The 200 Billion Detector
The first item was slowly placed on the auction stage. It was a single small glass vial. A crimson liquid pooled inside the transparent bottle, its surface shimmering subtly under the lights. The hall gradually fell silent. No signal had been given, yet every gaze naturally converged on the stage. The auctioneer paused, lifting the vial for all to see. Only after confirming the room’s full attention did he speak.
“This is a top-grade recovery potion. One vial. It appears on potion shop lists, but it’s not something you can actually obtain. Mass production is impossible, and distribution is extremely limited. That’s why it’s always in short supply when you need it most.”
The explanation ended, yet he didn’t call for bids immediately. He let the silence linger, sweeping his eyes across the hall. Behind the masks, gazes shifted. No one showed impatience.
“Bidding starts at 100 million.”
Still no immediate reaction. After a brief pause, a quiet signal rose from one side.
“100 million.”
Another voice overlapped from a different direction.
“120 million.”
The bids continued at measured intervals. No one raised their voice or revealed emotion.
“150 million.”
“180 million.”
A short silence fell. Then a low voice echoed through the hall.
“200 million.”
The auctioneer didn’t look up right away. After another measured pause, he slowly scanned the room.
“200 million. Any other bids?”
No one responded. The bell rang once.
“Sold.”
The potion was carried off the stage. If anything, the air in the hall grew hotter. Once the potion auction concluded, the next item was brought forward—a weapon. A silver sword adorned with ornate decorations. Its subtly glowing blade didn’t sparkle excessively; only the edge remained sharply defined. Even under the lights, reflections were minimized. It was clearly designed for real combat.
The auctioneer lifted the sword and continued his explanation.
“This weapon was recovered from a B-rank dungeon. Its cutting power and durability far surpass ordinary crafted items, and it includes a mana amplification effect. The amplification rate is around 60 percent. A well-balanced type for battle.”
The description ended there, yet several masked figures reacted with faint movements.
“Bidding starts at 300 million.”
This time, signals came immediately.
“320 million.”
“350 million.”
The price climbed steadily, neither rushed nor stalled. After a brief interval, the final bid rang out.
“400 million.”
The auctioneer scanned the room once more.
“400 million. Any other bids?”
The bell rang.
“Sold.”
Even after the sword was removed, the auction continued. A staff and a shield were brought up in turn. Both were drop items in pristine condition. The explanations were brief, but the prices were anything but light. The staff sold for far above its starting bid, and the shield followed at an equally high price. By now, the standard of this auction had been firmly established.
The auctioneer took a short breath before preparing the next item. This time, it was one of the pieces I had submitted. The moment the accessory was placed on the stage, I fixed my gaze from behind the mask. I already knew its identity. What mattered here was how much it would sell for.
The hall grew quiet. Soon, it would become clear just how high this item could push the price.
The auctioneer lifted the bracelet and explained.
“This item increases total mana capacity. Absorption efficiency is corrected up to 150 percent. It’s structured for combat styles that consume and recover mana.”
The reaction in the hall shifted instantly. Several masks turned upward almost simultaneously.
“Bidding starts at 800 million.”
Bids followed without hesitation. 900 million. 1 billion. Even as the price rose, the pace never slowed.
“1.2 billion.”
After a brief silence, another signal came.
“1.3 billion.”
The auctioneer didn’t draw it out further.
“1.3 billion. Sold.”
As soon as the bracelet was removed, the next item appeared—a ring. The auctioneer gave a concise explanation.
“This belongs to the physical enhancement category. It boosts strength and stamina by 120 percent, and neural response speed and movement control by 60 percent. No conditional restrictions.”
The explanation alone was enough. The atmosphere in the hall grew even more tense.
“Bidding starts at 700 million.”
The price jumped in an instant. 800 million. 900 million. It seemed to hesitate for a moment, then signals overlapped again.
“1.1 billion.”
The auctioneer looked up.
“1.1 billion. Any other bids?”
The bell rang.
“Sold.”
I worked to keep any surprise from showing behind my mask. I hadn’t expected prices this high. Even when Arin had insisted these were good items and told me to set them aside, the appraisal report had already confirmed their high amplification rates. Still, those were just numbers—plausible figures, useful only as reference. This was different. This was reality. The amounts printed on the auction records, and the hands that withdrew a beat too late while staring at those numbers. That reaction itself was part of the item’s value.
I pressed down the corners of my mouth that threatened to twitch, keeping my posture steady. In a place like this, a single expression could speak faster than words. I leaned back a little deeper into my chair and turned my gaze back toward the stage. I could feel my movements lagging half a beat because my mind had loosened. It wasn’t a bad feeling—enough that I didn’t need to show it.
Suddenly, the items I had stored in my subspace came to mind. Things I had shoved in without much thought because I had no immediate use for them and their functions overlapped. Back then, they hadn’t seemed special, but now they looked different. Including the ones I hadn’t even brought to this stage yet.
After that, several more items passed across the stage. Weapons, accessories, and special consumables appeared in turn, but I no longer raised an eyebrow at the prices or reactions. The hall’s standard had already risen far beyond that point.
Meanwhile, Arin and Elly roamed freely through the auction house. As spirits, the crowd posed no obstacle to them. They slipped between people’s movements and gazes, slowly scanning the outer edges and upper sections of the hall. Before long, the two headed toward the upper VIP rooms overlooking the hall. From outside, the interiors were invisible, but walls meant little to a spirit’s senses. Conversations flowed endlessly from below—talk of the auction, funding, and names.
Arin returned first. She looked at me before speaking.
“Almost every room up there is occupied. There are separate VIP rooms for the Investigation Bureau and the Hunter Association… and I heard someone called ‘the Korean Dark Guild Alliance Leader’ inside. Quite a few people from the dark guilds showed up too.”
Elly followed shortly after and continued.
“I heard a few other names from the other rooms. They were calling someone ‘Hyunmu Guild Leader’ and ‘Jujak Guild Leader.’ Everyone was quiet, but the atmosphere was clear. It felt like people gathered here because of a specific item today.”
Arin paused, then spoke in a more cautious tone.
“I tried to go a little deeper inside but stopped. Every time I moved, I felt eyes turning this way.”
Elly nodded immediately.
“Me too. I couldn’t see them, but I felt the gazes following me. I figured wandering around more would only draw attention, so I came back.”
“I came back after watching the Korean Dark Guild Alliance Leader. There were a few more dark guild leaders there too.”
“Right. The Hunter Association side was similar.”
Arin continued.
“Quite a few high-ranking hunters seem to have come. Their movements were all cautious. It didn’t feel like they were here just to watch the auction.”
I said nothing. Staring at the stage, I calmly organized the information I’d received. This wasn’t a simple auction. Something far greater was at stake.
At that moment, the auctioneer’s voice changed. His tone dropped a notch, and movement in the hall visibly decreased. The atmosphere was naturally shifting to the next stage.
“The next item.”
A piece of equipment covered by a cloth was brought onto the stage. The auctioneer paused, waited until every eye was on him, then removed the cover. It was a mechanical device—intricately woven mana circuits combined with detection crystals.
“This is a mana stone detector.”
The air in the hall shifted instantly. The auctioneer’s explanation was long.
“This device was jointly created by an A-rank super sensory hunter and two A-rank production-type awakeners. The manufacturing difficulty is extremely high—producing even one per year is difficult.”
He paused briefly before continuing.
“It directly detects the wavelength and energy of dungeon cores. It can pinpoint locations up to A-rank dungeons and dramatically improves recovery efficiency.”
The hall held its breath.
“Only three of these have ever been made. And this device is the third.”
When the explanation ended, the atmosphere had already hardened.
“Bidding starts at 5 billion.”
Signals came immediately. Then another. The price crossed 10 billion in an instant. There was no hesitation. 15 billion. 18 billion.
“20 billion.”
When that number rang out, not even a single breath could be heard in the hall. I accepted the situation in silence. The weight of the people gathered here and the ripple created by the number just recorded overlapped naturally. The mana stone detector went to the figure wearing an owl-shaped mask. Final bid: 20 billion.
Once the auctioneer’s declaration ended, the tension that had stretched taut through the hall slowly eased. It was the signal that the main event was over. Low breaths and small reactions leaked out here and there. Some shook their heads, others stood as if pushing their chairs away, and a few muttered curses while whispering to their companions. Their expressions said they hadn’t just lost the price—they had lost the entire game.
The owl mask turned its head slightly, looking toward one side. The direction of the VIP rooms. An opaque barrier had been lowered so the interiors couldn’t be seen from outside. In the moment I followed that gaze, Elly returned and spoke quietly beside me.
“It was the VIP room upstairs.”
“I checked directly earlier. It’s definitely the room where the Hunter Association personnel are.”
I nodded at last. If Elly had confirmed it, there was no need to question further. That single glance had been enough to reveal the other side of this auction.
Shortly after, the atmosphere in the hall began to change noticeably. As if on cue, people started rising from their seats one by one. A quiet, swift exodus—like an ebbing tide. Some swallowed their disappointment, others already wore the faces of those moving on to their next calculations. I watched the movements without rushing, then spoke quietly to Elly.
“Keep an eye on the winner. Don’t get too close—just track their movement route.”
Elly nodded, already shifting her gaze. I turned to Arin next.
“Check the Dark Guild Alliance side too. It doesn’t look like they’ll wrap things up just because the auction ended.”
Arin gave a short laugh and tilted her head. She didn’t speak, but her expression said she was already planning to move.
I looked around the hall once more. Seats were emptying quickly, but the night didn’t feel like it would end here. If anything, the feeling that this was only the beginning grew stronger.
Even after leaving the auction house, I didn’t move right away. The sounds of people dispersing grew more distant, but there was no reason for me to step forward here. Honestly, the reason I had come this far had already been fulfilled. The Dungeon Core Detector. The mere fact that the item actually existed meant my purpose for attending today’s auction had been achieved.
I moved toward my parked car and waited for the spirits. A short while later, Elly returned first.
“The winner has already started moving. The organizers are with them, but the winner holds the initiative. The vehicles are split into several, and the equipment is being transported separately.”
I nodded silently. It was a 20-billion-won item. That level of response wasn’t excessive. Elly continued.
“The destination seems to be shared only while moving. Additional security was added, and the winner covered the cost.”
Then, a little later, Arin returned. Before she spoke, a brief silence passed. That alone was reason enough.
“The Dark Guild Alliance is moving. The Korean branch leader of the Dark Guild is making calls directly, and the guild leaders beside him are contacting their own guilds. They’re not mobilizing individual guilds—they’re gathering at the alliance level. It looks like dark guild members were already on standby nearby… They’re shouting for everyone to get here fast.”
When Arin finished, I didn’t react immediately. What was about to happen was obvious. But today ended here. The auction was over, and so was my purpose. The fact that the Dungeon Core Detector truly existed was enough reason for me to have come.
I didn’t look any deeper into the situation. Hoping nothing unusual would happen, I simply returned home. The night passed that way.
The next morning. I opened my eyes as usual and habitually turned on the news. From the very first screen, the atmosphere was different. Headlines about a massive battle between hunters on the outskirts of Gyeonggi Province the previous night covered the screen.