"The next item on the list is an Exalted Echo, obtained from slaying a creature of unknown origins. It surfaced during a research mission while excavating the monastery of a broken city."

A hush crept over the hall.

A short dagger took form in his hands, completely wrapped in a filthy cloth, its outline sharp and unmistakable despite the grime clinging to it.

"The creature was a troublesome kill, even for an exalted weaver, but the reward justified the risk. This Echo functions as a concealed weapon, and carries an auxiliary effect. It absorbs star essence, converts it, and uses it to heal its wielder."

Murmurs rippled through the crowd, faint and uncertain.

He pulled the cloth away.

Nothing rested in his palm.

Before confusion could bloom, the announcer's arm snapped forward. The dagger sank into the desk before him with a dull thud, the wood cracking around the invisible blade. Only the torn surface marked its presence.

"So it's real."

"Interesting, but it's too low level."

"Maybe I'll use it as a backup… no, never mind. There will be better pieces later."

A few eyes lingered. Most looked away.

Interest was thin, almost reluctant.

"300 frozen gems."

"350."

"385."

The bids dragged, weak and scattered. Some scoffed openly. A weapon with no obvious damage output held little appeal, its abilities suited only for a narrow kind of user.

"800 star gems."

A single voice cut through the noise.

Heads turned.

The pause that followed was brief.

"1,000 star gems."

The number hit the hall like a stone dropped into still water.

""Who's that?" someone asked, a trace of shock slipping into their voice.

That bid was far beyond the piece's apparent value. A few eyes narrowed immediately, suspicion spreading fast.

The bidder at eight hundred had already been pegged as the seller's plant, a cheap trick to push the price. But this? This was excessive.

"Probably another stunt. Leave them be."

A dismissive murmur followed, interest already fading.

It was no stunt.

Enzo's gaze lingered on the empty space where the dagger should have been. Something about it felt right. Subtle. Quiet. Useful in ways most here could not appreciate.

It suited him far too well.

"Sold!!"

The hammer came down hard.

"Sold!!"

The Echo vanished from the stage, and just like that, it was over.

The auction pressed forward without pause. With every item revealed, the air thickened, growing heavier as quality climbed. Voices softened. Movements slowed.

Then the lights dimmed.

A treasure as dark as night itself was rolled onto the platform, its surface coated in glossy black ink that swallowed the glow around it. The hall went silent.

"Demi God grade."

The auctioneer spoke with a bitter smile.

As he continued, it became painfully clear this auction had never been ordinary. The realization struck him late, but it struck hard.

Only moments ago had he grasped what had truly appeared before him.

It was terrifying.

Demi Gods stood at the peak of human society. A single word from them could erase organizations that had survived for centuries.

That truth held firm even here, on Gaia.

"Duplicating Spear 1248."

Reading the name aloud, the announcer's smile tightened.

As the weapon was wheeled fully into view, a quiet unease crept through him. This had to be a ploy. A blatant one at that.

That number was absurd.

Did the seller mean to imply ownership of over a thousand Demi God weapons? Or was the meaning hidden elsewhere?

He did not know.

What mattered was the crowd.

And judging by the looks etched across their faces, they were convinced it was exactly what it sounded like.

""10,009 frozen gems."

The number rang out sharp and sudden, snapping the silence in two.

"15,000 frozen gems."

Another voice followed immediately, louder, surer. The hesitation was gone now. Whatever restraint the hall once had evaporated in an instant.

"22,000 frozen gems."

Gasps spread openly this time.

In the span of a few heartbeats, the value of the weapon had climbed into madness. The numbers being thrown around no longer sounded like currency. They sounded like lifetimes.

Half a million years of existence, traded away in seconds.

Enzo's fingers curled slowly at his side. He had not even lived twenty years, yet the figures soaring above the crowd dwarfed any sense of scale he possessed.

They were inconceivable.

He wasn't even certain gods, left to nature alone, could survive that long without the aid of Weavetech.

"Don't bother bidding," Titus whispered, leaning close. A sly smile tugged at his lips.

"That's one of ours."

Enzo stiffened slightly.

One of theirs?

What did Titus even mean by that? And more importantly, did Titus truly believe Enzo could compete at this level in the first place?

"Master Inkous?" Enzo asked quietly, one brow lifting.

"Naturally," Titus replied with a casual nod.

Understanding dawned slowly.

The old monster was using the auction as a gathering point, a calculated display. Some of the Demi God weapons appearing tonight were relics from his own past, forged back when he himself stood among them.

They were bait.

Sold openly, gloriously, to funnel resources back into the institute. Every gem earned would be poured into strengthening their Gaia facilities, pushing them further beyond what outsiders imagined possible.

The bids continued to climb, each one heavier than the last.

When the hammer finally fell, the number echoed like a death sentence.

"100,000 frozen gems."

Silence followed.

Two billion years of lifespan.

An insane figure, far beyond reason.

Yet no one laughed.

For a weapon meant to rest in the hands of a Demi God, it was worth every single second.

". "That was a dozy. Looks like the tycoons of Snowfall City have come out to play," the announcer said with a broad smile, subtly signaling his colleagues. At once, the staff rotated out, replaced by fully armed city guards.

The moment the presence of a Demi God weapon had been confirmed in their stock, the Snowfall Clan had been alerted. They responded without hesitation, mobilizing protection on a scale rarely seen.

With four ministers seated in the upper booths and the clan's forces stationed throughout the hall, nothing foolish would be allowed to happen within these walls.

"Next, we have two additional Demi God weapons and a little surprise," the announcer said, his smile widening. "But before that, a few honorable mentions."

Several items were brought forward.

The first was a horn, its surface painted in strange markings that pulsed with a faint, unnatural glow.

The second was a sword that continuously leaked blood, droplets sliding down its edge as if freshly drawn from flesh that never healed.

The third was a suit of silver armor, pristine and radiant, yet terrifying. A suffocating aura poured from it, warping the space nearby and pressing down on every living being within reach.

The list continued.

Ten items in total.

"Let's begin with this one," the announcer said slyly.

Before the bidding could start, Titus leaned closer.

"You two can each bid for one item from the institute's reserves for your journey," he said quietly, his tone firm. "Nothing above the sanctified weaver level. Anything higher comes directly from the old man."

A serious nod followed his words.

"We understand," Enzo and Zeke replied in unison.

Their eyes lingered on the thirteen items laid out before them. Each was unique, dangerous, and tempting in its own way.

At the same time, detailed descriptions flooded their HUDs.

[Nightmare Armour Set]

[This armor set can morph into a variety of forms while maintaining structural integrity. It generates additional plates to accommodate changes in size. Its special ability distorts the senses of those nearby, manifesting their worst nightmares.]

Enzo's gaze lingered.

This one drew him in immediately.

During his second voyage, he had obtained a transformation ability he had never dared to use. Its effects were extreme, amplifying his strength to frightening levels, but at a cost he had never fully explored.

Looking at the Nightmare Armour, Enzo felt a quiet sense of alignment.

As if the two had always been meant to meet.

"It's Tyrant grade though" Enzo smiled bitterly.

""Nothing catches my eye here. Plus, I already have a few treasures from Planet Sky," Zeke said suddenly. He then turned to Enzo, a knowing smile tugging at his lips.

"Let's trade," Zeke added, his tone light, almost playful.

"Oh?" Enzo raised a brow, confusion flickering across his face. "What do you want?"

"I want that fire," Zeke replied without hesitation. "The one you used to burn those Weavetech rats to a crisp. Just a taste will do."

Enzo's thoughts shifted instantly.

One of the abilities he had gained during his second voyage was Flame Consumption. It allowed him to absorb different types of flames, analyze them, and replicate their properties for his own use.

"Deal!!"

The answer left Enzo's mouth without a second thought.

He had no particular attachment to that flame. Still, a small doubt stirred within him. Divine flames were not something just anyone could endure.

Then again…

Zeke was anything but ordinary.

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