Failed Possession Chapter-16

## Chapter 16.

—

Orca Dercia was a VIP of Le-Seun. Because of that, Elena’s group—who had borrowed admission tickets from her—were also treated as VIPs. The three of them pinned golden badges symbolizing VIP status to their chests and entered inside accompanied even by a senior manager.

*‘Ugh… this is burdensome.’*

That was how Yuri felt, but Elena looked completely calm.

“Have you been here before?”
“Yeah.”

Elena nodded while flipping through the catalog she’d received from the manager.

“I wanted to refer to Otian’s grimoire, but I couldn’t get my hands on even a copy, let alone the original.”

She slightly raised her head to look at Yuri, then swept her perfectly fine blonde hair to the side.

“So I asked the Tower Master, and they said you could get it here, so I came.”

Just who the hell is Otian?

The words circled in Yuri’s mouth, but he didn’t ask. Instead, he pointed at the catalog Elena was studying so intently.

“What are you looking at so hard?”
“This is the magic-book catalog. Well, nothing that really interests me. The things listed here don’t even make it to the auction floor.”

Saying that, Elena snapped the catalog shut. Then, as if completely accustomed to the place, she looked at the manager and asked,

“Are there any decent magic books among the items going up this time?”
“Not a grimoire, but there is the spell formula for Harabel Usia’s magic, *Scorching Inferno.*”

The manager replied with a smile.

“H-Harabel Usia? The Flame Vermilion Bird?”
“Yes. Ah, and since the seller of *Scorching Inferno* is Harabel Usia herself, you don’t need to worry.”

Yuri had never even seen the name Harabel Usia in the game. She was probably a mage who had appeared sometime in the last thirty years.

“Among the magic listed for this ‘public auction,’ I believe *Scorching Inferno* will likely fetch the highest price.”

Even though they wore VIP badges, they had only borrowed them. If you weren’t the actual owner, you couldn’t attend the secret auction.

Besides, they didn’t even have the money. The items at the secret auction—held once every half year—hovered right on the edge of legality, and even the lowest winning bid easily exceeded one billion cel.

“Other than that, a spell Miss Elena might be interested in… there is Master Jang Un’s *Seven Forms of Flashing Thunder.*”
“F-Flash Thunder Seven Forms?”
“Yes. The lightning-attribute fifth-tier mage Jang Un, who passed away three years ago. It can’t compare to Lady Orca’s magic, but *Seven Forms of Flashing Thunder* should be something you’d enjoy studying.”
“H-How much is the expected winning bid…?”
“I imagine at least 600 million cel.”

At that answer, Elena’s eyes wavered. The composure she had earlier vanished completely.

“J-just asking out of curiosity… how much was Otian’s grimoire?”
“…Three million cel.”

She had strutted around like it was a big deal, so Yuri had expected three hundred million. He stopped asking and turned his gaze to Haryeong instead. Right beside them, she was scanning the catalog without paying any attention to Elena’s bluster.

“Anything worth buying?”
“There are more decent martial arts than I expected.”
“Can’t we just buy them at the auction?”

Elena, who had momentarily lost herself over her desire for *Seven Forms of Flashing Thunder* and the massive price of 600 million, turned her head.

“There could be some great martial art secretly hidden in the catalog.”
“There’s no way.”

Elena shook her head as if it were absurd, but for some reason Yuri found the idea plausible.

“Let me see for a second.”
“What would you even understand by looking?”
“They’re martial arts I’d be learning. Even if I don’t know much, I should at least take a look.”
“I’m telling you in advance—martial arts rarely live up to their flashy names.”

Clicking her tongue, Haryeong handed over the catalog.

“Right here—look at *Asura Radiant Killing Sword Art.* The name sounds like the demonic cult’s supreme blade technique, but the price is only one million cel.”
“If you train a cheap sword art hard enough, couldn’t you really end up slaughtering like an Asura someday?”
“Listening to your brilliant nonsense makes me want to Asura-slaughter you instead, Yuri.”

Saying that with a completely expressionless face made it feel like he really might get slaughtered. Clearing his throat, Yuri calmly scanned the catalog.

*‘No way.’*

He’d half-expected that some of the skills from the game categorized as martial arts might appear here, but of course they weren’t.

The martial arts listed were mostly second-rate or barely first-rate techniques, with prices ranging from one to ten million cel.

*‘I want Blood Wheel Soul-Shattering Palm and Seven Flowing Cloud Steps…’*

Those two had been staples in his build whenever he raised a new character. But there was no way late-game techniques would show up in this catalog.

*‘Do I really have to create them myself?’*

Most possessors apparently did that, so once he reached a certain level, he’d probably be able to create martial arts or magic himself.

“So, did you find anything?”
“There are more decent techniques than I expected.”
“That sounds like something I just heard. How fascinating.”

They passed through the VIP-only corridor and entered the auction hall. As expected of something called a “public auction,” it felt wide and open like an exhibition hall. Even though it hadn’t started yet, quite a number of people were already inside—close to fifty at a glance.

“Are all these people VIPs?”
“Probably.”
“Why are there so many VIPs?”
“How big do you think Lutran’s population is? What kind of dumb question is that? And this monthly Le-Seun auction is famous even in other cities.”

Elena clicked her tongue knowingly.

“And this public auction also acts like a social gathering. Wealthy VIPs come to mingle and exchange information about the items.”
“You sure know a lot.”
“I told you—I’ve been here before.”
“Didn’t you say it cost three million cel?”
“I could still come just to look.”

She jabbed Yuri’s side with her elbow.

“So don’t act like a country bumpkin. Just be natural. Got it?”
“From the way you talk, you sound used to it. Who was it that almost foamed at the mouth when they heard six hundred million?”
“When did I foam at the mouth?”

Why is she glaring so scary? If he teased her more, she looked like she might start crackling lightning like Pikachu again, so Yuri obediently nodded.

“You didn’t foam.”

At his cheeky expression, Elena shot him an annoyed glare.

While they sat in their assigned seats waiting for the auction to begin, a new catalog circulated among the VIPs—listing the items up for this round.

“Gasp…!”

Haryeong, who had been scanning it intently, sucked in a sharp breath.

“*Rantian Flowing Cloud Fist!* This—this is it. We absolutely have to buy this.”

“Rantian Flowing Cloud Fist!”

Yuri flinched too.

“What do you even know to be surprised?”
“The name just sounds impressive.”

A lie. Yuri knew exactly what it was.

Not just the name—he’d used it for quite a long time in the game. He’d eventually changed builds, but he knew how good that fist technique was.

*God.*

Heart racing, Yuri clenched his fist. There were many grand-sounding techniques, but once he saw *Rantian Flowing Cloud Fist*, nothing else entered his head.

“Is it that good?”
“More than good. Among the martial arts up today, nothing surpasses it.”

Haryeong declared without hesitation.

“Even if we spend all one billion cel, we must buy it.”
“If we spend all that money, how do we buy anything else?”
“We already have the Azure Heaven Pill, so for inner cultivation we can just use some decent second-rate method from outside and replace it later.”

It was rare for Haryeong to speak with such conviction. Even Yuri, glancing at her, could tell she had already set her heart on it.

“…How much will it be?”
“Probably about the same as *Seven Forms of Flashing Thunder*.”

Elena quietly closed her eyes.

This wasn’t even her money—it was compensation Yuri had forced out of someone.

So she didn’t feel it was wasteful. The only thing lingering strangely in her mind was the name *Seven Forms of Flashing Thunder.*

*‘Still, if the expected bid is around 600 million, we’d have about 400 million left. And maybe—just maybe—it’ll be cheaper than that. Then if…’*

“Alright.”

Elena steadied herself and nodded.

“*Rantian Flowing Cloud Fist has been sold for 990 million cel.*”

If… if…

The amount she had planned in her heart was roughly 600 million.

So why? Why was there only ten million left from a billion?

Elena lowered her trembling hands.

“Th-that…”

She bit her lower lip.

The middle-aged man sitting across from her—his face and build openly proclaiming *I’m a martial artist.*

If not for him, she could have gotten it for around 500 million. If he hadn’t kept raising the bid bit by bit just above hers!

“Sorry.”

Yuri, who had quietly watched once the bidding passed 700 million, spoke softly.

Elena, whose shoulders had been trembling, startled and straightened up.

“Yuri, what are you sorry for?”
“Feels like I should be…”
“Not at all! You don’t have to! Do I look like I’m regretting the money?”
“No… it looks more like you’re upset you couldn’t buy Flashing Thunder Seven Forms.”

At his honest remark, Elena’s eyebrow twitched.

“You’re misunderstanding something. First, it’s not Flashing Thunder Seven—it’s Seven Forms of Flashing Thunder.”
“I see.”
“And I’m not regretting it. What am I lacking? Seven Forms of Flashing Thunder? Sure, it’s good magic. But I’m a mage of the Dercia Magic Tower. I’m even a prospective disciple who might inherit the Tower Master’s magic someday.”

Her voice sped up. She wasn’t just talking to Yuri—she was convincing herself.

“My thought was just, maybe I’ll buy it and use it as reference. Just reference. That’s all. And to reference it, you have to learn it.”
“The more you explain, the worse I feel…”
“Don’t misunderstand, Yuri! You have nothing to be sorry for! Why would you? Did you beg me to buy this? I’m the one who said we should come here in the first place!”
“E-Elena… the auction’s not even over yet. If you keep raising your voice, won’t everyone think you’re unsophisticated?”

Her face flushed red. She glanced around—and indeed, nearby VIPs were staring.

“Let’s go.”

Yuri grabbed her wrist.

“We’re out of money anyway. We bought what we needed. No reason to stay.”
“That’s true, but…”
“You’re not thinking you’ll get Flashing Thunder Seven Forms for ten million, right?”
“It’s Seven Forms of Flashing Thunder…”

About to snap back, she finally noticed her wrist was being held. Her wide eyes moved between her wrist and Yuri’s face.

“R-right…”

Muttering, she stood up.

Yuri gave a small nod of greeting to the VIPs still looking their way and left the auction hall. Haryeong followed quietly behind. As usual her face was expressionless, but the corners of her cheeks twitched ever so slightly.

“By the way, Haryeong.”
“Yes? Yes.”

As if she had eyes on the back of her head. Haryeong quickly composed her expression and answered.

“Who was that middle-aged guy?”
“Do you think of me as some kind of encyclopedia or something, Miss Elena?”
“Most of the time you know when I ask. You knew about Rantian Flowing Cloud Fist too.”
“Gathering information is the basics for an assassin.”
“So you don’t know who he is?”
“I do.”

She really does. Yuri looked at Haryeong with faint amazement.

“Fist Wolf Bakered.”

But the one who answered wasn’t Haryeong.

In the middle of the corridor leading outside stood the large man from earlier. He had looked huge even from afar, but up close he seemed even bigger. His shoulders were so broad they practically blocked half the entrance, and the arm folded across his chest was as thick as Yuri’s thigh.

“My name.”

His lips twitched beneath the bushy beard. Fist Wolf Bakered… Yuri had never heard that nickname before, but the name itself somehow sounded familiar.

*‘Bakered, Bakered…’*

Digging through not his own memories but Lee Su-hyeok’s memories, Yuri finally recalled it.

Bakered. An NPC belonging to the guard unit of Sairan, a city near Lutran. He had a proper name, making him a named NPC, but his level wasn’t particularly high.

There was another reason he was named. He was the illegitimate child of the Laspion family, one of Sairan’s prestigious houses. If you killed Bakered, there was a random chance he would drop a key to the Laspion family, and using that key allowed entry into the hidden field, the Laspion estate.

Yuri himself had never tried that route, but he had heard about it from “FUCKINGSEXY,” with whom he actively exchanged game information. The Laspion family was an old, distinguished sword clan. You could only infiltrate with the key. If you killed the family head there, you were guaranteed to obtain the Laspion Secret Sword Art.

Some of the skills from that sword art were valuable enough to make it into FUCKINGSEXY’s final build.

[Shit! That bastard Bakered didn’t drop the key again!]
[Guess you have to reroll? All that work for nothing?]
[Shut up, you pervert! Bakered, why didn’t you drop it?!]
[Then why are you murdering an innocent illegitimate kid?]
[Shit! Shit! I am extremely angry. Why does he make this so hard for me?]

Bakered, who hadn’t even been allowed to hold a sword simply because he was an illegitimate child of a prestigious sword family, who had only run errands in the guard unit—

—was now standing before them bearing the nickname “Fist Wolf.”

“Sir Bakered, for what reason are you standing there? It almost looks like you’re blocking us from leaving.”

Haryeong spoke in Elena’s stead. It was unlikely, but she still stepped slightly in front of Elena just in case.

“An assassin of the Salho Gate.”

Bakered stared at Haryeong with narrowed eyes.

“The Golden Marigold of the Dercia Magic Tower…”

His sliding gaze passed Elena and landed on Yuri.

“…and her servant.”
“Servant?”

Elena bristled. From the start she couldn’t have a good impression of Bakered. If she hadn’t been locked in that bidding race with him over Rantian Flowing Cloud Fist, she could have aimed for Seven Forms of Flashing Thunder…! And now he called Yuri a *servant*, and sparks of electricity crackled faintly around her.

“If not a servant, then what?”
“How does he look like a servant to you?!”
“He’s neither a mage nor a martial artist, yet you bring him around. What else would that be but a servant?”
“He’s not a servant. He’s just a friend.”

Though what he did was pretty similar to a servant. Yuri thought that to himself as he spoke. At that answer, Bakered’s eyebrow twitched.

“Hmm, is that so. Then I was rude just now.”
“As long as you know. So could you step aside?”
“No, I cannot.”

Bakered shook his head firmly.

“From what I see, none of you seem to be someone who will learn Rantian Flowing Cloud Fist.”
“And why is that?”
“Did you bid on it just to check me?”

Even to Yuri, it sounded absurd.

“I heard your name for the first time today.”

Elena, equally dumbfounded, said the same.

“Hmm.”

Bakered openly looked offended at the answer, but he didn’t press the issue.

“If it isn’t something you absolutely need, how about transferring it to me? I’ll add more on top of the winning bid.”
“…Pardon?”
“1.5 billion cel.”

The price came immediately.

“I cannot prepare it right now, but give me one week and I can gather 1.5 billion cel. That should be more than enough, shouldn’t it?”

The price of 1.5 billion was so destructive that both Elena and Haryeong’s mouths fell open.

“1… 1.5 billion…?”

Even so, Elena couldn’t accept it right away. It was true that 1.5 billion cel was an enormous sum. If this Rantian Flowing Cloud Fist had been something she personally bought, she would have handed it over for 1.5 billion without a second thought.

But this had been bought for Yuri to use.

So Elena could only glance at Yuri.

“With 1.5 billion cel… you could purchase a martial art of higher grade than Rantian Flowing Cloud Fist.”

Haryeong answered cautiously while looking at Yuri. Suddenly, Yuri had become the one with decision-making authority in this situation. He couldn’t help but feel strange about that.

*‘If they say they’ll sell it for 1.5 billion, I wouldn’t be able to say anything…’*

With things set up like this, he had no choice but to think. He knew 1.5 billion was a huge sum, but he didn’t want to give up Rantian Flowing Cloud Fist.

“Sir Yuri, this is your chance to be promoted to a man worth 3.5 billion.”
“Please shut up.”

He shot Haryeong a glare for whispering beside him, then looked straight at Bakered. Bakered wore a puzzled expression, as if wondering why Yuri held the decision.

“Ehem.”

He started with a dry cough.

Orca Dercia—who had squeezed enormous gains out of people just by talking a bit more—flickered through his mind.

—