Some radiated sharp, aggressive pressure. Others were calm but deep, like still oceans hiding storms beneath. A few glanced at Mike briefly, their eyes sharp with curiosity, before losing interest.

Jordan led Mike to an empty seat beside him near the front section of the table.

"Sit here," Jordan said calmly.

Mike did so without hesitation, leaning back slightly as he took in the room.

He could feel it now—the weight of real power.

This wasn't a battlefield.

It was a room full of monsters who had survived countless ones.

As Mike settled into his seat, the man sitting directly across from him leaned forward slightly.

He looked to be middle-aged, with neatly combed silver hair and sharp silvery-gray eyes that missed nothing. His presence was calm, but it carried weight.

"So, you're the one Jordan brought," the man said with a polite smile. "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is John Mercer, head of the Glorious Merchant House."

Mike straightened a little and nodded. "Nice to meet you."

John smiled wider. "Likewise. You're probably wondering why we called you here."

As he spoke, John lifted a small cube-shaped container from the table and tapped it lightly. The outer casing slid open, revealing five crystalline droplets floating inside, each glowing with dense mana.

"These," John said calmly, "are condensed mana droplets of pure essence. They are among the most precious items we've auctioned in the past two hundred years."

Several people at the table shifted slightly, their interest clearly piqued.

"We would like to buy them from you," John continued, watching Mike closely.

Mike felt a subtle pressure, not hostile, but testing.

He paused for a moment, then smiled faintly. "Let's just auction them instead. Anyone can bid like everyone else."

John raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised. Then he laughed softly."Hah… interesting. You really don't feel pressured at all."

Jordan, sitting beside Mike, stayed silent, though inwardly he was thinking, Grandpa is testing him… and he's not bothered at all.

John nodded approvingly. "Very well. We'll auction them."

He looked directly at Mike. "For safety reasons, we will keep your identity hidden but you should also only use our Auaction house to Auction any item you acquire from origin World. Is that acceptable?"

Mike nodded. "That's fine."

John continued, "Now, do you have any conditions? These are eligible for-specific clauses."

Mike thought briefly.

I was thinking about getting dragon-related materials, he thought, but I don't really need them anymore as Jace will get me a Dragon. Mom's talent is focused on Knight, and Dad's healing works better with life-aspected items.

'But items for non-awakened are not that rare so I can just get them in Auction most likley' Mike thought calmly as no one rushed him.

He then spoke aloud.

"I don't have special conditions for now. But all buyers must present a item, If I like any one of them I will be willing to exchange it them though they also have to add more if the value don't match."

John smiled in approval. "Very reasonable. Though do you have any specific needs?"

"hmm, anything related to Dragons, Summoning, Knights, Healers and Necromancy is fine" He said as John nodded.

"The preview will begin in two days," John said. "The main auction event starts on the fifth day from now. If you wish, you may also join the earlier sessions."

At that moment, an attendant approached silently and placed a black card in front of Mike.

"This is a Glorious VIP Room access card," John said. "We only have five. From now on, one belongs to you."

The table went quiet.

No one objected.

Mike took the card and nodded. "Thank you."

John leaned back. "If you need anything else, feel free to ask."

"That will be enough," Mike replied.

With that, Mike stood up. Jordan followed, and the two of them began to leave.

As they walked away, Mike let out a quiet breath. "…Damn. No one told me I'd be negotiating with old monsters."

Jordan laughed and patted him on the shoulder. "You did great. Honestly, you handled it better than most veterans."

Mike shook his head lightly. "Let's just hope the auction has some interesting items for me."

Jordan chuckled. "Don't worry. The Annual Auction always has the best of the best. Still, we have two days before it starts, so we can look around. Is there anywhere you'd like to go?"

"I don't know," Mike replied honestly. "I'm new here."

Jordan thought for a moment, then smiled. "You came with your family, right? How about we go to Origin Zone? That's where most of the tamed monsters from the Origin World as well as other wonders that can be find there are kept. It's also a popular place for families visiting Lionheart City."

"It allows the Non-Awakened to look at some of the beauty of the Origin World"

Mike nodded. "That's a good idea."

"Alright then," Jordan said. "Let's head back first. We can go in the afternoon."

Mike agreed, and the two of them left together, returning to Jordan's estate where Mike and his family would be staying for the next seven days.

On the way, Mike's phone rang.

He picked it up. "Hello?"

"Mike, are you there?" Lily's excited voice came through. "We just saw Lionheart City. It's huge and majestic! I thought I'd seen the best with my master in the Origin World, but this mix of sci-fi and fantasy is on another level."

Mike smiled. "I know, right? We just arrived too. I'll send you the address—come over. We're planning to go to Origin Zone later, so we can go together."

"That sounds great!" Lily replied happily.

Mike ended the call, already imagining the rest of the day ahead.

Mike slipped his phone back into his pocket as the car continued smoothly through the city.

Not long after, they arrived back at Jordan's estate.

The moment Mike stepped inside, he found his parents and Misty already in the living room. Misty was sitting properly for once, a bowl of chocolate pudding in her hands, while Roselia was sitting with his parents talking.

"We're back," Mike said.

His mother looked up. "Everything done?"

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