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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 50
Chapter Title: A Water Bottle for Kindergarten
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Chapter 50
Kang-jun’s gaze fell upon the palm of his hand.
“What in the world happened….”
The moment he had snapped the neck of ‘Amanda,’ who had approached him disguised as a casino dealer, three goddesses from the Asgard Constellation appeared.
Gods by the name of Nornir, three sisters who governed the fate of Yggdrasil.
Kang-jun had been able to recognize them as ‘gods’ in an instant, thanks to the title he’d acquired from dispatching Aldebaran.
[ The effect of the title God Slayer (EX-Rank) activates! ]
[ You will never be intimidated in the presence of any god. ]
From there.
[ You have been selected as the ‘Guardian Deity’ of the Earth dimension. ]
[ The mythical compilation of the Guardian Deity ‘■■■’ begins. ]
A series of system messages, their meaning utterly inscrutable, had appeared one after another, and a string of incomprehensible events had unfolded.
‘My body definitely moved on its own….’
As if his physical form had completely broken free from his consciousness, his body had moved by itself, tearing the three goddesses to shreds in an instant.
‘Back then, for sure…’
A story had come to him.
*Having fought against his own fate, he barely succeeded in returning to his home dimension, Earth.*
*He was reborn as a ‘god’ out of a sole desire to protect the peace unfolding before his eyes….*
*He tore apart Skuld, Verðandi, and Urðr, the three goddesses who governed the fate of Yggdrasil, one by one.*
*Though he had ultimately turned the entire Asgard Constellation against him, he acted as if it mattered not in the slightest.*
*Unaware of the trials that would unfold before him….*
*He was simply content with the ‘temporary peace’ he had managed to protect.*
It was a grand and fantastical tale, like a ‘myth.’
And…
It was also a story about Kang-jun himself.
“Mythical compilation…”
When he had asked Aldebaran ‘how he had been able to become a god,’ he had answered thusly:
‘It was thanks to achievements and narrative.’
If the achievements and narrative one built up began to be recorded as a myth, could the central figure of that story also be reborn as a ‘god’?
“A god…”
The system message had certainly said he had become a god, yet nothing had changed.
Aldebaran had spoken as if he’d realized something profound in the process of his own apotheosis, but…
Kang-jun had not gained any new enlightenment or tremendous power.
He had definitely become a god.
His divine power had increased…
But that seemed to be all.
Kang-jun still had no clue how to even use this power.
“Status Window.”
As Kang-jun murmured the words, a “*Tiring!*” sound was heard, and a translucent window appeared.
[ Divine Name: God-Slaying God ]
[ True Name: Lee Kang-jun (■■■) ]
[ Constellation: Unaffiliated ]
[ Class: Necromancer ]
[ Level: 48 ]
[ Titles: Fate Denier (EX), God Slayer (EX), Ultimate Necromancer (SS), Demon Slayer (SS), Dragon Slayer (S), Plunderer of the World Tree (S)…. ]
[ Strength: ??? ]
[ Agility: ??? ]
[ Stamina: ??? ]
[ Magic Power: ??? ]
[ Divine Power: ??? ]
[ Retainers: 2 ]
[ 1. Shartia von de Crabslie ]
[ 2. Sudou Lou Mardian Iriel ]
[ When this player reaches Level 60, a new summonable retainer will be unlocked. ]
[ Authorities ]
[ 1. Mythical Compilation ]
[ More ‘Authorities’ will be unlocked by absorbing more Divine Power. ]
He hadn’t paid much attention to his ‘Status Window’ before, so he couldn’t say for certain, but…
‘It’s changed.’
The contents of his status window had undergone a transformation.
Furthermore…
He now understood the ‘direction’ he needed to take.
“When this player reaches Level 60, a new summonable retainer will be unlocked…”
It likely meant that once he raised his level to 60, he would be able to bring over one more of the five arch-beings he had a retainer contract with.
“First, I need to level up.”
Also.
“Authorities…”
The only authority he possessed right now was the 「Mythical Compilation」, and he didn’t even have a clue how to use it.
Moreover…
The status window seemed to be telling him that he could only obtain a ‘new authority’ by absorbing more divine power.
“This is complicated.”
He wasn’t sure what was what, but…
“The God-Slaying God…”
If there was even a speck of a chance that someone might harm his family, or even a minuscule possibility of them disturbing the current peace…
Hadn’t he already made a firm resolve to mercilessly tear them to shreds, even if they were a *god*?
Therefore.
Kang-jun was pleased with his ‘Divine Name.’
***
The next day.
“Here, you do it like this.”
After listening to Bong-gu’s explanation on ‘video calls,’ Kang-jun asked with wide eyes.
“So you’re saying we can now talk face-to-face from anywhere on Earth?”
To Kang-jun’s incredulous question, Bong-gu nodded a few times and replied.
“Of course.”
“My goodness.”
“Let’s see.”
Bong-gu checked the current time and muttered to himself for a moment, folding his fingers one by one as if calculating the time difference with Korea.
“It should be about evening time in Korea right now. Since we’re at it, why don’t you try making a video call right away?”
At those words, Kang-jun replied softly, “Alright…” and, following what Bong-gu had taught him, immediately started a video call to his sister.
*Tuu, tuu….*
The repetitive ringing tone sounded a few times, and soon the call connected, revealing Lee Su-bin’s face on the screen.
- Kang-jun!
Kang-jun swallowed dryly and replied.
“Sister…”
Just then, a youthful voice called out from the other end, "Dada?" and his daughter, Seol-i, appeared on the screen.
“Seol-i!”
Seol-i, on the screen, put on a tearful face and asked back.
- Daddy, why you there?
“Huh?”
- Daddy, Seol-i save you!
Seol-i, on the other side of the screen, struck Lee Su-bin’s phone with all her might with her tiny hands, and…
Suddenly, with a “*Clatter!*” sound, the screen went black, and Lee Su-bin’s desperate cry could be heard.
- Aaaah, no! I still have so much time left on the contract….
It seemed Seol-i thought he was trapped inside the phone screen.
- Daddy, how many sleeps ‘til you come back?
“I’ll be back after five sleeps.”
- *Hmph*, Seol-i misses Daddy….
Kang-jun immediately replied.
“I’ll be there soon.”
- Pwomise.
“Yes, I promise.”
Then he added.
“I’ll buy you an airplane on my way.”
At those words, Bong-gu, who was watching the scene, gasped, “Hah.”
‘He was serious….’
Meanwhile, Lee Su-bin and Seol-i, on the other end of the call, seemed to have taken the airplane Kang-jun mentioned as some kind of ‘toy.’
- Seol-i, Daddy says he’s buying you an airplane on his way back.
— Yay, so exciting! Daddy’s buying Seol-i an airplane!
- You must be so happy to be getting an airplane, my dear Seol-i.
Not long after, the video call ended.
It was time for Seol-i to wash up and go to bed.
“That’s a shame…”
At Kang-jun’s words, Bong-gu smiled faintly and replied.
“You can just call again tomorrow.”
Then he immediately asked.
“By the way, where did you go this morning?”
“Hmm?”
“I woke up for a bit in the middle of the night, and it seemed like you weren’t in your room.”
Kang-jun shrugged his shoulders and answered.
“I went to the casino.”
After murmuring an “Ah,” Bong-gu tilted his head slightly and asked back.
“Did you win much?”
“Yeah, a little.”
“Wow, congratulations.”
Bong-gu replied softly, then continued.
“Times like these make me think ‘beginner’s luck’ really does exist, you know?”
Then he asked again.
“How much did you win?”
At that, Kang-jun tilted his head slightly and asked back.
“After the exchange fees, I think I won a little over three hundred billion won in Korean currency…”
Bong-gu, thinking he must have misheard, shook his head a few times and asked again.
“H-How much did you say you won?”
“About three hundred billion.”
“Not three thousand won?”
“Yeah, three hundred billion.”
Finishing his sentence, Kang-jun shrugged his shoulders and added.
“First, I’ll buy Seol-i an airplane, and I plan to use the rest to help buy your Elixir.”
As Bong-gu stood there, utterly dumbfounded by the few words Kang-jun had uttered so nonchalantly…
*Knock, knock….*
The sudden knock drew Bong-gu’s gaze to the door. Kang-jun gestured with his chin and spoke in a flat tone.
“Open it.”
Presently.
“Good day to you.”
When Bong-gu opened the door, a goblin in a tuxedo greeted the two of them with an endlessly polite tone.
“Who are you…?”
The goblin cleared his throat with a “Ahem, ahem,” adjusted his attire once, and replied again.
“I am ‘Kagon,’ a professional auction agent from the Secretive Society of the Wealthy, assigned to assist you both in this auction.”
Kagon then looked back and forth between the two of them and added in a soft voice.
“I heard that you wish to win the bid for the Elixir…”
At that, Kang-jun nodded once and replied.
“That’s right. I plan to win it no matter how much money it takes.”
At those words, Bong-gu’s gaze shifted back to Kang-jun.
‘Boss…’
The presence of his boss felt so incredibly reassuring.
“With the great Immortal’s wealth, I believe there will be no great difficulty in winning the bid for the ‘Elixir,’ however…”
He trailed off, looking between the two of them before asking.
“How about attending the pre-auction event held this evening, to familiarize yourselves with the auction rules and get a feel for the atmosphere?”
Kang-jun repeated, “Pre-auction?” and Kagon began to speak again.
“You can think of it as an event where items that are just a slight notch below the quality required for the official auction are mainly presented.”
Finishing his words, Kagon added with a grin.
“It is also an opportunity to observe your potential ‘competitors.’”
After a moment of thought, Kang-jun replied as if it were no big deal.
“Alright, I was bored anyway. This is perfect.”
Not long after, Kang-jun and Bong-gu, guided by Kagon, headed to the ‘auction house’ within the hotel where the pre-auction would be held.
“This is the place.”
The seats assigned to Kang-jun and Bong-gu were what could be called a ‘VIP Private Room’ on the second floor of the auction house, finished with plate glass.
It was a prime spot from which they could not only see the entire interior clearly but also look down upon the stage where the items would be introduced.
“On the day of the auction, you two will also be able to watch the proceedings live from the VVIP Private Room on the second floor of the auction house.”
Just then, Kagon, who was carefully examining the auction catalog, murmured, “Ah,” and spoke again.
“It seems the ‘most likely competitors’ are beginning to show themselves one by one.”
At his words, Kang-jun’s and Bong-gu’s gazes turned to an elderly gentleman who had just entered the auction house.
“For now, he is known as the world’s foremost tycoon, Meyer Rothschild of the Rothschild family.”
After muttering, “R-Rothschild?” Bong-gu swallowed the dry lump that had formed in his throat.
The Rothschild family? Weren’t they a famous German family renowned for their immense wealth even before the Gates appeared?
“Other competitors are presumed to be John David Rockefeller of the Rockefeller family, Costafield Baring of the Baring family, and so on…”
Just then, signs that the auction was about to begin started to appear…
And Bong-gu couldn’t help but be engulfed in a great sense of anxiety.
‘No matter how enormous the boss’s wealth is, I don’t think it will be easy to go head-to-head with the wealthiest people in the entire world…’
In contrast, Kang-jun still looked as relaxed as ever.
“Cute.”
And so, the ‘pre-auction’ began…
- The first item is an artifact that the Alteon Guild is said to have coincidentally acquired during the suppression of the New Delhi Gate…
Just as Kagon had said, the items presented were of a slightly lower grade than those that would be in the official auction.
Of course, even so, they were items that would clearly fetch at least several hundred million won.
- The ‘Spirit’s Canteen’!
The first item was an artifact that had the effect of turning clear, clean water into a ‘potion’ with a minor effect.
- We will now begin the auction for the A-rank artifact, the ‘Spirit’s Canteen.’ The starting bid is one hundred thousand dollars.
The starting bid for the item was set at about one hundred million won in Korean currency.
But as soon as the bidding officially began, the price started to skyrocket.
- We have five hundred thousand dollars.
- Double, one million.
- We have one million five hundred thousand dollars.
- Double, three million.
- Wow, four million dollars!
The auctioneer then looked around the audience and continued.
- If no other bidder appears by the time I count to three, this item will be sold to ‘Mr. Meyer Rothschild,’ who has offered the highest price!
Just then, Kang-jun looked at Kagon and casually said.
“Bid double.”
At those words, Bong-gu was startled and asked back.
“Double? That’s eight million dollars!”
Eight million dollars was an amount that converted to a staggering ‘nine billion won.’
“Boss, if it’s not an item you absolutely need, wouldn’t it be better to refrain from bidding?”
Kang-jun replied as if it were nothing.
“I think it’s good to intimidate them a bit beforehand.”
Then he added.
“And I need it.”
“What are you going to use it for?”
To that, Kang-jun answered.
“Seol-i is about to start ‘kindergarten,’ right?”
“And?”
“Don’t you think it would be suitable as her water bottle for school?”
Just then, Kagon wrote down double as per Kang-jun’s instruction…
- Mr. ‘Kagon,’ the auction agent for the client participating under the alias ‘Immortal,’ has bid eight million dollars!
- A fierce battle is unfolding right from the first item!
- If no other bidder appears by the time I count to three again, this item will be sold for eight million dollars!
At the appearance of an unexpectedly wealthy newcomer, murmurs of varying pitches arose from all corners of the auction house.
