As Hiroto walked off the press stage—stylish, smug, and backlit by a hundred camera flashes—his phone buzzed.
Not from the press.Not from the board.Not from his totally not-evil robot army.
But from his good ol' reliable partner in crime:
SYSTEM NOTIFICATION
Congrats, Host!You've reached "Household Name" influence level.Reward unlocked: Capsule Corp Flying Car Blueprints (Class F–S models).
"Wha—" Hiroto blinked, then grinned like a caffeinated anime protagonist. "No. Freaking. Way."
He swiped the screen, and an ultra-detailed 3D hologram of a classic Capsule Corp flying car burst into view—swooping wings, anti-grav stabilizers, hover engine emitters, retractable wheels, and even cupholders.
"System," Hiroto said, voice gleaming with pure mischief, "are you telling me I can start selling Dragon Ball flying cars in a world where Tesla can't even make doors work?"
System: "Yes, Host. Please flex responsibly."
Dharma Island Labs: Project Nimbus
Back on Dharma Island, Hiroto burst into the research hangar like a CEO hopped up on espresso and memes.
He slammed a tablet on the table.
"New objective, nerds: We're about to Yeet the Streets."
Engineers gathered, eyes wide as the schematics unfolded.
Model F Nimbus – Two-seater, eco-friendly, floats with no noise, perfect for civilian use.
Model S Sonic Nimbus – Five-seater SUV with AI nav, hover boosters, emergency vertical takeoff.
Model X Saiyan Edition – Top speed Mach 3, combat-ready, comes with voice assistant that roasts you when you're reckless.
One mechanic asked, "Do they come in pink?"
"Yes," Hiroto said, snapping his fingers. "And sparkles. Because even apocalypse survivors deserve a sense of style
Using his influence, Hiroto partnered with Korea's Ministry of Tech and began very legally testing the Nimbus on remote highways and above Seoul.
And then, the commercial dropped:
[Cue epic trailer music with slow motion shots]"From the man who gave the world Baymax…""From the company that cured your grandma's arthritis in 10 seconds…""Comes the future of transportation—NOW.""White Rabbit Presents: NIMBUS.""Why drive when you can freaking fly?"
Social media? Exploded.Preorders? Crashed the servers.Tony Stark? Threw a screwdriver at a wall.
Three days later…
Hiroto was in his Seoul penthouse playing Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance while sipping boba when his doorbell rang.
On his monitor:
SECURITY ALERT: VISITOR IDENTIFIED—Agent Phil Coulson (SHIELD)
"System," Hiroto whispered. "I'm about to meet a living meme."
System: "Good luck, Host. Don't get recruited… or assassinated."
Phil stood in the doorway in his sharp suit, poker face on point.
"Mr. Oh Hyun-woo—Hiroto—I'm Agent Coulson. SHIELD has... concerns."
"Oh hey, it's Discount Nick Fury!" Hiroto grinned, opening the door. "Come in, Phil. Want a Baymax plushie? They're emotional support and mildly explosive."
Phil paused. "…I'm good."
Coulson pulled out a tablet, projecting videos:
Baymax stopping a terrorist attack in Busan.
A White Rabbit Nimbus car dodging missiles during a border skirmish.
Hiroto in an interview saying, "If the Avengers don't have flying cars by next year, they're irrelevant."
"You're disrupting everything," Coulson said.
"Flattered."
"You've poked some big bears, Hiroto. Stark, Fisk, Hammer Industries. Even Wakanda is paying attention."
"Good," Hiroto smirked. "Tell them to bring popcorn."
That night, Hiroto's system pinged again.
Special Memory Unlocked: Hidden Archive from Oh Il-nam
A holographic version of his grandfather appeared in the penthouse lounge.
"Hiroto… if you're watching this, you've already done more than I ever dreamed. But remember: the higher you rise, the colder the air. You will need allies. And you will need a game to stay ahead."
"I played my game with blood. Yours will be with ideals."
Hiroto walked onto a secret Dharma launchpad, where the first 100 public Nimbus cars hovered in sleek formation, glowing softly under the moonlight.
He raised his hand.
"To the people who said I'd never be more than a nerd watching Squid Game in a basement… here's your answer."
"Let the next game begin."
End of Chapter 4