Chapter 16
Chapter 16
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: The Man of 3.5 Billion
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Orca Derusia was a VIP at Ruseun. Thanks to that, Elena and her group were treated as VIPs after borrowing entry tickets from her. The three of them wore gold badges symbolizing VIP status on their chests and entered with a senior manager in tow.
'Ugh, this is burdensome.'
That's how Yuri felt, but Elena seemed perfectly at ease.
"Have you been here before?"
"Yeah."
Elena nodded as she flipped through the catalog the manager had given her.
"I wanted to reference Otian's grimoire, but I couldn't even get a copy of the original, let alone the real thing."
Elena glanced up slightly at Yuri, then brushed her perfectly fine blonde hair to one side.
"So I asked the Tower Lord, and she said I could get it here, so I came."
What the hell is this Otian guy?
The words circled in his mouth, but he didn't ask. Instead, Yuri pointed at the catalog Elena was intently studying.
"What are you looking at so seriously?"
"This is the grimoire section. Well, nothing catches my eye. The stuff listed here doesn't even go up for public auction."
Elena said that and snapped the catalog shut. Then, as if it were the most natural thing, she looked at the manager and asked.
"Are there any good grimoires coming up in this auction?"
"Not a grimoire, but there's the incantation for Harabel Usia's Scorching Inferno."
The manager replied with a smile.
"Ha... Harabel Usia? The Flame Vermilion Bird?"
"Yes. Oh, and don't worry—the seller of Scorching Inferno is Harabel Usia herself."
Yuri had never heard the name Harabel Usia in the game. She must be a mage who appeared in the last 30 years.
"I think Scorching Inferno will probably fetch the highest price among the spells in this 'public auction.'"
They might have VIP badges, but they were borrowed. Without being official members, they couldn't attend the secret auction.
They didn't have the money to begin with. The items at the secret auction, held every six months, toed the line between light and shadow, with even the lowest winning bid easily exceeding 100 million cel.
"Besides that, for spells Lady Elena might be interested in... there's Lord Jang-un's Flash Thunder Seven Forms."
"F-Flash Thunder Seven Forms?"
"Yes. It's the Flash Thunder Seven Forms from Lord Jang-un, the fifth-tier lightning mage who passed away three years ago. It can't compare to Lady Orca's spells, but I'm sure Lady Elena would find it fun to delve into."
"H-Hypothetically, what's the estimated winning bid?"
"I'd say at least 600 million cel."
Elena’s pupils shook at the response. The casual confidence from before was gone.
"J-Just out of curiosity—what was the price for Otian's grimoire?"
"...3 million cel."
She said it so smugly, I thought it was 300 million cel. Yuri stopped asking and turned to Ha-ryeong instead. She was flipping through the catalog, ignoring Elena's bluff happening right beside her.
"Anything worth buying?"
"There are more decent martial arts than I expected."
"Can't we just buy them at an auction house?"
Elena, who had momentarily lost her mind to greed for Flash Thunder Seven Forms and the massive 600 million cel price, turned her head.
"What if some amazing martial art is secretly hidden in this catalog?"
"That wouldn't happen."
Elena shook her head in disbelief, but to Yuri, it somehow sounded plausible.
"Let me see it for a sec."
"What would you know even if you looked?"
"It's the martial art I'm going to learn, isn't it? I should at least take a look, even if I don't know much."
"I'm telling you in advance—martial arts that live up to their names are rare."
Ha-ryeong clicked her tongue as she handed over the catalog.
"Look at this one right here: Asura Radiant Slaughter Sword Art. The name sounds like some demonic cult grandmaster's sword art, but the price is just 1 million cel."
"Couldn't you master a cheap sword art through hard work and eventually truly slaughter like an asura?"
"After hearing Your Excellency Yuri's utterly ridiculous nonsense, even I want to asura-radiant-slaughter you."
With that utterly emotionless expression, it really felt like she might. Yuri cleared his throat awkwardly and carefully scanned the catalog.
'No way.'
He'd hoped maybe some martial arts classified as skills from the game would be in the catalog, but of course not.
The martial arts listed were all second- or first-rate at best, priced from 1 million cel for the cheapest to 10 million cel for the most expensive.
'I want the Blood Wheel Soul Shattering Palm and Seven Nights Flowing Cloud Follower...'
Those two were staples in every new character build he made. But there was no way late-game martial arts like those would be in the catalog.
'Do I really have to make my own?'
Most possessors did that, so once he reached a certain realm, he should be able to create his own martial arts or spells.
"Did you find anything good?"
"There are more decent martial arts than I thought."
"That sounds familiar—how mysterious."
They passed through a VIP-only corridor and entered the auction hall. As expected from the "public auction," it was wide open like an exhibition hall, and even before it started, quite a few people were already there. A rough count put it near fifty.
"All these people are VIPs?"
"Probably."
"There are this many VIPs?"
"What kind of nonsense is that? Lutran has millions of people. And Ruseun's auctions, held once a month, are famous even in other cities."
Elena clicked her tongue and acted all knowledgeable.
"Plus, this public auction doubles as a social gathering. Rich VIPs come to mingle and share info on auction items."
"You know your stuff."
"I told you—I’ve been here before."
"For 3 million cel?"
"You can still sightsee."
She jabbed Yuri's side with her elbow.
"So don't act like a country bumpkin—be natural, got it?"
"Anyone would think you're the one who's used to this. Who was it that foamed at the mouth over 600 million cel?"
"When did I foam at the mouth?"
Why was she getting so defensively serious? If he teased more, she might spew Pikachu-level electricity again, so Yuri obediently nodded.
"You didn't foam."
At his deadpan expression, Elena shot him a glare like he was annoying.
As they sat in their assigned seats waiting for the auction to start, new catalogs circulated among the VIPs. These listed the items up for this auction.
"Huh...!"
Ha-ryeong, who had been focused on the catalog, sharply inhaled.
"Chaotic Heaven Flowing Cloud Fist! This—this is it. We have to buy this no matter what."
"Chaotic Heaven Flowing Cloud Fist!"
Yuri flinched in surprise too.
"What does Your Excellency Yuri know to be so shocked?"
"Just—the name sounds cool."
It was a lie. Yuri knew exactly what Chaotic Heaven Flowing Cloud Fist was.
Not just the name—he'd used it quite a bit in the game too. He eventually switched to something else after trimming his build, but he knew how good a fist art it was.
'God.'
Yuri clenched his fist in excitement. There were plenty of other flashy-named martial arts, but once he saw Chaotic Heaven Flowing Cloud Fist, nothing else registered.
"Is it good?"
"Good? Among the martial arts up today, nothing beats Chaotic Heaven Flowing Cloud Fist."
Ha-ryeong declared it without hesitation.
"We have to buy Chaotic Heaven Flowing Cloud Fist even if it takes every last 1 billion cel."
"Then how do we buy other martial arts?"
"We have the Azure Heaven Pill anyway, so we can grab a decent second-rate heart method outside for now and switch to a better one later when we have the funds."
It was rare for Ha-ryeong to speak with such emphasis. Yuri, glancing at her, seemed to have his heart set on it too, even if he wasn't saying it outright.
"...How much?"
"Probably around Flash Thunder Seven Forms."
Elena quietly closed her eyes.
This money wasn't even hers—it was atonement money Yuri had secured.
So she didn't feel it was a waste. It was just that the name Flash Thunder Seven Forms kept nagging at her mind.
'Even if the estimated bid for Flash Thunder Seven Forms is around 600 million cel, that leaves about 400 million. And maybe, just maybe, Flash Thunder Seven Forms goes for less than 600 million. Then if...'
"Okay."
Elena steeled herself and nodded.
"Chaotic Heaven Flowing Cloud Fist has sold for 990 million cel."
If only, if only...
The bid limit she'd set in her mind was roughly 600 million cel.
But why? Why did only 10 million cel remain out of 1 billion? Elena set down her trembling hands.
"I-I..."
Elena bit her lower lip, unable to continue.
The middle-aged man sitting across from her. A guy openly screaming 'I'm a martial artist' with his face and build.
If it weren't for him, Chaotic Heaven Flowing Cloud Fist would have gone for around 500 million cel. If he hadn't kept inching up the bid just past Elena's offers!
"Sorry."
Yuri, who had been quietly watching from when the bid passed 700 million cel, spoke up softly. Elena, whose shoulders had been shaking, flinched and straightened up.
"Yuri, what do you have to be sorry for?"
"I feel like I should be..."
"Not at all! No need! You—do you think I'm upset about the money?"
"No, more like you're bummed about not getting Flash Thunder Seven Forms."
At the honest remark, Elena's eyebrow twitched.
"Yuri, you're misunderstanding something. First off, it's Flash Thunder Seven Forms, not Flash Thunder Seven Lightning."
"Got it."
"And I'm not bummed about Flash Thunder Seven Forms. What do I lack? Flash Thunder Seven Forms? Yeah, it's a good spell. But I'm a mage of Derusia Magic Tower. I'm practically a prospective disciple who might inherit the Tower Lord's spells someday."
Elena's voice sped up. She wasn't just saying this to Yuri—it was for herself too.
"My take on Flash Thunder Seven Forms was, 'Maybe buy it once and reference it?' Yeah, just reference it. That's all. To reference, you have to learn it."
"The more you explain, the sorrier I feel..."
"Yuri, I said don't misunderstand! You have nothing to be sorry for! Why are you sorry? Did you beg me to buy you Chaotic Heaven Flowing Cloud Fist? What did you do? I was the one who wanted to come here in the first place!"
"Uh, Elena. The auction isn't over yet—if you keep raising your voice, won't everyone think you're a bumpkin?"
Elena's face flushed red. Her shoulders trembled as she took a deep breath and looked around. Sure enough, nearby VIPs were glancing at her.
"Let's go."
Yuri grabbed Elena's wrist.
"We've got no money left anyway. We bought what we needed. No point staying."
"That's true, but..."
"You're not thinking Flash Thunder Seven Forms will go for 10 million cel, right?"
"Flash Thunder Seven Forms..."
Elena, about to snap back, belatedly noticed her wrist was held. Her eyes widened as she alternated between her captured wrist and Yuri's face.
"So..."
She stammered as she stood. Yuri gave a slight nod to the VIPs still watching and headed out of the auction hall. Ha-ryeong followed quietly behind, her usual blank expression in place, though her cheek twitched ever so slightly.
"By the way, Ha-ryeong."
"Yes? Yes."
Eyes in the back of her head or what? Ha-ryeong composed her face perfectly before answering.
"Who was that old guy?"
"Do you think I'm some walking encyclopedia, Lady Elena?"
"You know most things when I ask. You knew all about Chaotic Heaven Flowing Cloud Fist too."
"Information gathering is basic for an assassin."
"So you don't know who that old guy is?"
"I do."
She really does. Yuri looked at Ha-ryeong in amazement.
"Fist Wolf Bakerd."
It wasn't Ha-ryeong who answered.
The giant from before stood in the middle of the outer corridor. He looked huge from afar, but up close, he was enormous. His shoulders were so broad they covered half the entrance, and his crossed arms were as thick as Yuri's thighs.
"That's my name."
His lips twitched amid the bushy beard. Fist Wolf Bakerd... Yuri hadn't heard the nickname before, but the name itself felt familiar.
'Bakerd, Bakerd...'
Digging not through his own memories but Lee Soo-hyuk's, Yuri finally recalled.
Bakerd. An NPC in the guard force of Sairan, a city near Lutran. A named NPC with a proper name, but not high-level.
Bakerd was named for a different reason. He was the illegitimate son of the Raspeon Family, one of Sairan's prestigious houses. Killing Bakerd had a random chance to drop a Raspeon Family key, which let you infiltrate the hidden field of the Raspeon Family estate.
Yuri hadn't done this route himself, but he'd heard about it from 'FUCKINGSEXY,' with whom he actively traded game info. The Raspeon Family was an ancient sword house. Infiltrate with the key, kill the family head, and you got the Raspeon secret sword art for sure.
Some of its skills were valuable enough to make it into FUCKINGSEXY's final build.
[Fuck! That bastard Bakerd didn't drop the key again!]
[Gotta level up again? All that grinding wasted?]
[Shut up, you perv! Bakerd, why didn't you drop?]
[Why kill an innocent illegitimate son anyway?]
[Fuck! Fuck! I'm so pissed. Why does he make it hard for me?]
Unable to even hold a sword because he was the illegitimate son of a prestigious sword house, Bakerd, who scraped by in the guards, now stood before them with the moniker Fist Wolf.
"Sir Bakerd, do you have business with us to be standing there? It looks like you're blocking our way out."
Ha-ryeong spoke on Elena's behalf. Though unlikely, she positioned herself in front of Elena just in case.
"Killing Guard Sect assassin."
Bakerd stared at Ha-ryeong with narrowed eyes.
"Derusia Magic Tower's Golden Lily..."
His gaze slid past Elena to Yuri.
"'s servant."
"Servant?"
Elena bristled. She couldn't have good feelings toward Bakerd to begin with. If he hadn't raced her for Chaotic Heaven Flowing Cloud Fist, she could have gone for Flash Thunder Seven Forms...! And now calling Yuri a 'servant'—electricity crackled around her.
"Isn't he?"
"How is he a servant?!"
"Not a mage, not a martial artist—what else do you call someone you drag around but a servant?"
"He's not a servant—just a friend."
His duties might be servant-like. Yuri thought that as he spoke. Bakerd's eyebrow twitched at the answer.
"Hmm, I see. That was rude of me just now."
"Good you know. So, could you step aside?"
"No, I can't do that."
Bakerd shook his head firmly.
"Looking at you all, none of you seem suited to learning Chaotic Heaven Flowing Cloud Fist?"
"Why's that?"
"Did you bid on Chaotic Heaven Flowing Cloud Fist to check me?"
Even Yuri found the question ridiculous.
"I heard your name for the first time today, Sir Bakerd."
Elena spat it out in equal disbelief.
"Hmm."
At the response, Bakerd openly showed his pride was hurt, but he didn't argue.
"If it's not absolutely essential, how about selling it to me for more than the winning bid?"
"Pardon?"
"1.5 billion cel."
The price came right out.
"I can't pay now, but give me a week, and I'll have 1.5 billion cel. Isn't that more than generous?"
1.5 billion cel was devastatingly high—Elena and Ha-ryeong's jaws dropped.
"1... 1.5 billion...?"
Even so, Elena couldn't accept immediately. 1.5 billion cel was an enormous sum. If she'd bought Chaotic Heaven Flowing Cloud Fist for herself, she'd have handed it over without hesitation.
But this was for Yuri to use. So Elena could only glance at him.
"With 1.5 billion cel... you could buy a higher-tier martial art than Chaotic Heaven Flowing Cloud Fist."
Ha-ryeong answered cautiously, looking at Yuri. Suddenly, Yuri held the decision. He couldn't help feeling a strange thrill.
'If I say sell for 1.5 billion, no one could complain.'
But with the offer laid out, he had to consider it. 1.5 billion was huge, but he didn't want to give up Chaotic Heaven Flowing Cloud Fist.
"Your Excellency Yuri—this is your chance to upgrade to the Man of 3.5 Billion."
"Shut up for a sec."
He glared at Ha-ryeong whispering beside him and stared at Bakerd. Bakerd looked puzzled why Yuri had the say.
"Ahem."
He started with a cough.
Orca Derusia, who raked in massive gains with just a few words, flickered in his mind.