Chapter 185 - Episode 24. Ancient God (10)
Chapter 185: Episode 24. Ancient God (10)
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The auctioneer was a Dream Demon named Raynald.
Dressed in a suit, the Dream Demon had clearly hosted auctions many times before. Every expression and word carried the air of a seasoned professional.
[······ Therefore, the proceedings of this grand auction are the same as those of a regular auction. When an item you desire appears, please place a bid. If the highest bid remains unchanged for over one minute, the item will be sold.]
After finishing the explanation in a dry voice, Raynald immediately presented the first auction item. The proceedings were swift and precise, without any unnecessary pleasantries.
[Then we will begin at once.]
A display case made from a marble-like material rose from the center of the stage. Inside lay a pair of black daggers, seemingly the auction item. Its name appeared on the screen.
Blade Lord’s Secret Blades
The surrounding gods began murmuring.
“Blade Lord.”
“There was someone like that five hundred years ago. A fairly famous swordsman.”
“It must be genuine.”
Since it appeared to be a weapon used by a powerful Lord, the gods immediately began bidding.
“One million trust.”
“One point zero five million.”
“I bid 1.3 million.”
The price rose at once. One million, two million, three million. As expected of gods with influence in the 《Abyss》, even their bidding increments were extraordinary. In the end, the ‘Blade Lord’s Secret Blades’ sold for 13.49 million trust.
The bidding battles continued afterward.
Thunder Temple Chariot
Ice Dragon Bracelet
Reinholtz’s Prototype Bunker
······.
Some Parts looked worthwhile even to Jaehwan, while others were obviously all appearance and no substance. A few even looked counterfeit.
“Isn’t that rather good?”
Maiad, who had silently watched the auction, spoke for the first time.
The item on display was a white coat. It had no remarkable design, just an ordinary coat that could be found anywhere. As Jaehwan studied it, he felt a strange sense that he had seen it somewhere before.
Infinite Dimensional Void Coat
Jaehwan narrowed his eyes and muttered to himself.
That looks like the Skin Runald used to like.
Maiad carefully examined the coat as well, then made a request of Jaehwan.
“Please bid on that one too.”
Perhaps because it was not a Part with any particularly remarkable effects, no one besides Maiad placed a bid. Jaehwan offered 100,000 trust, and one minute later, won it without difficulty.
Items sold for less than one million trust could be received immediately. Maiad promptly tried on the newly acquired coat.
After buying it, the coat turned out to suit Maiad quite well.
“Was it made by a Dream Demon?”
“No.”
It was not strange. Dream Demons were not the only ones capable of making Parts.
What was truly strange was what Maiad said next.
“This is not an item from this world. How interesting.”
“Then where is it from?”
“I do not know either. It seems to be one of the items that crossed over from the outer universe.”
The outer universe. Come to think of it, Jaehwan had heard something similar in the 〈Metaverse〉. The borders between dimensions had grown thin, allowing information from other universes to cross over. This Part was likely one such object.
“Isn’t it fascinating? The possibility that there may be worlds untouched by the 《Tree of Illusion》.”
There were worlds outside this world.
As Maiad said it, Maiad looked somewhat lonely.
“If there is an item Jaehwan wants, you may bid on it too. I can give you one as a gift.”
“When will the Three Divine Artifacts appear?”
“They will probably come last.”
More than ten items had already appeared, yet many gods did not join the bidding. They only yawned with bored expressions or busied themselves checking 《Little Brother》. How many more items passed by like that?
Then an auction item finally caught Jaehwan’s attention.
Master’s Treatise
It was an old book. A book so ancient that it looked as if it would fall apart if handled carelessly.
The auctioneer began a brief explanation.
[This ancient book was collected nine hundred years ago. Unfortunately, its contents could not be deciphered. However, it has been confirmed that the language recorded within is one of the unique languages used by Dream Demons of that era.]
The auctioneer took a light breath and continued.
[Not only does it use an unusual language, but the arrangement of the language itself is unique. Even if parts of the language are deciphered, the book has been written so that its contents cannot be properly understood.]
“What? Then it cannot be read.”
As if agreeing with the gods’ complaints, the auctioneer nodded.
[This method of arrangement was favored by certain Masters in the past. If you succeed in deciphering the book, you may discover a great secret.]
Since the auctioneer was also a Dream Demon, the book’s authenticity was guaranteed.
A few gods looked at each other and whispered.
“Should we buy it?”
“No, forget it.”
“Why?”
“If it could be deciphered, Hatchinold’s Dream Demons would have solved it first. They are putting it up for auction because even they could not.”
It was a reasonable argument.
If the ancient book definitely contained a great secret, the Dream Demons would have found a way to decipher it. Instead, they had put it up for auction.
In other words, the Dream Demons had judged that the contents were not worth the effort needed to decipher them.
But Jaehwan was different.
“I’ll buy that.”
“Pardon? You mean that book?”
When Jaehwan nodded, Maiad spoke with surprise.
“I did not know you had an interest in books.”
It was a misunderstanding, of course. Still, Jaehwan did not feel any need to explain.
He looked at the old book’s binding.
Only Jaehwan had recognized the ancient book for what it was.
It was a record left behind by the Master, Mulack.
The pages that swiftly passed over the screen. The distinctive handwriting and arrangement of the language on the book’s surface. They proved it.
There was no doubt. The book used the same arrangement Mulack had used in 『Record of the Abyss』.
If he obtained that book, he might be able to understand the parts of 『Record of the Abyss』 that he had been unable to decipher.
[The auction will begin.]
Jaehwan immediately raised his hand.
“500,000 trust.”
It was a price high enough to drive away moderate competitors without drawing unnecessary attention.
His strategy seemed to work. Even some gods who had shown curiosity appeared ready to give up on bidding.
Then.
“600,000 trust.”
A competitor suddenly appeared.
Jaehwan reflexively looked toward the bidder. It was a gloomy-looking man sitting at the northern table, drinking wine.
[Derek Milt, 600,000.]
Dark Heaven, was it?
Jaehwan named another price.
“700,000.”
“800,000.”
“900,000.”
“One million.”
As the price quickly climbed, even the surrounding gods looked somewhat surprised.
“Is there something in that ancient book?”
Gods who had been looking through 《Little Brother》 began turning their attention to the auction one by one, intrigued by the unexpectedly fierce contest.
“Who are those two?”
“Heaven’s End and Dark Heaven.”
“Oh, a clash between Eight Heavens.”
A few gods occasionally offered bids out of curiosity, but they all gave up before the relentlessly rising price.
Before long, it had climbed far beyond three million.
“3.5 million.”
“3.6 million.”
The bids rose by 100,000 at a time. The gods watching the auction exchanged intrigued looks, wondering who would win this game of chicken.
Jaehwan grew increasingly impatient. He had assumed there would be no real competition.
Could this Dark Heaven have recognized that the ancient book belonged to Mulack as well?
Maiad whispered softly.
“I heard Dark Heaven likes books. It seems he has become quite taken with that ancient book.”
Only then did Jaehwan notice the several books resting on Dark Heaven’s table. He had thought they were decorations for the auction hall, but they appeared to be Dark Heaven’s personal collection.
Maiad laughed lightly.
“Books in this age. What an exceedingly boring hobby.”
The bid had already surpassed four million.
Jaehwan called out another price.
“4.1 million.”
This time, the bid did not immediately change. It likely meant the other side was nearing its limit.
Dark Heaven lightly wet his throat with the wine on his table and turned toward Jaehwan.
“Six million.”
A faint World Pressure rested in his gloomy, shadowed gaze.
「Give up.」
That was roughly what it seemed to mean.
So Jaehwan glared back with roughly the following meaning.
「No, you give up.」
Dark Heaven’s eyebrow twitched.
「I have never yielded a book.」
「Then this will be your first time.」
Dark Heaven tilted his head slightly.
「Do you like books too?」
Jaehwan was not sure whether he was properly interpreting the exchange, but he gave another look that conveyed whatever.
「This is important to me.」
Dark Heaven looked somewhat surprised at Jaehwan’s answer, however he had taken it.
Without breaking eye contact, Jaehwan asked Maiad, “How much can I spend?”
“Thank you for asking. You have already spent far more than expected, but······.”
Maiad rubbed their chin for a moment before speaking.
“Please spend only enough that it will not interfere with the main auction item.”
Jaehwan named the price without hesitation.
“Ten million trust.”
A brief silence fell over the auction hall.
Shiyu, who had been watching the auction, let out a short exclamation.
“Ho. Ten million for a single book.”
There were certainly gods here who could afford ten million trust. Yet there were very few who would pay that much for nothing more than a book.
Gods surprised by Jaehwan’s boldness began murmuring.
“It seems that guy has quite a lot of Followers too.”
“He is a famous god lately, so probably.”
“What a big spender. A brutal price befitting his nickname.”
Of course, Jaehwan was not the one who had to bear that brutal price.
Ten seconds, twenty seconds, thirty seconds······.
Even as the clock continued ticking, Dark Heaven did not react. He remained silent, holding an empty glass on the table.
Forty seconds······ Fifty seconds.
Dark Heaven slowly raised his head, looked between Jaehwan and the auction item, then finally put down his glass with a soft sigh.
[‘Master’s Treatise’ has been sold to Jaehwan-nim.]
Success.
As a few gods gave light congratulatory applause, Jaehwan glanced at Maiad. He had expected Maiad to be flustered by the greater-than-expected expense, but Maiad’s expression remained calm.
“I will repay you later.”
“Having you as my companion is repayment enough.”
Maiad smiled slyly, as if ten million trust was nothing.
For a moment, Jaehwan wanted to see this shameless bastard flustered at least once.
Fortunately, the opportunity came quickly.
[At last, today’s main auction item.]
The curtain behind the stage lifted, revealing the exterior of an enormous auction item.
It was a gigantic steel body in human form.
Even crouched down, it was larger than most Horned Beasts. It was clearly at least over ten meters tall.
The gods seated at the tables broke into a great commotion.
“Oh, that is.”
“Damn it, was it real?”
Maiad nodded as if this was exactly what had been expected.
“As anticipated, it is that Part.”
“You know what it is?”
“It is the strongest Gigantes in the 《Abyss》, ‘Deus Ex Machina.’”
At that moment, 『Record of the Abyss』 began turning through Jaehwan’s mind.
「Gigantes」
The collective name for piloted steel giants created during the era when the Ancient God Deus’s forces ran rampant.
Depending on their output, these extraordinary Parts could amplify the World Force of the Vicegerents or Followers inside them from as little as 1.2 times to as much as five times.
Deus Ex Machina, said to have been used by Deus of the Three Ancient Gods, was the most powerful weapon among those Gigantes.
Jaehwan pushed 「Doubt」 to its limit and examined Deus Ex Machina’s exterior.
Deus’s flamboyantly engraved crest, refined finishing shaped with elegance. He did not need to take it apart to see that it was a work touched by an excellent craftsman.
Still, Jaehwan felt oddly disappointed.
It does not have the same force as the Void Sword.
Catastrophe’s Void Sword, which transformed all existence into Deadmans, had sent a dizzying feeling through him from the moment he gripped its hilt. Even though he was the one holding it, whenever Jaehwan swung the Void Sword, it felt as though his soul would be torn into pieces.
A weapon that seemed not to know the meaning of control.
Compared to that, the steel giant was somehow······.
With the sound of a bell announcing the auction’s start, the auctioneer opened their mouth.
[The starting bid is-]
At that moment, Jaehwan felt as if his spine had creaked violently.
The auctioneer’s voice cut off powerlessly, like a damaged videotape.
The surprised gods’ eyes slowly widened. Yet no one could speak.
It felt as if the space and time around them had been paralyzed.
Jaehwan knew this feeling well. He had fought a god who controlled this power in the 〈Metaverse〉.
Jaehwan turned his head toward the auction hall entrance. Light sparks scattered in the direction he turned, as though the space and time around him were creating intense friction against his movement.
Someone stood at the entrance.
A strange figure wearing a pitch-black fur coat, carrying ominous World Pressure.
He did not need to be told who it was.
The Fifth Seat of the Seven Divine Thrones.
Chronos, the God of Time.
Chronos swept a terrifying gaze over Jaehwan, then turned his attention toward Dark Heaven at the northern table.
Dark Heaven opened his mouth.
“Two billion trust.”
Footnotes:
Chapter discussion