Chapter 185: After the Auction (1)
Murmur… Murmur…!
The auction grew even more intense after Master Gordon acquired the Intelligent Gorilla. The Master Hunters who took part in the auction all prided themselves on being much stronger than Master Gordon.
‘So, that half of a Hunter, Gordon, managed to get that Intelligent Gorilla... Well, I should be able to acquire something even better than that guy.’
‘The vice guild master didn't really care about obtaining a monster pet, but our hunting speed has been slowing down lately... It would be amazing if we could get a monster pet like Mavros. That would surely boost our hunting speed. Alright, I'm definitely going to obtain the next monster egg.’
The Master Rank Hunters were fired up because of a few words from an ordinary person, and this was an extraordinary sight that one would never have the chance to witness anywhere else.
"Now! The bidding will commence once again! One hundred billion! We're starting at one hundred billion won!" Choi Jin-Ki exclaimed enthusiastically and slammed his gavel.
Bang!
The auction blazed like a molten furnace after the VVIPs personally witnessed the Intelligent Gorilla hatch. Figures that would never typically appear at ordinary auctions were soaring around as if they were inconsequential.
"Four trillion and eight hundred billion won! Going once! Going twice! Sold to the gentleman for four trillion and eight hundred billion won!" Choi Jin-Ki concluded the second bid with a resounding slam of his gavel.
Tang!
[Yes! Hahaha!]
The victor of the second bid happened to be Abdulrahman, an Arab man in his thirties and the second son of the King of Saudi Arabia, who was next in line for the throne.
Unlike Egypt, Saudi Arabia remained a monarchy where the throne was inherited through generations. However, since the dimensional gates emerged, a significant change took place: the most formidable Hunter among the royal family was selected as the next king.
The order of succession held little significance in the kingdom, as the most powerful Hunter among the royals was chosen to ascend the throne. In fact, the current king held the esteemed rank of an S Rank Hunter, while his second son, Abdulrahman, was a Master Rank Hunter. Consequently, as long as Abdulrahman did not meet an untimely demise, his position as the future king was assured.
The Saudi people wholeheartedly supported Abdulrahman's ascent to the throne, recognizing the value of having a mighty Hunter as their king.
As the crown prince, Abdulrahman possessed immense wealth, but he still hesitated when it came to indulging in a monster pet, unsure of its true worth. However, all doubts vanished when he witnessed Master Gordon acquire a rare monster as his companion.
It went without saying that once the crown prince set his mind on winning the second bid, nobody could surpass him, for it was exceedingly rare for anyone to outmatch the Middle Eastern royalty in a contest of wealth.
While the notion of "oil money" had become a tale of the past, the Middle Eastern royalties leveraged their positions of power to control the mana stones gathered by the Hunters. This enabled them to sustain their wealth even after the emergence of the dimensional gates, multiplying their riches to a much greater extent than before.
“Please come this way, your highness.”
[Hahaha! Sure!]
Abdulrahman had gained a reputation for his arrogant attitude, yet he made a point to show courtesy toward Han-Yeol. The crown prince was someone who generally disregarded others' opinions of him, but he understood all too well that Han-Yeol was not someone he could belittle.
“Congratulations, your highness.”
[Thank you! I will be in your care then.]
“Shall we start right away?”
[Alright.]
Abdulrahman infused his mana into the monster egg, following in the footsteps of Master Gordon.
While Master Gordon's mana emanated warmth and gentleness, reflecting his amiable personality, Abdulrahman's mana exuded authority and charisma, befitting his future role as the kingdom's king. The crown prince's mana possessed a distinctiveness that set it apart from Master Gordon's blend of gentle yet charismatic energy.
‘Both Gordon and Abdulrahman are truly intriguing individuals,’ Han-Yeol realized, recognizing the multitude of things he could learn from observing this auction.
Although he couldn't directly witness the power of a Master Rank Hunter, he could discern their strength indirectly through the sheer aura of mana they emitted. This experience was undoubtedly invaluable for him.
Crack…!
“Kieeeeeeek!”
The monster that came out of the egg this time was…
[Oh! How can this be?!]
[Oh…!]
Everyone in the hall, including Abdulrahman, gasped in amazement upon witnessing the emergence of the baby monster from the egg.
The falcon held symbolic significance in many Arab countries, beloved and revered in the region. It was treated distinctively compared to other animals, requiring a passport to cross borders into different countries.
[Hahahaha! This is marvelous! Outstanding!] Abdulrahman couldn't contain his laughter upon realizing that the monster pet he had acquired was none other than the beloved falcon of the Arab world.
***
Abdulrahman had a certain level of expectation for a good monster to hatch from the monster egg. However, he never anticipated that he would receive a falcon, the cherished symbol of Saudi Arabia, among all the possible monsters. This news brought him immense joy, as there was likely no other monster pet that could solidify his position as the kingdom's future king better than a falcon.
Furthermore, it was evident that this falcon would not be an ordinary one, considering its status as a monster. Once it underwent its first evolution, its power would undoubtedly surpass that of a typical falcon.
[Now, let's proceed with transferring ownership to me!]
"Haha, very well, your highness."
After confirming that the payment of four trillion and eight hundred billion won had been deposited into his account, Han-Yeol transferred ownership of the monster pet to Abdulrahman.
Initially, the falcon remained loyal to Han-Yeol as its master, but upon Han-Yeol using his skill, it swiftly took flight and perched on Abdulrahman's shoulder. Then, it cried out in delight as if to greet its new master, “Kieeeeeek!”
[Haha! Congratulations on becoming my partner, little one.]
Abdulrahman went back to his seat with his baby falcon on his shoulder.
‘The Arabs are quite well-known to lavishly spend on their pets without reserve, so I guess I won’t have to worry about that guy,’?Han-Yeol thought.
He was indeed selling them for a profit, but he still felt a slight concern for the monster pets he had hatched using his skill. However, he could take solace in the fact that the falcon, at the very least, would be well-fed, as there was no possibility of the crown prince running out of money.
As the auction grew even more intense, the remaining monster pets found their rightful owners. The following is the list of successful bidders who acquired the monster pets:
1. Master Gordon: Intelligent Gorilla
2. Crown Prince Abdulrahman: Monster Falcon
3. German Prime Minister Lucas: Battle Bull
4. Mexican Cartel Boss Christine: Death Peacock
5. Emir Khalifa: Death Falcon
6. America’s Wealthiest Man John Smith: Twin Lion
7. China’s Top Hunter Wang Won-In: Giant Panda
8. Italy Prime Minister Alberto: Silver Wolf
9. South America’s Lord of the Night Big Mama: Cobra
10. India President Kumar: Killing Mammoth
From Han-Yeol's perspective, this auction was a jackpot. The bidders were highly content with the rare monster pets they acquired, each of them being exceptionally unique.
The crowd gasped in awe as the final winning bidder, President Mukherjee, hatched the Killing Mammoth from the monster egg. Everyone was astonished to witness the presence of a mammoth, an extinct creature that had vanished from the face of the earth.
However, in comparison to Han-Yeol's partner, Mavros, these ten monster pets paled in comparison. They were vastly inferior to the black dragon, as ordinary creatures could never surpass the sheer majesty of a dragon.
To outshine Mavros, it would require the emergence of a god-like or another mythical creature from the monster egg. A prime example of this would be Tayarana's griffin.
In any case, the VVIPs in attendance spared no expense in their bidding, and the winning bidders returned home with the honor of being the proud owners of the highly coveted monster pets.
Undeniably, the auction was an intense affair, comparable to an indirect "world war." It was a rare occasion where influential figures from across the globe congregated in one place.
‘Wow… It’s a really impressive lineup now that I think about it.’?Han-Yeol sat in the waiting room, engrossed in reading the report submitted by Secretary Kim after greeting the VVIPs who had participated in the auction.
‘Who would have imagined that these individuals would come just because I invited them? I should consider laminating this report and preserving it as a family heirloom or something,’?he pondered, recognizing the significance of the report and deeming it worthy of long-term preservation.
‘Still, it's a relief that giving away the monster pets doesn't affect my Charisma stat. I was genuinely worried about what would happen if the hatching failed due to my insufficient Charisma,’?he thought, relieved that his lack of Charisma didn't hinder the successful hatching and subsequent transfer of the monster pets to others.
Despite not possessing enough Charisma points to retain ten monster pets, Han-Yeol managed to hatch and give away all ten without any negative consequences. His personal Charisma level did not impact the process.
In the end, Han-Yeol amassed approximately fifty trillion won through the auction, propelling him into the ranks of the top ten richest individuals in South Korea. While there were corporations with greater assets, it was a rarity for an individual to accumulate such vast personal wealth in the country.
“Congratulations, Han-Yeol. I heard you have more than fifty trillion won in your pocket now,” Scarlett said.
"Hmm... It's quite hard to believe... Fifty trillion won is such a massive number that I can't even write it down without losing count of the zeroes. It feels surreal to think that's how much I have," Han-Yeol replied.
"I suppose that's normal. Even I have no concept of how big fifty trillion is. Anyway, I just wanted to congratulate you on becoming very rich."
"Thanks."
"No need for thanks between us~"
While fifty trillion won wasn't enough to consider himself one of the richest people in the world, there was no denying that Han-Yeol was now a wealthy and famous Hunter. After all, it was unprecedented for anyone to earn fifty trillion won in just a few hours and catapult themselves into the ranks of the super-rich.
If this auction had been publicly held, it would have undoubtedly gone down in the history books as the most expensive auction in mankind's history. However, due to its closed nature and invitation-only attendance, it would be challenging to have it officially recorded.
Some attendees might spread rumors, but those who participated in the auction alongside the VVIPs were elites who were unlikely to casually disclose such details.
Ultimately, nobody would confirm or deny what had truly transpired in the auction, so the specifics would remain as mere rumors from now on.
"Haha! You've become richer than me in a matter of a few hours, hyung-nim!" Mujahid exclaimed in surprise.
He had anticipated that the monster pets would sell for the same price he had bought Furion, one trillion won, but he never expected the prices to soar to over five trillion won.
Indeed, it was an amount that even someone like Mujahid would find burdensome to spend.
"How much I have isn't important. Besides, you can easily earn it if you put your mind to it, right?" Han-Yeol responded, brushing off the significance of his newfound wealth.
“Keke! That’s why I’m congratulating you, right?”
“Thanks anyways.”
“Ah, then shall we go hunting now since the auction is over?!”
“Yeah, I did promise you…”
“Yes, you did!” Mujahid gazed at Han-Yeol with eyes filled with excitement and anticipation.
His adorable face and sparkling eyes made it incredibly difficult for Han-Yeol to resist his request. However, Han-Yeol had no intention of indulging Mujahid's attempts to appear cute, as Mujahid was not a woman.
Nevertheless, Han-Yeol didn't decline the request to hunt together this time, as he had already made a promise and intended to keep it.
"Sure, let's go hunting together. It's nothing too challenging, after all. Why don't you make the schedule and let me know?" Han-Yeol responded.
"Hoho! Thank you, hyung-nim! I've been eagerly waiting for the day to hunt with you again!"
"Don't exaggerate now..." Han-Yeol grumbled.
While his words may have sounded like a reprimand, Han-Yeol was actually laughing. After all, despite Mujahid being a prince, he was more like a cute little brother to Han-Yeol.
‘Is this a side of him that he only shows to people he’s close with? I don’t think he acts this way in front of others though… Well, what does it matter,’?Han-Yeol thought and shrugged.
It didn't matter which side Mujahid showed as long as he remained honest with Han-Yeol.
"I will prepare the best hunting trip ever!" Mujahid exclaimed before rushing out of the door.
He was likely planning to gather all the experts he knew and assign them the task of creating the most exceptional hunting schedule South Korea had ever witnessed. It was undoubtedly the right decision, considering that Mujahid was not as familiar with the hunting grounds in South Korea as he was with those in Egypt.
"Haha... He's certainly full of energy," Scarlett remarked with a smile, her eyes forming a crescent shape.
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