Endless Extraction in a Game-Like World

Chapter 278: Golden Chamber Auction House and Someone is Looking For him?

[Equipment Successfully Forged]

[Combat Score: +3]

[Name Assigned: Blood-Moon Sword]

[Rarity: Secret Rank]

[Usage Limit: Level 1-10]

[Secret Passive: The sword grows stronger by consuming the blood essence of defeated enemies]

[Passive Effect: Every successful attack applies the debuff: Erode]

[Erode: Each successful attack continuously damages the target while slowly weakening their vitality and physical defenses]

Caelus smiled seeing the notifications appear, the weapon far exceeding his expectations despite already knowing Chaos Forge’s capabilities.

He carefully lifted the blade and examined it.

The balance felt perfect in his hands despite never intending to use it himself.

"Here," he said while turning toward Sylvia. "Try it."

Sylvia carefully received the sword from his hands, the weapon immediately resonating with her Aura the moment her fingers wrapped around the hilt.

Crimson energy briefly flowed across the blade like electricity before settling into a steady glow, the sword responding to her presence in a way ordinary equipment never could.

She swung it once experimentally.

"It is good." Sylvia smiled sweetly.

Caelus smiled seeing her reaction.

"Of course," he replied. "It is Secret Rank."

"Unlike ordinary equipment..." he began while gesturing toward the glowing blade. "This one grows with its owner."

"Feed it enough blood and it will continue evolving. Eventually, you can equip it once it matches your level."

Sylvia nodded; she had read its status as well.

Caelus then quietly looked back at the Chaos Forge after watching Sylvia admire her new weapon, an idea suddenly appearing in his mind that he had not fully considered before.

He turned back toward Sylvia with a thoughtful expression.

"Sylvia," he called out while gesturing toward the cooling forge.

She looked up from the Blood-Moon Sword with a curious tilt of her head.

"We should auction off the blades I created to get some money," he suggested.

"Chaos Forge lets me freely adjust the forging quality," he explained while walking back toward the forge.

"Meaning, we can start with something like a Transcendent and slowly build up from there."

"I do not have to reveal everything either."

"We can slowly build our reputation."

Caelus intentionally chose not to flood the market despite having the capability to mass-produce high-rank equipment, understanding that Earth remained fundamentally different from Azure Origin Planet.

This world was still relatively unfamiliar despite him living here before his transmigration, with powerful organizations existing everywhere possessing resources and influence far beyond what independent players could match.

Revealing too much strength too quickly could attract unwanted attention from entities they were not prepared to handle yet, so Caelus decided to progress carefully and methodically instead.

Before forging another weapon for potential sale, Caelus opened the Golden Chamber Auction application on his phone while Sylvia practiced some basic forms with her new sword.

He navigated through several menus before reaching the completed auctions section, wanting to understand current market prices before committing to anything.

The search results loaded within seconds, and his eyes widened seeing the numbers displayed.

The highest completed weapon auction caught his attention immediately: a Transcendent Rank greatsword with a usage limit of level 40-50 that had sold three days ago.

The final selling price displayed clearly beneath the weapon’s image made him pause completely.

$18,700,000

He scrolled further down and noticed Legendary weapons usually sold between 500k to 1M depending on their specific attributes and level requirements, while Transcendent equipment rarely appeared on the market at all.

Secret Rank had never appeared publicly according to the auction house records, making it effectively priceless in the current economy.

Caelus quietly whistled seeing these figures.

"...That is a lot more than monster hunting," he muttered while continuing to scroll.

Sylvia laughed hearing his comment and walked over to peek at his phone screen, immediately understanding why he sounded so surprised.

"For now, let’s go with just one weapon and test the waters," he said thoughtfully.

And he already knew what he was going to say to the auction house: he would just say he got this from a Secret Realm inside the Domain.

Then, he deliberately suppressed Chaos Forge’s full capabilities while preparing for the next forging session.

The forging sequence began as he gathered ores and ignited the forge once more.

Hammer strikes rang out in a steady rhythm as metal folded and compressed under his precise movements, each impact perfectly calculated to achieve the desired result.

The tempering process followed naturally as he quenched the blade in specialized oils that hissed and steamed violently, the metal accepting the treatment without developing any imperfections.

The final polish came last as he worked the grinding stone across the blade’s surface until it gleamed like mirror glass, the finished weapon elegant enough to attract serious buyers.

[Equipment Successfully Forged]

[Name Assigned: Azure Storm Blade]

[Rarity: Transcendent]

[Usage Limit: Level 1-10]

[Passive: Inflict the Debuff: Storm Damage]

The two left their apartment as evening began settling over Long Island City.

After a short rest involving breakfast and changing clothes, they headed toward the Golden Chamber Auction House located in Manhattan’s financial district.

The building appeared before them after a forty-minute taxi ride.

The Golden Chamber Auction House was luxurious beyond anything Caelus had expected, the exterior constructed from polished white marble with golden accents that caught the evening light beautifully.

The building stood elegant and imposing among the surrounding skyscrapers, clearly catering to wealthy players who had no shortage of resources to spend.

Guards were stationed everywhere, both visible and hidden, their professional demeanor suggesting serious security measures protected the valuable items housed inside.

They entered through massive double doors that opened automatically upon approach, the interior proving even more impressive than the exterior.

Chandeliers hung from high ceilings, casting warm light across marble floors, while expensive artwork decorated the walls between display cases showcasing previous auction items.

A receptionist welcomed them immediately with a smile.

"Welcome to the Golden Chamber Auction House," she said. "How may I assist you today?"

Caelus reached into his inventory and materialized the Azure Storm Blade before placing it carefully onto the polished counter, the weapon immediately drawing the receptionist’s attention.

"I would like to consign this," he stated simply.

The receptionist, seeing this, politely asked for their membership information as protocol required, her expression remaining neutral and professional throughout.

Caelus told her his name, which she scanned quickly in her computer.

"...Tier 3 Member," she said while looking at her screen.

A Tier 3 Member was not significant.

But Tier 3 members received a seven percent reduced auction commission compared to non-members.

The benefits were not overly prestigious compared to higher tiers, but they provided tangible advantages for regular customers like Caelus who frequently used Golden Chamber services.

The receptionist carefully examined the Azure Storm Blade with gloved hands, her expression gradually changing as she studied the weapon’s craftsmanship and quality.

It did not take long for her to check its stats and confirm whether it was real or fake.

Once that was done, she bowed politely.

"Mr. Kross," she began while carefully placing the weapon in a secure display case. "Tomorrow evening, we are hosting a major auction."

"If you wish, your weapon can be included tonight."

She mentioned the listing fee required for participating in tomorrow’s premium auction, the amount displayed clearly on a small tablet she produced from beneath the counter.

The listing fee was $10,000, a substantial amount but reasonable considering the potential returns from a Transcendent weapon sale.

Caelus paid immediately by transferring the funds from his account without hesitation, already confident the weapon would sell for far more than the initial investment.

"We will come back tomorrow," he said while accepting the receipt.

Caelus and Sylvia left the Golden Chamber Auction House as the sun finished setting over Manhattan, streetlights beginning to illuminate the darkening city around them.

The receptionist quietly watched them disappear through the lobby doors and into the evening crowds beyond, her professional smile remaining fixed until they were completely out of sight.

Once they were gone and she was certain no one was watching, her expression immediately changed to something calculating.

She quickly picked up the office phone and dialed an internal extension, waiting only a single ring before someone answered on the other end.

"Manager," she said while glancing toward the secured display case containing the Azure Storm Blade. "A young man just consigned a Transcendent weapon."

She paused, listening to the response.

"Yes," she confirmed while checking her computer screen again.

"He looked incredibly young," she added with emphasis, implying something significant about that observation.

The conversation continued for several more seconds before she hung up, her expression remaining thoughtful as she stared at the weapon.

Caelus and Sylvia returned to their apartment in Long Island City as the afternoon sun fully settled over the neighborhood, both feeling satisfied after an unexpectedly productive day.

Sylvia placed the Blood-Moon Sword beside the sofa and admired it again before sitting down, the weapon’s crimson glow casting interesting shadows across the living room walls.

Caelus sat down beside her with a contented sigh.

"Tomorrow..." he said while leaning back comfortably. "Let’s see how much it sells for."

Just as they began relaxing and considering what to watch on television, Caelus’s phone suddenly rang.

He pulled the device from his pocket and checked the caller ID, raising an eyebrow seeing the name displayed.

Candy Charlotte.

He answered immediately and brought the phone to his ear.

"Caelus," Candy’s voice came through from the other side.

"Someone came to our blacksmith shop today. He was asking about you."

"...Me?" Caelus asked with a frown.

"Yeah," she confirmed from the other side. "He specifically asked if anyone here knew a guy named... Caelus Kross."