Chapter 123: Get Rich Quick (4)

In the dark auction hall, knights with drawn swords glared at the girl in front of them.

She held a large book in one hand and looked around the hall with a calm expression.

The knights standing in the hall were all from noble families who came to hire guards.

Despite having such knights in front of her, the girl still showed a relaxed attitude.

One of the nobles protested loudly at the girl’s attitude, which seemed to look down on them.

“Who are you? How dare you act so crazy when you don’t know who we are!”

“My identity, you ask?”

The girl stepped forward with a smile, her feet immersed in deep shadows.

A large wave spread from the black sea where the girl stood.

She looked down at the noble who spoke to her from the swaying shadows.

The difference in height created by their gazes felt like a difference in respect to everyone in the hall.

The girl looked down at everyone in the hall and revealed her identity in a clear voice.

“The first servant of the great one.”

“What…?”

“The first apostle, Eutenia Hyrost. And today, I will be your auctioneer.”

As soon as Eutenia’s voice ended, a huge figure rose from the darkness, making a loud noise throughout the hall.

Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud.

Black giants emerged from the rippling shadows and blocked the door of the hall.

The sight of the giants standing at the door made them guess that they had to break through them to get out of here.

The nobles who saw the giants blocking their escape glared at Eutenia on the stage.

“The apostle of Evil God…”

“Evil God? That’s rude to the great one. Those who speak rudely will lose their right to participate in the auction.”

As soon as Eutenia’s slender finger pointed at the noble, a thorn of shadow sprang from under his feet.

Puff.

The shadow thorn pierced through the noble’s abdomen in an instant.

His eyes turned red as he convulsed with the thorn in him.

He looked at his knight and screamed in a trembling voice.

“Sa… Save me…!”

“My lord! Are you alright!”

“Protect me, ugh… Everyone, protect me…!”

“You insolent bastard! How dare you do this to him!”

The knight who saw his master being attacked quickly cut off the thorn with his sword.

Clang!

The thorn that touched the knight’s sword with aura turned into smoke and scattered.

But the wound made by Eutenia’s shadow did not disappear and remained there.

Another knight quickly pressed on the bleeding noble’s wound to stop it.

The knight who cut off the thorn pointed his sword with aura at Eutenia.

The blue aura wrapped around his sword shone brightly.

He had to avenge his master who was attacked by an Evil God apostle.

“You wicked apostle of Evil God! I won’t let you do as you please here!”

Aura.

The symbol of a warrior who stands on the edge of life and death.

The aura that emanates from a warrior who has reached enlightenment vibrates endlessly and cuts through everything that collides with it.

The existence of a knight with aura was nothing but fear for magicians.

The knight seemed to trust his aura as he ran towards Eutenia with his sword wrapped in it.

The distance between him and Eutenia, who was standing on the ground, shortened in an instant.

Just before his sword reached Eutenia, a sound came out of her mouth.

“——Alpha.”

A golden eye glowed in the sea of shadows.

It broke through the deep darkness and opened its mouth at the knight who rushed at Eutenia.

Squeak.

A huge wall of shadow surrounded the knight with a sword.

The dark beast swallowed him whole and closed its mouth, making a sinister sound.

Crunch. Crunch.

As the beast sank into the shadows with the knight in its mouth, the auction hall where the nobles gathered was engulfed in a huge commotion.

Eutenia watched as most of the nobles who had been watching over their count panicked at the sight before them.

“Ah, Sir Altus…! No!”

“My lord! Don’t move!”

The count who lost his knight also vomited blood and glared at the beast.

It was a situation where an elite knight who could handle aura was easily devoured by a beast.

It was natural for him and his knights to be flustered.

Eutenia, who quickly dealt with one knight with her beast, looked at other knights.

“The others are quiet.”

“…”

Was it because they were aware of the situation unfolding in front of them?

None of the knights surrounding the count tried to jump forward.

There was no reason for them to risk their lives and defy Eutenia, when even a knight who could handle aura was easily defeated.

Eutenia was satisfied with the silence of the knights.

She looked around at the knights who were holding their weapons and protecting their masters.

“I hope there is no one else who will make a mistake here.”

No one provoked Eutenia even after she finished her words.

They realized that she was deliberately stalling for time, even though she could start a fight right now.

Seeing the other knights back down, Eutenia sat down leisurely.

Numerous shadows appeared from the darkness and made a seat for her.

Eutenia sat on the throne of shadows and tapped her finger on the armrest as she watched the guests in the hall.

“Then let’s have a chat slowly. We have plenty of time left.”

The auction hall of the Duke of Obotos, covered with black darkness.

There, the knights stayed close to their masters with their mouths shut.

They knew who was ruling this place filled with darkness.

***

Behind the auction hall where the auction was in full swing.

In the corridor of the building where the items needed for the auction were moved, Pluto stared ahead with Deathside in his hand.

In front of him were soldiers carrying large boxes and knights who were directing them.

They looked like forces protecting the items to be auctioned.

Pluto blocked their way in the middle of the corridor and looked at the boxes they were guarding.

“Is that what I think it is? The magic stone that’s supposed to be auctioned off?”

Pluto said, holding Deathside.

One of the knights in front of him stepped forward to block Pluto on behalf of the others.

Clank.

The knight drew his sword and pointed it at Pluto with both hands.

His eyes, full of caution, scanned Pluto up and down.

“I can’t tell you any information about what we’re carrying. And no one who hasn’t reported to us can access it. If you’re from outside, get out of here right now.”

“You’re managing it more strictly than I thought.”

“I’m warning you again. Put down your weapon and get out of here. If you don’t comply, we’ll use force.”

The knight who stood his ground warned Pluto.

It was a clear threat that he would cut him down if he came closer.

But Pluto didn’t care about his threat and just brought his finger to his mouth.

He opened his mouth and showed his fangs, then brought his finger close to them.

Snap. A sharp sound came out as blood started flowing from Pluto’s finger.

He pointed his bleeding finger at the ground and said,

“I’ll make it painless for you, so don’t worry too much.”

Plop.

A drop of blood fell from Pluto’s finger to the ground.

The soldiers who watched him kept dropping red drops on the ground with puzzled expressions.

But Pluto just kept dropping blood from his finger in front of them.

Plop. Plop.

Pluto’s action made the knight frown and approach him with his sword.

The sharp sword in his hand was still aimed at Pluto.

“What are you doing? Stop it right now or I’ll take it as an insult to the Duke of Obotos…”

“Boom.”

“Boom? What are you saying…”

Boom——!

A heavy explosion engulfed the knight’s body in flames.

It was blood magic, a vampire’s unique magic that controlled blood from his body, that attacked him.

As soon as the flames that wrapped around him disappeared, he collapsed on the spot, unconscious.

Thick smoke came out and enveloped the soldiers who coughed.

The other knights who saw their colleague fall victim to a surprise attack quickly formed a line.

“Enemy attack! Be careful!”

“How dare you do this in the Duke of Obotos’ territory, you must be out of your mind!”

“The enemy is a magician who uses blood magic! Watch out for his long-range attacks!”

The ones in charge of transporting the items were also classified as elites in the Duke of Obotos’ house.

They didn’t lose their composure and fail to respond just because one knight was ambushed.

They quickly formed a line and the soldiers also maintained their formation by raising their spears.

The knights left behind the soldiers who were protecting the items and stepped forward to eliminate Pluto, who was a threat.

Of course, blood kept dripping from Pluto’s finger even then.

“Hmm…”

“The enemy uses blood to cast magic! Don’t let it touch you! Be careful!”

The knights who raised their swords slowly approached Pluto to surround him.

He then stretched out his finger that he was holding.

The blood on his finger splashed onto the knight in front of him.

Did they not expect Pluto to splash blood like this?

The knight who got blood on his face widened his eyes and lifted his sword.

“Boom.”

“Aaargh…!”

Boom!

Another explosion engulfed the knight with Pluto’s blood magic.

The knight who suffered a fatal wound fell to the ground, spewing smoke.

Pluto, who had taken care of two knights with his blood magic in a row, took a step forward.

Thump. Thump.

His heavy boots made footsteps on the corridor of the auction hall.

The knights who had a hole in their line narrowed their gap and tried to deter Pluto who was approaching.

“Don’t come any closer! That’s not something you can touch!”

“Me? I don’t think I’m in a position to hear that kind of talk.”

“Shut up! Everyone! Prepare the scrolls!”

The knights who took out scrolls from their pockets tore them at once.

Pluto’s eyes scanned their scrolls.

The sentences printed on the top of the scrolls were from the central magic tower of the empire.

It was also a familiar item for Pluto, who had been dealing with the alchemist Elbon for a while.

Pluto lifted Deathside with both hands as he saw the knights using scrolls.

A vampire’s body was stronger than other races.

Especially for Pluto, who was the ancestor of vampires, it was not easy to inflict meaningful damage with any means.

“What a waste of effort.”

Pluto swung Deathside at the knights who rushed at him with scrolls torn.

Various lights burst out from their bodies.

From acceleration to all kinds of enhancement magic, they covered the knights who swung their swords at Pluto.

The swords of the knights with aura also emitted bright flames.

But Pluto calmly blocked their attacks with Deathside wrapped in darkness.

Even if he had forgotten most of his past memories, the martial arts he had learned were still in his fingertips.

“Die! Monster!”

Clang! Bang!

The sound of metal collision and explosion came out as many lights attacked Pluto.

One of the swords that swung at him pierced Pluto’s shoulder.

But even that wound became another means of attack for Pluto.

He allowed the knight to attack him and moved the blood from his wound to activate blood magic.

Boom!

A fierce explosion blew away the knights who had rushed at him.

They groaned in pain as they flew away from Pluto.

“Cough…!”

“Ugh…”

Pluto ignored the knights rolling on the ground and approached the soldiers guarding the box.

The soldiers were also tense because of the fallen knights in their line.

Thump. Thump.

Pluto’s footsteps echoed again in the corridor.

The wound on his shoulder had healed completely by now.

“Don’t come any closer!”

One of the soldiers who pointed his spear at Pluto warned him as he approached the box.

Pluto faced the soldiers and raised Deathside with both hands.

Unlike when he took down the heavily armored knights, he intended to finish them all at once this time.

Along with the magic that protected the magic stone he was looking for.

“——Deathside.”

Darkness moved and created a black scythe in the air.

The black scythe could move along Deathside’s trajectory and strike whatever Pluto aimed at.

Pluto swung Deathside hard at his enemies in front of him.

His blade made a transcendent slash that reached out.

Slash!

A black trail was drawn in the air as the soldiers guarding the box were cut down in an instant.

The magic that protected the box also broke completely by Deathside’s strike.

The layers of magic shattered and the box that the soldiers were guarding collapsed in a moment.

“…”

Beyond the scattered darkness, Pluto’s eyes saw a large purple gemstone.

A top-grade magic stone.

The purest and largest one among all existing magic stones was reflected in his eyes.