You Have Been Invited to the Auction House of the Gods - Chapter 129

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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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129

 

Two little kids passed by in front of me.

 

Yoon Yi-seo in neat attire,

 

“Rui, let’s go eat that!”

 

At her fingertips, Rui’s hand in formal wear was being held.

 

Seeing this, Kim Jin-woo disciplined the kids.

 

“It’s 10 minutes before the award ceremony! You have to come right back after going, okay?”

 

Despite wearing makeup, Jin-woo’s dark circles were distinct.

 

“I’ll follow them.”

 

Shin In-seon in a dress followed after the kids.

 

It wasn’t just those kids.

 

Zhang Qingye in formal wear that looked ready to burst,

 

Elder Shin Yong-bok who kept touching his necktie as if it was uncomfortable.

 

At the round banquet tables covered with white cloth here and there, neatly dressed Guild Members were chatting in small groups.

 

‘An award ceremony right after returning…’

 

I picked up my glass and took a sip of the cocktail.

 

The one-year evaluation naturally passed with an A-grade.

 

According to the Association President, it didn’t matter whether Kim Jin-woo’s grade was A or B.

 

He even said that even if Kim Jin-woo had been an ordinary person rather than a Hunter, Asin’s guild evaluation wouldn’t have changed.

 

While it’s true that the Guild Master’s grade is the indicator with the greatest influence,

 

the Association President said that it’s not the only indicator for guild evaluation.

 

Such perception arose because higher-ranked Hunters tend to create their own guilds rather than join existing ones.

 

Kim Jin-woo couldn’t take his eyes off his A-grade Hunter License with ink that hadn’t even dried yet, but what could be done.

 

Still, if the Guild Master is A-rank, it does look impressive.

 

Instead, the Association President made one request.

 

To please participate in this awards ceremony.

 

Actually, I was thinking of participating in the awards ceremony at least once even without such a request.

 

When I visited the United States, I remembered the look in the Association President’s eyes as he watched me and Aiden standing together at the official event.

 

The scene of his country’s Hunter standing shoulder to shoulder with the world’s number one Hunter must have stirred various emotions along with pride.

 

‘He could have just asked honestly…’

 

The old man who was cunning in other areas seemed to find it difficult to bring up this particular topic.

 

Anyway, the result was today’s awards ceremony.

 

Around the large stage, massive filming equipment was densely installed.

 

From what I heard, with simultaneous domestic and international broadcasting plus foreign press coverage, they seemed quite serious about this.

 

The lights dimmed, and the MC appeared on stage.

 

True to being called the nation’s MC, he instantly drew in the atmosphere with his brilliant eloquence.

 

Befitting a government agency event, the introduction of distinguished guests and the Association President’s keynote speech followed in order.

 

Unlike the Principal’s lengthy moral lectures, after a brief and concise speech, a congratulatory performance followed.

 

‘An awakened entertainer…’

 

I rested my chin on my hand and watched the performance.

 

The sound filling the hall was infused with mana.

 

All of those were buffs.

 

In gaming terms, you could call it a bard with mass appeal?

 

“I feel energized somehow.”

 

Kim Jin-woo’s face, which had been half-dead from dungeon grinding, came back to life a little.

 

‘Should I try recruiting a bard too?’

 

If they could just play music without going off-key in the middle of a dungeon battlefield, a bard’s position could rise considerably.

 

I know. The premise doesn’t make sense.

 

But while it might be impossible for an ordinary guild, with Ashin it could be different.

 

‘I did see some decent Sound Attack during the commissioned training…’

 

If trained well, they could probably be used as combat personnel too.

 

It would also be quite good for Guild Members’ mental care.

 

‘Let’s keep the possibility open.’

 

Meanwhile, the performance ended and the MC came back up on stage.

 

After some appropriate comments about the performance, today’s first award recipient was called.

 

The first winner was Noh Hyun-seong.

 

He received a quite prestigious merit award.

 

Usually such awards are called during the latter part of award ceremonies, but Noh Hyun-seong’s presentation was always first.

 

It was said to be his own request to decorate the beginning of the ceremony.

 

His achievements that came with the award were unexpected.

 

‘He worked harder than I thought.’

 

Unlike his behavior, his record was quite diligent.

 

And the spear in his hand, Gungnir.

 

‘Is that the weapon the Cult Leader arranged…’

 

Just in case, I activated Fire Eye Golden Crystal and examined the spear.

 

There might be some connection to the cult.

 

But my suspicion completely disappeared as soon as I heard Noh Hyun-seong’s first acceptance speech.

 

When he attributed all his award merits to his spear, Gungnir,

 

I just dropped my suspicion.

 

After that, several more Hunters went up to the podium.

 

‘The research sector’s proportion has definitely increased quite a bit this time.’

 

Was it because I went to the United States with the Association President?

 

Besides the Hunters fighting on the Front Line, there were quite a few personnel in research and support roles as well.

 

There were awards that seemed to focus on research and development fields too.

 

A middle-aged researcher with half-balding hair, receiving an award for the first time, was crying so much he couldn’t properly deliver his acceptance speech.

 

Whether the award was big or small, it was gratitude for the first recognition of the field he had researched his entire life.

 

In the awards that followed, names of Ashin Guild Members began to be called.

 

“Influencer Category Award, Hunter Park Ju-yong!”

 

As soon as his name was called, advertisement videos filmed by Park Ju-yong played on the screen.

 

I nodded my head.

 

‘He did film that many advertisements.’

 

I wouldn’t know if it interfered with Hunter activities,

 

but Ashin didn’t place restrictions on Guild Members’ external activities.

Ashin did not place restrictions on guild members’ outside activities.

There were still advertising contracts he had signed before coming to Ashin,

There were also advertising contracts that had been signed before coming to Asin that were still remaining,

and as his name value grew even more after joining Ashin, Park Ju-yong’s face could often be seen on monitors while walking down the street.

Since coming to Asin and his reputation grew even more, Park Juyong’s face could often be seen on monitors while walking down the street.

Moreover, a veteran Hunter like Park Ju-yong could handle schedule coordination himself.

Besides, a veteran hunter of Park Juyong’s caliber could handle his own schedule adjustments.

Then another name was called.

Then another name was called.

“Rescue Merit Award… Hunter Shin In-seon!”

“Rescue Merit Award… Rookie Hunter Shin In-seon!”

Wouldn’t this be the first award for a civilian?

For a regular person, this might be their first award.

Although she’s a Porter affiliated with Ashin, she’s a Doctor, not a Hunter.

Even though she’s a porter belonging to Asin, she’s a doctor, not a hunter.

“To Vice Guild Master Han Sang-in, who spared no artifact support for smooth rescue operations…”

“To Vice Guild Leader Han Sang-in, who spared no artifact support for smooth rescue operations…”

While giving her acceptance speech, an artifact resembling a medieval lantern was held in her hands.

While giving her acceptance speech, she held in her hands an artifact that resembled a medieval lantern.

It was an E-rank Artifact I had picked up while shopping in Golden Township.

 

Angel’s Lamp.

 

It was a Relic containing the origin of Nightingale, who was also called the Angel in White.

 

While it did have Healing effects, its essence was a combat Artifact.

 

Setting aside the Artifact, Shin In-seon’s supply packages that included medical care were the most popular requests.

 

While Healing-type Hunters might be better for instantaneous treatment,

 

no one could match Shin In-seon when it came to emergency care, infection prevention, and sustained treatment during long-term raids.

 

Moreover, thanks to the Artifact I gave her, Shin In-seon who could now perform instant Healing was practically invincible.

 

And so, it was finally my turn.

 

“This year’s grand prize goes to… Congratulations! Hunter Han Sang-in!”

 

Applause poured out from the Hall.

 

Although several candidates had come up for the grand prize, everyone had guessed the moment my face appeared on screen.

 

Honestly, my track record doesn’t make sense.

 

I had suppressed 13 A-rank Dungeon Breaks and resolved 2 publicly announced S-Rank Dungeons.

 

Ah, it seems one person didn’t expect me to receive the grand prize.

 

“Elder Brother! It’s the grand prize! Elder Brotheeer!”

 

I stood up from my seat, receiving congratulations from People led by Kim Jin-woo.

 

As I went up onto the Stage, a video began playing.

 

It was a congratulatory video from a familiar face.

 

Hinata, Japan’s S-rank Hunter, appeared on screen.

 

The video switched after a simple congratulatory message.

 

‘That’s not a familiar face.’

 

What appeared in the switched video was Aiden.

 

‘No wonder there were quite a lot of foreign press cameras…’

 

Although it was a celebration with only two people, those two weren’t exactly ordinary individuals.

 

And my acceptance speech that followed was just one sentence.

 

“Thank you to everyone.”

 

I meant it. I’m grateful to everyone who supported me.

 

How simple and clear.

 

No one would feel hurt about having their name left out.

 

The MC was momentarily flustered, but like a veteran, he continued the atmosphere.

 

“Ah, it seems Miss Hinata and the US President already said what they wanted to say on your behalf earlier. Hahahaha.”

 

There’s a rumor that it became a clip and circulated on the internet as the shortest grand prize acceptance speech in history.

 

***

 

Right after the awards ceremony ended, a guild dinner party followed.

 

Since everyone in the guild was busy, gathering like this had now become almost a miracle.

 

We should take this opportunity to bond and have a dinner party, shouldn’t we?

 

Of course, there were uninvited guests this time too.

 

The Association President was now a familiar face, and the newcomers Magic Tower Master and Former Mage Tower Master, and beside them were slaves—no, researchers—lined up holding glasses.

 

I just decided to accept it as it is now.

 

When you think about it, except for the Association President, they’re not strangers either.

 

I decided to just enjoy the party today too.

 

***

 

Dawn.

 

Just as I was about to fall asleep, the phone rang.

 

—Association President.

 

‘How long has it been since this old man and I parted ways after drinking…’

 

I answered the phone due to the vibration that showed no signs of stopping.

 

But what I heard wasn’t the Association President’s drunken voice.

 

It was urgent, and trembling with fatigue.

 

“…This is bad. An S-Rank Dungeon Break has occurred in Africa.”

 

“Haah…”

 

I sighed and burned the alcohol in my body with Karmic Fire.

 

Here we go again.

 

I didn’t know what Africa had to do with me, but before I knew it, I was grabbing my coat and leaving the bedroom.

 

***

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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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