Pitter-patter.
Rewards poured in from the Chamber of Commerce.
First was the victory bonus.
A total of 5,000 Mana Stones, divided according to contribution.
[Participant, Kim Jeong-gyeom’s victory reward is 2,911 Mana Stones.]
[Participant, Kim Sol’s victory reward is 706 Mana Stones.]
[Participant, Lee Yong-su’s victory reward is 488 Mana Stones.]
[Participant, Kim Joo-yeon’s victory reward is 239 Mana Stones.]
It wasn’t unexpected, but a considerable portion of the contribution was allocated to me.
A figure well over half.
The main reason was likely because I personally crushed the core, but the exploits of Lancelot and Bedivere were also recognized as part of my contribution.
Additionally, was used by my little sister, Kim Sol, to block the enemy’s holy spears, and Lee Yong-su’s effort in piloting the helicopter to a high position so I could drop construction materials was also highly valued.
“Next is, as expected…”
It was the dimensional account.
It didn’t hold much significance for me… but for my two sisters and Lee Yong-su, its weight was extraordinary.
Having an account would allow them to gain a Rank through , and along with Repulsion, they could finally stand shoulder to shoulder with monsters from other dimensions.
As it happened, I had an A4-sized that I had taken from the 1st Corps Commander.
The problem was the registration fee of 1,000 Mana Stones per person—not a trivial amount.
There was a minor disagreement with Kim Sol, who had her own philosophy on development…
“Ah! I need to upgrade my shotgun punch this time!”
“I said I’ll pay for it…”
“You should’ve said that first!”
After some back-and-forth, it was decided to prioritize .
On the way back to Yongsan.
I entered Subspace briefly to check the final reward.
[Exclusive Business Rights for the ‘Tertius’ Region in the Retel Dimension]
A privilege given solely to me, the representative of Seoul.
The reward was simply a single sheet of paper in an ordinary-looking file folder.
Paper made from material from another world, not Earth.
It was a document written in the language of the other dimension, but again, I could read and understand it without difficulty.
[This certifies that you have been granted exclusive trading rights for the ‘Tertius’ region.]
[Multidimensional Chamber of Commerce]
Simple content.
But what truly surprised me was something else.
Whirr-
A portal appeared before my eyes.
“…What is this?”
It wasn’t a portal created by my Subspace ability.
It had appeared the moment I opened the file folder containing the exclusive business rights.
Inside was a dark abyss of immeasurable depth.
I was standing in the middle of the military base ground.
Staring blankly into the portal, I picked up a stone and tossed it inside.
Thud!
The stone rebounded immediately, as if it had struck a solid wall.
The portal’s door was firmly shut.
It was just like how I managed portals when directing them at enemies.
And simultaneously, a message appeared.
[You are not a registered business owner. Please verify your authorization.]
A politely worded message.
When I slowly placed my hand on the stone-like surface of the portal, the same message appeared again.
[You are not a registered business owner. Please verify your authorization.]
In short, it was blocking my access.
The Chamber of Commerce had said they had given me the “business rights” from the Emes Dimension.
Perhaps I could even use this portal to cross over to another dimension… but the portal steadfastly barred my entry.
Despite the fact that it was undeniably my “property”.
As I pondered over what to make of this peculiar object, a notification popped up.
Ding!
A message had arrived.
[Would you like to sell your business rights to the Multidimensional Chamber of Commerce?]
[Upon sale, 10,000 Mana Stones will be provided as the selling price.]
It wasn’t a message from PAX.
It was a message from the ‘Multidimensional Chamber of Commerce’ that had presented us with ‘bidding competition’ as an official document.
I immediately replied.
“…No?”
These thieving bastards, what do they take me for?
“Even if I end up tossing it out, I won’t let you profit off of it.”
Sure, for now, it was true that I couldn’t make use of the item.
But if they were so quick to offer a whopping 10,000 Mana Stones, they must have had a good reason.
No matter how much of an unwanted item it was lying around at home, if someone picked it up for cheap and struck it big, the jealousy would gnaw at me forever—such is human nature.
“Well, who knows what the future holds…”
The future is long.
Even though the apocalypse they were pushing threatened to strangle us at every turn, I intended to do whatever it took to stretch that future out as far as I could.
“It won’t go the way you want.”
Even if I have to fight tooth and nail to survive.
Amid a grand welcome from the Joint Chiefs of Staff headquarters, we returned to Yongsan.
It had been less than six hours since we’d departed.
There were quite a few injured, but remarkably, not a single person had been killed.
Operations Commander Yoo Seong-cheol, looked at me like he might propose on the spot, but I quickly excused myself, advising the soldiers who participated in the operation to consider how they might use the dimensional accounts and Mana Stones they’d received.
Of course…
“It’s definitely convenient.”
The cooperation with the Joint Chiefs of Staff was sweeter than I’d imagined.
Not only were they providing various pieces of equipment, but they were also supporting us with skilled technicians proficient in using those tools.
Moreover, aside from my Subspace, there was no place in all of South Korea safer than the Joint Chiefs of Staff headquarters.
It essentially provided defense beyond the boundary of my Subspace.
Of course, I was also supplying them with an unlimited amount of food and supplies, making it a mutually beneficial relationship in many ways.
Whirr.
I immediately entered the Subspace.
Then, I brought my father, who had been in the quarters at Military Base, out with me.
After all, I had brought a “gift” for him.
“…What is all this?”
The materials warehouse seized from the Emes Dimension.
This storage warehouse, located at the opposite entrance from the logistics center connected to Military Base, was as impressive in scale as the existing PAX Fulfillment Center.
While it couldn’t be compared in terms of the variety of items, the sheer size of the objects it contained was beyond description.
I didn’t answer.
My father had investigated all kinds of building materials while constructing his house.
Even for a rural home, there were countless styles and materials to choose from.
Since it had been his dream for so long, he must have spent years in his mind, building and tearing down dozens of houses in different sizes and heights.
As he marveled one thing after another, my father started answering his own questions.
“What is all this? Bricks… This looks like gypsum board… Wait a second, even I-beams and rebar?”
The storage was filled with construction materials.
And not just ordinary materials, either.
“What kind of magic did you use to give each material its own buff? Defense options, elasticity enhancement…”
“These are materials you can use with your skills, right, Father?”
“Do you even need to ask? Do you know how many blueprints I had to abandon because I didn’t have the materials… Guess I won’t be sleeping tonight, you brat!”
A wide, beaming smile.
It was the first time I’d seen him laugh so brightly since the completion of his country house.
The fourth item I placed in Subspace.
It was partly for the sake of victory, but I’d also thought of my father.
“With this quality, I could make something many times sturdier than that fortress I built before. Everyone will finally be able to stretch out their legs and relax.”
“Ah…”
My father’s joy wasn’t just a personal delight from putting blocks together.
As he layered armor plating over the country house, he was moving with a single-minded resolve to provide a safer place for our family.
Since entering Subspace, the danger to my family had drastically diminished, but my father continued to move tirelessly, seeking purpose and fulfilling his duties as a parent.
Perhaps my father’s relentless motion itself could be called “home”.
One way or another…
“Do you really like it that much?”
“Of course!”
There was nothing as satisfying as seeing that smile.
.
.
.
A few hours passed.
Although we had already secured one victory, we were still in a state of tension.
This was a “bidding competition” process happening simultaneously across multiple locations.
Considering the total allotted time was 12 hours, the outcomes in other regions were likely being determined right around now.
Our family and the Joint Chiefs’ officials sat side by side in the response room chairs, waiting for further notifications from the .
Finally, precisely 12 hours after the start of the “bidding competition”…
Ding!
We received our report card.
[Announcing the results of the ‘bidding competition’ in South Korea.]
[5 rounds: 4 wins, 1 loss]
[Seoul: Win]
[Incheon: Loss]
[Daejeon: Win]
[Gwangju: Win]
[Busan: Win]
There had been five competitive bids held in South Korea.
Maybe it was something to be grateful for, but aside from one, we had won all of them.
An impressive win rate of 80%.
But…
Ding!
Ding!
The vast world was not inhabited by us alone.
[Announcing the results of the ‘bidding competition’ across the entire Earth dimension.]
[China: 117 rounds, 16 wins, 101 losses]
[India: 129 rounds, 24 wins, 104 losses]
[USA: 31 rounds, 6 wins, 25 losses]
…
These were large countries with vast lands and large populations.
So naturally, they had to participate in more “competitive bids.”
But the problem lay elsewhere.
“…Why did we lose so many?”
The results were devastating.
So much so that our 4 wins and 1 loss felt absurdly out of place.
The cumulative results were as follows:
[Total: 761 rounds, 113 wins, 648 losses]
And with that outcome…
[Notification from the Multidimensional Chamber of Commerce.]
Their commentary arrived.
[We thank the Earth dimension for your enthusiastic participation. Based on the results of this ‘bidding competition’, the Chamber of Commerce has thoroughly reviewed the growth potential of the Earth dimension and has downgraded Earth’s growth rating from [BB-] to [CCC].]
The “bidding competition” had been a kind of test.
Even just looking at the growth rating they assigned made it clear.
Earth’s performance had been a disaster.
And naturally…
That wasn’t the end of the problem.
[According to the detailed expansion strategy of the Multidimensional Chamber of Commerce, as of this moment, 7th Order passage through all portals installed on Earth will be selectively permitted.]
[Other dimensions that have acquired ‘business rights’ through victories in the bidding competition will be allowed to further occupy adjacent areas, and if they eliminate the ‘regional representative’ of a victorious Earth region, they will be able to create additional gate portals in that area.]
The 7th Order.
Enemies far stronger than any we had faced up until now would begin pouring through.
We had won in Seoul, but it was only a temporary measure.
Even if I put out the fire on my own house, I wouldn’t be able to stop the flames from spreading over from the neighboring house.
Sure enough, they made their intentions clear.
“They can occupy adjacent areas… and open gates by killing the ‘regional representative.’”
In other words, this meant the following:
“…Soon, enemies will swarm in from Incheon.”
Yoo Seong-cheol added in a worried tone.
What they were targeting was Seoul, and specifically, my life as the “Seoul representative”.
Enemy forces would pour in through the gate portals, and among them, there would be even more powerful 7th Order monsters mixed in.
Stronger enemies would come, both in numbers and strength.
Unlike the previous “bidding competition”, this time, we were the ones on the defensive.
Of course, I had no intention of just sitting idly by.
I asked Yoo Seong-cheol.
“Are there any soldiers in the military who have awakened construction abilities?”
“There are quite a few. Especially in the 1st Engineer Brigade, there are many such people. Until recently, they were prisoners under the 1st Corps…”
They were allies that I had personally rescued.
Moreover, right now, I had the spoils of war I had seized from Emes.
“Call them all. I’ll provide the materials.”
“…What?”
“I’ll provide my father as well.”
“…What?”
Soon, enemies would come rushing in from Incheon.
But I don’t intend for them to break through so easily.
Even if we have to build dozens of layers of walls.”
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