"Why didn’t you try raising the bid?"

The voice of the fourth-rank woman known as Forest Bird whispered softly.

She stood beside her companion, Black Lightning Master, in an alluring and elegant posture.

A faint smile appeared on Black Lightning’s face.

"I already paid something more valuable than that tool deserved," he whispered. "I’m not insane enough to do it again."

"That’s what you think..."

Both Black Lightning and Forest Bird turned toward the owner of the voice.

Heavy footsteps approached.

Their owner was a massive bald man with sharp, angry eyes.

A mocking grin stretched across his face.

"So you came after all," Forest Bird whispered.

Black Lightning didn’t respond immediately.

Instead, he looked toward the newcomer’s robe.

Then he smiled.

"So... you joined a sect."

He stopped there without finishing the sentence.

The bald fourth-rank master wore silver robes marked with numerous cloud symbols.

"You let a potential rival grow stronger right before your eyes," the bald man said.

"I don’t possess unlimited resources," Black Lightning replied calmly. "I didn’t join a sect like the others. So... what’s your new title among them?"

A loud laugh burst from the bald man’s mouth.

If not for the sound barrier surrounding them, the entire hall would have heard his roaring laughter.

Eventually, he stopped laughing and placed a hand on Black Lightning’s shoulder.

"I’m still the same person, John Lai," he said. "Still Reihon of the Killing Eyes."

Black Lightning Master—John Lai—didn’t respond.

Instead, he turned back toward the auction.

The flame-haired fourth-rank woman had begun announcing another auction for lower-tier tools and specialized weapons.

---

I had revealed possession of one flower.

The good thing was...

Owning one meant nothing.

Owning two might attract attention.

Revealing that I possessed many...

That would become a serious problem.

As for someone learning that I possessed a tree capable of producing them...

Honestly?

What exactly would happen?

I didn’t think possessing the tree itself was particularly difficult.

The difficult part was possessing a cave or space with enormous time acceleration capable of affecting the tree and producing the flowers.

Even so...

No one must ever learn about the tree.

Several minutes passed.

The third-rank master responsible for the lower weapon auction stepped back, and the red-haired woman returned.

This time...

She held two ancient swords instead of one.

"Joy of Wind," she whispered. "An ancient weapon that grants and enhances wind attributes."

She paused briefly before lifting the second sword.

"Joy of Earth. An ancient weapon that grants and enhances earth attributes."

Once again, noise erupted across the hall.

Moments later...

The Whispering Wind Sect entered the bidding.

At that point, the result was practically decided.

Once a major sect like them intervened, obtaining Joy of Wind became inevitable.

Meanwhile...

Competition over Joy of Earth became intense between independent masters and smaller sects.

But the moment the Running Horse Sect entered the bidding...

They quickly claimed the weapon with an irresistible offer.

Afterward...

The red-haired woman announced a control-type tool.

"Horn of the Lone Bird," she whispered.

It was a third-level tool.

It granted 100% control over a Lesser Catastrophe Beast...

And 50% control over a Medium Catastrophe Beast.

I wanted it.

But...

Once I discovered it was a one-time-use control item...

I chose to withdraw.

No need to gamble my limited fortune.

An hour passed.

All the ancient weapons, specialized weapons, and tools of various levels were sold.

My heart burned with frustration.

I wanted many of them.

But I couldn’t take the risk.

Then—

The woman raised two Heaven Enhancers at once.

"I don’t advise you to bid."

Snow Master whispered beside me.

"You’ll attract attention you truly don’t want. Trust me."

"And who said..."

I answered mockingly.

"What?"

"Who said I’m the one bidding?"

"That’s better," he whispered.

He seemed about to add something else—

"You’re the one who’ll do it."

I interrupted.

He turned toward me, confusion visible in his pale eyes.

"Why the surprise?"

I looked at him calmly.

"You want my precious flowers."

I paused before continuing:

"So you should take care of me like a child."

Then I added:

"And right now, the child wants those toys."

I pointed toward the Heaven Enhancers.

"So? Will you give him what he wants... or let him cry in the middle of the hall and draw everyone’s attention toward you?"

"You..."

The man snorted.

"You’re a cunning fox."

I smiled without answering.

This fool...

He thought I had formed some sort of friendship with him and his city.

Everything happening right now existed solely to pave the road ahead.

Did he think I’d spend years training slowly to increase my strength?

Maybe.

But I wouldn’t.

Right before me were tools capable of granting that strength instantly.

Would I hesitate to obtain them...

Just for the sake of some fool who believed we shared an actual agreement?

I lifted my head.

Snow Master had already begun bidding on the tools.

Many eyes turned toward us.

Let them.

Even if they believed Snow Master was doing this for my sake...

Fine by me.

"Seven hundred thousand accumulation points and a Lesser Catastrophe Beast."

Snow Master’s voice echoed across the hall.

No one bid after him.

He obtained the first tool.

Only one remained.

Snow Master offered the same amount again—

Seven hundred thousand accumulation points and a Lesser Catastrophe Beast.

But—

Another competitor’s offer surpassed his.

"A Greater Catastrophe Beast."

A woman’s voice echoed from the side.

"A Giant Hunting Hound."

The woman wore black robes and a yellow mask marked with five eyes.

My eyes narrowed as I looked toward her.

"The Predictor can’t evaluate her?"

I whispered internally.

It failed against fifth-rank masters because the difference in strength was too vast.

But...

Against a fourth-rank master?

This was the first time it had happened.

What was going on?

Did this mean...

"She’s... a deceptive rank?"

I whispered.

Even Snow Master fell silent.

Offering a Greater Catastrophe Beast was a monumental move.

The moment the bid was presented...

The countdown began.

And ended without opposition.

The third tool...

I failed to obtain it.

At that moment—

The table vanished.

Then...

Another table quickly appeared.

On top of it rested six mysterious cubes.

Five black.

One white.

The woman stepped forward once more.

"Now..."

Her voice rang throughout the hall.

"It’s time for the final surprise."

She placed her hand atop one of the black cubes.

The cube shrank until it fit perfectly in her black-painted fingernails.

Suddenly—

The black color vanished, and the cube became transparent like glass.

Inside it...

A living map appeared.

Land formed into an uneven circular shape.

"An empty public space..."

The woman whispered.

I nearly stepped forward instinctively.

I stopped myself with difficulty.

"The bidding begins at no less than... five million accumulation points."

"Hah?!"

I screamed internally.

Five million?

Are you joking?

How was I supposed to obtain something like that?

The atmosphere changed instantly.

Third-rank masters retreated.

Fourth-rank masters stood cautiously.

Everyone’s eyes...

Turned toward the five leaders.

The Prairie Sect leader raised his hand.

His heavy voice echoed out.

"Ten million."

"Oh..."

I whispered.

"So that’s the opening bid. Right... I never had any chance at all."

The Running Horse Sect leader raised his hand.

"Twelve million."

Then Whispering Wind’s leader didn’t hesitate.

He offered twenty million.

The bidding war continued fiercely.

Snow Master turned toward me and began introducing the five leaders without even being asked.

"The leader of the Running Horse Sect is called The Tamer."

"He earned the title because of his mastery over Greater Catastrophe Beasts. Rumor says he’s tamed more than fifty."

"What an absurd number..."

I muttered.

"A master controlling that many beasts would be terrifying to face."

Snow Master didn’t respond.

Eventually, one of the leaders won the first space.

Snow Master gestured toward the victor.

"Sea Lord. Leader of the Blue Wave Sect."

"A powerful master with complete control over water. They say if he’s near the ocean... no one can stand against him."

Minutes passed.

Another space was announced.

Each time...

Pain squeezed my heart knowing I couldn’t compete.

The second space was won by the Whispering Wind Sect leader.

Savage Cloud.

Snow Master’s explanation about him was brief.

No one had ever seen him fight.

No one had heard stories of his battles.

Yet simply existing at the fifth rank forced respect upon everyone.

Next, the Prairie Sect leader won.

His title was Ancient Tree.

Exactly like the symbol representing his sect.

Then later...

The Southern Volcano Sect leader claimed victory.

His title was Epic Wrath.

Snow Master’s explanation about him was long.

In the southern region of the continent stood massive volcanic mountains.

The fifth-rank master Epic Wrath ruled from atop one of those volcanoes.

Later...

He won again.

Then others won.

Until they reached the ninth and final black space.

At that point...

It felt as though the leaders were merely competing among themselves.

The amount of accumulation spent was unimaginably enormous.

For hours now, my heart had been pounding violently.

Fifth-rank masters...

Only now did I truly understand the kind of wealth and influence such people possessed.

I had wondered why none of them bothered competing over ancient weapons earlier.

Now I understood.

"To them... all those previous bids were children’s games."

I whispered.

Then I turned toward the woman.

Finally—

She lifted the last cube.

The white one.

The only white cube.

Its color dissolved.

Inside appeared another glass space.

Once again...

A space.

"The Empty Secret Space."

The woman whispered.

My heart stopped.

No one knew...

How valuable a secret space truly was.

I immediately looked toward the leaders.

My heart twisted painfully.

I knew it was beyond my reach.

Far...

Far beyond my hands.