Chapter 38

Chapter 38.

 

The Great Sage’s Raid Team returned safely.

Since it was composed of elite Awakened, no real accidents occurred.

After all, they were people who moved through the Upper Floors of the Abyss as if they were walking through their own homes.

After finishing the cleaning work, Ha-kyung headed straight for the Association headquarters.

Most items could be handled near the Gate.

However, high-grade artifacts had to go through an Internal Auction at the Association.

As Ha-kyung headed toward the conference room, he suddenly recalled what the Great Sage had said.

‘They said there was a creature they wanted to catch, didn’t they?’

That creature had been the Frost Bishop.

And as a reward for killing it, Cadaveric Staff had appeared.

The Great Sage would probably try to bid with all their strength.

In truth, it was not an artifact Ha-kyung particularly needed.

After all, it came with mana amplification and recovery enhancement options.

The competition among the Healers would probably be fierce.

Even so, he had no intention of handing it over easily.

Ha-kyung gave a meaningful smile.

‘Is it time for revenge?’

Perhaps the Great Sage had read his intention as well, because they placed their fedora against their chest and bowed their head.

It probably meant they wanted him to go easy on them.

Ha-kyung shrugged and waited for the auction procedure.

―We will now begin the Internal Auction for the Frost Bishop, an Unfathomable-Grade Field Boss of The Void. The reward is ‘Cadaveric Staff,’ an artifact with mana amplification and recovery enhancement abilities. The starting price is fifty billion won, and Bid Increments will be made in units of ten billion won.

As soon as the Auctioneer finished speaking, hands went up from all over the room.

As expected, the competition among the Healers was fierce.

“One hundred billion!”

“One hundred fifty billion!”

“Two hundred billion!”

The auction price soared to two hundred billion in an instant.

For a brief moment, silence fell over the hall.

Because the person who had made the final bid was none other than the Great Sage.

Everyone was probably making their calculations.

But then, Ha-kyung quietly raised his hand.

“Two hundred fifty billion.”

“...?”

When he suddenly stepped forward, the team members’ gazes poured toward him.

Their eyes seemed to ask why on earth he was bidding on a Healer-only artifact.

Of course, whether they did or not, Ha-kyung merely shrugged.

‘No matter what, it was an Unfathomable-Grade Field Boss of The Void. It would feel disappointing if it ended at only two hundred billion.’

He had bought an A-Grade Skill Enhancement Scroll for two hundred fifty billion, after all.

Soon, the Great Sage immediately raised the bid.

“Three hundred billion.”

―Now, we have three hundred billion! Are there any more bids?

As expected, they did not seem willing to back down so easily.

So Ha-kyung raised his hand with a very relaxed heart.

“I will go with four hundred billion.”

“...!”

The team members’ puzzled eyes turned to shock.

He had raised the bid by a hundred billion at once.

And the bidding war still showed no signs of cooling.

“It’s an artifact comparable to Extreme Grade. It is more than worth four hundred billion.”

“Even so, I do not think it will go up to five hundred billion, will it? It is not a true Extreme Grade.”

“That is true. Let us just watch for now. It is not as if we can beat those two.”

When whales fought, the shrimp’s back was broken.

If they joined in for no reason, they might end up taking the blame alone.

Ha-kyung waited with a relaxed expression.

If the Great Sage called four hundred fifty billion, he intended to back down at an appropriate point.

But no matter how long he waited, the Great Sage’s hand showed no sign of rising.

―If there are no more bids, we will conclude the bidding here. Four hundred billion, four hundred billion, four hundred billion. Successful Bid! Congratulations.

CLAP, CLAP, CLAP, CLAP!

Applause poured in from every direction.

It had been a raid with forty participants.

Even if it was divided simply, each person would receive at least ten billion won.

Of course, half of it would disappear after taxes were deducted.

Even so, was it not still a fine profit?

Everyone had no choice but to smile in satisfaction.

Only Ha-kyung, who had suddenly become the successful bidder, looked bewildered.

‘No, they are not bidding on this?’

He was stunned, but it did not matter much.

After all, Cadaveric Staff was an artifact worth that much.

If he put it up for Public Auction right now, he would probably receive far more than this.

Since the Successful Bid had been made,

Ha-kyung had to buy Cadaveric Staff.

After finishing the transfer procedure, he sat down and waited.

Meanwhile, the auction for Titan Flail began.

Perhaps because it was an Unknown-Grade artifact, the final auction price was fifty billion.

It was the same price as the Titan Mace he had obtained before.

However, the successful bidder was unexpected.

“Why do you look so surprised? You did not expect me to buy it, did you, partner?”

Because the owner of Titan Flail was John.

Of course, it was entirely possible.

Was he not a Tank with outstanding skill and considerable experience?

Even if it was not quite fifteen years as he had told Ma Do-hyuk, he had still spent at least ten years eating Abyss experience.

Spending fifty billion or so would not be difficult for him.

John spun the metal pieces of Titan Flail around and said,

“I needed a new weapon anyway, and this looked pretty interesting. Heh-heh!”

Changing weapons out of simple interest.

It was a thought no one but someone as strange as John could have.

Soon, Ha-kyung also received Cadaveric Staff.

At just the right moment, the Great Sage approached with a smiling face.

“That weapon suits you very well.”

“Why did you not raise the bid?”

“Just because.”

“Wasn’t it an artifact you wanted very much?”

“That is correct. I wanted to twist the situation a little.”

“Please stop joking. It seems there is some other meaning behind this.”

Ha-kyung did not take the Great Sage’s words at face value.

Appearing here one moment and there the next, they were a person armed in mystery.

Would such a person give up Cadaveric Staff out of a simple whim?

That would never happen.

Sure enough,

the Great Sage shook their head.

“As expected, I cannot deceive you, Mr. Ha-kyung.”

“Answer me honestly. Why did you do it?”

“I thought you would back down at a suitable point if I bid roughly four hundred fifty billion.”

“Pardon?”

The Great Sage had seen straight through Ha-kyung’s intention.

In truth, it was not a difficult guess.

When Tyrant’s Bracelet had been auctioned,

it was exactly the same as what they had done.

Ha-kyung, who had merely been tilting his head, suddenly let out a hollow laugh.

“So that is why you came to see me.”

“I wanted to give you a gift. This raid succeeded thanks to you, Mr. Ha-kyung.”

“How much will you buy it for?”

“Let us make it six hundred billion. Even if you put it up for Public Auction, it would likely be difficult to receive more than this.”

“...”

At the Great Sage’s answer, Ha-kyung was left speechless.

If this happened, he would gain two hundred billion won that he did not have to split with the team members.

It was an unmistakably certain gift.

People said the best way to express gratitude was with money, and his mood felt quite good.

Ha-kyung smiled faintly and said,

“Very well. I accept.”

“Thank you very much for overturning a raid that had essentially failed. I will never forget today for the rest of my life.”

“There is no need to say that...”

“Please return safely. I will contact you again next time.”

“Yes, well. Please call me whenever you have another good opportunity.”

Ha-kyung received a transfer of six hundred billion won

and handed Cadaveric Staff over to the Great Sage.

***

After leaving the Association headquarters, Ha-kyung was walking toward the parking lot.

Then John immediately followed him.

“Damn suspicious.”

“Are you saying you are suspicious, John?”

“No, you understood me, so do not make fun of me!”

“Oh, my! How can you suddenly shout in a public place?”

“It is because I am an American person. Please understand.”

“You only cosplay as a Foreign Worker when it is inconvenient for you. Even though you have lived in Korea for nearly twenty years.”

“Ah, you caught me.”

“So what is suspicious?”

“The Great Sage. Grand Sage. You know, the Michael Jackson cosplayer in white clothes.”

“Pfft!”

Ha-kyung could not hold back his laughter.

To dismiss the Great Sage as someone cosplaying as Michael Jackson.

As expected, it was very like John.

After fixing his expression, Ha-kyung tried asking a question.

“What about that person?”

“Their gaze when they looked at you felt a little greasy, bro. How should I put it? Attachment?”

“What are you talking about?”

“I am saying they just like you.”

“Pardon?”

“That is what it feels like. Trust the words of someone from the American mainland. Our country is damn diverse.”

Ha-kyung shook his head.

More than half of what John said was nonsense.

There seemed to be no need to take it seriously.

Even so, part of it was not wrong.

After all, the Great Sage valued Ha-kyung highly.

‘That must be why they call me whenever there is a good raid opportunity.’

As he wandered around the parking lot searching for his car,

someone suddenly spoke to him.

“Excuse me.”

A man and woman in their twenties, dressed ordinarily.

They seemed to be a couple.

The woman among them looked at Ha-kyung with sparkling eyes.

He answered with a puzzled expression.

“What is it?”

“Are you perhaps the Immortal Tyrant?”

“...Pardon?”

Ha-kyung had no choice but to be flustered.

They were not Awakened who had encountered him several times.

He had never dreamed that ordinary people would recognize him out of nowhere.

Was that not natural?

Ha-kyung had only been exposed to the outside world once, through an interview.

Other than that, there were only rumors floating around on communities and the news.

Not even a single photo of him had circulated.

So how on earth had they recognized him?

However, the man and woman clapped their hands together as though they were certain and rejoiced.

“Wow! I never thought we would meet you in a place like this.”

“That is not exactly right. This is the Association headquarters.”

“Still, what are the odds of coming here for an Awakening test and running into the Immortal Tyrant?”

“That is true. It is nice to meet you. I am truly a fan.”

The man held out his hand first.

Ha-kyung shook it while still bewildered.

Then he tried asking a question.

“But how did you recognize me?”

“Ah, AI raid videos are popular these days.”

“What are those?”

“What happens inside the Abyss is only passed around as stories, isn’t it? When someone tells a story, they use AI to turn it into an animation.”

The man turned on his phone and showed him a video.

It was the raid of the Layered Abyss that Ha-kyung had done with the Raiders not long ago.

A man was beating a Shroud Wraith by himself.

The armor, cloak, and even the karambit were astonishingly similar.

On top of that, the face also greatly resembled Ha-kyung.

‘Something like this exists? It is far more elaborate than I expected.’

The raid in the video was almost identical to what Ha-kyung remembered.

But it continued even into the events after the escape.

Even the Duel with Iron Wall Butcher Kim Tae-gwang was included.

Ha-kyung pointed at the screen and said,

“Why does this part appear?”

“There is a separate video someone took, but it is so crude that they must have made the Duel scene with AI too.”

“Ah, I see.”

“And there is another point that makes you even easier to recognize.”

The man pointed at John, who was standing blankly beside Ha-kyung.

Then he started to say something, but stopped and hesitated for a moment.

Ha-kyung smiled gently and said,

“It is all right. You may just say it.”

“Ah, yes. Well... they say you go around with a strange Foreign Worker.”

At the man’s answer, Ha-kyung almost burst out laughing.

Was it not true?

It was hard to find someone as unique as John.

However, the person in question seemed to think differently.

“Hey! Funny guy. What are you saying? Where else would you find a paragon of virtue like me?”

John said this while spinning Titan Flail around and around.

Since a huge white man was doing it, the pressure he gave off was tremendous.

Of course, Ha-kyung knew it was just a joke.

But people who did not know John had no choice but to be frightened.

Just as the man and woman’s faces turned white,

Ha-kyung stepped in and instantly eased the atmosphere.

“Hey, John.”

“What? Bad King bro.”

“You say you are from America, so why does your pronunciation sound Korean? And you are not saying any long sentences.”

“No, the thing is...”

John put on a dejected expression.

Then, with his usual exaggerated gesture and a shameless face, he said,

“I actually forgot English.”