The Demon Realm Auction was the largest underground market in the Demon Realm, established under the leadership of Duke Nikunbel. It was a place primarily visited by renowned Dungeon Masters or intermediate and higher-ranking demons. Anyone whose qualifications were recognized could enter and use the facilities comfortably according to the rules. In addition to an auction house that sold captured slaves, Raiders, Guardians, and Keepers, there were also separate shops that sold equipment and items of every kind. It was strictly forbidden to leak any information about the Demon Realm Auction or what occurred inside, and if the rules were broken, one’s Dungeon Master qualification would be automatically revoked by the contract.

Under these strict rules, the Demon Realm Auction operated 24 hours a day, and on that day too, numerous customers were visiting.

“Hmm.”

Among the bustling Dungeon Masters was Seokwoo, the first B-rank to be granted qualification. He was looking at the displayed equipment, so lost in thought that he had been standing in the same spot for a long time. Just then, a Dungeon Master walking from the opposite side caught his eye. He seemed to be visiting for the first time, as he was being guided by the intermediate demon, Kesha.

‘Was his name Taehyun Yoo, the Dungeon Master of the A-rank Balak?’

The dungeon Balak held sway over the West. A monster among monsters who had climbed from D-rank to A-rank in just a year and a half. Before the Holy Kingdom Invasion, he was a Dungeon Master who had been called a rookie player even before him. He had shown great promise since the first Faction War and was being watched by every faction, so Seokwoo was also quite interested.

‘Looks like it’s his first time here. Should I go mess with him a bit?’

Now that he was aiming for A-rank, Taehyun naturally ignited his competitive spirit. Seokwoo curled his lips into a smile and approached him.

—

[You have entered the Demon Realm Auction.]

[You are automatically bound by the contract as per the rules.]

[Use of force is prohibited.]

[Skills and special abilities are sealed.]

Just as Kesha had explained, he was bound by the contract. He could see some of the faces from the meeting inside the auction, so it was a relief that fighting was forbidden. This meant that any grudges from the outside could not be settled here. Taehyun leisurely followed Kesha’s guidance and arrived at the first street.

[Street of Armor]

“This is the shopping street that specializes in selling armor,” Kesha explained. “Here, various demons make and display the equipment themselves, and they can also adjust the size according to a commission.”

“Demons make and sell the equipment themselves?”

“Yes, that’s right. There are many skilled blacksmith demons in the Demon Realm. If you’re looking for equipment by a specific rank, please check the signs in front of the shops.”

“So that’s how it works.”

The signs in front of each shop had ranks written on them, sorting the equipment in advance for the customers. Taehyun continued to follow Kesha and looked at a few pieces of equipment displayed outside.

[Plate Armor Imbued with Dark Magic]

[Rank: B]

[Restriction: Level 50 or higher, Shield Bearer or Warrior type classes]

[Description: Plate armor imbued with the dark magic of the Dark Elves. It boasts sturdy Endurance and magical defense. As a prank by the demon who crafted the armor, their initials are engraved on the shoulder.]

‘The stats look pretty good… but what’s with those tacky initials?’ The initials on the shoulder caught his eye. The red letters made him scowl.

“Master, I have found a place that sells equipment for mages,” Rabiz said.

“Where is it?”

“Directly ahead.”

Rabiz pointed to a shop straight ahead. Sure enough, robes typically worn by mages were on display.

‘Looks like she wants equipment too. Might as well take a look.’

Taehyun had Kesha wait and examined the equipment. Fortunately, there were A-rank robes on display that were a perfect fit for Rabiz.

[Robe of Mana Silk]

[Rank: A]

[Restriction: Level 45 or higher, Mage or Priest type classes]

[Description: A robe made from magical materials imbued with elven mana. The pure white silk aids in mana circulation and emphasizes the user’s beauty. When equipped, increases Mana stat by 3.]

‘It increases the Mana stat by 3?’

He had rarely seen equipment that increased stats before. It was an option known to be extremely rare, and the robe on display was one such case. However, as his desire to buy it surged, Taehyun found himself glancing at Rabiz. She was blushing and fidgeting with her hands.

‘The stats are amazing, but since it’s made of silk, it’s pretty revealing.’

The robe’s appearance was reminiscent of modern see-through clothing. It was safe to say that aside from the essential parts, all of her skin would be exposed.

“…I am fine, Master.”

“Let’s think about it for a bit.”

Taehyun hesitated for a moment in front of the Robe of Mana Silk. Just then, someone suddenly squeezed in between him and Rabiz.

“Surely the Dungeon Master of Balak isn’t hesitating because of the exposure, right?”

It was Seokwoo Yoo, the one who had been ranked #1 B-rank at the meeting. He had also been widely designated as a rookie player during the Faction War after defeating Hyunjun, and now he had run into him inside the Demon Realm Auction of all places.

‘The contract is in effect, but it’s a bit troublesome to let him know what kind of equipment I’m buying.’

Although he was visiting with his identity fully revealed, he preferred not to encounter other Dungeon Masters.

“This might be unsolicited advice,” Seokwoo continued, a smug look on his face, “but it’s usually best to buy equipment that increases stats.”

Taehyun fell silent.

“Ah, I haven’t introduced myself. I am the B-rank Dungeon Master Seokwoo Yoo. You might have heard of… H-Hey. Excuse me?”

Just as he was about to introduce himself, Taehyun suddenly took Rabiz and began to walk away from the shopping street. When Kesha followed them without a backward glance, Seokwoo was left alone, his face turning red.

“D-Did I just get ignored?”

—

“Rabiz, let’s come back to the armor shop later,” Taehyun said.

“Understood, Master.”

Meanwhile, Taehyun, having left the armor street, followed Kesha into the weapon street.

[Street of Weapons]

A message appeared again, and a long, lined street came into view. Just like the armor street, each shop was displaying weapons. Taehyun followed Kesha and began to examine the equipment one by one. Just then, he noticed Seokwoo trailing behind him.

‘Why does that guy keep following me? What a pain.’ He was grinding his teeth as he followed, probably because he’d been ignored. Taehyun sighed and decided to just ignore him completely.

[Drobin’s Vampiric Sword]

[Rank: B]

[Requirements: Level 40 or higher, Swordsman and Paladin-type classes]

[Description: A vampiric sword crafted by Drobin. When equipped, it increases Life Steal and periodically generates Divinity.]

It increased Life Steal but also generated Divinity. The zealots from the Holy Kingdom would probably call it blasphemous and refuse to use it, but Angelina would be different. Drobin’s Vampiric Sword particularly caught his eye. It was the perfect piece of equipment for her.

“Kesha, can you get rid of that guy for me? He keeps following me around and getting in the way of my shopping.”

“Ah, I see. I will take care of it immediately!”

Soon, two succubi appeared by Kesha’s side. As soon as they received their instructions, they immediately clung to both of Seokwoo’s arms.

“Oh my, sir. You shouldn’t be lingering here. Why don’t we go look around the other streets?” one cooed.

“You’re just my type,” the other purred. “Let’s go on a date somewhere else.”

“Wh-what? I, I—!”

And just like that, Seokwoo was dragged away somewhere by the succubi.

“Is this to your satisfaction, Master Taehyun?” Kesha asked with a professional smile.

“Perfect.”

“Heh heh. Thank you. Since violence is forbidden, we do our best to assist our customers in other ways. When you leave, please give me a perfect score on the satisfaction survey. It’s registered under my name.”

It seemed the demons in charge of the Demon Realm Auction received incentives based on their satisfaction ratings. Taehyun nodded and swapped Rabiz for Angelina.

“Haaah, I was dying of boredom, Dungeon Master. So, you must have called me for a reason. What kind of fun do you have for me? Hehehe.”

“Violence is strictly forbidden here. Cut the chatter and try this on.”

“Hah. How boring. Fine, I get it.”

Looking disappointed, she took Drobin’s Vampiric Sword. Pleased, Taehyun observed the change in her Divinity.

“Your Divinity has increased quite a bit. How does it feel?”

“Mmm. Not bad. In fact, it’s perfect. But if I kill enemies with this, won’t that rob me of my fun?”

“That’s not my concern. Good. We’ll take it.”

Taehyun entered the shop with Angelina. The owner, sweating profusely, was in the middle of crafting a piece of equipment.

“Who are you?”

“I’ve taken a liking to this sword.”

“Hoh. That’s the vampiric sword I made. Its enchantments are a bit niche, so it hasn’t been selling. Good for you.”

“How much?”

Drobin’s Vampiric Sword increased not only Divinity but also lifesteal. Since paladins typically had little interest in lifesteal, its combination of stats was certainly unusual.

“Hmm. It’s a weapon that doesn’t sell well, and you’re my first customer today. I’ll give it to you for a special price of 500,000 Zen.”

“400,000 Zen.”

“Ugh. How about 450,000 Zen?”

“350,000 Zen.”

“Alright, alright! I’ll give it to you for 400,000 Zen!”

And so, Drobin’s Vampiric Sword was sold for 400,000 Zen.

—

‘The creator’s first mistake was telling a customer his own weapon didn’t sell well.’

In any case, he had secured a weapon for Angelina. With the nuisance gone, he could finally browse the armor shops in peace.

“I don’t really care much for weapons, but thanks for the gift. I’ll pay you back with my body later. Hehehe.”

“When you say that, all I hear is you asking me to trample you. Get back inside.”

“Ehh? You’re sending me back to that stuffy—”

After confirming the increase in her favorability, Taehyun immediately sealed her back into her card. Considering his other Guardians and Keepers, there was still a lot of equipment to acquire. He summoned Rabiz again and began his search in earnest.

“Master, I see a staff for mages over there.”

“Taehyun, don’t you think that bow looks better than the one I’m using?”

“Lord, I see a suit of plate armor that would be a perfect fit for me.”

He focused on the weapon and armor shops, continuously swapping out his main forces to purchase equipment for them.

“…This is exhausting.”

“You can’t get tired already, sir. There are still so many places to see! Come on, up you get.”

“Hmph. I’ll never understand women.”

They had been wandering the Demon Realm Auction for a good while, but only the men were flagging. Rabiz, Mederia, and Angelina were thoroughly enjoying themselves. Taehyun sighed and got to his feet. All that remained were the accessory district, the item district, and the auction house.

“Lord, my stats show no problems, yet my legs are trembling.”

“Same here. We’re almost done, so hang in there.”

“Kuh! To be in this state when I should be escorting my lord… I am pathetic.”

Grai, too, was slowly awakening to the horrors of shopping. Once again led by Kesha, Taehyun entered the accessory district.

[Accessory District]

He soon came upon a street crowded with Dungeon Masters. Taehyun was looking around, examining the accessories one by one, when he spotted members of the Resistance in the crowd.

“Doesn’t that look perfect on me?”

“You’ve got to be kidding. That pig headband over there would suit you better.”

“That’s harsh. And I was always so confident when it to came accessories.”

From Seonghwi to Narae, Hyunjun, Lee Hyuk, and Seunghoon—all the key figures of the Resistance were gathered there. Taehyun quickly ducked out of sight, watching them cautiously.

“W-What’s wrong, Lord?”

“Shh. Be quiet. It’ll be a pain if they spot me. I’ll draw a ton of attention. We need to pass through here carefully.”

“Hmm. I don’t know the details, but if it’s for your convenience, I’ll help!”

“…Alright. For now.”

He needed something to cover his face. Taehyun’s eyes lit up as he saw a hooded robe displayed to his left.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep