Academy’S Gumiho Is A Magical Genius [EN]: Chapter 67

Academy Gumiho is a Magical Genius – Episode 67

Auction House (2)

The Sword of Kusanagi.

Also known as Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi or Ama-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi, it is one of the Three Sacred Treasures of the Japanese Imperial Family.

The Three Sacred Treasures are the three national treasures that form the cornerstone of Japan’s founding mythology. It has a great history, and legend says that those who are unworthy will have their energy drained and die simply by holding it, as it chooses its own master.

In any case, it is undoubtedly the most prized national treasure in Japan, steeped in various legends and folklore.

To be sure, its value is on a completely different level than the Sessho-seki [Killing Stone] from the start.

“What the hell are these crazy bastards doing? Where did they dredge this up from overseas?”

“Assistant Instructor, what is that?”

“It doesn’t look good. It’s colder and more chilling than my ice.”

“…Don’t you guys know about the Sword of Kusanagi?”

I asked in response to the students’ questions.

Even if you’re not interested in foreign national treasures, how can you not know about this?

You should at least be interested in treasures that symbolize a country.

Look at Sung Yeon-hwa and Isabel next to me right now.

“Wow… a divine sword, or rather, a demonic sword. It’s so pretty…”

“What kind of auction house is this that treats a national treasure of a country, even a treasure of another country, as an auction item?”

Sung Yeon-hwa, being a swordswoman, recognized the true value of the Sword of Kusanagi and was constantly admiring it.

Unlike her, who was purely lost in appreciation, Isabel’s expression was serious.

The Sword of Kusanagi is a Japanese national treasure. The fact that it was being auctioned as a product in another country was a serious matter.

Judging from the unique magical power that made the air in the auction house sharp and chilly the moment it appeared, it didn’t seem like a fake.

The real Sword of Kusanagi, without a doubt.

Then, we were not only witnessing a national crime scene, but also stepping right into it.

“Hey, did you know about this?! The fact that the Sword of Kusanagi would be put up for auction!”

“There’s no way I would know. Judging from the fact that it’s not in the catalog, it seems like the organizers have thoroughly kept it hidden.”

“…I guess so. If the rumor spreads that the Sword of Kusanagi is being handled in Jongno [district in Seoul], it will become a national issue.”

Isabel was greatly embarrassed, but nodded at my calm appearance and grabbed her throbbing head. In fact, I was also very embarrassed.

I just didn’t show it on my face.

‘What the hell is going on…’

In fact, I had a vague idea that the treasures of the Japanese government or imperial family might surface.

But I never imagined they would put a national treasure up for sale.

I thought that in the process of taking a piece of the Sessho-seki, which is such a large stone, they might have stolen one of the miscellaneous treasures with poor security.

I didn’t expect them to have kept such a big shot hidden until now.

The customers at the auction house cheered greatly at the sudden surprise event.

The manager, who was the center of attention, said.

─The Sword of Kusanagi, the starting price starts at 10 billion won [approximately $7.5 million USD]. But before we begin, there is something we must say in advance.

Before starting the auction, the manager added a cautionary note.

At this, the customers booed.

In particular, the reactions of VVIPs and active players were intense.

Unlike the Sessho-seki, which has no readily apparent use, the Sword of Kusanagi is a famous sword designated as a national treasure of Japan. It even had the symbolism of appearing in the founding myth of a country.

For them, the value of the Sword of Kusanagi is greater than the Sessho-seki.

Adding unnecessary remarks like this and pouring cold water on their excitement was a risky move, but as a manager, there was something he had to say.

─As everyone knows, the Sword of Kusanagi is not an ordinary sword. It is a divine sword that appears in mythology, but its true nature is a demonic sword made from the corpse of a monster.

A sword made by cutting off the tail of the monster, Yamata no Orochi [eight-headed serpent from Japanese mythology].

The stronger the monster or specter, the stronger its self-awareness, and this sometimes appears even in the dead body. Although it is a creature in mythology, if the myth is true, historians have assumed that its rank may be 2nd or 1st rank [highest threat level for monsters].

1st and 2nd rank monsters have only appeared a few times, and they are monsters among monsters that threaten the survival of a country or humanity just by their existence.

If it is a weapon made from such a creature’s body, it is natural that it is ominous.

…But all those things are just nonsense, aren’t they?

Everyone in this place thought so.

Because mythology is just mythology after all.

─There have been many people who have gone crazy and died because of demonic swords or magic swords, but if you prepare well, there is no problem. Everyone here will think so. Until a few days ago, we thought so too.

The manager’s unnecessary remarks of ‘We thought so too’.

Does that mean they don’t think so now?

Everyone tilted their heads at that moment.

Behind the manager, carts covered with black cloth appeared one after another.

As a cart with a musty smell arrived, the customers close to him covered their noses and the manager opened his mouth.

─It seems more effective to show you once than to say a hundred words. We have prepared this demonstration. Those who are weak in mind should close their eyes for a moment.

After finishing speaking, the manager removed the black cloth on the cart.

The contents inside were directly exposed to the customers’ eyes.

That was─

“…Isn’t that a person?”

“Let me see. Oh, it’s really a person. But why is the body pale and haggard.”

“That’s right, like a dead person… Ah, ahhhhh! That’s real!”

It was a corpse.

Corpses that were withered as if their blood and energy had been sucked out, and whose bodies were necrotic as if they had been poisoned were exposed as they were.

The auction house fell silent the moment they witnessed it.

The manager snapped his fingers at the sight.

Behind him, the attendants took the bodies out of the cart and placed them on the floor.

Corpses were piled up behind him in a row.

Until one or two bodies were piled up, it was quiet, but when it exceeded ten and began to pile up like a mountain, the murmuring did not stop.

“W, what is this? Ah, I get it. H, Halloween special? Is it a Halloween event?!”

“Hey, it’s only April. And in the first place, there’s no way there would be an event that brings real corpses for Halloween.”

“T, then are those all… corpses?”

The corpses were piled up like a mountain.

This was by no means a metaphor.

The corpses of nearly a hundred men were really forming a mountain of corpses.

The word ‘corpse mountain blood sea’ came to mind.

However, there was no blood sea here.

The corpses had no blood and were withered like mummies.

─All the fearless attendants who grabbed this sword with their bare hands had their energy sucked out and died. As a result of autopsying the bodies, all the victims had traces of snake fangs digging into them. After that, we handled the sword with great care, but even without touching the sword, the attendants who worked around it died one by one. So, let me say one thing in advance. If there is anyone who wants to purchase this sword, please note that we are not responsible for anything after the auction.

……

……

……
A sight and eloquence that would make even the most fearless rich people hesitate to buy.

While everyone was silent.

There was a man who was moving his hands without hesitation.

Click!

The sound of the keypad echoed in the quiet auction house.

─Ah, there is a customer who bid despite this curse. Number 18, …uh, uh? 40 billion won! Indeed, does that mean that a national treasure is worth this much regardless of the curse!

40 billion won.

The most expensive item that has appeared so far.

And it was none other than who invested a large sum of money in such an ominous thing.

“S, Teacher, are you crazy?!”

“Assistant Instructor, what are you doing?!”

“Hmm, you have a strong heart.”

It was me.

* * *

Crazy.

I’m seriously crazy.

To try to buy that terrible sword even after seeing so many corpses in front of me.

Isabel frowned at her completely insane ex-fiancé.

There have been many times when she thought she wanted him to die, but not like this. He can’t die like that.

Absolutely not.

“…Stop it.”

“What?”

“Don’t bid. If you bid, you will definitely die. Can’t you see the curse on the sword?”

“I can see it well.”

Baek Seung-woo replied nonchalantly to her words.

The two’s eyes were on the Sword of Kusanagi.

More precisely, they were looking at the small snake that was wrapped around the sword and coiling around it.

There was no way a snake could have entered the auction house, but the snake was proudly wrapped around the Sword of Kusanagi as if it were its own.

And the others are not saying anything about this sight.

As if they can’t see it.

The snake was only visible to the two who were born with the qualities of a wizard.

“A curse, a very terrible and twisted curse. I think I know why people had their energy sucked out and died.”

“…But you’re still going to buy it?”

“It’s okay, that level of curse. And I have no intention of using it right now. I’m going to seal it.”

“Then why are you spending a huge sum of money in the billions of won to buy that sword?”

What else could it be?

If I want to be able to use it later, I’m going to use it, so I’m taking it in advance.

I can tell because I’ve touched and seen many swords while living so far.

That’s a pretty good sword.

Although it seems to have a self-consciousness that is very picky about its owner, so I can’t handle it right now. If I recover my body…!

‘No. That’s going to be difficult.’

I shook my head.

I know my body condition best.

As long as the Solar Meridian is in my body, life extension is possible, but there is no cure.

In this world where the mystery of magic is rampant, the title of an incurable disease that cannot be cured by medicine or medical technology is very significant.

However, even if I don’t have to handle the Sword of Kusanagi.

‘I can entrust it to someone else or give it to them.’

Even Sung Yeon-hwa next to me is a genius swordsman with no rivals in her age group. In the future, she will become a swordsman recognized in her hometown, [martial arts world], and will be revered as Sword Saint.

That child will be able to handle it well.

That’s only in the future.

─Number 3, 61.5 billion won! Indeed, even if it is a cursed item. National treasure is a national treasure! Now, even after three calls…

While I was lost in thought, the auction was progressing quite a bit.

There are still corpses piled up in the center, but everyone seems to have a strong heart.

Baek Seung-woo, who had no intention of letting anyone else take the Sword of Kusanagi.

─Number 18, 67.9 billion won. The highest price in the auction so far! The cursed Japanese national treasure, the Sword of Kusanagi. If there are no more bids, we will end with three calls.

After the name and amount were called several times.

─Congratulations. The Japanese Three Sacred Treasures, the Sword of Kusanagi, belongs to customer number 18 for 67.9 billion won!

The Sword of Kusanagi became Baek Seung-woo’s property.

I’m happy to have won the bid.

It would be a big problem if the Japanese government or Japanese people found out about this.

I have to hide it tightly for the time being.

While I was determined to do so, the main event of this auction arrived. A huge cart covered with cloth came in from the back of the auction house.

But the volume is bigger than I thought.

Are they keeping it in a special case?

Even considering that, it seems too big.

─Now, finally the last item of today. It is the best item in history among the items handled by our auction house, and it is also a treasure of the Japanese government. Please welcome it with applause. The corpse of the White-Faced Golden-Haired Nine-Tailed Fox, also known as Tamamo-no-Mae [a legendary fox spirit in Japanese folklore]. It’s the Sessho-seki!

With the thunderous applause of the customers, the cloth was removed.

At that very moment.

Everyone stopped applauding at the magnificence of the contents in the cloth and just stared blankly.

“……”

Baek Seung-woo also closed his mouth as he looked at the size of the stone.

No, is this real?

No matter how you look at it, it’s not just a piece that was taken.

“…The original itself.”

No, really.

This is not good.

The size of the Sessho-seki in front of me was more gigantic than the fossil of an ordinary dinosaur. A cursed stone statue that looked like a giant fox, even a fox with nine tails, was carved in the form of a stone.

It was a solid Sessho-seki without even a hint of doubt.

Ha ha, I can only laugh in vain.

The Sword of Kusanagi is a national treasure, but it’s small, so that’s okay, but is it possible to steal this?

Baek Seung-woo thought about it carefully, and soon came to a conclusion.

“These crazy bastards.”

I get it now.

The auction house bastards stole all the treasure houses of the Japanese government and imperial family.

Well done.