I’M A Max-Level Regressor [EN]: Chapter 54

That evening.

In the special conference hall located in the basement of Yanghwa Tower, an open market operated by the Yanghwa Guild, a large number of Awakened gathered.

They were all representatives from domestic and international guilds that anyone would recognize by name.

The top-grade magic potion, which gained fame due to Yanghwa Guild’s exclusive sales announcement.

The Awakened gathered at the venue did not care how the Yanghwa Guild secured the exclusive sales rights.

Their sole topic was Shin-hwa. He was always at the beginning and end of the story.

“I heard Arisu Chemical’s stock soared because of the top-grade magic potion news? Some say Kang Shin-hwa might be connected to them.”

“Isn’t this stock manipulation? No matter how I think about it, it doesn’t make sense. How can an individual create a potion that even leading research institutes can’t develop?”

“Is Kang Shin-hwa planning to make a big score with lies and run away?”

“A D-rank Awakened, not even an EX-rank or SSS-rank, with a top-grade magic potion. Honestly, does that make sense?”

While everyone said that, the reason they came to the venue was the same: it might be real.

Even while saying they couldn’t believe it, they were drawn to the meaning of the potion’s existence itself.

A 100% magic recovery potion.

If it really existed, it would be a truly remarkable product, worthy of being called a revolution.

As the Awakened gathered in front of the conference hall and exchanged stories.

Jin Bo-mi, who was looking down at the attendees in the lobby with Seo Ye-hee, began to speak.

“In Korea, everyone from the Top 20 guilds came, except for the Hongyeon, Cheongyeon, and Hyehwa Guilds. The Gyeonggi branch manager from KSA [Korean Special Ability Association] is here too.”

“They came because they wanted to see it anyway, I don’t know why they’re talking so much.”

“They’re probably envious. Honestly, wouldn’t you want to develop a potion like Kang Shin-hwa’s, unnie [term for older sister or female friend]?”

“Are you even asking? It’s because they can’t purely believe it and are spouting nonsense about stock boosting, scams, and lies.”

“They say there’s a lot to eat at a well-known, talkative feast. Just looking at the attendees, it’s already a hit.”

“Quite a few came from overseas too. The list of participants is no joke. Everyone is requesting Shin-hwa’s contact information or an interview through direct and indirect routes.”

“I know, right? It’s practically Shin-hwa’s showcase! Announcing and promoting Shin-hwa’s abilities?”

“I wish I could be sure that Kang Shin-hwa is a member of our Yanghwa Guild… The monthly contract is still bothering me.”

“It’s Shin-hwa’s triumph, perfectly targeting the competitive spirit within capitalism!”

Jin Bo-mi momentarily forgot that she belonged to the Yanghwa Guild and spoke from Shin-hwa’s side.

Seo Ye-hee narrowed her eyes.

“Bo-mi, a triumph? What does that mean? That means the chairman has to open his wallet even more. Ah, do you… perhaps have an interest in Shin-hwa?”

“Ah, well, um… I’m sorry.”

“The chairman spends unlimited budget on our Yanghwa Guild. I’m worried he might overdo it.”

“Actually, my father is already completely smitten with Shin-hwa. I don’t think he’ll be able to get over it easily.”

Jin Bo-mi’s words were true.

From Shin-hwa perfectly healing Jin Bo-mi to successfully developing the top-grade magic potion.

Even though it’s a monthly contract, the affiliated Yanghwa Guild and Yanghwa Group are enjoying tremendous fame.

They were reaping the promotional benefits that they couldn’t get even by advertising through idols or celebrities and distributing numerous promotional materials.

The event prepared today was also planned so that after Shin-hwa’s presentation, Jin Seong-tae would directly brief the reporters with Seo Ye-hee.

“Well, I guess Kang Shin-hwa feels like a lucky charm.”

“He has the value of an Awakened, the topicality, and he seems to highly value him as a ‘product’.”

“Product value… It’s somewhat inhumane, but it’s definitely true.”

Seo Ye-hee nodded.

Jin Seong-tae is a person with a good personality, is easygoing, and sometimes invests boldly without considering profit and loss.

Seo Ye-hee, who had been watching him closely for a long time, knew very well that behind his endlessly benevolent expression, he had numerous schemes and strategies.

Jin Seong-tae being completely smitten with Shin-hwa meant that he highly valued his worth in the short and long term.

And his keen eye had never been wrong.

“Wow… !”

At that moment, Jin Bo-mi, who was constantly looking at the faces of the Awakened entering, exclaimed again.

“Mok Jin-woo and Shin Jeong-ah came too?”

“They’re really interested?”

It was Hongyeon Guild Master Mok Jin-woo and Cheongyeon Guild Master Shin Jeong-ah who arrived at the scene.

The two were moving at a distance, as they were known to be irreconcilable enemies.

“Everyone really came.”

“I know…”

“Can Shin-hwa handle this?”

Almost all the leading guild officials in Korea came. Quite a few came from overseas as well.

The situation felt like it had grown bigger.

Seo Ye-hee and Jin Bo-mi began to worry about Shin-hwa, who would not have had experience in such a large event.

* * *

6 PM.

Arriving exactly on time, I headed straight to the special conference hall without any separate individual meetings.

Throughout the move, Jin Bo-mi worriedly handed me a calming pill, telling me to eat it.

I didn’t eat it.

From the beginning, I wasn’t awkward in this kind of setting, and I liked that it was a place where I could receive attention.

As I entered the conference hall, the gazes of numerous Awakened mixed in confusion towards me.

Half of them had eyes full of anticipation, but the other half had suspicious eyes.

But right then.

‘What, why are you guys coming out of here? What day is it today?’

Among the many guests filling the audience, I was able to face three faces that I couldn’t forget even if I tried.

Marina was there, so that was that.

‘Beon Woo-shin, Isla Blanchett.’

There were two more people.

As members of the Nine Lords like me.

Beon Woo-shin, an Awakened from China, and Isla Blanchett, an Awakened from Australia, were there.

At this point, they were standing out in their respective guilds, but I never thought they would come to Korea because of this.

Already four members of the Nine Lords were gathered in one place. Of course, they don’t know their future yet.

‘Things are getting bigger and bigger.’

I didn’t want to meet the members of the Nine Lords yet, but it turned out like this.

The reason I didn’t want to meet them was simple. Their relationship and growth are Nicholas’s responsibility to regress.

I hated the situation where I would create a relationship and interfere with Nicholas’s plan later.

Well, it’s a pleasant happening.

I’ll just think of it as having made a face stamp in advance [memorizing their faces].

After calming my mind, I opened the presentation with a relaxed voice.

“Hello, I’m Kang Shin-hwa. Nice to meet you. Now, I will begin the presentation on the top-grade magic potion I developed.”

The showcase began.

* * *

The presentation, which started with expectant yet suspicious eyes, took a sudden turn as time passed.

It was thanks to a device prepared in advance, knowing that most of the attendees would question the potion’s true value.

It was the use of a human body magic measurement device with the cooperation of KSA.

This was a device that measured the magic circulating within the mana line and analyzed its ratio.

The situation was guaranteed with public confidence.

Shin-hwa intentionally designated Hongyeon Guild Master Mok Jin-woo as the test subject.

If he, who was known to be picky, acknowledged it, it meant it was real.

And as a result of completing the test with Mok Jin-woo’s cooperation.

“I can’t believe it.”

Mok Jin-woo’s voice, making a dumbfounded expression through the microphone installed on the podium, echoed loudly.

Mok Jin-woo, who had exhausted his magic to the limit and created a depleted state of 0% measured magic, after drinking the potion.

[The current ‘measurer’s’ magic saturation is 100%.]

[Starting re-measurement.]

[It has been confirmed that it is the same as the previous result. The ‘measurer’s’ magic saturation is 100%.]

The same was true even after repeating the measurement and re-measurement. The effect of the potion was definitely proven.

“It was really true…?”

“This, this, from how much should we start? Huh? From how much is the appropriate price to start!”

“No, more than that, they say only one bottle can be produced per day. Can we even get it properly?”

“Even a precious high-grade magic potion feels like reliable life insurance, but a complete recovery potion…”

The venue was buzzing.

Even the Awakened, who had been maintaining a calm and composed poker face, could no longer hide their excitement.

People who had belittled and ignored Shin-hwa and hoped that the potion development was not true had confused expressions.

In particular, Beon Woo-shin, Isla Blanchett, and Marina, who were sharing the image with the local executives, were overwhelmed by the pouring chats from the executives.

[Get it no matter what, even if it’s just one bottle. Research is also needed, and if necessary, it can be used as insurance!]

[I’ll lift the budget limit, so get one bottle unconditionally. Got it?]

[Check mainly whether at least two bottles can be supplied per month.

If you promise that, tell them that Team Osaka will help Yanghwa Guild enter Japan.]

The buzzing atmosphere in the venue did not subside easily.

Everyone was just staring at Shin-hwa with surprised expressions, as if they were looking at a celebrity.

The relationship between Shin-hwa and the presentation attendees, which had started on an equal footing, had now transformed into an absolute gap and an absolute subordinate relationship.

Soon after, the question time continued.

The Awakened, who usually didn’t say a word in the media, raised their hands in a hurry.

The first to get the right to speak was Mok Jin-woo, who had become a direct experience and felt the efficacy of the potion himself.

“Kang Shin-hwa, how on earth did you develop such a potion? Is that also your ‘talent’?”

“Yes, it’s talent. It’s not something I got probabilistically in a dungeon, and it’s not something I accidentally got from someone else.”

Shin-hwa answered confidently without hiding anything. Then, Shin Jeong-ah, the master of the Cheongyeon Guild, raised her hand this time.

“Speak.”

“Why haven’t you disclosed this potion to the world until now, even though it existed?”

“Because I can make it from now on.”

“Is it a talent gained with flowers [a hidden or late-blooming talent]?”

“Haha, I think you should focus only on the potion. The important thing is that I made this potion, and it cannot be replaced by others.”

No one could shake their heads at Shin-hwa’s voice, as if he was asserting.

They had no choice but to admit it.

‘If he made another new potion separate from the magic potion, the story will get really big.’

Marina’s expression, who was listening to every word of Shin-hwa, also became quite serious.

If the existence of the top-grade magic potion is true, then the strengthening potion that was briefly mentioned on the phone at dawn must be the same.

The existence of a potion that can maximize the physical abilities of the Awakened ‘without side effects’ was also revolutionary.

Right then.

Marina received an email.

It was the WSA’s [World Special Ability association] internal security email, which is rarely sent unless it is a very special case.

[VVIP is deeply interested in Kang Shin-hwa, classified as Code A in the Asian region.]

[Prior approval has been granted for the strengthening potion that was specially reported at dawn. Secure the entire quantity.]

‘VVIP… is moving?’

A mysterious figure who has never been seen even after working at WSA for nearly 10 years.

The top manager called VVIP has finally started to show interest in Shin-hwa.