CHAPTER 321: CHAPTER 321 - MASS-PRODUCED POWER

The host stood tall as two dark, cube-shaped objects were placed on the table beside him.

He began to explain with enthusiasm, "Up next, we have the Soulbinding Armor, a truly remarkable creation. Once activated, it will bind to its user’s soul and transform into an armor set tailored specifically to their combat profile. Its potential ranges from Elite-grade all the way up to Legendary. But wait, tonight’s presentation offers more than what you see before you."

Ember, seated beside Atlas, turned to him with a surprised look. "You’re seriously letting that item go, Atlas?"

Atlas glanced back at her calmly. "Well, at least this is something I can mass-produce. The value isn’t quite the same as the one I got directly from the Gacha. Those are guaranteed to be Epic-grade, while these can vary from Elite to Legendary. That makes them less predictable and adds a bit of gambling for whoever bids on them. But there’s another thing that I’m actually offering tonight."

At that moment, a person wearing a white mask stepped onto the stage, drawing the crowd’s attention. The host gestured toward the figure and continued excitedly, "That’s right, everyone. Tonight, you’ll witness firsthand how the Soulbinding Armor works! This live demonstration will help you decide just how valuable this item could be for you!"

The masked figure was Edrik. He picked up one of the cubes and held it high. In an instant, the cube began to pulse violently as a surge of dark aura burst forth, swirling rapidly before merging into Edrik’s body.

Shadows wrapped around him like living tendrils, and within moments, his entire outfit shifted. The dark energy reshaped into a sleek combination of light armor and flowing fabric, complete with a full mask that perfectly embodied his true nature, an assassin, silent and deadly.

Even the host was left speechless for a moment before exclaiming in awe, "Incredible! Look at that transformation, ladies and gentlemen! The synchronization rate is astonishing! Now, let’s see... what grade did it achieve in the end?"

The host continued excitedly, "It has transformed into a Unique-grade armor set! Absolutely remarkable! And the best part? We still have one more of these incredible items available for bidding tonight! But that’s not all. Whoever wins this bid will also earn exclusive rights to future purchases directly from the creator of this masterpiece!"

The host turned toward the audience with a grand gesture. "The winner will have access to buy up to thirty of these Soulbinding Armors within the next year. Each one customizable and negotiable in price! Now, the bidding starts at twenty million UGD!"

"Oh damn!" Ember exclaimed. "Twenty million UGD? You’re seriously greedy, Atlas."

Luna added with a thoughtful nod, "So, thirty items available for trade within a year. I doubt anyone would want to miss that kind of offer."

Atlas nodded slightly. "A one-year window for thirty items feels reasonable. Hopefully, it’ll bring in plenty of funds. With that many sets, and the potential for Legendary-grade outcomes. It should draw plenty of attention."

Ember sighed softly. "And have you ever actually gotten a Legendary-grade yet, Atlas?"

"Not yet," he admitted with a small laugh.

The host continued energetically as the bidding heated up. "Thirty million! Thirty-two! Thirty-four! Do we have any higher bids? Anyone else?!"

Atlas watched the numbers climb with a mix of tension and anticipation. Even though he was essentially letting go of one of his signature creations, the deal still limited future sales to only thirty items over the next year, an amount he could easily manage. Plus, the individual prices would still be open for negotiation, meaning he wouldn’t be losing much overall. At the very least, he could secure a strong source of funds from this transaction.

The host’s voice grew louder with excitement. "Forty-two million! That’s an incredible number! Are we stopping there, or do I hear more?!"

"The price is going insane, Atlas!" Ember said, leaning toward him. "If only they knew you planned to share this item with the alliance too!"

Atlas gave a faint smile. "If the buyer decides to join my alliance, that would be even more interesting. Though I’m quite certain anyone capable of bidding this high already has an alliance of their own."

The host called out again, his tone almost trembling from the thrill. "Fifty-two million! This is unbelievable. Our highest bid so far tonight! Anyone else? Any higher bids?!"

Atlas waited anxiously, eyes fixed on the display, wondering how high the price would climb. The room buzzed with murmurs, but no new bids came in.

Finally, the host raised his hand dramatically. "Sixty-four million UGD! Do we have anyone going higher?... No? Then it’s settled. Sold at sixty-four million UGD!"

Atlas finally let out a long sigh of relief and leaned back in his seat.

"Not bad," Ember said with a small smile. "Actually, I’d say that’s a pretty great price."

"Yes, I think it’s quite high," Atlas replied. "Considering I can produce dozens of them in just a week," he added with a grin. "If only I could sell every item at that price."

"You really are greedy, huh?" Ember teased with a soft giggle. "Well, now that you’ve got more funds, let’s see if something else shows up that catches your eye for the next bid."

A few moments later, Edrik returned to the room, bowing respectfully toward Atlas. Fortunately, his demonstration had gone perfectly, and the armor’s Unique-grade result had clearly helped push the bidding price much higher than expected.

Now, with roughly a hundred million UGD in his pocket, Atlas wondered if he could secure an item that would truly meet his needs. One by one, more items appeared, each one tempting him even more.

Several rounds passed; Luna even managed to snatch one of the items, though it wasn’t for herself but rather something she was holding on behalf of Celestia. Then, another item appeared, one that immediately made Atlas sit upright again.

The host’s voice boomed with enthusiasm. "Ladies and gentlemen, feast your eyes on the Skybreaker Ballista Blueprint! A physical anti-air siege weapon designed for large-scale defense! This massive ballista fires enchanted spears capable of exploding midair, delivering devastating piercing damage and an enormous blast radius!"

"An anti-air attack defense system, powerful enough to turn the tide of battle! A rare masterpiece of engineering and magic combined! And now, the auction for the Skybreaker Ballista Blueprint begins, starting at fifteen million UGD!"

The moment the opening bid was announced, the auction floor exploded with energy. The host’s voice rose above the crowd, brimming with excitement.

"Twenty-four million! Oh, I see many of you are serious about claiming this blueprint! Any higher? Twenty-five! Twenty-six! Twenty-seven. Thirty-five million! This is madness, everyone! Keep it going!"

Atlas sat forward, posture tense but focused, waiting for the perfect moment to make his move. An anti-air defense blueprint, something this valuable rarely appeared in public auctions. Whoever released such a masterpiece must have had a reason, but to Atlas, it didn’t matter.

A defensive structure like this was priceless. It could strengthen a fortress’s protection without draining the fighting forces, providing overwhelming defense that could shift the balance of any siege. No wonder so many were fighting for it.

And Atlas knew, without a single doubt in his mind, he had to get this blueprint.