Ark Vol 2 Chapter 9

Kekeke,

I'm sure you're all wondering why Japtem didn't pull any prank this April Fool's day, and I must admit, I stopped them from destroying the hopes and dreams of all leechers. They wanted to redirect the website to a hacker's website to make everyone believe they had been hacked and will be dropping all projects! How dare they?! When I got a hold of the information, thanks to my secret source, I managed to prevent it from happening.

There will be no bad pranks on my watch! Only favorable and satisfying news. For example, another early release of Ark! All leechers must hail me! Long live the Random Leecher! Random Leecher for president! For Overlord! World domination!

— A random leecher.

PS: If I disappear from the face of the earth after this release, my murder should fall on Cat, the previous Overlord. She has informed my secret source that my head is getting too big. I'm stealing all her dazzle. Pssh. But who can blame her for being jealous? I'm much more liked by the readers.

Hero Assembly

Old Coin (Ancient Relic)

Value: 10 gold

Bonus from acquiring information about the ancient relic, Old Coin:

Knowledge of Ancient Relics +1, Intelligence +1, Fame +5.

"Of course not. Not knowing is a sin, that's the world of auction."

"Is that so?"

You have learned a new skill.

* You are now able to clear Low-level Protect of unidentified items.

* You can now immediately determine the value of items whose market prices have been checked before.

"Then you're Danil?"

The Merchant nodded and said, "I don't know why you're trying to win this item, but I absolutely need this item. Won't you please yield?"

'This guy must be a beginner.'

Ark's eyes flashed for an instant. The auction is a battlefield. A battlefield where victory is won with wits and timing rather than swords and shields!

For Danil to show his feelings like this, in such a place...

After Ark saw Danil's response, he perceived that the sum Danil had bid wasn't just fishing. With his fidgety appearance, it was clear there was some reason he had to win this auction no matter what. In other words, this was an item that was guaranteed to have a profit worth the amount he had bid!

'I'd be an idiot to lose such an item in the auction.'

Without saying a word, Ark raised the bid to 110 Gold.

Danil flew into a rage and bid 120 Gold. However, without even batting an eye, Ark raised the price several times. Danil's face soon paled. When the price finally exceeded 200 Gold, Danil complained with an exasperated expression.

"You're too much."

"It wasn't too much. The auction house has always been such a place. If there's something you want, you don't ask your enemy to yield-- you do whatever it takes to crush your opponent. Don't you know asking him to yield was your mistake from the start? If you don't have enough money to bid, get out of the way."

At that moment, another person approached and said what Ark had wanted to say. The person was none other than Vidus, who had been in the auction house for the longest time.

Vidus glared at Danil with disparaging eyes. Danil made an enraged expression, but he walked away as if he had nothing to say.

Then, Vidus' gaze settled on Ark.

"Are you also set on this?"

"That's right."

Vidus laughed as if amused by the bellicose Ark. "However, since that fellow has dropped out thanks to you, there's no need to raise the price too much, right? It's ridiculous for professionals like you and I to senselessly raise the price like crazy. It's not good to shed each other's blood. Therefore, I'll make a proposal."

"Please continue."

"There isn't much time left before the auction closes, so there is no need to drag this on. We'll write down the max we are willing to go. And the one who writes the higher amount gets the item. How's that?"

"Sounds good." Ark answered without hesitation.

After all, if they had a price war there was no way Ark would win. Vidus, who had been earning money at the auction for a long time, would have many times more capital than Ark.

In fact, Ark was certain Vidus was the player who had bought the Epic item, wandering around the auction house. There was no way he could win with money against such a well-endowed player. Even if he did win, he couldn't hope to recover his losses after raising the price even more in a battle of pride.

'Alright, how much should I write down? How much will Vidus call?'

Now that the match had started, he found it quite difficult. Ark agonized for a moment, thought of something, and quickly wrote down a price.

"Now, at the count of three, we'll both reveal them."

At the same time, they both showed their prices.

Vidus had written 220 Gold. After checking the price, a triumphant smile spread on Ark's face.

"It's my victory."

"Then I will take this item."

Ark wrote 220 Gold and 1 Copper on the item's memo. As soon as Ark wrote it down, the sound ending the auction rang and the NPC managing the auction came to collect the item. Once he went to the management office and paid the price, it'd be his farewell with the blind auction.

"I'm leaving this place today. So don't worry and keep making lots of money."

"Look who's talking-- you cleaned out all the profitable ones in just half a month, you scary bastard." Watching Ark run off with his backpack jingling, Vidus stuck his tongue out.

Raising the price by 10% at a time was a habit he'd picked up while managing auctions in real life. But who would have thought a rookie would pick up on the habit he himself had forgotten all about.

"With an eye of that level, it'd be fine to leave him the entire auction house. Should I have asked where he lived? Seeing how fast he picked it up, he's probably working in the field already. Shame."

Just as Vidus was turning while smacking his lips, someone ran in helter-skelter and rejoiced when they saw the item had disappeared.

"The auction finally ended!"

Vidus stopped walking and turned around. It was a young player wearing a set of black leather armor. Next to the player was Danil, sporting a helpless expression-- he looked around and tearfully made an excuse with an apologetic face.

"I'm sorry, Shambala-nim. Because another user bid more than 200 gold, I wasn't able to win the item. Since it went past the agreed upon amount the contract was invalidated... I will return the money entrusted to me."

"Wh-what did you say? What are you talking about? 200 gold should have been enough..."

As Danil returned the money pouch, the user named Shambala's face twisted.

The player who had actually wanted the item was not Danil but Shambala. Because of an urgent quest, he had promised payment and had entrusted the auction to a Merchant instead.

Vidus grasped the gist of the situation and tutted, "Tsk, tsk, you had a proxy contract with that fellow?"

"Ye-yes, so what?"

"Wh-who was it? Just who was it?"

"His name is Ark, and he took it for 220 Gold and 1 Copper. That guy is very tenacious, so if you want to buy it, you'll probably have to add at least 100 Gold on top of that price. If you still want to buy it, you should hurry and follow him. He's probably going to the appraisal shop right now."

Before Vidus even finished talking, Shambala ran out of the auction house.

"That rascal Ark, he surely took his share to the very end."

Black Frost Blade (Ancient Relic)

Value: —

Bonus for learning about the Ancient Relic - Black Frost Blade:

- With the Knowledge of Ancient Relics, you have confirmed the Stone Fragment Infused with Ancient Power.

Stone Fragment Infused with Ancient Power (Star Fragment)

* The penalty imposed upon the owner has disappeared.

*The owner of the Star Fragment can utilize Hero Maban's techniques.

Experience +30,000. Knowledge of Ancient Relics +15, Intelligence +10, Fame +20.

You have learned a new profession exclusive skill.

"An event where one can get awarded by the Magic Institute!"

Wide-eyed users flocked to the Magic Institute Tower. Of course, Ark was also mixed in with the others and ran towards the tower.

But because the airship had a fixed capacity, not all players could be used. Magic Institute Magicians checked the players' info one by one and only granted the quest to the qualified.

"Next person, please."

When Ark approached, a Magician pushed a crystal ball toward him. Then, Ark's character information window popped up before his eyes.

Character Name

Ark

Race

Human

Alignment

Good +100

Fame

700

Level

Profession

Dark Walker

Title

Cat Knight, Soul Caretaker

Health

1,415

Mana

975 (+100)

Spiritual Power

100

Strength

178

Agility

218 (+17)

Stamina

268

Wisdom

Intelligence

186

Luck

Flexibility

Art of Communication

Affection

Special Stat: Knowledge of Ancient Relics

Equipment Effects

Cat Paws: Attack Speed +10%, Agility +15, Critical Hit Rate +10%

* All abilities will increase by 30% in the dark.

* You have the ability to hide in the darkness (15 minute duration. Cancelled when you get into combat).

* Resistance to Fear, Darkness, Blind, and Seduction spells is increased by 50%.

* You can bring out the true abilities from all types of tools.

Magic Institute Badge

Hero Assembly (Event Quest)

Quest Restrictions: Level 60 (A player under the minimum level cannot be recognized for their contribution even if they participate in the battle)

"No."

"But..."

"Even if you have to look up hundreds of players one at a time, find them before the event ends! If we find them, it'll be possible to predict when the next event will begin."

"Understood." Kim Gwon-tae's fingers danced across the keyboard.

An event no one predicted was happening. A new history was about to begin in New World.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Chapter end

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