The golden gleam on the display screen pulsed once before dimming, as if drawing a curtain over the Azure Sky Treader Boots’ dramatic conclusion.

  Mistress Candy resumed her poised stance at the center stage, her voice regaining that silken balance between charm and authority.

  “Our next Gold Star item,” she said, “was recovered from the ruins of a fallen domain and is offered here tonight under strict verification protocols.”

  —

  Gold Star Lot # 02: Heart of the Hardened Bark]

  [Grade: Spirit Core - Plant Variant]

  [Description: The crystallized core of an Amethyst Core Hardened Bark Treant. Known to strengthen and boost the quality of plant-based alchemy and growth cycles. Contains traces of healing essence.]

  [Starting bid: 50 dragon gold]

  [Bid increment: 5 dragon gold]

  —

  This time, an older woman clad in ceremonial robes raised her paddle immediately. “Fifty.”

  “Seventy!”

  The room gasped as the price of the commodity rose by twenty dragon gold. Eyes followed a man clothed in a robe with barky patterns.

  “Seventy five.”

  “Eighty!”

  “Ninety.”

  The bidding rose steadily but without the same ferocity as the first lot. The boots can be used by anyone, but the core can only be used by a specific group of people. Eventually, the robed woman reclaimed it at 100 dragon gold.

  As the item was secured and carried away, Aston watched with detached curiosity. The numbers being thrown around now were in accordance with this means, but he was unwilling to pay. He had gotten what he came for. Still, it was hard not to be drawn in by the rhythm of ambition and coin.

  Another item was unveiled.

  —

  [Gold Star Lot # 03: Whispering Petal Veil]

  [Grade: Mystic Relic - Concealment Class]

  [Description: A light silk veil imbued with high-tier concealment runes. Mask spiritual presence and bloodline signature for up to three hours per day. Formerly owned by an assassin of the Hollow Wisteria Sect, who became extinct five years ago.]

  [Starting Bid: 120 dragon gold]

  [Bid increment: 15 dragongold]

  —

  This item caught Aston’s attention for a brief moment. A relic like that could have easily hidden his true potential without the need for elaborate stories, but it also reeked of danger - in both its origin and implications.

  He let the thought drift. Mistress Candy’s voice rang again, each word like a gentle toll of a bell.

  This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  “Bid as you will, but remember: a veil cannot shield intention, only action.

  The auction pressed on. With every item displayed, the room danced between opulence and secrecy, ambition, and desperation.

  It did not take long before the final lot of the auction came into the view of everyone.

  —

  [Gold Star Lot # 10: The Unknown Relic]

  [Grade: Unknown - Mysterious Class]

  [Description: A shard of an otherworldly substance with faint veins of silver pulsing like distance starts across a dark and irregular hue. The relic radiates an aura that slightly distorts the space around it. No known records exist to identify its origin or purpose, but the potential it holds remains unclear. Attempts to analyze it have failed, and experts from across the lands have speculated that it may possess unimaginable power.]

  [Starting bid: 400 dragon gold]

  [Bid increment: 50 dragon gold]

  —

  The auction hall fell into a stunned silence when the final item of the evening was revealed.

  Two attendants carefully placed the object onto the pedestal - an irregular, black shard, with smooth yet jagged edges. Silver veins coursed through it, faintly pulsing with an almost imperceptible rhythm. The room felt heavier in its presence.

  Mistress Candy, sensing the unease of the crowd, cleared her throat. “Ladies and gentlemen, we are honored to present what can only be described as an extraordinary and mysterious relic. Its origins remain unknown, and despite the best efforts of many scholars and researchers, no one can confirm its exact nature or purpose. Some say it holds the key to unimaginable power, others believe it may be an artifact from beyond our world.”

  The murmurs of confusion and curiosity rippled through the audience. Some exchanged uncertain glances, unsure if they should bid on an item they knew nothing about.

  Aston leaned forward slightly in his seat, studying the shard with quiet intensity. There was something about it that felt… wrong. His instincts screamed at him that this relic was not something to be taken lightly

  Mistress Candy continued, her tone slightly more cautious now. “The true potential of this item remains a mystery. Its power has yet to be fully understood. What we do know is that those who have come into contact with it have experienced unusual phenomena. However, any attempt to analyze the artifact has resulted in failure.”

  She paused, letting the silence grow heavy.

  “This is a rare opportunity. We cannot predict how the relic will affect its owner, but if you are brave enough to make that attempt, well, you may find yourself in possession of something unparalleled.”

  Aston’s gaze flickered to the masked man seated behind him, whose presence had been quietly unnerving. He hadn’t bidded on the previous items, not even the gold-starred lot. He wore plain robes, his face completely hidden behind an expressionless black mask. Aston hadn’t given him much thought until now, but the moment the shard was presented, the man shifted in his seat, leaning forward slightly. His voice barely above a whisper, reached Aston’s ears.

  “A Voidheart Fragment… So the leaks were true,” The masked man murmured, his tone hushed but filled with a strange excitement.

  Aston’s pulse quickened at the name. Voidheart Fragment. It was a name that sent ripples of curiosity through his chest. He couldn’t tell if the masked man was a friend, a foe, or simply someone who had been waiting for this very moment, but there was no mistaking the gravity in his words.

  Aston sent a request to Nova.

  Nova, what is a Voidheart Fragment?

  [Searching…]

  [The host is required to unlock the maximum clearance of ten to answer the query.]

  Aston was shocked.

  The maximum clearance?

  This was the second query he received that required a clearance to unlock, aside from the query about his parents which required a clearance level of eight.

  The crowd remained unaware, their confusion growing as Mistress Candy simply gestured toward the screen to begin the bidding.

  “Let the bidding for the final item in today’s auction begin!”

  For a brief moment, the hall was silent, and then an eager bidder from the front raised his paddle.

  “Four hundred!” he called, his voice sounding almost desperate, trying to seize the opportunity. Others followed suit, though with clear hesitation. The price slowly began to climb, but the air was thick with uncertainty, and whispers continued to spread throughout the crowd.

  The masked man remained silent for a long while. His gaze was fixed on the Voidheart Fragment. Aston could sense the weight of his attention - like a hunter waiting for a perfect moment to strike.