Chapter 33

Chapter 33.

 

Ha-kyung had chased him out several times, but John pretended not to hear a word.

When things had gotten urgent, he had spoken Korean like a native speaker.

Now he was acting like this again.

“My Korean is not good. I do not have anywhere to go.”

“Please stop with the nonsense.”

Was he not skilled enough to enter an Extreme-grade dungeon as a guest member?

There was no way someone like that did not own a single home in Korea.

If he sold even one artifact, he could easily make tens of billions of won.

But John’s shamelessness completely shattered Ha-kyung’s common sense.

He went so far as to pitch a tent inside the training ground and practically lived there.

In the end, Ha-kyung tried to give him one of the rooms attached to the training ground.

But John waved both hands.

“Oh! No. You do not have to do that, bro.”

“The training ground lodging should be much better than sleeping in a tent. It is a room I made to use when I needed a short rest, but I do not go there much these days.”

“That is not it. I like sleeping in a tent. It feels like camping.”

“……What kind of camping are you talking about indoors?”

“I told you. I like the feeling. I hate real camping too. In Florida, where I used to live, you might meet a black bear that way. There are alligators and coyotes too.”

“An Awakened person is afraid of wild animals?”

“Yes. I am afraid they will die if I hit them. It would be sad.”

He was truly someone who strayed far beyond common sense.

Ha-kyung shook his head and turned away.

‘He is a little strange, but he probably will not be uncomfortable staying here.’

Cooking was not allowed, but the place had just about everything else.

Besides, it did not seem as if John would cook his own meals.

So it probably did not matter.

As Ha-kyung was about to leave the training ground, he suddenly tilted his head.

‘He is someone who defies common sense, so maybe he is surprisingly good at cooking.’

Perhaps because he had gained an unexpected leech,

His head began to throb for no reason.

Of course, John was quite a capable person.

He was a tank of considerable skill.

If even Kang Woo-jin acknowledged him, there should be no problem moving together.

On top of that, Ha-kyung and John worked surprisingly well together.

Had they not leaped over the storm of spikes in one move because of that,

And dealt a heavy blow to Crack Swarm?

Ha-kyung sank into deep thought.

‘Someday, I have to rebuild Axis Prime. I should think of this as taking out insurance in advance.’

That was why he had built friendships with skilled guest members like the Great Sage and Ma Do-hyuk.

If he thought of John as one of them, it made things easier.

“Hey, bro. You are going to the internal auction for this one, right? Take me with you.”

“Are you participating because you want to buy it?”

“No?”

“Then is there any need for you to go?”

“I am just going to watch. And how do I know those Korean guys will not lowball the price?”

“It is being handled by the Association, so that will not happen.”

“No, I do not trust that. Korea is a paradise for scammers.”

“That is just an internet meme. In reality, the arrest rate is high.”

“I got hit by a jeonse scam as soon as I came to Korea. I never got my money back at all. Korea is like capsaicin. It is brutally spicy.”

“…….”

Ha-kyung closed his mouth.

John said he really had been scammed.

What could Ha-kyung possibly say to that?

It seemed better to shut up and just drive.

After arriving at the Association headquarters, Ha-kyung entered Conference Room 10 on the ninth floor.

The team members had already gathered there.

As soon as he sat down, Kang Woo-jin approached and greeted him.

“Have you rested well?”

“Ah, yes. Have you been well?”

“As if a man who failed a raid could be. I entered a temple and spent the whole time repenting. I have only just come down.”

“I see.”

The deaths of the team members were not solely Kang Woo-jin’s responsibility.

An elite lineup and proper command.

As the raid leader, Kang Woo-jin had done everything he could.

The enemy had simply been too strong.

An Extreme-grade medium-sized dungeon.

Was it not the highest-level dungeon discovered this year?

Ha-kyung looked at Kang Woo-jin with respect.

‘Could I endure the pressure this man is under?’

People said that the position made the person.

But someone who lacked the qualifications from the start could never rise that far in the first place.

Ha-kyung recalled Axis Prime from five years ago.

‘It was a massive Void-grade dungeon.’

Perhaps because he had tasted defeat in a mere Extreme-grade dungeon,

The road ahead suddenly felt bleak.

Then Kang Woo-jin looked at John and grinned.

“He is not an easy man to handle, but surprisingly, you two seem to get along well.”

“It just happened somehow…….”

“He is certainly skilled, so it would be good to stay close to him. Tanks as excellent as John are rare.”

Ha-kyung was about to nod vaguely.

But John suddenly popped out and nodded vigorously.

“See? This old man acknowledges me too. I told you I am a blessing, bro.”

“…….”

Ha-kyung squeezed his eyes shut.

To speak like that to the master of one of the Four Great Guilds.

Of course, Kang Woo-jin was in his mid-fifties.

However, he looked no older than his thirties.

That was because Awakened people aged very slowly.

Whatever the case, Ha-kyung quickly apologized first.

“I am sorry. As you know, his Korean is a bit clumsy…….”

“It is fine. This bastard has been calling me old man since the first time we met anyway.”

“He is truly a troublesome talent.”

“Ha ha! In any case, I hope the auction goes well. A Skill Enhancement Scroll is an extremely rare artifact.”

“Yes, then.”

After Kang Woo-jin left, Ha-kyung tried to poke John in the side.

But he lowered his hand with a sigh.

It did not seem as if John would change anyway.

Leaving John as an exception was the best option.

Soon, someone climbed onto the platform.

The person who took the microphone was the auctioneer.

―We will now begin the internal auction for the Extreme-grade dungeon, the Abyss of Proliferation. The guardian reward is an “A-Grade Skill Enhancement Scroll.” It is a rare artifact capable of raising an A-grade skill into an S-grade skill. The starting bid is 50 billion won, and bids will increase in increments of 10 billion won.

Ha-kyung fell into thought.

‘It is good, but…….’

In truth, it was not an artifact he needed all that much.

Ha-kyung brought up his Awakened information.

Name: Lee Ha-kyung

Refinement Rank: Stage 3

Owned Skills: Wall-Walking Steps (A), Soul-Sever (S), Abyss Refinement (S), Kin-Eater (S), Soul Brand (EX), Distortion (Authority), Compression (Authority)

Owned Artifacts: Reactive Magic Armor, Cloak of Command, Tyrant’s Bracelet, Restoration Veil, Curse Breaker, Ultimate Abyss Key (2/3)

The only skill worth enhancing was Wall-Walking Steps.

In truth, even in its current state, it was extremely good.

It was originally a high-class skill.

Aside from the fact that it consumed quite a lot of mana.

Still, would S-grade not be better than A-grade?

Ha-kyung made up his mind.

The auction was fairly fierce.

“90 billion.”

“100 billion.”

An Awakened person from the Death Hound Guild bid 100 billion,

And things briefly quieted down.

It seemed to be a guild member participating in the auction on Kang Woo-jin’s behalf.

When Ha-kyung glanced around, someone in the corner raised a hand.

“110 billion.”

A person with a white fedora pulled low over their face.

The Great Sage had entered the auction.

The price began to rise again.

“120 billion.”

“130 billion.”

“140 billion.”

“150 billion.”

The Death Hound Guild and the Great Sage showed no sign of stopping.

Even the auctioneer fell silent.

Everyone else only murmured among themselves,

Watching the duel between the two bidders.

Then the Death Hound Guild called out a large amount all at once.

“200 billion.”

“…….”

The Great Sage shrugged, then fell silent.

It seemed they had never intended to buy it in the first place.

They were only trying to raise the price.

Just as they had done during the auction for Tyrant’s Bracelet.

―Now, do we have 210 billion?

The auctioneer waved a hand, but no one stepped forward.

Just as the item was about to be sold,

Ha-kyung suddenly raised his hand.

“250 billion.”

Everyone’s gaze poured toward him.

The market price of an A-grade Skill Enhancement Scroll was around 200 billion.

It was not often on the market, but if one appeared, it could usually be purchased around that price.

Ha-kyung’s bid was higher than expected.

If they pointlessly let the bidding overheat, the price would only climb above market value.

And the amount was awkward to challenge just for the sake of beating him.

The Death Hound Guild began murmuring among themselves.

Then Kang Woo-jin wore an expression of resignation.

He had acknowledged that there was no meaning in investing any more.

Soon, the auctioneer confirmed the successful bid.

―If there is no bid of 260 billion, I will close the auction. 250 billion, 250 billion, 250 billion. Sold! Congratulations.

Clap, clap, clap!

A few team members offered modest applause.

Ha-kyung bowed his head and went up to the platform.

After paying the auction amount, he returned to his seat for the time being.

The artifact now belonged to Ha-kyung, but the verification procedure remained.

Since it was a single-use item, they had no choice but to be more thorough.

Then an unexpected person suddenly entered his sight.

‘Reporter Moon Jeong-hoon?’

He was in a corner, constantly tapping away at his keyboard.

It seemed he was trying to publish an article about the auction result.

Ha-kyung quietly approached him.

Moon Jeong-hoon flinched violently and turned his head.

“Huup! M-Mr. Lee Ha-kyung?”

“You are not mass-producing another piece of trash writing, are you?”

“O-of c-c-course not.”

Seeing him stutter three times, it seemed he had something to feel guilty about.

Ha-kyung abruptly turned the laptop around.

Even if there was a privacy screen attached, it would be useless from this angle.

However, surprisingly, the content was the complete opposite of what he had expected.

“This is unexpectedly normal. Are you really going to post it like this?”

“O-of course. I have to write the truth as it is. Ha, haha!”

“Make sure you do. Unless you want to meet those hounds who cannot be reasoned with again.”

“Yes, sir!”

Reporter Moon Jeong-hoon answered with a face stiff with discipline.

In truth, the relationship between Ha-kyung and the Raiders had become irreparable.

‘What is the worst that can happen if I use it a little?’

Moon Jeong-hoon probably would not even have the courage to ask the Raiders for confirmation.

Ha-kyung returned to his seat and waited for the procedure to finish.

Then John suddenly held out his cell phone.

“Hey! Bad King bro. Look at this.”

“What is it?”

“The auction result has already become an article.”

[Exclusive] Immortal Tyrant Lee Ha-kyung donates 50 billion won for fallen teammates!

―He intentionally bought an item worth 200 billion for 250 billion. Even the Great Sage confirmed it.

└Normally, if there is an A-grade Skill Enhancement Scroll available, you just buy it…… was what I was about to say, but the Great Sage said that?

└Then is this not impossible to refute?

└Seeing how Death Hound has not said anything either, it looks real.

└At this point, we should not call him the Immortal Tyrant, but the Immortal Sage-King. No, maybe Divine Ha-kyung is better?

└That is a justified name change. Haha.

└How high are his profits that he can just throw away 50 billion?

└He is just on another level. If he keeps running high-grade dungeons, his money could pile up into the trillions.

In the past, there had been some hate comments here and there.

Now, most of it was recognition and praise.

It seemed credibility had been amplified because of the Great Sage’s name value.

Ha-kyung could only laugh hollowly.

‘Ha! Why are they praising me this hard? But was this discussed with the Great Sage?’

Considering Moon Jeong-hoon’s usual conduct,

There was a good chance he had simply attached the Great Sage’s name as he pleased.

In any case, Ha-kyung was not particularly bothered.

There was nothing bad about his image improving.

As he waited in his seat, the auctioneer approached and handed him a box.

“The deposit has been confirmed. This is the item you won.”

“Thank you.”

Ha-kyung took out the glowing paper and tore it open at once.

RIP!

[A-Grade Skill Enhancement Scroll used]

[Target: Wall-Walking Steps]

[Wall-Walking Steps has grown into an S-grade skill]

WHOOOOM!

A bright cluster of light seeped into Ha-kyung’s entire body.

However, he could not immediately tell what had changed.

The Abyss system did not provide detailed explanations.

He would have to practice at the training ground to know what was different.

Soon, Ha-kyung rose from his seat.

His business was over, so he was about to leave.

“Mr. Lee Ha-kyung?”

At the familiar voice that suddenly reached him, Ha-kyung turned his head.

Then he saw the Great Sage smiling brightly.

Ha-kyung immediately asked a question.

“Did you happen to give Reporter Moon Jeong-hoon an interview?”

“Ah, I did.”

“Why did you say something like that?”

“A kind of lip service? A bribe, you could say.”

“Yes?”

“There is someone I want to catch.”

Ha-kyung immediately understood the Great Sage’s intention.

They were probably asking him to go to The Void together.

At present, there were very few Awakened people capable of entering and leaving that place.

Soon, Ha-kyung nodded.

“Good. What is the target this time?”

“An Unfathomable-grade field boss.”

“……!”