After all, Hana had a great reputation online.
"If you really want to become a distributor, I can offer you an alternative partnership," Nathan said after a brief silence.
"One hundred million PokéCoins annually for the license, but I'll take a 20% cut from your total sales. Would that kind of deal work for you?"
Yue and Chad were already numb to the numbers. A 20% cut of sales instead of a fixed three- hundred million license fee...
That meant Nathan was confident he could generate around ten billion PokéCoins in sales just in the island nation.
Ten billion! Even if they worked five years non-stop, the two of them combined might not make that much.
"Really?" Hana hadn't expected Nathan to offer a proposal that suited her so well.
Seeing how Nathan had just silently mulled things over, she realized this offer was something he'd come up with on the spot, just for her.
"If I said it, I meant it," Nathan nodded firmly. "And I guarantee you'll make far more than the license fee."
"Then I'll take it! Once you've drafted the contract, send it my way," Hana said happily.
Now that she had secured her future income, she could finally live a slightly easier life—no more running around like a headless chicken every day.
"Alright. I'll have someone deliver the contract when it's ready."
Landing his first regional distributor so quickly put Nathan in a great mood.
After dropping Nathan off at the hotel, Hana left to handle company matters and to propose her plans to leave the entertainment industry.
Little did she know that in just a few years, she would become the richest woman in Valar, all thanks to her exclusive rights as a distributor. But that's a story for another time.
….
Back at the hotel, Nathan was just about to shower and rest when someone suddenly knocked on the door.
"Who could it be this late? Yue and the others?" Nathan muttered as he walked over and opened the door.
But standing outside wasn't Yue or Chad—it was someone else entirely.
This person wore a black hooded sweatshirt, simple jeans, and had their hood pulled up. They also wore sunglasses and a cap.
"Who are you? What do you want?" Nathan asked warily, already on alert. After all, he wasn't in his home country—if someone had bad intentions, it could turn ugly real fast.
"Can I come in and talk?" the person spoke. It was clearly a woman's voice—pleasant and smooth.
Escort service?
The first thought that crossed Nathan's mind was: Is this one of those hotel services?
Still, if it was that kind of service, shouldn't she be dressed more provocatively? Dressed like that, a more short-tempered guy might've already punched her.
"Whatever it is, say it here," Nathan said coldly.
Letting random strangers into his room? Not a chance. This was a foreign country he had to be wary.
"It's not convenient to talk here. Don't worry, I'm not here to harm you," the woman persisted.
"Whether you mean harm or not, the fact is: strangers aren't allowed into my room."
Nathan became even more cautious.
The woman hesitated. She had thought that once Nathan realized she was a woman, he'd let her in.
But now what? Was she really supposed to speak right here in the hallway?
After scanning her surroundings and confirming no one else was nearby, she finally relaxed a little.
"I'm here on behalf of the Valar's team. I want to discuss something with you," the woman said.
Nathan paused. What was this—recruitment? Bribery? Were they trying to get him to throw a match?
"I'm curious. What exactly do you want from me under that identity?" Nathan said with a slight smile, though his heart was filled with disdain.
He figured he wasn't the only one being approached like this.
When it came to national glory, money became far less important. If that kind of honor could be bought, then any amount spent would be worth it.
Unfortunately for them, this was Nathan they were dealing with.
Money? He had his own ways of making money—and now with Dynamax Candy, he was only going to get richer.
As for women? Sorry—he already had a "pre-approved" wife. He wasn't lacking in that department either.
Even if the wildflower smelled nice, it had to be thornless and harmless.
"Join our country. We'll even help you switch to Valar citizenship."
"And if you accept, you'll receive a guaranteed annual income in PokéCoins," the woman offered again.
Nathan inwardly scoffed. So it really was about this. But had they even done their research?
Did he look like someone short on cash?
Once he returned to his country and recruited a legendary Pokémon, he'd have billions of PokéCoins at his disposal.
"Heh, if it's just money, I'm afraid I'm not very tempted," Nathan said calmly. He didn't reject her outright; he was curious what else they'd offer.
The woman came prepared. She knew not everyone could be bought with money.
"Women. Pokémon. Take your pick. If you want, Hana herself will visit your room tomorrow night."
At those words, Nathan's eyes narrowed.
No denying it—this offer was extremely tempting.
Hana's looks were top-tier, even by both Valar and international standards. She was definitely a world-class beauty.
Too bad—even that couldn't move Nathan.
Compared to Hana, Nathan still found his own fiancée, Lily, just a bit more beautiful.
But deep down, he also felt pity for Hana. To be offered like this—it really was unfortunate.
He had no doubt this woman was a government agent. No one else would dare make offers like that.
"Heh, you really dare to go to such lengths. But I'm sorry—money, I have plenty; women, I'm not short of; and as for Pokémon… you've seen what I use. Do you really think you can offer me something better?"
Nathan decisively rejected the offer. In this world, nothing could really tempt him.
If there were one thing that could—it'd be if the system offered everything for free.
But that was obviously impossible.
"Nathan, you'd better be careful. Do you know where you are right now? This is Valar. If you reject us, have you considered the consequences?" the woman finally dropped all pretense and began threatening him.
"Oh? If you want to start a war between nations, go ahead and touch me. All I need is a phone call. By tomorrow, you might see navy fleets in your coastal waters," Nathan replied, exuding calm authority.
"Don't underestimate me. The influence I hold in my country is beyond your imagination."
At home, he was under national protection—and had even been granted an audience with the country's top leader.
That's how important he was to the nation.
"You! You'd better watch your back. If some 'unknown group' from your own country assassinates you, don't blame us."
The woman gave a cold snort, turned, and left.
She was furious at Nathan's response—but there was nothing she could do about it now.
Just as Nathan was about to close the door, a voice suddenly chimed in his mind, freezing him in place.
Ding! New mission triggered: Win the Pacific Regional Tournament single-handedly and return safely to your home country.
Reward: 3 draws from the prize pool (All items in the shop are included).
Penalty: None.
A new mission!
It had been a long time since Nathan last received a system mission, and this one truly caught him off guard.
Winning the Pacific Regional Tournament alone was something he intended to do anyway—but what caught his attention was the phrase "return safely to your home country."
Was this the system's way of warning him? Were foreign or even domestic groups planning to target him?
Nathan began to seriously contemplate his situation.
…
"Are you worried?" Yue's voice came from behind him.
Snapping back to reality, Nathan looked up to find Yue, dressed in pajamas, standing before him.
He'd been so lost in thought about the system's mission that he hadn't even noticed her arrival.
"Oh, it's nothing. Did you hear my conversation with her just now?" Nathan asked with a faint smile.
"Mm… I heard the knock and thought it was for us. But when I got to the door, I heard your voice." Yue replied.
In fact, Nathan had no intention of hiding this matter. Since Yue already knew about it, it saved Nathan the trouble of telling her.
(End of Chapter)