The Time-Limited Leader Makes the Raid a Success - Chapter 438



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Episode 438

#438. Hunting is originally 90% preparation.

Kang Moo-hyuk had no intention of using the negotiation key to neutralize Mirage and Illusion’s desperate measure.

‘Because no one else can use this anyway.’

Thomas learned how to destroy magic circles while dealing with them.

After hearing that Illusion had escaped via teleportation, he came up with a solution that would allow him to scatter the spatial coordinates and prevent the scroll from being activated in advance.

He even went so far as to say that if he could see the moment of teleportation in person, he could imitate it if he was good at it.

‘If you make a fuss about this, you’ll only end up giving them a bad impression. It’s better to just tell them and earn points. Sharing information should be used as a preparatory step for playing the next card. Until then, you should show as much kindness as possible.’

As Edoardo was also a seasoned hunter, he had heard the clue that only Thomas could do it, and had a rough idea of ​​Kang Mu-hyeok’s intentions.

So, rather than asking directly how to stop it, I brought up the value of the information that there is such a method.

‘If Thomas can block Mirage’s magic circle and teleportation with magic, then that means other magicians can learn such magic. Just confirming the existence of such magic would be of immense value.’

However, the fact that such information was released without any compensation became an opportunity for Edoardo to look at the character of Kang Mu-hyeok again.

‘It seems Johanna has seen the person well.’

Edoardo approached the conversation with a more open mind than before.

“I’m a Hunter. No matter what you say about S-Rank, I’m still a Hunter with a short temper. Plus, I’m an old guy who values ​​justification. I won’t beat around the bush. Tell me the conditions of Iron Will. Listen and I’ll make my judgment.”

Kang Moo-hyuk took a neat white paper envelope out of his chest and handed it over. The wide envelope used for greeting cards contained a card folded in half.

The front of the card featured a picture of Saint Mark, the Christian patron saint of Venice.

Below the painting is written the date ‘April 25th’. Before the Gate era, this day was called ‘Saint Mark’s Day’ and a festival was held in Venice.

However, after the Gate era, it had even more significance as the day when the Gloria Guild was declared founded in Venice.

Edoardo noticed that the card had been bought in a souvenir shop in a Venetian resort.

“It wasn’t written in advance.”

“I wrote it after much thought on the plane.”

“It doesn’t matter. The content is more important than the form.”

Edoardo unfolded his cards.

Inside the card, there were simple, common-sense terms and conditions, such as the purchase price of the Flying Seahorse and the priority purchase right for Rider Wolf, written down without a single word of excuse.

Edoardo snorted, “Hmm,” folded the card back up, put it back in the envelope, and handed it back to Kang Mu-hyeok.

“Do you know what the conditions are on the Japanese and Chinese sides?”

“Well, you didn’t have time to find out.”

“Japan gave Sakuramandaite shares. Not the right to purchase first.”

“If it’s Sakura Mandite… Sunlight Guild. It seems that Hunter Kishin Takeru has moved.”

“That old man is definitely a fighter. He threw his finishing move right from the start without hesitation. He was going to cut off the head with one stroke. Then, what did China want to give him?”

“From what you said, I guess you prepared something that is no less than Sakuramandate.”

“That’s right. I presented the treasure of the Hwangryong Guild’s pharmacy.”

“Public hearing oil?”

‘Gongcheongseomyu’ was a top-grade gate medicine that would make even a deliveryman jump up if he just held his breath.

Only seven drops could be obtained per year from the gate occupied by the Yellow Dragon Guild, and when diluted, it could be used to create three bottles of the highest grade elixir.

Considering that the elixir itself was a precious potion that gave great power in boss raids, it was truly a treasure.

It was said that it was such a precious drug that even the Hwangryong Guild’s Biwonjun would not even bother to use it unless he was in danger of death.

The term “Gongcheongseokyu” originally appeared in a martial arts novel, but the medicinal herb that the Hwangryong Guild obtained from the gate resource had a similar appearance, so it was adopted as is and made known to the world.

“We agreed to give it a three-year supply.”

When he heard the words “two years worth,” Kang Mu-hyeok could tell how desperate the Hwangryong Guild was.

“If you don’t mind, could you tell me how many seahorses the two countries are purchasing?”

“Is there anything you want to say? Both guilds have the same conditions. Sweep. I said I would buy everything that can be shipped. The price is also double what you wrote.”

“What I wrote is 50% higher than the market price.”

“Where is the regular price for gated items? Those who are in a hurry and need something raise the price on their own.”

“Can you tell me how many seahorses are available for shipment?”

“I don’t know about the small details since Gilma does the guild work, but there are usually hundreds.”

But these were not ordinary times.

Last year, the Siege of Venice and the Nagas’ great offensive caused an explosion in orders for Flying Seahorses. However, after the Nagas suddenly disappeared, the orders were canceled.

‘There are probably over a thousand Flying Seahorses left on the ranch. And the price has doubled… . . . ‘

It meant that the minimum transaction amount was a business worth trillions of won.

“Come to think of it, Director Kang Mu-hyeok, you didn’t write down the quantity you wanted to buy. Are you also buying the entire quantity?”

Edoardo asked with a face devoid of anticipation.

That was because the conditions that Kang Mu-hyeok put forth were more unpalatable than those offered by other places.

While the cause was important, there was an additional balance to be struck on the scales to ensure that minimum qualifications were met.

In other words, the purchase conditions were basic. Plus alpha was needed there.

Instead of answering, Kang Moo-hyuk looked at Thomas. When Thomas met his eyes, he put down the caviar and raised his right index finger in the air.

The golden mana drew a line. Edoardo flinched and shook his body. That was because the mana contained in Thomas’ fingers was extraordinary.

‘Now that you’ve got a fight, are you going to show off your skills?’

I had that suspicion for a moment, but I was able to regain my composure after watching the following scene.

Thomas was drawing something in the air.

“letter?”

It wasn’t Italian. Sentences in English were being embroidered into the air without hesitation.

Edoardo, who was also familiar with English, read the sentence. The more he read, the more his eyes widened in surprise.

Finally, Thomas stopped and put a period.

As Edoardo finished reading the last sentence, Kang Mu-hyeok said.

“These are the real conditions I have prepared.”

“I really agree to this condition… …?”

Edoardo asked to confirm. It was an unbelievable condition. No country, not even the United States, could offer such a condition.

“Japan and China absolutely cannot do this. What do you think? I think we can get both legitimacy and practical benefits at this level.”

Edoardo broke out in a cold sweat for the first time in a long time. It was a tension he had never felt while doing the boss raid at the gate. He let out a long sigh and leaned back in his chair. Then he looked back and forth between Kang Mu-hyeok and Thomas, lost in thought.

‘The letters written in the air still remain. This is the first time I’ve seen such magic.’

At first glance, it didn’t seem like much, but Edoardo, an S-rank, could tell that the letters floating in the air were lumps shaped like mana.

Since he had frequent interactions with European magicians, he could also gauge how great Thomas’ techniques were.

‘Mana without a medium tends to disperse. If you try to hold onto it by force, you have no choice but to inject it by consuming a huge amount of mana. It is a technically difficult method. However, that wizard Thomas doesn’t seem to be continuously using mana, but he maintains the mana letters.’

The new conditions could have been written down on paper just like the first ones.

However, the fact that they chose such a difficult method could be seen as a demonstration of their own abilities.

And the real show of skill is,

‘Kang Mu-hyeok… I don’t know if this guy is brave or reckless. He’s so brazenly doing things that no country has been able to do since the Great War… ‘

If his promise was kept on his terms, the world would be shaken.

‘Should this be called a good influence? No, I don’t know. I can’t predict what kind of change will occur if I follow these conditions.’

Edoardo was at a crossroads where he couldn’t see even an inch ahead, but one thing was certain.

“If you see these conditions and decide to give up, you’ll have nothing to say even if you stick your neck out and die. Isn’t that right?”

“Then, shall we proceed?”

“Wait a minute. Something is missing to just get going. I want to make it look better.”

“Do you need a show?”

“I want to look bigger than I am. Like the third item Thomas Hunter wrote here.”

Kang Moo-hyuk looked at the third line of the sentence that was still hovering in the air.

“Is this about looking after the rest of the country without making enemies?”

“More than that, they are suffering too. And it won’t be eradicated just by blocking it in Korea. As Your Highness knows, all the neighboring countries, like Europe, need to work together to eradicate it.”

“Are you not greedy? Or are you weak? Wouldn’t it be more advantageous in negotiations to buy everything in Korea and then show favor to China and Japan?”

“I made decisions more calculatedly than anyone else. However, in Korea, there are people who are more emotional than calculating, so I feel uncomfortable using that method.”

Edoardo understood what Kang Mu-hyeok meant. It was something he had experienced many times.

“Well, it’s true that people who aren’t even hunters meddle a lot in my business.”

“I’m not a hunter either.”

“No. In my opinion, you are a hunter. More than anyone else. Awakening? I have never seen a hunter who boasts about being a hunter and catches monsters to contribute to peace. It’s all about money, and items are the top priority.”

“… … .”

“Even if you can’t hunt monsters yourself, don’t you prepare yourself to be a hunter? Hunting is 90% preparation. So who would say you’re not a hunter?”

Kang Moo-hyuk felt something resonate in his chest.

When he remained silent, Edoardo snapped his fingers and said:

“That’s right. Let’s do this. In order to promote peace among the three countries of Korea, China, and Japan and friendship with Europe, we will not exchange money.”

“I don’t think it’s free. Is it perhaps a barter?”

“That sounds like a deal. It’s called promoting friendship. Korea will exchange Flying Seahorse for Rider Wolf, and Japan will receive a corresponding amount of production in exchange for Sakuramandaite’s share. Also, China will join in on one year’s worth of Gongqing Oil instead of three years’ worth.”

“I see. It’s a gift exchange to promote friendship.”

“That’s right. A gift exchange would be nice. That’s the right expression.”

Kang Moo-hyuk and Edoardo also coordinated several other matters.

As we chatted like that, time quickly passed midnight.

Kang Mu-hyeok cleaned up his work once more, finished it thoroughly, and stood up to speak.

“Tomorrow, please prepare a seat for me.”

“Good. You can tell them the details tomorrow, yourself.”