“Son of a.”

Ju-Heon started to swear as he tried to escape from the casino.

‘Why did it have to be that woman?’

Ju-Heon knew that woman very well. Forget know well, she made him want to grind his teeth.

The monopolizers in Ju-Heon's past were more famous than most presidents and had high levels of infamy, but there was no one as famous and disliked as much as Irene.

Ju-Heon didn’t like Irene either.

There was no way he could like her!

Anyone around her would become unlucky and quickly head for bankruptcy!

‘I almost went crazy when I suffered a loss because of that woman.’

He couldn't even count on his fingers the number of times he suffered a loss because of her.

The price of an artifact he worked hard to raise would become worth shit because of Irene and his stock portfolio would sink just by being in the same area as her.

That wasn’t the only thing.

There were even some nations that suffered from financial difficulties and disappeared from maps because of her.

She was someone who brought misfortune with her and made it even worse.

Her hobbies were personal bankruptcy and corporate default.

Her specialty was global economic crisis.

That was why she was the < Monarch of Destitution. >

Ju-Heon had no idea of knowing what artifact she had. He could only suspect that it was a divine artifact related to misfortune.

That was why a rare stiff expression was on Ju-Heon's face as he tried to leave the casino.

“Huh?”

Unfortunately, the Monarch of Destitution, no, Irene, happened to notice Ju-Heon at that moment.

“Excuse me!”

“!”

Ju-Heon flinched out of reflex.

‘Why is she calling out to me?!’

Ju-Heon pretended to not hear her and started to walk. This was an automatic reaction based on his body’s experiences.

However.

“Please wait!”

Something terrible started to happen as she called out to Ju-Heon. He tried to ignore this gorgeous woman no matter what she shouted, however, something odd happened to the door he was trying to exit.

[A strong evil presence can be felt coming from the door!]

[The artifacts in your possession may receive terrible injuries!]

[Warning. The remaining uses (durability) is starting to be affected!]

Ju-Heon urgently moved away from the door after seeing that message. Ju-Heon sighed in relief after confirming the artifacts in his possession.

‘That could have been dangerous.’

He then turned his head.

‘This damn Monarch of Destitution.’

His artifacts were almost destroyed because of the Monarch of Destitution’s misfortune. Artifacts could be impacted by the Monarch of Destitution’s influence as well because they were considered as part of your wealth.

Ju-Heon then quickly looked around to see if there were any other exits. He was ready to even jump out a restroom window if he had to do so. He would not even be as desperate to run away even if erectile dysfunction came knocking at his door.

However, she approached Ju-Heon at a scary speed and grabbed him as he looked for an exit.

Pat!

She had grabbed his arm.

Ju-Heon's body started to shiver in reflex after she touched him.

The terrible disaster started to increase exponentially once she grabbed him.

[You have been captured by an evil presence!]

[The artifacts have been critically injured by the evil presence and are weakening.]

[Warning. The remaining uses (durability) is starting to fall.]

[Your luck has been cast under a shadow and you will only roll losses.]

[Everything you do will start to be less effective.]

‘Damn it!’

Ju-Heon quickly slapped her arm away. Thankfully, he received a message that the artifacts’ durability and his luck had returned, probably because he moved her hand away immediately.

However…

“Are you perhaps the person who was rumored to have hit jackpots throughout Las Vegas?”

Irene’s gaze was firmly locked on Ju-Heon.

She seemed to be about Ju-Heon’s age if not a bit younger.

The way she spoke made it easy to imagine her high level of education. Even her voice was beautiful as if a goldfinch was singing.

Was she a person or a mannequin made with perfect proportions?

She was so beautiful that people would blank out at a distance but seeing her up close made her beauty seem even more out of this world.

Her expression reminded him of a cute puppy. Her white skin looked flawless and soft while the bridge of her nose and the lines on her face that were shining under the spotlight made her seem like a sculpture that had warmth.

This was clearly evident in the Oh Seung Woo group who had blanked out and lost their senses of rationality long ago.

“T, this beauty is just……!”

“S, should I try talking to her?”

However, the one Irene was interested in was not the Oh Seung Woo group around Ju-Heon but only Ju-Heon.

“I was looking for you.”

He didn't know why she was looking for him, but this was the Monarch of Destitution.

‘You might have a reason to see me, but I have no reasons to see you!’

That was why Ju-Heon turned around without any hesitation.

“You found the wrong person.”

However, there were some tactless thugs who stopped him.

“Y, y, you, I'm so envi…no, you idiot! Why are you kicking away a treasure that has rolled over to you?!”

“I, I know that woman! She's the celebrity from the Holten household! A rich noble family in the US! She's the heiress!”

“Isn't she interested in you if she is talking to you?”

“That’s right! How can you ever get a girlfriend if you reject such a gorgeous woman? This is pretty much asking you for a date!”

These immature males had their noses flaring up as they stuck to Ju-Heon.

They then looked shocked as if they realized something.

“Are you maybe embarrassed?”

"What did you say?”

“N, now that I think about it, this punk said he’s never had a girlfriend!”

They looked at Ju-Heon with shocked expressions.

“Alright! Just wait! These hyungs of yours will help set you up!”

‘No, wait! I've had a girlfriend now……no, that’s not it, don't approach that woman!’

However, the Oh Seung Woo group approached Irene without any fear.

It looked as if it was their own dirty thoughts that was pushing them forward, but it was a useless favor for Ju-Heon.

‘Those idiots, if they approach that woman like that……’

And lo and behold.

The Oh Seung Woo group suddenly clutched their stomachs and fell to the ground.

“Aaaaah! My stomach!”

That was not the end.

“U, uuuuugh!”

“J, Joon Tae!”

Weird things started to happen, with one of the idiots approaching the Monarch of Destitution suddenly started to vomit and seize.

“Kyaaaa! Call 911!”

“What is suddenly going on?!”

People around them screamed and quickly started to call 911.

“Joon Tae, what happened to you, Joon Tae!”

Ju-Heon could only stand there while sweating bullets.

There were many ways to lead someone to destitution.

One of them was leading them to bankruptcy due to having unbearably high hospital fees. That was why extraordinarily rare illnesses were included in the Monarch of Destitution's disasters.

‘Those idiots!’

It started to influence Ju-Heon as well.

[The dangers of your skin rotting from the influence of the heinous artifact is increasing.]

[Warning. An unidentified virus is trying to enter your body.]

‘!’

However, the goddess of disaster did not stop there and tried to approach them.

“Are you okay?”

‘There's no way he's okay!’

That was why Ju-Heon approached the fallen Oh Seung Woo group and quietly whispered.

“It’s fine so grab him and follow me.”

“What? Isn’t it better not to move him until 911 shows up?!”

“Shut up and listen to me if you don't want to die.”

“Tsk!”

They quickly rushed over to the stairs to run away.

They ignored the shouts of the Monarch of Destitution asking them to wait.

“Soooob, Joon Tae! Joon Tae! Don’t die!”

Once they got outside, the Oh Seung Woo group grabbed their dongsaeng who fainted after vomiting.

“Aigoo, when is 911 going to get here?”

“Hey, Ju-Heon. You said to come outside. 911……!”

Ju-Heon scoffed and started to speak.

“You don’t need 911. Feed him a digestant if you are worried.”

They questioned their ears.

“……W, what? A digestant?”

“He would not have vomited and seized if it was something that could be healed with a digestant!

But you are saying he’ll get better with a digestant?!”

“Well, you can take him to the ER if you’re really worried. I'll be heading out first.”

Ju-Heon then coolly started to walk toward the auction house. The Oh Seung Woo group shouted toward Ju-Heon saying, ‘you cruel bastard who has no blood or tears!’ However, they soon gasped after seeing their fallen dongsaeng.

“Joon Tae!”

Their dongsaeng was blinking his eyes and looking around.

“Huh? I'm not in pain anymore.”

Was this really the guy who looked as if he was about to leave this world just now?

“W, what is going on?!”

“You were vomiting blood just now!”

They were confused but Ju-Heon just scoffed at them.

It had stopped at a stomachache and had not turned into a rare illness because they had quickly moved away from the Monarch of Destitution.

It was clearly visible through the spy skill's message as well. Ju-Heon was facing the same situation.

[The presence of the evil artifact has disappeared, making the unidentified viruses trying to infiltrate your body disappear.]

Ju-Heon let out a sigh.

‘The Monarch of Destitution is as amazing as ever.’

He and that young 25 year old over there almost died just now.

‘It really is best to avoid the weird monopolizers.’

People who ruled over S-Grade(Legendary Hero) artifacts were still considered human, but the SS-Grade(Divine-Grade) were treated as demigods.

It was the right choice to force their way out at all costs. It was almost a miracle that it ended at this much after meeting the Monarch of Destitution.

However…

‘I have no idea why that woman would be looking for me.’

He was a bit curious, but decided not to pay any attention. It was best to not get involved with that woman.

It was at that moment.

The current time was 6:30pm.

Ju-Heon heard a familiar voice when he walked through the auction house entrance.

“Hey, don’t stand there blocking the way.”

The voice came from right behind him.

Ju-Heon who had a good memory started to glare as soon as he heard that voice.

And lo and behold when he turned his head…

‘Yoon Shi Woo.’

The young man with the well-groomed appearance and glasses was indeed Yoon Shi Woo, his former tomb raiding team member and Chairman Kwon's right hand man.

‘He’s younger than my memories but it is him.’

He had been Chairman Kwon’s right hand man until Ju-Heon joined the company, however, this bastard became angry that he was always compared to Ju-Heon once Ju-Heon joined the tomb raiding team and became the captain.

That was why he always hated the talented Ju-Heon and tried to fight against him but never managed to win.

And currently…

Yoon Shi Woo started to frown while looking at Ju-Heon who was staring at him.

“What the hell, why are you staring at me when I told you to move?”

Ju-Heon scoffed thinking that this bastard was the same as before.

There was a reason Yoon Shi Woo was looking down on Ju-Heon right now. It was because the number on Ju-Heon’s ticket showed that he was not a VIP.

The auction participants were naturally divided into grades and their seats were divided by grades as well.

The number in Ju-Heon's hand was bronze. In simple terms, he was a normal-grade participant. The number in Yoon Shi Woo's hand was gold. He was a premium-grade participant.

‘It's obvious if his number is bronze.’

He was not someone a large corporation like TKBM had to worry about.

It was at that moment.

“What is going on?”

Ju-Heon started to frown after hearing the voice of a man who was approaching Yoon Shi Woo.

‘Chairman Kwon.’

He seemed to be in his late fifties or early sixties. He was still pretty young. Furthermore, Chairman Kwon should not know much about tombs and artifacts just yet.

Yoon Shi Woo looked at him and started to laugh.

“I, it’s nothing, sir. Please come this way, Chairman-nim.”

It looked as if Ju-Heon and Chairman Kwon made eye contact for a moment, but it wasn't long.

The corners of Ju-Heon’s lips then curled up in a vicious manner.

He couldn’t help but sigh, as seeing Chairman Kwon reminded him of having his lower body being ripped off at that final tomb.

‘This is the beginning.’

He would steal all the artifacts that should have gone to Chairman Kwon during this auction.

He would destroy them if he could not steal them.

He would be the victor this time.

‘Well, he’s too big of an opponent to face head on right now.’

However, it was at that moment.

‘Huh?’

He thought he saw an ominous shadow in the auction house.

And lo and behold.

Ju-Heon looked as if he had stepped on shit as soon as he saw someone's face in the crowd.

The person Ju-Heon saw was Irene Holten, the Monarch of Destitution from earlier. Ju-Heon started to grind his teeth.

‘Was that woman planning on participating in the auction?

Damn it, nothing good will happen if I'm in the same place as that woman.’

As Ju-Heon expected, odd things started to happen in the auction house as soon as she entered.

"What? You lost the money we were going to exchange for the number?! What the hell are you talking about?!”

“Kyaaaaa! What the hell? Why are my stocks suddenly falling?!”

The people waiting in line all started to scream.

Ju-Heon pressed his temple as he watched as if he was getting a headache.

‘She really is a useless woman.’

This would mean that all the colossus here will be heading toward bankruptcy and he would be impacted as well.

‘Tsk, I can’t let myself be impacted as well. I guess I'm not going to the auction.’

However, as Ju-Heon was about to leave…

[< Tolerance > has been awakened after being openly vulnerable to the critical presence of a Divine-Grade artifact once again.]

[Tolerance has increased after being attacked by an artifact.]

[Tolerance has increased after being attacked by an artifact.]

[The effects of the opponent’s artifact has decreased due to < Tolerance >.]

[The effects of the opponent’s artifact has decreased due to < Tolerance >.]

[You have started to become resistant to the effects of the seduction of destitution.]

‘Huh?’

An unexpected cheat message had popped up.