"600!""700!"
"800!"
"1000!"
The VIP guests, who had remained silent until now, engaged in a barrage of bids that left the gallery beneath flabbergasted. They were n.o.bles and yet, in this instance, they looked like poor commoners that didn"t belong. Some felt ashamed, but the only thing they could do was clench their fists in defeat. If they could somehow get their hands on such fantastic weapons, their rankings would soar, but alas, reality was a cruel mistress.
"1200! Please give face to the Merchant"s a.s.sociation. We will owe you a favor"
"I knew you were here, old geezer! I don"t need your favor because the Army Consortium is winning this one. 1400!"
"Hoho… Old men trying to show their financial wealth… Have you forgotten about the Jewel Company? 1600!"
Everyone"s faces paled. They couldn"t clearly identify the voices, as they were distorted by magic, but if what they were what they claimed, it was terrifying. These powerhouses were the pinnacle of Terra. Their influence in the city was only lower than its Official, and some even debated that fact. They were organizations established in multiple cities, controlling their respective markets. One would have to be ignorant to not know who they were.
Meanwhile, Derrick was ecstatic! His empty coffers would finally be restored.
***
The young master was also frantically trying to outbid his compet.i.tors, but gave up when the bid reached 2000. Even though he was up against powerful organizations, he didn"t seem fazed at all. There were two more sets that could be better than this one.
"Still no news of the b.a.s.t.a.r.d?!"
With an irritated tone, he questioned his attendant who shook his head. It was highly unusual to lose contact like this, especially in a closed environment like an Auction House.
"f.u.c.king failures… I"ll get one of those weapons and when I learn his ident.i.ty, I"ll crush him under my feet like the s.h.i.+t he is…"
***
"2100!"
After the bid, n.o.body else spoke. Even though the equipment was amazing, paying such an amount was nothing to scoff at, particularly for only one set. The bid had been placed by the party claiming to represent the Army Consortium. Their ranks counted many talented soldiers, which was why it wasn"t surprising that they disbursed a lot for the items.
Jacqueline spiritedly called the winner, happy of the enthusiasm generated. She was surely going to get her bonus!
With a clap of her hands, the armed butler left the stage and another one came up.
This time, however, the well-dressed butler was equipped with two long swords. Just like the spear before, they were also made of bones. Their appearances were eerie and a faint aura of blood-l.u.s.t could be felt. The blades, expertly carved and polished, seemed able to cut air itself and the hilt had lions engraved.
The crowd was once again awed. These were masterpieces they had never seen before and probably wouldn"t again in their lifetimes. The Empire always hid their strongest weapons, keeping them as trump cards. Of course, the Empire"s armory was incomparable, but it was nice to have a glimpse of what it could be.
A magical screen appeared and silence pervaded the hall.
[Dual Sanguine Swords]
[Grade : Rare]
[Attack Power : 20]
[Ability : Madness (Allows its wielder to block all fear and emit strong blood-l.u.s.t in a radius of 300 meters, hampering enemies. Will last for a period of 6 hours) Cooldown Timer : 3 days]
[Description : Carved from the bones of a Red Locust]
The already stifling pressure increased. The ones that held out had been right. These weapons were even more amazing than the last. A zoning ability useful against entire corps? Its usefulness was mind-blowing.
Why was Derrick selling these powerful armaments? At first, he wanted to limit the strength of his future opponents, but he realized he had been naive. Right now, if the Empire wanted to crush him, he wouldn"t be able to do anything. His current strength was inconsequential to the behemoth. Plus, he was the craftsman. His skill would continue to improve and when time was ripe, he would craft perfect gear for his most important soldiers and generals.
When the description came into view, the Army Consortium gritted its teeth. Not because they felt regret over their earlier purchase, but because the playing field would get even more ferocious going forward.
They represented a lower army branch of the Krakow Empire, which meant that their resources, seemingly boundless, were in reality limited. They would have to pray for the others to fold before they did.
"I"ll skip the pleasantries and announce the price right away! The starting bid is 600 Gold coins. Begin!"
Jacqueline"s pleasant voice resounded through the hall and another heated battle begun. However, to the dismay of the hostess and Derrick, the ones bidding were the n.o.bles located in the gallery. What the h.e.l.l was going on?
After a few minutes, the price reached a meager 1400 Gold coins, which was still an impressive amount to fork over for a "lower" n.o.ble. The VIPs had yet to bid, and when Jacqueline was about to call the winner, a thunderous voice broke her mid-sentence.
"2500!"
The bid shocked the audience, and they couldn"t figure out why they had madly increased the price. Some thought it was to eliminate the smaller players and test out their opponent"s wallets, which was a sound strategy. Nevertheless, it didn"t matter to Derrick and Jacqueline, who were both reinvigorated by the development.
The party who broke the stalemate was the Merchant"s a.s.sociation, and a second breath was instilled in the bidding war.
"2700!"
"2900!"
"3000!"
The price soared quickly and Derrick"s heartbeat was frantic. His second and most pressing issue was being resolved right in front of him!
After another minute, the price stagnated at 3500. It was the Army Consortium"s bid. The tension was heavy and the pressure emitted had steadily increased. No one would back down from this fight, but the set had apparently reached its maximum value.
Jacqueline announced the winner and the hall burst into an uproar. The sums handed out were simply astronomical!
She clapped her hands again and the butler left the stage.
The crowd was anxiously waiting for the next items. Since it was the last set, the restraints were off and it would surely be an all-out brawl.
With a light snap of her fingers, a fully geared soldier appeared on the stage. To everyone"s disappointment, the armor he wore looked ordinary. It still looked great, but it lacked the "wow" factor that had pleased everyone so far.
Seeing their reactions, Derrick snickered.
"Foolish… Never judge a book by its cover…"
Jacqueline also had a smirk on her face, and she pointed up to the air above her, where the magical screen changed.
[Trivial Armor]
[Grade : Rare]
[Attack Power : 1]
[Defense Power : 1]
[Ability : Once donned, its wielder"s force will be increased by 10%. Cooldown Timer : None]
[Description : Unknown]
Derrick had hidden its description because he didn"t want to reveal any clues regarding its crafting process. His chest even tightened in discomfort. Giving away such an amazing item was stupid, but he needed money more than anything else right now.
The crowd was still confused after reading the small text. What did it mean by "Force"?
Derrick had, of course, given an explication to Jacqueline so that she could clarify its property. With her soothing and excited voice, she began.
""Force" means your everything, be it strength, agility, vitality, magic… Everything that is naturally part of you will be increased!"
Wait… Is she talking about your life expectancy? Nah.… Can"t be… Right?!
A painfully low voice asked what was on everyone"s mind. With a big smile, Jacqueline replied.
"Yes!"