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    Chapter 38: Corporate War (1)


    "Ah!"


    Mari suddenly shouted as if she had remembered something.


    "Now that I think about it, this bow. The bald men from Magleus tried to take it. Could it be an act of revengemitted in a fit of anger?"


    Was it a crimemitted impulsively...?


    I chewed over the possibility Mari brought up but soon shook my head.


    "No, that''s not it."


    If that were the case, they should have attacked us directly, not ambushed the Yeondan.


    I frowned as I looked at the picture.


    ''Judging by the form, it looks like a corporate war...''


    Corporate War.


    It was one of the rules created by the headquarters when twopanies could not narrow down their differences ande to an agreement.


    In short, it was a simple logic: the stronger party wins.


    However, all of this only took effect when the ''headquarters'' gave their approval.


    ''...But corporate wars aren''t supposed to be carried out like this.''


    As I scrutinized the picture further, I saw it was a scene of one-sided violence.


    Even if Magleus and the Yeondan had agreed to a war, they shouldn''t have touched my employees, who were merely part of a delegation.


    ''Something smells fishy...''


    If I immediately reported this absurd situation to the headquarters, Magleus would face punishment without dy.


    But I didn''t report it directly to headquarters.


    ''There''s someone behind this, someone who doesn''t like seeing up-andingpanies grow.''


    The reason I thought this was simple.


    The Yeondan Society was a pharmaceuticalpany.


    Considering the fact that corporate wars usually happen when thepanies can''t decide who will manage the creatures captured by the alliance, and that they unnecessarily targeted my employees...


    ''Magleus is just a pawn.''


    The probability was high that there was a higher-tierpany backing Magleus.


    ''Even if I could somehow handle apany up to tinum, if it''s higher than that...''


    There was no answer for now if it was an Emerald or Diamond-tierpany.


    ''It''s even harder to make a decision when I don''t know who the opponent is.''


    .....


    .....?


    ''Ah.''


    If I don''t know who the opponent is, then I just have to drag them out onto the stage.


    ''...If they''re hiding behind someone, it''s because they have something to be afraid of.''


    If it turns out to be someone I can''t handle, I just need to appoint a proxy who can handle them for me.


    ''There''s still time left until the deadline they''ve given.''


    After pocketing the photo, I immediately headed to the front gate.


    Mari followed behind.


    "Administrator, where are you going?"


    I nced at Mari and then specified a location.


    It was the headquarters.


    "Oh, just heading to the headquarters for a bit."


    [Location not recognized.]


    I knew that location, which only a few Challenger-ss individuals were aware of.


    ''The world runs on connections, after all, whether it''s dys, blood ties, or school ties.''


    When I mentioned headquarters, Mari looked flustered.


    "H-h-headquarters?"


    "Yes. They''ve messed with our employees, so we have to make them pay the price."


    It was written that I shoulde alone, but anyone could see it was a trap.


    ''I need to show them that I won''t be taken lightly.''


    I pulled out a piece of paper from my pocket and wrote down a list.


    Then, I handed it to Yon.


    "Yon, things will get a bit busy when I return, so make sure you''re prepared."


    "Yes, understood."


    * * *


    After Seongjin left, Mari asked Yon,


    "What did the Administrator write down?"


    "Hmm, nothing much. Just a simple outline of what we need to do."


    "What we need to do?"


    When Mari tilted her head in confusion, Yon shared the list written on the paper.


    The contents were simple.


    1. Focus on maintaining the status quo.


    2. Stay in top condition.


    3. Don''t skip training.


    4. Have Mari find out more details about the bow from Mordred.


    There were four tasks in total.


    "Huh... I don''t get it. Isn’t this just what we always do?"


    Except for the fourth task, the rest were things they usually did anyway.


    This wasn’t so much a work directive as it was a message not to ck off in his absence.


    However, Yon''s perspective seemed to differ a bit.


    "I think it''s meant literally. He’s telling us he won’t just sit back and take this. By the way, Mari, haven''t you been skipping your training?"


    When Yon suddenly pointed this out, Mari scratched the back of her head with an awkward smile.


    "Hehehe. Training is important, but... in urgent situations like this, I think taking a short break is okay."


    Their conversationsted only briefly.


    As the saying goes, speak of the devil, and he shall appear.


    "Ha, I was wondering where you ran off to, and here you are, Archer."


    Mordred appeared, dragging a practice sword.


    She lightly swung the sword and pointed it at Mari.


    Then she asked Yon,


    "I came to catch this runaway rat. Can I take her?"


    Yon reluctantly nodded, inwardly wishing Mari good luck.


    "…Yes, as you wish."


    Mari, who had been pretending not to understand and whistling while looking around, froze at Mordred''s swift movements.


    Mordred erupted with anger.


    "Mari, you!"


    "Me...? But... my name isn''t Archer..."


    Mari awkwardlyughed and pointed to herself, to which Mordred smirked.


    "Who else but you could be the archer here?!"


    "Eek...!"


    "Right, I don’t need to ask why you’ve been cking, do I?"


    "I-I have to do an important task assigned by the Administrator!"


    "Important task? And what might that be?"


    "Uh, well…"


    As Mari fumbled and nced at the paper in Yon''s hand, Mordred reached out her hand to Yon.


    "Let me see that. And where is the Administrator?"


    "He left for headquarters, saying he had something to take care of."


    "Really?"


    At the word "left," Mordred''s lips twitched slightly.


    With the Administrator and Luci gone, there was practically no one left to control Mordred.


    Yon handed the paper over to Mordred. After reading the list, Mordred chuckled.


    "That Administrator left me with such a clever task, huh?"


    Seeing Mordred''s wicked smile, Mari shuddered, feeling a chill run down her spine.


    Fearing what was toe, Mari cautiously probed Mordred’s intentions.


    "Hehe... I think I know what you’re going to say."


    "Do you? That makes things easier. Call Trystan."


    There was never any real training nned for Mari in the first ce.


    Her mentor wasn’t Mordred but Trystan.


    ‘The Administrator isn’t here today, nor is Lady Luci...''


    Mari recalled the first time Mordred and Trystan had met.


    From the moment theyid eyes on each other, they snarled like they had known each other forever.


    – Archery is for cowards.


    "…That’s not true. Besides, I’ll be the one training Mari, so stay out of it."


    – Traitor! So full of talk.


    "I was just looking for another path..."


    Because of their constant bickering, Mari could never properly focus on her training.


    She thought perhaps it would be best to separate them, but that wasn’t easy.


    Sweating nervously, Mari opened her eyes and asked Mordred again.


    "…So, um, we’re going to just continue training as usual, right?"


    The question was whether Mordred would supervise her training.


    "Of course. The Administrator wrote it down here, didn’t he? Look."


    Mordred pointed to the fourth item on the paper, tapping it, and shoved it towards Mari.


    "Mordred. That’s me. He wrote that I’m to learn more about archery. Nothing’s changed, so hurry and fetch Trystan."


    Mordred’s red glowing eyes bore into Mari, as if to imply she had already been very patient.


    "Eek..."


    Mari shed a tear, as if she could already see the grueling ordeal ahead.


    * * *


    Meanwhile, at the nearly dpidatedpany headquarters:


    This was Magleus'' base.


    "Yohoho. What do you think, Baldy? How do you like my masterpiece?"


    "It''s perfect. As expected, Sir Makarov!"


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    The gentleman known as Makarov swayed his body side to side andughed unpleasantly.


    "Yohohoho. I was lucky. The main course presented itself just as I was about to have dessert. Thanks to that, everything’s falling into ce so easily."


    Baldy pped his hands in fawning admiration as Makarov boasted while sipping wine.


    "Your words are so true. But, why are you helping us with the Yeondan Society… even though they’re tinum, we could’ve beaten them ourselves?"


    Makarov interrupted Baldy’s sentence.


    "Yohoho. No, no, Baldy."


    He wagged his finger as he began to exin.


    "Even if they’re just drug makers, tinum is still tinum. Without my intervention, the oue would’ve been uncertain."


    Behind Makarov, five magic circles spread out.


    Even in a safe ce, he hadyered five defense spells for his own protection.


    Baldy watched Makarov’s meticulousness and fell into deep thought.


    ''I must never be enemies with this monster... We must seed in this mission.''


    Baldy understood better than anyone else that Makarov, sitting right in front of him, was far more dangerous than Mitsu, the 4th-ss employee standing nearby.


    Of course, who would dare oppose a 5th-ss employee and a powerful figure from a Diamond-gradepany like Makarov?


    "Yohoho. The most dangerous thing is an uncontrolled variable, Baldy. Plus, in this mission, both the Warrior Union and Madari are involved, so failure is not an option. Do you understand?"


    Makarov’s expression turned savage.


    He jabbed his finger into Baldy''s chest, yelling fiercely.


    "Magleus screwed up, so we had to step in ourselves! Got it?!"


    "S-sorry!"


    "Yohoho. Hmph. There’s no point in getting angry—it’s only a loss for me. What’s done is done, I’ll let it pass. But…"


    Makarov and Mitsu both turned their gazes toward thepany’s front door.


    Creak.


    A man with slicked-back ck hair entered.


    His face was unnaturally stoic, as if he had no emotions.


    He strode forward, eyes fixed on them.


    "…"


    In the silent hallway, the sound of his footsteps echoed.


    Tap. Tap.


    Everyone, including Makarov and Mitsu, instantly recognized who the man was.


    "Yohohoho. The fact that you know the coordinates of this ce means you must be the Administrator of the Administrator’s Zone, correct?"


    The man slumped into the prepared chair and answered Makarov’s question with a single word.


    "Yes."


    Arrogance!


    If arrogance could take human form, it would be that man standing before them—exactly the kind of attitude Makarov loathed most.


    Creak.


    Makarov barely suppressed the urge to teach him some manners but held back, thinking of the bigger n.


    He forced a smile, though his temper was about to explode.


    "Yohohoho. Thank you foring all this way. I’m this kind of person."


    Makarov handed over a business card from his pocket.


    It bore the prestigious diamond seal.


    "Yohohoho. I am Makarov, a 5th-ss employee from the Warrior’s Union. I heard our subcontractor owes you a favor, so I’m here on their behalf."


    However, the man paid no mind. His glowing red eyes focused intently on Makarov.


    "Stop pping that filthy tongue of yours and get to the point."


    "...What?"


    He dared to attend a sacred business card exchange ceremony without even taking out his card, showing no courtesy, and didn''t even introduce himself?


    ‘Hohoho. Calm down, calm down. The truth is, I already know your name. And since you’ve just barely made it to Gold status recently, you might not know how things work. Oh, indeed, you wouldn’t.’


    The man standing in front of him was Shin Seongjin, the CEO of apany that had recently risen to Gold status and the protagonist who made a big ssh at the festival.


    His rank was probably no more than a lowly 7th or 6th ss.


    ‘Hohoho. He''s just a rookie, so why am I even getting worked up?’


    He almost lost his patience, but who was he?


    Wasn''t he Makarov, the sales king who seeded in nearly every deal?


    Once again, Makarov summoned his superhuman patience and moved on to the main point.


    “Yo. Hohoho... Yes, it seems we’ve been rude to the esteemed CEO who traveled so far to meet us. There’s nothing much to it. Just sign this contract, and we’ll be done.”


    It was an unfair contract filled with trap uses.


    Of course, it would be impossible for an average person to notice all the traps hidden within.


    ‘Hohoho. Well, even if you notice, it’s toote.’


    Now that he hade this far, they nned to force his hand even if he refused to sign.


    Even if that meant resorting to violence.


    ‘Hohoho. After all, a contract only requires a signature.’


    Makarov inwardly sneered at Seongjin as he examined the contract.


    But that sneer didn’tst long.


    There’s a saying that when faced with an unexpected situation, a person’s mind goes nk. This was exactly that moment.


    Riiip.


    Seongjin suddenly tore up the contract.


    The very contract Makarov had painstakingly crafted.


    Not only that, but Seongjin started mocking him.


    “Hey, sorry to say this, but I can hear the gears in your head turning from over here.”


    This went beyond a tolerable insult.


    A Goldpany, of all things, was mocking him?


    A Goldpany was acting superior to him, a figure of power from a Diamondpany?


    This was something that could never happen in Makarov''s world.


    Bang!


    Makarov mmed his hands on the desk and stood up.


    Then, he burst into maniacalughter.


    "Hohoho. I was trying to keep things civil! But in the end, your temper''s ruining everything! Boys!"


    "Yes!"


    Makarov’s employees from Magleus gathered around Seongjin, brandishing weapons.


    Seongjin looked endlessly at peace despite the menacing atmosphere and threatening stares.


    “Attack him! Force him to sign!”


    At Makarov’smand, the Magleus employees rushed in.


    Amid the violent atmosphere, Seongjin casually sipped his coffee and muttered to himself.


    "Is this enough?"


    For a moment, Makarov thought Seongjin had lost his mind under the pressure, but that wasn’t it.


    Someone answered Seongjin’s question.


    "…Indeed, it is."


    The temperature around them suddenly dropped.


    Makarov felt a shiver as if he was freezing.


    "Hoho?!"


    His breath became visible in the cold air.


    ‘No way. We’re inside a building, so why is it this cold?’


    Makarov didn’t have time to dwell on it.


    The strange phenomenon wasn’t over yet.


    Ssshhh.


    One by one, the employees surrounding Seongjin began to copse without warning.


    “What the...!”


    As Makarov took in his surroundings, it didn’t take long to figure out what had happened.


    ‘That... that bastard!’


    A white-haired man was now sitting next to Seongjin, lounging arrogantly.


    "Hmm, the coffee here isn’t very good. The VIP treatment iscking."


    Seeing the man, Makarov and Mits'' faces turned pale.


    “Ex...Executioner!”


    “Yoo! Why the hell is that maniac here?!”


    They trembled like frogs caught in a snake’s gaze.


    Ssss.


    Yu finished his coffee and let the cup fall to the floor.


    Crash.


    “So, you were sneaking around behind HQ’s back to pull this crap, huh…”


    Makarov and Mitsu stared at the broken cup on the floor, trembling.


    Y00 rose from his seat and looked at the two still standing.


    “Does this mean I can assume you no longer take HQ seriously?”


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