Chapter 56
Chapter 56
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 56
Chapter Title: Black Market Auction (3)
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How long had I been resting?
I turned away all the visitors knocking on my door and rested alone.
Until the headquarters manager, realizing something was wrong with me, raided my room.
“Gasp! What happened?”
He burst into the room using a master key on the locked door, caught the fishy scent of blood wafting through the air, widened his eyes, and swiftly drew up his mana.
I waved my hand at him to signal that everything was fine.
Only then did he lower his power. He approached me, his worry and anxiety palpable even through his mask.
“...I’ll bring you some clothes.”
He said that upon seeing the bloodstains covering my outfit. It was only then that I realized how soaked my clothes were, and I nodded.
This is the one Chorong bought me.
I’m gonna get scolded. It’s expensive, and now it hasn’t even lasted a full day before I have to toss it.
“Could you get me the exact same outfit? There’s someone who’d be sad if I said I threw it away after just one day.”
At my words, the manager finally eased the tense atmosphere with a slight chuckle and nodded.
“Then, no problems, right? If there’s anything, tell me right away.”
“I’m fine. Just had a bit of an upset stomach. It’s all sorted now.”
As I spoke, the manager’s eyes gleamed, and he glanced above my head for a moment.
“It’s gone. That item whose name even I couldn’t appraise.”
“Yeah... something like that. Don’t ask anymore. It’s sad.”
Anything beyond that was prying too much. No matter how close the manager and I were, I wasn’t about to reveal my full power and abilities.
Sensing the line I’d drawn, the manager apologized with a bow, said he’d have a staff member deliver the clothes, and left the room.
Now it was time for the auction to resume. I had to shake off this gut-wrenching feeling from offering up a mythic-grade item by dominating this auction.
“Buy it all. Buy everything. Time to blow some money.”
Even though it was the latter half of the auction, rare and valuable items kept appearing one after another. Without hesitation, I hit the bidding button.
In the end, before the ancient rune appeared, I snagged all 17 items, sending them straight to my inventory.
With grand background music swelling, the floor parted to reveal a fist-sized stone in a case.
The stone was mystery incarnate. An otherworldly glow shimmered within, defying human description, holding more value than any masterpiece just by looking at it.
“That’s the rune...!”
As something so rare and precious, it had rarely been shown in person. For a bottom-tier hunter like me from a different world entirely, I hadn’t dug deep enough to see it before, so I couldn’t help but be stunned.
Gulp.
Greed stirred. I want it. I want to possess it.
The moment desire threatened to boil over, I snapped my eyes open and came to my senses.
“What the hell?!”
It was that powerful. Powerful enough to ensnare me, who resisted the greed. My mental protections like Supreme Soul hadn’t even triggered, deeming it no threat, yet it could mesmerize the human heart to this degree.
I swallowed hard. Meanwhile, the host slowly spoke up.
At the host’s gesture, the screen behind the podium finally displayed the rune’s info.
My eyes sparkled brighter than ever. This is it! I have to have this no matter what.
The class I was aiming for was a summoning-type job that called forth summons—a one-man army class.
To avoid betrayal from anyone, I need to handle everything alone.
It was a vow I’d made since becoming a hunter. I had no intention of ending up betrayed and helpless like my parents.
No one would catch up to me. I’d wield overwhelming power no one could touch and reign supreme alone.
But talk was cheap—mastering everything solo was practically impossible. But if I got that class?
It’d be possible. No need to do it all myself; I could raise summons to cover my weaknesses.
In that sense, this rune was a perfect match for me.
“So that shape must be the emperor’s crown.”
The circular form at the rune’s center, surrounded by mystical energies.
I didn’t hesitate any longer.
“Go big from the start. No dragging this out.”
I raised my hand, entered my bid on the auction device, and my amount flashed across everyone’s screens.
The auction house erupted in an instant. 500 billion?!
No matter how priceless an ancient-grade rune was, this was the top-end estimate right from the opening bid.
That bid screamed intent.
This item is mine. Challenge me if you dare—I’ll crush you!
Regular bidders who’d already given up admired it, VIPs shook their heads and backed off, while VVIPs pondered.
It was specialized for summoning, the highest-grade rune revealed so far, but not worth over 500 billion.
“The auction house played it smart. No wonder they kept the info under wraps.”
“Still, this’ll be entertaining. Isn’t that guy here too? He’d flip out and fight like a dog for that rune.”
“True. He’s still around. He has summoning-type class and abilities, right?”
The VVIPs’ gazes turned to one of the five top rooms.
Room 1. A man sat inside. Mystical beings frolicked around him. He eyed the rune on the podium, picked up his bidding device.
“A battle I can’t forfeit. For my dear friends, if nothing else.”
His name: Romanov van Schliemann. Russia’s one-of-two SS-rank hunters, world rank 11, top-tier ranker, contractor of the Spirit King—a spirit sorcerer.
A being approached him and whispered.
She had a mystical body of green wind. Her name: Aishia, Wind Spirit King.
Spirit Kings weren’t mortal. Semi-transcendent beings beyond death’s grasp, comparable to the god-constellations occasionally appearing deep in the Abyss.
Though a bit below true gods. Still, flawless as transcendent entities.
Even contracted to a frail human, limiting most of their stature and power. Yet the Spirit King endured that for Romanov’s immense potential.
Add a tempting rune like this?!
It’d restore her strength and accelerate her friend’s growth.
Romanov thought the same. No way he’d let that item slip.
My ammo isn’t endless.
He’d recently spent most of his savings since becoming a hunter—3.5 trillion—on a legendary-grade skillbook. Bought at a heavy discount from his personal friend and Russia’s other SS-rank hunter.
To scrape that together, Romanov shut down businesses and sold everything valuable. His remaining funds: exactly 1 trillion.
Still enormous. Even for an SS-rank, it took years of Abyss dives and luck.
Be prudent. Can’t lose. With steely eyes, Romanov hit the bidder.
“510 billion bid.”
Test the waters first. Gauge the opponent’s funds, then win efficiently!
In the end, that rune is mine!
No way some Korean ranker had trillions! Unless Dangun Cheonje, world rank 3 monster, showed up personally, victory was his—he believed it firmly.
He didn’t know. He’d arrived late to the auction, avoided mingling, only talked to his spirits. The competitor had made a fortune selling pure gold ingots just over three weeks ago.
Just some unnamed Korean hunter, favored by the Black Market. No more, no less—that was his fatal blind spot.
Also, as a first-time Black Market auction participant, he had no clue what Room 3 signified.
They’re all the same tier anyway.
Simplistic thinking. Even among noble hunters, ranks divided sharply.
That guy’s funds must be drained.
Room 3 had swept everything earlier, burning massive cash. No surprises left!
The moment he bid 560 billion, the opponent countered instantly—like they’d been waiting. The amount left Romanov’s jaw on the floor.
“Wh... what...?”
Romanov was speechless. Was the opponent head of some great house?
Did Korea even have such a clan? Outside Dangun family, he couldn’t recall any.
The fight ended with that one blow. Realizing he couldn’t compete by tacking on a few hundred billion, Romanov let out a hollow sigh, staring at Room 3 with a complicated expression.