why would they come to Black Unicorn when the US gives them the best treatment?
Other countries are only now scrambling to train Healer-type Heroes.
I'll have to put a bit more of the recovery burden on Lee Yu-na.
I'll have to leave a spot open until a proper Healer comes along. With Hornet as the main damage dealer and Lee Yu-na and Yoon A-young providing support, long-range isn't an issue, so I just need to fill out the frontline.
It's a bit annoying having to recruit Heroes while splitting them between clans.
Back in the military, if I said I needed a certain type of agent, they'd just assign one, which was convenient.
Though if someone told me to go back, I'd put a bullet in their head.
At least this one seems the best as a melee Attacker.
I made up my mind while looking at the profile of a black-haired Hero with a stiff expression.
I prepared a backup just in case it didn't work out.
Anna, who had been scurrying around after finishing her training, saw me and ran over to hug me.
As I stroked her hair while she rubbed her cheek against my shoulder, I asked for her opinion.
"Can you get along with someone from Germany?"
"Kurwa Nazi..."
Hmm... seeing as she started with a curse, I guess that's a no.
Anna, who had looked like a pretty doll, suddenly turned into a Chucky doll and growled.
The details are different, but the broad strokes of history are similar, so I guess it's natural for Anna, a Pole, to hate Germany.
From the Prussian era through the Nazis to German reunification, they've been backstabbed and nearly wiped out every time, so they're practically mortal enemies.
Even if they apologized for the Nazi era, if you've been fighting for nearly a thousand years, wouldn't you reject them at a genetic level?
"Leader, are you going to bring in those Fritz bastards? Those bitches have no humor and only know how to backstab."
"I'm not recruiting them. I just asked because there was a German Hero on the list."
At my words, Anna looked relieved and turned back into a pretty doll, hugging me again.
I patted her and asked cautiously.
"Then what about Russia..."
"Kurwa Moskal."
Man, just how much did Poland suffer? They're surrounded by enemies.