You Have Been Invited to the Auction House of the Gods - Chapter 151
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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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151
I think of Ashin as a relatively young guild.
First of all, I’m 23 years old,
and the guild master Kim Jin-woo was a 19-year-old high school student.
Perhaps because of this, our principle was to operate with respect for guild members’ opinions in a free atmosphere.
Since we were composed of veterans, we actually received advice on work-related matters.
Of course, it might also be because the guild master was swamped with work.
Nevertheless, there were no major problems in communication between guild members and executives.
A perfect guild that respects and considers each other’s opinions.
That’s what Ashin is.
I thought I should use this as a copy phrase if we ever advertise Ashin later.
In reality, I try my best to be considerate of guild members, excluding Jin-woo who is the guild master.
For example, company dinners that are extensions of work.
To be honest, I quite like company dinners.
I tried to make them occasions where we could struggle together until our bodies ached and share stories.
But we’ve only had group dinners twice so far.
Even those were brief dinners meant to give busy guild members a breathing space from requests.
Not only these small matters, but I’m also putting quite a bit of effort into welfare.
I even created martial arts directly for the safety and growth of guild members.
Although I designated it as mandatory education, thanks to that, the injury rate decreased significantly and request satisfaction increased exponentially.
Each of those martial arts techniques was an ultimate technique that couldn’t be learned even with money.
Moreover, Jin-woo and I were quite good at listening to guild members’ voices.
When there were important agenda items, we quite often gathered opinions and passed them through pros and cons voting.
Therefore, I thought I was running a quite flexible guild.
Until that agenda item came up.
An agenda item came up suggesting we should have a New Year celebration event,
and naturally, voting began along with a general announcement to gather guild members’ opinions.
I was thinking of a suitable event or company dinner.
Or I was also considering giving special vacation time.
Something like domestic or overseas travel.
I was even willing to support all those expenses.
However, if there was one thing I failed to consider…
it was that in Ashin, only the guild master and vice guild master belonged to the young generation.
There were Yoon Yi-seo and Rui, but those two were closer to the younger generation rather than the young generation,
and although the Park Si-on Faction that joined was relatively young,
those kids who had already left for the Mediterranean Sea wouldn’t participate in voting.
The result that came out was ‘New Year Memorial Mountain Climbing’ passing with unanimous approval.
I could understand the approval votes to some extent.
However, the fact that it was 100% approval made me even more confused.
It meant that even Yoon Yi-seo and Rui, who belonged to the younger rather than young generation, had approved.
When the agenda passed and I saw Yoon Yi-seo and Rui with sparkling eyes,
saying this was their first time and being full of anticipation,
I couldn’t bring myself to cast an opposing vote.
Come to think of it, those two people probably never experienced things like picnics, let alone field trips.
New Year Memorial Hundred Thousand Great Mountains Climbing Workshop.
Looking at the agenda with even the location confirmed, I couldn’t take my eyes off the screen.
“…”
Right, going mountain climbing to celebrate the New Year?
That could happen.
But why the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains of all places?
How many famous mountains are there in Korea.
Wherever you stretched your feet, you’d reach a mountain.
Leaving all those famous mountains aside, why specifically…?
Is it because they don’t know that one of the reasons the Demonic Cult tried to unify the martial world was to escape the barren environment of the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains and obtain the fertile central region?
Even if they didn’t know that, what reason would there be to choose a place where they receive training every day.
‘Is this what generational conflict is like.’
***
The day of the New Year’s gathering had arrived.
And I realized that choosing the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains as the location was a stroke of genius.
‘If we had gone to Bukhansan instead, this would definitely have made the news.’
A rather bewildering scene unfolded before my eyes.
Guild members racing up cliffs just because they learned some martial arts…
Watching them use movement techniques to climb the cliff like it was flat ground,
I began to wonder if this could really be called hiking.
‘Well, since we are climbing up a mountain, I guess it would technically be mountaineering in terms of meaning.’
Then with a loud crash, two streams of black and white light shot up above the cliff.
It was Park Juyong and Jang Cheongye.
The two landed on the cliff just as they had leaped up.
‘The educated ones are even worse…’
Then the sound of two people talking could be heard.
“I held back my strength, but it stuck lower than I expected.”
“I’ll go up first, hyung.”
It was unclear when the two had become close enough to call each other by their first names.
However, it was certain that it hadn’t been very long.
Well… it’s a good thing for guild members to get along well with each other.
Just as he was trying so hard to console himself, he heard Yoon Yi-seo’s voice from beside him.
“Louis, let’s try it too.”
Louis’s eyes lit up and he nodded at Yoon Lee-seo’s words.
Fortunately, the former tower master cleared his throat before I could even stop him.
‘At least it’s fortunate that there’s an adult here.’
It was just at that moment when I was thinking how fortunate it was to have Elder Jin Youngheon, who could be considered the senior figure of the guild.
“It’s not a good habit for a mage to rely on drawing up magical power first. Since you’ve also learned martial arts, Iseo, let’s try climbing with just your body like Rui does.”
Come to think of it, that man is still an active combat mage who goes around dungeons.
There’s no way an ordinary grandfather who just farms at a research institute would have biceps that solid.
“Speaking of stamina. The reason why stamina is important for mages is…”
When I saw signs that Jin Yeong-heon was about to launch into a lecture on steel mage theory,
When it looked like Jin Youngheon was about to launch into a lecture on steel magic theory,
He quickly slipped away to another place.
Seeing Kim Jin-woo settle into the all-purpose cart, whose mastery of the Sun and Moon Divine Art was lacking, put my mind at ease.
‘At least Jinwoo is normal, which is a relief.’
The closer I got to Jinwoo, the clearer the sound of him muttering something became.
“Should I reduce my work hours and practice more light-body techniques? No, I can’t cut back on work, so I’ll have to sleep less. Even though it’s only four hours a day…”
I stopped walking and gazed at the cliff.
And I made a promise to myself.
They would cut the cliff face clean and straight, so that no one would ever dare to climb it again…
***
Around lunchtime, we were able to reach the summit.
It was Cheonmabong, the highest peak located behind the investigation site.
I shook my head as I looked at the vast martial arts arena spread out on Cheonma Peak.
‘I didn’t know they had implemented even something like this.’
Because it was identical to the massive monument that actually exists on Cheonma Peak.
In fact, if we had taken the elevator before the investigation, it would have been a distance that wouldn’t even take 30 minutes.
But faced with the strong argument that it wouldn’t be real hiking otherwise, I ended up walking from the entrance.
Honestly, the retort “Is it really hiking if you used lightness skills to leap up the cliff?” rose to the tip of my throat.
there seemed no need to stir up unnecessary trouble.
Right, as long as you were happy.
Even Mount Geumgang looks better after a meal.
Even the beautiful Diamond Mountain is best enjoyed after a meal.
The order changed a bit, but since we climbed up Cheonma Peak, shouldn’t we eat?
I sat down in the prepared spot and waited for the meal to be ready.
‘Still, the scenery is nice.’
Though it was a barren stone mountain, seeing the sharply rising peaks from the highest point looked quite magnificent.
‘This is why people get addicted to mountain climbing.’
The sound of casual chatter and the feeling of my chest opening up was truly refreshing.
It was around the time I was enjoying the sacred air and scenery.
Someone climbed up onto the Sparring Platform.
It was Kim Jin-woo.
“Could I have your attention for a moment?”
He cleared his throat and spoke into the microphone.
“Originally, the World’s Greatest Martial Arts Tournament was scheduled after the meal.”
‘So that’s why they chose Cheonma Peak as the destination.’
There must have been a reason for choosing this place among all the many peaks.
“But since meal preparation is taking longer than expected, we’d like to proceed with just the opening ceremony match first.”
It seemed they had prepared even an opening match since this was Asin’s official event.
Before I could finish thinking ‘I wonder who’s coming out,’ my name was called.
‘Ah, I was an opening match participant without even knowing it.’
I chuckled and climbed up onto the Sparring Platform.
Well, even if they held a World’s Greatest Martial Arts Tournament, if I participated, the winner would be obvious, wouldn’t it?
And on the opposite side, my opening match opponent was climbing up.
‘Park Ju-yong?’
It was when the thought ‘Can he face me alone?’ briefly crossed my mind.
‘Of course.’
Following Park Ju-yong, Zhang Qingye was climbing up behind him.
Kim Jin-woo, who had become the MC, continued with the introductions.
The atmosphere was heating up with the Guild Members’ cheers.
And when the long-awaited match was about to begin, I transformed Galmu into the Heavenly Demon Sword form and took my stance.
‘But what should I do? I wasn’t informed that this was the opening match.’
I kicked off the ground and charged at the two of them.
***
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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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