President Kim Sang-min was receiving a briefing on the current state of South Korea's export industries.
As he turned page after page of the report in his hands, his expression gradually darkened.
"…Hoo. So Korea's export industries are facing increasing difficulties."
"Yes, Mr. President," the official replied."The sectors that have long supported the Korean economy are all showing signs of weakening competitiveness. Luktic's recent success has greatly increased pharmaceutical exports, but the future of our traditional core industries—semiconductors, secondary batteries, petrochemicals, and others—is becoming increasingly uncertain."
For decades, South Korea had survived and grown through exports.
With a relatively small population and limited domestic consumption base, exports were nothing less than the nation's lifeline.
"Which sector is in the most danger right now?" the President asked.
"Petrochemicals. China has successfully localized many of the petrochemical products we previously exported there, causing severe damage to Korea's industry."
"I see… That won't be easy to solve quickly. What is the next most vulnerable field?"
The official hesitated.
"…Secondary batteries."
"Our companies still lead technologically, but Chinese firms are rapidly taking market share through superior price competitiveness."
The President glanced at the report.
"It says Korean firms mainly use a ternary battery method, while Chinese companies focus on lithium iron phosphate. Is that correct?"
"Yes, sir."
"The ternary method uses lithium combined with nickel, cobalt, and manganese in the cathode material. It offers higher performance, but at a higher price."
"Chinese firms mainly use lithium iron phosphate batteries, which offer lower performance but significantly lower cost."
"And recently," the President said slowly, "electric vehicle manufacturers have been choosing Chinese batteries to lower vehicle prices."
"That is correct. Although capacity is somewhat lower, the price advantage is substantial. Market trends are shifting in that direction. The Chinese government is also heavily subsidizing battery manufacturers to improve competitiveness."
President Kim sighed.
"A difficult reality."
"If only a genius like CEO Hyun Si-woo would appear in semiconductors or batteries as well…"
The official smiled bitterly.
"I feel the same, sir. If only someone could emerge and save Korea's export industries from this crisis…"
"But miracles do not happen twice," the President said quietly.
"A talent like CEO Hyun is someone who may appear once in several hundred years."
"We should simply be grateful that such a person exists in the pharmaceutical sector at all."
He closed the report.
"For now, we must do everything we can. Gather experts and business leaders. I want practical strategies to strengthen the competitiveness of our major export industries."
"Yes, Mr. President."
***
At last, the long wait of 180 days had ended.
The manufacturing method for the Hyper Battery had been fully decoded from the Akashic Records.
A battery capable of storing:
20 times more energy than existing lithium-ion batteries of the same weight 10 times more than the next-generation solid-state batteries still under development
The moment this became public, the world would be shaken.
I quickly opened the decoded files.
[Hyper Battery] (Tier 1)
Description:A battery with exceptionally high energy storage relative to weight.
Energy Density: 5,000 Wh/kg
No ignition risk or operational accident risk.
Core Materials:
Lithium, Nickel, Manganese, Cobalt, Graphite, Sulfuric Acid, Copper, Luktic Base Catalyst Stone, and additional materials specified in the engineering schematics.
Manufacturing Method Cathode Material Mix powdered Lithium (3), Nickel (1), Manganese (1), and Cobalt (1). Add Sulfuric Acid (3). Once the mixture thickens into paste, insert the Luktic Base Catalyst Stone. Wait 30 minutes. The reaction will generate heat up to 800°C. Once cooled, the transformed material becomes the cathode. Anode Material Mix powdered Graphite (3) with Sulfuric Acid (3). Add the Luktic Base Catalyst Stone. Wait 30 minutes for the same thermal transformation. Once cooled, the resulting material becomes the anode. Final Assembly Place a separator made of 99.9% pure copper between the cathode and anode. Assemble using conventional lithium-ion battery manufacturing methods.
Note:The numbers in parentheses indicate mixing ratios.Electrolyte is unnecessary.
Additional detailed engineering blueprints available for download.
I read the instructions carefully.
Compared to producing medicine or cream, this was naturally more complex. Batteries were machines with structured components, not simply chemical formulas.
Still—
The overall structure looked surprisingly similar to conventional lithium-ion batteries.
I reviewed what I already knew.
A standard lithium-ion battery relied on four key components:
Cathode Anode Separator Electrolyte
Lithium ions moved between the cathode and anode through the electrolyte during charging and discharging.
The separator prevented direct contact between the electrodes.
But the Hyper Battery—
Used no electrolyte at all.
And its separator was made of ultra-pure copper.
It was radically different while outwardly resembling existing battery architecture.
The reason I knew so much about batteries, unfortunately, came from personal pain.
Back in university, when my father was still healthy and our household finances stable, I had invested all my part-time earnings into battery-related stocks.
I lost 80% of it.
A traumatic first investment experience.
I asked the quantum computer:
"It says detailed blueprints can be downloaded. How?"
[System Message: Please check the lower-right corner of the decoded knowledge window. A download button is available.]
I looked carefully.
There really was a small button labeled Download.
The moment I clicked it, an image file appeared on the desktop.
Inside were multiple pages of complex engineering schematics.
Frankly speaking, they were too advanced for a non-specialist like me to fully understand.
"…I'll need the research institute to build a prototype."
Then another message appeared.
[System Message: Would you like me to transfer the file to your desktop computer?]
I hesitated.
As long as information remained inside the quantum computer, it was absolutely secure.
The moment it left that system, true security vanished.
But after thinking carefully, I realized something.
The battery's external structure was not the real secret.
Its true core was the cathode and anode materials synthesized using the Luktic Base Catalyst Stone.
Without that catalyst, no one on Earth could reproduce the battery.
Even if the blueprints were stolen, mass production would be impossible.
"Do it," I said.
[System Message: Complete. File transferred to your desktop PC.]
Using the underground lab's tools and materials, I manufactured the cathode and anode materials myself.
Since the process generated 800°C, ordinary glassware was unusable.
I used heat-resistant containers.
Wearing a respirator, I activated maximum ventilation and poured sulfuric acid over the materials.
Sssssss—
The powders dissolved into thick paste.
Then I dropped in the clear white Luktic Base Catalyst Stone.
Instantly, the mixture began violently boiling.
Heat surged through the underground room.
Thirty minutes later, the reaction ended.
What remained were rough granular particles like coarse sand.
In one container:
The cathode material made from lithium, nickel, manganese, and cobalt.
In the other:
The graphite-based anode material.
Of course, after transformation through the catalyst stone, they were no longer ordinary substances.
I carefully sealed both containers.
Then I checked the Akashic Records screen again.
[Hyper Battery] (Tier 1)
Progress to Next Knowledge: [0 / 5000]
As expected, a new progress bar had appeared.
I then selected the remaining knowledge option.
[Quantum Computer – Stage 2 Upgrade]
Would you like to begin decoding this knowledge?
▶ Yes / No
I pressed Enter.
To unlock future knowledge, upgrading the quantum computer would clearly be necessary.
And I was deeply curious.
What kind of technology could possibly upgrade a machine that human civilization itself could never reproduce?
I returned home, printed the blueprints stored on my desktop, placed them in my bag, and headed back to the Luktic Research Institute.
***
"…What?"
Director Kang Joo-tae stared at me in disbelief.
"You developed a battery with far greater energy density than existing products?"
Naturally, he was shocked.
Everything I had revealed so far was within pharmaceuticals.
Batteries were a completely different field.
"Yes, Director."
"I estimate the energy density at roughly 5,000 Wh/kg."
"F-Five thousand…?!"
Even though batteries were not his specialty, he clearly knew enough to understand how absurd that number was.
I showed him the blueprints.
"The structure is similar to lithium-ion batteries."
"But it uses no electrolyte."
"The separator is 99.9% pure copper."
"And the cathode and anode are synthesized using RUQ-099."
"RUQ-099…" he muttered.
"So you used it again to create entirely new materials…"
He still looked doubtful.
I took out the containers.
"Director, can the Luktic Research Institute build a prototype based on these plans?"
"I brought the cathode and anode materials myself."
"Yes, CEO."
"We have several researchers who previously worked in battery manufacturing companies."
"I believe we can do it."
"I'll assemble a special task force immediately."
"Please do."
***
Director Kang selected five former battery-industry researchers and formed a prototype development team.
Though suddenly reassigned, they reacted with excitement.
"Wow… We get to test CEO Hyun Si-woo's newest invention first?"
"How is this such an honor?!"
One researcher nearly teared up.
Then another cautiously asked:
"Director Kang… may we ask what technology CEO Hyun developed this time?"
"Of course."
Kang placed the blueprints and material containers on the table.
Then he repeated exactly what I had told him.
The room fell silent.
"…A battery?"
"Now that I think about it… all of us here used to work at battery companies."
"No matter how much of a genius CEO Hyun is… jumping from pharmaceuticals to batteries overnight…"
"Is that realistically possible?"
"5,000 Wh/kg sounds impossible."
"With this structure? Physically impossible…"
They were skeptical.
Truthfully, Kang himself felt the same.
No matter how brilliant someone was, dominating two completely different fields at a world-changing level was almost unimaginable.
Still—
The CEO had given an order.
So they would carry it out.
An undercurrent of doubt quietly filled the room.
But it would not last long.