I'm the Only Wizard Climbing the Tower - Chapter 68

WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Hydrogen B.

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

Chapter 68: 068

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Right after returning to reality.

-Thud!

I set down the Large Magic Stone Reactor artifact.

It was so massive that it weighed several tons.

-Crunch!

Our floor got completely wrecked.

The concrete beneath the vinyl flooring shattered into pieces.

Goodbye, beautiful semi-basement floor.

After suffering under all that weight, you finally breathed your last.

Even so, I couldn't have been happier.

I'd finally secured my target generating capacity.

“Make Korea Great Again!!!”

Bring me a red hat already!

I can't hold myself back anymore!

Na Hyeji, who had been watching, muttered.

“A Large Magic Stone Reactor... It has a 100 GW capacity. Does that mean you've really gathered enough Magic Stone Reactors to supply electricity to all of the Republic of Korea?”

“That's right. Extreme Lunatic Hell Magic Stone power generation is right around the corner!”

“Wow, this is actually happening.”

“There is no such thing as impossible in the dictionary of this noble and magnificent Extreme Lunatic Hell Wizard Hunter! Even if that impossible task is building the Extreme Lunatic Hell Power Plant!”

“Honestly, I can't believe it. This can really work?”

Na Hyeji looked a little dazed.

The power plant construction I'd shouted about as a habit was finally taking shape, so she probably felt strange about it.

Anyway, I looked over the Magic Stone Reactors with satisfied eyes.

The reactors that had been piled up in the living room.

Four Small ones, one Medium one.

And now, one Large one.

A total generating capacity of 114 GW.

With this, I could save King Korea's energy security!

“I need to tell Hunter Gallery this happy news right away!”

-Click!

I quickly took a picture.

Then I made a post on Hunter Gallery.

[Post Title: Attention. The groundbreaking ceremony for the Extreme Lunatic Hell Power Plant will now begin. All Hunter Gallery users, please take your seats.]

[Author: Blue Dot]

(A picture of the Magic Stone Reactors arranged in the living room)

This newbie Hunter Gallery user.

Reached Floor 25 today...

Just like I heard, there were a lot of Golems.

...Instead of the usual kind of post.

I'll tell Hunter Gallery users some very important news.

I found a Large Magic Stone Reactor on Floor 25.

It has a generating capacity of 100 GW.

I'd gathered four Small ones and one Medium one so far.

And now I've gathered one Large one too.

That brings my generating capacity to 114 GW!

I can now meet the electricity demand of the entire Republic of Korea.

I've secured every Magic Stone Reactor needed to build the Extreme Lunatic Hell Power Plant!

Everyone, applause!

Clap clap clap clap clap clap!!!

Now I'll begin preparing for power generation in earnest.

Electricity bills in our country should get cheaper soon.

From now on, I hope you will praise, worship, revere, and respect this body, Blue Dot!

Make Korea Great Again!

Make the Republic of Korea Great Again!

└As expected, the Great Blue Dot is the only one worrying about the country!!!

└Is this bastard still doing the power plant concept? It's getting old... Got anything else?

└So how much did you make today?

└└Blue Dot: I killed 10 Steel Golems and 308 Rock Golems, so I made 122,400 Points. Got that much loot too. But that's not important right now;; I'm telling you, I'm building a power plant?

└└Yes yes, understood.

└I know it's all fake and delusional, but it's nice to see him at least imagining himself caring about our country. Please protect the Republic of Korea's energy security.

└└Blue Dot: Just leave it to me. I will save this country's industry and economy.

└└Lmao why is this bastard being so full of himself so funny

└└The country's going under, but it's nice to see you cheerfully laughing and talking, Blue Dot...

└Lmao the living room floor is caved in. Did you add the broken floor effect because it's supposedly too heavy? This bastard is surprisingly good at AI pictures.

└└For real. If you put in a weird prompt, it starts looking awkward right away, but this guy gets pretty natural pictures.

└└The Great Blue Dot pays attention to the details too. He deserves to become a well-liked regular on Hunter Gallery.

└How much are you selling electricity for?

└└Blue Dot: How much does electricity cost right now?

└└Isn't it around 300 won per kWh on average? I heard electricity bills are nearly twice what they used to be because prices went up like crazy.

└└Blue Dot: Wow, that really is insanely expensive. For now, I'm thinking of selling it at less than half that. Maybe even much cheaper. I need to do some calculations.

└└Lmao, what is half-price electricity? Is this big-hearted electricity pricing?

└└My biggest wish is for electricity bills to get cheaper, fuck. It's hot as hell, but I can't even turn on the air conditioner.

└└Please normalize electricity prices. I'm rooting for you.

└└Rooting for what? Stop doing this stupid concept already. The server is slow as hell, and you're just posting garbage to eat up traffic.

└└Don't be too harsh on him. Every post on Hunter Gallery is just the country is doomed, we're fucked, that kind of thing anyway. Even a crazy post like this is better haha.

└└Hmm... That's true. Now that I think about it, this bastard is better than those whiners who only cry about the country being doomed.

...

“Heh heh. Hunter Gallery users are giving me such an enthusiastic response.”

“Um... Jiho, no matter how I look at it, they aren't cheering you on. They're just mocking you.”

“A happy day like this needs pictures. Sis!”

After checking Hunter Gallery's reaction, I called for my sister.

She slowly walked out of her room when I called.

“Jiho, did you call me? Huh? What's this now? Why is there something like a refrigerator in the living room... Wait, what is this?! Jiho! What happened to the floor?”

“Sis. Today is a happy day. Let's take a commemorative photo.”

“...A commemorative photo? For what?”

“Everyone, take your seats! Take your seats! The groundbreaking ceremony for the Extreme Lunatic Hell Power Plant will now begin!”

“?”

I took a commemorative picture for the groundbreaking ceremony.

With the Magic Stone Reactors in the living room as the background.

I stood in the middle, with Hyeji on my left and my sister on my right.

Iing Iing sat on top of my head.

Then I set my smartphone camera to a timer.

-Click!

With the wrecked semi-basement living room behind us, a commemorative photo of the Extreme Lunatic Hell Power Plant was taken, featuring me, my sister, Hyeji, and Iing Iing.

I smiled contentedly as I looked at the picture.

“This photo will remain as a historical record.”

“Jiho is really excited.”

“Ah, right! A groundbreaking ceremony can't be complete without its highlight, the ribbon-cutting ceremony! Next, we will have the ribbon-cutting ceremony!”

“...”

I held the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Riiip!

I pulled out a huge length of packing tape that had been lying around in the corner, had Na Hyeji hold it, then snipped it with kitchen scissors.

-Click! Click!

Iing Iing excitedly took pictures with my smartphone.

“Iing Iing. Did you get good pictures?”

-Iing Iing!

“Good! Well done, Iing Iing! They came out really well.”

“...”

I preserved the ribbon-cutting ceremony in photos too.

These would one day hang in my Extreme Lunatic Hell Power Plant Memorial Hall.

After causing such a fuss, I spoke quietly.

“Now let's call Han Seonga.”

* * *

As usual, Han Seonga arrived within ten minutes.

The moment I saw her, I announced it out of nowhere.

“I'm going to build the Extreme Lunatic Hell Power Plant.”

“...”

“You know about it, right?”

The National Intelligence Service couldn't possibly have missed the posts I'd been dumping onto Hunter Gallery.

The power plant construction I'd been shouting about desperately for the past few days.

She must have known in advance.

Han Seonga slowly nodded.

“I... do know. We have been checking every one of Baek Jiho's posts.”

“Then this will be quick. Look at this.”

I casually showed her the Magic Stone Reactors piled in one side of the living room.

Artifacts with a combined generating capacity of 114 GW.

Han Seonga swallowed dryly.

“I wondered whether it could really be possible... but you finally did it.”

“I didn't expect to gather them this quickly either.”

“Hunter Baek Jiho.”

Han Seonga straightened her back with a serious expression.

Then she bowed deeply.

“Thank you very much. With these Magic Stone Reactors, the safety of our country will be greatly helped.”

“Me, you mean.”

“...I will spare no effort in helping you build the power plant. Please tell me what support you need. We will provide the maximum possible support, whether it involves personnel, materials, or funding.”

“First, I need electricity experts. I don't know a damn thing about power generation. I need guidelines on how to build and operate it.”

Building a power plant!

It was exciting just to imagine.

I could provide cheap electricity to the Republic of Korea, which was struggling due to its energy shortage?

It made my heart swell.

Sadly...

I didn't know a damn thing about electricity or power generation.

Everything I knew about power generation was around the level of, ‘Boil water, turn a turbine, and electricity comes out.’

It was barely common knowledge.

I knew nothing at all about complicated things like substations and transmission networks.

I needed to call in experts and ask for their opinions.

“Understood. I'll find them immediately.”

Han Seonga nodded.

But why were her eyes gleaming so dangerously?

Tap tap.

Han Seonga picked up her smartphone and tapped away at it.

About twenty minutes passed.

-Knock knock knock.

There was a knock outside the front door.

“Jiho, I'll get it.”

My sister went to open the door.

Then.

“Mmph! Mmph!”

“Mmmph!”

“...?”

National Intelligence Service agents in black suits.

Were carrying three middle-aged men inside.

Their eyes were covered with blindfolds, their mouths were gagged, and their arms were bound.

What was this?

I was pretty sure I'd asked her to bring electricity experts.

Han Seonga spoke quietly.

“Allow me to introduce them. This is Professor Jang Baljeon of Korea University, this is Research Director Park Jeonmang of the Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute, and this is Professor Kim Songjeon of Korea Energy University. They are the Republic of Korea's foremost experts in power grids and power generation systems.”

“Mmph! Mmph! Mmph!”

“Um... Didn't you kidnap them?”

“Time is of the essence. I thought it was appropriate to use somewhat forceful measures. And... this method is better for security as well.”

“...”

She'd suddenly kidnapped civilians in only twenty minutes.

Was this really okay?

Well... she must have done it because it was okay?

Anyway, the electricity experts had arrived!

“I'll remove their blindfolds and gags.”

Han Seonga removed the men's blindfolds and gags.

Then.

“Mmph! Hah! Who the hell are you people?! What is this all of a sudden...!”

“Where are we?!”

“Why did you bring us to this run-down semi-basement...?!”

The men burst out with complaints.

Sorry for having a run-down semi-basement.

It was still a fairly comfortable nest, you know.

Though now the floor was broken, mold had formed from the humidity, and the living room was cramped enough to be full with just five people in it.

Actually, now that I looked at it, it did seem like a run-down semi-basement.

I needed to move soon.

Anyway.

“Welcome to my home, strangers. I am Baek Jiho, an enlightened Hunter who watches over the citizens of his homeland.”

“Did you kidnap us?! What do you want?!”

“Wait... That thing. Could it be?”

While I was in the middle of pretending to be King Sejong and playing the role of a wise ruler, one of them suddenly pointed somewhere in shock.

What he pointed at was none other than.

The Magic Stone Reactors sitting prominently behind me.

“Th-that. Could it be...?”

“No way. At that size, it has to be a Large one, right?!”

“Our country had Magic Stone Reactors? And this many of them?!”

The electricity experts stared at the Magic Stone Reactors with astonished eyes.

Since they recognized them, this would be easy.

I grinned and said.

“Ah... So you know. This is called a 『Magic Stone Reactor』. Put Magic Stones inside, and it produces electricity.”

“They really are Magic Stone Reactors...”

“Wait. Is the reason you called us here, could it be...?!”

“That's right. Professor-level engineering nerds. You have been chosen as the core executives of my Extreme Lunatic Hell Power Plant!”

Originally, I had only planned to get their advice.

But the National Intelligence Service had even wrapped them nicely and delivered them to me.

Didn't that mean it was the perfect chance to conscript them?

Glance.

I turned my gaze toward Han Seonga.

She somehow read my expression and answered.

“They are talented people proven in both ability and reputation. You may recruit them.”

“Are they people I can trust?”

“They could easily have immigrated overseas, but they remained at their posts until the end. They even rejected recruitment offers from Japan, China, and the United States. If it's them, they will gladly help you.”

“Oh, good.”

They were capable patriotic engineering nerds!

Very nice.

Ahem. I cleared my throat.

Then I spoke quietly to them.

“Hello. I'm Baek Jiho, and I will build the Extreme Lunatic Hell Power Plant to supply cheap, abundant electricity to the entire population. I need your expertise. I have four Small Magic Stone Reactors, one Medium one, and one Large one prepared. Please tell me how to build a power plant with these.”

Despite me revealing my ambition.

They weren't listening at all.

They had already begun a heated discussion.

“With just that one 10 GW reactor, we could completely replace the fossil fuel power complexes in Taean and Dangjin!”

“If we make use of the existing transmission lines and connect it directly to the already-installed 765 kV lines... we could send it straight to the Seoul metropolitan area through the Sinseosan and Bukdangjin substations. That would be more reasonable.”

“Let's keep Kori, Hanul, and Hanbit running for now. It would be more efficient to replace the thermal power complexes first.”

“What do we do with the 100 GW Large Magic Stone Reactor? Every substation in the area would explode.”

“At first, we'd need to limit the output and gradually increase it...”

“765 kV... No, we'd need to build hundreds of HVDC transmission towers. And what about the substations...”

“Damn it. Can't we get something like a room-temperature, normal-pressure superconductor? Something like LK-999.”

“You know perfectly well that's a scam. Why are you bringing it up?”

“That's how frustrating this is. Even with a 100 GW Magic Stone Reactor, we'd have to unlock its output gradually...!”

They talked noisily.

Perhaps they had forgotten that they were kidnapped, because the experts debated fiercely with their hands still bound.

They were handling things well on their own.

It was nice to see how motivated they were.

Leaving the men to their discussion.

“Sis!”

Bang!

I opened the door and entered my sister's room.

For reference, my sister and Hyeji had shut themselves in the room.

The living room was too cramped with five people and all the Magic Stone Reactors.

I told my sister.

“Sis. I'm going to put you in a position.”

“?”

“You're now my manager and the deputy director of the Extreme Lunatic Hell Power Plant. From now on, you handle the practical work of operating the power plant. Whenever I get Magic Stone Reactors, I'll give them to you.”

“???”

My sister looked at me with confused eyes.

Her expression said, Why were you making her do it of all people?

“I don't know anything about electricity or power generation.”

“But sis used to work for a trading company.”

“...I did work for one. So what?”

I sometimes forgot.

But my sister used to work for a major conglomerate's general trading company.

And wasn't a trading company another word for a shop that sold everything?

From ramen to missiles.

From toothpicks to satellites.

They bought and sold anything that made money!

If my sister had worked for a trading company.

Wouldn't she be good enough at buying Magic Stones and selling electricity?

“Jiho, what exactly do you think I am... I don't know how to operate a power plant...”

“I don't care! You're the person I trust most, so you do it. I'm too busy climbing the Tower.”

“There are departments at trading companies that handle projects involving power plants and telecommunications networks, but I wasn't in one of those departments. I really don't know anything about electricity. I'd have to learn everything from the beginning.”

“...Trading companies do that kind of work too?”

Amazing.

Trading companies really were shops that sold everything.

What kind of ordinary private company got involved with social infrastructure?

Anyway... she'd figure it out, right?

The three best experts in the country were helping her.

And the National Intelligence Service had said they would help if needed.

So my sister would be a sort of professional manager.

Honestly, my sister.

She'd gotten plenty of benefits thanks to her amazing little brother.

All she did was call in loot buyers in the morning and sell them the loot.

I'd been completely tax-exempt ever since I reached the Middle Floors.