Chapter 97

The Flowering Burial Ground

A villain's life can be incredibly busy.

Especially for someone like me, who has the grand dream of forming a villain alliance.

First, planning a single act of terrorism takes a lot of time. Then, convincing other villains? Oh, even if I had ten bodies, it wouldn't be enough.

Terrorism isn't easy either. Since the hero Shadow Walker, who has the insane ability to appear as soon as the sun sets, can suppress a terrorist act within minutes, the time is limited to the day, which is a big problem.

Of course, that doesn't mean the night isn't the time for villains.

"Huff...."

On a dark street in Seoul.

There, where no people could be seen, I was waiting for a car.

And when the agreed time arrived, headlights appeared from the corner.

A black limousine was approaching me.

And the car stopped in front of me.

From there, a man in a suit, wearing a mask that looked like it belonged in a masquerade ball, opened the door and bowed to me.

"Hello, sir. Please confirm."

In response to his words, I took out a ticket with black and gold from my pocket.

A VVIP ticket I had obtained with great difficulty by tormenting Lee Seol-a.

After checking it for a moment, the man bowed again and said.

"Thank you, sir. It has been confirmed. Please get in."

Following the man who opened the door to the back seat of the limousine, I got in.

The inside was covered in red leather.

I sat down there. Hmm, it's soft and nice.

"Then, we will start."

As the man in front spoke, the car began to move quietly.

As the car started to pick up speed, the man in front handed me a mask.

"Sir, this is your mask. Please put it on."

So I received a mask that looked like it could have come from a drama set in the Middle Ages.

...I know that everyone here is basically using some kind of recognition inhibitor, so what's the point of this?

The limousine continued to drive on the empty road, heading somewhere outside of Seoul.

During this time, I just stared out the window, lost in thought.

The place I'm going to is an auction house.

Not just any auction house, but the first international illegal auction house to be held in Korea.

...I don't know why such a thing still exists in 21st century South Korea, but this world has its flaws, so I decided to let it go.

After a long drive, we arrived at a deserted building.

The car then went down to what looked like a parking lot under the building.

"You can get out now."

I got out of the open limousine.

And with the help of the staff, I followed them.

Before my eyes, a new landscape unfolded.

A vast, open space, with a chandelier shining brightly and walls adorned with gold.

And, various people wearing elaborate masks.

Compared to the outside, this place was brimming with life.

I, too, wearing a mask and a suit, entered confidently.

This is the Excal auction house, where people with overflowing wealth from all over the world gather.

At the same time, it is also a tragic space where a villain is born.

And I came here to stop it.

'......'

With a solemn expression, I moved towards where the auction was about to begin.

...Actually, it's mostly about money, but anyway.

*

I found my seat and sat down.

In a dark space, with a stage set up in the middle and seats arranged in a circular, tiered formation, just like a musical theater.

I sat in one of the seats and yawned.

When will it start?

"Gentlemen and ladies, welcome."

Ah, it's starting now.

The lights on the stage turned on, and the auctioneer appeared.

He was saying something, but I just let it pass. Something about the deep history and tradition of the auction, the refined taste of the customers, and how the items today are extremely valuable...

And finally, the auction began.

"The first item of the day! A candelabra from the Baroque era, which is now very rare. Starting bid is 3000 dollars!"

"3200! 3200 has been bid! Is there anyone else? 3, 2, 1. It's sold to bidder number 127. Thank you!"

"....This is a very valuable item. It's a blacklist leaked from the Egyptian government. I'll start with a reserve price."

"A rare item, one of the few in the world, featuring a picture of the S-class villain Kelus, whose records have been erased. Starting bid is 10000 dollars!"

As the stage began, items started to be auctioned.

This is the Excal auction house, where valuable items can be sold without the eyes of the government and the association.

True to its reputation of selling anything that can make money, from ancient artifacts to the latest government documents, it really sells all sorts of strange things.

And it's even more surprising that there are people who buy them. They must have more money than they know what to do with.

Anyway, these useless items are not of interest to me.

I sat and waited calmly. Until the item I wanted appeared.

And, how much time had passed?

Finally, the item I had been waiting for appeared on the stage.

"It's a ring that the B-class hero Swader of South Korea always wore. We obtained it from the moment he died. Starting bid is 6000 dollars."

Right.

That ring.

The ring that, in the original story, becomes the root of all evil leading to the birth of an S-class villain, I need to intercept it here.

While no one knows its true value yet.

"7000 dollars has been bid! 7000 dollars, is there anyone else?"

"7500! 7500 has been bid. 8000! 8000 has been bid. Is there anyone else?"

The auction was heating up.

And finally, a bulky man on the other side of the room raised his finger.

"10000 dollars has been bid! 10000 dollars! Is there anyone else? I will sell it now! 3, 2..."

Just as the auctioneer was about to sell it.

His eyes widened as he confirmed something.

"50000 dollars! 50000 dollars has been bid!"

The sudden fivefold increase in the bid made the auctioneer excited.

The other people who had been watching indifferently were also curious about who was burning money on this seemingly useless item.

Of course, the one who bid 50000 dollars was me.

A man is supposed to bid boldly.

Glancing to the side, I saw a man in a suit trembling.

He was the one who almost won the bid for 10000 dollars, and in the original story, he actually succeeded.

Ryu Jin-taek, the CEO of VK Corporation, and one of the future S-class villains.

In the original story, he realizes the power of the ring he bought on a whim at the auction and uses it to commit all sorts of evil deeds.

Through this, he becomes a significant obstacle to Lee Seol-a's merger and acquisition project.

Of course, with me having this ring, that future won't come to pass.

Even though it was a whim, he seemed a bit upset that it was taken away, and he tried to resist.

"51000 dollars has been bid! 51000 dollars!"

Go to hell.

"100000 dollars!!! 100000 dollars! Is there anyone else? I will sell it now! 3, 2, 1... 100000 dollars, sold. Thank you!!!!"

I could feel the people around me murmuring as they saw me burn 100 million won on a B-class hero's ring.

The auctioneer seemed very happy to have made a big sale.

I just smiled at the noisy atmosphere.

This is the most valuable item out of everything that came up today.

If people knew the true value of this ring, it would be worth billions or even trillions. It's not something that can be bought with money in the first place.

The people here probably all have capital of at least a few hundred million.

Anyway, having accomplished my mission, I simply got up from my seat. There's nothing else to see now.

After giving a sardonic laugh at the trembling man, I went outside and collected the item.

A very ordinary-looking ring with a purple pearl-like stone in the center.

I put the ring in a case and put it in my pocket, then went outside.

Phew. One goal achieved.

...But how do I get home?

***

Somehow making it back home, I collapsed and slept immediately after arriving, and the next day.

"Brother, what is this thing that made you go out in the middle of the night?"

In the living room, Seol-a, who was very curious, asked me while I was polishing the ring.

"The Ring of Sealing."

"Huh?"

"Our next act of terrorism will use this."

"....What, what is this thing?"

"You'll see."

The purple stone embedded in the center of the ring.

I turned it clockwise twice, then counterclockwise once.

And, at the same time.

A light flashed from the ring—.

[...Huh? Who woke me up?]

A translucent figure in a knight's armor, something you'd only see in the Middle Ages, popped out of the ring.

"....What is this?"

Seol-a, who was shocked, and the figure in black armor, who still looked confused.

In the midst of this chaos, I calmly said.

"Death Knight."

[Huh? Are you talking about me? My name is not that, it's Saint Pet...]

"No. From today, your name is Death Knight."

Death Knight sounds cooler.

From now on, your name is Dea-sik.