A truth that many people can't seem to wrap their heads around is the idea that the world doesn't revolve around them.

That they may be the protagonist in their own story, but they are also side characters in someone else's.

Or in some cases, they are the antagonist that someone else will overcome.

—The thoughts of a man who lived long enough to see himself become the villain and back again.

___________________________________

While Zhen Liu understood that any of the people he fought had a chance to grow stronger than they were in previous attempts, a small teeny tiny part of him thought that the trauma of a kaijin-branded ass whooping would cause them to stop in their tracks at worst, or maybe help them turn over a new leaf.

While he wasn't entirely sure that was the case with all of his previous encounters, he did know that some of the people he traumatized ended up going for more honest lines of work and developed new hobbies or love interests.

...Is someone's ear burning? ...

"So this is that coffee stuff that you and your friends are so obsessed with?" a certain proto-kaijin pretending to be human commented as she looked over at the dark brown liquid in her cup.

"Yup! Apparently it's a favorite beverage for the people of Dozing Salamander. I've never been, but the fact that the master is from that place must mean something," her recently reformed partner commented while enjoying his own cup of coffee.

"I'm not sure if that's how that works…"

While the couple enjoyed their coffee, the master of the cafe and his new wife were watching them with smiling expressions.

"I feel like there should be a saying somewhere about love and coffee," the former assassin commented while leaning into her husband's embrace. "But for the life of me, I don't know what it would be?"

"The longer the brew, the better the taste?"

"Something like that."

…Alright, enough mush…

Either way, once Alain had revealed his true identity and a smidgen more of his power, Zhen Liu could see that the other people in the lounge began to direct slightly more serious gazes in the prince's direction.

The look on their faces indicated that they thought the crown prince to either be a surprisingly talented upstart who would clearly rock the world and could be a potential ally, or an annoying little bird that needed to get their wings clipped before they flew too close to the sun.

Amongst this crowd, he could see that in the eyes of both Madam Venus and the flunkies of Smoking Mirror, that Alain was considered to be a part of the latter to them.

An excellent development, at least to Zhen Liu.

If all of his enemies could step on each other's toes and kill each other before he had to get involved, that would be excellent.

'Wait...actually, that may not be a great development ' Zhen Liu realized.

If such a thing was to past, there a very good chance that Zhen Liu would be missing out on some rather lucrative payouts.

That and there was a very real possibility of them defeating each other in manners that were so decisive that instead of getting injured or crippled, one side would become even stronger and become an even greater headache to Zhen Liu and his allies.

Or worse, they could actually be the one to kill him.

(Un)Fortunately, before this line of thinking could be explored any further, an aether-enhanced announcement echoed through the lounge.

^Attention guests. The auction will be beginning shortly. Please proceed to either your assigned privacy box or the main showroom floor. Thank you.^

^Ah, pity,^ Alain sighed with a smile. ^It appears I was unable to woo you in the short time we were given to get to know each other.^

At this comment, Zhen Liu unconsciously gripped his hammer's handle a little tighter than usual.

^I would invite you to join me in my own private box, but I believe my companions wouldn't be able to appreciate your refined presence without losing control,^ Alain said before turning to leave the lounge. ^Well, I hope to see you after the event, Miss Ren Jia.^

^Fate willing,^ Jinju Ren replied with a polite smile.

At this point in time, the other people of note in the lounge were starting to leave as well, so instead of lingering for longer than necessary, Zhen Liu and his allies decided to follow their lead and leave for their private booth as well.

...One walk in silence later...

"Bleh! I can completely see why that guy would be considered your mortal enemy. Everything. About him made me feel...icky!" Jinju Ren complained while snuggling close to Zhen Liu. "Honey, hold me close so your soothing aura can cleanse the ick he left on me."

"As you wish."

The moment they were all out of sight and earshot: Zhen Liu, Jinju Ren, Rianna, Lythero, Zhong Wei, Frosttusk, and Nepherage all more or less deflated from putting on their act and tried to truly relax for the first time.

And in this space of total relaxation, they shared their feelings about...certain individuals.

"Mister Lythero, you should really consider holstering your innate desire to exact vengeance while you're still technically at half strength," Zhong Wei chided the young warrior. "I heard from Master Zhen Liu on how all seven of the swords you use for your martial skills were broken in battle. Perhaps wait until after you get an appropriate replacement before flying off the handle?"

"The sooner I jam a blade into his heart, the better," Lythero defended himself while still being held like an angry cat by Frosttusk. "Can you please let me go now?"

"Once you...calm down."

"So that weird lady surrounded by people was Madam Venus?" Rianna asked Nepherage. "What's her deal?"

"From what the curators told us, she is kind of like our lord here in the sense that they can use an energy that isn't native here. Our lord uses [Chaos], she uses [Fate]."

"[Fate]? What does that stuff do?"

"As far as we know, she used it to steal the identity of a woman for over sixty years."

"Really?! She doesn't look a day over thirty, though..."

As the group shared their opinions on the various enemies in the house, the sound of an announcement bell soon caught their attention and acted as a sign that they should get closer to the viewing port so that they can see the auction play out below them.

"Hey, do you guys happen to know if they're going to auction off our stuff first, or is it going to be somewhere in the middle?"

"I don't know; I didn't get a program."

...

"Ladies, gentlemen, and those who lie somewhere in-between, welcome to the Carved Dreams Auction House! We have a wonderful assortment of items sourced from famed artisans local to the area, as well as items provided from afar by guests to the city."

This announcement was kind of obvious to anyone with a brain, but it still elicited light applause from the audience.

"Now, let us present our first item for the day."

With a snap of his fingers, the auctioneer summoned forth a pedestal containing a scroll with a black cloud-like pattern.

From a glance, one could tell that this scroll was a major Ethereal grade aether art.

However, to some members of the crowd that just so happened to be from certain backgrounds, this aether art felt rather familiar.

~No way...~

~It can't be...~

"This scroll contains a technique known as the [Sky-Splitting Tiger's Claw]. By wrapping one's fingers in lightning and fury aether, they'll be able to release powerful claw strikes that can tear through even vicious storm clouds. An excellent aether art for anyone, but especially for those with more aggressive tendencies. The bidding will start at six hundred gold pieces."

"Six hun—"

"One thousand two hundred gold pieces!"

"What the fuck?!"

Absolutely no one in the audience nor on the stage expected someone to immediately double the price of the aether art in a single instant.

However, once they saw who the buyer was, several members of the audience immediately understood why they were so quick on the financial draw.

"Wait a minute, that uniform...doesn't that belong to the warriors of the Sky Demon Monastery?"

"I'm pretty sure that actually belongs to the Sky Demon Temple."

"Wait, aren't those two groups related to each other?"

"In the worst ways possible, yes."

As if the universe wanted to confirm this statement made by an outside observer, another voice cut through the show hall before the auctioneer could even ask for any additional bids.

"One thousand three hundred gold coins!"

"Oh no..."

Already, people could tell that this auction was going to get heated.

...

"Oh, shit. I didn't expect a copy of an aether art in the library to be that valuable."

"Me neither...say, where did you even get that aether art scroll? I mean, like, which section?"

"I think it was...a section dedicated to fallen sects and orders? I don't know, I figured those were old enough that people wouldn't ask questions about them suddenly reappearing."

"Hmmm."