Chapter 288. World Artifact Expo
Ten, hundred, thousand, ten thousand... Even after checking again, the number doesn't change. Just this morning, my balance had been scraping the bottom—at least by S-rank hunter standards—but now it had suddenly increased by a bout thirty tis. A life where money just floods into your account while you do nothing...
‘Depositor na... IMABARI?’
Could it be a mistaken transfer? For a mont, I considered it might have been an error—but the instant I saw the depositor's na, sothing ca back to .
‘No way!’
This was the forgotten payout from the ‘Kagoshima Dragon Raid’.
‘I’d heard through the Japanese association that the processing would be delayed at the ti... but it really did take several months to finally co through.’
Still, isn't this a bit too much to be just the reward for slaying a dragon?
One hundred billion. A full one hundred billion. Even for an alien clueless about Earth's ways, this was not an amount that could be easily accepted without hesitation.
‘What if they say later that they added an extra zero by mistake and want it back?’
With trembling hands, I imdiately contacted the Association. When a hunter completes a raid overseas, the settlent always goes through a governnt agency, so I wanted to confirm it through Earthlings who were certain to know about this transfer.
Yes, I'll assist you with your inquiry. Before we proceed, we need to verify your identity.
Could you please provide the 8-digit issuance number on the back of your Hunter ID?
While contacting the call center, I realized there was another ID I needed to restore. But since my mory was good enough to retain at least the valuable information I needed to use, it wasn't a problem for now.
‘VC0JLYH2.’
Hunter, may I have your na, please?
‘It's Kim Giryeo.’
Ah, uh? Yes, y, yes. Then please wait a mont, and we will get back to you by the end of today...
The call soon ended. And after waiting a little longer, a text ssage arrived from the representative I had spoken with.
[Internal confirmation shows that the deposit is legitimate ^^]
Now that I've received confirmation, my body can no longer contain itself.
‘What is this?’
According to this planet's various search engines, South Korea is currently living through an era of low interest rates. But even so, with a deposit this massive, wouldn't the monthly interest alone still amount to tens of millions of won, even by a simple calculation?
At this point, the ruined apartnt no longer mattered. In a capitalist society, money is everything. If I really wanted to, I could disappear right now to a quiet seaside village without a second thought.
‘To hell with training disciples and all that! Hahaha! I'm retiring imdiately!’
It was right around the ti I, completely forgetting the favor I'd been granted, was about to shalessly betray my temporary landlord, Jung Haseong.
Flash
.
The cell phone in my hand had not yet lost its brightness, not even after 60 seconds of standby ti. Rationally, I would have gotten a huge divide and planned to retire imdiately...
[Today's Economic Headlines]
[World Artifact Expo to be held in Tokyo, Japan]
That article had been lingering in the back of my mind for a while now. I wiped at the slit-lit phone screen to double-check sothing. And there it was—several photos.
The economic paper's article included, besides countless words, photographs of specific items. Reading the text carefully, the Tokyo event was said to hold a special auction of valuable—Epic-rank—items to raise public interest in dungeon artifacts. Therefore, what I'm seeing now on the screen must be one of the items up for auction.
‘Hmm.’
A pitch-black cloth that doesn't reflect a single speck of light. And a wide fabric roughly about 60 cm by 60 cm in size.
Since it's just a photo, I can't rely on touch or sound, so it's hard to be sure. But sohow, the specific item glimpsed in this article feels like sothing I recognize.
‘More precisely, it ans the fabric is from Alphauri Mountain.’
And that can never be cheap. If that black cloth really is an artifact from Alphauri Mountain, then even just because of its straightforward effects, the material would hold considerable significance here on Earth as well.
‘Maybe it's even more valuable than the [Hydra] I have.’
If I seriously tried to buy that scrap of fabric, my overflowing balance would vanish in no ti. But even though I could foresee this whole chain of events, the fabric I found was, in fact, a pretty tempting item.
“An artifact auction, huh.”
If I could get my hands on that alone, even a worthless F-rank life like mine would gain a sowhat competitive edge. What to do now?
I fell into deep contemplation. But the conclusion ca sooner than I expected. Surely, if this hundred billion were the result of a hundred years of hard work, breaking limbs and all, it might have felt different.
‘It's free money anyway, so why not just go check out the item for the experience?’
The human brain is tricky. Maybe because the fortune rolled in so suddenly, I didn't feel much attachnt to my current balance. It hadn't co through any pain or struggle in building wealth. So I scrapped my hasty retirent plan and decided to at least browse the artifact market for now.
If I spend the money on an item, I won't be able to buy a new place to live for a while—but that should be fine.
‘If worst cos to worst, I can just keep freeloading at Haseong's place!’
I wasn't one of those black-haired beats, but an Alphaurian after all...
Just ten minutes ago, I was eager to get out of soone else's place, but now, as a freeloading magic craving item, I flipped my attitude like a pancake. This is exactly why you have to be careful about what creatures you let into your ho.
***
23:00 UTC. Tokyo, Japan.
“Wow~”
“There are so many people.”
“You know, Guild Master. Is LORE not working right now? Isn't taking a while to reply.”
Today marks the beginning of the International Artifact Expo. This event, usually held in a nation's capital, runs for about two to three days.
Unlike other regional festivals, this one is held indoors. The spacious interior is divided into multiple sections with white partitions, forming a segnted layout.
“I'm not sure. There's no problem on my side. There weren't any communication issues during the second event either, so maybe you don't need to worry about it?”
The phrase “second event” makes it clear that Tokyo hadn't hosted this event for the first ti.
This year marks the third ti. Around this ti last year, soone had just been reborn, so things were hectic, and I wasn't aware of the situation in other countries. Three years—that's enough ti for even an ordinary office worker to build up experience, so the previously chaotic event format quickly settled down.
“Oh! No, it's fine now. He just sent a reply.”
“I've thought about this for a while, but lori really uses all sorts of strange stamps.”
“They're characters from recent animations.”
Moritake Ito, a prominent hunter in Japan, checked his coworker's phone. Then, still standing with his hands behind his back, he raised his waist to survey the surroundings. As usual, there were many ordinary people around today as well.
“Ordinary people, huh...”
However, the Japanese man, who used to work at a securities firm, glanced at the crowd and thought for a mont.
“Those with supernatural abilities definitely fall outside the realm of ordinary, but sohow, every ti I see that kind of expression in the dia, it doesn't sit well with as soone awakened...”
It was just a thought. Now was not the ti to complain or vent like that.
“Oh! Imabari. That's Guild Master Imabari.”
“Mr. Moritake!”
“The weather's hot, but co over here and get a pack. It's just been released this ti.”
A loud noise was heard. While walking, Ito absentmindedly accepted an item handed to him by a passing citizen. The friendly-looking rchant had given him a plain pouch with the large word “Infinite” boldly printed on the front.
“Oh.”
This is a cold pack made by wrapping magical stones mined from a very cold dungeon in fabric. At the exhibition, it wasn't uncommon to see items artificially crafted by human hands like this. Right next to it, there was even a showcase of an eco-friendly, pollution-free table warr made from the heart of a monster called a Salamander.
[How to Use a Grade 5 Healing Potion – When to Use Potions in Everyday Situations]
On the other hand, these pure dungeon products were naturally displayed in large numbers at the exhibition hall.
But if you look closely, the artifacts proudly displayed around here at seed blatantly weak. They were trash-level if it was that a monster in the Japanese archipelago might collapse. But thanks to the efforts of a governnt agency commonly called the “Managent Office,” public perception regarding the exhibits inside this building were of that level of performance.
Because the apparent purpose of the Tokyo Expo was to promote dungeon culture to the general public.
“As expected, there are a lot of visitors.”
Since the main target audience is ordinary people who haven't awakened, only toys with minimal danger can be showcased to ensure visitors' safety. Moreover, those without a hunting license aren't allowed to buy equipnt above a certain performance level recklessly. For practical trading volus, Tokyo had no choice but to set up the event this way.
‘Could those kinds of things be obtained from F-rank gates...?’
The cheers of the citizens erupting from all around the event hall.
“They're having fun.”
Ito suddenly felt a new feeling when he saw people enjoying the mystery of magic.
Doomsayers ran rampant. Deep-rooted anger over the gates. Right after the dungeon shock, there was genuine worry that the entire Japanese archipelago might collapse. But thanks to the efforts of a governnt agency commonly called the “Managent Office,” public perception regarding new resources in Japan has improved significantly.
“Co to think of it, my grandfather in Ehi Prefecture still says that if you see things like that, you'll get sick and you shouldn't go near them.”
“Oh, you an the guild master's family ho?”
“Even though it's an age where even crushed workers' hands can be easily restored with potions, my grandfather still insists on seeing regular doctors when he's sick.”
“Hmm.”
“That because he's pure-hearted, or so they say.”
Of course, there are always opponents wherever you go. Moritake walked along the path, chatting with his guildmates about this and that.
“If only he didn't distrust potions so much, he could probably live a bit more comfortably.”
“It's unfortunate, but on the other hand, it can't be helped. Grandpa must have a lot on his mind. Whether it's people or technology, it usually takes quite so ti to be accepted by the world.”
By the way, the employee I'm talking to now is a B-rank Awakener. Imabari's scale has decreased a lot over ti.
“But honestly, I do have a bit of a fear of mana myself.”
“Is that so?”
“There's a nursing ho near my house. Even these days, there are many elderly patients bedridden due to addiction...”
How could soone be afraid of mana? Maybe if they hated it, he could understand. Moritake listened to the employee's words and tilted his head in puzzlent.
But then, suddenly the path ahead cleared, and soone ca running in. It was an Awakener with a very familiar face.
“Mr. Moritake!”
“Oh. It's lori.”
Hair a bit long, like that of an idol on stage. A baby face that made it hard to believe she was a fully grown adult. Who would've thought lori, Japan's standby S-rank hunter with an air attribute, would show up at the event hall?
“What the—lori, you're wearing that outfit again today?”
The man nad lori was wearing a light green-dyed shirt. It must have been a familiar outfit to those around him, as one of the fellow Hunters soon playfully teased him.
“If soone saw you, they'd think that's the only thing in your closet...”
But the other person didn't seem in the mood for jokes. Clearly, this event venue prohibits the use of abilities except in ergency situations. lori quickly approached him as if he was flying without even responding to his acquaintance.
“Get out of the way. Get out of the way!”
lori, who had been running at full speed, soon spoke to this country's representative hunter.
“Moritake-kun! Ugh, we're in big trouble. Call all S-ranks to the venue right now. Right now!”
Calling together every S-rank hunter? Honestly, what kind of absurd request is this?
“The top-tier ones?”
For reference, Japan's S-rank hunters have gone through many upheavals, with power dynamics shifting from a 2:1:1 split to a 3:1 ratio. The key point is that only lori—the hunter ntioned—has successfully gone independent. Therefore, Moritake, Ito, the guild master of the so-called “New Imabari,” still collaborates with the remaining two S-rank hunters and is naturally able to stay in contact with them.
“Why all of a sudden call all the S-rank hunters? Don't tell the Managent Agency said that even the two of us aren't enough as security forces?”
Even so, mobilizing all the S-rank hunters from across the country for a re recreational event feels a bit much, doesn't it? Besides, this is volunteer work—they don't even get paid for it.
Soone imdiately voiced their complaint.
“It's not even a raid-related matter anyway. We just need to show proper respect to the hunters coming from other countries, matching their level...”
However, Ito's attitude changed as soon as he heard the next sentence.
“The problem is, a hunter who really demands an extraordinary level of respect is coming into the country.”
“What did you say?”
“Miss Seo Esther from the Republic of Korea just sent an email. Kim Giryeo just got on business class. And the destination is this Tokyo exhibition hall.”
A specific hunter's entry.
“According to Miss Seo Esther, that man asked her if she wanted to go to the event venue together. But because of her schedule in Korea, she can't make it, and she's really disappointed. Damn.”
“Oh my god.”
“So hurry up and contact the other two fools! Kim Giryeo is coming—there's no way those guys are planning to not show up, right?”
No doubt about it—it's an ergency.
Following lori's shocking announcent, the hunter nad Ito imdiately began contacting his guild mbers. At the sa ti, he headed toward the nearby airport with lori. Even if they were from different countries, the sentint behind rushing out barefoot to greet soone was probably universally understood.
“That Korean guy's coming back?”
Could he be targeting the “Tokyo Auction,” the special event of this festival? But the kinds of high-tier items that S-rank hunter like him would actually consider using aren't scheduled to appear until the peak of the event—around the middle of the second day. So then... why is he arriving?
Just as his mind was growing increasingly tangled, the controlled entrance of the airport's central terminal opened for incoming passengers—and finally, the formidable guest made his appearance.
–Step, step, step.
Like the skin of the Imogi he was said to have slain—the Korean hunter appeared, clad in a pitch-black suit from neck to toe, pulling along his suitcase.
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