You Have Been Invited to the Auction House of the Gods - Chapter 73

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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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73

 

 

Kim Jin-woo had lived his entire life as a third-generation chaebol heir.

 

It was a life without want, and as the youngest son born late in life, he grew up receiving abundant affection not only from his parents but also from both his maternal and paternal families.

 

However, he didn’t grow up to be an arrogant or precious child who treated people carelessly.

 

This was partly due to the strict family education from his grandfather Kim Tae-san,

but above all, it was because Kim Jin-woo himself considered everything he enjoyed to be a blessing from having good parents.

 

These days, he was establishing a guild with an S-rank Hunter at the helm, proving the saying that a tiger father begets no dog.

 

But even such Kim Jin-woo was now facing the greatest crisis of his life.

 

“Hey, Kim Jin-woo! Come over here.”

 

Han Jia gestured from afar.

 

Was this the sorrow of a young boss?

 

Just a week ago, they were clearly in an employee-boss relationship, so how did it come to this?

 

Not long after returning from Japan, he was out shopping following Han Jia around.

 

‘Since Sang-in hyung isn’t here, I should at least provide security.’

 

That was the surface reason.

 

In reality, Han Jia’s firm determination to burn through the last weekend of her vacation after finishing her internship was stronger.

 

As a result, Kim Jin-woo was walking behind her with both hands full of shopping bags.

 

“There’s supposed to be a popup on the rooftop, shall we check it out?”

 

“…Sure.”

 

Kim Jin-woo answered weakly.

 

Normally, he would never have any reason to come to a place like this, but now he followed behind thinking of it as an extension of work.

 

There was the reason that she was Han Sang-in’s younger sister, but after working together for a month, she had proven to be quite a capable employee.

 

“They say there’s also a Hunter weapons and new technology experience popup.”

 

At those words, his dead eyes came back to life.

 

“Let’s go right away.”

 

Kim Jin-woo thought that sometimes things like this weren’t so bad, and followed Han Jia up to the rooftop.

 

***

 

“Wouldn’t something like this be necessary for oppa too?”

 

Han Jia picked up a portable shield.

 

It was a shield made of materials light enough for her to lift.

 

“It’s a pretty decent shield, but it probably wouldn’t even register in Sang-in hyung’s eyes.”

 

Kim Jin-woo shook his head.

 

He didn’t know where Sang-in got them from, but every single item he brought was extraordinary.

 

You could tell just by looking at the items traded with Cheongram Trading Company.

No, there was no need to even mention Cheongram Trading Company.

 

Just thinking about Kim Jin-woo’s shield or full plate mail, or the items he casually tossed to guild members was enough.

 

Even the items he threw around saying he ‘just picked them up somewhere’ were at minimum B-grade items.

 

To someone like him, this shield would be like a child’s toy.

 

“Besides, noona. Sang-in hyung’s combat style is pretty far from using shields.”

 

Quite far indeed.

 

Kim Jin-woo recalled the image of Sang-in wreathed in blue flames all over his body.

 

The sight of him using a shield…

 

Rather than blocking with a shield, he’d probably wrap it in flames and use it as a projectile.

 

“Is that so?”

 

Han Jia put the shield down.

 

“Rather than buying equipment, let’s just get something delicious. I saw over there they’re selling dungeon baguettes in collaboration with a Hunter NewTuber, let’s get those instead.”

 

“True, oppa would be happier if we brought food rather than a shield.”

 

It was just as the two were about to head toward the collaboration store.

 

A commotion broke out in the distance, and people began gathering with murmurs.

 

Han Jia turned her gaze toward the center of the disturbance.

 

“What’s that?”

 

However, soon after, a sharp metallic sound rang out as dark red energy burst forth.

 

The gathered crowd instantly scattered and began fleeing.

 

The murmuring had suddenly turned into screams.

 

The trajectory of a dark red blade cut through the air, diving into the crowd.

 

“Something’s happening, isn’t it?”

 

Kim Jin-woo didn’t answer and stepped in front of Han Jia.

 

In his hand was already a lightweight shield.

 

He raised the shield and took his stance.

 

“Hey, what’s wrong?”

 

Kim Jin-woo’s expression was far from normal.

 

“Sis…”

 

“Uh, uh…”

 

“You remember the formation we learned at Ashin, right?”

 

“Uh…”

 

Han Jia slowly nodded her head.

 

It was included in the mandatory training she received when she joined Ashin as an intern.

 

She too sensed that the situation was taking a serious turn.

 

The Ashin formation Jin-woo mentioned was one of the emergency manuals used only when isolated in a dungeon.

 

“Don’t panic at all and stay close behind me.”

 

***

 

Jin-woo cut through the crowd heading toward the center of the commotion.

 

People instinctively rushed toward the entrance, but that was a mistake.

 

Jin-woo quickly assessed the situation.

 

If the panicked crowd gathered, a secondary accident could occur, and most importantly, there was no exit there.

 

‘The entrance is sealed.’

 

The sword strike that had flown toward the crowd moments ago had collapsed the elevator and emergency stairs.

 

The identity of the culprit was still unknown.

 

‘Is it a monster?’

 

No.

 

If it were a monster, people would have fled from the beginning instead of gathering.

 

‘Then it must be a person…’

 

“I already put in an emergency report to the Hunter Association.”

 

Han Jia, who had been following closely behind him, whispered quietly.

 

“I sent an emergency communication to Ashin too.”

 

Jin-woo quietly nodded.

 

Normally, he would have waited for Merchant to come right away.

 

‘Of all times, this happens when Merchant hyung entered secluded training…’

 

For now, the only option was to hold out.

 

Whether the Hunter Association came, or even Park Ju-yong rushed over.

 

But Kim Jin-woo already knew.

 

Whether that thing was a monster or a crazy Hunter, he was no match for it.

 

He had known from the moment the murky sword energy first flew at them.

 

If it could use sword energy, it meant it was at least an A-rank Hunter.

 

As he continued walking forward, he was able to break away from the crowd.

 

And at the end stood a man with a sword slung over his shoulder.

 

Blood was already staining his blade.

 

At his feet lay a person covered in blood.

 

This was the beginning of the initial disturbance.

 

A sinister aura flowed from the man’s body.

 

His eyes showed only the whites, as if he wasn’t in a normal state.

And the moment Jin-woo confirmed the man, his thoughts solidified into certainty.

 

‘Can I hold out?’

 

Looking back, he saw Han Jia and dozens of people crowded behind her.

 

With the elevator and staircase collapsed, Kim Jin-woo was the only person they could rely on.

 

‘This isn’t about whether I can hold out – I have to hold out.’

 

Swallowing his sigh like resolve, Jin-woo stepped forward.

 

Then he opened his mouth.

 

“Stop this. I’ve already reported to the Association and nearby guilds.”

 

But there was no answer.

 

“Don’t commit any more crimes—”

 

The moment the man’s lips parted, dark red energy surged forth with murky breath.

 

Whoosh—!

 

The blade struck down like lightning.

 

“…!”

 

Clang—!

 

Kim Jin-woo reflexively raised his shield to block it.

 

The vibration transmitted through the shield shook his wrist bones.

 

“Kugh…!”

 

But he wasn’t pushed back.

 

He had blocked it with just a lightweight shield brought out for a popup event.

 

But that was only once.

 

The man then began swinging his sword wildly.

 

The more he did so, the more Kim Jin-woo’s stance gradually crumbled.

 

Kim Jin-woo gritted his teeth.

 

‘At this level… I can somehow hold out until the Association or Brother Ju-yong arrives.’

 

That’s what he thought, but reality was different.

 

Each time he blocked the man’s sword, Kim Jin-woo’s expression contorted.

 

In the midst of the one-sided exchange, the man’s sword path suddenly changed.

 

Clang!

 

For the first time, Kim Jin-woo’s stance collapsed.

 

And sword strikes poured down with speed and power on a completely different level than before.

 

The man’s sword wind grazed past, grinding away from the shield’s edges.

 

Along with that, small scratches began appearing on Jin-woo’s body one by one.

 

‘Was that bastard deliberately toying with me?’

 

And before that thought could even finish, a powerful sword strike flew at him.

 

Jin-woo raised his shield and met it head-on.

 

Deflecting it would have been correct, but he couldn’t do that.

 

If he had, the people behind him would have been swept up in it.

 

Jin-woo had to bear that impact entirely.

 

“Kuhek…!”

 

The shield flew from his hands, and Jin-woo’s body was also sent flying backward.

 

He could only stop after rolling across the floor several times.

 

‘Tsk…’

 

He clicked his tongue inwardly.

 

If only he had his usual equipment, he could have bought enough time…

 

They say a craftsman doesn’t blame his tools, but Kim Jin-woo wasn’t a craftsman.

 

The man glanced dismissively at the fallen Kim Jin-woo and immediately turned his gaze elsewhere.

 

It was Han Jia, who had been catching her breath behind Kim Jin-woo.

 

“No…!”

 

Kim Jin-woo crawled forward toward Han Jia, dragging his broken arm.

 

But the sword energy the man had already unleashed was heading toward her.

 

The moment the sword energy flew toward Han Jia,

a blinding light erupted from her like an explosion.

 

***

 

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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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