"Our first item for tonight's auction is a Lord Rank Wyvern Mana Core."

The host's voice rang out with clarity, every word precise, yet carrying a melodic charm that seemed to fill the hall.

With a delicate snap of her fingers, the attendants moved forward, carrying a pure white core that radiated a faint, frosty mist. The chill that emanated from it seemed to settle over the crowd, brushing against their skin like the first touch of winter.

The audience froze in awe.

Those who had never attended a Grand Auction before could hardly believe what they were seeing.

The items here were not mere treasures; even the lowest-ranked objects were worth fortunes, things that most people could only dream of touching.

Whispers ran through the crowd like a gentle breeze stirring excitement, but the moment the host raised her hand, silence fell like a heavy curtain.

"The core belongs to a Frost Wyvern," she continued, her tone soft but authoritative, her eyes glinting with controlled brilliance. "A rare descendant of dragons. Though the chance is small, there is a less than one percent possibility of gaining a trace of draconic bloodline upon absorbing the core. The starting price is fifty thousand gold coins, with increments no less than five thousand."

As the words left her lips, the first bid erupted almost immediately.

"Fifty-five thousand!"

"Sixty thousand!"

"Sixty-five thousand!"

"Seventy thousand!"

The rhythm of bidding quickened like a storm breaking loose. Voices rose, overlapping each other, carrying the feverish desperation of people gambling everything for even a sliver of power.

The allure of a draconic bloodline was something few could resist, even knowing the risk that came with it.

After all, dragons were prideful beings. If word spread that a human dared to steal even a trace of their lineage, the consequences could be fatal. Yet, greed has always been stronger than fear.

Inside the Treasure Chamber, hidden high above, Ash crouched silently behind the massive pillar, his body shrouded by Absolute Concealment. The faint sound of the host's voice flowed into his ear through the earpiece, along with the rising chorus of frantic bids.

But his focus wasn't on the auction. His sharp eyes were fixed below, on the workers who had entered earlier.

Even before the host had announced the item, the core had arrived nearly five minutes prior. Ash watched it being swiftly transported and placed onto the enchanted platform and then taken away.

Ash watched it all, but he made no moves. He just continued to observe.

---

Meanwhile, back in the auction hall, the bidding war reached its peak.

"One hundred thousand!"

"One hundred and ten!"

"One hundred and twenty!"

Finally, after a few tense seconds of silence, a firm voice echoed from one of the upper VIP booths.

"1 million."

The room fell quiet. No one raised the bid further. Even the greedy ones understood that beyond this point, the risk outweighed the reward.

The room fell still, the tension thick and palpable. Even the most eager bidders understood that no one would surpass this mark.

The host's eyes glimmered with satisfaction as she called out, "1 million. once... 1 million. twice... 1 million., thrice... The item is sold to VIP Room Five. Congratulations to the bidder."

Polite applause filled the hall, though most clapped half-heartedly, already waiting for the next treasure to appear.

"And now," she continued, her voice rising slightly with anticipation, "let us move on to our next item, a rare Skill Book."

Item after item was presented, each more valuable than the last. Weapons imbued with elemental enchantments, potions crafted from extinct herbs, and armor forged by long-dead masters.

Each item sold for more than one hundred thousand gold coins, demonstrating the absolute value of the collection.

Yet, none of these treasures captured Ash's interest. He knew the items he truly desired would appear in the second half of the auction, and until then, he would simply observe the treasure chamber.

Each item teleported from the 5th layer to the treasure chamber, appearing with a soft burst of light.

Ash tracked them all silently, his mind absorbing everything.

Due to this, when the next item came out of the array, Ash narrowed his eyes. He saw it before the host announced it to the audience.

"Alright, audience, you might be getting bored with all these normal items being displayed. Let us refresh our mood. Next is a batch of young Elven girls who were enslaved some time ago. I hope you like them. The starting price is 400k for all four, and the price is high because all four are pure," the host announced, her voice carrying a casual cruelty that chilled the hall.

She clapped once, and immediately a large iron cage rolled into view, catching the light with a metallic sheen. Inside, the four elven girls huddled together, their delicate faces pale and frightened.

Their long, once-lustrous hair was now tangled and dusty, falling in strands over ragged clothes that barely covered their bodies. Small collars gleamed coldly against their necks, marking them as property.

The audience leaned forward instinctively, drawn by a mix of curiosity and greed. Some faces reflected desire, others a grim fascination, but the girls themselves said nothing, holding tightly to each other for warmth and comfort, tears silently streaming down their cheeks.

Ash teleported back to his VIP Room One and observed the scene calmly. He had expected slaves in the black market, but never elves.

Earlier, his investigations had only revealed human slaves, and he had avoided that area because of the heightened security. Now, he understood that the passage he had found, where the slaves were kept, was connected to the fifth layer of the black market.

The girls looked no older than seventeen or eighteen, and their vulnerability was painfully apparent. They trembled, their tiny bodies pressing together instinctively, while the audience's stares grew heated.

Ash's mind, however, was already working, considering how their presence could be turned into leverage to achieve his goals.

The bidding began almost immediately, sharp and relentless.

"Four hundred ten thousand," a voice called out.

"Four hundred thirty thousand," another bid followed quickly.

"Four hundred fifty thousand."

The numbers climbed steadily.

"Four hundred seventy thousand."

"Five hundred thousand."

"Five hundred ten thousand."

The bids rose like a storm, and Ash realized that the gold he carried in his soul space would not be enough.

Then his gaze fell on the black metal card he had taken from Adam Hart, engraved in gold with his name. Most cards shut down when the owner died, but this one still worked and showed no traceable link to Adam's life.

Ash frowned at the unusual card, then shrugged the worry aside with a grin.

_I doubt I am getting gold like this for free. I am not heaven's favorite. I know there might be risks if I use this card, but I do not care,_ he thought.

Pride and calculation outweighed caution. Ash keyed the bid through the card, his voice calm but carrying across the hall with deliberate clarity.

"One million gold," he said.

As soon as Ash spoke, his voice rolled across the entire auction hall, clear, calm, and commanding. Immediately, the chatter ceased, and every eye turned toward the VIP rooms.

Of course, no one could see inside, only the dark, opaque glass that concealed the occupant. Yet there was something inexplicable in the hall, an almost magnetic pull in his tone that made every listener freeze.

It was difficult to explain. He had only spoken normally, yet the sound carried a subtle authority, a charm that made people instinctively stop, drawn as if by an invisible thread, wanting to hear more.

Even those who had been distracted by the glittering wealth and treasures of the auction found themselves caught off guard.

The host blinked rapidly, startled by the sudden silence. For a brief moment, she realized she had lost focus entirely. Panic flashed across her face as she hurried to regain control.

"One million gold coins... does anyone wish to bid higher?"

A pause stretched across the hall.

"No one?"

Still, silence.

"Alright then, one million, once. One million, twice. One million..."

"Two million," came a sharp, confident voice from a distance.

All eyes darted toward VIP Room '13'. Whispers spread through the audience, speculation running wild.

Ash raised the bid again.

"Three and a half million," he said, followed immediately by "Four million."

"Four and a half million."

"Five million."

The bids escalated relentlessly, each one met with a counter without pause. Even Ash found himself momentarily lost in the rhythm, forgetting for a brief moment that he still had no idea how much money the card contained.

Fortunately, the machine on his table, sleek and unassuming, displayed the status of the card automatically. Its function was simple yet crucial: if a bid exceeded the available funds, it would beep loudly, nullifying the attempt and exposing any false bidders. It was a basic rule designed to prevent cheating or disruption, ensuring the auction proceeded smoothly without manipulation from outside parties.

Ash continued steadily, raising the stakes, each increment more audacious than the last. The numbers climbed to an almost obscene twenty-two million gold coins. It was a sum that would make even the wealthiest drool, yet the card remained undiminished, its mysterious power silently confirming the funds.

He allowed himself a slow glance at the card before turning his gaze back toward the host

With the opposing bidder finally silenced, yielding for reasons unknown and irrelevant to Ash.

Ash did not concern himself with the reasons; it did not matter.

"Twenty-two million, going once, twice, and thrice. Congratulations, VIP of Room '1'," the host announced, her voice steady and formal.

A collective exhale rippled through the crowd. People had been holding their breath, watching the clash between two moneyed titans unfold. Whispers spread like wildfire, and astonished murmurs filled the air.

Before the excitement could swell any further, a sharp, decisive clap rang out, commanding silence and attention.

"Alright then, let us move on to the next item..."

****

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