And now, for the final item," the announcer said, a smile forming as a quiet breath slipped from his lips.

"Honestly, I never believed something like this would surface here within my lifetime. Towitness it is a rare privilege."

His voice carried easily, yet the hall felt tighter with every word.As he spoke, a cart rolled forward, its wheels murmuring softly against the polished floor

.At its center rested an orb, completely hidden beneath a silky purple cloth.

The fabric shimmered faintly under the lights, catching the eyes of everyone present.It looked fragile. Almost ceremonial.

A strange stillness crept through the hall.The earlier excitement drained away, replaced by a heavy, collective calm.Exhaustion settled into the crowd, breaths evening out, hearts weighing down.They had all sensed it coming.

They had expected it.But expectation did nothing to soften the reality.Even for Snowfall City, this bordered on insanity.

@God tier. A weapon bathed in divinity," the announcer declared.

With a practiced motion, he pulled the cloth away.A pitch black orb was revealed, its surface devouring the light around it.No reflection. No glow.Just an endless dark that seemed to pull the gaze inward.

The orb looked smooth, flawless, like a void given shape.For a brief moment, it felt as though it was watching them back.The silence deepened, thick and oppressive.No one dared speak.

"Unfortunately, I am not at liberty to explain the function of this item," the announcer continued, his tone steady.

"Those who need to know already do."A ripple of tension spread through the hall.Hands clenched. Eyes sharpened

."The bidding starts at fifty thousand frozen gems."

The number landed like a blade.In an instant, countless hopes died.Faces stiffened as the weight of the starting price crushed any lingering optimism.Before murmurs could rise, a voice cut cleanly through the air.

"One million frozen gems."

The words rang out, sharp and absolute, cutting through the murmurs of the hall like a blade.They lingered, heavy and unyielding, imprinting themselves on every mind present.

A minister rose from his seat, hand lifted with perfect composure.No tremor, no hesitation. His expression was calm, almost casual, as though the sum meant nothing at all.And yet, the room trembled with the invisible weight of his authority.

The bid slammed into the hall like a hammer.An invisible line had been drawn, separating the spectators from those who truly mattered.Whispers died mid-breath. Eyes widened—some in disbelief, some in quiet despair.The ordinary could not compete here. This was no longer an auction.This was a declaration of dominance.

"1.5 million," Minister Fin said, his voice light, almost teasing.A faint smile curved his lips as he leaned back. Relaxed. Effortless.He looked less like a bidder and more like a man watching a masterful performance unfold.

"2.5 million," Minister Noland replied immediately.No pause. No emotion. Just the cold, precise delivery of numbers that could crush dreams.The figure landed harder than the last.

A shiver ran through the hall, sweeping through every spectator like frost creeping along bare skin.It was colder than Snowfall City's eternal chill, and somehow heavier.The figures continued to climb, merciless and inexorable, each one stretching further into absurdity.For people like Enzo, it was unbearable.

He still thought in days. In fragile years that passed too quickly.What they were tossing around now were tens of millions of years. Lifespans stacked atop lifespans.Not just wealth. Not just riches. Time itself, stolen from death, reshaped into currency.In terms of actual value, it was immortality given form.

"Rich!!" Zeke burst out laughing.The sound was sharp, jagged, and completely unrestrained.It bordered on hysteria, echoing off the walls as thoughts collided in a frantic, unstoppable rush.This single auction would reshape everything.

The fortune amassed here would be absorbed into the Institute.On Gaia, only a handful of members held real influence.Which meant, in the end, the benefits would come full circle to them.

"Don't get your hopes up," Titus said, his smile sly, almost mischievous."Master Black has new schematics. Very expensive schematics."Machines. Weapons. Contraptions that were worthy of a force on the rise.And aside from Inkous, Master Black was unmatched in skill—a craftsman who could shape the impossible.

"Hehe, it's fine," Zeke replied, though a bitter edge laced his laughter.

The bidding dragged on, relentless and hypnotic.Numbers blurred together. Millions became casual.Time itself seemed to warp as the voices rose and fell.Until finally, a hush fell over the hall.

"Ten million frozen gems."

The final number hung in the air, grotesque, obscene, entirely divorced from reason.No one spoke. No one dared move.It was a figure that defied comprehension, a testament to greed, power, and audacity.

"And the winner," the announcer said, pausing long enough for the weight of the words to sink,"Minister Noland."

Sharp exhalations escaped the crowd.Some in relief. Some in muted dread.The pitch-black orb remained motionless at the center of the stage, consuming the light, unyielding.It seemed as if ten million frozen gems were nothing more than dust to it.

Outside the auction house, the crowd had thinned.People drifted into the city in quiet streams, the memory of the auction etched into their minds like a scar.

Meanwhile:

"Good day, young sirs."A butler appeared before them, perfectly poised, bowing with the precision of a man trained for centuries."His Excellency, Minister Fin, requests your presence," he said, gesturing toward a lone carriage.

Far along the elevated walkway sat the carriage, unguarded, unmarked.It blended into its surroundings deliberately, as though it wished to be ignored.

"My boys!! How are you doing??"The booming voice of Minister Fin shattered the quiet as they stepped inside.

The old man emerged from shadow, grinning wide.Eyes bright. Smile stretching from ear to ear.He looked exhilarated, intoxicated by the chaos he had orchestrated.

"How did you enjoy the show?" he asked, as though he had just delivered a perfect joke.

Enzo stiffened.He had known the minister thrived on chaos—but what show? And how had they been involved?

"Hehe, your talent lies in acting, Your Excellency," Titus replied smoothly.

Then it clicked.

The disturbance outside the auction house. The perfectly timed arrival of the ministers.It had all been Fin's doing.He had used his influence to gather the city's biggest players, forcing them into reckless spending.The divine weapon. The bidding. Noland being pushed ever higher.A scam hidden behind spectacle.

Only someone like Minister Fin would dare something so brazen.

"Hahaha, anything to mess with those stuck-up asswipes," he laughed, spilling joy freely."We should do this more often."He leaned back, utterly satisfied.Toying with his peers had become a favorite pastime—an escape from the monotony of his position.

"Anyway, I hope you three are sufficiently prepared for our trip to the Ice Kingdom. We will be leaving very soon," Fin said, a pleased smile settling over his face.He would escort them beyond Snowfall City, past its walls, past its protections.Straight into frozen lands where the Hunter Games awaited, where failure was not an option.

"We're all good to go," Enzo replied, a bitter smirk tugging at his lips.Traveling with this madman was unavoidable.If the destination promised danger, the journey itself would be worse.

"Good. I'll see you when I see you," Fin said casually.And with that, they parted.[[In other news.

[Galafray.

A colossal world wrapped in the burning embrace of seven suns, skies perpetually ablaze.Once thought dead, it had become a cradle for ancient species long erased from history.

What should have been a rebirth became a battlefield.After a prolonged and devastating conflict that scarred continents and shattered ecosystems, the Federation intervened.A temporary planetary partition was enforced to prevent total collapse.

The Dual Moon Clan retained eighty-five percent of the planet, their banners stretching across its scarred continents.Weavetech held five percent, controlling strategic zones rich in resources and experimental value.Gaia and Sun each held two percent.The remaining one percent fell under Federation jurisdiction, designated as a neutral zone.A fragile line drawn to maintain peace.

The clans condemned this arrangement, vowing to reclaim the planet in full when the time was right.

This broadcast is sponsored by the Federation Broadcasting Network.]]A massive carriage waited.

Forged from dense steel alloys, its frame layered with black obsidian padding that swallowed light whole.Its presence clashed violently with the bright streets, ominous and silent like a predator waiting for the hunt.

People passed quickly, eyes sliding away.Any lingering glance drew a chill, a silent warning.This was no vehicle meant for ordinary citizens.It was built for war, authority, and bloodshed.

Outside the academy gates, Enzo, Zeke, and Titus stood with packed bags slung over their shoulders.The weight of departure pressed heavier than the luggage itself.

The air felt different.Final.

Master Black and Master White led the way, steady, unreadable, silent.No words were necessary.None were needed.

Behind them, the academy loomed, silent and unmoving.A place of safety they would not see for some time.

Ahead lay frozen lands and merciless trials.Ice sharp enough to shatter bone.Blood staining snow.

Glory, if they survived.

They were departing for the Ice Kingdom.

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