Chapter 64
In order to survive in this area, they had to pay close attention to Dragon Industry, the force dominating it! All the clans operating in and around Los Angeles were wary of Dragon Industry. Though they were in the black market, nobody would be able to stop the Dragon Industry if they launched a full-fledged attack.
Whittaker was a member of a clan under Dragon Industry. Giving him money was better than causing problems. They were only giving away pennies compared to the auction house’s income anyway.
“Who’s that hunter next to him?”
“He seems new. I don’t have enough information about him. Please wait… There. Found him.”
The Mount Hua Sect clan had an incredible intelligence network. It didn’t take them that long to find information about Choi Yeonseung, who briefly appeared in the UHC’s preliminary round.
“He’s a B-grade hunter that has recently passed the UHC qualifiers and made his professional debut in the league. It seems he’s also joined the Icarus clan.”
“I see. Treat him with care.”
“Uh...”
“What is it?”
“He’s a martial artist.”
“A martial artist?”
Mount Hua Sect’s hunters looked puzzled. Before the great invasion, China had the largest number of martial artists. Moreover, Mount Hua Sect was a representative clan of martial artists! They were stubbornly persistent in martial arts even as it declined and most people switched to magic.
-Martial arts don't lose to magic!
They had faith in it! However, martial artists were becoming increasingly rare. Even the Mount Hua Sect’s young hunters were starting to learn magic. Hence, they couldn’t help but be surprised when a martial artist suddenly appeared in front of them.
“Should?I go up to him and ask what martial art he uses...”
“Don’t be insane! What nonsense are you saying?”
Martial artists always communicated with each other. Unlike magicians, when martial artists met, they would ask about the other’s martial art and exchange enlightenment. Walking on the martial art paths gave them a sense of kinship! However, that was back when meeting martial artists were common. Hiding their identity wouldn’t be enough to be able to have such conversations in a secret auction house.
The Mount Hua Sect ran this auction house under complete secrecy.
“I-I’m sorry.”
“... It’s fine. I understand how you feel,” the hunter said while shaking his head. To be honest, he also wanted to talk to Choi Yeonseung.
What type of martial art had he learned and was it daunting to fight monsters with martial arts?
***
“Did you see? Huh?’
“You play games by luck.”
“The game is about luck, Master.”
Whittaker became angry at Choi Yeonseung and Odaigon’s cold words.
“You just don’t know this game well! This is a high-level technique...”
“Whatever. Let’s just wait for the auction. When will it start?”
“It’s about to start—oh. There we go.”
The moment a masked person came up to the stage before them, the people wandering around started to sit down in the front.
‘A martial artist?’
[The ‘Cat of Lava and Magma’ is asking if you know this person.]
-No. Just because they use martial arts doesn’t mean I know them.
Even though the number of martial artists had dwindled to the point where it had become impossible to find those above a certain stage, they hadn’t completely disappeared. Didn’t Choi Yeonseung also learn martial arts because it was cheap and easy to learn?
‘Still, I’m curious.’
Choi Yeonseung looked the other person up and down to determine his level. He could see the person was at the second-class stage even without using his vision as a constellation. A second-class stage martial artist could seem low, but he’d be a C-grade at least in hunter rank. Someone with that rank wouldn’t simply get ignored everywhere. Such a hunter was the auction house’s host.
“Ah, right. Choi Yeonseung, make sure you ask me before buying anything here.”
Useless monster meat and dungeon items had different prices. Whittaker would have to check his bank account balance before purchasing those worth similar to a 5th-circle magic book.
“You’re useless. I thought you’d at least be of some use?to Master.”
Odaigon?criticized Whittaker. Whittaker appeared to find his claim extremely unfair.
“They had faith in it! I was just trying to introduce?you?to this place. You’re also a member of the Icarus clan. You can earn a lot of money!” Whittaker never saved money when investing in people, but the Choi Yeonseung-Odaigon duo were really hard to deal with.
***
The auction showed a 2nd-circle magic book and two 1st-circle magic books, which people still bought for quite a lot of money. They also put up the Whitron’s Spear for auction. It was sold for $50,000 thanks to its aesthetic appearance even though Choi Yeonseung didn’t find it that great.
‘Come to think of it, this is also training.’
Choi Yeonseung grasped the performance of each item that appeared using his constellation eyes, which ordinary hunters couldn’t do! Although he was a constellation, his power of existence was only around the intermediate level. He still wasn’t that good at using his power as a constellation.
Hence, he trained in this way.
-Is there no one else? Sold for $800,000!
After Several items had been auctioned off, something unusual caught Choi Yeonseung’s attention amid his yawn.
“!”
[Thunder Flame Dagger:
Durability: 100/100 ? Attack Power: 150
Contains the skills ‘Subspace Storage’ and ‘Subspace Summoning.’
Level Restriction: 250.]
A dagger with lightning and flame patterns! It had normal attack power, but what made it powerful was its ability to open and summon a subspace. It was a hidden?weapon?that?seemed to have more use in real life than in raids!
‘I want to buy it, but I don’t know if I have enough money.’
Choi Yeonseung recalled a conversation he had with Hwang Gyeongryong.
-Yeonseung. Take this card.
The card that Hwang Gyeongryong gave him! It was a black card with no patterns.
-What is this?
-You’ll be able to make money fast, but if you ever have to buy anything before you get money, use this.
-I don’t think I’ll be spending anyway...
-Your hyung is trying to show off. Is it cool to stop me?
-No, I’ll take it. I’ll take it.
He kept Hwang Gyeongryong’s black card! He didn’t know how much was in it, but it had to be a lot.
‘Come to think of it, I have to start earning.’
He had completely forgotten about it in the Abyss, but money was a necessity in this world. He couldn’t keep living off Hwang Gyeongryong! Choi Yeonseung earned a basic salary of $1 million a year just by being a part of the Icarus clan. There were also some bonuses...
‘It’s a lot.’
Upon joining the Icarus clan, hunters could eat and play abundantly without having to actively participate in actual battles with the 1st team. He could somehow feel Hwang?Gyeongryong’s?strong desire to attract talented people and get A-grade hunters.
‘Ah. There’s also the UHC League. I’ve registered in it, so I’ll get paid if I play in a match.’
He’d earn tens of times higher than what he got from doing hard raids as a C-grade hunter in the past. Choi Yeonseung hadn’t spent much money since becoming a constellation, so he couldn’t help feeling a bit strange.
-$5,000.
-$6,000.
-$7,000.
-Anyone else?
“?”
It was only $7,000, yet the atmosphere was already becoming cold. Choi Yeonseung was taken aback.
“Why isn’t anyone else bidding on it?” He asked Whittaker.
“Those who come to these auctions aren’t your run-of-the-mill people. They’re confident in their eyes or have relevant skills to this.”
Unlike others, Choi Yeonseung could see through the essence of an item using?his constellation eyes. They’d have to determine an item’s effects and skills by listening to others or trying it themselves. However, they also required a standard to hold it to. Hence, they judged an item based on its name or the magic power it had left. The people gathered here were examining the items through ‘Magic Power Measurement Glasses’ or similar skills.
The Thunder Flame Dagger was too ambiguous an item for them to judge! It was the first time they had ever heard of it, and its magic power was too weak.
“That’s great. I’ll buy it.”
“Huh? Why? There is a reason it isn’t being bought. Why do you want to fill up the pockets of these auction house bastards?”
Whittaker tried to stop him, but Choi Yeonseung just shook his head and raised his hand.
-$8,000. Anyone else? His bid was successful.
“No matter how cheap, wasting money on something like this...”
“It is convenient to have a concealed weapon like this.”
“What’s so convenient about it? Where are you going to use that?”
Currently, Choi Yeonseung?had?reduced his martial art stage to the peak-class level. It would be good to have some items that were useful in non-raid situations!
“?”
After some time, someone tapped Choi Yeonseung’s shoulder from behind. A man he had never seen before was glaring at him fiercely from behind a mask.
“Did you think you’ll still be safe after insulting the ‘Warrior Stained with Madness and Blood’?”
At the same time, killing intent exploded! People looked away in fear when magic power and killing intent poured out.
“Don’t move!” The hunters of the auction house tried to come out quickly.
Looking at his opponent, Choi Yeonseung said, “I think I’ll be fine.”
He was up against a C-grade hunter below level 200. He didn’t even need to use the eyes of a constellation to determine that. They knew Choi Yeonseung was a B-grade hunter. Weren’t they underestimating him too much? He wasn’t just a high-level hunter with no practical experience, too. On the contrary, he was the most experienced among Earth’s hunters!
There was no way this type of attack would work. magic
-Gift of Blood!
The servant of the ‘Warrior Stained with Madness and Blood’ roared fiercely and cast magic that multiplied his magic power instantly. This man, who didn’t even seem like a C-grade hunter, instantly surpassed a B-grade hunter!
“Ah. You had a plan.” Choi Yeonseung corrected what he had just said. This much was definitely...
“Get him!”
“Get him!”
One person shouted, and another responded. It seemed more there wasn’t just one person out to get him.
[The ‘Warrior Stained with Madness and Blood’ is laughing at you. He mockingly tells you to try and get out alive.]
The Warrior Stained with Madness and Blood, who appeared to be watching, mocked Choi Yeonseung.
‘This jerk is talking trash while hiding behind?his household members.’
It wasn’t that hard to defeat those gathered here. Even if they were both level 300, they were still mortals fighting a constellation. However, there wasn’t much benefit to winning against them. Choi Yeonseung thought about how to mess with his opponent.
[The ‘Warrior Stained with Madness and Blood’ asserts that your fate is already over.]
“Warrior Stained with Madness and Blood. In the name of the Undefeated Incarnation of Training, I request a constellation battle with you! I, his household member, shall take care of you.”
A constellation battle!
Choi Yeonseung decided to intervene in this battle where constellations competed with their household members by pretending to be his own household member! No other constellation but Choi Yeonseung could execute such a trick.
[The ‘Cat of Lava and Magma’ wonders if it was necessary to say you’re a household member!]
The Cat of Lava and Magma wanted to go a step further. Rather than just announcing he was?the Undefeated Incarnation of Training’s household member, it wanted him to deceive the other constellations by saying, ‘I can bring someone like this into my household!’
… It was a good method, but Choi Yeonseung decided to aim for the Warrior Stained with Madness and Blood directly. He had to walk big to eat big. To engage in a constellation battle, the name of ‘Undefeated Incarnation of Training’ had to be revealed. No one paid any attention when he requested a constellation battle as the Undefeated Incarnation of Training in the past since he didn’t have anything as the Undefeated Incarnation of Training.
Constellations wouldn’t fight someone they could gain nothing from. However...
It was a different story if they were provoked like this. Due to his pride as a constellation, the Warrior Stained with Madness and Blood would have to accept it!
“Why? Are you scared?”
[The ‘Cat of Lava and Magma’ says it’s a good provocation.]
‘Are you scared?’ was a provocation that always worked!
[The ‘Warrior Stained with Madness and Blood’ ignored the ‘Undefeated Incarnation of Training,’ whom he has never heard of before.]
“I guess you are. You can send your household members, but you’re afraid to face me head-on.”
[The ‘Warrior Stained with Madness and Blood’ says that the ‘Undefeated Incarnation of Training’ has chosen the wrong household member. Due to this, you will be kicked out of the Abyss!]
[The ‘Warrior Stained with Madness and Blood’ says he will accept the constellation battle if you survive!]
[The constellations watching this are excited!]
The auction house suddenly went dark. Someone had cast magic.
“This place is sealed.”
“You’re trapped, you impertinent being.”
“I will feast on your blood!”
The minions growled.
Choi Yeonseung shook his head and declared, “You’re the ones trapped…”
At the same time, he emitted intense pressure.
“With me.”