Scrubbing Off Eighty Years of Rust
Time: April 15, 2032. 11:00 PM.
Location: Tokyo Central Military Hospital and the "Global Hunter's Network."
The room was shrouded in semi-darkness. Only the bluish glow from Laylo's phone illuminated Kenji's sweat-drenched face.
"Brother, should I really write exactly this?" Laylo asked hesitantly. "'Starting Bid: 1 Credit.' This... this is madness! What if someone buys it for 10 credits?"
Kenji, eyes closed, was preparing to enter a state of deep meditation.
"Don't be afraid," he murmured. "Human psychology works in funny ways. If you set the price high, they get suspicious. If you make it 'free,' they'll tear each other apart for it. Write the description."
Laylo typed the words Kenji dictated, letter by letter:
[Lot #8891]
Name: Blue Ice Core (S-Class Specimen from the Eternity Server).
Purity: 98.7%.
Properties: Stabilized. Zero radiation. Suitable for direct consumption or high-tech reactors.
Seller: Anonymous (ID: Ghost_Player).
Starting Bid: 1 Credit.
Duration: 12 Hours.
"Press 'Send'," Kenji commanded.
Laylo pressed the button.
The screen flashed: "Lot Activated."
"Now," Kenji said, his voice taking on a serious edge. "Put the phone on silent and do not look at the screen. Lock the door. Do not speak to me. No matter what sounds you hear, do not come near me. Understood?"
Laylo swallowed hard and nodded. She sat on a chair in the corner, clutching a kitchen knife for protection.
Kenji, meanwhile, began his Real Battle.
Kenji's Inner World
The moment he closed his eyes, the hospital ward vanished.
He was inside his own body.
But the scenery was far from magnificent.
Although his Spirit (Avatar) had evolved over eighty years, his real body resembled a rusted, abandoned factory.
The Mana Channels (Meridians)—the invisible conduits through which energy flows in the human body—were a disaster. In a normal "Awakened" person, they were wide and luminous.
In Kenji, they were withered, severed in places, and clogged with pitch-black toxins (slag).
Horrifying, Kenji thought. Running mana through this body is like trying to drill through concrete with a drinking straw.
From his "Essence Vault" (Spiritual World), he summoned a single drop—just one tiny droplet—of Pure Fire Mana.
This drop fell into the "Dantian" center beneath Kenji's navel.
Sizzle!
Kenji's physical body convulsed on the bed.
Pain... the word wasn't enough. It felt as if he were being burned alive from the inside out.
Endure! he commanded himself. If you stop now, you'll be a cripple forever.
He drove the fire droplet upward along the main meridian. The fire burned through the black blockages in its path, searing a way forward.
Every millimeter was a battle.
Kenji ground his teeth until blood seeped from his gums. His skin turned red and began to emit steam.
The bedsheets were soaked through with sweat.
Laylo sat in the corner, watching her brother writhe in agony, trying desperately not to cry. She couldn't help him. She could only wait.
Meanwhile: The Internet Realm
The "Hunter's Exchange" forum exploded.
For the first ten minutes, no one paid attention. "A 1-credit stone? Scam," they thought.
But the exchange had an "AI Appraiser" (Valuation Bot). It spectrally analyzed the uploaded image and announced the result:
[SYSTEM ALERT: ATTENTION! Extremely Rare Object Detected!]
[Energy Density: Near S-Class!]
[Authenticity: 99.9% Confirmed.]
This message was sent via "Global Notification" to all premium members.
And the storm began.
11:15 PM: Price hit 100,000 credits.
11:20 PM: 1 Million credits.
11:45 PM: 5 Million credits (The debt sum was already covered).
In a massive skyscraper in Tokyo, Sato—the leader of the "White Tiger" Guild and one of the top 5 hunters in Japan—sat in his office. His assistant rushed in.
"Mr. Sato! Did you see the Exchange?!"
"I don't have time for trifles."
"This isn't a trifle! Someone put a Pure Ice Core up for sale! It could cure our Ice Princess Yuki's illness!"
Sato shot to his feet.
"Buy it! Don't look at the price! Even if it's 50 million, get it!"
On the other side of town, in the "Red Dragon" offices.
Mr. Tanaka was tearing his hair out in front of his computer.
"It's that stone! That damned 'souvenir'!" He kicked his chair over. "He tricked me! He valued it at 20 million, but the price is already nearing 30 million!"
"Boss, what do we do? Should we join the auction?" his assistant asked.
"We don't have that kind of liquid cash!" Tanaka screamed. "Idiots! We could have taken it for free! Now the whole world is watching!"
Internet Comments:
User_DragonSlayer: "Which dungeon did this drop from? Never seen anything like it."
Mage_Girl_99: "98% Purity? Impossible. Current tech maxes out at 60% refinement."
Rich_Guy: "I bid 40 million. Back off, peasants."
3:00 AM. The Hospital.
A pitch-black, foul-smelling liquid (slag) was oozing from Kenji's pores. The stench in the room became unbearable. Laylo had to crack the window open.
Kenji guided the fire from his "Dantian" to his heart, and from there to his brain. This was the most dangerous part.
One mistake, and he would suffer a stroke or be left brain-dead.
But his Intelligence (INT) was maxed out. He controlled the mana flow with microscopic precision.
Snap!
The blockage in the brain cleared.
Kenji felt a rush of relief. His senses sharpened. He could now hear Laylo's heartbeat, the hum of tires on the street outside, and even sense the energy signature of the "White Tiger" Guild building ten kilometers away.
Phase one complete, he said internally. Meridians opened. My body can now accept Mana. I am no longer a normal human. I possess the strength of an F-Rank Hunter. (For now).
He halted the process and fell into a deep sleep. The body needed rest to recover.
9:00 AM. One hour before the auction ends.
Laylo hadn't slept. Her eyes were bloodshot, but her face was etched with awe.
She looked at the phone screen.
The numbers... they barely fit on the display.
Current Bid: 125,000,000 Credits. (One hundred twenty-five million).
With this money, one could buy a penthouse in central Tokyo, equip oneself with the finest armor, and never work another day in their life.
Laylo was terrified. This money—it was danger.
Kenji stirred.
He opened his eyes.
This time, he didn't need Laylo's help to sit up.
He pushed his hands against the mattress, lifted himself, and sat on the edge of the bed.
His skin was still pale, but the light of life shone in his eyes.
"Water," Kenji said. His voice no longer rasped; instead, it was clear and resonant.
Laylo ran to give him water.
"Brother! You... you're sitting up! And your face... the scars are gone!"
Kenji looked at his hands. The skin was smoother, and though still thin, the muscles were slightly more defined. The foul black filth had been washed away (Laylo had wiped him down with a damp towel during the night).
"Not bad," Kenji said. "15% recovery."
He gestured to the phone.
"What's the price?"
Laylo showed him the screen.
"125 million... Brother, are we rich?"
Kenji looked at the number and smirked.
"This is just the beginning. But we need something more important than money."
Kenji took the phone and entered the auction settings.
He added a new condition to the "Seller's Note":
[UPDATE]
Money is secondary. I will accept 50% of the payment in "Cash," and the remaining 50% in the form of "S-Class Elixirs" and "Guild Protection."
"What are you doing?" Laylo asked. "Can't we just take the money?"
"Money can't cure us, and it can't protect us," Kenji said. "Everyone is looking for us right now. We need a 'Big Brother.' Whichever Guild we sell the stone to will be obligated to protect us from Tanaka and the others. We are buying a sponsor."
Just then, with one minute left on the clock, a new bid came in.
It wasn't money. It was a message.
[Buyer: White Tiger]
Offer: 150 Million Credits + "Water of Life" (S-Class) + "White Tiger" Honorary Membership (Full Immunity and Protection).
Kenji smiled.
"Bingo. The fish has taken the bait. 'White Tiger'—the strongest and relatively fairest guild in Japan."
He pressed the "Accept" button.
Auction Closed.
SOLD.
Immediately, there was a knock at the door.
It wasn't Tanaka.
From behind the door came the sound of very powerful, disciplined, heavy footsteps.
"Mr. Kenji?" came a pleasant but formal female voice. "We are from the 'White Tiger' Guild. We have come for the merchandise. And... we have put Mr. Tanaka to 'sleep' in the corridor. We hope he won't be disturbing you."
Kenji looked at Laylo and winked.
"See? Problem solved. Open the door, Laylo. Let's welcome our guests."