Ch.380375 – Combat Data

The definition of Personal Combat Simulation (PCS) is quite broad.

Even virtual reality games like World of Arsheria or Resonance are sometimes broadly categorized as PCS.

Cecilia herself received help from NASA’s self-developed PCS, so using such systems isn’t entirely prohibited.

However, the situation becomes serious when information about specific individuals is illegally collected.

“Y-yes… I understand. Take care on your way home too, Master.”

Emika ended the call from the Katsuhata school with a grave expression.

“How much personal information was leaked exactly?”

“Physical data, aura output, my primary sword techniques, decision-making patterns, casting speed, reaction time, agility, aura recovery… With a 96% match rate, it seems like almost everything.”

“For how long?”

“From competitions I participated in over the past year up to this year’s National Exchange Competition round of 16.”

“Then someone must have brought measuring equipment into the arena, right? Things like aura output can’t be analyzed just from watching videos.”

“That’s probably the case…”

Mages are valuable national defense assets.

Even if the information was extracted just to win a competition, there were plenty of ways it could be misused.

This unsettling news came before she could fully enjoy the joy of winning the National Exchange Competition.

With the atmosphere turning gloomy, Emika rested her chin on her hand and stared blankly out the window.

There’s no proper solution for personal information leaks.

Even if all the perpetrators were caught and punished, her information would still exist somewhere in the world.

Before getting off the plane, I gently took her hand and interlaced our fingers.

“…?”

“Emika, you’re improving every day. That’s how you won the finals. Just become so much stronger that all the leaked information becomes completely useless.”

I raised our joined hands together in a fighting pose.

Emika burst into laughter and affectionately patted my head.

“Haha, right. Thanks for cheering me up, Name. I feel better now.”

When else would I use my young age to my advantage if not at times like this?

The ability to heal wounds with obvious words is a privilege only children have.

We arrived at Gimpo Business Aviation Center at 9:30 PM.

Separated from the building used by regular travelers, the place felt eerily quiet.

Security screening, immigration, quarantine, and customs clearance were all completed in just 10 minutes.

After saying goodbye to the Katsuhata school members who had accompanied us, we took a driverless taxi and traveled for another hour.

Emika, being a morning person, fell asleep quickly from exhaustion.

It felt lonely watching by myself.

I leaned my head on her shoulder and took a photo.

[Group Chat: “Lonely Name Room” #NoName #Lonely #Pic #LonelyNameRoom #NoChitChat]

[1500/1500 members | Created 2051.7.23.]

(Snoozing.jpg)

* * *

According to the joint investigation by the World Mage Federation and the National Exchange Competition Organizing Committee, the personal information leak was much more extensive, affecting 43 out of 64 participants.

Despite the hard-earned world championship, the nation’s reputation was plummeting.

I wondered how Emika felt watching Japan’s real-time downfall from across the sea.

“Mmm! This red bean shaved ice is oishii!”

“How is it? Super sweet and delicious, right? Want me to add more condensed milk on top?”

“Saet-byeol, you’re so kind. Thank you!”

She didn’t seem particularly concerned.

Then again, Emika is only fifteen years old.

She smiled brightly while enjoying desserts that had been forbidden by her family elders.

‘She seems happier than when she won the championship.’

Perhaps knowing she wasn’t the only victim of the information leak had eased her psychological burden.

“Ah…! No, I really need to stop eating now. I’ll gain weight if I eat more.”

“You’ll gain weight from that? You look skinny no matter how I look at you.”

“I have a body type that gains weight easily. Saet-byeol, do you exercise? Your body line looks really pretty.”

“Me? Well, jogging I guess?”

“Hey Cheon Saet-byeol, you haven’t been jogging lately because of the heat.”

When I abruptly cut in, Saet-byeol frowned.

“I hate that damp, sweaty feeling in my clothes.”

“You could exercise in an air-conditioned gym.”

“Treadmills are what I hate most in this world. I don’t understand how everyone forces themselves to do something so boring.”

“Saet-byeol is already pretty enough. Big chest, super thin waist.”

“Hehehe.”

“Ugh, she’s loving it.”

This universal culture of women complimenting each other is something I still don’t understand, even after living as a woman for 34 years.

I put an apple on my fork and silently stared at my phone for a while.

Ding-

“Mmph! What!”

A message from the High Mage Qualification Assessment Agency.

I bit into the apple and hurriedly opened the file they sent.

“Appointment Letter

NoName

Appointed as General High Mage

July 31, 2052

President Lee Jo-won”

“Finally.”

I was worried they might find excuses to reject it, but fortunately that didn’t happen.

“Wow! You really passed? You’re a High Mage now, sis?”

“Hmm. Nothing to get excited about. This was the expected outcome.”

I composed my expression and responded as if it were no big deal.

In the first half of 2052, 27 people besides me received the High Mage title.

There was a diverse age range, from graduate students in their late 20s to professors in their 50s.

I nodded while looking through the A-class innate magic that others had invented.

“Emika, look at this. This person implemented a photonic cascade amplification reaction as magic. It says it’s a light magic with destructive power. Isn’t that fascinating?”

“Hmm, I can’t really imagine it.”

“Right? I should try it myself sometime. There are so many interesting things here.”

“So are you going to create a clan now?”

I shook my head at Adella’s question.

“No, I’ve already created the clan. I just didn’t have the authority. Look here.”

Three heads gathered in a circle around the table.

“Just a moment, let me install my digital certificate.”

I verified my identity, entered account information, and created a password.

“Oh, I need to verify my main bank account too? Just a second.”

I went into the banking app again to complete the annoying verification process.

“Guardian verification is also required. Wait, what was Professor Cheon’s resident registration number again?”

“Arrrgh! How much longer do we have to wait!”

“Almost done.”

The application we finally accessed.

It greeted us with a stiff, clunky design that looked like it belonged 10 or 20 years ago.

[Korean Mage Federation – CLAN]

“What’s with this Gothic font? Is this North Korea or something?”

“Name, is this maybe some kind of scam application? It looks really suspicious.”

“Well, considering it’s used by older people, we should cut it some slack. If you go to the National R&D Integrated Announcements here. See? Various research service contracts are posted, and we can win these projects one by one.”

Since it’s hard to understand just by explanation, I showed an example.

“Research on magic for automatic control of waterway maintenance and drainage facilities for flood prevention. To ensure magic circles operate stably even without people nearby, mages need to be commissioned for optimal design.”

“Ooh. Seeing it like this, magic seems really useful. But would I be able to help in the clan? I don’t know as many types of magic as Name. And I’m not good at science.”

“How much do you know?”

“Physics… about college freshman level.”

“Well… that should be enough, I think?”

Suddenly, Saet-byeol shot us an incredulous look.

Her elongated eyes gradually turned teary.

“Waaah! I really can’t talk with these monsters! Emika, how can you say you’re not good enough when you know college-level stuff? And sis, how can you just accept that statement?”

I got down from my chair and hugged Saet-byeol from behind to comfort her.

The strong scent of shampoo tickled my nose.

“Still, since I learned that my mana tax is being used for good purposes like this, I feel a bit less resistant. Though I still think it’s expensive.”

“Sis, please! If you’re going to comfort me, comfort me properly! Ah forget it, just go away.”

“Enough?”

“No, don’t actually leave when I tell you to go.”

While I was petting the cat-like Saet-byeol, Emika stroked her chin and asked.

“I have a question.”

“What is it?”

“Isn’t ‘unni’ a Korean term used for older females? Why does Saet-byeol call Name ‘unni’?”

“Oh!”

“Ah!”

Both of us were at a loss for words.

We had been too comfortable with Emika being a foreigner.

“Ah, about that! Name and I had a bet with night study time at stake, and I lost! Hahaha! So I have to keep calling Name ‘unni.’ Right, unni?”

Nod nod-

After hearing the explanation about night study time, Emika’s eyes sparkled.

“Ooh, that sounds fun. I should try it when I go back to Japan.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea, Emika.”

“Why?”

“Just don’t do it if I say don’t.”

If she asks what useless things she learned in Korea, I’ll be the only one in an awkward position.

“Until the clan grows, I’ll handle these research contracts myself. There’s a different role I want Emika to take.”

I moved from the government project sector to the corporate project sector.

Most of the projects were related to open-world games.

“Adel-“

“Shhh!”

“Ah, Saet-byeol. Do you remember Valrum Venaons? The Gentleman of the Library.”

“Of course I know! I… can’t even say it here.”

“Valrum Venaons?”

“Yes, it’s a mid-boss name in World of Arsheria. When I looked it up, I found they used combat data from a Chinese Zhongnan Sect mage. In virtual reality games, boss monsters usually require mage combat data. Sometimes they even develop unique magic and transfer the copyright entirely. They’d get paid handsomely for it.”

Alphonse’s unique magic, Ashtile’s Ring, was such a case.

I remember it was created by outsourcing to a famous British clan.

Large clans can directly outsource, but smaller clans need to create work first and then win bids.

“Unlike other businesses, working in virtual reality generates the most net profit, making it perfect for growing a clan.”

In modern society, money is the strongest motivator.

With just a few success stories, people will gather quickly.

Once you have people, you can build houses or dig wells.

“But using Katsuhata-style for that…”

“Who said to use that? I’ll teach you something new. The sword techniques I taught you during training camp.”

“Really? That’s great!”

Emika is happy to learn new sword techniques, and I’m happy to use them as business items for the clan.

“Then let’s start looking tonight for styles that match our combat styles well. You too, Adella.”

“Huh? Me too? Are you actually going to pay me properly for this?”

“Pay? Pay-what?”

I made the numbers 2, 1, 0, 0 with my fingers.

‘Forgot about the 210 billion won?’

Adella pouted and collapsed dramatically on the glass table.

“Hmph…”

“I’ll add one more can of tuna to your dinner table every day.”