A S-Class Hunter With Great Agility - Chapter 159

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 159: Our Association is Operating Normally (2)

 

The auction house buzzed with commotion.

 

For a while, it was just chaotic as people tried to grasp the situation, then loud voices erupted.

 

“Who was that bastard just now? Who invited him?”

 

“Such lack of business ethics…”

 

“390 million? Did I hear that wrong?”

 

The Hunters began protesting, unable to accept the situation.

 

“…390 million, sold.”

 

However, the Association Staff confirmed the winning bid according to procedure.

 

No matter how disorderly this auction house was, there were still basic rules in place.

 

Whoever paid money came first.

 

“Damn it.”

 

The Bearded Hunter rubbed his face wearily.

 

‘Isn’t that the same guy from before? What an idiot, throwing 390 million at a dungeon like that?’

 

The maximum profit obtainable from a B-rank dungeon close to C-rank was only 500 to 700 million.

 

Since he couldn’t conquer it alone, considering various investment costs like raid members’ wages, there would be nothing left. It might even be a loss.

 

“Tsk tsk, he probably hasn’t done any calculations at all.”

 

He clicked his tongue. The other Hunters who had been furious at first also shook their heads one by one.

 

The atmosphere was one of pity for the Young Hunter who got ripped off, as if he was shooting himself in the foot.

 

‘He looks so happy without knowing his own future.’

 

The Hunter who had introduced himself as Eun Hae-dam earlier had a lightly smiling face.

 

He was just going to lose money, so what was so fun about it? The future where he’d realize reality and despair was crystal clear.

 

“Then let me introduce the next dungeon.”

 

The auction continued.

 

‘I missed the first dungeon, but I must get the second one…’

 

“The second is a Gate showing average mana levels of a C-rank Dungeon. It appeared in Pohang, and the conquest difficulty is not particularly high. We’ll start bidding at 60 million won.”

 

But…

 

“180 million.”

 

It was that Young Hunter again.

 

As the auction started and ended simultaneously once more, the Hunters’ jaws dropped.

 

“S-sold.”

 

‘What?’

 

Before he could collect his bewildered thoughts, the third dungeon was introduced.

 

“Next is a top-tier B-rank Dungeon showing statistics similar to the average mana levels of lower A-rank Dungeons. It’s a Gate that appeared at a construction site in Seoul, and the Emergency Gate Management Department has informed us there’s a possibility of undead-type monsters appearing…”

 

The starting price was—.

 

“Starting at 250 million…”

 

“750 million.”

 

That same Hunter called out the highest price again.

 

No, wait—!

 

The Bearded Hunter came to his senses and shot up from his seat.

 

“This isn’t right! Where did you learn such manners!”

 

The limited price of three times market value was literally just a limit, not the winning bid price.

 

Hunters from small-medium guilds had to cooperate with each other to reach reasonable agreements below that price.

 

But that young bastard had completely shattered that unspoken rule.

 

“That damn…!”

 

As he fumed, the Association Staff conducting the auction stepped in to stop him.

 

“Please maintain order. This is all proper procedure!”

 

“Tch, I bet you think it’s right from your perspective!”

 

The three-times limit was set for the Association’s reputation as a government agency, not a decision made with Hunters truly in mind.

 

Most of the money from selling dungeons was processed as taxes, but when sale prices went up, the commission going to the Association increased too.

 

After all, more money was always better, and the Association was no exception.

 

“Still, please take your seat. If you continue like this, we’ll have no choice but to escort you out!”

 

“Damn it.”

 

The Bearded Hunter suppressed his anger. There were only two dungeons left already.

 

‘At this rate, I’ll go home empty-handed.’

 

Given how things were going, it seemed he’d have to approach the auction with the mindset that negative profits didn’t matter.

 

An unused blade rusts quickly. The same was true for guilds.

 

He finished his calculations in his head.

 

“Now, let’s proceed with the fourth dungeon auction.”

 

After the Association staff finished explaining the fourth dungeon, he called out the starting price.

 

“The starting price for this C-rank Dungeon is 80 million won.”

 

‘Perfect.’

 

It was within the range of cash he could currently operate with. He boldly shouted out his bid.

 

“240 million!”

 

Jeers from other small-medium Guild Leaders could be heard. But he didn’t care.

 

‘If not today, there’s nowhere else I can get a dungeon at triple the price. I’d have to resort to illegal purchases from brokers. If caught, the fine would be even more expensive.’

 

It was the best conclusion he had reached through his own calculations.

 

Moreover, since he was a veteran, unlike green Hunters, he was confident he could make up for the profit by scraping together dungeon byproducts.

 

‘Huh?’

 

That’s when a strange scene caught his eye.

 

“…Where is he going right now?”

 

The Hunter sitting in a corner seat, the very Hunter who had turned the auction house into this state, was leaving the auction house.

 

He had apparently already stood up even before the fourth dungeon auction began, and was already reaching the auction house exit.

 

“What the…!”

 

I bid triple the price because of who…!

 

“Sold.”

 

“No, wait! This is… this is cheating!”

 

But the die had already been cast. There was no way to gather spilled water.

 

“…!”

 

His downfall was one thing.

 

He had looked down on his opponent as being too young.

 

* * *

 

“Wow, that was fun.”

 

With plenty of money in my pocket, nothing’s as fun as shopping.

 

“Hmm hmm.”

 

I hummed as I leisurely exited the auction house.

 

‘Though it was a bit noisy. Is it not okay to leave in the middle?’

 

They didn’t particularly stop me though. It should be fine.

 

Flutter flutter.

 

I waved the dungeon transfer certificates I received from the Association side and checked their contents.

 

‘One C-rank Dungeon and two B-rank Dungeons?’

 

Though I did purchase them at the insane amount of triple the previous price, I didn’t regret it.

 

After all, my purpose wasn’t to make money through these dungeons. As long as I could break even, it didn’t matter much.

 

‘I barely need any investment capital.’

 

According to my prior research, A-rank Hunters could solo clear up to B-rank Dungeons. Meaning no labor costs.

 

Even though investing triple the money might seem foolish, for me it was a reasonably profitable deal.

 

‘Ah, it seems there was an amount the Guild Leaders had tacitly agreed upon among themselves.’

 

The problem was, while looking down on me as a young Hunter, there was no way they’d easily allow me that amount. If I bid double, they’d probably bid higher saying they couldn’t give it to that guy.

 

It meant paying triple and purchasing was the predetermined natural order anyway. Territorial behavior is a scary thing.

 

“If it were up to my heart, I’d want to buy all five, but then I couldn’t manage dungeon breaks at all, so it can’t be helped.”

 

If a dungeon break occurred at my other owned gates while I was conquering, it would be a disaster.

 

“I’ll need to spend about 3 weeks conquering these three.”

 

I tucked the dungeon transfer certificates into my sleeve.

 

“Ugh, still, thinking that I spent 1.3 billion at once does give me a headache.”

 

It seemed I’d need time to adapt to this bourgeois consumption lifestyle.

 

“I should eat lightly today…”

 

Forget beef, let’s just wrap some seaweed with rice.

 

* * *

 

Tap tap tap.

 

I sent a simple text message to Choi Yu-il.

 

‘Can’t have him get scolded by Sister Yu-kyung again and make a wasted trip to my house.’

 

As a 15-year friend, no, now 16-year friend, I was showing my sincerity in my own way.

 

I sent a one-sided notification saying don’t look for your brother for the next month, take care. Like someone going off to the military.

 

‘This should get passed on to Sister too.’

 

I could only hope that no one would come looking for me during this time.

 

“Shall I slowly head in?”

 

I raised my head to look at the Gate before me.

 

Wooooong—

 

The rippling pitch-black Gate was emanating a threatening aura.

 

“Maybe it’s because of the location, but it’s quite eerie.”

 

The first dungeon I would conquer was the B-rank Gate I had purchased last for 750 million won.

 

That dungeon boasted a high conquest difficulty, with mana levels similar to a lower A-rank dungeon.

 

Whiiiii—

 

The Gate situated at a construction site in Seoul gave off a gloomy atmosphere.

 

‘They said construction was halted because of this.’

 

The barricaded construction site was desolate without a single worker.

 

I stepped on concrete dust while fiddling with the handle of my Spirit General Sword.

 

“Is this my first time going in alone…?”

 

All the Gates I had entered so far were with someone else.

 

A boy who followed me calling me brother, or old friends… or people I met for the first time.

 

‘It’s definitely lonely, but it’s also that much more liberating.’

 

Today I didn’t need to pray for no one to get hurt. I just needed to put strength in my two feet and move forward alone.

 

My shoulders felt light. The fact that I wouldn’t witness death was such a relieving truth for me.

 

Step.

 

I took a step forward.

 

Whoooosh—

 

The pitch-black Gate swallowed my blue robes.

 

After the feeling of every cell in my body being reassembled ended, I had already arrived in another world.

 

“…It’s dark.”

 

The first thing I encountered was darkness.

 

Flicker.

 

However, the dungeon seemed to have detected an intruder, as it soon lit torches throughout the entire space.

 

“Hmm…”

 

The dungeon looked like an abandoned mine.

 

The dark and stuffy mine seemed to have stopped mining long ago, with no signs of human presence whatsoever.

 

Only abyss-like mine shafts stretched endlessly onward.

 

I calmly looked around at that chilling scenery.

 

“Are there no monsters here? I guess I need to go into those mine shafts?”

 

It was scenery that would have made Baek Kyul faint from shock, but for me this much was nothing.

 

Compared to when I was young and went training with Grandfather to build courage, this was nothing special.

 

“But it would take too long to walk in alone…”

 

I stood before the pitch-black mine shaft and stroked my chin. Can’t be helped.

 

“Spirit Summoning.”

 

Whiiiii—

 

A pure white wind blew. A breath cold enough to freeze the air filled the abandoned mine.

 

“Mountain Lord.”

 

Soon a White Tiger as large as a house revealed itself.

 

“Have you been well? It’s been a while since we met.”

 

| Little lord. Why have you summoned me to such a place? I have graced you with my presence, but. |

 

I silently pointed at the mine shaft.

 

| …I hope it’s not what I’m thinking. |

 

“Uh… It probably is?”

 

Mountain Lord squeezed his eyes shut. Then he repeated grumbling several times as if sighing.

 

“Come on, you’re going to give me a ride anyway.”

 

| How shameless. |

 

“But what can I do when Mountain Lord is the fastest? Besides, this is also a mountain of sorts, so wouldn’t Mountain Lord be perfect?”

 

| What I rule over are the majestic snow mountains of deep winter! |

 

“Mine or snow mountain…”

 

Mountain Lord tapped his tail and nodded his head. It was clearly silent permission.

 

Thud.

 

I climbed onto the Mountain Lord’s back with practiced ease.

 

“Let’s go!”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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