Damn Necromancer - Chapter 130

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Donzirah Guild Necromancer (130)
A Game of Nerves
The tournament ended far sooner than the announced month-long schedule suggested.
Awakeners from each nation returned home in just two weeks.
The results spread like wildfire.
Korea?
The country had been turned upside down.
[(Breaking News!) Donzirah Guild Shines for Korea! Sweeps First, Second, and Third Place in Super Rookie Selection Tournament……]
[(Breaking News!) Selection Tournament Raid—Donzirah Guild Accounts for 77% of Contribution!]
[(Breaking News!) Why Haven’t They Returned Yet? Special Rewards to Blame?!]
[(Breaking News!) Returning Awakeners Insist Korea Received Extraordinary Compensation……]
―So I thought it was impossible—but gold, silver, and bronze all swept? This is real?
―Everyone worldwide says the same thing, so it’s gotta be true lol
―Kim Min-woo pulling off another Super hard carry lol—he solo’d the Raid Boss, right?
―No way. Forty-two percent contribution? That’s like he chopped off all the boss’s limbs himself?
―But the other guild members are insane too? Twenty percent, fifteen percent—
―A three-person raid lol
―And every Awakener who raided with them is basically national treasure material lol
―Damn; I thought only Kim Min-woo had amazing skills, but his eye for talent is insane too lol He discovered both Park Si-woo and Seo Ye-rim lol
―Exactly. Heard Park Si-woo never awakened, so every guild gave up on him. Without Kim Min-woo, dude would be swinging a shovel on construction sites by now?
―Seo Ye-rim is even crazier lol One Gate expedition and she abandons the sword she’s wielded half her life to become an archer lol
―Wasn’t the Divine Archer known for wielding a blade during some celebration event? lol
―That video? lol It was insane lol
―Brings back memories lol That shot of Geom-seon’s lips twitching was legendary lol Wasn’t he still active back then?
―Not quite retired like now, but he barely went on any Gate expeditions.
―Yeah, he was in his sixties then; that’s normal lol
―The old master though ㅠㅠ
―Yeah lol The old guy’s still got it lol Setting a world record in his eighties lol
―You know what they say—kimchi’s only good when it’s fully aged lol
―You’re hopeless lol
―Either way, we got our Divine Archer! Cheers~
While netizens were gossiping away like that.
A bombshell of news hit the headlines.
[(Breaking News) Is China Toying with the ‘Export Control’ Card? Resource Shortage Looms Large!]
―……What’s this?
―Probably because of the second exam date? All of China’s Awakeners got wiped out.
―Yeah. The only major Awakener superpower that suffered total annihilation.
―Heard they thought they could survive by sacrificing fellow Awakeners as offerings lol
―Divine judgment lol But regardless…… we’re screwed, aren’t we?
―Why?
―Check the list; if they control all that stuff, we’re basically back in the Stone Age?
―Can’t we self-suffice?
―No way lol Cargo trucks stop and logistics collapse immediately lol
―So what do we do?
―Another breaking news just dropped. These bastards are seriously pathetic; looks like they’re saying if Donzirah Guild doesn’t apologize formally, they’re really going through with the export controls?
―……So we have to apologize?
―Well…… I don’t know? Do we?
―We could not…… but our lives would get pretty rough, right?
―Just eat barley rice with kimchi and tough it out!
―Uh…… wouldn’t prices for barley and kimchi skyrocket too……?
―Oh no;; What if ramen prices too……?
―God…… Does Korea have to apologize again……?
Then.
Kim Min-woo appeared on the news. Reporters were pressing him frantically with questions.
Shortly after.
―……Guild Master. Is there any chance you’d consider selling Elixir to other nations?
―Well, depending on the situation?
As Kim Min-woo spoke, cheers erupted.
―All right! Looks like the tables just turned! lol
―For real. We got a Supreme-Grade Elixir Recipe out of this lol
—This might actually be worth a shot lol
—(Gak-lin) I know it’s rare, but is it really that much?
—Gak-lin’s cute lol. A Highest-Grade Elixir is exactly that much lol. Why else would other nations sign secret accords just to get their hands on it? lol
—Spread it wide across neighboring countries except China—already they’d be drooling? lol
—The Gate Territorial War’s practically here, and China’s scores sink lol
—Nah. No need to spread anything lol. Forgotten? That’s a U.S. strategic asset lol lol
—Who’d be stupid enough to sign a secret accord and source the Elixir themselves? lol. Just pay Kim Min-woo and buy it lol
—Can anyone else hear the U.S. ambassador to Korea running here so fast his eyebrows are flying off? lol lol lol
—Yeah, the Chinese ambassador to Korea’s also tearing his hair out running over right now~ if we just let this ride, it’s gonna be bad lol lol lol lol
* * *
When asked whether he’d sell the Elixir to other countries, Kim Min-woo shrugged and answered. It probably felt like the whole world was watching it live.
‘Gotta expand sales a bit.’
China?
That’d be pretty rough to pull off against Korea.
If he got hit with export controls, he’d be real disappointed. Then it’d just be a matter of calling in the bigger players.
Like, say, the United States—which was already using it as a strategic asset.
Or allied nations that’d signed secret accords and imported it for themselves alone.
The Awakening superpowers, basically.
Not long after he returned from the interview, countless meeting requests came flooding in.
The first to come rushing was the U.S. ambassador himself.
You could see how urgently he’d come—the bare crown of his head glistened with sweat.
“Pleased to meet you, Kim Min-woo. I’m Stephen, U.S. Ambassador to Korea.”
“The pleasure’s mine. But what brings you here?”
Kim Min-woo asked with a knowing, cocky smile, and Stephen felt a chill run down his spine.
Only for a moment, though.
Collecting himself with professional composure, he asked carefully.
“…Is it really true you obtained a Supreme-Grade Elixir Recipe?”
“They gave out a lot of good stuff there.”
“…We’ll need at least some basic verification. You understand?”
“Of course. But surely you’re not asking to see the recipe itself…?”
“Just three materials related to demon-type monsters and two related to humanoid monsters. That would be sufficient.”
“Colossus Spinal Fluid, Atango Tail Feather, Demon Heart, Medusa Hair, Centaur Chief’s Eye. Is that what you’re referring to?”
“…….”
The ambassador’s face went completely rigid.
He didn’t have the entire recipe memorized either. He’d merely asked questions based on information the president himself had given him.
‘It’s identical.’
From the monsters Kim Min-woo was listing to those precise anatomical parts.
It matched exactly with the fragment of the recipe the president had mentioned.
‘…He really did get it.’
At this point, there was no denying it.
“Let’s cut to the chase. America probably wants Korea to be the only one using it, right?”
“……Yes.”
Strictly speaking, it’d be ideal if only Kim Min-woo and the Donzirah Guild used it….
‘But that’s impossible.’
Even for America, restricting it to that extent was nearly impossible.
Kim Min-woo had already openly announced he possessed the recipe.
The Korean people?
Of course they’d hope to see their own Awakeners benefit from it to some degree.
Taking that into account, he’d have to let at least Korea, as the nation in possession of it, put it to use.
But anything beyond that was pretty much off-limits.
It would put America in a very difficult position.
“Surely you’re not here just to ask me directly…?”
“…What do you want?”
“Well, what would I want? Selling this is basically printing money, but it looks like I can’t do that, so… hmm….”
“…Do you want money?”
“Would that even be enough? Doesn’t look like I can exercise influence that way either. There are things in this world worth more than money, you know.”
Cold sweat ran down Stephen’s face. Honestly, his pride was a bit wounded. Even the Korean president wouldn’t be this arrogant in his presence.
‘Damn….’
The situation had gotten really bad.
What if he backed down here, and Kim Min-woo went around saying he was meeting with the Chinese ambassador instead?
We’re in real trouble now.
Korea is at least an allied nation, but China is practically an adversary.
From the American perspective, there was nothing quite as exhausting as this.
‘What on earth should I offer them?’
If he paid in money, he had no idea how much they’d demand.
Reading the room, it seemed money alone wouldn’t be enough to control the situation.
Noticing Stephen’s silence, Kim Min-woo smiled broadly.
“Aren’t the United States and Korea still friends?”
“W-well, yes, they are.”
“I’d prefer to maintain good relations between friends, if possible.”
“Heh… Is that so?”
It was obvious.
Make an enemy of the United States, the world’s supreme Awakener power?
It would be a hundred times better to slap China across the face instead.
‘There’s nothing to gain from becoming enemies right now, anyway.’
The best approach was to give what needed giving, receive what was due, and move on.
“China certainly has been making a lot of noise.”
“They’ll quiet down soon enough.”
“That’s obvious. But there’s something I wanted to ask—would it be alright to sell them some Elixirs?”
“……To China?”
“If we sell at ten times the price, the United States won’t lose out.”
“……What? Ten times?”
What in the world was this man saying?
Stephen’s head tilted in confusion.
Even to allied nations with secret agreements, the United States only sold at about 1.5 times the cost.
There were no shortage of countries throwing tantrums over not being able to afford even that 1.5 markup.
But selling at ten times the price?
By any reasonable logic, who would actually buy at that rate?
‘Wait a minute. Those people… they might actually be able to afford it?’
With the Gate Territorial War just around the corner.
For the sake of a few top-tier Awakeners, there was little they couldn’t scrape together.
Eighty billion per unit. Six hundred units.
‘Forty-eight trillion…….’
If they squeezed hard enough, they might somehow manage to scrape together enough for a few people.
‘But no matter how I look at it, it’s insane…….’
If the United States started buying Elixirs like that?
An impeachment motion could come down before long.
But China’s structure was different.
The financial flows were murky from the start. Add to that a political system bordering on authoritarianism.
How many dictators had already driven their nations to ruin?
Considering that, it wasn’t entirely impossible.
But still…….
“……Will those people really buy at that price?”
“Not ‘will they buy’—they need to be made to buy.”
Kim Min-woo answered with a slight smirk.
“And besides, there’s no law saying the compensation has to come only in money, is there?”
……
If China genuinely bought Elixirs at that price, from the American perspective it would be a win.
Getting a few Awakeners’ stats boosted while driving the nation to ruin in the process.
Even if a handful of top-tier Awakeners grew somewhat stronger, it wouldn’t change the structure where the United States, the world’s supreme Awakener power, remained unbeatable.
“……I’ll need to consult with the home office, but if you’re truly willing to sell at those terms, there’s certainly room for consideration.”
“Just ask them to think it over carefully. Korea growing stronger than China would still serve America’s interests better, I think.”
“Honestly, I agree.”
“Then shall we move on to the main topic?”
Selling to China at inflated prices was one thing. But there was still what he needed to receive from the United States.
Stephen’s bald head began to glisten again.
* * *
“It’s been a pleasure, Ambassador.”
“The pleasure was mine. And let me just say this to be safe…….”
“Don’t worry. The Chinese ambassador won’t even see my face. Though they might catch me on TV, I suppose?”
“I think it’ll be possible to have a good relationship with Min-woo.”
“I’ve taken quite a liking to you as well, Ambassador.”
“Then I’ll contact you again after consulting with my government.”
Stephen left.
Not long after, one of the bodyguards approached and whispered.
“Young master. The Chinese ambassador has been waiting since earlier…….”
“Didn’t I tell you to turn him away?”
“Of course I did. It’s just that he’s been so insistent about meeting you…….”
“Get rid of him as tactfully as you can. If he won’t budge, just throw him out.”
“But…… are you sure that’s all right?”
“Of course. It’s fine.”
Wasn’t that precisely why he was coordinating with the United States? Even if this brought export controls down on them.
‘China would be devastated.’
The current balance of power?
China versus America’s allies plus America plus Korea.
Even with controls imposed, they’d suffer for only a month or two.
China, on the other hand, would be crippled for years by that choice.
‘Well, let them bark and do as they please.’
There was work to be done until the American side sent their answer.
The Supreme-Grade Elixir Recipe.
He’d put it to use with the skeletons.
With the materials on hand, he could use Alchemy to produce elixirs.
‘The problem is the quality comes out subpar.’
A Supreme-Grade Elixir?
The crafting difficulty was nearly at the highest level.
Meanwhile, the skeletons’ Alchemy was only D-grade. Even if they attempted production, the failure rate would be astronomical, and even if they succeeded, they’d only produce crude results for now.
Alchemy would need to reach at least A-grade before proper elixirs could be manufactured.
Getting them there would likely require working them for months on end.
There wasn’t time for that.
His current level was around 270.
Level 300, when he could consume elixirs, was drawing near.
He needed to find someone who could manufacture them.
‘Well, as long as I teach them the method, production is possible.’
They couldn’t make it because they didn’t know exactly what materials went in and how to make them. But once he knew the materials and the method, production could be attempted endlessly.
That way, the recipe would eventually be registered.
Just then, someone came to mind. There was a fairly competent alchemist in Korea, after all.
He opened his smartphone and made a call.
Shortly after.
―Y-yes……?!
A trembling, urgent voice answered the phone.
‘That makes sense.’
At least, any alchemist would.
At this very moment, they’d be feeling their heart race at what it meant for Kim Min-woo to be calling them.
“Choi Yu-na? It’s been a while. Yes, it’s Kim Min-woo. You’ve probably already seen the news. It just so happens I need some Supreme-Grade Elixirs. Shall we meet and discuss it?”
Choi Yu-na, the alchemist who’d been quick and precise, skillfully crafting low-grade, regular-grade, mid-grade, and high-grade elixirs.
After that, he’d given Si-woo pocket money and had him making elixirs.
Now it seemed he’d need to trouble her with Supreme-Grade Elixirs as well.
So Kim Min-woo left his house.
“It’s good to see you, Choi Yu-na.”
“I-it’s good to see you too!”
At the café, Choi Yu-na bounced on her feet as she spoke, having spotted Kim Min-woo in his hat.
The Supreme-Grade Elixir Recipe.
When she’d seen on TV that Kim Min-woo had obtained it, she’d been truly shocked—felt like she’d flip over.
And well she might—it was a recipe that only an American witch had ever possessed!
She’d been desperate with longing for it.
Still, she hadn’t dared to contact him.
The gap in their standing had shifted entirely since they’d first met.
Lately, she’d only been in contact with Park Si-woo.
And even that had only lasted until she’d stopped supplying high-grade elixirs. She’d thought there was truly no reason for them to meet again…….
“Let’s get down to business. I know the method, and you know how to make it.”
“Yes, yes!”
“But it wouldn’t make sense for me to just hand over the knowledge.”
“R-right, of course.”
“Have you ever heard of canning?”
“……C-canning?”
Choi Yu-na tilted her head.
Wasn’t that something about being locked away somewhere and producing goods?
“Seven years. Just seven years like that.”
Kim Min-woo spoke with a faint smile.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————