Leveling Up Alone

Chapter 182: Best Auction of All Time (3)

The Americans were probably hoping to negotiate a reduction in the price of three trillion won that Han-Yeol asked for. They were aware that he had sold the monster pets to Tayarana, Mariam, and Mujahid for one trillion won each.

It wasn't that they didn't recognize the value of the monster pets as 'weapons,' but rather they needed them for research purposes, not for combat.

That was why the American Hunters who wanted to use the monster pets in combat were staying at the L Hotel right next door to the S Hotel.

"The United States government seems to want me to reduce the price to one trillion won per monster pet, but should you be saying something like that when you're an American?" Han-Yeol tilted his head in confusion.

Scarlett suddenly took his side when she should have been supporting her government.

"It's alright. The United States is my motherland, but I have to be realistic, you know? Does it make sense to ask someone to hand over something worth three trillion won for just one trillion won? That's not even half the price," Scarlett replied.

She was quite objective and realistic, knowing that the one trillion won price tag her country was offering was quite shameless to begin with.

“Keke! You’ve just become more attractive, Scarlett.”

“Thank you~”

They walked toward the main hall when Han-Yeol suddenly stopped in his tracks.

“What’s wrong, Han-Yeol?”

“No… It’s just that the mana in the air is quite dense… Maybe it’s because a bunch of Master Rank Hunters are gathered in one place…” Han-Yeol said.

He was now highly attuned to the mana in the air, unlike before. He could feel the weight of the mana emanating from the hall where numerous Master Rank Hunters had gathered.

In fact, the entire S Hotel resembled a simmering reactor due to the multitude of Master Rank Hunters congregating in the main hall and occupying the hotel rooms.

A Master Rank Hunter possessed the ability to influence the density of mana in the air just by breathing, and Han-Yeol, though not officially a Master Rank Hunter, possessed a similar sensitivity to mana, allowing him to perceive even the slightest fluctuations in his surroundings.

“Haa…”?Han-Yeol let out a sigh.

“What’s wrong all of a sudden?”

“I’m just getting excited.”

“Omo~ You’re such a pervert~” Scarlett blushed and covered her face.

“Not about that!” Han-Yeol immediately retorted after getting hit by her unexpected comeback.

Scarlett found Han-Yeol to be quite cute, but she stopped teasing him and got serious. “Hehe~ I’m sure that wasn’t what you were talking about. You’re probably excited to see all of the other ‘powerful’ Hunters, right?”

“Tsk…?You have a knack for surprising people…”

"Oh my~ That's only natural, don't you think? I can't just change myself either, you know? I've heard there's a saying in Korea that you could die if you change too drastically and too quickly~"

“Why is an American talking about a Korean saying…?”

“Hoho! I’m a special agent, so it’s my duty to adapt to the country I’m in!”

Scarlett, technically a Hunter, had initially undergone grueling and rigorous training as a special agent. This training prepared her to survive in harsh climates like rainforests, deserts, deserted islands, freezing tundra, the north pole, the south pole, and more. Her training enabled her to adapt to different places around the world.

Such training was standard for all special agents, but Scarlett had to undergo additional specialized training due to her linguistic talents. She was compelled to live with a remote African tribe, where she had to fluently speak their language within a mere three months, without any assistance from literature or translators.

Though it may seem absurd to expect such a feat in only three months, she astonishingly completed her special training in a record-breaking two months and fifteen days. Her extraordinary achievement left even the executives of her organization astounded and incredulous.

.

This remarkable talent of Scarlett's, both as a Hunter and a special agent, was evident.

"Where do you plan to go first?" she inquired.

"The main hall. I've heard that most of the guests there are VVIPs, and if they catch wind of my presence, I'm certain the other VVIPs will come looking for me."

They were all esteemed guests who had gathered to purchase the exceptionally rare and valuable monster pets that Han-Yeol was selling. It was likely that at least one person would remain in the main hall to promptly inform them whether he had appeared there or not.

Han-Yeol was confident that once word reached them about his presence in the main hall, most of them would swiftly flock to his location.

“Oh~ You’re quite smart~”

“I know how to use my brains for something this simple, you know?”

Han-Yeol got into the elevator while bantering back and forth with Scarlett as they headed toward the main hall.

Ding!

The elevator doors opened and a hotel staff quickly greeted him, “Hello, Han-Yeol Hunter-nim.”

“I heard a few of the VVIPs are already at the main hall. Is that true?”

“Yes, around twelve of them are already in the main hall waiting for the auction to start. We have tasked the band to start playing music. We also served them wine so they would not get bored while waiting.”

“Excellent,” Han-Yeol replied with a smile.

He was delighted by the fact that the hotel had taken matters into their own hands without him having to ask them.

“Let’s go, Han-Yeol.”

“Sure.”

Scarlett urged him, and they entered the main hall together.

The hotel staff couldn't help but be captivated by her beauty and the alluring scent of her perfume. While she might not be as stunning as Tayarana, even with her full make-up, Tayarana's absence allowed Scarlett's beauty to shine without any overshadowing comparison.

She resembled a magnificent white rose, proudly standing out in the garden.

Han-Yeol and Scarlett entered the main hall.

Thud…!

As soon as Han-Yeol stepped foot into the main hall, the doors swung open, and a powerful surge of dense mana enveloped him.

“Hmm… The air is heavier here compared to other places.”

“You think so?”

“Yeah.”

Even Scarlett could feel the density in the air of the main hall.

All eyes in the main hall darted toward Han-Yeol after he made his entrance.

[Wow~ Isn’t that the main star of this event, Mr. Lee?!]

Han-Yeol could hear someone speaking in English, and the person approached him. Unfortunately, Han-Yeol was not familiar with foreign Hunters, as he had devoted most of his time to studying monsters, gates, mana stones, and Korean Hunters. Consequently, he had no idea who the person was.

Fortunately, he was currently accompanied by an exceptional special agent.

"He is Master Gordon," Scarlett explained. "He is a British Hunter, the top Hunter in their country. He is also renowned as the world's best chef, and he is a master of dual-blades as well."

She discreetly whispered to Han-Yeol, "This is a secret, but according to the information our organization received, Master Gordon is not only a master of dual-blades. They say he has the ability to use sound not only for attacks and defense but also to confuse his opponents. By the way, this is not a secret, but I'm sharing it with you since you're not familiar with foreign Hunters... It is said that anyone who eats his food receives a temporary boost to their stats."

"Really? That's incredible," Han-Yeol responded, surprised by the revelation.

Although taken aback, he refrained from making any impulsive outbursts. Despite the other Hunter being British, Han-Yeol decided to be cautious with his words, considering the possibility that they might have their own translators present.

“Yeah, he is a Master Rank Hunter, but he is recognized as a Special Master Rank Hunter.”

"Wow... the ability to cook food that can temporarily boost your stats sounds incredible, and considering he's the best chef in the world, it must be delicious too. But on top of that, he can control sound? That's just mind-blowing," Han-Yeol exclaimed.

"Yeah, I have no idea how he acquired those skills, but based on our intelligence, the extent of the stat increase depends on the quality of the food he cooks," Scarlett revealed.

The information Scarlett was sharing with Han-Yeol at that moment was classified information from her organization, pertaining to the strongest Hunters in various countries. Han-Yeol himself was considered a special Hunter by the Korean Hunters' Association, so they were taking great care to keep his information contained. However, the level of secrecy surrounding the most powerful Hunter of a country would be even greater.

Scarlett's organization, backed by the United States government, was able to obtain such classified information. Her manager would likely have a fit if they found out she casually divulged this information to a foreigner. Nevertheless, she was remarkably open with Han-Yeol, ensuring that he was aware of even the smallest details.

“Wow… He’s got a cheat skill…” Han-Yeol muttered.

“Yeah, it’s something like yours, I guess,” Scarlett replied.

“Haha…”

Master Gordon possessed the remarkable ability to increase the stats of anyone who consumed the dishes he cooked. The magnitude of the stat increase depended on the quality of the dish. However, this was not a concern, considering he was the world's top chef, ensuring that his dishes were of the highest quality available.

It was widely known that the bonus stats provided by his food could last for up to ten days in some cases, and not to mention, his dishes were exceptionally delicious.

However, there was a drawback: the effects of the food would not stack, regardless of the number of dishes consumed. The effect of the first dish would always prevail until its duration expired.

Nevertheless, despite this drawback, the benefits of his skill were simply too remarkable to overlook.

It was no surprise that his guild ranked as the top guild in England, and his restaurants were renowned worldwide. Master Gordon truly embodied excellence as a Hunter, chef, and businessman.

Approaching Han-Yeol, he extended his calloused hands and said, [It’s nice to meet you. My name is Gordon Foster.]

‘Hmm? He sounds gentler than I thought,’?Han-Yeol thought.

He initially expected him to be very aggressive and expressive, but he gave off the feel of a British gentleman from the way he greeted him.

[It is nice to meet you too.] Han-Yeol shook Master Gordon’s hand with a smile.

Though Han-Yeol may have struggled with English, he had learned the language during his elementary and middle school years, enabling him to hold his own when exchanging greetings with someone.

However, that was the limit of his English proficiency, and beyond that, he relied on a translator for communication.

[It is an honor to meet you, Mr. Lee, and I am extremely delighted to finally get the chance to meet you in person. I was looking for something that will ignite the flames of passion in my heart once again aside from cooking, and you came at the perfect time with your auction. It is truly a shame that you will only be auctioning ten monster pets, but that is not a problem at all. After all, I will be taking them with me back to England.]

Master Gordon exuded confidence. His vast guild and multitude of restaurants ensured a constant flow of cash from around the world, and there wasn't a single high-ranking Hunter in England who hadn't experienced the pleasure of his culinary creations.

Even his stat-enhancing dishes were available for take-out, albeit with a slight decrease in effectiveness. Most Hunters in England indulged in his food, resulting in a steady stream of income on a daily basis. If only exporting his food overseas were possible, his earnings would have been even more substantial.

Master Gordon's fame extended beyond England, attracting European Hunters who traveled great distances solely to savor his cuisine. This influx of visitors significantly bolstered the country's foreign currency reserves.

In essence, Master Gordon was an incredibly wealthy Hunter with bank accounts on the verge of overflowing, thanks to his diverse sources of income. He had attained a status akin to a national hero in England.

Such were the miracles brought about by dimensional gates and mana stones, giving rise to new tycoons and oligarchs in numerous countries.

After hearing Scarlett's translation, Han-Yeol smiled sincerely. He couldn't help but feel a genuine sense of joy. There was no reason for him to harbor ill-will toward someone willing to pay an exorbitant amount for the product he was selling. This was the first time they were officially showcasing the monster pets in public, and he shared in the excitement of the moment.

[I hope this auction is going to help me establish a good relationship with you, Mr. Lee. I have seen some of your combat videos, and I must say that it is quite interesting how you are growing stronger every day. The fact that you possess numerous skills is quite fascinating too.]

While there were many Hunters who had their own streaming channels, it was quite rare to come across videos featuring a Master Rank Hunter.

"This may be our first meeting, Mr. Gordon, but I do hope to have the opportunity to taste your renowned cooking, which has garnered praise from so many," Han-Yeol replied.

Han-Yeol, like any other food enthusiast, had a love for delicious cuisine. In the past, he often relied on inexpensive meals to get by, but the occasions when his friends treated him to a delectable feast were some of his fondest memories.

That's why he held a strong interest in Master Gordon and his culinary skills.

[Haha! It is delightful to hear that Mr. Lee is interested in my cooking! I would love to invite you to England one day, and hopefully, I will be able to serve you with one of my masterpieces that time.]

“Thank you.”

The two shook hands once more before parting ways, as Master Gordon was not the sole VVIP guest eager to engage with Han-Yeol. There were other distinguished guests in the main hall awaiting their turn to converse with him.

Han-Yeol had the responsibility of personally greeting each and every one of these VVIPs, which necessitated his departure from Master Gordon's presence.