Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Go Gyeol looked back and forth between his old installment savings account passbook and his checking account passbook, whose balance was painfully obvious, then let out a deep sigh.

After getting a job at a major corporation the moment he graduated from university, his only goal had been to “buy his own home.” But in this bleak city, even breathing cost money. Electricity, water, rent, phone bills… his salary merely brushed past his bank account.

Thud.

Go Gyeol set the passbooks down on the desk as if throwing them.

“If I’d known I was going to regress, I would’ve memorized the lottery numbers.”

He was the sort of person who had never dreamed of getting rich overnight. Because of that, he had never once paid attention to the winning lottery numbers.

If he had known this future was coming, he would have risked his life to memorize the numbers from that round with the largest jackpot in history.

Of course, it was not as though there were no methods at all.

If he broke his savings and added the deposit for this small studio apartment, he could achieve the mission goal of 70 million won. But that would literally mean pouring in everything he had. It would be madness, erasing even the minimum funds he would need to use in the “tower” in the future.

“…System.”

【Yes.】

“What you want is ultimately ‘managing,’ right?”

【Correct.】

“Haa….”

A groan escaped Go Gyeol’s mouth on its own. Hunter Manager. That had been his previous life.

When dungeons first appeared, there had been nothing but “guilds,” groups of powerful Hunters.

But when the “tower” appeared, and the “National Voting System,” where popularity mattered more than ability, was introduced, companies under the name of management agencies sprang up like mushrooms after rain. Hunters chose “management agencies” that handled their image the way celebrities did.

That phenomenon did not apply only to Hunters.

Large management agencies provided financial support on the level of guilds as a matter of course, and added meticulous image-making on top. Promising talents who had just awakened, or Hunters like S-grades for whom popularity was important, were already affiliated with huge management agencies.

If the talent the system wanted was that kind of Hunter? He would have to support not only a signing bonus, but also the enormous penalty fee required to break an existing contract, as well as the expensive consumables they used.

The amount needed was not simply in the tens of millions. He might need hundreds of millions, even billions.

“How… am I supposed to get the money…?”

As he pressed hard on the space between his brows with an ailing groan and agonized over it, a scene suddenly flashed through Go Gyeol’s mind like lightning. It was a news report he had casually skipped over before his regression.

“…Right. Why did I forget this?”

In that instant, a bright smile spread across his despair-filled face. He looked as if he had met a savior.

---

Screeech—

The car stopped with a sharp sound of friction in front of a massive junkyard. To be precise, it was a processing yard that discarded or recycled useless by-products pouring out of cleared dungeons.

When a luxury sedan stopped in this place, where no one but professional dealers ever set foot, the junkyard owner in work clothes scowled and shouted.

“Hey! You can’t park there!”

“I came to buy some by-products.”

At that one sentence, the owner’s frowning face brightened as if it had been a lie.

“Oh my, you were a customer! Welcome! Is there anything you need? Just say the word, and I’ll find it all for you.”

“No, I’ll look and decide for myself.”

Go Gyeol waved off that fake friendliness and headed straight inside. The owner shouted at his back.

“Hey, customer! That’s where we pile up the waste! The usable stuff is over here!”

Watching Go Gyeol head toward the waste pile without paying any attention to the friendly shout, the owner pretended to frown while the corner of his mouth crept upward.

“I caught myself a proper sucker today.”

Whatever the owner was thinking behind him, all Go Gyeol could see was the enormous waste pile stacked higher than his own height.

This mountain that everyone in the world called trash. But in his eyes, it was El Dorado, filled with treasure.

Go Gyeol rolled up his sleeves and began rummaging through the waste pile, where a foul stench reeked all around him.

A goblin’s rotted bones, an orc’s worn-out leather shoes, Chiron’s torn wing….

After digging through worthless trash for a long while, Go Gyeol’s eyes suddenly gleamed.

“There it is.”

What he held in his hand was a lumpy stone, charred black and about the size of a baby’s fist.

In his previous life, this stone had been thrown into an incinerator along with other waste. After everything had burned, the worker who came to collect the ashes found a stone alone in the ash heap, giving off a brilliant light. On the off chance that it was something valuable, he spent a large sum of money to request an appraisal, and the result was shocking.

An SSS-grade item that, when consumed by a Hunter, amplified their total mana by fivefold.

This stone was sold to America for an astronomical sum, and with the power of this item, America easily cleared the 75th floor of the tower, which had been considered impregnable.

“I can’t let you bastards have it this time.”

Go Gyeol set the item aside and reached back into the waste pile.

Jameiko’s hard leg bone, Armandi’s shriveled tentacle, Kokomo’s blue lung….

They were waste now, but in the “Exchange Shop” that would appear when the 60th floor opened, these materials would hold tremendous value. Knowing the future and not collecting them would be something only an idiot would do.

As he continued sweeping up investments for the future, his eyes shone again.

Go Gyeol picked up a sword whose blade was half broken and whose rust had turned glaringly red.

“So this is… a sword worth 1 billion won.”

To anyone else, it would look like nothing but a broken sword that could not be repaired. But none of them knew.

This sword had not been destroyed. It was in an “incomplete” state.

In his previous life, one lucky Hunter picked up this sword and, by chance, exposed it to the rampaging mana of a Hunter who had just awakened. Then the rusted, broken sword scattered beautiful particles of light and transformed into a perfectly formed A-grade master sword.

That sword was sold at auction for exactly 1 billion won.

Go Gyeol carefully placed the rusted sword into a burlap sack, then slung it over his shoulder as if it were nothing and walked over to the owner.

“You picked everything out?”

The owner glanced at the five burlap sacks Go Gyeol had dragged over and gave him a servile smile.

“Yes. Please calculate the price.”

“Of course, of course. I should, I should.”

As if afraid Go Gyeol might change his mind, the owner spoke quickly.

“What’s the point in weighing all this? Ah, just give me 100,000 won!”

Go Gyeol silently took cash from his wallet and handed it over, then asked.

“When will more waste come in?”

“You’re buying more?”

The owner’s eyes shone with greed.

“Yes.”

“A truckload will come in the afternoon the day after tomorrow.”

“Then I’ll come back tomorrow.”

“Sure, sure! Want me to move this to your car?”

“No. I’m fine.”

Behind Go Gyeol as he lightly loaded the heavy burlap sacks into his car and left, the owner grinned while fiddling with the money in his pocket.

“I’ll ask for 200,000 won tomorrow. He’s a proper sucker, a real sucker.”

Hearing the mockery from behind him, Go Gyeol smiled with satisfaction. It had truly been a successful shopping trip.

---

Inside the Seoul Municipal Auction House.

The auction was in full swing, but Kang Woo-yeon, the representative from SD Management, yawned and said to his junior colleague.

“Another bust today.”

“I know. Nothing good has been coming out of dungeons lately.”

The chance that a useful item would come out of a dungeon was truly atrocious. Because of that, the display shelves were always filled with useless odds and ends.

Useless items appeared far more often, but management agencies sent employees to auctions like this every day. This persistence, foolish as it might seem, had only one reason.

Mana Stones and items.

Mana Stones and items were a Hunter’s lifeline, and they could not afford to miss even a single opportunity.

“Ah, we came up empty today too. Let’s go.”

Just as Kang Woo-yeon was about to rise from his seat, a group entered his sight.

Two men with unusual airs. One of them was definitely the auction team leader of “Woldam” Management.

“Wait.”

Kang Woo-yeon grabbed his junior colleague and whispered.

“That man is from the Hunter Bureau, right?”

“What? Yes! He is. The one beside him is Woldam’s team leader… why are they sitting down now?”

Before the words had even finished, sparks flew through Kang Woo-yeon’s mind.

Auction closing time.

A major management agency.

And the Hunter Bureau.

This combination was a winning formula. It meant the next item to come up at auction was “the lottery.” Kang Woo-yeon’s eyes instantly turned into those of a predator that had found prey.

“…Come here.”

Kang Woo-yeon moved fast. He grabbed his junior colleague’s arm and headed to a corner while pressing the call button at the same time. The moment his team leader answered, he got straight to the point.

“The lottery is up. Please confirm the budget limit.”

—The lottery?! What are you talking about?!

“The item hasn’t come out yet.”

—Then how do you know it’s the lottery?!

“Woldam. They came in with the Hunter Bureau.”

“Shit!”

With the team leader’s final word, the call was abruptly cut off. But Kang Woo-yeon’s face was practically beaming.

“It’s done!”

Either way, the money that won at auction belonged to the company, not him. In other words, it was none of his business. But this high-grade information was different. This was entirely his achievement. The golden rope that would lead to next year’s salary negotiation and promotion had just been hooked by him.

By the time people had drained out like the ebbing tide and the auction house was emptying, armed guards who appeared out of nowhere surrounded the platform.

Soon after, the Hunter-exclusive auctioneer, commonly known as “Mr. A,” climbed onto the platform.

“Khh, it really is the lottery!!”

Kang Woo-yeon clenched his fist. Joy appeared on his junior colleague’s face as well.

At that moment, a phone call came in with knife-like timing.

“Yes, this is Kang Woo-yeon.”

—Has it started?

The team leader’s voice trembled with excitement.

“No, Auctioneer A just came up.”

—Shit! It’s real! The CEO approved it!

“How much?”

—100 million won for now. If it’s A-grade, we’ll fire up to 1 billion!

Kang Woo-yeon sneered inwardly.

“1 billion? Is he joking?”

The lowest price for A-grade was 1.8 billion won.

With that money, they might barely be able to aim for the tail end of B-grade.

Sending a soldier to the battlefield while handing him exactly one bullet.

“Damn, this is what a small-to-medium company is like.”

—Hey! Turn on the video call! The CEO wants to see it himself!

“Ah, yes, yes.”

Since they would not be able to buy it anyway, he might as well let them watch.

Kang Woo-yeon answered roughly and turned on the video call.

He could hear his team leader flattering the CEO over the receiver, but he lightly ignored it.

That was when it happened.

Dadadadak!

He heard the sound of people who had heard the news late running over like madmen.

The empty auction house filled to capacity in an instant.

BANG-!

The auction house doors closed.

Now there was no backing out.

All the lights went out, and the spotlight poured only onto Mr. A on the platform.

“Good evening! I’m Mr. A! It has been a while, everyone! Surely you haven’t forgotten me?”

A light joke.

“Today’s item is truly insane. This is the greatest honor of my auction career!”

At the excited voice, everyone held their breath.

“Now, seeing something once is better than hearing a hundred words about it! It is my honor to introduce this to you!”

No sooner had he finished speaking than the massive screen behind him turned on.

At first, there was only darkness. Soon, a single point of light bloomed in the pitch-black dark. It grew larger and larger, then illuminated a transparent gem about the size of a baby’s fist.

It looked like an ordinary pebble, nothing special.

But inside it was a strange light, as though a galaxy were alive and swirling within. The moment the gem appeared on the screen, the concentration of mana inside the auction house subtly fluctuated. High-ranking Hunters instinctively felt goosebumps rise all over their bodies.

[SSS-grade Artifact: Primordial Core (The Primordial Core)]

[Effect: When equipped, permanently amplifies total mana by fivefold.]

The moment the explanation appeared on the screen, a brief silence fell.

And the next moment.

“Waaaaaaaah-!”

The auction house filled with cheers that seemed ready to burst it apart, with shock, and with gasps of disbelief.

“Shit… five times the total mana?!”

“Permanently? Does that make any sense?”

“SSS-grade! A real SSS-grade item came out!”

Without realizing it, Kang Woo-yeon’s mouth fell wide open. Beyond the smartphone screen in his hand, the CEO’s gaping mouth and the team leader’s deathly pale face were displayed in full.

“…Wh-what is this….”

The team leader’s voice trembled like a goat’s.

“1 billion? Is he joking?”

Kang Woo-yeon sneered inwardly. This was no longer a matter of money. This was a war with a nation’s fate and a guild’s future on the line.

Mr. A spread both arms to calm the heat.

“Now, now! I fully understand how you all feel! Then I won’t waste words! The starting price will be 10 billion won!”

The starting price alone was already on a level that easily approached the highest winning bid in history. But no one objected. On the contrary, as if they were already late, the auction house’s paddles shot up like mad.

“12 billion!”

“15 billion! Woldam!”

“18 billion! Hunter Bureau!”

“20 billion! 20 billion has been called!”

The price was no longer a number. It was power, and the shout of desire. Kang Woo-yeon watched the scene in a daze. The CEO and the team leader beyond the smartphone already seemed as though their souls had left them.

“Damn it, just enjoy the show.”

“30 billion! Woldam! They are pushing ahead fearlessly!”

“32 billion! Hunter Bureau! They are not backing down!”

When the price surpassed 300 billion won, all the smaller guilds fell away. Now, the war belonged to the giants. Woldam Management and the Hunter Bureau, representing the nation. Everyone held their breath at the blood-soaked fight between the two giants.

“40 billion.”

Then, from the back seats, a low voice with an unfamiliar accent came. Everyone’s eyes turned that way. A foreigner in a black suit. On his chest was the badge of Japan’s largest guild, “Yamata-no-Orochi.”

The war had now become a three-way battle.

“41 billion! Hunter Bureau!”

“43 billion! Woldam!”

“45 billion! Yamata-no-Orochi!”

The price soared like mad. 500 billion won. It was an astronomical amount, enough to recruit dozens of S-grade Hunters. But even dozens of S-grade Hunters could not defeat a single S-grade Hunter whose total mana had been multiplied by five. This was an investment in the future.

“560 billion! Woldam! Are there any more bids?”

Mr. A’s voice trembled with excitement. The Hunter Bureau’s faces had gone ashen, and the Japanese man from Yamata-no-Orochi bit his lip.

“560 billion! I will begin the count!”

Mr. A raised the wooden hammer high. It felt as if everyone’s hearts had stopped at once.

“580 billion.”

Woldam’s team leader murmured quietly, as if he intended to end everything.

A suffocating silence flowed through the auction house. 580 billion. It was an amount comparable to a nation’s defense budget. Neither the Hunter Bureau nor Yamata-no-Orochi could raise their paddles any longer.

Mr. A could not continue speaking for a moment, then finally shouted in a trembling voice.

“5… 580 billion! 580 billion has been called! Are there any more bids?”

He slowly looked around the auction house. There was no one.

“The count! I will begin!”

Bang-!

“580 billion! Once!”

Bang-!

“580 billion! Twice!”

Mr. A drew in a deep breath. The thrill of witnessing a historical moment filled his eyes.

“Last call! Three times!”

Bang-!

The sound of the wooden hammer striking the platform rang throughout the entire auction house like thunder.

“Sold!!! The SSS-grade Artifact, [Primordial Core]! It has been finally sold to Woldam Management for 580 billion won!”

With Mr. A’s declaration, the auction house filled with explosive applause, sighs, and murmurs. Woldam’s team leader proudly left to pay the winning bid.

The auction house buzzed with sighs, envy, and admiration, but people’s eyes remained fixed on the Primordial Stone.

And in a corner of the auction house.

A man who had watched all of this clenched his fist.

“…There was someone else besides me.”