CHAPTER 933: THE SECRET AUCTION (PART-6)

"What are you doing—" Kate started, eyes flashing.

Orion shook his head slightly and spoke low, "Put it down. It’s best to stay out of this one."

Kate froze. While she couldn’t see through the mask to see what kind of expression he was making, she felt the tone in his voice wasn’t casual or some friendly advice— it was clearly a warning. She studied his masked face for a moment, saw the seriousness in his eyes, and reluctantly lowered her paddle.

"Alright... but you’ll tell me why later," she muttered, still curious but trusting him enough not to argue.

Orion gave a subtle nod, eyes flicking back to the egg.

Across the room, at Table 13, Alex had been casually sipping his wine while watching the crowd. His gaze flicked toward Kate just as she raised the paddle — and then toward Orion when she lowered it abruptly.

"Does this one have special eyes?" he murmured under his breath, leaning forward a bit. "Can he also see that the spirit inside that egg is corrupted? Or did he stop her because he no longer thinks it is worth it? Hmm... judging by how he couldn’t bypass the dungeon laws, it could be the latter. But, if it is the former, then he purposely didn’t resist the dungeon laws. Regardless, he is already someone I intend to keep an eye on. So, the truth will come out sooner or later, I guess."

Meanwhile, the bidding war continued.

"38 million!"

"38.5 million!"

"39 million!"

.

.

.

"Anyone up for 46.5? Anyone..."

"Ok, last 10 seconds. This is your final chance to bid. Or else you will miss it."

"Ok, 46 million once, twice, and sold!"

The hostess nodded at the winner, then clapped lightly.

"Congratulations to Table 5. The Phoenix Egg now belongs to you."

At table nine, Kate’s eyes gleamed faintly as she watched the bidding end. She crossed her legs elegantly, tapping a finger against her glass, as she murmured. "This fool is paying so much for an additional Arcana spirit. I guess it is because it can give him an additional life. Ugh... so cowardly..."

As the servant carefully brought to the winner’s table and finished the transaction, the hostess turned back to the crowd with a smile that promised the night was far from over.

"Now then," she said, slipping another hand into her ring, "let us proceed to the second item."

Over the course of the next hour, four more items were unveiled one after another — each rarer and more dazzling than the last.

One was a cloak that is said to expand to be a shield with durability that can block Rank-9 attacks. Table 7 won the bid for 39.5 million.

A superior-grade Dimensional Ring Artifact, created after a storage card, which had more than a thousand acres of space inside. Table 11 won the bid for 31 million.

A crystal embedded in a pendant, made from the spirit core of Time Beast Znuvo, which could slow time within a radius of two meters to 1100th with a cooldown timer of an hour. Sold for an unprecedented price of 144 million credits. And the one that won this bid is Table 5.

And then a mystic flute that could temporarily control wild monsters below Rank-7 with its melody. This one was won by Selene for 78 million Credits.

Kate tried to bid on every item, but as they went past the maximum price she set, she couldn’t win anyone so far.

Orion, on the other hand, sat quietly, gaze flicking between the bidders and the items. He wasn’t here to compete anyway.

Still, one thing bothered him.

There was one guest in the room, who attended the auction but had yet to bid for even a single item, whether it was in the blind auction or the exclusive ones.

At the very front, Alexander Magnolis, the man they called the Demon of Zuweth, hadn’t lifted his paddle even once or submitted any bidding card.

He sat there like a king at leisure with his eyes half-lidded, occasionally whispering something to himself or just playing some offline games on his smartphone. It was like he was only a spectator here.

Orion couldn’t help but wonder why he was even here if he didn’t intend to buy anything. Then he remembered Kate’s words when she talked to him. Now, Orion couldn’t help but think something important was going to happen.

The hostess’ voice then brushed across the hall.

"Now, ladies and gentlemen, we will move to the sixth item of the night."

The hall fell utterly silent the moment the sixth item shimmered into existence.

A grand golden throne, its surface glinting with faint divine radiance, was emerging slowly from the hostess’s dimensional ring.

The throne wasn’t just a simple seat here. It stood upon thirty-two steps, each one carved with a life-like statue of a woman, their forms so real that for a fleeting second, it almost seemed as if they were breathing. Each held a distinct posture, like they were frozen while dancing.

"Behold," the hostess announced, her voice echoing with reverence, "the Throne of Emperor Vikramaditya, over five hundred thousand years old. Said to belong to the legendary Emperor of Zuania, the first emperor who was said to have united the known world and ruled it with absolute justice back during the apocalypse era. Historians call him a myth, but this artifact..."

She gestured at the throne, "This artifact is proof that he existed."

A collective gasp swept the guests.

The throne glowed faintly, golden light rippling across the steps, revealing faint runes and glyphs in an ancient, lost language.

"According to records," the hostess continued, "the throne grants the bearer invincibility, divine authority to rule, and the right to judge all under heaven. However, we can’t ascertain the truth because..."

Her tone dropped slightly,

"An ancient seal remains placed upon it. None has managed to break it so far. Whether it still holds the Emperor’s will, or his curse, is unknown."

Due to uncertainty, people hesitated at first.

"The minimum bid starts at five million credits!"

But then, a smooth baritone voice broke through the air.

"Five point five," Alexander Magnolis raised his paddle at last.

A murmur rippled across the hall. Even the hostess faltered for a moment, caught off guard. This was the first time he’d participated at all.

And that set off the bidding war for the throne.

"Table 13, five point five million! Do I hear six?"

"Six million, table five!"

"Six point five, table thirteen!"

The duel began — a volley of numbers traded back and forth like an unseen battle of wills.

6.5 7 8.5 10 10.5 13 18 25 30 million.

At 34.5 million credits, the opposing bidder finally slammed his paddle down in frustration.

"Sold! Table thirteen wins — the Throne of Vikramaditya, at 34.5 million credits!"

Applause erupted, though most of it was forced like it has been so far.

The glowing throne vanished into a flash of golden light as Alexander calmly stored it in his inventory. Leaning back in his chair, he tapped a finger against his glass and smirked faintly.

"These fools..." he murmured under his breath, voice dripping with amusement, "They don’t even realize what that throne truly is capable of. Of course, how could they? They wouldn’t know how to unseal it even if they did."