Level 4 Human in a Ruined World

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Chapter 458: High-Growth Stock (2)

Investment.

In the dictionary, it means “providing capital for something in order to gain profit.”

Conversely, this also means that the one receiving the investment must return profits to the investors.

‘If you just commit robbery, you don’t have to give any profit back, though.’

That’s why Yeongwoo also preferred robbery over receiving investment...

‘Hmm.’

But he couldn’t bring himself to do so because of that pale, white-haired knight—Emel.

Of course, just because someone deserves “courtesy” doesn’t mean they’re invincible, but wasn’t this place filled with five noble space clans, including Emel’s own—Shirach?

To commit robbery here, he’d need to overpower all of them. No matter how he looked at it, that didn’t seem possible.

— Investment?

Emel tilted his head slightly.

— We came here as guests of the new clan of the lower galaxy, Renaissance.

To be precise, they had come to receive the greetings of the Renaissance clan as seniors ahead by at least a few thousand years and as powerful neighbors.

— But all Renaissance has done is assault its guests... And now you’re talking about receiving investment, without even an apology?

‘Ugh, got scolded.’

As expected from the strongest clan in the lower galaxy.

They maintained their dignity to the end, speaking with perfect courtesy, and not a single word was wrong.

And above all—

‘I… I can’t beat him. That guy is insanely strong.’

In this universe, strength is the law.

Bluntly put, if you’re strong enough, you can even assault public officials and get away with it.

So Yeongwoo slid Bastard back into its scabbard on his waist and reached out to grab Bioto’s left hand.

Grab!

Bioto, who still had his sword in his right hand, flinched and looked at Yeongwoo.

— W-what the… Do you have a death wish?

Since coming to Earth, Bioto had been constantly experiencing culture shock.

While not quite at Shirach’s level, Satral was also a fairly prestigious clan in the lower galaxy.

And with strict internal discipline, the idea of someone casually touching the head of the Satral clan was unthinkable.

Yet this shameless punk was doing it for the second time.

Slide.

Yeongwoo then raised Bioto’s left hand up to his eye level and addressed the four clans standing beyond.

“We have already exchanged fists and settled the matter. Isn’t that right, Clan Head?”

When Yeongwoo looked back at Bioto after finishing his line, Bioto showed a wry smile through the cracks in his broken helmet.

— O-of course. Truly youthful vigor… I admire your spirit.

Bioto just said whatever came to mind.

At the same time, through their clasped hands, he transferred the promised amount—5 billion Karma.

Flash!

“……!”

*Available Karma: 13,264,270,016

*Available Defense Fund: 150,322,545

Yeongwoo’s personal fortune once again surpassed 10 billion Karma.

If your heart didn’t stir even a little at seeing that amount, you weren’t truly human.

“I may be poorly educated and have thus been rude to the great Hero Bioto, but my sincerity in welcoming our esteemed guests is not so shallow!”

Still holding Bioto’s hand, Yeongwoo raised his arm high.

Emel’s expression turned complicated.

He had just realized that a troublesome new clan had emerged in the lower galaxy.

“Our Renaissance has only a single day of history! And so what we can offer to our honored guests is…”

Tap.

Yeongwoo released Bioto’s hand and thrust his finger high into the air.

“Only our bright and boundless future!”

— ……

In other words, he was still sticking to that absurd “one million years per day” nonsense.

At that moment, someone standing behind Emel subtly raised a hand.

“Yes, please speak.”

When Yeongwoo turned toward the source of the presence, he saw a tall clan head wrapped in a large gray cloth over their upper body, holding their arm up.

— What are you receiving investment in? And what does the investing party get in return?

Their outer shell had a porcelain-like texture, with no eyes, nose, or mouth—like an unfinished mannequin.

But the numerous ornaments dangling from their arms and legs caught Yeongwoo’s attention.

“Your voice exudes such grace. May I ask your name, if it’s not too rude?”

In response to Yeongwoo’s question, the enormous mannequin standing beside the tall figure spoke through its sealed mouth.

— This is the great Zeana, the Mountain of the Holy Planet Shariphi!

Most likely, this guy was something like the knight commander of Satral.

Then, Bioto added in a very small voice.

—She’s the head of the Tousan family. Famous for being incredibly wealthy.

“I see… You can kind of tell just by looking.”

After hearing Bioto’s explanation, Yeongwoo jumped down from the Satral family’s palanquin to match eye level with Zeana.

Thump!

Then, after briefly glancing at Emel, who still had a displeased look on his face, he took a step toward where Zeana stood.

Clack.

“We accept investments in cash, equipment, facilities… in any form.”

—Then what do we get in return?

“A powerful and friendly neighbor.”

At Yeongwoo’s reply, Zeana slightly shrugged the shoulder hidden beneath a gray cloth.

Even though no one in the group, including her, showed any expressions, Yeongwoo could tell clearly.

That this being known as the "Mountain of the Sacred Planet" was laughing.

Then, Zeana raised one arm adorned with precious metals and pointed at Yeongwoo.

—You’re a very amusing one.

“I’ll be less amusing by tomorrow. My family’s power will rival 200 million years of history by then.”

—That ‘tomorrow’ is merely your wishful thinking, isn’t it? As you are now, you can’t take even a single step without our permission.

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It was a question implying that, regardless of what the future holds for Renaissance, for now, the gathered families could crush it at any time.

In other words, if necessary, they could annihilate Renaissance on the spot.

‘These bastards really threaten people as naturally as they breathe.’

Of course, Yeongwoo knew well that this was the nature of the universe.

So he deliberately took another step forward and continued his line.

Clack!

“That’s why you should buy my favor for the future, right now.”

—What?

“If that ‘future’ really comes, by then, you won’t be able to invest in me even if you wanted to.”

If Renaissance truly achieves growth equivalent to 100 million years per day, it wouldn’t take long before it overtook the families gathered here.

Especially considering the cosmic timescale, where millennia are just fleeting moments.

So there’d be no chance for lower-tier galactic families to toss spare change at Renaissance later.

—But you……

You could die right here, couldn’t you?

Before Zeana could finish that thought aloud, Yeongwoo cut her off.

“If I die! Of course your investments vanish. So investing in me means supporting the future of Renaissance.”

In other words, if someone were to invest in Renaissance, they’d have to ensure Yeongwoo survives this meeting.

“Tomorrow, the day after, and the day after that—we will grow exponentially stronger. Will none of you place your bet early on the family destined to be the strongest in the universe?”

—……

At present, Yeongwoo couldn’t defeat Emel, the strongest person here, and so the “future Renaissance” he spoke of seemed like a mirage, an illusion.

But everything changed when a large hand suddenly rose among the family heads.

—You seem like you’ll still be amusing tomorrow. I’ll invest.

The voice carried the weight of deep, ancient time.

Everyone turned around and soon saw it—

An old man, eyes gleaming inside a giant steel sphere.

The hand raised in the air was a mechanical arm connected to the sphere, which he rode instead of a traditional palanquin.

—Maon… Are you serious?

Emel, head of the Shirach family, looked at the old man in disbelief.

If this continued, that impudent upstart’s nonsense would no longer sound like nonsense.

Especially since the Tisef family, led by Maon, boasted a history of 740 million years—the most ancient among all present.

—Isn’t it interesting? That such a thing has appeared in our domain?

As Maon pointed a thin finger at Yeongwoo, Emel replied with a disgusted expression.

—You’d better find amusement elsewhere. That thing is not amusement—it’s a threat.

—If we can earn the favor of a family that even Shirach sees as a threat, that is interesting, wouldn’t you say?

—……

Emel fell silent immediately, and Maon’s gaze returned to Yeongwoo.

—Many families in this universe perish due to ‘offense.’ Like you, for example. So even if you survive this day, your days are likely numbered. But……

Slide.

As Maon clasped his hands together, Emel, who had subtly moved his hand near the twin swords at his waist, took a step back.

—If you can truly take a hundred-million-year stride in a single day… then what of a short life?

“…!”

Yeongwoo widened his eyes as if moved.

‘This crazy bastard… what is he even saying?’

Meanwhile, Maon slowly pushed his sphere forward, cutting through the family heads around him.

—As head of the Tisef family, I, Maon, shall invest in you. What do you want?

Yeongwoo paused for a moment to think and then threw the question back at him.

“And what is it that you want, sir?”

After all, one needs to know what the other party desires to name a fair price.

Soon, all the family heads turned their attention to Maon.

They too were curious—what would make him invest in a newborn family?

—What we desire.

Maon eventually curled one hand into a circle.

Yeongwoo didn’t quite understand, but this was the sign for “eternity.”

—Eternity.

“Eternity……?”

—An unbroken, eternal non-aggression pact, passed down through generations.

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