— — — — — —
High in the air, a hundred-meter-tall golden buddha hovered, its eyes blank and unfocused, as if it were dreaming.
In truth, Dipankara seriously suspected that he was dreaming.
When had he ever mentioned the words authority to Ryo? And five of them?
Did Ryo seriously think he was trying to buy intelligence from him?
Damn it. And what kind of intelligence costs five Limit-Authorities?
You open that little mouth of yours and suddenly the price is something not even tens of billions of gold coins could cover.
Hell… is money the only thing inside your head?
Dipankara's face twisted in frustration. He opened his mouth to speak, but Ryo cut him off before he could.
"I'm in!" Ryo slapped his thigh decisively. "Deal accepted. So when do we make the trade?"
His expression carried a hint of nervousness, but the way he looked at Dipankara was oddly warm.
Well of course it was warm.
Five limit authorities.
These things were practically never sold. People only traded them for equally rare items.
They were that precious.
Of course, the Buddhist faction could produce five limit authorities.
But that would require the entire Buddhist faction. Dipankara's particular branch couldn't possibly afford it. Even if they could scrape it together, it would cripple them.
"My friend… perhaps there's been some misunderstanding here?"
"Misunderstanding?" Ryo's expression shifted slightly. His gaze became dangerous. "Sir, verbal contracts are still contracts."
"My friend." Dipankara dispersed his massive Dharma body and revealed his true form.
A middle-aged man with a square face, a topknot, and unusually long earlobes.
When Ryo saw the man's head full of "bumps," he immediately concluded that this was a high-ranking Buddhist master.
Which meant one thing— Loaded with money.
"My mouth really gets me into trouble."
Dipankara forced a smile. While lightly slapping his own cheeks in apology, he stepped down from the clouds and hurried over to Ryo, palms pressed together.
"If this humble monk offended you earlier, I beg your forgiveness."
"Small matter, small matter," Ryo replied with matching repetition, smiling warmly. "We're all respectable figures in the Little Garden. When negotiating business, throwing a bit of attitude around is perfectly normal."
Dipankara's mouth twitched. His smile looked like he might cry at any moment.
"Exactly, exactly."
He paused, then said painfully, "But about the price of this intelligence… perhaps it's a little… well. Not that the price is wrong, of course, but—"
"The price is right, so we'll stick with it." Ryo cut him off immediately. "Five limit authorities. Dipankara, you understand the risk I'm taking by selling information about that narcissistic demon star."
'But I can't afford it!' Dipankara wailed internally.
He was already regretting everything.
Why had he tried to act so imposing earlier?
Yes, the five three-digit buddhas had instructed him to pressure Ryo and make him back down.
But how had he forgotten?
This man was a newly risen powerhouse. Was he someone easy to deal with?
The guy opened his mouth and casually demanded five limit authorities. That alone was enough to kill him.
If the buddhas behind him found out that he himself had talked the price up to this astronomical level…
He might as well defect to another Pantheon.
"Friend Ryo… no, Lord Ryo."
Dipankara grabbed Ryo's hand miserably and raised one finger, staring at him with pleading eyes.
"Could you… lower the price a little?"
Ryo frowned and tried to pull his hand back.
When he realized it wouldn't budge, his expression darkened.
"Fine. We're both trying to survive in the lower layers. I won't make things too hard for you."
He tilted his head curiously. "So how much are you offering?"
Ryo had heard plenty of rumors about Buddhism being ridiculously wealthy.
All those golden statues in temples, all that incense revenue… supposedly enough to spend for tens of thousands of years.
He figured that selling information about Algol, a Three-Digit Star Spirit, should be worth at least three limit authorities.
Surely the Buddhist faction could afford that. After all, they were the largest faction in Little Garden.
Right? …Right?
"This is the most I can authorize."
Dipankara carefully raised one finger.
"One?"
Ryo's face immediately darkened. He shook his arm sharply, trying to pull free.
But Dipankara had been prepared. He tightened his grip desperately.
"My friend, calm down! I really did my best! If not… you could take this humble monk's body. I'll sell myself to repay the debt and make up for your loss!"
"You?"
Ryo looked him up and down with a strange expression, then shook his head. "Too shabby. Don't you have any Buddhist nuns? Female bodhisattvas would work too."
'Even if we did, I wouldn't dare send them!' Dipankara nearly fainted.
Did Buddhism have women?
Of course. And they were all female bodhisattvas.
But not the kind you sold.
Every woman who achieved the Bodhisattva rank in Buddhism was a terrifying powerhouse.
Many of them were ancient beings who had joined Buddhism during the Dawn Era.
If he dared sell one of them…
"My lord…"
Dipankara forced out a tearful smile. "Why don't you just burn me to death instead? I'll disperse my body and reincarnate. At least I can leave behind a few relics."
"What would I want relics for?!"
Ryo turned his head and grabbed Dipankara again. Then he stretched out a hand toward him.
"I want authorities. Five of them."
Dipankara's eyes widened.
Then he let out a numb chuckle and sighed.
"Then… just kill me. Pretend this monk never came. Take my relics as compensation."
After saying that, he raised his hand and prepared to strike his own forehead.
But just then—
A large hand suddenly reached out and grabbed his wrist.
"What's going on here? Why is a perfectly good buddha trying to end it all?"
Before the voice even finished speaking, Ryo had already turned his head toward the newcomer.
It was a young man with blue hair tied in a high ponytail and a carefree, almost flippant expression.
Ryo looked at him and quietly said his name.
"Indra? What are you doing here?"
At the same time, Ryo casually moved one hand behind his back. From his Gift Card, he pulled out a communication Gift and dialed Asura's private number.
After finishing, Ryo looked back at Indra with feigned surprise.
But deep in his eyes, a trace of amusement flickered.
"Gentlemen, how about giving me some face?" Indra said with a smile after grabbing Dipankara's hand to stop the suicide attempt. "Each of you take a step back."
At this moment…
Indra had no idea just how serious the situation actually was.
.
.
.