Chapter 152: The Ashway Bazaar (6)
’Finally, it’s here.’
From the elevated seat inside the private lounge, Ruvian lowered his gaze toward the distant stage.
The item was placed upon a dark velvet display, its form slender and dignified even from afar.
The long, gently curved blade reflected the bright light of the hall, its surface smooth and clean, almost like still water catching the glow of dusk.
Ruvian’s eyes moved to the enchanted screen in the lounge, where the item could be seen much more clearly.
The handle was covered in dark material, wrapped neatly to give a firm grip. The end of the handle had a balanced weight, making the whole weapon look well-proportioned and stable.
Noticing the quiet focus in Ruvian’s eyes, Silvena turned to him with curiosity.
"Is that the one you are looking for?"
Ruvian gave a small smile.
His expression remained calm, but certain.
"Yes. That is the one, my lady."
In the next moment, the announcer lifted the weapon carefully, presenting it beneath the golden light as if it was a treasure of unquestionable prestige.
"Dear esteemed guests, please give your attention to this elegant relic that was recovered from a dangerous dungeon expedition."
He declared, his voice full of flamboyant confidence.
"This is a weapon with refined balance and admirable craftsmanship, already verified by professional relic appraisers and classified within the respectable rank of Grade-B armaments."
He slowly turned the blade so the golden light moved along its smooth curve, showing its quiet beauty to the audience.
"Our inspectors had concluded that this blade could grant the wielder a meaningful enhancement... Ahem, so yes, this blade is highly beneficial for those who pursue both reliability and prestige."
His smile remained composed, yet a slight pause appeared, as though even he was searching for more convincing praise.
"But if I must say... the precise enchantment still remains somewhat elusive. As we all know, ancient relics often conceal their deeper qualities until they decide to show themselves."
"So... ermm, as the wise once said: mystery itself is often a sign of true excellence. Therefore, this blade is actually waiting for its true owner to appear!"
He raised the weapon slightly higher, allowing its polished surface to reflect the warm light.
’Haa... shit. How am I supposed to sell this if they didn’t tell me anything about it? Those stupid higher-ups.’ the announcer secretly grumbling to himself.
Then, the crowd started to whisper.
"Meh... sounds like a crappy sword. I’m not buying it."
"A Grade-B, but got no enchantment? Haha! I would rather save my coins for something else then. Only a fool would bid for this."
Honestly, the announcer’s explanation sounded convincing enough, but the lack of clear detail could be noticed by those who listened carefully. It was not because the auction, for obvious reasons, wished to hide something about the weapon.
Rather, the reality was far more astonishing.
Even the specialists entrusted with inspecting the blade had been incapable of determining what truly made it a Grade-B relic.
Technically, the weapon emitted the steady aura expected from a Grade-B relic, yet no clear enchantment could be identified, leaving the matter trapped in uncertainty and doubtful speculation.
From the private lounge, Ruvian watched silently, his gaze steady as the image of the blade appeared clearly on the enchanted screen.
As someone who had read the novel, as soon as he saw the catalog entry, he immediately felt an intense sense of familiarity with that blade.
However, claiming he recognized it instantly would be slightly exaggerated.
In order to confirm his suspicion, he had expended -500 Plot Points to activate [Omniscient Review], forcing the distant fragments of memory to resurface with better clarity. (-500PP)
And when the recollection finally surfaced, the revelation was nothing less than shocking.
As he had expected....
This was the weapon that was once wielded by one of the legendary heroes.
Furthermore, the information confidently spoken by the announcer now sounded almost absurd. This blade was absolutely not a mere Grade-B relic.
No... the reality was far more outrageous.
This was a Grade-S weapon!
Even more unbelievable, this weapon possessed the frightening capability to conceal its true nature, hiding overwhelming power behind an appearance that seemed completely ordinary.
So yes, Ruvian definitely and absolutely wanted that blade for himself.
He couldn’t let this chance slip away.
Without looking away from the screen, Ruvian spoke in a low voice, yet the firmness within it could be clearly felt.
"Silvena..."
"Yes?"
"...Outbid them."
Silvena showed no surprise at all. She simply smiled, already expecting such a word from the very beginning.
"Easily."
At the same moment, the announcer carefully placed the blade back onto the dark velvet display.
He slowly inhaled, gathering his composure, and the bright smile soon returned as his voice rose with a renewed spirit.
"Honoured guests, the moment has finally arrived!"
"Now, the starting price for this blade shall be... 80 gold coins!"
A subtle murmur spread across the hall.
Many of the guests did not respond immediately. Some observed the blade with small interest, while others leaned toward their companions, exchanging some remarks.
With its quality still unverified, was a blade truly worth such a price?
Could it really justify the risk when so many other relics with clearer abilities would soon appear?
Well, such hesitation was only natural!
For several moments, the auction platform remained undisturbed.
Then, a soft chime echoed from the lower floor.
A glowing number appeared on the display panel.
"Alright. We have an opening bid of 85 gold coins from someone!" the announcer read aloud, relieved that the silence had finally been broken.
Soon, another bid followed.
Then, a second voice entered the competition.
Then a third.
Their hesitation slowly began to fade as the bidding rhythm started to form.
Although no one looked especially excited, the temptation of obtaining a Grade-B relic at a possibly fair price was enough to keep their interest alive.
"120 gold coins!"
The price continued to rise step by step.
Just then...
"180 gold coins!" the announcer revealed the newest bid.
"Haha, holy fuck. Whoever that is... they must be crazy to buy this sword!"
"Yeah, who would bid so much for something when we don’t even know its true worth?"
Yet, while the crowd continued to whisper and judge the mysterious bidder...
The true devil of gold had still not made a move.
Inside the private lounge, Silvena quietly watched the bidding panel. The soft glow of the enchanted interface gently lit as she pressed the console calmly.
Without any hesitation, she entered the number.
Ding!
At that moment, the announcer suddenly stiffened.
His confident smile slightly froze, clearly surprised and visibly shaken by the new number that had just appeared on the display before him.
The announcer quickly cleared his throat.
His eyes widened, and the next moment, excitement burst from his voice as if fresh energy had filled his entire body.
"Now this is interesting... we also have a bid from the private tiers for this lot!"
Then, he exclaimed the bidding price loudly.
"400 gold coins!!!!"
Then, the whole crowd choked after hearing such numbers.
"Huhh!!!??"
"Where did that come from!!??"
"What the hell!!?"
Everyone was in disbelief.
"What an incredible leap in price, right!? Hahaha~!! Such bold decisiveness! I guess you can say that our honourable guest truly recognizes the potential hidden within this elegant relic!"
He took a deep breath, gathering his voice once more.
"Alright then, final call!"
A small stir spread through the audience, and the quiet whispers quickly followed as many exchanged looks filled with disbelief.
"Going once!"
"Going twice..."
However, at this point, no one in their right mind would dare to compete with such a terrifying price.
To challenge such a bidder was no different from willingly walking into ruin, and most people valued their wealth far too much to act so recklessly.
In the end, the result was already decided.
The devil of gold had won the bid.
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[Chapter 152: The Ashway Bazaar (6)]
