Soon, the second phase of the auction began.

Ash sat back in his seat, his eyes glancing at the stage below, yet his thoughts were elsewhere. He could feel the restlessness in his chest, a strange thrill that he could no longer suppress.

His fingers tapped lightly on the table, his lips curving slightly, as if trying to hide the growing excitement that refused to fade.

He didn't know when it started, but somewhere along the way, he had begun to enjoy stealing the treasures these powerful organizations guarded so tightly.

The very idea of taking what they believed was untouchable filled him with an odd sense of satisfaction. It wasn't about greed or hatred, but something deeper—a strange rush that came from knowing he could walk in unseen, take everything, and vanish without leaving a trace.

The danger only made it more exhilarating.

Even so, Ash still had his own principles.

He never took from the innocent or weak, only from those who built their organization through lies and blood.

That was the one line he would never cross. Though he already crossed it once in the dragon continent, he still has regret about it.

The auction continued as rare items were brought out one after another. But none of them caught Ash's interest.

He waited patiently, but boredom slowly crept in as the host's voice echoed again and again, announcing bids that climbed into millions. For him, these treasures were nothing more than scraps. He can't use skill books, and the treasures that were presented will not help him in any way.

After nearly fifteen minutes, he finally decided it was time to move. With a calm expression, Ash summoned the last bottle of invisibility potion. He had used most of them earlier, keeping this one aside only for emergencies.

He uncorked the bottle and drank it in one smooth motion. The potion slid down his throat with a cooling sensation, spreading through his veins like mist. Slowly, his body began to blur, fading from sight until not even his shadow remained.

A faint smile touched his lips as he looked at the empty space where his hands used to be.

Without wasting another second, Ash teleported away from his seat, disappearing from the VIP room like he was never there at all.

****

The Black Market was a node organization, each branch overseeing the area assigned to them and reporting everything to the upper authority.

It was also one of the few organizations that did not support racism. Inside the Black Market, people of all races worked together. Elves, dwarves, and humans could be seen working in the same place without conflict.

After all, humans could not possibly operate freely in other races' continents. While the Human Continent was divided into many cities, each city was overseen by a particular city head.

Similarly, the Black Market in the Human Continent also had its own branch in every major city, all connected under one structure.

The same system worked in the Land of Forge, though the elven continent was different. Their entire race lived around the World Tree, their most sacred place.

There were no other cities or smaller towns, only one grand city built around the tree itself. That was why the Elven Continent had only one main Black Market base.

The Neutral Continent also had just one, as there were no proper cities or settlements there to blend into. The Black Market base in those lands remained hidden and rarely made contact with others.

Everything had been going smoothly for both the elven and dwarven representatives of the Black Market. Goods were moving in and out of their continents without issue. Trade was steady, profits were high, and there were no signs of trouble. But suddenly, everything changed.

Without warning, all the agents working in the elven lands stopped answering their superiors' calls. Messages were ignored, communication lines went silent, and soon there was no way to reach anyone in the Elven Continent at all.

The same thing happened with the dwarves. One by one, all connections disappeared, and even the hidden tunnels and passages that only the Black Market knew about were sealed off without a trace.

It caused a wave of frustration within the organization. Those who worked for the Black Market were often people with no loyalty—criminals, mercenaries, and outcasts who would not hesitate to sell their own race for profit. None of them dared to enter the elven or dwarven territories to investigate what had happened.

Because of that, the entire Black Market network suffered. The supply of rare materials and precious goods was suddenly cut in half. Their profits dropped heavily, and for a group that moved wealth across continents, this was not a small loss.

Fortunately, nothing had happened in the Human and Neutral continents. Those two still remained active, giving them at least some source of income.

I feel like my head will just burst apart...

Arthur frowned as he rubbed his forehead. In front of him, the desk was filled with piles of papers—reports, trade summaries, and ledgers filled with loss figures. Every new page only deepened the crease between his brows.

The numbers were not kind. Even though the Black Market had enough reserves to operate without trade for at least five years, it was going to become a problem in the long run.

For an organization this massive, even surviving one year without resources was enough to show just how much money and influence they truly held.

Sigh... I don't know what I will even report to the High Seat...

The High Seat was the head of the entire Black Market, the one who oversaw everything from the shadows. His word was absolute, and no one dared to question it.

Arthur held a special position, as he was the one who reported directly to the High Seat. The other regional heads, spread across continents, all reported to him.

As he went through the reports from the Elven and Dwarven continents, his headache only grew worse. He had already expected that things would get difficult, but this level of silence and loss was far beyond what he had imagined.

Just then, a soft knock broke through his thoughts.

"Come in," he said, not looking up.

The door opened, and an agent entered the room, his steps hurried and uneasy.

"What happened..?" Arthur asked, his tone calm, but the frown on his face deepened slightly.

"Sir... the young lord has run away again... without any guards or security."

The agent's voice trembled as he spoke. His hands were clenched tightly at his sides, sweat dripping down the back of his neck. If something happens to the young lord... he didn't even dare to complete the thought.

Arthur slowly looked up, his sharp eyes locking onto the nervous man in front of him. His gaze was cold.

"And what are you doing here, instead of finding that troublesome brat?"

The air in the room turned heavy. The agent's breathing quickened as the pressure settled over him. His heart pounded so hard that he could hear it in his ears.

"S-S-Sir... we found out that the young lord is attending the Grand Auction. We've already sent people to bring him back. I just came to report to you about this."

The tension in the air faded, replaced by calm. Arthur leaned back slightly and said in a steady voice, "I see. If he's at the Auction, then there's nothing to worry about. Just make sure he returns safely."

"Yes, sir!"

The agent bowed and hurried out of the room, his steps almost stumbling in relief.

Arthur watched him leave, his eyes thoughtful. The Auction, huh... Did something there catch his interest? He sighed quietly. Well, I'll know soon enough when he returns...

What he didn't know was that his son would never return. And as for the storm that would rise after his death... only time would tell.

****

Ash appeared inside a dark cage, the air thick with fear and tension that seemed to cling to every surface.

The faint sound of chains scraping against metal echoed softly in the stillness, mixing with the shallow breaths of those trapped within.

His gaze shifted toward the four elves huddled near the walls, their hands and legs bound by heavy shackles.

He stood there silently for a few seconds, observing them. His presence was completely erased, not even the faintest ripple of energy escaping his body. Absolute Concealment had hidden every trace of heat and life within him, while the invisibility potion masked him from the naked eye.

The potion's duration was short, lasting only fifteen seconds, but that was enough. Now that he knew there was not much security around him, he could just come and go as he pleased.

As his eyes lingered on the elves, a memory surfaced. Serena's face—the Elf Queen—flashed through his mind, her calm and proud expression.

He sighed softly, realizing he couldn't just ignore these elves. Although he spoke with coldness earlier with them and threatened to kill the elf if she lost the coin, it was just an act.

They were prisoners, stripped of dignity, and destined to be sold like objects. Even if it wasn't part of his plan, he decided to at least change that fate for them.

Ash stepped closer to them and reached out and gently touched the shoulder of the elf to whom he had given his anchor. The moment his fingers brushed her skin, she jolted up in fright, instinctively about to scream. But before she could make a sound, Ash placed his hand firmly over her lips.

"Be silent if you want to leave this place," he whispered, his voice soft, but it had a strange calming effect, which made them instinctively listen to him.

All four elves froze at once. Even though he spoke only to one of them, the others heard his words clearly.

Fear spread through their hearts, but beneath it was a faint flicker of hope and relief.

Ignoring their trembling, Ash continued in the same low voice, "I will be taking all of you back to your continent, so don't make any sound. And wear these."

He reached into his Soul Vault and took out four black eye patches, placing them on the ground in front of them. Since he was still invisible, the eye patches seemed to appear from nowhere, making the elves stiffen in shock.

For a moment, none of them moved. But after exchanging uncertain glances, they slowly picked up the eye patches. Even if they were unsure about this unseen figure, something about his voice felt familiar and strangely reassuring.

They remembered hearing it before—the same voice of the person who bought them in the auction. They didn't understand how he had appeared inside this cage, but they decided to trust him.

Ash waited patiently as they fastened the eye patches over their eyes. Then he spoke again, his tone calm but firm. "Remember, no matter what happens, don't open your eyes or remove the eye patch. I'll say it again... don't take it off, or you might not reach your home. Do you understand?"

All four elves nodded quickly, their faces pale, their breaths uneven.

Ash's lips curved slightly as he watched them nodding like frightened ducks. He found it almost amusing, though he knew their fear was natural.

Still, he needed them to obey completely. He didn't want them to see what was inside his Soul Vault, not even by accident.

Yes, he was going to store them inside his Soul Vault and then teleport directly to the Elven Continent before returning here.

If not for the large time difference within his soul, he might have let them stay there for a few minutes to recover. But knowing how distorted the flow of time was inside that space, even a few minutes might become days for them.

He transported them instantly and then teleported straight to the World Tree's location.

***

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