You Have Been Invited to the Auction House of the Gods - Chapter 11

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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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11

 

 

The commission settlement and investigation proceeded simultaneously.

 

Since deaths in dungeons were commonplace, it ended with just going through formal procedures.

 

Even in bus parties, it wasn’t unheard of for the driver to die.

 

It ended with filling out a few statement forms and submitting a simple report.

 

As I exited the Investigation Room, Kim Jin-woo approached as if he had been waiting.

 

“Hyung-nim, thank you for your hard work!”

 

The title remained the same, but his tone had become quite respectful.

 

“Oh, you worked hard too.”

 

I greeted him appropriately and tried to leave.

But Kim Jin-woo grabbed my arm.

 

“Hyung-nim, this…”

 

What was placed in his hand was a small stone fragment.

The Artifact Reward received from killing the Ghoul.

 

“It’s fine.”

 

“No.”

 

Kim Jin-woo shook his head firmly.

 

“You saved my life. I can at least give you this much.”

 

“It’s fine. Don’t worry about it.”

 

“It’s useless to me anyway. Besides, the relic’s effect seems like it would suit you better… Most importantly, I come from a well-off family, so you don’t need to worry.”

 

Kim Jin-woo’s face was serious.

Though he spoke casually, these weren’t words thrown out lightly.

 

“This one thing can’t repay you, but if it weren’t for you, hyung-nim, I wouldn’t be here.”

 

Those sincere words weren’t light.

Continuing to refuse would seem strange, so I eventually accepted the relic.

 

“Should I give you some of the settlement money too? Actually, there’s quite a lot left over—”

 

When I frowned, Kim Jin-woo quickly closed his mouth.

 

“…Just kidding.”

 

I barely managed to stop him from offering settlement money too, and settled for just receiving the Artifact Reward.

 

“Then… I’ll see you later.”

 

Kim Jin-woo bowed respectfully, hesitated for a moment, then walked away.

 

***

 

Returning Home, I had my second settlement time.

 

‘Is it because I didn’t kill them myself? Not much gold came in.’

 

Thanks to the Raid Leader hunting like a massacre, the gold acquired this time was at a pitiful level.

 

The fortunate thing was that the items I had listed were still selling well.

 

‘2,000 gold…’

 

I accessed Golden Township.

 

Normally I would have searched for Stats, but today I entered the weapons category.

I had realized from training that having many Stats wasn’t unconditionally good.

 

The final moment when I fought the Raid Leader.

The Association’s Sword that broke despite my perfect Parrying stance.

It wasn’t that my strength was lacking.

The weapon simply couldn’t keep up.

 

A craftsman doesn’t blame their tools?

No. The more skilled the craftsman, the more they blame their tools.

 

‘Now I need to match my weapon to my grade too.’

 

Most importantly, if it’s a weapon appearing in Golden Township, the Gods’ Auction House, wouldn’t even chopsticks be divine items?

 

I browsed the list with such expectations, but somehow everything exceeded millions of units.

 

With 2,000 gold, it was questionable whether I could even buy a single ornament attached to those swords.

 

After browsing for a while, a particularly cheap weapon caught my eye.

 

[Galmu]

[Grade: D]

[Instant Bid Price: 1,900 gold]

[Description: A companion Sword that could become the hardest weapon in the world.

Nothing cannot be broken before this one’s teeth.

※Warning: Not recommended for blacksmiths or miners.]

 

What is this…?

 

As if someone had revised it several times, there were traces of corrections layered over the description.

 

Moreover, it was suspicious that it had been changed from competitive bidding to instant bidding.

 

It felt like it had been revised after failing to sell multiple times due to lack of buyers.

 

The description was also vague.

 

A companion sword that could become the strongest weapon?

 

What is a companion sword anyway, and if it’s strong then it’s strong—what does “could become strong” even mean?

 

Nevertheless, my hand was moving toward the bid button.

 

I don’t know. It’s not like my Sixth Sense stat was reacting either.

 

Anyway, there was nothing else I could buy besides that weapon.

 

If I think about it rationally, strange or not, it’s still a ‘divine weapon,’ isn’t it?

 

At least it would be a hundred times better than the weapons the Association lends out, and better than the Raid Leader’s dagger I brought back as loot.

 

That alone was reason enough to buy it.

 

‘1,900 gold? That’s money I can earn quickly by running dungeons from now on.’

 

This isn’t consumption—it’s an investment.

 

With that thought process, I pressed the instant bid button without hesitation.

 

[1,900 gold will be deducted.]

[‘Galmu’ has been successfully bid on by Nobody.]

 

Along with the message, space split open smoothly and something dropped with a ‘thud.’

 

A dagger about the size of a kitchen knife.

 

More precisely, it was a lump of metal that looked like a kitchen knife.

It wasn’t even shiny, and the blade wasn’t properly sharpened.

The finish was also sloppy, making it look like an unfinished craft project.

 

‘…I paid 1,900 gold for this?’

 

I thought there was no way this could be used as a dagger.

 

Just as I was wondering if a refund was possible—

Galmu’s blade moved with a ‘swoosh.’

 

“…Huh?”

 

The blade bent flexibly like an elephant’s trunk.

 

It moved slowly here and there as if feeling around, then turned its head toward the dagger placed on the desk.

 

“Hey, wait, that’s—”

 

Galmu’s blade wrapped around that dagger,

 

Gulp.

 

And swallowed it in one bite.

 

“…”

 

I haven’t appraised it, but that’s at least a B-grade dagger.

Two of them, in fact.

Each one costs at least 500 million won.

1 billion won… just evaporated before my eyes.

 

As I stared blankly in dismay, Galmu began to tremble.

 

Red heat swirled along the blade, and as if the metal was recombining,

it transformed into the shape of the dagger it had swallowed.

 

Solid curves, a smooth edge, a precise handle.

 

Moreover, a different aura than before was flowing along the blade.

 

Just that energy alone sent a chill down my spine.

 

If that thing had been in an enemy’s hands, my Sixth Sense stat would have flashed bright red warnings.

 

Galmu smoothly approached me again and stopped in front of my feet.

As if hoping for praise from its master.

 

When I lightly reached out, the handle gently wrapped around my hand.

 

“It really was a companion sword…”

 

I could feel warmth from the sword.

 

It wasn’t the cold touch of metal.

What touched my hand was definitely—a living sensation.

 

“Is this what they meant when they say the sword chooses its master?”

 

No. I know better than that.

 

But strangely enough, that’s exactly how the situation is.

 

‘Well, I’ll know once I try using it myself.’

 

Whether this sword is a demon or a spirit…

 

***

 

Thud!

 

The golem made of stone collapsed.

 

The D-rank dungeon I chose to test Galmu,

 

Golem’s Sanctuary.

 

It’s basically a place where only monsters with high physical resistance appear.

 

The rental weapon from the Association would be completely chipped after killing just one.

 

But—

 

‘This much…?’

 

I looked at Galmu gripped in my hand.

 

Its performance was unbelievable.

 

There was no resistance when cutting the golem.

 

Even though it was a Stone Golem, the lowest grade among golems, it cut through cleanly like slicing tofu.

 

I thought it simply copied the weapons it consumed(?), but it had power beyond that.

 

‘It’s not just that the blade is sharp.’

 

As if the metal structure was alive, it was subtly adjusting its angle with each movement.

It felt like it was predicting my movements and penetrating along the optimal path.

 

They’re selling such a sword for only 1,900 gold?

 

It was a complete 180-degree change from yesterday’s assessment.

 

However, if there’s a downside…

 

“It swallowed another Golem Core.”

 

It has too much of an appetite.

 

Galmu’s blade, which had somehow stretched long like an elephant’s trunk, was devouring the fallen golem’s core.

 

“…I should think of it as treat money.”

 

It seemed like this level of expense was something I’d have to accept to raise a companion sword.

 

Before I knew it, another golem’s core was being sucked into Galmu’s mouth(?).

 

‘At this rate, I could probably run one more dungeon.’

 

***

 

I ran two rounds and the sun still hadn’t set.

 

A life with evenings wasn’t bad either.

 

Let me have a meal with Younger Sister for once.

 

Just as I was about to head home, the smartphone in my pocket vibrated.

 

A familiar number appeared on the screen.

It was Kim Jin-woo.

 

“Hello?”

 

– Hyung-nim, it’s me! Do you have time right now?

 

“Is it urgent? Right now I’m a bit… I have something to do.”

 

It was a leisurely end to the workday after a long time.

I didn’t want to spend such precious time with that guy.

 

– Ah, is that so? It’s not urgent. I just have something to tell you. Then how about the weekend?

 

“Sure. Let’s match our schedules.”

 

– Yes! I’ll buy you something delicious!

 

Perhaps having nothing particular to say, Kim Jin-woo hung up after leaving just those words.

 

I shook my head and put my phone back in my pocket.

 

What a strange guy.

 

***

—————
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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