CHAPTER 179: AUCTION (PART 4)

The blood of an angel...

When everyone heard the name of the article, the silence was broken. One after another, they began to cry; others rose from their seats and knelt fervently. The air was filled with stifled sobs, trembling breaths, and voices choked with devotion.

They were in the presence of something sacred. Although it was not the angel’s body, its mere existence was enough to shake their souls.

The golden glow radiating from that object was reflected on their tear-stained faces; their gazes were fixed, surrendered to the divine presence.

The only one who did not participate in that act was Kael. He remained calm, with a neutral expression, silently observing that spectacle of faith. Neither his lips moved nor his posture changed. His cold gaze seemed to pierce through the scene as if it were something foreign, distant, irrelevant.

Amidst the exaltation of the believers of the Old Sun God, Kael was the only immovable point.

Five minutes passed. Little by little, the crowd regained its composure. Each believer returned to their seat with tears still wet on their cheeks. Never before had they felt so close to their God as they did at that moment.

It was as if the distance between the divine and the mortal had vanished for a brief moment.

However, as the fervor dissipated, a silent thought began to spread among them, like a poisoned doubt.

How did Bishop Henri manage to obtain the blood of an angel?

No one dared to say it aloud, but the question hung in the air. Nevertheless, even that doubt paled in comparison to another, even more disturbing and urgent question:

Who will be the chosen one to obtain the angel’s blood?

The atmosphere became heavy.

Because there were many myths surrounding existence, and many of them could never be proven. Even possessing a single feather was considered impossible; an unattainable treasure that only existed in legends.

The woman with the white rabbit mask continued speaking from the stage. Her voice was clear and elegant.

[This wonderful and unique item, the Blood of an Angel, is one of the last three items of the night. Its starting bid is ten thousand mana stones.]

"..."

Silence.

The air seemed to stand still. None of those present dared to speak. Ten thousand mana stones were not an amount that an ordinary person could even imagine, let alone gather.

Most knew that, in their entire lives, they would never be able to earn even a tenth of that amount, unless the luck of fate itself leaned in their favor.

However, just at that moment...

"Fifteen thousand mana stones!"

The voice came from one of the private booths, loud and without hesitation.

"The gentleman in booth number two has bid fifteen thousand mana stones for Angel’s Blood," announced the woman on stage, with a smile that did not hide her surprise.

That first shout seemed to break an invisible seal.

"Seventeen thousand mana stones!"

"Twenty thousand mana stones!"

"Twenty-five thousand mana stones!"

"Thirty thousand mana stones!"

The bids began to echo one after another, like thunder falling on the crowd. The initial calm turned into a storm of voices and numbers.

Each new offer came from the private booths that, until then, had remained completely silent. It was as if they had waited throughout the auction for this single moment to unleash their greed and show off the magnitude of their fortunes.

The ordinary attendees couldn’t help but be absorbed. Their eyes reflected a mixture of awe and despair. The amounts they heard were beyond their comprehension. Compared to these invisible titans, they were nothing more than dust in the air.

From his booth, Kael could only hear the voices rising one after another, full of greed and excitement. Each new bid was higher than the last.

The figure had already reached forty thousand mana stones.

The air in the auction hall vibrated, but Kael remained silent. His eyes were calm.

He could have bid on the Angel’s Blood as well, but at this point, that would only be an unnecessary expense. His body and soul could not withstand the drastic change it would bring.

Consuming the blood of an angel was more than just absorbing energy: it meant a complete transformation.

The body and soul would undergo a forced mutation, acquiring angelic traits: highest endurance, accelerated regeneration, an almost perfect affinity with Zu related to Light and Purification, as well as with the magic of a sacred nature.

Under this process, the soul abandoned its human form, assimilating into that of a celestial being. It became a perfect hybrid, half human, half angel.

For most, this was a dream, a privilege that could elevate them above mortal limitations.

But Kael knew that in his current state, that very blood would be his sentence.

"Even if I fought for it, using it would only kill me," he murmured calmly.

His soul was severely damaged. The slightest imbalance, the slightest alteration in the structure of his soul, would cause his permanent death.

So while the others desperately competed for a power they barely understood, Kael just watched. His gaze was cold, distant.

...

[The gentleman in booth number 11, bidding ninety thousand mana stones. Does anyone else wish to bid one more time, before this valuable treasure disappears from view forever?]

The voice of the woman in the nun’s habit echoed throughout the hall.

However, all she got was silence.

No one moved, no one spoke. The previous murmur had completely disappeared. It was clear that the limit of that valuable item, Angel Blood, had been reached. None of those present seemed willing to cross the barrier of one hundred thousand mana stones.

The collective breath of the audience grew heavy. Some looked at each other with contained envy or resignation. That heavenly substance was not something one could see twice in a lifetime.

[As there are no more bidders for the item Angel’s Blood, it will go to the lady in booth number 11 in.... 3, 2, 1... Sold!]

[The incredible item Angel Blood has been sold for the grand sum of ninety thousand mana stones.]

A murmur rippled through the crowd. Some sighed, others closed their eyes in frustration. Meanwhile, in booth number 11, the victor remained silent.

[With the sale of one of the last three items in this auction, we move on to the penultimate item. Like the previous one, this is much more impressive and unique. For many of you, it will be the first time you have seen it in your lives.]

The female voice echoed. The woman wearing a white rabbit mask paused. She wanted to raise expectations, to heighten the tension before revealing what everyone was waiting for.

At that moment, silence fell over the room. Breathing slowed; eyes shone with anticipation.

Even she, who had witnessed countless treasures pass through her hands, felt a certain restrained excitement. This next item was no ordinary object.

It was something that transcended the usual classifications.

[The penultimate item in this auction is... Alma’s Peach.]

The name resonated like a muffled thunderclap. In the booths, several people leaned forward. Some murmured among themselves; others simply clenched their fists, hiding the greed in their eyes.

The Soul Peach. A legendary fruit said to be able to repair a large part of a damaged soul. Very few had seen it, and even fewer had had the opportunity to touch one.

The woman in the white mask smiled slightly. Her voice rose again, as serene as before, but now with a note of reverence.

[The bidding will start at 30,000 mana stones.]

The air grew thick.

Kael, who was in private booth number six, finally took an interest. Until then, he had been calmly observing the auction, showing no reaction to the previous treasures. But now, his eyes widened slightly; a spark of intent flashed in his gaze.

This was exactly what he had been searching for: an object capable of repairing his severely damaged soul, a deep wound left behind after using the Reverse Flow Blood River. Since then, his soul had remained damaged.

And now, before him, the possibility he had pursued for so long was finally manifesting itself.

The Soul Peach.

A legendary fruit, almost impossible to obtain.

Kael exhaled slowly, his gaze becoming steady, unfathomable.

The opportunity to repair his soul... had presented itself!

"Seventy thousand mana stones!"

Suddenly, the woman’s voice rang out loudly throughout the auction hall. For a few seconds, the murmuring of the audience died down, replaced by expectant silence.

Everyone’s eyes turned to booth number one, where the voice had come from.

[The lady in booth number one has started the bidding with seventy thousand mana stones!...]

The auctioneer’s voice rang out again, filled with excitement, aware that what had just happened would set the tone for the rest of the auction.

[Does anyone else wish to bid on this incredible item?]

Behind her white mask, the auctioneer remained calm, but deep in her eyes there was a glimmer of genuine anticipation.

The Peach of Alma had begun her dance, and the real competition was about to begin.