Chapter 27: The Tycoon Battera

September 1, 1999. Yorknew City.

Yorknew City is an international metropolis, second to none when compared to major cities like Zaban City. However, it is most famous for the Yorknew Dream Auction.

The Yorknew Dream Auction, held annually on September 1st, is the largest yearly auction market in the world. Within a mere ten days, the public auctions alone facilitate the flow of tens of trillions in capital. An item purchased for ten thousand Jenny yesterday might sell for one hundred million today; it is a dream market where one can strike it rich overnight.

Among the tens of thousands of auctions, many deal exclusively in items related to criminal activities.

The time is 20:41. At the Semetali Building, the Underground Auction, exclusive to the underworld and rogue organizations, is underway.

The lobby on the first floor is bustling. The gangsters attending the auction are all impeccably dressed in suits, mostly high-ranking members of their respective organizations. Some bosses have even arrived in person—a true gathering of the elite.

According to the rules of the Underground Auction, each buyer is limited to a party of three. No weapons, recording devices, or communication equipment are permitted inside, and the organizing syndicate is responsible for the venue's security. Anyone who dares to cause trouble at the Underground Auction becomes an enemy to the global underworld.

The fundamental rule of the venue is trust. Consequently, security personnel do not use anti-theft recording equipment, and competitors temporarily set aside inter-gang feuds. Should any dispute arise, testimonies from all sides are taken, carrying more weight than a sworn oath in a court of law.

Therefore, the impression one makes at the venue is of paramount importance, and the leaders of each syndicate send only their most trusted associates to this grand underworld event.

At the auction, the party that wins a treasure with a high bid must pay a 5% commission to the organizers. Beyond demonstrating financial prowess, it is a chance to gain recognition from underworld figures worldwide and elevate one's status. Every year, there are those who squander vast fortunes to win a bid, only to end up forced into bankruptcy.

While the auction preparations proceeded intensely, a few blocks away from the Semetali Building at the Kroz Hotel, inside a private presidential suite on the 27th floor, Hesser—clad in a refined handmade suit—and Rodalkindom—wearing ceremonial dress and a "Three-Eyed Demon Scarf"—waited for someone.

Knock, knock, knock.

"Sir, Mr. Battera has arrived."

"Show him in at once."

The butler, Gall, pushed open the door and stepped aside with a slight bow to usher the guest in.

The visitor was clearly an elderly man. Though the skin on his face sagged slightly, he still had a thick head of hair and remarkably sharp, spirited eyes. This was the world-renowned billionaire, Battera.

"Battera, it has been a long time." Rodalkindom stepped forward first, shaking Battera’s hand with a gentle pump.

Despite having previously told Hesser that he had only met Battera once, Rodalkindom now wore the cheerful expression of a reunion between old friends. "Rodalkindom, it really has been a long time. You wouldn't hold it against me for missing your birthday party, would you? It’s my fault; as one gets older, the memory fades. You, however, still look as young as ever. And this is?"

As if just noticing Hesser, Battera extended his right hand with great poise. "A pleasure to meet you. I am Battera Stovikin. Just call me Battera."

"Hesser. A pleasure to meet you." Hesser shook Battera’s hand briefly. "Let us skip the pleasantries. Mr. Battera, I trust you came here because you place your faith in Mr. Rodalkindom and myself, correct?"

"...Mr. Hesser, it is not that I am a suspicious man."

After the three took their seats, Battera leaned forward slightly, his tone urgent. "I still find it hard to believe that someone can truly replicate the extraordinary powers of the mythical weapons from ancient legends. It is simply... inconceivable."

"Nen, by its very nature, is a miraculous power that turns the impossible into the possible."

Hesser sat on the sofa with his legs crossed, fingers interlaced over his knees, his tone gentle. "You are not entirely oblivious to the world of Nen users, are you? Some of the 'deities' in ancient mythology were merely powerful individuals who had mastered superior Nen abilities. In an age where technology advances by the day, there is no reason for Nen abilities to have regressed."

"The power Hesser possesses is beyond anything you can imagine, Battera."

Rodalkindom, seated nearby, struck while the iron was hot. "We need to know exactly why you require the power to heal all injuries, so that we may prescribe the right remedy."

Battera paused, sitting in silence on the sofa, lost in thought.

Hesser and Rodalkindom exchanged a glance, neither pushing him.

Rodalkindom had been in intermittent contact with Battera for nearly four months. The old man was deeply suspicious and had remained completely distrustful of both Rodalkindom and Hesser.

However, information brought out by the surviving mercenaries of the Great Tyrant Hyenas had begun to spread and ferment. Two weeks ago, even Battera had heard the rumors about Hesser.

A lone individual who had single-handedly annihilated the A-plus-ranked mercenary organization "Great Tyrant Hyenas," killing eight high-level Nen users, including their leader Babator, in less than ten minutes.

When he first heard this rumor, Battera had scoffed, suspecting it was a fabrication by Hesser and Rodalkindom to lure him in. *Why not make the story even more outrageous?* he thought. *Why not say one person wiped out the V5?*

But gradually, more reports surfaced and details were confirmed. Battera could no longer sit still and began using his own intelligence network to investigate.

And that investigation revealed the truth.

The video footage of Hesser’s fight at Heavens Arena was worth a fortune on the black market. After obtaining it, Battera had his hired one-star bounty hunter, Genthru, evaluate the tape. The conclusion was unanimous: provided he did not die prematurely, Hesser absolutely had the potential to stand among the world's top Nen users.

When Rodalkindom initiated another call, Battera’s attitude had become exceedingly polite. Following that, the two parties agreed to meet on September 1st, the first day of the Yorknew Dream Auction.

For a moment, the room fell silent.

Battera thought it over; he was already here, and he had brought the item—what else was there to hide? If what Hesser and Rodalkindom said was true, he would have to explain everything during the healing process anyway. It was better to speak now.

"I have been searching for famous doctors and secret remedies to cure someone."

Battera pulled a crudely crafted handmade frame from his coat, his aged, wrinkled fingers gently stroking the photograph embedded within.

Hesser and Rodalkindom leaned in curiously, discovering it was a picture of a young woman.

"She doesn't look like your daughter or granddaughter. A lover, then?" Rodalkindom confirmed his theory, winking at Hesser.

"She is my beloved. I met her during a solo trip in 1986 and fell in love."

Battera touched the bright smile in the photo, his movements so delicate it was as if he feared waking the girl. "After I confessed my true identity, she was angry for a while, but she eventually forgave me and agreed to continue our relationship. However, she firmly returned all the expensive gifts I had given her, keeping only this crude frame I made myself as a treasure. I understood—she did not want anyone to think she was with me for my inheritance."

"We wanted nothing but each other. We swore to dispose of all our assets and spend our lives together. But not long after, she was in an accident... a car crash. She fell into a coma, as if she were merely sleeping. Every famous doctor I brought in told me that maintaining her current state was already a medical miracle. No one knows when—or if—she will ever wake up."

"At that time, I heard about the game Greed Island. It was said that if you cleared the game, you could obtain spells that heal all diseases and injuries, as well as elixirs of eternal youth. I immediately used every channel to gather intelligence, even deliberately suppressing information about the game’s completion rewards to prevent the outside world from finding out. At the same time, I began collecting Nen artifacts and pulling strings to find individuals with rare and unique healing-type Nen abilities."

"It has been eleven years. I have watched her lie there... sleeping... I have tried every method, but nothing works."

Without realizing it, tears were streaming down Battera’s face, his hands trembling before him. "Please, I beg you, tell me you can save her. If you can bring her back, my wealth, my life—everything I have is yours."

A fair but powerful hand rested on Battera’s shaking shoulder. Battera looked up to see Hesser wearing a confident smile.

"Rest assured. As long as we reboot 'Light Ovum,' and as long as she has even a single breath left in her when the time comes, I will be able to heal her."