NOVEL NEXT Chapter 223: Worth the wait
I received a sponsorship offer."
Dayo's brows rose.
"…That fast?"
Sharon sounded surprised. "What do you mean?"
There was a short pause on the other end of the line.
"…Never mind," Dayo said as he quickly regained his composure.
"Let me explain it properly," Sharon said.
Dayo exhaled. "Alright. Go on."
"Since the Olympics ended—and especially after Paris—several companies have reached out," she began. "Not inquiries. Not feelers. Formal offers."
That caught his attention.
"Hm, that's nice. Never expected this," Dayo muttered.
"Yes," she replied. "You're trending in too many spaces at once—sports, music—and you're gaining global recognition. Your image is clean, and one of the most interesting things about you is your aggressive, passionate fanbase. So this was inevitable."
"How many?" Dayo asked.
"Pepsi. Adidas. Two tech brands. One luxury lifestyle company," Sharon replied. "There are more watching, but these are the ones who've made a move."
Dayo's fingers tapped lightly against the armrest.
"Who's leading on the offer?" he asked.
"Pepsi," Sharon answered immediately. "By a clear margin."
That didn't surprise him. After all, Dayo knew Pepsi was worth over two hundred billion dollars. That alone spoke for itself.
"They want a direct partnership," she continued. "Not background placement. Not a seasonal appearance. A full global campaign."
"And the offer?" Dayo asked.
Sharon hesitated just long enough to show she was choosing her words carefully.
"They're talking around twenty million," she said. "Structured over multiple phases."
Dayo smiled faintly.
"That's not bad," he said.
"It isn't," Sharon agreed. "But it's also not final."
He straightened slightly. "Meaning?"
"Meaning they're testing the waters," she said. "They know your value has spiked, but they're still anchoring low compared to what you represent right now."
Dayo looked toward the window, watching the city move below.
"Adidas?" he asked.
"Close behind," Sharon replied. "Different structure. Lower upfront, strong performance bonuses. They're waiting to see what Pepsi does before pushing harder."
"So Pepsi sets the ceiling," Dayo said.
"Yes," Sharon confirmed. "That's why I needed your input."
Dayo was quiet for a few seconds.
"Then here's what we do," he said calmly. "Use Pepsi's offer as the base—but counter with the highest valuation that reflects everything I'm doing now."
Sharon smiled on the other end. "You're thinking around thirty?"
"Roughly," Dayo replied. "They want exclusivity. That means they're blocking other brands. The price has to reflect that."
"Understood," Sharon said. "Firm, clean, professional."
"No rush," Dayo added. "If they meet it, we proceed. If not, we wait."
"That works," she said. "There are other offers. I'd rather review them with you in person."
"Good," Dayo replied. "I'll come by the office."
"Alright. I'll be expecting you. Oh—speaking of which, the CEO of your company said she's sent you an email containing last month's earnings."
"Hm, I'll check it. Alright, goodbye."
They ended the call smoothly.
Dayo stayed seated for a moment after the line went dead.
Endorsements.
Momentum.
Timing.
"Alright… let's get back to opening my mystery box."
Ding.
Dayo's eyes narrowed slightly.
"System…"
---
Mystery Box Detected
Status: Unopened
Contents: Sealed
---
Dayo exhaled slowly and made a silent prayer.
"So this is what you were waiting for."
He reached out mentally and selected it.
OPEN
The box didn't burst open immediately.
Instead, it split—cleanly—into three distinct gates, each suspended in front of him.
---
Reward One: Semantic Authority
Status: Unlocked
New Reward Unlocked
Cinematic Authority (Passive Skill)
Effect:
+15% impact in film-related projects
Increases emotional resonance of movies
Directors and actors instinctively trust his vision
Description:
Grants heightened perceptive dominance in film-related environments.
Enhances emotional control over narrative flow, actor performance alignment, and audience immersion.
Actors subconsciously respond more naturally to your direction.
Scenes gain increased coherence and authenticity under your supervision
---
Dayo's eyes sharpened slightly.
He felt it almost immediately.
Not power.
Not pressure.
Clarity.
The ability to say less—and mean more.
"This…" he murmured, "…is dangerously good."
This wasn't about control.
It was about presence.
In the film industry, hierarchy was strange and unforgiving. Even with an S– rank in movie production and directing, respect was never guaranteed. Actors didn't always listen to someone they feel lack skill or authority.
And in this movie they would need a lot of A level actors.
This skill erased that problem entirely.
---
Reward Two: Global Spotlight Card (One Month)
Status: Unlocked
Effect:
Maximum popularity amplification for a continuous period of thirty days.
Global exposure increased to peak sustainable visibility.
Public recognition, media coverage, and organic reach maximized.
---
Dayo blinked.
"Maximum… popularity?"
He nearly shouted.
This was the same card he had used during the release of The Other Side—the album that shattered first-week sales records.
"One month," he muttered quietly. "That's insane."
If he'd had this card back then, he might have broken four consecutive-week records… maybe even the all-time record.
His thoughts went wild. Strategies. Possibilities. Futures colliding.
He forced himself to breathe.
Enough to lock in brands.
Enough to solidify legacy.
Enough to open doors that normally stayed shut.
"I love you, system," Dayo almost screamed.
He barely managed to calm himself before checking the final reward.
---
Reward Three: System Expansion Unlock
Status: Unlocked
Effect: System Level Advanced → Level 4
---
The interface shifted subtly.
Dayo felt it—not as power, but as depth.
He looked surprised. This was the first time he'd unlocked something he couldn't immediately access.
He hoped it would be worth it.
---
Random Skill ×1
"Hm… okay. I'll save this for later."
Dayo leaned back and released a breath he hadn't realized he was holding.
"…Worth the wait."
His phone vibrated again.
He glanced at the screen.
Diana.
He paused, then answered.
"Hey."
"Hi," Diana said. "I just wanted to check if now was a good time."
"It is," Dayo replied. "I was actually about to call you."
She laughed softly. "That's convenient."
"I don't like delaying things," he said. "Especially not people."
There was a brief pause.
"So," she said, "are you still in the city?"
"Haha, nice try. I'm really sorry about Paris," Dayo apologized.
Diana laughed. "It's alright. Richard already explained."
"Alright, thanks for understanding. And yes," Dayo replied. "If you're free tonight, we can meet."
"I am," she said without hesitation. "That works."
"Also, thanks. Richard told me what you did for the Olympic order," Dayo added.
"Oh, don't thank me now," she said teasingly. "You can do that over dinner."
"Haha, alright. I'll keep that in mind. Bye."
"Bye."
The conversation ended, and Dayo sprang up to get dressed.