You Have Been Invited to the Auction House of the Gods - Chapter 74

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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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74

 

 

A massive curtain of light spread in all directions, covering the rooftop.

 

The barrier that unfolded like a transparent dome embraced Jin-woo, Han Jia, and all the citizens behind them.

 

“Huff…”

 

Jin-woo caught his breath and lowered his shield.

 

Though it was now just a scrap metal that would be embarrassing to call a shield.

 

The Rampaging Hunter’s strike could no longer reach them.

 

The dark red aura was swallowed by the light as soon as it collided, disappearing without a trace.

 

Jin-woo, who had barely managed to steady himself, asked Han Jia.

 

“Noona, what is that?”

 

His gaze was fixed on the necklace hanging around her neck.

 

A shield with wings spread wide.

 

It was the Aegis Replica, a necklace her brother had given her to always wear.

 

Han Jia touched the necklace with a bewildered expression.

 

“This is something my brother told me to always wear…”

 

The merchant who usually left at dawn had stayed with her until morning that day, and that’s when she received the necklace.

 

It was different from their usual routine, but she thought it was because he was going to Mother’s hospital.

 

At the time, she just thought it was a luxury necklace he bought with the money he earned.

 

“…I had no idea it had this kind of function.”

 

So this was why that brother of hers always told her to wear it…

 

“What the merchant hyung gave you might be Aegis.”

 

“Aegis?”

 

“I happen to be very interested in artifacts.”

 

Kim Jin-woo smiled sheepishly.

 

Thinking back to his first meeting with the merchant, the answer was roughly clear.

 

Even then, he had already spent billions on equipment.

 

So when the merchant heard Jin-woo was starting a guild, he could only think of it as a rich young master’s hobby.

 

In any case, Kim Jin-woo was a man serious about equipment.

 

A kind of obsession, you could say?

 

It’s just that his obsession had temporarily stopped thanks to the Golden Fragrance Equipment he received from the merchant.

 

“If it’s Aegis, we can hold out until the Association arrives.”

 

Jin-woo muttered quietly as he examined the barrier.

 

Divine Protection that felt sacred.

 

Just looking at it calmed his mind.

 

As Jin-woo said, if it was Aegis, they could hold out long enough.

 

With some breathing room, Jin-woo took out his smartphone and searched for the identity of the rampaging man.

 

The screen displayed a photo of the man in his normal state along with a brief profile.

 

An ordinary man in his thirties.

He had built up quite a record, with no disciplinary actions or criminal history.

 

However, there was something strange.

 

“Re-Awakening to A-rank…?”

 

Jin-woo’s eyebrows furrowed.

 

A Hunter who was C-rank had been promoted to A-rank just a few days ago.

 

Up to this point, it could be considered a case of Re-Awakening.

 

While the probability was low, it wasn’t uncommon for Hunter ranks to increase through Re-Awakening.

 

The merchant was such a case too.

 

But the dungeon records before and after the promotion were strange.

 

His dungeon entry records had abnormally increased.

 

And the strangest point was that among the raid teams he entered with, everyone except this man had been wiped out.

 

An investigation was conducted, but it was concluded as an accident due to excessive achievement building.

 

That was when it happened.

 

Bang! A thunderous roar erupted as the entire rooftop floor shook.

 

The rampaging man seemed to have given up on the barrier, striking down at the rooftop floor.

 

“Damn…”

 

A low sigh escaped Jin-woo’s lips as he realized the man’s intention.

 

The man intended to bring down the entire building.

 

As if trying to bury the citizens underground along with the barrier.

 

The moment he saw the eerie smile on the man’s lips, a chill ran down Jin-woo’s spine.

 

The time he had created was rapidly running out.

 

‘What should I do…’

 

As anxiety surged, Jin-woo’s gaze unconsciously turned to his wrist.

To that string bracelet the merchant had given him as well.

 

***

 

I recalled the Heavenly Demon’s Domination and lifted my foot.

 

―When taking a step, release your Heavenly Demon True Energy.

 

And just like that, I infused it with ghostly energy and struck down onto the sparring platform.

 

Kuwoong― As ghostly energy exploded from my sole, the training dummies shook like aspen leaves.

―With the feeling of becoming a giant and trampling on insects.

 

Following that teaching, massive ghostly energy pressed down on the entire sparring platform from above.

 

“…”

 

Something did happen.

I had taken a step following the Heavenly Demon’s teaching,

and the training dummies were crushed and fell.

 

But something felt off.

 

‘Is this really the right way to dominate?’

 

I’ll be honest.

I couldn’t fully accept the Heavenly Demon’s teachings.

No, honestly, it was impossible with the values of a democratic nation.

While I could feel the romance in it, actually practicing it was something I couldn’t help but hesitate about.

 

The domination the Heavenly Demon spoke of was worship and reverence born from overwhelming strength.

 

Might makes right.

 

The Heavenly Demon’s doctrine was essentially dictatorship.

 

Those who worshipped his power, those who submitted to his strength.

 

The strength befitting that was the qualification of the Heavenly Demon.

 

But the domination I wanted wasn’t like that.

 

I stopped stomping my feet and plopped back down on the cushion.

 

The mechanism of action worked properly and produced results, but that was all.

 

The Heavenly Demon Sovereign Steps written in the training manual were more majestic and overwhelming than the footsteps I had taken.

 

My understanding and practice didn’t align.

 

And as if confirming my thoughts were correct, the training manual was displaying a message.

 

[ദ്ദി( ᴖ ̫ᴖ )]

 

“…”

 

Now it wasn’t even letters.

 

I wondered if it had updated properly.

 

They say a good teacher doesn’t catch fish for you, but teaches you how to catch them.

 

Being no ordinary training manual, it was thoroughly following that teaching.

 

The only problem was that it started with ‘making a fishing rod.’

 

‘Either way, this direction is correct.’

 

I gave up on following the Heavenly Demon’s enlightenment.

 

Soon I asked myself.

 

Then what kind of domination did I want?

 

The chain of thought naturally led to questions that circled in my mind.

 

What I wanted wasn’t a relationship between ruler and subject.

 

Rather than that…

 

‘It’s closer to employer and employee.’

 

A chuckle escaped me at the conclusion I’d reached.

 

Dominion, Heavenly Demon, hegemony… after all those grandiose words, the answer I arrived at was an employment relationship.

 

But that was also the kind of dominion I wanted.

 

I rose from the cushion.

 

In our relationship bound by employment, I had a duty to protect them with everything I had.

 

This was an item clearly specified in the contract as well.

 

So the steps I take are not for my own strength.

 

I slowly lifted my foot.

 

Then I took a step forward, carrying my new realization with it.

 

Kuuuung—!

 

A massive storm of ghostly energy erupted from me and struck the training dummies.

 

The texture of the ghostly energy flowing from my soles had changed.

 

Except for a few training dummies, all the ones I recognized as enemies were blown away at once.

 

This is my dominion.

 

To borrow Dolsoe’s expression,

‘Disappear from beside my employees, you dangerous things.’ Something like that.

 

[Modifying curriculum.]

[‘Heavenly Demon Sovereign Steps’ → ‘Gaining Enlightenment Through Heavenly Demon Sovereign Steps’.]

[‘Dominating Pressure’ has been acquired.]

 

A brief smile crossed my lips.

 

“… Now I feel a bit more at ease.”

 

‘Dominating Pressure…’

 

I liked the name of the technique too.

 

At the same time, the next training began immediately.

 

[‘Dominating Pressure’ proficiency training begins.]

 

Just as I thought, and was lifting my foot again.

 

The entire sparring platform was engulfed in brilliant light.

 

“…What?”

 

And that light instantly enveloped me.

 

A familiar feeling.

 

This was the motion sickness I’d felt when being transported somewhere.

 

And as expected, I was teleported somewhere while still in the awkward position of having one foot raised.

 

***

 

When I opened my eyes, what I saw was an unfamiliar sky.

 

No, it was the rooftop of some building.

 

And a massive barrier was visible.

 

The sacred energy I could feel from it showed this was no ordinary object.

 

It felt like when the Aegis Replica I gave Han Jia would activate… huh?

 

“Han Jia?”

 

Well I’ll be damned, Kim Jin-woo was there beside her too.

 

And behind those two were people crouched down.

 

“H-hyung…?!”

 

My eyes met Kim Jin-woo’s.

 

“Hyung… why are you here?”

 

That’s what I want to ask, you bastard.

 

“More importantly, why are you in that state?”

 

“Hyung! Behind you, behind you!”

 

I turned my gaze at Kim Jin-woo’s urgent shout.

 

There was some crazy man with rolled-back eyes swinging a sword as he charged toward me.

 

He must have been shouting to warn me about that man.

 

But I shook my head from side to side.

 

Jin-woo, what you should be worried about isn’t me, but that man over there.

 

Because the sole of my foot, stepped forward to unleash Dominating Pressure, is already falling toward the rooftop floor.

 

And the moment my toes touched the floor,

 

KWAAAAANG!

 

A massive explosion erupted.

 

***

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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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