The display flickered, shifting to the next batch of items. Weapons, armor, gadgets—intergalactic tech that looked like it had been pulled straight from the edge of space. Energy rifles with barrels glowing faintly, armor plates etched with runes that seemed to shimmer in multiple spectrums, small gadgets that pulsed like hearts, clearly alive in some way. Even a few fantastical pieces appeared: a sword that shimmered with a liquid-like blade, gauntlets carved from a dragon's scale, and a shield that seemed to hum faintly when tilted toward the light.

The auctioneer's voice boomed, excitement threading through every word. Then the room froze for a beat as the next item appeared: a large crystalline egg, pulsing faintly with golden light. The hologram made it look almost alive, veins of energy crawling over the surface like it was breathing.

"This," the auctioneer said, letting his voice drag with suspense, "is a dormant weapon—an Aeon Shard Wyrm. Currently unhatched, it contains consciousness and power beyond any ordinary armament. Once bonded, it can react, adapt, and evolve with its master. The bidding starts now."

Gasps echoed around the room. Guests leaned forward, some whispering excitedly, others visibly nervous. Even Lyra's eyes widened, her previous boredom vanishing in an instant. Viola's gaze sharpened, fingers flexing over her switch as she already ran calculations in her head, the Loom momentarily forgotten.

Xavier leaned back, eyes fixed on the glowing egg. For a moment, he wondered if he should bid. The shape, the faint glow, the veins of light crawling across it—it all looked oddly familiar. He thought of the other egg sitting back at his apartment, tucked away like some oversized ornament. They looked almost the same, but he wasn't certain. He wasn't knowledgeable enough about these things to judge.

His fingers tapped against the armrest, and he muttered under his breath, "This isn't what I expected. The auction's not hitting me the way I thought it would." His eyes narrowed at the display as another bid shot across the board. "Maybe it's just because I've seen better shit in the dimensional store…"

Lyra was leaning forward now, her eyes gleaming in the dim light. Her lips parted just a little, and Xavier turned toward her, raising a brow. "You know something about it?"

She tilted her head, her wolf ears twitching faintly, then smirked. "No. I just wonder how it will taste."

Xavier froze, then exhaled a laugh, rubbing his forehead. "Of course. Only you'd look at a weapon and think about biting into it."

The bidding war intensified, prices climbing to numbers that made even Xavier whistle low. Viola's gaze hadn't left the egg once. Her posture was still, but her mind was working, sharp and restless. She wasn't reaching for her switch to bid, although she didn't want it for herself. Instead, she leaned slightly toward Xavier, her voice calm.

"This is no ordinary item. An Aeon Shard Wyrm, once hatched, bonds permanently to its master. It grows, adapts, and becomes more dangerous with time. Whoever wins this won't just be getting a weapon—they'll be gaining a partner that will make them untouchable in certain battles."

She glanced sideways at him, the glow from the hologram cutting sharp lines across her face. "If you plan to play bigger games, this is the type of thing you need under your command. But…" she paused, eyes narrowing faintly, "…you should also be careful. These things don't bond gently. Sometimes, they consume their master instead."

"I knew there would be a catch." Xavier chuckled and rubbed his chin. "So why aren't people bidding that much? Do they perhaps not know its true value? But that's highly unlikely."

"Well, it's rare for them to hatch. And in most cases it's either spoiled or dead inside."

Angel stayed quiet, but her eyes kept flicking between the egg and Xavier, like she was silently curious what he'd do next.

Xavier leaned back, smirk tugging at his lips. "Untouchable, huh? Or dead. Guess that's the gamble."

The board flashed with numbers climbing higher and higher, the tension in the auction hall thick enough to choke on. Xavier finally leaned forward, one hand sliding across the tablet. Without hesitation, he punched in his number.

The display lit up with his bid—half the room flinched when they saw it.

The auctioneer's voice rose with excitement. "Five million!"

Gasps rippled through the crowd, a few masked bidders muttering in disbelief. But almost instantly, another counter lit up the board. Someone across the hall wasn't backing down.

Xavier's smirk didn't fade. He leaned back, stretching his arms over the backrest as if he hadn't just thrown out a fortune. His eyes stayed fixed on the glowing egg, watching as the bids slammed into each other like clashing swords.

Another bid. Higher. Then another. The numbers jumped again, one after another, like firecrackers in the dark. The egg pulsed faintly with the frenzy, the auctioneer nearly shouting now as the energy in the room grew wild.

Angel's eyes darted to Xavier, lips twitching into the faintest grin. "You don't play small, do you?"

He chuckled. "Small doesn't get you anywhere in a place like this."

Lyra leaned forward, tail flicking lazily as her wolfish grin grew. "Eat it, fight it, or own it. That's what makes things interesting."

Viola didn't take her eyes off the board, her tone sharp and calm. "This will test how much everyone in this room really wants power. Most won't last past your number."

And she was right. The chaos of counters finally slowed, dragging out in tense, deliberate steps. One bidder dropped. Then another. Finally, it came down to Xavier's last offer—five hundred million credits. The board froze, the light flickering as if the entire system paused to breathe.

The auctioneer raised his voice, hammer high, stretching the moment. "Five hundred million… going once… going twice…"

The silence before the final strike was louder than any roar.

Some were waiting for the bid to end, some waited for another bid, Xavier, however, couldn't care less.

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