Meanwhile, In VIP Room - 13

Max was boiling with anger. He had already noticed the number on Ash's token, and with the sharp vision of a Master

From the moment the auction started, Max had planned to confront him, to make sure Ash knew he could not simply steal the spotlight, and now that moment had arrived.

The room held four people: Max, Emily, and their fathers, the leaders of the Black Serpents and the Crimson Vultures.

When the bidding for the Elven slaves started, many lustful people were interested in purchasing them, but Max held out as he did not want to make a bad impression of himself in front of Emily.

But, when he saw the boy whose handsomeness overshadowed his, he bid on them. Max instantly decided to bid on the girls; he even voiced out his intention to make the 4 girls maids of Emily, which she had no problem with.

Thus, the tug of war between both Ash and Max started. Price continued to increase till it reached the staggering amount of 22 million.

Max had wanted to push the bidding even higher, to crush Ash's presence with sheer wealth, but his father's hand on his arm stopped him.

Both fathers had already agreed to combine their funds for the grand prize at the end, and Max had no choice but to restrain himself. He ground his teeth, biting his lip until a thin line of blood appeared, his gaze never leaving Room One.

Every second that passed, Max's anger and frustration coiled tighter inside him. Ash's calm composure, the effortless way he drew attention without even trying—it was maddening. He felt jealous.

I don't know who you are, but I will make you regret crossing paths with me, he thought, the words silent yet burning in his mind, a promise of revenge.

Emily, sitting beside him, could not look away. Her eyes kept drifting toward Room One, her thoughts tangled between curiosity and awe.

The voice she had just heard, soft yet commanding, had left a lingering impression, a melody that seemed to pull at her attention with invisible strings. Even hidden behind the VIP barrier, even without seeing the person fully, the presence felt almost tangible.

She leaned slightly forward, as if her body wanted to move closer, to witness more, while Max's anger beside her made the contrast sharper, more suffocating.

Max's fists clenched tighter on the table, white-knuckled, the veins in his neck standing out as he tried to hold back a roar of frustration.

Every glance toward Room One was a reminder that he had been bested in influence, at least for the moment, and it stung.

Yet, he knew this was only the beginning—the real game, the truly valuable item, had not even appeared. For now, all he could do was watch, seethe, and wait, while his pride flared hotter with every second.

Both fathers remained calm, watching silently. Their eyes flicked between the auction hall and their children.

Even as Max struggled to contain himself and Emily remained captivated, both leaders of different criminal organizations looked at each other and smiled.

****

"Sir, here are your slaves..."

The attendant's voice was soft but firm as Ash stood in front of the cage holding the four Elves. Their eyes were wide with fear, trembling uncontrollably as they stared at him. Every movement they made seemed fragile, like they could shatter at any moment.

Ash remembered that when he had first seen them in the treasure chamber, they were blindfolded; otherwise, he would have liked to ask them questions regarding where they came from, who they were, and why they were here, but for now, he remained silent.

He stepped closer and tossed a single gold coin toward the Elf at the front with little bit of force. The coin spun in the air with speed, but before it could pass above their heads....the Elf at the front caught it with inhuman reflex.

That reaction was instinctive, sharp, and fast, making Ash raise an eyebrow slightly. A small, cold smile appeared on his lips as he spoke in a low, commanding voice. "Do not lose that coin. Otherwise, I will kill all of you, or sell you somewhere far worse than this."

The warning made the girls shiver even more. Tears ran down their faces, and quiet sobs escaped their lips. They huddled together, seeking warmth and comfort from each other, holding on tightly as if their small bodies could shield them from the danger around them.

Ash then turned to the attendant, his voice calm but firm. "Can you keep these four slaves for two or three days? I will come later to fetch them. I have important tasks after the auction and cannot take them with me right now."

The attendant hesitated, unsure how to respond, but Ash added, "I will pay extra because of my request. Just make sure they are safe, and treat them as you usually would."

"Yes, sir. Certainly… but I will need to ask my superior," the attendant said, his voice nervous.

He quickly left, leaving Ash alone with the cage. The air was thick with fear, and the metallic scent of the bars mixed with the nervous energy of the girls. Minutes passed slowly, the trembling and soft whimpers filling the quiet space.

When the attendant returned, bringing confirmation that it was allowed, Ash allowed himself a faint smile.

Back in VIP Room One, he instructed the lady outside not to disturb him until he won any bid again.

After closing the door, he changed clothes quietly and vanished.

He appeared again in his hidden place in the Treasure Chamber, crouched in the shadowed corner of the pillar. He waited patiently.

***

Time passed, and one rare item after another was sold. Each piece was a treasure so valuable that most people would risk their lives just to touch it, yet none of it caught Ash's interest.

He could have bought something for others if he wanted, but he had no friends to gift to, and he had found nothing suitable for Elysia. So he remained quiet, observing everything with careful attention.

Half of the auction had ended, and a fifteen-minute break began. That was when something appeared in the treasure chamber that made Ash smile quietly to himself.

Looks like my gamble worked out....

The same cage with the four Elves was being teleported back to where they had come from. Ash was certain that the place was the fifth layer of the black market.

He had given the gold coin to the Elf girl on purpose. That coin was his anchor, the key he would use to enter the hidden layer safely.

At first, Ash had planned to use the runic array himself, as he had already decoded it and could enter without trouble. But he chose not to. This method carried some risks, so if there was a safe way, why go through the hard one?

Ash knew, If he stepped inside the fifth layer, no one could stop him from moving freely and stealing whatever he wanted.

With a quiet smile, Ash returned to VIP Room One. Securing a way into the fifth layer had lifted a heavy weight from his mind. Now he only needed patience and timing, and nothing else could disturb him.

With the extra time, his thoughts drifted toward something he had been neglecting.

I can't believe a legendary material showed up here, and it wasn't even mentioned in the novel… Who could have missed this?

He thought about the story's author and their poor planning, but he did not blame them too harshly. It was also possible that his presence in this world had caused these deviations. Either way, the material existed, and that was all that mattered.

If he could obtain it, his stubbornly stagnant stats might finally rise. Still, he would need to improve his Alchemy to fully unlock the item's power and extract its true potential.

Getting the item would not be easy. The black card in his possession might cover the cost, but Ash had no way of knowing exactly how much money it contained. It was a strange and fortunate situation that the card still worked despite its owner being dead.

This uncertainty only made his plan bolder. He intended to use the fifth layer as a secret path, slip past all protections, and take everything the black market had hidden. His goal was to leave nothing behind. The plan was ambitious and dangerous, but not impossible.

All that remained now was patience. Ash leaned back slightly, his mind sharp and alert, waiting for the moment when he could act. Time would reveal whether his plan succeeded or if it would meet failure.

***

A/N: Hey everyone, I know I missed around three days again. It's just that my internal exams started, and I had to focus a bit on studying. Things got a little packed, so I couldn't write or upload in time.

Don't worry, though, I've already counted all the missed chapters, and I'll make sure to cover them soon. Thanks for being patient and still supporting. Stay tuned and enjoy the upcoming ones!

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.