CHAPTER 319: CHAPTER 319 - LET THE BIDDING BEGIN

Each registered lord was only allowed to bring one companion to the auction. Surprisingly, even with that limitation, the enormous hall, lined with hundreds of transparent private chambers, was packed. By Atlas’s estimate, there were over two hundred lords present that night.

It was an incredible sight.

Each lord occupied their own glass-walled booth, giving them a full view of the stage through one-way glass, along with a massive display screen showing detailed information about each item up for bid.

Just securing a slot for this auction required a 500 gold registration fee, a considerable amount. The fee would later be deducted from the price of any item successfully purchased, but for those who failed to win a bid, the deposit would simply vanish.

Fortunately, lords who also submitted items for auction received special entry privileges, meaning Atlas could participate as a bidder for free.

For this event, he shared a booth with Luna and Ember, at their own request, so they could discuss potential bids together throughout the night.

A lively host soon appeared on stage, officially opening the grand auction with a booming, enthusiastic voice. The crowd couldn’t see one another. Each booth kept the lords hidden from view, but the sheer presence in the air was almost tangible.

Atlas couldn’t help but imagine what would happen if a war ever broke out in a place like this. The thought alone sent a chill down his spine. The destruction would be unimaginable.

Thankfully, this auction was strictly limited to lords of Rank 2, with a few Rank 3 participants at most. Powerful, yes, but still within manageable bounds.

The host raised his voice, signaling the start of the first auctioned item as two female attendants entered the stage, carefully carrying a glass case covered with a black cloth.

As the host gave the cue, one of the attendants pulled the cover away, revealing what lay inside.

"Ladies and gentlemen," the host began proudly, "our opening item tonight. A Legendary-grade sword, imbued with the fire element! Forged from rare infernal steel and tempered with a single drop of dragon’s blood, this blade is known for its unmatched speed and searing damage output. A weapon worthy of those who command both flame and fury!"

Inside the case rested a sword slightly longer than a standard blade, though not quite the length of a longsword. Its edge gleamed with a deep, molten luster, and its dark crimson handle seemed to pulse faintly with heat. Even at rest, the weapon exuded a visible aura of fire, flickering like living embers dancing across its surface.

"The very first item is already a Legendary-grade sword?" Atlas murmured under his breath.

Ember leaned back in her seat, smirking. "You could easily get something like that, couldn’t you, Atlas? I mean, I doubt it even compares to your Legendary-grade spear."

Atlas nodded slightly. "My spear’s been upgraded with the lightning element, and it can even host Zefyros within it. Still... I have no idea how someone could get access to a sword with a grade this high."

He turned toward Luna. "Do you think a Rank-2 lord could really have access to something this rare?"

Luna thought for a moment before replying. "Well... if we don’t take system abilities into account, then no. Legendary-grade weapons are far beyond what Rank-2 lords can usually obtain. Maybe Rank-3, or even Rank-4. But if the person in question has a system ability related to forging or item enhancement, it’s possible. Having one doesn’t necessarily mean they can create more of the same, though."

"I see." Atlas nodded slowly, absorbing her words.

Edrik, who had been quietly listening, finally spoke. "If someone possesses a blacksmith class and a compatible system ability, then reaching that grade might still be within reason."

Atlas nodded again, his eyes narrowing slightly toward the sword displayed on stage. "I’m curious to see how high the bidding will go for this one. It’s a weapon that nearly anyone could use. A sword, combined with the fire element. It’s versatile, powerful, and the most common elemental affinity out there. Its appeal is purely in damage, and that alone will drive the price through the roof."

The host’s voice rang out across the hall, clear and confident. "The opening price is ten million UGD! Let the bidding begin!"

Atlas raised an eyebrow. "Ten million? That seems too low for an opening bid," he muttered.

Edrik leaned forward slightly. "Actually, even for swords of the same grade and element, the price range can vary quite a bit," he explained.

Atlas and the others turned to him with interest.

"You’re saying this one isn’t that valuable, Edrik?" Atlas asked.

Edrik nodded once. "Most Legendary-grade weapons get their worth from their skill damage percentage or impact percentage, how much they enhance the user’s abilities. But the exact skills attached to the weapon can change its market value drastically."

He pointed toward the large display screen showing the weapon’s data. "This sword has three skills: one that boosts fire magic damage, another that grants close-range fire attacks, and the last that enhances attack speed and stamina recovery during chaotic battles."

Luna tilted her head thoughtfully. "That’s a strange combination. One skill seems more suited for magic users, while the other two are clearly designed for frontline fighters. They don’t really complement each other. It’s too niche to be truly effective."

Atlas nodded slowly. "So maybe it’s designed for sword-magic hybrid users?"

Edrik confirmed with a quiet hum. "Exactly. But not many go for that hybrid path. It’s too hard to master. So even though this sword is Legendary-grade, it loses much of its potential because its skill combination isn’t optimized."

Meanwhile, the host’s voice echoed again. "Twenty-five million Gold! Any higher? Any higher?"

Atlas leaned back, arms crossed. "Twenty-five million already... I wonder just how high a Legendary-grade sword like this will go."

The host continued the call. "Twenty-six million! Twenty-seven million! Any higher? Any higher?"

A few seconds of silence followed before the hammer came down. "Sold for twenty-seven million UGD!"

Atlas exhaled softly. "Twenty-seven million UGD... quite a shame it only reached that much."

Ember gave a short laugh. "That’s already a massive amount, Atlas. It’s a Legendary-grade weapon, after all."

Atlas turned to her. "If the very first item is already Legendary-grade, then I can’t help but wonder. What kind of item will be the real surprise of this auction?"

The auction continued as the host raised his voice once more.

"Next item. Veil of the Forgotten Moon! Grade: Unique. A cloak woven from starlit silk harvested from an ancient spider spirit. Grants invisibility during night cycles and reduces detection from magic scans!"

Ember folded her arms. "That thing doesn’t sound very exciting."

Luna glanced at her. "Why do you say that?"

"I mean, a lot of people can already do that with their own class abilities, right? Especially assassins or shadow users."

Luna sighed and tapped Ember lightly on the forehead. "Do you really think shadow element mastery is that easy to obtain?"

Ember grinned. "Well, at least on Atlas’s island, there are plenty of skilled shadow users."

"Atlas and his elite subordinates don’t count," Luna added dryly, earning a playful giggle from Ember.

Atlas tilted his head slightly, thoughtful. "That cloak sounds a bit like something crafted from the threads of the spider species we have on our island."

Edrik nodded in agreement. "If you manage to recruit a tailor with exceptional skill, my lord, you could probably craft something similar yourself."

"But that would still require a blueprint, wouldn’t it?" Atlas replied. "That’s the real problem."

Before they could discuss further, the host’s voice echoed again. "Twenty million UGD! Any higher? None? Sold for twenty million!"

Moments later, another display case was brought onto the stage.

The host’s tone rose with excitement. "Next item. Stormbreaker Gauntlet!"

Atlas’s eyes widened slightly. "Wait! Stormbreaker?!"