Dungeon Hunter

Chapter 27-32: Demon World Auction

I left the dungeon and headed straight for the guild. I had been away for a week so Kim Yong-woo was glad to see me.

“Master-nim. Isn’t it too difficult to get in touch with you?”

I was standing blankly in the Guild Master’s office.

“I go where I want and when I want. If you want to support my freedom then I have no obligation to report to you.”

Kim Yong-woo licked his lips.

“…Yes, that’s true. You come and go like the wind. Master-nim has the power to break any walls in the city.”

The level of the Awakened was slowly rising but Kim Yong-woo had seen a scene that couldn’t be imitated. A person who overwhelmingly crushed an advanced creature.

If he wanted something then he would get it.  Kim Yong-woo was sure that his judgement was correct. There was already a huge positive impact on his guild.

Therefore, he had to act carefully.

Kim Yong-woo didn’t know my true heart. Kim Yong-woo just carried himself excellently. This was what allowed him such opportunities.

I said with a smile.

“I know what you are worried about. But don’t worry. If you don’t pierce my back then I will continue acting as a Heaven’s Will Guild member. On the surface.”

“Haha…of course. And Master-nim, please don’t say something so scary like you did last time. I shiver every time I hear it.”

Kim Yong-woo stroked the goose b.u.mps that appeared on his wrist

There was no lie.

Kim Yong-woo’s att.i.tude was consistent with existences stronger than him. But I could feel a.s.sured since there were few with such strong presences among the demons.

“Did anything happen while I was away?”

Kim Yong-woo nodded at my question.

“There was. There are rumours that a large number of foreign Awakened who entered the dungeon didn’t come back alive, the 4 guilds are planning raids, the National a.s.sembly has pa.s.sed a legislation regarding the Awakened…what do you want to know?”

“I have no questions.”

1,000 foreign Awakened had knocked on the door of the dungeon. No matter how cautious he was, there was bound to be rumours.

Furthermore, I had wiped 500 of them out myself. I didn’t know the other parties. But if I didn’t open my mouth, the secret would be buried forever.

Kim Yong-woo said like it wasn’t a big deal.

“I knew that.”

“Take this.”

I took out a folded sheet of paper. Kim Yong-woo unfolded the paper and frowned as he looked at it.

“Is this a picture of a poo?”

“You saw it well.”

“Ha. It really is poo. Surely this isn’t a work of art? If people really line up for art like this…I don’t understand that field.

“It is not a piece of art.”

It wasn’t a piece of art but something I drew!

Admiration crossed Kim Yong-woo’s face. He had wandered if his Master had different taste.

Kim Yong-woo asked him.

“Then what is it?”

“A safe zone where creatures can’t enter. Isn’t it fascinating?”

“Yes…?”

Kim Yong-woo blinked his eyes.

He wasn’t sure how to respond. It was the first time he heard of something called the safety zone. It wasn’t easy to lightly accept it.

I gave it to him and said.

“There are structures like these on the 3rd floor of the dungeon. Creatures can’t invade these structures.”

“Wait a minute. The 3rd floor?”

Kim Yong-woo couldn’t understand it.

With the strength I demonstrated, it was simple enough to climb to the 3rd floor.

Nevertheless, the surprise reaction meant he still underestimated my strength. I clicked my tongue.

“Why are you so surprised?”

“T-then you found the path to the 3rd floor? You fought the orcs?”

“It wasn’t that complicated.”

“Hah. Really wonderful. Can you tell me the path?”

“I wouldn’t bring it up if I wasn’t going to tell you.”

“Ah!”

Kim Yong-woo clapped his hands.

He inwardly calculated while smiling.

Once they climbed up to the 3rd floor, the safety zone meant they could easily seize the treasure.

He couldn’t even imagine the benefits that could be obtained. He had to seize the opportunity.

“Occupy it. Then you will be able to take a lot of benefits.”

“Of course! This…there will be a commotion.”

Dungeons had something like a safety zone.

There weren’t many places where they could relax without the threat of creatures. The influence of the guild will likely be reorganized again.

If they occupied the area then the Heaven’s Will Guild would be able to keep their position. It wasn’t impossible for them to jump one step further.

“I will depart after one week. Take Yoo Eun-hye with you. You can pick the remaining 10 people.”

I told him the strategy to attack the 2nd floor.

The elites would be organized, including Yoo Eun-hye. Yoo Eun-hye was in her growth phase. I wanted her to experience various situations.

“I understand. But the form of the structure is a little strange.”

I stayed calm.

Yihi was behind the design of the structure.

I really couldn’t understand Yihi’s senses.

‘One day I might understand it.’

There was no law that we needed to have similar tastes.

Kim Yong-woo admired the picture on the paper, ‘no matter what it looks like……’ and sighed with eager eyes.

*     *     *

One week later.

A raid with 12 people was prepared, including Yoo Eun-hye.

The personnel were similar to when we captured the 1st floor and the 2nd floor was cleared in 5 days.

Gold, treasures, rare items, magic tools and the presence of the safety zones meant there was once again a huge uproar among the Awakened.

The 4 guilds including the Mithril Guild succeeded on the 4th floor but it was buried by the achievements of the Heaven’s Will Guild.

Safety zone.

A place where the creatures couldn’t invade.

A place like that was special for the Awakened who risked their lives every time they entered the dungeon. At least it meant they were a place where they could relax.

A place of absolute rest in the dungeon. It would lift some of the heavy burden. The belief that something could change centered on the safety zone.

The guilds immediately started on aggressive strategies. The location of the safety zones could be determined through various video media.

But that was it.

The best guild in Korea was still the Heaven’s Will Guild. The news also drew in more Awakened from overseas.

I instantly recovered the lost points and reached 1.5 million points in just 2 months. I was probably the only demon with that much points.

The Dukes and Grand Dukes.

At best, they would have half the amount?

My confidence soared into the sky at the amount of points. This would be a huge deal once I used them.

There was no need to be cheap with my points. I had a purpose.

And exactly 1 year after I returned.

That evening. A blue message window flashed in the air.

You can be accompanied by one creature.

I smirked.

Finally, the Demon World Auction I had been waiting for arrived.

*     *     *

Demon World Auction

The auction was hosted in the name of the devil.

If they were lucky and had the required points then rare items, creatures or skills could be purchased.

It was called a festival of points.

The Demon World Auction sold exactly 100 items in one day. Among the 100 objects, some of them were useless but most of them had a quality rating.

Of course, there was a set amount of points for the lowest bid.

A few years before I returned, the lowest bid at the auction house for the 5Lv high cla.s.s creature was 39 million points.

The lowest bid for a dragon was 15 million points. The amount of points for a balrog was so ridiculous that it wasn’t sold. One Duke took 5 years to gather the points required to purchase a dragon.

At any rate, it was quite unbalanced.

However…this was the first auction.

‘My biggest chance.’

The devil Death Bringer had created an unfriendly game.

I was grateful for my previous life.

The details of the Demon World Auction were thoroughly kept a secret. The demons only knew about the existence of the Demon World Auction when the summoning message appeared.

Of course, the demons had collected points for the auction.

But, I had gathered it. 1.5 million points.

When looking at the past, it wasn’t an enormous amount. But considering that it was only 1 year, 1.5 million points was a ridiculous amount.

The first Demon World Auction was likely to have very cheap prices. With a little luck…I could use this to my advantage.

It wasn’t impossible to be in the lead of the 72 demons! Desire filled my eyes. My antic.i.p.ation and tension rose to the maximum.

Once the dimensional portal opened, I was summoned into a wide room 200 pyeongs large.

‘I’ve arrived.’

It was a location outside the Demon World. It was another world where dark spirits lived.

This was the heart of that place. Instead of the devil, the barren land was governed by dark spirits.

Hiiing.

Inferno appeared next to me. The creature I chose to take with me was Inferno.

I looked around.

There was nothing in the room. There was only one large door at the entrance. The door was made with thick logs coa.r.s.ely cut.

Kkiik.

Soon an elderly man with a curved back opened the door.

“Randalph Brigsiel-nim?”

“Are you a gnome?”

“Kihihi. I am a corrupted gnome.”

It was customary to call the dark spirits corrupted. But other than the dark spirits, a few other elemental spirits lived here.

I nodded.

“Right.”

“Rather, are you Randalph Brigsiel?”

“That’s right.”

“Then follow me. I will direct you to the auction house.”

“Before that, would I be able to see the auction items?”

I wanted to preview the auction goods. The only reason the auction was kept secret was to stimulate the demons.

Dark spirits were thirsty for points obtained from the demons. Their aim was to raise the prices in order to obtain more points.

It was similar to Yihi trying to become the Fairy King.

“That isn’t difficult…kihihi. Do you have many points? Are you anxious because you want to buy things?”

“A moderate amount.”

“I understand. Let me guide you.”

The dark spirit started to guide me silently.

I got on top of Inferno.

The castle was wide beyond belief. It was enough as I moved while riding Inferno.

The dark spirits had a fast speed. They had a spiritual body. Having no flesh meant it was natural for them to be quick. They could run to some extent.

I could hear an uproar as I moved.

“How dare a dark spirit treat me like this. I am a Marquis under Grand Duke Upa-nim.

“I don’t know whether Grand Duke Upa has the right to the throne. I only listen to the king of the spirits!”

“So why did you force summon me! I will directly meet the Spirit King. We better leave here safely!”

“So, in the name of the devil……”

“Don’t carelessly use that name!”

“Hu! It can’t be helped.”

The dark spirit blew up its body. It exuded a tremendous presence.

A high cla.s.s dark spirit! Even demons would panic in front of it.

‘That person?’

A Marquis of the Demon World.

A close aid of the Grand Duke Upa was overwhelmed. He was similar to me in my past life. Just a different direction.

Lost in hedonism, his dungeon was filled with succubus that subjugated the encountered Awakened. They would then be killed off by the demon.

I was impressed as I recalled it.

“I am lucky that my guest is cooperative. Kihihi.”

The dark spirit guiding me in the shape of a gnome laughed.

“You are high cla.s.s?”

“I am advanced. It is my dream to become high cla.s.s. Kihihi!”

I checked using Mind’s Eye and it was correct. Its abilities were lower than me but it couldn’t be ignored. Perhaps a high cla.s.s spirit would be on a level similar to a duke.

This was a place ruled by the dark spirits. They would be scary opponents for a Marquis.

A number of the high cla.s.s spirits were a.s.signed as greeters.

I continued to be interested in the spirits while moving.

After a long trip, I arrived at some great doors that were 20 metres in height.

The doors opened and inside were the 100 items put up for auction.

There were creatures as well. The creatures were also some of the items. Tools to enhance the dungeons.

Krasla who I wanted was among them but others also gave off a solid impression.

‘That woman……?’

A demon was looking around at the auction items. I was shocked as I saw her.

‘Grand Duke Ariel!’

I couldn’t forget.

The name of the demon who won in my previous life. Her military power was enough to make her the strongest.

I never thought I would encounter her in a place like this.

I swallowed my saliva and used Mind’s Eye.

* Weapon Master (Ex U, all stats +2)

Uniqueness: One of the four Grand Dukes. Governor of Underh.e.l.l and master of 18 demons.

Skill: Weapon Cheat (Ex U), Power of Words (U), Waterspout (Epic)

Ariel Diablo

Strength 75 Intelligence 76 Agility 81 Stamina 73 Magic 87 Potential (372+20/500)

Randalph Brigsiel

Strength 81 Intelligence 66 Agility 76 Stamina 82 Magic 90 Potential (379+16/500)

‘Indeed……’

I had slightly higher stats. But this wouldn’t have happened without the Heart of the h.e.l.l Monarch and Yihi’s blessing.

Both of us had increased our abilities by more than 40. The Grand Duke Ariel had restored her power quickly.

I had already reclaimed approximately 80% of my previous power. The rise of my stats was becoming smaller.

But Ariel was different. She might not rest until filling up all of the 500 potential.

On the other hand, I could catch up with Ariel and even become stronger than her in the future.

Ariel didn’t have memories of a previous life. The Heart of the h.e.l.l Monarch also hadn’t fully opened.

Skill…it couldn’t be helped.

I was a physical type in the Demon World. All the skills learned from my past life had disappeared.

However, Ariel had a powerful skill in the Demon World. A fearsome power that could separate the sky and land.

Now the skill rating was likely to go up one or two steps.

It seemed like she hadn’t recovered all her power from the Demon World yet. The skills also weren’t the same.

‘She hasn’t learned Abyss Sword yet?’

I didn’t see Ariel’s patent skill, Abyss Sword.

It was a fraudulent skill that returned everything it hit to 0 but I didn’t see it in Ariel’s status window.

‘It means her stats are still insufficient to learn Abyss Sword.’

It made sense. Abyss Sword couldn’t be used without all her stats restored.

A very powerful skill was a double edged sword. If she used it recklessly then her hand would be ruined.

Grand Duke Ariel was studying the weapons. She had a t.i.tle of Weapon Master so she could skillfully handle all weapons.  If a good weapon was found then she would want to buy it.

I looked over Ariel once again.

She had two long horns on her forehead that proved she was the devil’s descendant, pointy elf like ears, a beautiful visage and the atmosphere of an untouchable woman. Ariel Diablo.

“Hrmm?”

Ariel turned her head and looked at me.

I glanced at her.

“This is the first time I’ve seen a demon like you. Who are you?”

I was currently wearing the half skull mask.

Of course, both of us had met. But even if I took off the skull mask, Ariel wouldn’t remember me. She was a n.o.ble existence that wouldn’t memorize the faces of each demon she met.

I remembered how broken my body was after challenging Ariel. I had no choice but to give a bitter laugh.

“Randalph Brigsiel.”

Ariel’s eyes changed.

Because I had opened up my magic power at the same time I said my name. However, it didn’t work. The high magic that caused fear in the opponent was obsolete in her presence.

“That is a nice aroma of magic power. Are you under any Grand Dukes?”

She didn’t remember despite telling her my name. I did not mind.

In the final moments of my previous life, she said my survival instinct was like a bug. She didn’t know my name even at the end.

But the past was gone. I would force her to hear my name so much that she couldn’t forget it.

I would be a true enemy. Someone who could go shoulder to shoulder with the 4 Grand Dukes.

“No one can be above me.”

My goal was the devil. I wouldn’t allow the Grand Dukes to take my place.

An interested expression flashed on Ariel’s face.

“You have skills or you are just speaking thoughtlessly…either way, it isn’t a wise move.”

“Just because it isn’t wise doesn’t mean I won’t get an unconditional victory.”

Sometimes strength and stubbornness could bring about victory. In fact, Ariel had been the final winner in my previous life.

Ariel launched a.s.sault after a.s.sault on Grand Duke Upa. Not 1 bit of wisdom was involved.

Yet she was talking about wisdom. I couldn’t help finding it funny.

I knew it. Ariel laughed.

“That’s right. A fight between warriors starts with hitting the body. Strategies using the head isn’t necessary. The one who becomes the devil won’t be stupid.”

Then she erased the smiled and looked straight at me.

“Attendant. If you don’t serve another demon then serve me. Your thoughts are similar to mine.”

It was at that moment.

Defended against 50%.

The 20% calibration effect means 102% has been defended against. You are completely beyond the control of Power of Words.

Ariel Diablo activated her skill ‘Power of Words.’

But I completely neutralized it.

My stats were slightly superior. Mind’s Eye meant I could detect the unexpected effect of Power of Words and my superior magic power meant I wasn’t affected.

But it was dicey.

If my intelligence hadn’t risen due to Heart of the h.e.l.l Monarch then I might be under the control of Power of Words.

‘I can’t be lacking intelligence.’

There was a high relationship between intelligence and resistance.

No matter how high my magic power, if intelligence was low then I would be weak to abnormal states. But both intelligence and magic power combined was higher so I could be free from the influence.

I coldly looked at Ariel and said.

“I reject.”

“Haha!”

And Ariel gave a big laugh before saying.

“A knockdown. I thought you were just a cold guy but now I see that you truly have skills. Defending against my Power of Words! I should cut off your head now.”

She meant it.

It was no accident that normally a Grand Duke occupied the throne.

They all had their own view of the world that they moved in. They would immediately kill those outside this framework.

Ariel had stepped on all the other demons and Grand Dukes to reach the throne.

“Leave unless you think you can fight me.”

This wasn’t the Demon World. A world ruled by the King of the Dark Spirits.

Those with power were bound to have a rough relationship with him. However, even the Grand Dukes had common sense.

I lightly provoked her but Ariel just looked like she had found a cute toy.

“Huhu! Randalph Brigsiel.  Today I will step aside. This is indeed an interesting place. I won’t cause a dispute today.”

Ariel turned around and left.

I had a moment of hesitation.

This was the first time Grand Duke Ariel had called my name. She always said I was like a bug and barely remembered me. My name was never said by her.

‘The past and the future is different. By my hands.’

I gripped my fists tightly.

More than anything, I once again thought that my direction was right.

“Kihihi. Incredibly scary. That is the famous Grand Duke Ariel Diablo.”

The dark spirit released its breath.

Ariel Diablo. She was quite famous here for her overwhelming ability. Even the advanced spirits would feel the pressure.

I slowed by pounding heart and said.

“Do you have something to increase the rating of a skill?”

“Do you mean the Sage’s Leap?”

“Yes.”

“Kihihi. You have good senses. A great item. Then please come this way.”

I seemed to be lucky. It was comfortable when thinking about it.

‘I need to get my hands on it.’

An item known as Sage’s Leap sometimes appeared in the Demon World Auction. Its efficacy was worth millions of points and there was always a heated compet.i.tion every time it appeared.

However, I didn’t need to bother with the compet.i.tion. I was a demon with 1.5 million points. Demons barely had 1 million, let alone 1.5 million.

The dark spirit stopped and pointed towards a small bottle of water.

“This is it. Ah, be careful of your hands. There is an enchantment around it. If you touch it then your hand will be destroyed.”

I knew that. There was an invisible enchantment covering the goods. But I could fell a strong repulsion when my hand got close to it.

A warning not to touch the goods.

It was an outstanding defense that even advanced creatures couldn’t touch. An advanced creature would be evaporated on the spot. I never thought about touching it directly.

I opened up Mind’s Eye.

Description- Alchemy Can increase the rating of all skills below Unique (U). If used on a Unique (U) skill, it will increase half a step towards Exceptional Unique (Ex U). There will be no effect on higher ratings.

That’s right.

I nodded and said.

“I will buy it immediately.”

“Kihihi. Guest-nim. I’m not sure if you know but most demons only have an average of 130,000 points. The price to purchase it immediately is fixed. If you want to purchase the Sage’s Leap immediately then you need 520,000 points. Wouldn’t you rather get it much cheaper at the auction?”

130,000 points.

It was lower than I thought. It was fortunate that I had 1.5 million points.

‘I guess I don’t have compet.i.tion.’

Only average. A few demons might have more than that.

But my points were more than 10 times the average. 520,000 points was a burden but I had expected it.

‘I need to purchase the Sage’s Leap.’

There was a need to buy it immediately. There were many things at the auction that I might not be able to purchase until the end.

I wanted to raise the rating of Mind’s Eye.

There were many unresolved functions with Mind’s Eye. I realized the additional effects thanks to Ariel’s Power of Words.

It saw through Power of Words so if the rating of Mind’s Eyes increased, wouldn’t it be able to detect and see through sealed items?

A few sealed items always appeared in the auction. Some demons bought sealed items for an expensive price only to be dissatisfied.

In my previous life, Duke Pella who used Mind’s Eye couldn’t detect the rating of sealed goods. Wasn’t it because the rating of Mind’s Eye was too low?

Sage’s Leap wasn’t something that could be purchased simply with a lot of points.

The Grand Dukes and Dukes had all controlled it in my previous life. The Grand Dukes would hand over Sage’s Leap to certain demons but Duke Pella had never earned it to increase Mind’s Eye. Of course, I was excluded from the prizes.

It was very difficult to raise the rating of skills obtained in the Demon World.

Mind’s Eye had been stuck at a unique rating.

‘It is worth experimenting with.’

At the very least, upgrading Mind’s Eye would increase intelligence. I wouldn’t be as vulnerable to other states. I could prepare a wider range of moves.

My abilities might even surpa.s.s Grand Duke Ariel! So I didn’t think the damage would be too large.

“I will buy it immediately.”

“Kihihi, purchasing it immediately…eh?”

“I hate to say it twice.”

The dark spirit looked at me for a moment. The eyes expressed that it couldn’t believe it but then its expression turned serious.

“Wait a moment.”

The dark spirit left the warehouse.

After 5 minutes, the dark spirit returned and was accompanied by a representative of the auction.

The auction manager was sweating.

It was in the form of a corrupted fat man. The owner of a 150kg belly fat came out. No matter if it was a spiritual body, it still seemed exhausted.

“Pant pant, you want to buy Sage’s Leap at once?”

I frowned at the dark spirit. I hated saying the same thing many times. I started to feel irritated.

“Kihihi…that’s right. This guest wanted to purchase the Sage’s Leap immediately.”

The dark spirit that guided me saw my eyes and answered on my behalf.

“Then please look at this.”

The auction representative held out a sheet of paper with a contract written on it. I thoroughly examined the paper and sensed dozens of magic spells contained in it.

I placed my right hand on the paper without any delay.

Soon a blue light emerged from the paper.

The light flowed towards the location of the Sage’s Leap.

The enchantment around the Sage’s Leap gradually weakened and disappeared.

The auction manager stuttered with incredulity.

“T-the deal has been completed. Congratulations.”

I ignored his words and grasped the Sage’s Leap.

After pulling out the cork,

Gulp! Gulp!

I drank it all at once.

I only had two skills. There was no place for Skill Combination right now. I raised my hand into the air and chose number 2.

No more message windows popped up after that.

‘Finished?’

It was the first time I was taking Sage’s Leap. I had to check the status window.

‘It is over.’

I nodded my head.

I confirmed the rating of Mind’s Eye had increased.

What was different?

Was there anything different?

I was about to use Mind’s Eye to scan the goods when the dark spirit interrupted.

“Hmm hmm! “Guest-nim. Now it is time to enter the auction house. In fact, time is a bit tight right now.”

“I understand.”

There was no hurry.

I would be able to see any changes while the auction was in progress.

I slowly followed the dark spirit out of the warehouse.

*     *     *

The place was reminiscent of a large opera house.

There were grandstands filled with hundreds of seats separated into 2 levels on 4 sides of the hall, 6 chandeliers decorated with various jewels, hundreds of lights made by magic, singing boys and dancing girls…it combined to create a cla.s.sical atmosphere.

The auction would take place here.

Now the auction was waiting for the last guests to arrive before starting.

Upon pa.s.sing through the huge door, I looked around to my left and right.

My eyes noticed 4 seats located on the 2nd floor of the hall.

Each Grand Duke and their people were sitting on different sides of the hall. They looked at me for a moment before turning away.

Only Ariel looked at me with strange eyes for a little while longer.

I felt like laughing. In other words, it meant I was sitting alone in the centre of the seats.

I wasn’t a demon follower of any of the 4 Grand Dukes.

That position was s.n.a.t.c.hed by power.

Originally, the demon with the name of Brigsiel was a follower of a Grand Duke. I wasn’t sure if the devil had planned to invite the original Brigsiel. Whether it was accidental or authorized, I was the demon that ended up being invited.

Either way.

‘This situation is fun.’

There was a similar situation in my past life. However, I was in an exceptional condition compared to my past life.

There was no point in any a.s.s kissing at the auction. I would buy the things I wanted to buy. In order to buy it, I wouldn’t care about the compet.i.tion.

‘I will eat up everything.’

Acting freely? In my past life, this seat would be filled with thorns. The Grand Dukes looked at me with cold and contempt filled eyes.

Malicious jeers and boos. I could hear things like ‘bug.’

I would look forward to destroying those cold gazes in the future.

‘Grand Duke Ariel, Upa, Pandemonium and Okullos…in addition, they have good expressions on their faces.’

I sat down in the centre of the grandstand along with my creature.

I crossed my legs and looked around with an easy, disinterested expression.

Unfortunately, this auction was a stage for me. I would be the focus of a single play.

They wouldn’t even be the supporting roles. Those who thought of themselves as protagonists would be surprised once it started.

They would ask ‘who is he?’ Of course, it would only end with questions.

I wasn’t going to announce that I was from South Korea. It wasn’t time yet. I needed to reserve a little more power. And I couldn’t allow the 4 Grand Dukes to even guess my location.

In order to find out, the 4 Grand Dukes would have to share information about the locations of their demons’ dungeons and that was an impossible task.

‘The Grand Dukes are competing. Cooperation won’t work.’

The demon owners of each individual dungeon was confidential information. The relationship between the 4 Grand Dukes wasn’t good so the information wouldn’t be released.

But I knew. The dungeon positions of the Dukes and Grand Dukes was firmly grasped. This could be a very powerful tool if used correctly.

Information was power and there were means available to cut off their limbs.

However, cutting off their limbs would be for later. Right now I needed to concentrate on the auction.

After a few moments, lights started to gather on the stage. Soon a man in clown makeup appeared from backstage.

“Guest-nim. Thank you for waiting! My name is Dubolong and I am responsible for the auction today.”

A face that was only seen once a year.

Dubolong.  One of the high cla.s.s spirits that was a close aide to the king. A level-headed person with the ability to embellish and make people laugh. He was the eyes and hands of the King of the Spirits.

All things related to the king flowed through him. It would be good if I could improve my relationship with the Spirit King.

‘The Demon World Auction is only held once a year so this opportunity needs to be seized.’

The spirits. They could communicate with each other even if they were in different worlds.

If I could communicate with Dubolong then I could know the items for next year’s auction in advance.

This was a trick that Grand Duke Upa had used for decades.

Upa who became close to the Spirit King could obtain goods before the auction.

There was some type of deal like ‘I will spend more points at the auction.’

The dark spirits wouldn’t just obtain points through the auction.

And there was no law stating I couldn’t take that position.

It was necessary to make them sure. That I was the best among the demons gathered here!

Dubolong’s eyes looked over all the demons. And paused for a moment as he came to me. His eyes were different from when he saw the other demons.

He seemed interested in me for a reason.

I was a demon who had already spent 520,000 points before the auction started. I made eye contact and smiled lightly.

Well…sitting alone on the grandstand might have also played a part.

Soon Dubolong confirmed the faces of all the demons and said.

“Today you heard a rough explanation regarding the summoning but I will formally say it again. This is a place where points can be used to buy goods, the world’s largest auction brought to you by the devil Death Bringer! A festival held once a year for you to get your heart’s desire. Now, let’s introduce the first auction product.

At the same time, nearly a dozen dark spirits emerged from the right side of the stage. They were moving a huge, wheeled cage with a very familiar existence inside it.

Dubolong spoke in a cold tone.

“We had a lot of worries. What would be best to start the auction? There are 100 products but what it the most outstanding example? So we have prepared this. The legendary true demonic dragon ‘Aojin’ written in legends, Krasla who is half dragon and half elf!”

The half elf Krasla trapped behind the bars growled like a wounded beast.

A two legged tribe of creatures with an intelligence that matched the demons.  Humans were the prey of creatures but the demons viewed the elves in the same way.

I thought about it.

‘I will make it different.’

Krasla looked just like he did in my previous life.

I opened Mind’s Eye and took a deep look.

Uniqueness: A slave inscription is carved on the body.

Skill: Dragon Stampede (U), Demon Sprint(R)

I inwardly nodded.

He had higher potential than Yoo Eun-hye and also had unique skills. Even his stats were shameful.

‘This?’

There was someone right behind Krasla.

She seemed to be a relative but I didn’t remember her face.

Dubolong explained.

“And this is his younger sister, Chrisley who is at the end of her life. This is a perfect situation of 1+1 so the winner will get both with no conditions. Although an elixir can help her recover…it isn’t recommended. All the pathways in the body are blocked so she is unlikely to grow even if she recovers. However, her face is smooth and you can use her for any purpose.”

Dubolong laughed politely as he explained the rest.

“Now, the auction will start with 0 points! I a.s.sure you that Krasla isn’t an easy opponent for any demon to deal with! I’m not disparaging the abilities of my guests. He is someone with the blood of a true demonic dragon mixed in.  If you want him then speak without any hesitation. If you miss out on this then the boys and girls on the ceiling will laugh.”

One of the Grand Dukes raised their hands.

“10,000.”

“Grand Duke Ariel-nim! 10,000 points have come out.”

And another Grand Duke raised their hands.

“20,000.”

“Grand Duke Upa-nim! It is going up fast!”

“50,000.”

“Grand Duke Pandemonium-nim! 50,000 points have come out. Any more?”

Everyone became a little hesitant.

50,000 points was a lot for some demons.

Even the Grand Dukes couldn’t afford those points.

It was because they didn’t know what else would emerge in the auction.

There were still plenty more auction products. Krasla was great but they couldn’t invest all their points in him.

“100,000.”

“Ah! Now all the Grand Dukes are partic.i.p.ating. Grand Duke Okullos-nim has called 100,000 points.”

100,000.

This was indeed a large sum.

Grand Duke Okullos smiled leisurely.

It was filled with derision about not investing in this treasure.

Anger appeared on the faces of the 3 other Grand Dukes.

As the only guest in the central grandstand, I raised my hand.

“200,000.”

The whole area became silent.

Even the boys and girls on the ceiling didn’t laugh.

Such an amount of points was trifling to me.

“200,000! Earl Randalph Brigsiel-nim has called 200,000 points!”

The overwhelmed Dubolong called out my full name.

The shock couldn’t be avoided.

Someone called out 200,000 at the very beginning.

No, it was actually a cheap price to purchase Krasla and his sister Chrisley. It was like a gift.

But the demons gathered here thought differently.

I smirked.

Yes, become curious. Continue being curious and remember me clearly.

Randalph Brigsiel.

I would make sure they remembered my name!

“200,000 points have come out. Any more?” If no one makes another offer then Krasla will be sold to Randalph-nim!”

The demons expressions changed after Dubolong’s words.

At the same time, they started to formulate strategies.

I wasn’t the only demon with 200,000 points.

Each faction had a few.

But they were important.

There were many excellent things so they couldn’t compete for Krasla.

Even though the devil created the points system, it wasn’t a fair exchange.

In short, exchanging or stealing points was considered illegal and would be subjected to a penalty.

Both sides would have their points decreased by 20% for several years so it was a severe penalty.

In the end, all the factions could only come to one conclusion.

The auction was just getting started. There would be better items than Krasla. This was clearly just the start.

Dubolong wouldn’t debut the most outstanding product in the beginning. They would hold onto the points to hopefully obtain rare items or skills.

‘Be calm.’

When looking at it from an objective viewpoint, their choice was right. The demons with many points would have an advantageous position in the auction.

‘I need to be calm but……’

I barely prevented my mouth from twisting into a smile.

The spirits and demons had no idea.

The true value wasn’t Krasla but Chrisley!

I became happy the moment I used Mind’s Eye. I inwardly let loose a huge laugh.

They were deceived by her sickly appearance and didn’t realize her true value.

It was natural. I only knew about it because Mind’s Eye allowed me to see the status window. If it wasn’t for Mind’s Eye then I wouldn’t have noticed Chrisley’s value.

‘She wasn’t a prominent person in my previous life before I died.’

Krasla had a reason to hate humans.

I felt like I had picked up an item with the epic rating. I came here for Krasla but my real achievement was his sister Chrisley.

‘I am the only one who knows the value of the treasure.’

Chrisley was the greatest treasure. I could see her potential through the dust. This probably hadn’t happened in my previous life.

My heart pounded at the thought of what she would become under my hands.

I once again used Mind’s Eye to confirm Chrisley’s status window.

Uniqueness: Born as the successor of the true demonic dragon’s enormous strength. However, the 9 severed yin vein she was born with has given her the curse of the ice dragon.

Skill: None

Crazy.

This was the only word that could describe her potential and intelligence.

Krasla and Chrisley both had t.i.tles regarding the blood of a dragon. But the rating was different. Chrisley was the real thing.

In particular, her intelligence had reached ‘beyond the transcendental wall’ as it reached 100.

100!

An astounding figure.

Pure abilities were hard to raise between 80~100. But after it reached 90, raising it was like reaching for the stars in the sky. That’s why I needed t.i.tles and items.

Furthermore, the scale required for the stats to go up by 1 after reaching 90 was different every time.

The t.i.tle meant she reached 100 but even her pure ability was 94. Realistically, it didn’t make sense.

What this meant…she was immune to all different states. If she had an epic skill and magic power was also over 100 then she could be called invincible.

Anything else?

Intelligence also affected magic casting speed, the force of the skill and it had a close relationship with skill level.

Higher rated skills required a strong body to use but high intelligence could offset some of the penalty.

In addition, the speed of raising the skill level would increase. Even if learning normal rated skills, a person with 100 intelligence meant the rating might increase to unique.

Intelligence was an all-round stat.

However, it was hard for intelligence to reach that high unless they were born with it, had a special bloodline or the help of items like the Heart of the h.e.l.l Monarch.

Chrisley met two of the three requirements. Therefore, she managed to have 100 intelligence.

‘The problem is stamina.’

1 stamina. The ice dragon’s curse was to blame for the -9.

It caused her to be near death. Even breathing would be painful and she was barely hanging on with her robust spirit. She had a pale complexion and could barely stand up by herself.

Jjak jjak!

Dubolong clapped after waiting 30 seconds.

n.o.body raised their hands.  The final bid was determined.

“Krasla has been sold to Randalph-nim for 200,000 points! Congratulations. The item will be automatically moved to your dungeon at the end of the auction.

I smiled.

Originally Krasla should have gone to Grand Duke Upa. Perhaps he would have offered a little more than Okullos’ 100,000 points but my bid of 200,000 was too high.

‘I’ve overcome the biggest hurdle.’

My mind felt more at ease.

The dark spirits removed Krasla’s cage and brought something else.

What now?

I relaxed and paid attention to Dubolong.

“The following auction item is the ‘Shiny Gauntlet!’ It is strongly recommended for those who prefer melee combat. The intense glare will blind your opponent! Its firmness is beyond belief and the right user can bring out its power. It can be compared to the auction item previously introduced. Starting at 10,000 points!”

Dubolong was introducing the Shiny Gauntlet that appeared to be at least a unique item. But I couldn’t help inwardly laughing at the result of Mind’s Eye.

Description: A shiny gauntlet that has been polished tens of thousands of times. It is very hard.

‘A scam.’

A skillful seller.

And scammer.

That was my a.s.sessment of Dubolong.

The Shiny Gauntlet shone beautifully like its name. The description explained that its hardness was its best strength. It would create a synergy with very hard armour.

Dubolong said. He compared it to the item just introduced at the auction.

There was no way it could compare to Krasla and Chrisley. I was sure of it after seeing the name.

Despite being lacking, it was likely to get a high price at the auction. The auction meant they were likely to think ‘that is a nice item!’ and would bid.

Emotion was bound to be involved when looking at an item or skill.

A rare skill book would cost 50,000 points. If sentiment was involved, a scroll worth only 20,000 points might be bought for 50,000 points.

I kept my mouth closed as others drooled over it. 3 of the Grand Dukes were made to desire it.

Dubolong also knew this fact.

He couldn’t act if he didn’t know. He calmly and subtly arranged things. He used his tongue naturally.

“10,000.”

“It has started with Grand Duke Ariel-nim. 10,000 points!”

“20,000.”

“He truly doesn’t rest. Earl Randalph Brigsiel-nim! 20,000 points have come out!”

I shrugged.

‘I am willing to do this.’

I played along now that I realized Dubolong’s intentions. This way I could ensure that the opponent consumed more of their points.

“30,000.”

“Grand Duke Upa-nim! Now, any more?” If there isn’t then it will be the winning bid.”

“40,000.”

“Once again, a bid by Earl Randalph-nim! A truly discerning eye.”

Excellent……

He truly had a good lip service.

“50,000!”

“It can’t be, Grand Duke Upa-nim! 50,000 points has come out!”

Grand Duke Upa’s voice was mixed with irritation. None of the others gave anymore bids so Grand Duke Upa bought a miscellaneous item for 50,000 points.

“It has been sold for 50,000 points! Congratulations. It will be sent to your dungeon shortly after the auction ends.”

I laughed lightly.

j.a.ptem was j.a.ptem. The Shiny Gauntlet was j.a.ptem. Yet it was bought for 50,000 points.

It was natural for laughter to emerge!

Results like this could also occur at the auction. Demons bought items at an overpriced value. At this point, Dubolong seemed to notice my intentions.

Dubolong’s eyes stared at me. He seemed to view me different from the other demons. I had succeeded in carving my name into his mind.

Several more auctions pa.s.sed until the 10th auction item made an appearance.

“This auction is a little special. A sealed dagger! We don’t know what item might emerge once the seal is loosened. It is like a lottery but this is a great opportunity to obtain an epic rating! Starting at 50,000 points.”

One of the things that I wanted came out.

I opened Mind’s Eye the moment I saw the gleaming dagger.

The seal has a very high rating so using Mind’s Eye will give a penalty.

Penalty……

I had to experience it once in a while.

Besides, I could read the rating and description of the sealed item.

My gamble was half successful.

I needed to receive the penalty to confirm the other half.

I ignored the warning and used Mind’s Eye.

Description: A dagger with the strong poison of a banshee. It will eat away at the spirit.

* It is possible to use the rare grade skill ‘Acceleration’ 3 times a day.

-A penalty will be given for the very high seal.

Strength -10 for 72 hours.

Bidul!

I felt a sudden weakness as my body staggered.

‘This is the penalty?’

The message window stated that my strength would be degraded for 3 days.

‘This is enough.’

At least it didn’t permanently decrease.

I didn’t bother bidding and the weapon was bought for 50,000 points. Grand Duke Ariel had the first and last bid because the other Grand Dukes didn’t partic.i.p.ate.

They hated to gamble. The starting bid was too expensive.

A sealed weapon came out again at the 15th auction.

I took a deep breath and used Mind’s Eye.

Description: A sword that has lost its capability as a weapon.

-A penalty will be given for the very high seal.

Health -10 for 72 hours.

“Huhup!”

I managed to withstand the sense of anemia.

It was a lot of pain just to confirm a junk item.

‘I am going to find something. Obviously.’

Before I returned to the past.

An epic grade equipment had been found twice after being unsealed. There were some never disclosed to the public so it might actually be three or four.

The odds were low but it wasn’t impossible to get an epic item at the auction.

The 21st auction.

A sword once appeared again.

I once again opened Mind’s Eye while remaining silent.

Description: The last piece made by the mythical blacksmith Oswen that even the G.o.ds opposed.  Characterized by the 7 deadly sins, the evil contained in it was so powerful that Oswen reportedly went crazy.

“Wrath, such pure evil!”

* Strength +7, the Epic grade skill ‘Wrath’ is available once every 7 days.

A ‘Seven Sins’ set item has been found. Collecting the same type of set items will increase the effect.

-A penalty will be given for the very high seal.

Agility -10 for 72 hours.

‘It came out……!’

I ignored the awful feeling of helplessness.

My gamble was a complete success.

Epic rating. And part of a set?

If set items were collected then a more powerful force would be exerted. Once all 7 items were gathered, an absolute power could be unleashed.

Normal, rare, unique, epic and legend was a chain with legend at the peak.

Even in my past life, I only heard of two items with a legend rating. It would be difficult to find a higher rated skill or item.

Those labelled with a ‘Set’ were even more rare.

An epic set? It was in the realm of dreams.

If all the set items were collected then it would have a value two steps above its rating.

If I could obtain all of the Seven Sins then I wouldn’t need to worry about equipment anymore.

My weak body trembled.

Krasla and Chrisley were unpolished gems. It would take time to smooth them out.

But Wrath was already completed and had the potential to be completed.

Furthermore, I could use it to enhance my own strength. Increasing my own strength gave me greater joy than that of my colleagues or creatures.

‘It can’t be helped since I have the soul of a warrior.’

A warrior proved their worth through fighting. It was natural to have a strong attachment to weapons.

My eyes deepened as I looked at Wrath.

‘Quite a lot of points have been exhausted. Now they should have 200,000 points at most.’

During the previous 21 auctions, I had stuck to my role as random bidder.

Sometimes I was successful in making a purchase and including Krasla and Chrisley, I spent 257,000 points.

The dark spirit said that the demons had an average of 130,000 points……except for my 1.5 million points, there was a total of 7.86 million points. When subtracting the 2.57 million spent at the auction, the 71 demons had a total of 5.29 million points left.

It would be an average of 75,000 points. On the other hand, I still had 830,000 points.

I turned and looked at the sides of the hall.

So far, only two demons had used 200,000 points at the auction. There were still two factions with more points. They weren’t compet.i.tion but I needed to watch their dynamics carefully.

“This is a sealed weapon. An unusual scent of magic can be felt from it! Let’s start at 50,000 points.”

Dubolong introduced with confidence.

I immediately raised a hand. I knew the value of Wrath.

“50,000.”

“Earl Randalph-nim! 50,000 points have come out. Any more?”

“60,000.”

“Grand Duke Ariel-nim! She still has points remaining!”

Ariel partic.i.p.ated.

She had bought a single sealed weapon before.

It was a fairly decent weapon with the rating of exceptional rare (Ex R). She didn’t have much points remaining but saw a significant sealed item.

‘This isn’t a pure discerning eye. Ariel Diablo is a weapon master. She might be able to identify a little bit of the sealed weapon.

It wasn’t surprising.

“70,000!”

“Grand Duke Upa-nim. It has come to 70,000. Steeply rising!”

Other than Grand Duke Ariel, the Grand Duke Upa also partic.i.p.ated. I wanted to relax but they insisted on a compet.i.tion.

Of course, those two were busy staring at each other but I couldn’t give up an epic set item.

“100,000.”

“Earl Randalph-nim! He doesn’t care about looking nice. 100,000 points have come out!”

“110,000.”

“Grand Duke Ariel-nim!”

“120,000.”

“Grand Duke Upa-nim!”

“150,000.”

“Where is his limit? Earl Randalph-nim!”

Grand Duke Ariel and Upa finally realized and turned towards me. Of course, there wasn’t anything good in their gazes.

But Ariel was already at her limit. Earlier she had used 50,000 points so she didn’t have much remaining. Upa was also in a similar situation.

I? I could afford it.

They became certain of that.

“3,2,1! Congratulations. It has been sold to Randalph-nim!”

Dubolong clapped loudly.

Wrath had become mine.

I was also able to buy an additional 6 items at the auction.

The unique rated skill ‘Lightning G.o.d Technique,’ the unique grade ring ‘Paranormal,’ an Agility Potion, an exceptional unique set item ‘Death Wand,’ a rare grade ‘Flower of Eternity, and a whole village of dark elves was bought for a total of 650,000 points.

The list of items obtained……

Description: A recipe from someone studying lightning. Lightning can be freely handled up to a 12 star cultivation.

Description: A ring that randomly gives one of 5 different blessings. All stats + 2 for one hour, recovery, Magic Power +5 for 30 minutes, grant a powerful attraction and infinite energy. One of these blessings can be given once a day.

Description: Agility has permanently increased by 1.

Description: A wand used by the King of Death. His achievements in the art of death is tainted with fear.

* Magic Power +4, bound item, Undead Creation (U) skill is available.

Description: A beautiful flower that doesn’t need to be watered and will bloom forever. It has an effect of making the surroundings beautiful.

The village of dark elves couldn’t be described in detail but it was a small place with 50 people.

However, the mature dark elves could display a combat force equal to Lv3 mid grade creatures.

They could be purchased separately but I couldn’t miss the chance to obtain them for a much cheaper price.

Lightning G.o.d Technique, Paranormal and Agility Potion were things that I could use.

In particular, potions that permanently increased stats were incredibly expensive. I would drink it later when I was blocked by a wall.

The Death Wand had a wonderful synergy with the command magic book I discovered the other day. The Death Apostle and Command Magician professions had a synergy effect so I planned to transfer them to Chrisley.

The combination of her intelligence and potential gave me high expectations for the creation of an unprecedented necromancer.  If she grew a little more then I could entrust her to act as the proxy of the Dungeon Master.

A Dungeon Master had to deal with death. The set-up of a perfect subst.i.tute.

Flower of Eternity…I purchased it for 3,000 points and would naturally give it to Yihi. I should give her something like a flower. It was the first time I bought a gift so it was fun imagining Yihi’s reaction.

‘This isn’t the end.’

I used a lot of points at the auction.

However, I acquired something after using the points. Even I didn’t antic.i.p.ate that an Easter Egg would appear again.

7th grade Easter egg will open.

“Hahaha!”

After the auction ended, I exited with a big smile.

The results were better than expected so I was satisfied.

The 7th grade reward fell short of the 3rd grade Heart of the h.e.l.l Monarch but the compensation wasn’t bad. I could raise any stat I wanted by 1 point at any time.

It would be useful since raising a stat above 90 was hard. Things like the Agility Potion played a huge role at that time.

“Stop.”

I had just left the huge hall where the auction took place.

A Marquis stood blocking me.

A demon that filled his dungeon with succubus.

I could guess that he was one of Grand Duke Upa’s entourage.

I suppose they thought it was unfair I took all the good items. No, maybe they were wondering how I managed to raise so much points.

I walked forward while ignoring him. He was acting under the orders of a Duke or Grand Duke. There was no need to worry.

“This lowlife is ignoring me?”

Suack!

A spear flew towards me.

He couldn’t tolerate it anymore and attacked.

But there was an overwhelming difference in abilities. Even if my abilities had declined, only a Duke or Grand Duke could face me.

I caught the flying spear.

“This attack?”

“Ik……!”

He tried to pull take back the spear.

“You! Let go! You will regret it!”

“Regret? You are the one that is going to regret it.”

“Turn over the Death Wand. That item is wasted on a lowlife like you. If you pa.s.s it over then I will be happy to let you leave.”

The reason for the fight was the Death Wand.

“Lowlife……”

I laughed bitterly.

In the end, I was still called a bug.

I had to hear that word even in this life.

I maintained my hold on the spear and summoned the sword.

I strongly pulled the spear and cut off the left arm.

“Kuaack!”

“It is too late to figure it out.”

It happened in an instant.

His abilities fell far short of mine.

The demon glared at me with cold eyes.

“In my eyes, you are the lowlife. Tread lightly or you will cease to exist.”

I smiled coldly and prepared to cut the remaining arm.

It wouldn’t be too late to kill him after returning to earth. Killing a demon here would cause any long-term relationship with Dubolong to crumble.

Pasak!

Just as my sword was about to move, a black sphere pa.s.sed by.

The sphere was embedded in the ground and started to absorb the surrounding area. It was a skill I was familiar with yet the sucking power wasn’t as strong as I remembered. But once the skill was used at its maximum value, it wasn’t strange for a building to fly away.

A familiar skill.

At the same time, an overwhelming presence could be felt everywhere!

“The parent showed up after the child is hurt.”

I shrugged while holding my sword.

The Grand Duke Upa was the one restraining him.

A ‘black hole’ that sucked in everything around it was his patented skills.

Standing next to Grand Duke Upa were many demons.

“To not lower your head after seeing me, I can’t believe there is someone like this.”

I could tell his personality from his tone.

Arrogant and self-righteous.

A presence distinctly different from me.

“This demon under my feet? I don’t remember how he got there.”

Upa’s expression became stormy.

“How cheeky. But it is a fact that you attacked one of my demons. Shouldn’t you explain this?”

He asked for an explanation of the attack.

I spoke with annoyance as I roughly explained.

“He attacked me first.”

“I don’t see your arm cut off.”

“Just stick it back on.”

It wasn’t difficult.

I had vaguely expected this situation.

I expected it and acted moderately.

In fact, if I was excited then the demon would already be dead. Kim Yong-woo spoke about an elephant and an ant. It was that type of difference.

I was stronger from the beginning.

Despite that, I only cut off an arm.

Why?

This wasn’t the Demon World. A place ruled by the King of the Spirits!

“Be quiet or I will slash your neck.”

“My neck? Haha!”

Cutting my neck.

I was someone who survived and went back to the past.

I wouldn’t die in a place like this.

“This guy…… If you don’t act moderately then I won’t forgive you. Pakan. Stop his mouth for me.”

Duke Pakan.

One of the 3 Dukes beside Grand Duke Upa.

He nodded and went forward.

The atmosphere swiftly became grim.

I opened Mind’s Eye.

Uniqueness: The master of Griolli, the barren land of wolves.

Skill: Wolf (U), Regeneration (U)

Pakan Griolli

Strength 84 Intelligence 63 Agility 69 Stamina 68 Magic 77 Potential (353+8/500)

Randalph Brigsiel

Strength 71 Intelligence 56 Agility 66 Stamina 72 Magic 80 Potential (329+16/500)

(All stats -10 due to a penalty).

I shook my head.

He was slightly better in terms of stats. The penalty was to blame.

I looked at five sealed items at the auction with Mind’s Eye so my stats were -50. If I was in my normal state then I could beat him easily.

The same was true for the skills. But I could use Lightning G.o.d Technique and Wrath to reverse the situation.

‘The difference between a Duke and Grand Duke is large.’

The vast majority of Grand Dukes had stats close to 400. Meanwhile, the Dukes were situated between 340~360. Indeed, a Grand Duke. They were completely different.

And my growth was enough to put me shoulder to shoulder with a Grand Duke. It was true that I had a penalty but I just shrugged it off.

At this time, some demons emerged from the auction.