Chapter 136
[Translator – Pr?ks]
[Proofreader – Pr?ks]
Chapter 136: Sky Auction House (1)
A thousand masked figures gathered at the Sky Auction House.
The masks provided here had a special function: they changed the wearer’s physique and voice. Of course, one could remove the mask if they wished, but most people kept them on until the auction ended.
There was no need to reveal one’s identity unnecessarily.
Nevertheless, the reason for diligently scanning the surroundings was…
‘Surely, that guy wasn’t invited, was he?’
It was because of Kim Minwoo, the hottest rising Awakened these days.
Normally, there would be nothing to worry about.
Getting an invitation to the Sky Auction House was extremely difficult.
It was common knowledge that Awakened under level 500 had no chance of receiving an invitation, no matter what they did. After all, how much fame could one have at low levels, and how much wealth could one accumulate?
There were many examples of this.
The wealthy Awakened from the Middle East and Arab regions.
They were celebrities with personal assets of tens of trillions, yet many of them failed to receive invitations to the Sky Auction House.
The story of a Middle Eastern tycoon who was so frustrated that he power-leveled to level 600 just to receive an invitation was quite famous.
However, it wasn’t as if high-level Awakened received invitations to the Sky Auction House easily either.
Many were disqualified due to their lack of assets, despite meeting the fame and level requirements.
The higher one climbed, the more money one spent.
Even among the world’s top-ranked players, there were many whose assets did not exceed trillions.
Most of them ended up that way while trying to enhance A-rank or S-rank skill books.
In any case…
‘Normally, he shouldn’t have received one…’
Kim Minwoo was an anomaly in many ways.
He had only been Awakened for five months.
Yet, he already had 100 million subscribers on NewTube, and his estimated assets exceeded 40 trillion won.
This was just the minimum figure.
It was widely believed that he had received something from China and Saudi Arabia. But his level was barely above 300.
There had never been an Awakened like him, and there would never be another one like Kim Minwoo.
Did he receive an invitation?
Whenever reporters asked him this question, he would just smile slyly and say, “Well, I don’t know.”
‘Please, just wait until next year.’
Awakened from powerful nations like Japan, India, Russia, and Canada prayed fervently.
—Necromancer equipment, you must acquire it.
This was a strict order from the government.
No matter how talented an Awakened might be, they would be handicapped without proper equipment.
Since they had gone so far as to awaken an SS-rank Necromancer, the government’s stance was to acquire the equipment at any cost…
‘If that Kim Minwoo guy was also invited…’
‘How much are we going to have to spend?’
Although they had provided more generous funding than usual, anticipating fierce competition, it still felt insufficient.
Just then, something appeared on the stage of the Sky Auction House.
It resembled a clown.
“Awakened ones, who have overcome countless challenges to reach the Sky Auction House! I, Rastaan, welcome you all!”
*Boom!*
With Rastaan’s words, colorful fireworks erupted from all directions.
Rastaan then looked around with a grin and said,
“This year, we have a lot of wonderful items! Even our auction house’s ‘special items’ will be on display.”
Special items.
These were not items put up for auction by Awakened, but items offered by the Sky Auction House itself.
These items sometimes appeared every year, and sometimes they didn’t.
As befitting the “special” modifier, quite unique items were offered.
The problem was that the minimum bid was very high.
The items boasted such high prices that even powerful nations found it difficult to purchase one. They usually appeared at the very end of the auction.
“The auction order is simple! First, items listed by Awakened from Earth will appear, followed by the special items! Please take a look at the catalogue!”
A hologram appeared before the Awakened. The hologram displayed the items to be auctioned along with detailed information.
A total of 157 Legend-rank items.
There were only two Ancient-rank items.
This wasn’t particularly strange.
Ancient-rank items were rarely put up for auction in the first place.
Countries would rather list Legend-rank items to meet their quota than Ancient-rank items. Who would be crazy enough to sell items of that level?
Usually, they didn’t even have enough for themselves.
Kim Minwoo looked at the items.
‘Both Ancient-rank items are duds. They don’t even have attributes.’
A druid armor and a two-handed sword were listed.
‘I have the Command Sword, Siwoo uses the Holy Sword, and Cedric uses his Bone Spear. If anything, the two-handed sword would be for equipping a Dullahan.’
But with a level restriction of 400, it was an item that the low-level Dullahans couldn’t even touch yet.
‘I’ll have to hope for something good from the special items.’
At this rate, it seemed like he would only be dabbling in Legend-rank items.
To spend the money he had saved in a satisfying way, he needed a lucky break with the special items.
He looked at the list of special items.
[Sky Auction House Special Items]
[To be revealed at the start of the special auction.]
[1. ???]
[2. ???]
There were two items.
What would appear from there was purely random.
‘First, I need to sweep up the Legend-rank items.’
Equipment for guild members and legion commanders.
And accessories, attribute items, and Necromancer equipment.
Out of the 157 items, there were about 50 that he could buy.
“To facilitate a smooth auction, let’s activate the translation function! Now you can all understand each other! You want to buy something? Good. Pay the money. Preferably a lot! Now, let’s start the general auction!”
[First item, ‘Clairvoyance Helmet’ is being presented!]
[Clairvoyance Helmet]
[rank: Legend]
[Restriction: Level 400 or above, ranged class.]
[A helmet with mystical eyes that can see far distances. It provides the wearer with sharp vision.]
[Effect 1. The wearer’s field of vision is increased by 1.5 times.]
[Effect 2. The wearer has a certain chance to detect the weaknesses of distant enemies.]
[Effect 3. Damage dealt to enemies whose weaknesses have been detected is increased by 20%.]
‘Oh.’
The first item he had been eyeing appeared. It was the helmet that Seo Yerim hadn’t gotten from her treasure chest last time.
Other Awakened were also excited.
It was a very versatile and powerful item.
“120 billion.”
“180 billion.”
“220 billion.”
The bidding price quickly rose.
Kim Minwoo, who had been watching from the sidelines, called out his price.
“300 billion.”
“…330 billion.”
“400 billion.”
“…450 billion.”
“500 billion.”
“…”
His opponent scowled.
‘This bastard.’
Clairvoyance Helmet?
It was definitely a good item.
450 billion was the final price he had called out.
Honestly, anything above that felt like overpaying.
But the other side was raising the bid by 100 billion each time, making it hard to breathe.
‘Should I bid higher, or not?’
The opponent rolled their eyes and finally let out a sigh of surrender.
Their funds were limited, and if they raised the bid and the other side gave up, they would have to shoulder the entire increased price. They didn’t have the guts to take that risk.
“Going once? 500 billion. Going twice? Three. Two. One. Congratulations to bidder number 7!”
[Bidder number 7 has won the ‘Clairvoyance Helmet’…]
[Bidder number 7 has won the ‘Lava Armor’…]
[Bidder number 7 has won the ‘Gale Boots’…]
[Bidder number 7 has won the ‘Ring of Courage’…]
.
.
Number 7 was on a rampage.
They were sweeping up every piece of equipment like a swarm of locusts after a seven-day famine.
Even when others raised the bid high, number 7 would simply outbid them, leaving no room for competition.
Even the United States didn’t buy equipment so recklessly.
‘Is he buying Necromancer equipment too?’
‘Could that be…’
Kim Minwoo?
[Translator – Pr?ks]
[Proofreader – Pr?ks]
If he were participating with government funding like most Awakened, it would be impossible to show such audacity.
Because it was government money, not his own, that he was spending.
‘He keeps raising the price like a madman…’
‘Should we try to ride his coattails?’
The eyes of some Awakened gleamed.
He had been raising the bid without hesitation while buying ten pieces of equipment.
Until now, they had been somewhat overwhelmed by his audacity.
The first ten items were more of a reconnaissance, so they easily gave up on the equipment if the price went slightly above the fair market value.
But what was the result?
He was sweeping up all the equipment at prices that weren’t much higher than the fair market value.
This wouldn’t do.
He was already a rich guy.
‘Then we need to contain him.’
If they didn’t reduce Kim Minwoo’s funds now, they wouldn’t be able to compete for the later equipment.
The Awakened exchanged silent glances.
Among them was Manato, a Japanese Awakened wearing a fox mask.
In preparation for Kim Minwoo’s possible participation, countries with SS-rank Necromancers had secretly agreed on a cooperative signal.
Japan was one of those countries. The main idea was simple:
If Kim Minwoo was spotted, each country would take turns raising the price to deplete his funds. They had even assigned roles for those who would inflate the bids.
The first turn was Japan’s.
Kim Minwoo.
The Awakened who had recently not only provoked Japan but completely shattered their pride. Coincidentally, the next item was Necromancer equipment.
‘You won’t get it easily.’
Japan was also in dire need of Necromancer equipment.
You have a lot of money?
Fine, take it.
But pay a hefty toll.
His eyes filled with venom.
The next item was then presented.
[Eleventh item, ‘Rotten Bone Boots’ is…]
Kim Minwoo looked at the item.
Rotten Bone Boots.
Legend-rank.
The detailed description showed that it had similar performance to the Ghost Steps he had obtained from the treasure chest last time.
He looked around.
Awakened were eyeing the Rotten Bone Boots with gleaming eyes.
Among the previous ten auction items, there had also been one Necromancer equipment.
A Necromancer-exclusive armor that had appeared eighth.
The options were decent, so he had aggressively bid and bought it.
Thanks to his boldness, there hadn’t been much competition.
But this time…
‘Things are going to heat up.’
Since he had taken all ten pieces of equipment at a relatively low price, others would start to get anxious.
As the auction house was a competitive environment, it wasn’t surprising that others would try to counter him.
There was just one thing they hadn’t considered.
‘It’s the same for me.’
Countering and crushing other bidders?
There was no reason for Kim Minwoo not to do the same.
A decent item had just appeared at the right time.
A Necromancer-exclusive item with good options.
It was something that other Awakened would definitely covet.
Based on the effects alone, it seemed like an item worth around 600 billion.
‘I’ll fan the flames and make one of them explode.’
It would be a good warning to those who were planning to cause trouble.
With the birth of many aspiring Necromancers, there was a high chance that the bidding would go up quickly.
“400 billion.”
“430 billion.”
“470 billion.”
As expected, the bids kept rising.
Kim Minwoo also quietly joined this battlefield.
“600 billion.”
A brief silence followed.
Several Awakened, including the one with the fox mask, jumped into the auction.
700 billion, 800 billion, 900 billion.
The price skyrocketed in an instant.
Kim Minwoo called out the next bid with a relaxed demeanor.
“1 trillion.”
Upon reaching the trillion mark, the Awakened began to withdraw, as if satisfied.
Manato stared intently at Kim Minwoo.
The Rotten Bone Boots.
The options were decent, but honestly, they weren’t good enough to exceed a trillion.
Yet, he had called out 1 trillion without hesitation.
In other words, it could mean that Kim Minwoo was that eager to get those boots.
‘Maybe I should raise the bid a bit more?’
Judging by his current momentum, it seemed like he would keep bidding like a fool even if the price went higher.
“…1.5 trillion.”
“1.1 trillion.”
[TL/N: For people Who were confused why 1.1 after 1.5 it’s because the Japanese guy here was just about to bid 1.5 trillion for but Minwoo here added to his original bid meaning his bid now was 1.1 trillion in place of 1 trillion only.]
The fox-masked Awakened fell silent for a moment at the immediate counter-bid.
He was probably debating whether to stop or not.
Kim Minwoo looked at him and smiled.
He wasn’t new to auctions.
Eyes filled with greed.
That guy was the type to eventually succumb to his desires and ignite the powder keg.
Kim Minwoo shrugged, as if he still had plenty of room to spare.
“…1.2 trillion.”
The man gritted his teeth and called out the next price.
“Ah! 1.2 trillion! Anyone else willing to bid higher?”
Kim Minwoo shook his head.
‘This is it.’
If he bid any higher, the guy would leave satisfied.
That wouldn’t do.
At that moment, the fox-masked Awakened’s face seemed to turn pale.
1.2 trillion for a 600 billion item?
With that kind of audacity, he had to concede.
“1.2 trillion. Going once? Going twice? Sold! Congratulations to bidder number 13!”
The fox-masked Awakened collapsed into his seat, his legs seemingly giving out.
Kim Minwoo waved at him.
It was the Necromancer equipment he had dreamed of, so he would probably put it to good use.
Whatever.
He glanced around at the Awakened.
They were now looking at him with wary eyes, as if they had finally realized that he could mess with them just as easily.
Out of the 157 pieces of equipment, he only needed about 50.
In other words, 107 of them were unnecessary.
That’s why he had planned to stay quiet and not cause any trouble.
‘As expected.’
One shouldn’t be too nice.
If he stayed quiet, they would really take him for a pushover. They were already trying to throw him off balance.
If the fox mask’s gamble had succeeded earlier, when he had sensed that unsettling atmosphere?
They would probably have gone wild with joy.
‘I need to stir things up a bit too.’
It was time to assert some dominance.
* * *
The auction of 157 items and the Ancient-rank items was over.
The eventful first half had come to an end.
‘Damn it.’
‘Is he really crazy?’
The Awakened looked at number 7, Kim Minwoo, with exasperated eyes.
He had bid on every single item.
He had even contributed to raising the bids on equipment for all sorts of minor classes. Every item had started to become inflated.
Since he had swept up not only Necromancer equipment but all sorts of other equipment, it was unclear whether he was deliberately raising the bids or genuinely trying to buy them.
As a result, the Awakened began to participate in the auction, albeit reluctantly, as they couldn’t return empty-handed just because the prices were high.
The result?
“Oh my! Amazing! The average winning bid for the 157 items is around 600 billion each! That’s a 20% increase compared to last year! It seems the Earth’s economy has improved a lot.”
The clown, Rastaan, who was excited and twitching his nose, was the only one who truly profited.
The Awakened wore gloomy expressions.
On the other hand, Kim Minwoo…
‘Well, I bought them at a decent price.’
He shrugged, somewhat satisfied with the results.
He had swept up all 50 items he wanted.
The total cost was roughly 40 trillion won.
Although he had paid a bit more for some accessories, it was unreasonable to expect to buy them at cost in an auction.
It was a situation with overflowing competitors, after all.
If he hadn’t caused a ruckus in the middle, it would have cost him 50 or 60 trillion, not 40 trillion.
Even after spending this much, he still had a lot of money left. All thanks to the warm donations.
Just then, Rastaan looked around and said,
“Now then, the auction for items from Earth is over. Shall we start the real auction now?”
The Awakened’s eyes sparkled.
Special items.
They didn’t appear every year, but when they did, they had one thing in common: they were truly exceptional items with a minimum bid usually starting at 10 trillion.
“We present the first special item of the year!”
[The first special item list is revealed.]
[‘Dice of Fate’ is revealed!]
Dice of Fate?
The Awakened’s gazes focused on the small dice resting on Rastaan’s hand.
Kim Minwoo was no exception.
[Translator – Pr?ks]
[Proofreader – Pr?ks]
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