The board froze on his number, the glow of five hundred million burning across the display like it had been branded into the air. The hall went dead quiet. Every bidder who had been tapping furiously just moments ago sat frozen in their seats, their pride swallowed under the weight of that number.

The auctioneer grinned so wide his mask looked like it would split in half. He raised the hammer, voice booming through the chamber. "Five hundred million… going once… going twice… SOLD!"

The hammer cracked against the podium, and the room erupted. Some gasped in awe, others muttered curses under their breath, and a few stormed out in silence, their pride too bruised to stay.

The crystalline egg flickered brighter on the display for a moment before dimming back down, sealed back into stasis as staff prepared to transport it.

Angel turned her head slowly, staring at Xavier with a look caught somewhere between amusement and disbelief. "You really just dropped half a billion like it was pocket change."

Xavier smirked, leaning back into the couch like a man who'd only bought himself a drink. "Pocket change is all about perspective."

Lyra's eyes gleamed, her wolfish grin widening. "I can't wait to crack it open. If it tastes like it looks, it's worth every credit."

Viola finally let out a slow breath, tension unwinding from her shoulders. Her voice was cool, edged with a hint of something darker. "You just made yourself a target. Half of this floor will be thinking about how to steal it from you."

Xavier tilted his head, the smirk never fading. "Good. Gives them something to look forward to."

The auction moved on, but the shift in the room was clear. Xavier had claimed one of the night's crown jewels, and now every masked eye carried it in their thoughts.

The egg itself wasn't worth much, let alone half a billion, but the ones who bid knew its value otherwise. They were the ones who were willing to take the risk and wanted it no matter what. But Xavier had the last laugh.

The next item rolled onto the stage, carried by two attendants in armored suits. A long case made of reinforced glass was set on the pedestal, and when it opened, the audience's murmur turned into a low wave of awe.

Inside rested a sword-like weapon, sleek yet alive in its design, its blade rippling faintly as if made of fluid steel. Runes ran across its length, glowing faintly as though breathing. The auctioneer tapped the mic and announced with a grin, "Item 246—The Serpent's Fang. A shapeshifting weapon, able to change between a sword, a whip, and a segmented chain-blade. Forged from living alloy, bound with beast marrow, dormant but not broken. A true relic for any collector—or warrior."

Xavier's smirk tugged wider. His eyes tracked the weapon's seamless transformation, already picturing how it would feel in his hand, how many ways it could carve through enemies who thought they were safe behind walls or distance.

But before he could speak, Lyra leaned forward, her ears twitching, her wolfish grin breaking into something sharper. "That's mine," she said flatly. "I want it."

Xavier arched a brow, amused. "Yours? You've been bored this whole time and suddenly decided to wake up?"

Lyra didn't look away from the display, eyes locked on the shifting blade. "That's not just some toy. I can smell the serpent still in it. It's alive, in its own way. Weapons like that… they don't serve cowards. They bite them. I want to see if it'll bite me back."

Viola chuckled under her breath, eyes flicking between them. "Funny. You both sound like hunters circling the same prey."

Angel tilted her head with a faint grin. "So what's it gonna be, Xavier? Let the pup have her treat, or are you going to steal it out from under her nose?"

The auctioneer raised the hammer, announcing the starting bid. The room buzzed with hungry voices, but Xavier and Lyra hadn't even looked at the board yet. They were locked on each other, smirks and grins sharp in the dim light, both knowing this wasn't just about money.

"Actually… I wanted it…for you." Lyra confessed.

Xavier cocked a brow. "For me, huh?" He smirked, but his eyes never left the weapon. It was already calling to him.

The auctioneer raised his hand. "Starting bid—one million credits."

"1 million!" someone from the left side called immediately.

"1.5!"

"2 million!"

The numbers shot up quickly.

"2.5 million!"

"3 million!"

A tall, cloaked figure raised his hand without hesitation. The crowd went silent for a moment before another bidder countered.

"3.2 million!"

"3.5!"

"4 million!"

Xavier leaned back in his seat, eyes narrowing. He let it climb, let the others burn themselves out. Then, when a pause hit, he raised his hand and casually pressed the button. "4.5 million."

The crowd murmured. Several heads turned. Viola shot Xavier a sidelong glance, half-impressed, half-worried. Lyra only grinned like she already knew how this would end.

The cloaked figure snapped back from thier room with "4.7!"

Xavier didn't even blink. "5 million."

The auctioneer's gavel hovered. The cloaked man hesitated, muttered something under his breath, then lowered his hand.

"Sold! To the VIP guest, for five million credits!"

The room erupted into claps and whispers, some in awe, others in disbelief. The Serpent's Fang's case was sealed and moved carefully aside, tagged for delivery to Xavier's private vault.

Lyra leaned closer, her lips curving into a teasing grin. "Generous of me, isn't it? Getting you such a shiny toy."

Xavier smirked. "Pretty sure I was the one paying."

"Details, details."

Angel leaned back into her seat, tablet in hand, her thumb flicking across the screen while the faint glow lit up her face. She didn't look up when she spoke, voice calm but carrying a hint of weight. "Xavier… heads up. The ship we salvaged? Along with the gadgets and equipment we pulled out of it? They're putting all of it up in the next round."

He turned his head slowly toward her. "All of it?"

Angel nodded once, finally meeting his eyes. "Everything. The core components, the experimental drive, the weapons systems, even the auxiliary tech. They've bundled it together as one 'salvage package.' Guess someone from the inside decided to cash in early. Of course, there are other things sold separately, but the bundles make more sense for some items."

"Let's see how much money I can make from it."

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