Chapter 60: Bidding War (3)

Chapter 60: Bidding War (3)

4,000 gold was equivalent to a staggering 400 million won. It was an amount of money that some people couldn’t accumulate even if they worked their entire lives. Yet, some crazy person had spent this enormous sum on just one Magic item.

I was really lucky.

If not for the perfect mix of circumstances with a subtle price war, a psychological warfare, and a battle of pride, such a price would never have been possible.

Therefore, Kai sincerely congratulated Sandro on their purchase.

[Unknown: Congratulations on winning the auction.]

[Sandro: Shut up. Just tell me your bank and account number.]

In reality, the item wasn't worth that much. Even if a jackpot was won in the ancient king's dungeon it wouldn't yield a profit of 400 million won. And perhaps because of that, Sandro, who had won the auction, didn't seem happy at all.

[Unknown: I’m sure I’ve said it before. Don't dig into my personal details. I'll send you a virtual account number, so transfer the money there. I'll mail you the item once I receive the funds.]

After he finished talking, he remained in the chatroom and scoffed at those who remained quiet.

I’ve probably become a marked man for sure now.

There was only one person who could win this auction from the start.

Moreover, the Black Bee guild and Titan guild hadn’t even gotten to participate. What would the nine guilds other than the winning Black Market think of Kai then?

They must see me as an annoying jerk who scraped their pride and made a fortune off it.

Essentially, he had turned nine of the world's top ten guilds into his enemies. But would the Black Market protect Kai?

Those guys? No way.

They had paid for the item, so they would think there was no need for them to protect Kai. This was sad, but true.

But I have another card up my sleeve.

Kai tapped on his hologram keyboard as if playing an instrument.

[Unknown: Oh, and please be aware that I have downloaded our entire chat log history.]

Everyone was smart, so this brief warning would have been enough.

The world's top ten guilds were people that spared no expense in investing money to increase their fame and popularity. So naturally, they had to consider their image.

Well, of course, top guild members wouldn’t hurt me just because they failed at purchasing an item, but....

There was always a ‘just in case’ scenario in every situation. For example, it was still safer to test a stone bridge before crossing it than to just trust it and cross it directly without testing it.

Having a safety net is always a good idea.

If any of the top ten guilds tried to target Kai because of the auction, he was ready to release the chat logs.

They were the ones who didn't have the money to win at the auction, so they could gain the title of being unscrupulous for killing the seller out of frustration.

Therefore, the underlying meaning of the message Kai left for them was that if they didn't want to receive such a filthy and despicable image, they should leave him alone.

If one of them messes with me... the others will take care of the rest.

Though bound by the title of the top ten guilds, they were far from being close to each other. They were always eyeing each other, ready to tear one another apart. And if one guild messed with Kai in those circumstances...

They'd all engage in media manipulation anyway.

In short, Kai could effortlessly blow his nose without lifting a finger!

[Sandro: Sent the money.] Cheêck out latest novels on n/o/ve/l/bin(.)c/o/m

[Unknown: I'll check it.]

Kai touched the interface to open the internet and confirmed that indeed 400 million won had been transferred to his virtual account.

[Unknown: I'll send it by express mail, so you should be able to receive it today.]

[Sandro: ....]

The auction had ended, and the money was securely received. That meant there was no longer a reason to stay in the chat room.

[Unknown has left the chat.]

Their farewell was as intense as when they first met.

***

Han Jung-Woo smiled as he checked the total amount earned, 529 million won, from the items sold in the auction.

This time, it really was a jackpot.

The biggest jackpot was the Wanderer's Guiding Bracelet dropped by the Black Bee guild, but even the Unique and Rare items had brought in over 100 million won.

Raids really do pay off, wait, no.

Han Jung-Woo shook his head.

Grade: Unique

When at 0 HP, recover 1% health and gain the Invulnerable status for 5 seconds.

All abilities gain a 10% bonus while in this state.

Cooldown: 30 in-game days.

Requirements: None.

The skill's cooldown was 30 in-game days, equivalent to 10 days in real life. However, it was a skill that could save him from death once!

Kai realized his choice was correct.

Indeed, it's worth 1,500 points!

Having one life versus two definitely changed one's mindset as it could allow for more risky actions depending on the situation.

If necessary, I could even take them down with me.

Having acquired the skill instantly, Kai felt a surge of confidence.

Baron Arsen, sitting back, asked as a passing comment, "Are you leaving now?"

"Yes."

"I guess you've been in this city for about a month now."

"I am truly indebted to you, Baron Arsen. I'll be sure to come visit."

"Whenever you crave a hearty meal, you know where to come." Leaning back on the plush sofa, Baron Arsen continued, "May I say one more thing?"

"I'm all ears," Kai slightly bowed his head, showing a serious expression.

"As long as you pursue power, you will face many challenges ahead."

"No challenge will be able to stop me." Kai's voice and eyes showed a strong determination.

Perhaps pleased by his response, Baron Arsen nodded with a proud smile. "Yes, that's right. If it’s one of the greatest adventurers I can think of, they must be able to do at least that."

Baron Arsen acknowledged him as the greatest adventurer!

It was more than just a simple compliment. The sincerity in his voice had warmed a part of Kai's heart.

"Baron Arsen, sir...." Kai's voice trailed off, slightly moved, prompting Baron Arsen to smile playfully.

"Ah, just to avoid any misconception I must say, there are many more powerful adventurers than you as there are grains of sand on the beach."

"...There’s surely not that many, are there?"

"There are," he said with a firmness that seemed to allow no argument!

As Kai's moved expression quickly faded to a gloomy look, Baron Arsen laughed heartily. "Hahaha! You really are fun to tease."

"You must be lonely without anyone else to tease now."

"That’s why you should visit every now and then. There’s nothing quite as enjoyable as this as I get older."

Kai shook hands with Baron Arsen and then turned to head toward the door.

"Oh, right. I almost forgot."

Kai rummaged through his inventory and pulled out an item, which he then showed to Baron Arsen. "Sir, do you know what this item is by any chance?"

"Hm, I’m not sure. What is it?" Baron Arsen squinted at the dark marble Kai was holding.

"It’s called an Essence of Darkness fragment... I found it when I killed Fermi."

"Fermi... the spider queen living in the Forest of Spiders, right?"

"Yes. This marble caused Fermi and her offspring to become ferocious."

"Hmm... Is that so?" Baron Arsen stroked his chin, deep in thought, then shook his head. "I can’t figure out what it is, no matter how much I think."

"I see."

Kai let out a small sigh. If even Baron Arsen didn't know, all he could do was thoroughly search the library.

Just as Kai was about to leave the room after finishing their farewells, Baron Arsen hurriedly stopped him. "Wait! On second thought, the Sage of Water might know."

"...The Sage of Water?"

"He used to be the chancellor of the Kingdom of Rashion, but now he leads a leisurely life, having retired from public duties."

Kai's eyes lit up. "Where can I meet him?"

"Head to the city of water, Aquaria."

At that moment, Kai's next destination was determined.