You Have Been Invited to the Auction House of the Gods - Chapter 154

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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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154

 

The golden flames struck the monster.

 

It was an attack closer to a feint, meant to draw its attention.

 

‘It’s tougher than it looks.’

 

The monster didn’t even flinch and was still absorbed in eating the swords.

 

This time I put a little more strength into it.

 

I kicked off the ground and thrust my fist into the monster’s face.

 

With a bang, scorching heat rushed toward me.

 

When the smoke cleared, the monster’s form was still perfectly intact.

 

But this time I succeeded in catching the monster’s attention.

 

The monster was chewing on a sword when it raised its head and looked in my direction.

 

“Now we can have a conversation…”

 

The moment the monster’s eyes met mine, it was startled.

 

Before I could even speak to it, the monster made a trumpeting sound and raised both front legs high.

 

“What the…”

 

Before I could finish speaking, the monster’s trunk twitched toward the entire Sword Tomb.

 

Crack—

 

All the swords embedded in the Sword Tomb were pulled up into the air.

 

‘Damn…’

 

I immediately wrapped my entire body in sacred flames.

 

Whether the monster aimed for it or not, the swords that had been stuck in the ground came flying from behind me.

 

While emitting ominous energy.

 

‘I’ve seen all sorts of martial arts, but using your trunk for sword control is a first.’

 

Actually, seeing an elephant use sword control might be even rarer.

 

I deflected the rapidly flying swords.

 

But the elephant paid no attention to my struggle.

 

Instead, it kept watching me while increasing its suction power even more.

 

‘At this rate, there won’t be any swords left.’

 

The number of flying swords had already decreased significantly.

 

I didn’t care if it ate other swords, but if Galmu was mixed in among those swords, that would be quite troublesome.

 

I quickly rushed toward the monster.

 

I took a True Step.

 

The first step of Dominating Pressure engulfed the snowy field.

 

At the same time, I threw a punch toward the elephant.

 

With a sound of tearing air, the golden fist struck the monster hard.

 

The monster’s body fell backward.

 

The monster used the backward momentum to roll once,

 

then sat back up and began picking up the scattered swords with its trunk to eat them.

 

I don’t know how it can perform such movements with that massive body.

 

But I felt a familiar sense of unease.

 

‘Something seems familiar.’

 

The way the monster absorbed swords was like that,

 

and the monster’s body was becoming harder depending on what it absorbed.

 

And most importantly…

 

‘I can’t see Galmu.’

 

Thanks to the elephant, most of the swords from the Sword Tomb had flown here.

 

Even so, among all those swords, there wasn’t a single one that resembled Galmu.

 

My gaze naturally fixed on the elephant.

 

‘It’s keeping an eye on me.’

 

The elephant’s gaze was fixed on me,

 

but its trunk was hurrying to eat even one more sword.

 

– If it’s a beloved sword, wouldn’t you be able to find it in any form?

 

Forge That Tempers Fire’s words from before we parted flashed through my mind.

 

And suddenly, the product description from when I first won the bid for Galmu came to mind.

 

-A companion sword that could become the hardest weapon in the world.

 

-Nothing remains unbroken before this one’s teeth.

 

– Warning: Not recommended for blacksmiths or miners

 

Among those, the last sentence.

 

Why wouldn’t Galmu be recommended for blacksmiths or miners?

 

Even though the god of blacksmiths guaranteed it could become the hardest weapon in the world,

 

what was the reason it had to be put up for a bargain price?

 

Perhaps the answer to that was unfolding before my eyes right now.

 

“Hey, are you Galmu?”

 

The elephant flinched at my call.

 

I created a massive arm of Karmic Fire on one side.

 

Then I grabbed the elephant’s—no, Galmu’s—scruff with it.

 

The feeling of it fitting perfectly in my grip.

 

In that moment, the severed sensation was instantly reconnected.

 

“Hmm…”

 

I lifted Galmu up just like that.

 

And—

 

As if performing a horizontal slash, I swung the elephant’s body.

 

A sword strike as massive as its size flew toward the sea.

 

‘That’s right.’

 

This sensation was definitely Galmu.

 

‘To think an elephant crazed with appetite was Galmu’s true form.’

 

Even though it was in my hand, Galmu didn’t return to its original form.

 

It was still crazed with appetite, continuing to absorb swords while being held.

 

“It seems you don’t recognize your master after being apart for a while.”

 

While speaking, I created an arm of Karmic Fire on the other side as well.

 

“Your previous owner told me this.”

 

I rotated both arms made of Karmic Fire as if loosening my shoulders.

 

“That quenching is needed to regain your senses.”

 

With those words, I extended both flaming arms toward Galmu.

 

***

 

Only after eating the last sword did Galmu’s rampage stop.

 

Actually, I had already subdued it before then,

 

but I allowed it since there were only about ten swords left.

 

For something that got indigestion from eating swords, why does it have such a good appetite…

 

To think it would solve what it got sick from eating by eating more…

 

After finishing everything, as if it had achieved its purpose,

 

it returned to its original crude kitchen knife form.

 

Mimicry still seemed impossible, but at least the connection wasn’t severed.

 

When I reached the summit, the crater was already open.

 

Following the path between the rock walls, I entered the crater.

 

At the end of the rocky path leading to the center of the crater, a blacksmith workshop sat prominently.

 

Sensing my presence, Forge That Tempers Fire came walking out with heavy steps.

 

He wore a belt with equipment hanging from his waist.

 

It was quite a blacksmith-like appearance.

 

Forge That Tempers Fire naturally received Galmu from me.

 

“It seems to have eaten quite a bit.”

 

He examined Galmu, which had become much heavier than before, from various angles.

 

“It looks like it devoured all the swords in the Sword Tomb.”

 

“Isn’t that why you designed the trial this way?”

 

It was a thought that occurred to me while climbing to the summit.

 

Forge That Tempers Fire’s trial to find Galmu was both a trial and not a trial.

 

Galmu grows stronger by devouring swords.

 

It can become harder than any sword in the world, and its appetite is no joke either.

 

Could Forge That Tempers Fire really have released Galmu into the Sword Tomb without knowing this fact?

 

“Since we’re going through the trouble anyway, wouldn’t it be good for both of us if a masterpiece is born?”

 

Forge That Tempers Fire chuckled and turned around.

 

Then, as if suddenly remembering something, he stopped walking.

 

“You can stay outside if you want.”

 

“If it’s alright, I’d like to watch the work.”

 

There was something mysteriously lingering about watching artisans work.

 

Like Hae-in’s or Sister An Hyeon-su’s work.

 

Then how intense would the work of a blacksmith god be?

 

“Can you handle it?”

 

“If it’s because of the heat, you don’t need to worry.”

 

I ignited Karmic Fire in my hand.

 

My Divine Authority itself was fire.

 

No matter how intense the heat of the volcano, could it really be too much for me to endure?

 

Forge That Tempers Fire smiled broadly.

 

“You can’t run away in the middle.”

 

Then he walked toward the anvil in the center.

 

And the moment he pulled the bellows—

 

I was able to realize.

 

That what Forge That Tempers Fire was worried about wasn’t simply the heat.

 

***

 

Every time the hammer sound rang out, my entire body resonated along with it.

 

From the moment Forge That Tempers Fire began working, the crater filled with his Divine Power.

 

I wrapped my entire body in sacred fire and activated Fire Eyes Golden Clarity.

 

Only after taking every precaution I could, was I barely able to grasp my consciousness that was fading away.

 

The more Forge That Tempers Fire’s quenching repeated, the more extreme the environment became.

 

Extreme heat and bitter cold alternately swept through.

 

I could see Divine Power moving according to his hammering.

 

Every time he struck down on Galmu, Forge That Tempers Fire’s Divine Authority settled into the sword.

 

The settled Divine Authority burrowed into Galmu’s body, being carved in like an engraving.

 

‘Is that how Forge That Tempers Fire uses Divine Power?’

 

It was quite different from my approach.

 

Divine Power that organically gathered and was carved each time he lifted his hammer.

 

Tracing back the path where that power gathered, what I saw was the crater.

 

The crater was also spewing out Divine Power in sync with Forge That Tempers Fire’s movements.

 

And what was reflected in the crater I looked down into wasn’t lava.

 

It was blacksmiths of various races and peoples.

 

There were jewelers, carpenters, and sculptors too.

 

The figures of countless hammer-wielding people were reflected in the crater.

 

And their prayers became faith, being converted into Forge That Tempers Fire’s Divine Power.

 

My gaze turned back to Forge That Tempers Fire.

 

All those streams of prayer were flowing in harmony with Forge That Tempers Fire’s work.

 

The forms of all the blacksmiths reflected in the crater were projected into Forge That Tempers Fire alone.

 

I stared at that sight in a daze.

 

The surroundings gradually grew dim.

 

The bubbling sound of lava also gradually subsided.

 

And the rhythmically repeating hammer sounds.

 

Before I knew it, only Forge That Tempers Fire and I watching him existed in the crater.

 

***

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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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