Chapter 35
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: Item Auctioned
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“Y... yes?”
My drowsy mind suddenly sharpened.
“How much did it sell for?”
“3.72 trillion won, paid in full cash.”
I’d grown somewhat accustomed to large sums lately, but nearly 4 trillion—a national budget-scale fortune—was still shocking. And all in cash, lump sum.
Myriad Frost Patterns (S) had fetched several trillion as well, but there was something heavier about actual cash.
The material costs barely hit 100 billion. Sure, that was still a ton of money, but 4 trillion for a single weapon? Insane.
“Don’t you think it’s weird for a single sword to go for 3.72 trillion?”
I made the thing myself, but it still didn’t feel real. When did the world turn into this...?
“I don’t think it’s all that special. Overseas, S-Rank items trade for 1 to 2 trillion. When it comes to enhancing a walking strategic weapon, sums in the trillions aren’t that huge.”
Yu So-jeong continued calmly, turning off the hairdryer and resuming her brushing of my tail.
“The U.S. nuclear arsenal’s ten-year operating cost was over 1,000 trillion won in the past. And now, a single Awakener can handle monsters that even nukes couldn’t touch. For a nation, it’s a bargain.”
“Plus, the auction had some fierce bidding competition.”
“Competition?”
“To check the Flame Dragon Guild, a coalition led by the Azure Rose Guild kept driving up the price. A fire-attribute greatsword like that would massively boost their guild master’s firepower.”
I didn’t know the full details, but other guilds had jacked up the price to keep Flame Dragon from snagging it cheap. Either way, it worked out great for me.
Time to buy a mountain of mana hearts with this. Hehe.
“So, Flame Dragon Guild won the bid?”
I figured they’d gritted their teeth, sold off some shares, whatever it took. No way they’d let an S-Rank weapon slip, even with the coalition breathing down their necks.
“No.”
“Huh? Then who bought it?”
“It was sold to the Flame Dragon Guild Master personally, not the guild.”
My head spun for a second. Not guild funds or company money—personal assets for 3 trillion?
“That makes any sense?”
“From what I know, the Flame Dragon Guild Master is... quite ambitious. That’s all I can say.”
After my tail was fully dry, I curled up in the lair for a quick nap. When I booted up the computer to game, a nagging feeling hit me—like I’d forgotten something.
Hmm, what’d I miss?
Something important I used to do every day, but lately...
...Every day?
Then it clicked—what I’d overlooked all this time.
“Right! The gallery!”
I’d completely forgotten my comrades of over three years, the anon bros and goniks. Truly unforgivable.
I logged into my precious dopamine farm.
The moment I opened the Hunter Gallery, the entire page was flooded with one topic.
[Breaking) Lava's Fury Sold for 3.7 Trillion LOLOLOLOL]
Not 370 billion, but 3.7 trillion? Thought I miscounted a zero.
Flame Dragon Guild Master’s personal money? Wtf?
That’s enough to buy a country, right?
Fake news?
Fuck off, fake news shill.
Scarier that the guild master has that much personal cash ㄷㄷ
At my hourly wage, earning that would take the universe exploding lol
[Lava's Fury Stats Make One Person Come to Mind]
Options scream strength-all-in berserker.
Especially ‘Final Fury’ is nuts.
Strength explodes when HP low?
Flame Dragon Guild Master’s skill ramps mana efficiency on HP loss.
This is basically custom-made for Han No-eul Guild Master.
You? You Flame Dragon? Fuck, so jealous. How much you making?
Azure Rose fucked lol. Seol Yu-hee bragged hard about her S-Rank (sus) weapon, instant counter.
Seol Yu-hee’s weapon aside, why the sudden flood of S-Rank weapons in Korea?
Domestic S-Rank crafter? Gov hiding it?
Dungeon curse item, just curse lifted. Curse remover expert, not crafter.
Lifting curse adds two unique options? Braindead? It’s just a different item now.
Same diff? Good item’s good, who cares.
Fuck, if that’s curse-lifted, all crafter Awakeners unemployed.
Our guild’s watching closely. Something’s up.
Bullshit.
Reading these had my lips curling up involuntarily. Especially the one speculating about an S-Rank crafter—pffft, laughter burst out.
“Not S-Rank, it’s SSS-Rank~”
Time to drop a post. As a famous gonik, farming attention like this made for fun content.
[Fact: Lava's Fury Made by Domestic SSS-Rank Awakener ㅇㅇ]
Good work.
[(Retardcon)]
Hehe, comments would pile up any minute now.
But after 1, 2, 5 minutes... nothing.
“N-no way?”
A few days off the gallery, and my rep tanks this hard? Sure, I’d quit daily posting ages ago, but forgotten already?
Unacceptable. An SSS-Rank Awakener at the center of it all, ignored? A massive loss for the community.
“Fine, time to force it.”
With grim resolve, I gripped the mouse. Fired up the paid VPN on desktop, swapped IPs.
Opened incognito, mobilized 15 burner accounts I’d primed with spam for gonik bans.
One rec per account, but different IPs? Game changer. Three years of gallery grinding paid off now.
My masterful astroturfing shot the post past 10 recs into hot threads.
A few minutes later, views and comments exploded.
[Fact: Lava's Fury Made by Domestic SSS-Rank Awakener ㅇㅇ]
Good work.
[(Retardcon)]
This clown’s back lol thinks he’s the director or some shit
You the real Director Seong Ji-yoon?
No proof? All talk.
SSS-Rank lolol S not even, who’s dog is SSS-Rank
But shit going down lately, maybe domestic crafter real. Insider?
This attention whore been like this 3 yrs, don’t buy it
If you really know, pls intro just once??? Saw your old post.
Yes, that’s more like it. My fame hadn’t died—just post regen was too fast, burying it.
The usual goniks and anons filled the comments.
The privilege of knowing the truth. Overlooking the chaos from the eye of the storm—pure drug, every time.
“Heeheehee...!”
As I basked in the dopamine, letting out giggles...
Knock knock.
A knock. Predictably, Yu So-jeong.
“Miss Yi Da-yoon. Dinner’s ready.”
“Oh, already?”
Glancing at the clock—7 PM already. Lost track of time galling.
I trailed Yu So-jeong to the kitchen. On the table steamed a perfect omurice.
Fluffy semi-soft eggs blanketed in half ketchup, half brown sauce. Fried rice studded with finely diced veggies and meat, glistening.
“Ooh...!”
She’d offered to make dinner, and I’d said yes, but half-doubted. Talented, gorgeous, and great cook? Cheat code.
Visuals: pass. 120/100.
Hopped onto the chair, gulped, grabbed a spoon.
As I went for the soft egg first, Yu So-jeong stopped me, fetching a knife.
“This is how you eat it.”
She sliced the mango-shaped egg from the top. Golden yolk cascaded, soaking the rice.
“Whoa!”
Scooped a big bite of the even more tempting omurice.
“Nom~”
The instant it hit my mouth, exclamation points exploded in my head. Velvety eggs hugging my tongue. Then savory burst, tangy-sweet sauce in perfect harmony.
Like it was tailor-made from analyzing my tastes—every flavor and ingredient synced creepily to my prefs.
Gourmet bliss rivaling a mana heart!
On my second scoop, I noticed no portion for Miss So-jeong.
“Not eating, Miss So-jeong?”
“I’m good. Packed something for after work.”
Her usual businesslike face irked me for some reason. The kind of mischief that wouldn’t quit without a prank.
“So, on duty now, skipping dinner?”
“Yes.”
“And packing post-work food means it’s inconvenient eating with me?”
“...Pardon?”
Her pupils quivered.
Did I say something wrong?
She flailed her hands, face full of panic.
“No, not that. Eating with you isn’t inconvenient at all.”
“Then what? Work stops you, and work’s for me, so I’m why you skip meals.”
“Th-that’s...”
Her cool facade shattered as she stared at me. Hit the nail on the head, huh?
Clattered my spoon down dramatically before her eyes. Faked anger, thumped the floor with my tail.
“Then I won’t eat either.”
“Pardon? Miss Yi Da-yoon, you need to—”
“Can’t eat knowing someone’s starving because of me.”
“No, I’m full. Ate before leaving home.”
She scrambled excuses.
“If full, one bite’s fine, right?”
“Yes. One bite, sure.”
Scooped a perfect ratio of egg, rice, sauce.
Shoved the spoon toward her mouth.
“Prove it.”
She hesitated, then resignedly parted her lips. I slipped it in.
Nom nom.
Stoic chew, but her ear tips flushed pink, betraying her.
“Good, right?”
“...Yes. Delicious.”
After her bite, I resumed eating.
Truth? Just wanted to see her flustered. Thought she was emotionless, but this panic? Fun.
The little mishap made dinner even better.
As we finished, she checked her phone.
“Hunter Han No-eul just received the item.”
“Nice.”
“And... she requests a meeting with the weapon’s creator.”