Chapter 59: He Is Holding This Country Together
"Don't give a single resource back!"
"Let's kick the Japanese Hunters' asses!"
"Waaaaaaaaah!"
The Korean Hunters surged forward without hesitation, shouting at the top of their lungs.
Just as expected.
Having lost their core fighting force, the Japanese side couldn't even put up proper resistance.
Their front line collapsed almost instantly.
The battle was decided in less than an hour.
[The Resource War has ended.]
[The Korean side has won.]
[Floor 55 of the Japanese Tower of Fate, "Goblin Mana Stone Mine," has been permanently transferred to the Republic of Korea.]
The instant the message appeared, the Korean Hunters erupted into cheers.
"Waaaaah! We won!"
"It's really ours now!"
Until last week, even while mining Mana Stones, there had been an uncomfortable feeling that they were merely borrowing the mine temporarily.
But not anymore.
With this, without any further resistance from Japan—
The Mana Stone Mine on Floor 55 of the Japanese Tower had become the complete and permanent property of the Republic of Korea.
Hunter Inventory exploded as well.
[Title: Floor 55 Mana Stone Mine Permanently Transferred to Korea CONFIRMED ㄷㄷㄷ — Recommendations: 22,481 BEST!]
[Comments: 9,872]
Wow. Now we don't even have to worry about what Japan thinks when mining there.
But seriously, why didn't Katana or Hellfire show up?
┗ Academic consensus says Katana ran away because she got traumatized after our Two-Star General destroyed her last time.
┗ Apparently Hellfire has been ignoring orders and only focusing on his own business from the start.
┗ Didn't both of them just skip it because they knew there was no hope? LMAO.
Japan's about to depend on Korea for half its Mana Stones now, lol. Burp~
Seriously, at this point, wouldn't F&C Refining Corporation's market value surpass most major conglomerates?
┗ If it were publicly listed, it probably would've overtaken half the chaebol groups today.
[Title: I've Secretly Supported the General Until Now, but I'm Withdrawing My Support Today — Recommendations: 15,889 BEST!]
[Author: AspiringGeneral]
Content: As of today, I hereby end my relationship as a supporter of the General. From now on, the General and I are one and the same. Any attack against the General shall be regarded as an attack against me, and anyone who trespasses into the Mana Stone Mine shall be classified as a Japanese invader threatening the Republic of Korea. Furthermore...
[Comments: 5,463]
┗ For real. Bottom-feeders like us could walk in there with a pickaxe and wouldn't even survive one minute. We'd never make it out with the Mana Stones anyway, lol.
The entire country was ecstatic.
Economic news was filled with stories about F&C and the Mana Stone Mine.
There were even reports of investors desperately trying to acquire shares in the privately held F&C.
More encouraging than anything else was the public opinion among Hunters that accepted the Mana Stone Mine as effectively belonging to F&C.
Meanwhile, at the Japanese Prime Minister's Residence.
"...So this is how it ends."
The Japanese Prime Minister sank weakly into his chair.
His face had already gone pale.
The anger that had filled the meeting room the previous week was nowhere to be seen.
All that remained was bitter defeat.
And resignation.
"Shouldn't we reconsider those negotiation terms now?"
One official cautiously spoke up.
But the Japanese Prime Minister gave no answer.
He merely stared out the window.
Hunter Association's Secret Underground Bunker.
"CEO Choi, let's change the company's name."
"The company name?"
"Yeah. We're a refining corporation right now, aren't we?"
"That's right."
"But we're going to keep handling Mana Stones from now on too. Doesn't 'Refining Corporation' feel a little too narrow? How about F&C Energy?"
F&C Energy.
"I like that much better."
It even carried the ambition of eventually taking control of every kind of energy resource.
"Right? Hahaha. Then let's go with that."
"Sure."
The Blue House.
President's Office.
Footage of the Resource War played across the giant screen.
The Japanese front line collapsing.
The Korean Hunters relentlessly pushing forward behind them.
The President gripped the armrests of his chair and couldn't take his eyes off the screen.
He said nothing.
But his palms were already soaked with sweat.
Every time the flow of battle shifted, his shoulders twitched ever so slightly.
"...!"
Then the message announcing victory appeared on the screen.
"Waaaaaaaaah!"
And the Korean Hunters threw their arms into the air and began cheering.
The President unconsciously clenched his fist.
As the leader of a nation, he couldn't openly shout in celebration.
He had an image to maintain.
The Chief of Staff and several other aides were in the office with him.
He couldn't carelessly show too much emotion in front of them.
But his heart was already burning with excitement.
We won...!
The important part wasn't simply that Korea had gained another Mana Stone Mine.
After the East Sea oil field, Korea had now achieved another complete victory over Japan at the Mana Stone Mine.
An overall record of four battles.
Four wins.
Zero losses.
Now...
Korea would no longer have to bow its head at the negotiating table with Japan.
The Korean government had no reason to ask for favors.
No reason to sound desperate.
The diplomatic sense of inferiority accumulated over decades—
The bitterness that had seeped into every page of history textbooks and every corner of negotiation tables—
Was finally beginning to wash away.
The President carefully composed his expression and turned toward the Chief of Staff seated beside him.
"I'll report F&C's demands."
The Chief of Staff began to take out the documents, but the President raised a hand.
"There's no need. Accept them. Whatever they want."
"...Pardon? Everything?"
"Everything."
There was no hesitation in the President's voice.
"Whether it's the ownership ratio of the Mana Stone Mine, exclusive distribution rights, or anything else. Give them whatever they asked for."
"But if we do that, the domestic oil and Mana Stone industries could become dependent on a single corporation, F&C Refining Corporation—"
"I know."
The President calmly cut him off.
"But if we worry about that and lose F&C, we'll lose something far greater. The moment that man turns his back on us, our bargaining leverage with Japan and the semiconductor material issue both return to square one."
The Chief of Staff fell silent.
There was something in the President's eyes that went beyond simple economic calculations.
"...These would be unprecedented privileges. We'll need a justification strong enough to calm public opinion."
"Can you predict what would've happened in the Resource Wars without Hunter Choi Hyunwoo?"
The officials in the room groaned quietly.
"Most likely... we would've lost from the very first Resource War over the East Sea oil field. And after that, we probably would've continued losing."
"Then that's enough."
"Yes. In that case, we'll simulate how the Resource Wars would've played out without Hunter Choi Hyunwoo, share the results with the media, and arrange for extensive coverage."
The President gave the Chief of Staff an approving smile at his thorough response.
"And one more thing."
This time, the President pressed the intercom and connected to the Hunter Association Chairman.
"Chairman Han Sangho."
"Yes, Mr. President."
"I heard Hunter Choi Hyunwoo is currently staying in the Association's underground bunker."
"That is correct, Mr. President."
"Do everything possible to make sure he doesn't experience even the slightest inconvenience. Whatever supplies he needs, whatever facilities, exercise equipment, food, anything at all—provide it immediately. Make sure he can feel, even through the smallest details, just how grateful the Republic of Korea is to him."
"I'll keep that in mind, Mr. President."
After ending the call, the President once again looked at the frozen image of victory on the screen.
A single figure could be seen clearly in the footage, moving freely across the battlefield while scattering red light in every direction.
That young man is holding this country together right now.
The weight of that realization struck him anew.
At the same time, a chill ran down his spine.
If that young man ever turned his back on them one day...
The President shook his head, forcing the thought away.
Now wasn't the time for that.
Right now, he needed to discuss with his aides how to maximize Korea's gains from this Resource War victory.
"The next agenda concerns support measures for the Mana Stone industry..."
The Blue House meeting continued late into the night.
Washington, D.C., United States.
White House Briefing Room.
"I'll report the results of the Resource War between Korea and Japan."
After the aide finished the briefing, the President of the United States folded his arms and asked,
"What does international law say? Give it to me strictly by the book."
"Yes. We actually consulted a former President of the International Court of Justice in advance."
The aide checked his tablet before continuing.
"The current conclusion is that the Mana Stone Mine on Floor 55 of the Japanese Tower qualifies as a disputed territory under international law, and it would be extremely difficult to determine who possesses clear sovereign rights over it. No country has ever formally claimed, or been internationally recognized as possessing, ownership over land or resources inside the Tower in the first place."
"Then can't the side that occupied it first claim ownership?"
"If we accepted that logic..."
The aide looked somewhat uncomfortable.
"The goblins lived there first. Which creates the question of whether we would also have to recognize a goblin claim to ownership."
The American President's eyebrow twitched.
The moment they recognized monsters as possessing territorial rights, every human entering the Tower would become nothing more than an intruder and plunderer.
Regardless of ideology or national interests, that was a premise no country in the world could currently afford to accept.
"You're talking about recognizing territorial rights for monsters?"
The aide's expression grew darker.
"Actually, when Hunters approach monsters inside the Tower, those monsters naturally display extremely lifelike reactions. They show an instinct to defend their own territory and possessions."
"And?"
"From a certain perspective, behavior like that could itself be interpreted as a kind of territorial claim."
In truth, humanity had never received anyone's permission or recognition before using the natural resources buried in the Earth.
Diamonds, gold, and oil had simply existed underground.
Humans discovered them.
Then they dug them up and used them however they pleased.
Perhaps the entire modern concept of territorial ownership was merely the result of selfish agreements made among humans.
Of course, the President of the United States had absolutely no intention of engaging in such philosophical debates.
Nor did he have any desire to recognize the rights of monsters.
"Then what about after Korea won? Didn't the Tower already guarantee that the mine belongs to Korea?"
"That part is slightly different."
The aide answered cautiously.
"If human society formally recognizes the Tower's guarantee as legitimate, then the international community should logically recognize Korea's rights over the Mana Stone Mine as well. Otherwise, we'd effectively be denying the legitimacy of the Tower's system itself."
"So ultimately, this comes down to whether we recognize the system and order established by the Tower."
"That's correct, Mr. President. However... this decision must be made extremely carefully. If we recognize the Tower's legitimacy, it may appear as though the United States is surrendering its hegemonic authority to reshape the global order."
The aide's words forced the American President into deep thought.
What should we do?
