You Have Been Invited to the Auction House of the Gods - Chapter 27

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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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27

 

 

I never thought I’d have occasion to wear a suit while working as a Porter.

 

Yet contrary to that thought, I was sitting in front of countless reporters in a suit.

 

It was an Association-hosted press conference.

 

The Association must have realized later that the Nokbeon Station dungeon break wasn’t just a simple B-rank.

 

If I really hadn’t stepped in back then, an unprecedented catastrophe would have occurred.

 

So the Association had no choice but to arrange this kind of event.

It might have been formal, but they had to compensate me somehow.

 

‘They seem to have figured out that I’m an S-rank Hunter too.’

 

That made sense, since the Hunter Association President was sitting right next to me, even though I wasn’t even a guild master.

 

I propped my chin on one arm and listened to the reporters’ questions with boredom.

 

Answering questions from reporters wasn’t my role to begin with.

 

That troublesome task belonged to our Ashin’s proud guild master, Jin-woo.

 

Still, being the son of a chaebol family, he seemed comfortable with cameras and microphones.

 

Most were formal questions.

 

“How was the initial response handled?”

“What enabled such a quick response from a new guild?”

And so on.

 

Occasionally, there were bait questions.

 

“There’s criticism that Ashin Guild arrived at the Nokbeon Station dungeon break scene faster than the Association. What are your thoughts?”

 

Bait questions perfect for headlines starting with ‘Hunter Association slower to respond than new guild…’

 

Even with such malicious questions, Kim Jin-woo didn’t panic and handled them well.

 

“That’s not true. Ashin also went to provide support after receiving the Association’s emergency mobilization text. Also, when we arrived, the Association was already preparing to establish a defense line.”

 

Even if we arrived before the Association, since we went after receiving the Association’s support text, the Association’s initial response wasn’t wrong.

 

Pleased with that answer, the Association President nodded briefly beside him.

 

When the press conference was about halfway through with such formal Q&A exchanges,

 

A reporter in the corner raised his hand high.

 

“I’m Lee Jin-seong from Daily Hunter. It seems like all the questions have been directed only to the Ashin Guild master. To give him a moment to catch his breath, would it be alright if I asked Hunter Han Sang-in a question?”

 

I wondered when this would come.

Naturally, interest would focus more on me, who solved the problem, rather than on the clear cause-and-effect dungeon break resolution process.

 

Especially since I was a Hunter who appeared like a saint and single-handedly stopped an unprecedented dungeon break.

 

I had something I wanted to say anyway, and for that purpose, taking a few questions wouldn’t be bad.

 

When I nodded slightly, Reporter Lee Jin-seong continued with his question.

 

“Have you seen the hottest video on NewTube right now?”

 

At his first question, the press conference hall became bustling.

 

Everyone was making excited expressions.

 

‘Why?’

 

What was that video that not only the reporters but even Kim Jin-woo were making expectant expressions?

 

“No. I’m not sure what it is.”

 

At my answer, not only Reporter Lee Jin-seong but also the Association President let out a disappointed sigh.

 

“…It seems you haven’t seen it because you’ve been so busy with official duties. To briefly explain… oh, they’re going to play the video?”

 

As Reporter Lee Jin-seong was about to continue his explanation, whether it was the Association President’s instruction or a staff member’s intuition, a video began playing on the large monitor in the press conference hall.

 

When the large monitor turned on, the press conference hall became as quiet as if holding its breath.

 

I saw a familiar back.

 

It was Kim Jin-woo holding a shield.

 

「Stay close if you don’t want to be roasted alive!」

 

Kim Jin-woo’s urgent voice was heard, and Hunters quickly gathered behind his back.

And cutting through all that commotion, a low voice resonated.

 

「Galmu.」

 

At that moment, a giant sword made of flames shot up high into the sky.

 

And just like that.

It swept horizontally toward the advancing monster wave.

 

Kwaaaaang—!

 

 

The thunderous roar that had been audible at first had seemingly exceeded the machine’s limits, and only pure white flames filled the screen.

 

The screen shook quite violently.

 

The cameraman also pressed close to Kim Jin-woo’s back to avoid being blown away, yet never let go of his camera.

 

After the aftermath of the Karmic Fire passed, the scene that appeared was of me sheathing Galmu into its scabbard on the devastated road.

 

As the video ended, the people in the press conference hall finally exhaled the breath they had been holding.

 

Some were breathing heavily as if they had actually been at that scene.

 

‘No way… was it really to that extent…?’

 

Then I turned my head to the side and decided to just stop thinking about it.

 

The Association president, whose eyes met mine, nodded with a knowing look.

 

I definitely heard he was quite the character…

 

I turned my head straight ahead… no, toward the ceiling.

 

After a brief commotion, as the atmosphere in the conference hall calmed down, Reporter Lee Jin-seong continued with his questions.

 

“Looking at the video, you displayed prowess that would be hard to consider that of an A-rank Hunter.”

 

From that question, I understood what he wanted to ask.

 

The reporter seemed parched as he swallowed a sip of water, then picked up the microphone again.

 

“Hunter Han Sang-in, are you perhaps… South Korea’s second S-rank Hunter?”

 

At his question, everyone in the press conference hall held their breath.

 

The birth of an S-rank Hunter that echoed throughout the world.

 

Though they received everyone’s attention, for some reason, they never revealed themselves.

 

But someone with prowess close to that S-rank had appeared in South Korea.

And at Nokbeon Station, no less.

 

If this really was South Korea’s second S-rank Hunter, it would be cause for national celebration.

 

I glanced briefly at the Association president.

 

The Association president’s expression had stiffened slightly, but he didn’t seem to have any intention of stopping me.

 

I slowly raised the corners of my mouth.

 

“Judge for yourselves based on what you saw in the video.”

 

Sighs escaped at my ambiguous answer, though most were probably thinking the same thing.

 

“Oh, and—”

 

I loosened my neck slightly.

 

“Would there be an A-rank Hunter capable of doing such a thing?”

 

Cheers erupted along with camera flashes from various spots throughout the press conference hall.

 

“Let’s end the press conference here. Would that be alright?”

 

The Association president spoke up politely.

 

“Just one more thing before I go. Since you’ve given me your precious time, I should fill your hands with plenty of story material.”

 

I looked at the murmuring reporters beside me, then grabbed the microphone again.

 

“I’ll say just one more thing in closing.”

 

Everyone’s attention focused on me.

 

I had to accomplish my purpose for coming to this press conference, didn’t I?

 

What wealth and glory would I gain by attending a tedious 2-hour press conference when I wasn’t even a guild master?

 

“Soon, our Ashin Guild will be introducing a new Porter system.”

 

At those words, the press conference hall fell quiet again.

 

Porter.

 

An existence that had been considered like a shadow in dungeon raids until now.

 

“Those of you who have served in the military will understand the importance of supply lines.”

 

Several reporters nodded their heads.

 

“We’ve built a specialized system rather than the existing Porter structure. We’ve categorized roles into supply teams and recovery teams, and this will…”

 

I lowered my gaze, then raised my head again as I continued speaking.

 

“Change the entire framework of dungeon raids.”

 

This was different from before.

 

No one readily cheered or criticized.

 

I was simply trying to figure out what exactly the system I had proposed was that would make an S-rank Hunter say such things.

 

Breaking that silence, a reporter asked a question.

 

“We understand the new system you’ve explained, Hunter. But would the entire structure of dungeon clearing really change just from establishing a Porter system?”

 

“Yes, I’m confident it will.”

 

Most tilted their heads in confusion, while someone gripped their pen tighter.

 

I finished speaking and turned around.

 

Behind me, Jin-woo said “Please check the guild homepage for detailed information” and hurriedly followed after me.

 

***

 

Asin’s press conference caused a huge stir.

 

The birth of an S-rank Hunter in Korea was already surprising, but that S-rank Hunter had declared he would change the entire structure of dungeon clearing through Porters.

 

Some showed interested looks, but most reactions were cold.

 

Would the entire clearing strategy really change just from slightly improving the Porter system?

 

They simply dismissed it as the reckless ambition of a young Hunter who became S-rank at a young age and didn’t know how the world worked.

 

However, when the recruitment notice was posted on the Ashin Guild homepage, there was another uproar.

 

Though not everything was revealed, the partially disclosed Porter contracts offered unprecedented benefits and treatment.

 

Benefits that wouldn’t fall short of those given to Hunters belonging to decent guilds.

 

As this radical approach continued, public opinion began to shift little by little.

 

If they’re going this far, maybe there really is something to it?

 

What put the final stamp on this was the Hunter Association President’s supportive interview.

 

『We have taken our perspective on supply for granted for too long.

In long-term clearing operations, many things are often determined by supply lines.

The Porter system proposed by Hunter Han Sang-in is sufficient to overturn the entire structure of dungeon clearing.』

 

Didn’t they say three people could create a tiger that never existed?

 

After that interview, applicants flooded in to the point where Asin’s homepage nearly crashed.

 

***

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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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