It was as if ice water had been poured over him in an instant.
‘Golden Lion.’
A towering height over 190 centimeters, with broad shoulders.
A stout build that looked like heroes would have if they literally burst out of a book.
His face was that of a typical Caucasian who looked like a playboy but would be quite popular with the opposite sex.
But the faces of the Ssangajwa group who encountered that face froze.
Without even needing to ask, it was clear how the Sajajwa felt.
One wrong word and you die.
Even Choi Seonghyeok, who was at the level of a Constellation Leader, could not open his mouth for a moment.
Not just them. Even the staff around them stiffened.
It was that kind of spirit.
The Sages were that kind of people.
But there was exactly one person who was different.
“……?”
While everyone was frozen, I Geon was laughing as if dumbfounded.
The look in his eyes as if saying, 'Why is this bastard here?' An expression like he smelled a sewer stench.
And at that moment, the frozen Ssangajwa Constellation Leader thought, 'Oh no.'
It was because he saw the Sajajwa's expression.
“I apologize.”
A Constellation does not bow to another Sage. Yet his eyes lowered on their own, because of fear and status.
Even his single action could make enemies of the entire Sajajwa.
So the Constellation Leader smiled even while feeling shame.
“There seems to have been a mistake in the bidding process.”
For a moment, his voice trembled, but still Cheon Seongjae and the escort thought it was impressive enough.
Because they couldn't even make eye contact at all.
But whatever he thought of it, the Sajajwa tapped Choi Constellation Leader’s shoulder.
“You’ll have to pay the price for touching my belongings, right?”
It sounded like encouragement, but the tapping was a sight to behold.
“Then hand over my belongings first. How very kind of the Ssangajwa to pay the price as well.”
What does that mean?
The Constellation Leader frowned. Where did this damn wildcat come from.
But the opponent was a Sage. Touch him the wrong way and you die.
Since it was a situation where he couldn't afford to take a loss, the Constellation Leader swallowed his saliva.
“I understand...”
But that was when.
“What is this bastard saying now.”
A laugh that froze the place was heard.
“……!”
It was I Geon.
Cheon Seongjae’s group looked at him in shock, but the laughter continued.
“Hey. Are you crazy? Why is this yours? I’m the one who won the bid.”
“!”
This time even the Constellation Leader shot a look saying, 'Are you insane?' But whether they looked or not, I Geon smirked crookedly.
“The bastard’s extorting like a thug. He wants to die.”
“……!”
Is this what it feels like for your heart to stop?
No one could even think of looking at the Sajajwa’s expression.
The first to speak was the trembling escort.
“...Th-that person. Perhaps you don’t know that person’s face...”
That’s right. It must be that.
The Constellation Leader and Cheon Seongjae both agreed inwardly while frozen.
Unless you don’t know who the opponent is, you wouldn’t do such crazy things.
Eventually, the escort who couldn't bear it whispered to I Geon.
“The opponent is that Combat Sage...! If you oppose a Sage, you’ll surely die!”
But I Geon, who brushed off his hand, didn’t even pretend to hear.
“Buy it for 200 billion won with extra premium. If you don’t like that, quietly get lost.”
“……!”
No, why are you making it worse when they said stop!
And the price is being inflated several times over!
Finally, when the horrified escort was about to say something, that was when.
“Hahaha.”
“!!”
Everyone was startled by the Sajajwa’s laugh.
That was natural.
Given the way he was usually obsessed with I Geon’s holy relics, he was not the kind of person to laugh so readily.
It was then.
“Is that guy under you?”
At the Sajajwa’s question, Choi Constellation Leader flinched. He momentarily didn’t know what to answer.
But the Sajajwa laughed heartily.
“Even in a gathering of mages who only use petty tricks, there was a decent fellow.”
“!”
“It’s fine. A Constellation should have at least this much courage. These days, it's all cowards.”
When the Sajajwa laughed as if he liked it, the Constellation Leader sighed in relief. It was truly fortunate.
But.
“Goddamn. He’s the biggest coward himself.”
At I Geon’s laugh, the Ssangajwa group froze completely.
And for good reason, because the Sajajwa’s aura completely changed.
As expected.
“It seems I’ll have to properly discipline the newcomer’s manners.”
“!!”
As soon as the beast’s eyes gleamed, they screamed.
Crack!
As soon as the Sajajwa swung his hand up, the space next to I Geon was torn away.
He had cleared away the obstructing chairs.
Eventually, the auctioneer, startled by the commotion, dropped the microphone.
Screech!
People covered their ears at the terrible loud noise.
The Sajajwa approached I Geon with a smile. From his roughly extended hand, golden light radiated.
[Danger. It’s the operation of magical power powerful enough to destroy muscles]
[Warning. Penalty in effect. Immunity, resistance, and defense are at less than half. You could become crippled in your current body]
[Recommendation. Must deploy a holy domain or protect the body with divine majesty]
[Holy domain does not exist]
[Divine majesty state 60%, cannot be used.]
Along with the voice, a vicious killing intent was exuded.
Even in the midst of that, I Geon tapped the chair and observed the Sajajwa intently.
It was absurd, but he had deliberately provoked him to also check the bastard’s power.
‘He’s definitely stronger than the shit-hair and the bed-wetter.’
If he fought in a penalty state, it’s a level that would certainly be dangerous.
At the same time, the flustered Ssangajwa Constellation Leader hastily changed direction.
It was because of the skill flashing from the Sajajwa’s hand.
‘That’s the Muscle Destruction Technique!’
It was the Sajajwa’s signature move and a prank he often used on other Constellations.
The victim is incurable. They have to live as a cripple for life.
In fact, years ago, the incident where another Constellation was annihilated by that polite gesture was sheer horror.
Even my promising peers all became unable to recover because of that.
But.
‘That fool isn’t even thinking of dodging!’
Just touching it is the end. Choi Constellation Leader hurriedly drew a holy sign.
He couldn’t let a useful talent be ruined.
But that’s when.
Thud!
At last, the Sajajwa’s hand was placed on I Geon’s shoulder.
‘!!’
Cheon Seongjae and the Constellation Leader despaired first.
Even the staff who knew well about the Sajajwa’s polite gesture shut their eyes tightly.
But.
“……?”
No sound was heard. The arm didn’t fly off.
Even the skill reaction didn’t occur.
‘What’s this?’
“My Lord?”
Even the aide who came with the Sajajwa was bewildered.
Could it be that he’s throwing another tantrum.
But the Sajajwa himself was a bit flustered.
Even though he clearly used a skill, there was no reaction at all.
Just in case, he used it one more time, but well.
“……?”
Again, no reaction. I Geon was just staring straight at the Sajajwa.
‘What’s this?’
This has never happened before.
But I Geon just smiled sharply.
It was for no other reason.
‘Stupid bastard. Would a skill I made work on me?’
Since it was a familiar form, he had suspected.
[Stone Mason Rock-Shattering Technique]
It was one of the skills he used when carving stone statues.
‘It’s more of a technique than a skill, though.’
Like how he blew away enemies with a flick, it was a technique that purely manipulated magical power.
Because if you filled it with magical power and used it well, it could be used in various ways, like instant annihilation or turning a lump of meat into a cannonball.
While the Sages only used the skills given by the Holy Gods and couldn’t handle magical power well, he had no support so he had to stubbornly manipulate magical power to survive.
Thanks to that, his magical power manipulation was at a master level.
Anyway, the voice said he should defend, but there was no need against something like this.
‘It’s my technique, so there’s no way I don’t know the cancellation method.’
I don’t know why they go around imitating my technique, but.
I Geon talked back while gathering magical power in his hand.
Currently, the ultra-regeneration was still on cooldown.
If he fought properly in this state, how far would he go.
And that was when.
“Heh.”
At the Sajajwa’s hollow laugh, the Sajajwa’s aide was flustered.
“My Lord?”
But as if he understood something, the Sajajwa laughed.
“This is why Ssangajwa Constellations are annoying.”
He was briefly flustered that his skill didn’t work, but it must be the Ssangajwa’s racial trait skill.
Teleport.
That annoying trick that even blows away activated skills to another dimension.
Of course, since he wasn’t being serious, they could have blown it away, but still.
But.
“But in the end, it’s just a Mage God’s Constellation.”
The moment the Sajajwa’s voice turned vicious, Cheon Seongjae and the escort complained of vomiting.
At this, I Geon’s magical power also underwent a change.
[Warning. Magical power scatters due to the Sajajwa’s divine constellation trait]
Since the magical power wouldn’t gather, I Geon frowned.
‘That bastard’s skill is always annoying to see.’
That’s right. The Sajajwa’s basic divine constellation trait is
Just as humans feel extreme fear due to the ultra-low frequency in a beast’s roar, the Sajajwa is the same.
He has the trait of emitting a special low-frequency wave that breaks the opponent’s spirit and even halves the power of their abilities.
That was the reason why the Ssangajwa guys’ spirits were crushed.
Eventually, Cheon Seongjae and the escort’s legs gave out after being hit directly by the trait, and just as the Choi Constellation Leader was about to use his strength, unable to bear it.
Thud!
“!”
I Geon grabbed Cheon Seongjae and the escort by the shoulders and threw them back.
Boom!
They were about to ask what he was doing, but surprisingly, life returned to their faces.
‘It’s easier to breathe...!’
He had used magical power to divert the opponent’s spirit. So Choi Constellation Leader looked at I Geon in surprise.
‘This person.’
He had a somewhat confused expression.
On the other hand, the Sajajwa let out a hollow laugh.
“Look at this?”
It meant, ‘Does the vermin dare oppose my spirit?’
But there were more surprising things.
Patter.
“……!”
Something fell from I Geon’s hand. They were the holy relics that had been attached to the Sajajwa’s body.
Mainly buttons.
“If you’re going to fight, it should be on equal conditions, right?”
At the same time, I Geon secretly sent the holy relics to Pishu.
[Divine majesty state 60%]
At that voice, I Geon smiled. Indeed, this much is a bit lacking.
‘Should I take a little break?’
Pishu moved secretly.
But the Sajajwa was flustered.
When did he take those?
‘A Thief God Constellation’s skill?’
No. He didn’t feel any sign of that. But he felt an unknown foreboding.
He felt like he had definitely felt this way somewhere before.
But just then.
[Yes! Then we will move right on to the next. The very item you’ve been most waiting for today!]
“!!”
At the auctioneer’s shout, the Sajajwa urgently turned his head. For some reason, his expression also changed.
“My Lord?”
And just then, a tremendous cheer erupted in the auction house.
Everyone’s eyes were drawn to the item’s appearance, and I Geon also widened his eyes.
That was natural.
[Yes! Following the previous item, the very item everyone has been waiting for. Today’s highlight! It is I Geon’s weapon!]
* * *
Waaaaah!
At the tremendous roar, I Geon covered his ears. Perhaps most had come to see that, as the sound was deafening.
The Sajajwa immediately scattered his magical power. And he smiled at I Geon.
“You’re a damn lucky bastard.”
As the Sajajwa hastily turned, the aide shouted in surprise.
“Wait, My Lord! Then what about I Geon’s holy relic that they stole...!”
“That’s not what’s important right now!”
That must be won at all costs. The Sajajwa’s eyes gleamed.
“No matter how much it costs. Win that bid no matter what.”
“Yes...!”
At the same time, I Geon rose from his seat, partly to follow the Sajajwa.
Even killing intent lingered in his clenched hand.
He had no interest in the auction item.
His belongings, he could just retrieve them on his own after the auction ended.
But whether they knew that or not, not only the Sajajwa but also the people in the auction house all had changed their gazes at the item that came out.
Even the Ssangajwa Constellation Leader, who had said they should yield I Geon’s holy relic to the Sajajwa.
[Many of you must have been curious about what item would come out.]
[Do you remember the German Island Incident that would only appear in textbooks now? 24 years ago, the unidentified calamity zone that I Geon entered alone and survived. At that time, the country of Germany nearly disappeared!]
As soon as those words came out, the people’s roar suddenly grew even louder.
It was to the extent that just by hearing the introduction, everyone realized what item was coming out.
[The worst hell where weapons and everything melt away! At that time, the neighboring countries tried to make the border into cliffs and turn Germany into an island nation.]
“Hey, you’re talking too much! Hurry up and show the item!”
“We already know without hearing!”
“Who doesn’t know that!”
Protests continued that it was too famous so skip the explanation, but the auctioneer was resolute.
[The demonic beast of German Island that even the 12 Sages couldn’t find a strategy for! The very item that caught it! The strategy that remains unrevealed even now! The strategy that even the Sages didn’t know is hidden in this I Geon’s weapon!]
“Ooooh!”
[And many countries and Constellations wanted this weapon, but it’s I Geon’s item that vanished 10 years ago!]
“Ooh!”
[Rumors said it was stolen, destroyed, or sold secretly by a mysterious tycoon! All sorts of speculation ran rampant, but!]
“Ooooh!”
[Rejoice, the weapon of the subjugation operation named
“Waaaaah!”
It was a moment when the auction house turned into Wembley Stadium.
From the people’s perspective, one of the legends had appeared before their eyes, so it was touching.
[It’s moving! It’s legendary! To think we’d see that in person! The starting price is already anticipated!]
But.
“……??”
The expression of I Geon, who was actually looking at his own weapon, was a bit strange.
(Continues in the next chapter)