Game Opportunities Become Reality Episode 86
============================================================
Game Opportunities Become Reality Episode 86
24. Holy Sword or Lightsaber (1)
True to being an 8th-tier Opportunity quest reward not yet obtained, Blue Moon was no mere run-of-the-mill group surviving on contract work.
They owned various businesses, which could be broadly classified into four categories.
The first was contract work, including assassinations.
The second was the intelligence business, leveraging the abilities of Opportunity manager Chester.
The third was luxury hotels and resorts with chains worldwide, along with clubs, casinos, and other lodging & entertainment facilities operating out of those locations.
And the fourth and final category was shipping and trade.
"Huh, you're saying all these brands belong to Blue Moon?"
"Yes, that's correct."
Whatever I thought of, Blue Moon's scale exceeded imagination.
The contract and intelligence businesses operated under various names, like different guilds, covering the entire world without a single gap.
And hearing the names of the luxury hotels and resorts Blue Moon owned, I was startled.
The brand was called 'Pacific' a dinosaur-class chain that had expanded ferociously over the past few years, acquiring and merging numerous hotels and resorts to grow its size.
Pacific wasn't publicly listed, but it held over 4,000 business locations worldwide, and the number of rooms in Pacific hotels alone reached roughly 700,000.
It wasn't the world's number one, but it was at least a brand within the top five globally, with an estimated market capitalization of around 50 trillion.
Even the hotel I stayed at during my visit to the holy land was a Pacific, so I could only say it was impressive.
"Pacific Hotel is surprising, but I never imagined Semein Trading or Republic Merchant Marine were Blue Moon's property either. To think they were operating so openly."
Though not on Pacific Hotel's level, the trading company Semein Trading and the shipping firm Republic Merchant Marine were hardly small companies.
Contract work, intelligence, lodging & entertainment those made sense, but shipping and trade felt like an unexpected business.
However, thinking about it more carefully, it seemed like a business with pretty decent synergy with Blue Moon's other operations.
'It feels perfect for smuggling and money laundering.'
For the record, these people are not honest businesspeople.
They are, strictly speaking, a criminal organization operating worldwide not only do they own a massive hotel chain that provides stable income and can serve as a base, they also possess their own distribution network and the businesses to manage it.
I couldn't help but be amazed at the scale all over again.
If you added up the total value of all the businesses Blue Moon held, it probably approached nearly 100 trillion.
But Blue Moon's true value wasn't merely in the market capitalization of the companies it possessed.
"All special-class members are at the level of Aura Masters, Grand Mages, or supreme spirit summoners."
That was because the people belonging to the organization were its greatest strength.
"The special-class members total eight. Three assassin-type Aura Masters, one regular Aura Master, two Grand Mages, and two supreme spirit summoners."
Once I reached the 8th Circle, that meant eight transcendent beings of Aura Master level would be under my command.
At this level, they could even attack the Linehart royal house, counted among the powerful nations.
It truly felt like an organization built with serious intent.
"Additionally, we have 1,200 High Knight-level assassins armed with Force Daggers, 450 Vanguards, and 5 Sky Fortresses."
"Impressive. To think you even possess an army. Did Grand Duke Lucas create the Sky Fortresses?"
"No. They are standard Sky Fortresses produced by the Prius Republic. We acquired them while taking over three armed mafia groups in the Republic."
So in the Prius Republic, mafias even possessed Sky Fortresses?
No matter how advanced a political system existed, it was fascinating that a country could deteriorate that badly when the politicians governing it were corrupt.
If I could use them to support the revolutionary army, it would be a great help.
"So, what do you think? Are you satisfied with Blue Moon?"
"Words aren't necessary. Blue Moon is an organization that cannot be valued."
I answered George Basen, Blue Moon's leader, with a smile.
For someone from the underworld, to have military power that surpasses most ducal houses how could I have any complaints?
'As expected of someone like Grand Duke Lucas, even the intelligence organization he holds is no joke.'
As a noble, I can only be grateful for Grand Duke Lucas's thoughtfulness in preparing even such an indispensable organization for me.
It's only at the alliance stage for now, not something I own outright, but it put my mind at ease.
"For now, it would be enough if you could provide information and dispatch personnel as needed. That's doable, right?"
"Understood. Let's do that."
And just like that, I easily secured Blue Moon's cooperation.
Knowing that such an incredible organization was the next stage's reward, I couldn't help but feel great.
At that moment, Chester, appearing as a hologram, extended a hand toward me.
[A ticket has arrived.]
And that message appeared on my terminal.
I looked at Chester with an expression asking what this was.
[It's a membership card that grants access to all lodging establishments owned by Blue Moon. Present it, and you can always use the top-floor penthouse without any identity verification process.]
"Ooh, nice. Thank you."
Since Pacific Hotels exist all over the world, it was quite a useful gift.
Then Chester's gaze briefly turned toward Arcia.
[Arcia.]
"Yes."
Arcia, who had been quietly eating snacks beside me, turned her emerald eyes toward Chester.
[No, it's nothing.]
But he seemed to start to say something, then stopped.
Naturally, I tilted my head in confusion, and Chester, saying his business was done, bid farewell and vanished.
"What was that?"
It could have been a trivial action, but an artificial intelligence wouldn't do something meaningless.
So I looked at Arcia, and she just shrugged as if she had no idea either.
I had been in a great mood, only to be left puzzled by his inexplicable behavior.
'It probably doesn't matter.'
If it were truly important, he wouldn't have held back from saying it.
I brushed it off and extended my hand to the leader of Blue Moon.
"Let's meet again sometime."
"Yes, I look forward to working with you."
Though it was simply a cooperative relationship, the leader of Blue Moon acted as if I were his master.
* * *
Around the time Ibril's first Saintess selection competition was nearing its end.
"Oh, you succeeded?"
At the Pacific Hotel penthouse in the Holy Land, I received an item someone handed me and let out an exclamation.
"It took longer than expected. Sorry for the delay."
"Not at all. I never imagined an ancient Holy Relic would be easy to fix."
The someone I met at the Pacific Hotel was Coby Ventri, the Holy Land's master engineer and a half-dwarf of dark-skinned descent, and the item he handed me was the hilt of a Holy Sword from the Mythic Age that I had commissioned him to repair.
It was already an item well-maintained to begin with, but after passing through his hands, it became as good as brand new.
It was an exceedingly ornate cudgel, with Orichalcum's milky metallic body inscribed with teratomorphic divine magic circles, and a blood-red Holy Blood Stone set at the top as the centerpiece.
But what mattered wasn't its clean appearance.
It was whether this ancient Relic actually worked properly.
I gripped it tightly and asked Coby.
"How do I use this?"
"Just infuse it with energy Aura, mana, Divine power, anything works."
A very simple method of use.
Without a second thought, I poured mana into the white cudgel.
And then.
-Fwoosh! Vwiiing!
A blade of light sprouted forth, accompanied by its characteristic hum.
'Star WarX?'
It felt similar to the lightsaber from that movie I watched as a kid, the one with the famous line "I am your father."
"Oh, that's awesome."
At the design that stirred my inner child, I kept letting out exclamations, and even Coby, who must have already finished testing it, watched the Holy Relic operate with deep interest.
I swung the sword this way and that.
Since it wasn't a physical blade but one made of light, it had no blade face like a normal sword, so no matter which direction I swung, anything touched by the light was cut.
"Whoa, the cutting power is incredible, isn't it?"
"Ugh, Marquess! Blood! Blood!"
I'd better not swing this around carelessly until I get used to it.
After all, I'd just ended up injuring myself by slicing my own belly while showing off and swinging it wildly.
"I didn't even notice I was cut."
"Aaaah! Someone call a priest!"
Coby's flustered cry.
I collapsed to the floor, bleeding profusely as all the strength drained from my body.
Just then, Arcia, who had been occupying one side of the room, strode over to me.
And then, somehow or other, she opened my subspace on her own, pulled out the special potion I had made by mixing a drop of Elixir into a High Potion just in case, and poured it over my belly.
Bubbles frothed up from my stomach, and the pain faded away.
"That was a close one."
As I sprang to my feet, Coby stumbled and fell on his rear, while Arcia shook her head, took the Holy Relic from my hand, and stored it back into my subspace.
"Using that item will require considerable training."
"Y-Yeah."
By the way, you did that last time too how exactly do you keep opening my subspace?
I got up with a dazed look, leaning on Arcia for support.
"It's perfect. Thank you for fixing it properly."
"Are you sure you're alright? You lost a lot of blood."
"Haha, of course. I don't die from something like this."
"Well, I'm glad to hear that, but..."
Honestly, that was the biggest threat to my life since I reincarnated in Rondel and Anna's poisoning attempt.
"Here's the payment we agreed upon."
"Thank you. If you ever need my help, feel free to contact me. Repairing the Holy Sword with my own hands it was a truly wonderful experience."
"Yes, understood."
After Coby left, Arcia dragged me to the bed and laid me down. I took out the Holy Sword from my subspace and read its information.
[Please name the Holy Sword.]
"Huh?"
But before I could read the information, a notice like the one above floated up over the Myriad Mirror.
So, without thinking, I blurted out a name.
"Excalibur?"
[The nameless Holy Sword shall be given the name Excalibur.]
As an Earthling, when you think holy sword, it's got to be Excalibur.
[Holy Sword Excalibur / Holy Relic]
-Shapes all kinds of energy Aura, mana, Divine power, Spirit Power, etc. into a Holy Blade.
-The Holy Blade is structurally similar to an Aura Blade, but it carries the energy of Parma, dealing far greater damage to enemies of dark or undead nature.
-By pouring in a massive amount of energy like the Force, one can release the Holy Blade as a projectile.
-Material: Orichalcum (350g), Holy Blood Stone (32g)
After reading the Holy Sword's information, I wore a deeply satisfied expression.
Looking at it now, it wasn't just shaped like a sword functionally, it seemed hardly different from a Force Sword.
And being able to release a Strike on par with an Aura Blade made it a treasure that would diversify my combat patterns even further.
'The Viscount Parma family was a giving tree.'
I recalled the viscount family that had been sacrificed in the Domain War and offered up a prayer of gratitude.
Now I needed to think about how to best use this in Ibril's contest.
* * *
The First Round of the month-long Saintess contest had come to an end.
I stood in front of the Jordy Kingdom's mercenary guild, holding a bouquet of flowers to give Ibril.
But...
"Lady Ibril!"
A little drama unfolded where the mercenaries burst into tears, begging Ibril to become a Saintess, and I couldn't easily get close.
I wore a Dismayed Expression at the sight of gruff old men clinging to a young girl with such sentimentality, while Ibril herself gave an awkward smile, looking troubled.
"I'll do my best!"
"We'll cheer you on!"
Among the Saintess candidates who had gotten along well with the other mercenaries during the First Round were Ibril, our ally Esther, and the dark horse rapidly rising through the ranks, the Eastern princess 'Sia Rin.'
These three never hesitated to cast holy magic on others.
Setting aside Ibril and Esther, who were of common birth, the other candidates from noble families wouldn't even deign to associate with the mercenaries yet Princess 'Sia Rin,' despite being of royal blood, acted without any airs, which was surprising.
It was probably due to cultural differences, but she had no tendency to look down on commoners just because of differing status.
Thanks to that, as her personality became known to the public, by the time the First Round ended, she made a spectacular showing by surpassing Princess Francis in viewership ratings to take fourth place.
Even I, Ibril's Sponsor, found my eyes drawn to Princess Sia Rin so of course other viewers would feel the same.
Well, Princess Francis, with her steel mentality, didn't seem to care about any of that, but watching the dark horse surge up, the Saintess contest didn't look like it would flow smoothly.
"You've worked hard."
Finally handing the flower to Ibril, who was free from the mercenaries, she received it and showed a pure, simple smile.
"I hope I can live up to the Lord's expectations."
"You are doing more than enough."
"Hehe."
The First Saintess contest has two categories: 'official scores' and 'unofficial scores.'
First, the official score is about how many merits one accumulated while working as a mercenary according to the given tasks.
In this regard, Arcia took second place, aided by the support of her fellow party members, the Magic Swordsmen.
First place went to the High Elf Grace, who was practically a machine that just did quests with a straight face there was simply no beating her.
Second in mercenary merits was Ibril, third was Princess Evelyn of the Francis Ducal House, who had formed a party with the Empire's finest talents, fourth was Judy Esther, and fifth was Princess Sia Rin.
And unlike the official scores, there was an unofficial score that wasn't directly evaluated in the contest but couldn't be ignored the viewership ratings.
Here, Ibril pulled far ahead of second place by a double score, achieving an overwhelming first place.
Second in viewership ratings was Judy Esther, third was the High Elf Grace, fourth was Princess Sia Rin, and fifth was Princess Evelyn Francis.
For Ibril, a commoner who had been working part-time at a convenience store just a few months ago, it was a very successful start.