TL: Boko

Editor: Frost

He thought it’d be better to contact Jung Chul[1] first, rather than just going to the auction house. Therefore, after Sung Joon got into the car, he sent Jung Chul a message that he was going to the ViP auction house before starting his car. Eventually, he received a message from Jung Chul. When the traffic lights turned red and his car stopped, Sung Joon checked his messages.

[I have an office in the VIP auction house as well. I’ll be waiting for you in the parking lot.]

It was a message from Jung Chul. Ever since the incident with Do Hyuk[2], Sung Joon had made a good impression on him.

Before long, Sung Joon arrived at Seoul Station.

Above ground, Seoul Station was a giant station, but the VIP auction house lay deep underground, only accessible by a hidden door.

“I’m at Seoul Station right now.”

Sung Joon, who had finished parking his car, immediately called Jung Chul. There were a lot of parking lots at Seoul Station . Therefore, he needed to contact Jung Chul and relay his location.

“You came quickly,” Jung Chul spoke, as if he had unexpected him to arrive so quickly. Because Sung Joon had arrived at a time that overlapped when people went home for the day, it seemed like Jung Chul was a bit late.

“I’m at the place we met last time.”

“I’m nearby. I’ll go immediately.”

Fortunately, the two were close by. Sung Joon browsed Hunter.com on his phone while waiting for Jung Chul.

“Mr. Kang Sung Joon!”

Five minutes hadn’t even passed before he saw a familiar face. He turned his head towards the direction he felt a presence to see Jung Chul dashing towards him.

“I thought you’d be a little late since it’s around the time people are off from work.”

“I thought I would be as well, but the traffic wasn’t so bad,” Sung Joon smiled and replied.

“I’ll take you to my office.”

The two went through the secret passageway within the station and reached the VIP auction house.

“You know that you have to wear a mask, right?” Jung Chul said, as he picked up the masks that were provided for them in the elevator. Everyone had to wear a mask in the VIP auction house. Jung Chul was no exception to that rule.

“Of course,” Sung Joon replied, and grabbed the mask. They cordially wore the masks and walked towards the office area; Jung Chul’s personal office was located over there.

“It’s right here.”

Jung Chul stopped deep into the office area. There was a nameplate that hung on the door that said ‘Chief Park Jung Chul’. He opened the door and Sung Joon entered the office first.

“Your office is nice. Are you in charge of the VIP auction house now?” Sung Joon asked. Originally, Jung Chul was only in charge of the normal auction house. Jung Chul smiled faintly and opened his mouth.

“It’s all because you took care of Kim Do Hyuk. I scored some points too, so I was promoted.”

Sung Joon genuinely congratulated him, and Jung Chul smiled. It was always nice to be congratulated for one’s efforts. Thus, Jung Chul decided to give Sung Joon a piece of information to at least repay his debt.

“Mr. Kang Sung Joon. We registered a peculiar item just a little while ago. It’s an item in the shape of a pill, and we sensed tremendous mana from within,” Jung Chul said, and Sung Joon’s eyes widened. He was interested.

“Is it an item that can’t be appraised?”

“Yes. That’s why we cannot use it. We’re sure that it’s a consumable item, but there’s only one of them, and it could also be poisonous, so we cannot test it. However, we’re sure that it’s no ordinary item. It’ll probably be auctioned off at next Tuesday’s auction.”

“But why are you telling me this?” Sung Joon asked, and Jung Chul grinned with a meaningful expression.

“I’m telling you this because it seems like you’ve been gathering peculiar items that cannot be appraised. Therefore, I wanted to repay my debt, even just a little.”

Jung Chul was the type that took notice of things quickly. He was able to guess that Sung Joon didn’t come to the VIP auction house to simply collect items.

“I see,” Sung Joon said dryly without any change to his expression. It was best to not agree or disagree in situations like this.

“It certainly is interesting.”

“You just need to come next Tuesday. I’ll contact you again then.”

“I understand. Then, I’ll come find you again next Tuesday.”

Sung Joon left the VIP auction house and returned to his studio apartment. And when the following Tuesday arrived, he returned to the VIP auction house after receiving a message from Jung Chul.

“We’ll start the auction in thirty minutes!” the MC said. Sung Joon sat in a corner of the wide auction house and raised the tablet PC. The images of items to be auctioned off, as well as a simple explanation was recorded onto them.

[Unknown Pill]

S-rank.

Unknown.

The explanation was so brief that he couldn’t even guess its use, but the moment he saw the image, Sung Joon began to recollect a certain memory.

‘The Jet-Black Pill..’

And Rishubalt likewise remembered it.

“It seems like it’s the Jet-Black Pill, the pill that is secretly given out to the Empire’s Special Forces.”

The Jet-Black Pill was a pill that is created from materials that only exist in the other world, and if ingested while applying a special method of managing one’s mana, it would permanently increase one’s interior mana.

‘I’m probably the only one here who knows the Jet-Black Pill mana management method,’ Sung Joon thought. He had never ingested the pill in his past life, but he had heard about its effects before, so he was familiar with it.

‘I might be able to raise my synchronization rate to 50% with it.’

His synchronization rate was currently at 49%. It was certainly possible. Also, he possessed a sum of more than $1 billion right now. He was confident that he would win the bid.

“We’re starting the auction!” the MC said, relaying that they were beginning the auction. Contrary to the other unappraisable items, there were several people competing for the pill, perhaps because they thought that by ingesting it, something special would happen.

The bid continued get higher and higher, and several of his competitors dropped out. However, Sung Joon didn’t budge.

“We have $30 million!”

Sung Joon only had two competitors left when he bid $30 million. By the time it had gone up to $40 million, the competitor right next to him sighed and left the auction house.

“We have $50 million!”

When it became $50 million, the last remaining competitor gave up and Sung Joon became the owner of the Jet-Black Pill.

“Congratulations on the winning bid!” the MC congratulated. After Sung Joon received the Jet-Black Pill, he returned to his studio apartment. There wasn’t anyone stupid enough to follow him this time.

As soon as Sung Joon entered his studio apartment, he immediately changed his clothes. Then, he picked up the Jet-Black Pill and sat in the living room. After that, he raised the Jet-Black Pill towards Rishubalt.

“I’m counting on you.”

“I’ll collect the other world energy.”

Rishubalt removed the other world energy, and Sung Joon appraised the Jet-Black Pill with his measuring tool.

[Special Forces’ Vision Pill]

S-rank.

Verifying mana amplification effect.

The formal name wasn’t the Jet-Black Pill. His memories weren’t exactly clear, but he knew that there weren’t any special side effects that would occur from him managing the mana incorrectly, so he ingested the pill without any hesitation.

After he chewed the pill and swallowed it, he managed his mana with the proper method, and the dormant mana within the Jet-Black pill began to pour out into his body.

‘It worked!’

He was half done now. Now, all that was left was for him to apply the mana management method and absorb as much mana as possible.

At least, that’s what he thought.

“Ugh!”

“My lord!”

Sung Joon’s once relaxed expression distorted. The mana was flowing backwards. Even if he left it like this, he wouldn’t receive internal injuries like the ones depicted in martial arts novels, but he wouldn’t be able to digest the Jet-Black Pill’s mana. He couldn’t give up on the pill after investing $50 million into it.

“Hoo!”

He calmed his breathing and managed his mana. Sung Joon used every method to calm the wild mana. As a result, the backwards flowing mana calmed within thirty minutes.

‘Now I just need to absorb it!’

He wasn’t far off from his goal. Sung Joon smiled. There were no longer any obstacles remaining and he was able to absorb the tremendous quantity of mana that lay within the Jet-Black Pill.

“Rishubalt, what’s my synchronization rate.”

“It’s at 50%,” Rishubalt replied.

“Now I’m half-way there, huh..” Sung Joon faintly smiled. It felt like only yesterday that his synchronization rate was at 5%, but he had already gotten half of the strength from his glory days.

“My lord, you currently possess the quantity of mana and the fighting strength of an SS-rank Hunter. If you request a reexamination, you could easily become an SS-rank Hunter,” Rishubalt said. Sung Joon nodded his head and opened his mouth.

“It probably won’t matter if I take my time with that.”

Because it wasn’t urgent, Sung Joon decided to take it slow.

“What’s changed after reaching a 50% synchronization rate?”

“Aside from your body being greatly invigorated, nothing else has changed.”

The body being invigorated[3] meant that the body’s physical abilities had strengthened. Sung Joon wanted to test his abilities immediately, but that wasn’t urgent either; besides, he had something he needed to do right now.

“I didn’t think I’d see a Jet-Black Pill in this world,” Rishubalt said. Not only was it difficult to manufacture, it was incredibly effective, so it was only given to a portion of the Empire’s Special Forces. That’s why it was difficult for it be seen on Earth.

“That’s not important.” Sung Joon smiled. The result was more important than the process.

“I need to take a shower.”

* * *

All of a sudden, luxurious ornamented doors opened and an upright, white-haired man, known as the Empire’s Special Forces’ Commander, Count Ares, strode in.

“You came?”

Anfellico, who sat behind his desk and was organizing documents, glanced at Ares and said. Seeing him so relaxed caused Ares’ feelings to go beyond rage; he actually looked speechless and opened his mouth.

“Have you still not gotten the report?”

“I heard. The Tactical Magic Tower was attacked, all the documents were burned, and not one person survived.”

“But you seem extremely relaxed.”

“If I were to make a fuss, it wouldn’t bring back the annihilated Tactical Magic Tower members, would it?”

Because he wasn’t wrong, Ares couldn’t continue easily. Just in time, Anfellico had finished organizing the documents, sat on the comfortable looking sofa to the side, and opened his mouth.

“I heard that the army would move.”

“I just received the royal command. News travels fast.”

“I was somehow able to hear about it.”

Anfellico shrugged his shoulders. Ares briefly sighed and shook his head.

“The Imperial Army and the Empire’s Special Forces will move first. And Sir Valian[4] has promised the Knight Brigade’s aid.”

“So it seems like the Imperial Army will be stationed at the next place we expect him to attack.”

“That’s correct. Even if our enemy’s a Dragon, it won’t be easy for him anymore,” Ares spoke, with a voice overflowing with confidence.

“I don’t know about the Knight Brigade, but if you mobilize the Imperial Army and the Special Forces, won’t our border with the Kingdom’s Alliance weaken?” Anfellico pointed out. It was great that they were stationing troops to prepare for the mysterious individual’s attack, but they couldn’t be careless in their fight against the Kingdom’s Alliance.

“The Allied Species will send us reinforcements.”

“I don’t know who’s been attacking us, but it’s become a big deal now.”

Both Ares and Anfellico smirked. They didn’t know that even at this very moment, Sung Joon was regaining his past strength.

[1] The A-rank Hunter who’s responsible for the auction house Sung Joon used to go to before he got upgraded to VIP membership. His dad is a government official and Jung Chul has an intelligence agency.

[2] The guy who went crazy and was the Director of the Il Sung Group. He used the item of mass destruction and killed several people until Sung Joon took him down.

[4] One of the Thirteen Knights that presumably survived. He was the one Sung Joon screamed at for interrupting him when he was talking to the Emperor in his dream. This was right before the Emperor betrayed him and the Vampires attacked him.