You Have Been Invited to the Auction House of the Gods - Chapter 90

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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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90

 

 

Bang!

 

Sword and fist collided.

 

A sound that couldn’t come from flesh tore through the air.

 

‘It’s like being hit with a sledgehammer.’

 

It was a sound and sensation that couldn’t come from a human.

 

If giants actually existed, would they look like this?

 

The frail old man had disappeared, and a muscle-bound giant the size of a house stood there.

 

Kang Mu-heon pressed down on me with his fist.

 

The weight carried in that fist, as large as my entire body, was heavier than I could imagine.

 

Cracks formed in the floor as my body gradually sank down.

 

‘I’m being overpowered in strength.’

 

I twisted Galmu.

 

At the same time, I detonated Karmic Fire to the side.

 

Riding the recoil of the explosion, I barely managed to escape from under his fist just before being crushed to death.

 

‘A battle of strength won’t work.’

 

While I was devising a strategy in my head, Kang Mu-heon slowly opened his mouth.

 

“This is why I hold you in such high regard.”

 

He slowly pulled his fist out of the ground where it was embedded.

 

“You’re different from those idiots who gained power through Awakening alone.”

 

Stone fragments crumbled and fell from his extracted fist.

 

“I recognized it from when you created the supply system. You’re someone who knows how to read the battlefield. So I can’t help but covet you.”

 

With those words, Kang Mu-heon charged at me like lightning.

I ignited Karmic Fire throughout my entire body.

While deflecting his fist with Galmu, I simultaneously leaped into the air.

 

‘Damn it. Why is his speed so fast too.’

 

While retreating backward on Karmic Fire, I simultaneously launched Sword Energy at his side.

 

Despite his brutish muscular bulk, his speed also exceeded that of most S-rank physicals.

 

That wasn’t all.

 

The Sword Energy I launched at his exposed side couldn’t even leave a scratch on his skin.

 

Strength, speed, durability.

Kang Mu-heon was a monster who achieved perfect balance in all three areas without being biased toward one.

 

‘No wonder those stupid S-rank bastards are no match for him.’

 

With such abilities combined with combat sense, a strategy didn’t come to mind easily.

 

Several exchanges of offense and defense continued like this.

 

“Honestly, I had lost hope in Korea.”

 

Kang Mu-heon suddenly opened his mouth.

 

“What kind of bullshit is that now?”

 

What does having no hope in Korea have to do with our current fight?

 

“Think about the S-rank Hunters before you appeared.”

 

‘Noh Hyun-seong?’

 

As soon as I thought of him, old irritation surfaced.

 

“If the only S-rank Hunter who appeared was that guy, could you see hope in South Korea?”

 

I couldn’t deny it.

A Hunter who reached S-rank with just one Mythical Grade Artifact.

When I actually met him, I too felt undeniable disappointment.

 

“The Cult Leader must have a plan for everything, but I still don’t understand giving Gungnir to Noh Hyun-seong.”

 

‘Wait, the Cult Leader gave Gungnir to Noh Hyun-seong?’

 

It was incomprehensible.

Then does that mean Noh Hyun-seong is also a member of the cult?

How can this person called the Cult Leader obtain such artifacts?

 

Countless questions flashed through my mind.

 

“So I ask you one last time.”

 

Kang Mu-heon extended his hand, which was as large as my torso.

 

“How about taking my hand now before you get seriously hurt?”

 

“Nonsense.”

 

“Haa… I understand. You haven’t witnessed a miracle, so it can’t be helped.”

 

Kang Mu-heon let out a short sigh.

 

“Now that there’s no time, please understand even if I get a little rough.”

 

Kang Mu-heon lowered his stance.

With just that one movement, the surrounding air trembled.

 

‘He’s coming.’

 

I ignited Karmic Fire once more and lowered my stance.

But he was faster than expected.

He disappeared from my sight.

 

In an instant, killing intent erupted from the right edge of my vision.

I was slightly too late to dodge.

Instinctively, I raised Galmu.

 

Bang―!

 

I managed to block it, but that was all.

My arm bone screamed in pain.

 

But as if that was just the beginning, Kang Mu-heon’s fists began pouring down from all directions.

Disappearing and reappearing repeatedly.

I could only desperately focus on blocking.

 

‘Tsk, what should I do?’

 

Even while being battered around, I quickly racked my brain.

 

Then a thought occurred to me.

 

‘If perfect balance is his strength― wouldn’t disrupting that balance work?’

 

With that thought, I opened my Fire Eyes.

 

Blood vessels and lines overlapped across Kang Mu-heon’s body.

Even the minute movements of blood flow and muscles were displayed together.

 

His heart rate, muscle fibers, and blood flow were fluctuating several times faster than a normal person’s.

 

Well, it would be natural to handle all those muscles and movements.

 

At the same time, I recalled the memory of when I first obtained Golden Incense and purchased stats.

 

The imbalance of Mind-Ki-Body― the phenomenon where my brain couldn’t keep up with my body due to rapidly increased stats.

 

I intended to cause that same thing to happen to Kang Mu-heon.

 

‘Of course, surviving until then is the problem.’

 

Kang Mu-heon’s fists, having removed all brakes, poured down toward me once again.

 

***

 

I could taste iron in my mouth.

 

I spat out saliva mixed with blood with a “ptui!”

 

When was the last time I had been cornered this badly?

 

‘I don’t think it’s happened since I obtained Golden Incense.’

 

Even in battles with Carmen or Liu Chen, who were cult executives, I had never been cornered like this.

 

It seemed the title of the first Hunter wasn’t carried for nothing.

 

His abilities were rather simple compared to the enemies I had faced so far.

 

Strength and speed.

 

But Kang Mu-heon’s years of experience handling those two were extraordinary.

 

Breathing roughly, I raised my head to look at Kang Mu-heon.

 

He was slowly approaching for the finale.

 

“… Looking at your eyes, I suppose the answer would be the same even if I asked.”

 

Kang Mu-heon let out a short sigh.

 

“Still, shouldn’t you at least ask out of courtesy?”

 

At my words, he chuckled.

 

Thinking I had completely given up, Kang Mu-heon raised his fist high.

 

“I’ll hit you just hard enough to knock you out, so we’ll see when you wake up.”

 

With that, Kang Mu-heon brought his fist down.

Or rather, he tried to.

 

Kang Mu-heon’s descending body suddenly staggered and brushed past me.

 

Kwaaaaang―!

 

A massive crater formed with a tremendous explosion.

 

It was destructive power unlike before.

 

‘Tsk, the effects are finally showing now.’

 

“What the…?”

 

Kang Mu-heon also seemed surprised by his own strength.

 

I kicked off the ground and drove my knee, wrapped in Karmic Fire, into Kang Mu-heon’s jaw.

 

Kang Mu-heon tried to dodge, but it didn’t work as he intended.

 

My knee grazed the tip of Kang Mu-heon’s nose.

 

Startled, he quickly swung his fist and created distance.

 

“… What did you do?”

 

Kang Mu-heon instinctively realized it was something I had done.

 

“Nothing much. I just applied quite a few buffs to you.”

 

The corner of my mouth twisted upward.

Through Fire Eyes, I could see magic circuits I had drawn throughout Kang Mu-heon’s body during our battle were operating.

 

Amplification, expansion, acceleration… they were very basic circuits.

 

The problem was that I had drawn those circuits wherever I pleased throughout his body.

 

For Kang Mu-heon, who had achieved everything through his own efforts alone, physical imbalance was something he was experiencing for the first time.

 

So everything was bound to feel unfamiliar.

 

Moreover…

 

“Cough.”

 

Blood spurted from Kang Mu-heon’s nose and mouth.

 

Having accelerated his already high blood flow several times over, how could his body endure it?

 

‘Stubborn old man…’

 

I shook my head as if disgusted.

 

An ordinary person would have collapsed spitting blood long ago, yet he had endured until now.

 

“Let’s finish this now.”

 

I ignited Karmic Fire on Galmu.

 

A massive sword of Karmic Fire extended from the tip of Galmu, which I held with both hands.

 

Kang Mu-heon swung his fists wildly as if making a final struggle, but… how could movements that couldn’t even control his own body be effective?

 

I brought Galmu down as it was.

 

***

 

Massive flames completely devoured the interior of the estate.

 

The acrid smell of burning filled the interior.

 

Crackling dark red ash slowly settled from the air.

 

What emerged from the Fire Demon was Kang Mu-heon, returned to his original form.

 

I slowly walked toward him.

 

“Huff, huff…”

 

He breathed heavily and turned his head to look at me.

 

I quickly pulled out a recovery potion, but he shook his head.

 

“It’s fine.”

 

“You should still drink it.”

 

“When the water rushes in, you need to know how to go with the flow. I’ve been in this position too long.”

 

He stared at me intently.

 

“Cult Leader… was this also part of your plan?”

 

His dying eyes became clear once more.

 

“Young hero, listen well. I am not the end. Still in Korea, in Korea…”

 

His gaze grew distant again.

 

The mind that had barely cleared through Final Lucidity was becoming hazy again.

 

“The Cult Leader… urgh…”

 

He couldn’t finish his words and died just like that.

 

Tsk.

I clicked my tongue inwardly.

If you’re going to tell me something, at least finish it all before you go.

 

If he had drunk a potion like I said, even if he couldn’t have lived, he would have at least left proper last words…

 

“…”

 

I felt complicated emotions.

For the final moments of a hero who had dominated an era, it was far too miserable.

His wrongs were clear, but his contributions were also clear.

 

I looked at him for a moment, then turned away.

 

How should I handle this situation?

 

Since Kang Mu-heon was dead, the repercussions would be considerable.

 

My contemplation didn’t last long.

 

‘Well, Jin-woo or the Association President will handle it somehow.’

 

***

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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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