Chapter 57: Black Market Auction (4)
The auction came to an end.
My overwhelming bid at the final moment left people either in awe, shock, or fear.
Ultimately, the winner was me.
“Congratulations. You made quite a flashy move there. That was entertaining. However, taking all the auction items toward the end might rub some people the wrong way. You know how prideful some of them can be.”
I smiled at the director, who I had now seen countless times, and opened my inventory.
From the 17 items I won, I handed over all but three that I deemed useful to him.
“What’s the meaning of this?”
“Please deliver these to those who wanted them on my behalf. Tell them it’s a small token of goodwill from me.”
“Hahaha. Intriguing as always. Very well. I’ll take responsibility and make sure these are delivered. Here are your clothes and the rune. I’ll step out and wait for you.”
After the director left, I immediately grabbed the rune.
When the Eye of the Sun activated, all the hidden information about the rune, which even Seo Ye-rin couldn’t appraise, was revealed.
〚Rune: Crown of Evolution〛
Grade: Ancient
Rank: SSS+
Level: 1
Description: A rune imbued with the mysteries of the crown worn by a great conqueror and ruler who once dominated countless ancient dimensions. It is said he granted the blessing of evolution to all his subordinates.
Abilities:
- Grants the Unique Ability: Subject of Evolution (Ancient) to the user and all summoned entities.
- Gradually enhances the intelligence of all summoned entities.
- Level 2 Unlocks
〚Unique Ability: Subject of Evolution〛
Grade: Ancient
Rank: SSS+
Level: 1
Description: A qualification granted only to those who stand at the center of evolution.
Abilities:
- Grants +1 bonus points upon leveling up.
- Grants an additional +5 bonus points every 10 levels.
- Level 3 Unlocks
“This is insane.”
Even without summoning abilities, the rune’s effects were incredible.
Normally, you receive one bonus point per level-up. This ability essentially doubled that.
And to think this effect also applied to summoned entities!
“So, this is what a rune is.”
For people on Earth unaware of the concept of Authorities, it was no wonder that runes were considered the pinnacle of power.
Depending on the perspective, some runes could indeed rival Authorities.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t use this rune just yet. After breaking and clearing the Tutorial Zone, I hadn’t entered the Abyss again.
To unlock additional systems and utilize runes, I needed to enter the real Abyss, not a tutorial zone.
“Once morning comes, I’m heading there.”
Having stopped by the Association and participated in the auction, it was already nighttime.
My body had taken a toll earlier, so I planned to rest at home and head for the Abyss early the next morning.
After carefully storing the rune in my inventory, I changed into my new clothes, donned my mask, and stepped outside.
“Hahaha! Please convey my gratitude. To think I’d receive such generosity. I had given up hope of obtaining these items.”
“Let him know that his goodwill is deeply appreciated. If he ever needs something, I’ll do my best to repay this favor.”
It seemed my strategy was successful.
The director was surrounded by a crowd, passing along my messages of gratitude and goodwill.
Quietly, I slipped away unnoticed.
‘Good luck.’
The director, now drenched in sweat, glanced at me with a look of despair as I escaped.
However, I had no intention of getting caught in the throng in his place.
Leaving the auction venue, I headed straight for the Black Money Corporation’s top floor.
Since I was already here, I decided to deposit my gold stock and perhaps meet Seo Ye-rin.
Upon arrival, the secretary, seeing my mask enchanted with perception-dampening magic, asked no questions.
Instead, she simply picked up the phone and reported to Seo Ye-rin.
After receiving permission, she gestured toward the door with a slight bow.
I returned the gesture with a polite nod and entered the president’s office.
“What. Brings. You. Auction?”
“Ah! The auction’s over. I got the rune for 1 trillion.”
At my words, Seo Ye-rin’s eyes widened briefly before she chuckled, removing the candy from her mouth.
“So. What. Brings. You.”
“Well, I wanted to check in, say hello, and leave these here.”
I opened my inventory and pulled out about 30 pure gold ingots, handing them over to Seo Ye-rin.
She, now used to this, calmly opened her subspace and stored the gold without any hint of surprise.
Her nonchalant attitude sparked a strange sense of defiance within me.
‘How can you act so indifferent to something this valuable?’
It was an arrogant and brash thought. To think I would entertain such ideas toward an S-rank Hunter.
‘Is this because of my stats?’
I’d been feeling impulses entirely unlike myself lately. The massive bets I made at the auction were partially driven by impulsive decisions.
If this continued, it was becoming increasingly clear that my unstable stats were likely the cause.
I clicked my tongue, shaking my head to clear my thoughts, and reopened my inventory.
Originally, I planned to hold onto this for a while, but thanks to the overwhelming influence of my stats, I couldn’t help but reveal it to soothe my impulses.
Among the items automatically unlocked after my ownership of the Golden Tower exceeded 10% was one particularly valuable artifact.
Like pure gold, magic stones, and coins, it was lightly restricted yet incredibly sought after, possessing immense worth.
“This one’s for sale too. Try showcasing it at the next auction.”
What I brought out was another solid chunk.
Though smaller than the pure gold ingots, it was still difficult to lift with one hand.
It gleamed, radiating a silvery translucence. It was solid, dazzling, and almost otherworldly.
“This is…!!!”
Seo Ye-rin gasped, her eyes fixed on the object in my hand.
The lollipop stick she had been holding snapped from the tension, and the candy fell to the ground unnoticed.
All her focus was solely on the item I held.
“Pure mithril. Surely, it’s worth more than gold.”
Mithril—an item that, in modern times, had become one of the most significant metals.
It was undoubtedly a top-tier material among metals.
While it wasn’t at the level of divine metals like Orichalcum, star-forged metals like Meteorite Steel, or the world’s hardest Adamantium, it was still a metal that could be classified as one tier below those.
What made the mithril from the Golden Tower even more extraordinary was its 100% mana purity.
Any equipment crafted with it would see a dramatic increase in performance, with the potential for additional abilities to manifest.
Naturally, this made it more valuable than gold. To hunters, who constantly sought better gear, this was the ultimate crafting material.
Seeing the expression on Seo Ye-rin’s face and her gaze fixed on the mithril, I felt a wave of satisfaction wash over me, dissipating any lingering frustration.
A chuckle escaped my lips.
Seo Ye-rin narrowed her eyes and fixed me with a suspicious look.
“Fine. Let’s sell just one of these at the next auction. If the reaction is good, we’ll sell more.”
“This. Will. Definitely. Do. Well. Guaranteed.”
She was right. Smiling, I took out ten more mithril ingots and stored them in her subspace.
To appease her growing irritation at being teased, I handed her one as a personal gift before finally getting up.
“Well, that’s all my business here. I’ll take my leave.”
Seo Ye-rin, now absorbed in examining the mithril I had gifted her, ignored my farewell.
As expected of a magician, her curiosity was insatiable.
“Analysis.”
She had already begun casting her Word Spirit magic to study the mithril.
“No goodbye wave? That’s cold.”
I muttered to myself, feigning disappointment.
Finally, she waved at me dismissively, her focus still entirely on the mithril.
With that, I exited the Black Market and returned home. After a quick wash, I collapsed into bed.
***
***
Meanwhile, back at the auction house, someone burst into Room 3 with an angry scowl.
“Damn it! How dare a weak hunter from a small country look down on me?!”
But he was too late. The room’s occupant had already left the Black Market.
Holler Rockefeller, a blonde, handsome man, stood fuming, muttering curses under his breath in the now-empty room.
He whirled around in surprise as a woman appeared behind him.
“W-what the hell?!”
Xiaoling sighed as she scanned the room, disappointed to find no one present. Then, her gaze fell upon the foolish man before her.
“No talent. No effort. No courage. Pathetic.”
Her contempt was palpable. Just breathing the same air as this worthless man made her feel disgusted.
That was why, during the previous auction, she had trampled him thoroughly—because he deserved it.
Having barely awakened through his family’s support, too terrified of death to engage in proper combat, this man could never dream of reaching even mid-tier without relying on rare elixirs.
He was pathetic.
This was the man who, at one point, had been proposed as her fiancé. Worse, he had wanted her as well.
The very thought filled her with loathing.
Even now, he was nothing but petty.
The moment the auction ended and his networking duties were over, he came here—clearly intent on taking revenge on the Golden Master.
Her prediction was spot on.
Had the Golden Master still been here, Holler Rockefeller would have tormented him cruelly, taking out his frustration and wounded pride.
Both Xiaoling and Holler recognized that the Golden Master was not particularly powerful—likely only D-tier at best.
In reality, the Golden Master was E-tier, though this was due to Shin Juha deliberately lowering his rank.
As an S-rank hunter, Xiaoling saw through his true strength immediately.
Holler, too, had sensed the disparity in power. While he couldn’t pinpoint it, he knew the Golden Master was weaker than him.
Fueled by this knowledge, he had plotted his revenge throughout the auction.
“It’s not revenge. This isn’t even close to being on my level. This is just hunting down a nuisance.”
He had planned to thoroughly humiliate the Golden Master, ensuring he could never laugh at anyone again.
Even though the Golden Master had connections with the auction’s hosts and sold impossibly rare items like pure gold, Holler didn’t think twice about his actions. He was, after all, a direct descendant of the Rockefeller family.
What could possibly happen to him for beating a mere low-ranked hunter half to death? Nothing, he thought—an utterly foolish assumption.
This same Rockefeller family was now scrambling to participate in the upcoming Golden Auction, desperately seeking to acquire the Golden Master’s goods.
Holler, left in the dark about his family’s interests, believed this behavior was permissible.
His ignorance allowed him to fail before he even began.
“Pathetic. Try living productively for once. Stop expecting to be spoon-fed everything. You’re revolting.”
Having confirmed the Golden Master’s absence, Xiaoling had no reason to stay. With a cold glare, she left the room.
Left alone, Holler seethed. The scorn and humiliation from his unrequited love burned deeply. Channeling all his rage toward the Golden Master, he summoned his subordinates and ordered them to find out everything about the enigmatic figure.
The Black Market’s worst fears were beginning to unfold.
—
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