SWNOVELXO Chapter 165. Dissipation (2)
‘Is it just me?’
Maybe I was mistaken for a moment due to that plain appearance.
Neo’s newbie tilted her head and refocused on the auction.
“This item is a Unique-grade [Winter Cloak]. Its effect is strong cold resistance, allowing you to feel no cold even in the middle of Antarctica. The starting bid is 800 million.”
By the way, this auction features a combination of Unique and Epic-grade items.
I worried that the excitement would cool down if suddenly a low-tier item appeared after discussing Epic grades, but surprisingly, the bidding continued smoothly.
When you’ve just seen items comfortably exceeding 10 billion, a sudden number like 800 million feels oddly cheap and almost tempting.
‘Cheap. Should I buy that for the Ice Palace dungeon?’
Nervously.
Jakyung cautiously looked around before holding up the bidding paddle for the first time.
However, to her surprise, the paddle she raised bore the number 32, and instantly, a response came from seat 33 beside her.
“Is it for a gift?”
“Uh?”
“Are you bidding for a gift or something?”
A man wearing a hat asked. Jakyung, bewildered, replied.
“No? I’ll probably wear it if I receive it… right?”
Why is he asking this on our first meeting?
“If you’re thinking that way, you shouldn’t buy it.”
“Pardon?”
“That item has a very heavy mana quality. It doesn’t go well with delicate telekinesis. You’re a user of such skills, right?”
“Uh, uh, yes. You recognize that. Did you see it on the news…?”
“…Anyway, don’t buy that. Your skills will slow down. If you’re sensitive, it will definitely be distracting for you.”
It seemed there was a reason why 33 had spoken up.
“Because it slows down skills? Wow, you should inform everyone about that in the auction house beforehand!”
“Maybe they hid the negative information to sell it for a high price? They want to take a bigger commission themselves.”
“Yeah, I almost got scammed.”
“Well, you’ll adapt, so it wouldn’t be completely unusable… probably. What I mentioned was a minor compatibility issue.”
Neo’s newbie, surprised by the man’s strangely deep voice, thanked him for the information.
So this is why customers here often bring an appraiser along. If you don’t know the true value of items, you end up losing like she almost did.
‘Thank goodness I met such a nice person.’
She sighed in relief, feeling that there was still a notion of ‘jeong’ in Korea.
The auctioneer introduced the next item just as this was underway.
“This item is [Divine Tree Sapling]. I will start bidding at 1.5 billion, increasing in increments of ten million.”
Huh?
Why is that an Epic-grade item starting off so low?
Jakyung blinked and scanned her surroundings.
What could [Divine Tree Sapling] be that people looked so indifferent?
However, before she could finish her thoughts, the situation changed.
“Yes. 1.51 billion has been bid.”
Shh.
Seat 33 quietly raised his paddle.
Now that she noticed, it was this nameless stranger’s first time participating in the bidding.
“Are you going to buy it? What’s that about?”
Jakyung tiredly asked the person next to her.
The item on auction was a pale-colored plant in a pot. So, it wasn’t something she could equip, but…
“It’s an air purifier.”
“What?”
Right after, the young man beside started explaining.
“[Divine Tree Sapling] purifies the air in its vicinity when placed.”
“Huh?”
“It’s a bit silly for an Epic-grade, but it sterilizes and broadly filters out monster toxins, making it surprisingly good.”
He said this and once again raised his paddle.
But even with the explanation done, the gaze from the neighboring seat didn’t leave.
The man in the hat took another sip from his drink and continued.
“But why have you been looking so intently since earlier? Are you planning to bid?”
The question was laced with suspicion, but the response came with a smile.
“Actually, I was planning to buy it. My original goal was to get the cheapest Epic-grade item in this auction.”
Someone unconsciously twitched their finger.
“But since you from 33 jumped in, I’ll just cheer you on! Good luck!”
But what followed was luck beyond imagination.
The guild member of Neo Sisters felt unusually thankful for the nosy person in the adjacent seat, ultimately changing her own plans.
The price of kindness.
An appraiser accidentally eliminated a bidding rival, allowing him to acquire the intended item at a much lower price.
“2.68 billion. 2.68 billion. 2.68 billion. [Divine Tree Sapling] has been sold to the person in seat 33. We will now introduce the next item.”
A price that had dropped by a staggering 30% from the last sale!
How could such luck exist? Is today really a lucky day?
“By the way, how great is your home that you can buy such air purifiers? 100 pyeong? Or… that apartment in Seocho-gu? 180 pyeong?”
The man happily answered, having saved his budget.
“5 pyeong.”
The Neo representative wore a blank expression, as if he were an astronaut facing the galaxy’s edge.
A 26.8 billion won air purifier for a 5 pyeong studio…?
“Hahaha.”
It was clearly a joke; maybe I should just laugh it off.
“Well, since you’ve bought everything you wanted, if you’d like, I can explain the upcoming auction items for you. I noticed you came alone without an appraiser.”
“Thank you!”
A few minutes later.
As casual conversations unfolded, the auction neared its end.
“This concludes the 14th Epic Auction. I want to thank all participants. Those who won bids will follow the instructions…”
As the venue wrapped up.
The woman from seat 32 turned her head toward seat 33 to give a final greeting to the man who had helped her all along.
But to her surprise.
In just a moment of taking her eyes off, that man’s profile radiated a completely different aura.
“Huh?”
Short golden hair.
A chilling aura like a sharpened spear.
The mysterious man, who had been rolling an empty bottle in his hand, finally shifted his gaze.
“Oh, it’s been released.”
The moment the disguise was lifted.
She had used an illusion spell over her eyes and hair just before entering the auction as these areas significantly impact one’s appearance.
‘If I had participated in the auction in my original form, it would have been problematic, so I changed my attire.’
Yet, using that illusion for just a few minutes had drained a staggering three mana potions. It wasn’t as easy as it seemed.
He took off the uncomfortable hat and stood up. With the auction concluded, there was no longer a need to disguise himself.
“Next time, be sure to come with an appraiser.”
Kim Gi-ryeo left a farewell to the bidder in seat 32, vanishing into thin air.
The remaining bidder stood frozen as if time had stopped, only to finally yell in astonishment as the room echoed.
.
.
.
A few minutes later.
While someone hoped to cherish this encounter as a lifelong memory, Gi-ryeo had already forgotten the previous events.
“Yahoo!”
He held one plant pot in hand and cheered.
[Divine Tree Sapling]
[Grade: Epic]
[Description: Purifies the environment over a large radius.]
This item being ‘only’ around 2 billion won.
Earthlings still had a clear lack of knowledge.
If its genuine function had been revealed beforehand, [Divine Tree Sapling] would have been priced comparably to other Epic-grade items.
“To get an Epic-grade at such a low price.”
As can be inferred from these events, what Gi-ryeo acquired was an item with hidden unique abilities.
[Description: Purifies the environment over a large radius.]
But the information obtainable through Earth’s [Emotion] skill wasn’t complete.
Moreover, Earthlings tended to rely on those fragmentary results from skills.
– The amount of mana is among the mid-grade Epic, yet its function is only air purification?
– Is it just going to reduce toxins or bacteria? Besides, how do you even carry such a large tree into a dungeon…?
Of course, some scholars believed a high mana item couldn’t possibly be like this and insisted that something else was surely concealed, conducting various experiments.
Yet, no one ever uncovered the secret of the Divine Tree.
So what could be the truth behind this veiled mystery?
“Hmm.”
Crack. Crack.
As soon as Gi-ryeo arrived home, he snapped off one of the branches of the Divine Tree. He revealed its green foliage.
Then, he filled a cup or similar container with water and submerged the broken branch.
The key here is the temperature.
Using cold water just before it turns to ice is essential for it to function well. Probably.
‘Good thing I have a refrigerator at home.’
Keeping an eye on the temperature, after letting the branch soak for about a day, he diluted the extracted water and filled it into a folding bathtub…
Splash!
A moment later.
Gi-ryeo dove in headfirst into the prepared tub. By the way, he didn’t need to take off his clothes.
As can be seen, the Divine Tree Sapling was an item that needed the substance from the tree’s wounds to be absorbed into the body for it to take effect.
There’s a similar concept back on Earth known as the River Styx.
‘It’s been a long time since I’ve played in water.’
Gi-ryeo submerged himself thoroughly to avoid meeting a fate similar to the mythical Achilles.
*
Now, it’s time to experience its capabilities.
<Emergency Disaster Message>
[[Dungeon Break] March 25, 09:18
Seoul Mapo District Dungeon Break Alert]
Finding the test site wasn’t difficult.
Despite advancements in gate detection abilities, its accuracy still couldn’t match that of weather forecasts.
Thus, humanity was always exposed to disasters like dungeon breaks.
“Hey, hey, hey. Stop it! Stop it!”
“Ugh, my leg!”
At an intersection in Seoul.
Hunters wielding swords and spears were fighting against hordes of monsters.
They were a small raid party that happened to notice the occurrence of a dungeon break while passing by.
The problem was that the enemy’s grade was higher than theirs.
This team was hastily formed, mixed with C and D-class hunters, while their opponent was a formidable B-class.
“When will the association’s support arrive? Has it been less than five minutes since the report?”
“Ah, do something!”
But even being outmatched in strength, they couldn’t retreat recklessly.
Glance.
The bowman at the back turned to look behind him.
What came into view was a Seoul elementary school with a noticeable green grass lawn.
“Crazy! Why did it have to break out here of all places?”
Just a few steps forward could turn that children’s learning place into a complete wreck.
They were aware of this, which is why they couldn’t just run away. They had to somehow hold down the monster’s feet.
“Uwaah!”
Slash!
However, among them, the spearman maintaining the front line couldn’t hold on and collapsed.
The monster’s sharp claws mercilessly tore through the helpless flesh, and when a comrade sustained serious injuries, the hunters hesitated, one and all.
‘What should I do?’
If only there was a single B-class hunter here, they would have been able to do something…!
“Huh?”
But at that moment.
The spearman, retreating with support, seemed to have noticed something.
Thud, thud.
A rare sight in this bloody world of monsters, a neatly dressed man in his twenties.
The spearman recognized the newcomer and mumbled softly.
“That person is…”
S-Class Hunter, Kim Gi-ryeo.
To think Korea’s top ranking awakened being was merely standing across a crosswalk.
The blond awakened man glanced disdainfully at the shattered traffic light and strode forward.
Then, from his direction, a loud voice erupted.
“—Everyone disperse!”
He declared with such confidence.
“Everyone head back. From now on, I’ll handle it.”
As if he were supported by an absolute [Grace].