MMORPG: Birth of the World's Luckiest Player-Chapter 106: Thirty Million at the Starting Line

The auction’s first phase unfolded almost exactly as everyone had expected. The moment the eight pieces of Medium Golden equipment were revealed, the atmosphere inside the Arena ignited. Excited murmurs spread through the crowd like wildfire, eyes locking onto the glowing items displayed on the auction platform. Yet in sharp contrast, the leaders of the major Guilds, seated comfortably in the front rows of the VIP Section, remained perfectly composed, watching in silence, as if the spectacle unfolding before them was no more than a formality.

It was the smaller Guilds and independent groups packed into the rear of the Arena who truly reacted. After a quick glance at the Wealth Leaderboard confirmed what they already feared, that they stood no chance of competing for the night’s real prize, they shifted their focus without hesitation. This was their opportunity to strengthen themselves, and they lunged for it with everything they had.

"One hundred fifty thousand gold coins."

"One hundred ninety thousand gold coins."

"Two hundred thousand gold coins."

The bidding interface flickered nonstop, numbers updating so rapidly they were almost difficult to follow. A Level 20 Golden Mage Staff, an item that would be obsolete in a matter of levels, was being fought over with startling ferocity. When the hammer finally fell at 220,000 gold coins, a wave of astonishment rippled through the stands. Many players stared in disbelief, suddenly aware that even the so-called minor Guilds possessed wealth far beyond what most could imagine.

Two hundred twenty thousand gold coins, roughly twenty-two thousand dollars, spent without hesitation on a piece of transitional equipment. For the average player, it was an incomprehensible amount. The sound of money being burned so casually felt almost physical, pressing down on the crowd. Heads shook, tongues clicked, and quiet curses were muttered about the insanity of the rich. Yet beneath the resentment lay a shared, unspoken hope, that one day they too might stumble upon a piece of Golden equipment and sell it for a sum that would change their lives overnight.

The scene only reinforced a simple truth. Golden equipment was still painfully rare.

Marcus watched everything unfold with a calm, calculating gaze. If a Level 20 Medium Golden item could fetch 220,000 gold coins, then the value of his own high-level Golden equipment was beyond question. The numbers were already forming in his mind, each calculation confirming that what he held was nothing short of a goldmine.

The remaining pieces of Medium Golden equipment were auctioned off in rapid succession, the pace relentless and the competition fierce. When the dust settled, the results were exactly what anyone paying attention would have predicted. Every highest bid had come from the VIP Section. A few non-VIP players had managed to sneak in bids here and there, but they were quickly and decisively crushed. In the end, all eight items went to those seated in the exclusive front rows.

On the auction platform, Old Vine could barely contain his satisfaction. The final prices had exceeded even his most optimistic expectations. The hunger for Golden equipment ran deeper than he had anticipated, and the success of this opening act sent a quiet thrill through him. This auction would not only be profitable, it would firmly establish the Old Vine Auction House as the premier marketplace in the system.

Without allowing the momentum to fade, Old Vine smoothly cleared away the last piece of Medium Golden equipment and replaced it with the true centerpiece of the night. The moment the item appeared, the noise in the Arena gradually died down. He lifted his gaze to the crowd, his voice steady but infused with practiced excitement.

"Friends, we now arrive at the main event, the item you have all been waiting for, the Guild Creation Token. This is the key that allows a Mercenary Group to transform itself into a true Guild. The token I hold before you is the very first Guild Creation Token ever released in the system. Its value and significance require no explanation. The starting bid is thirty million gold coins, with a minimum increase of one hundred thousand gold coins per bid. Let the bidding begin."

The Guild Masters seated at the front had been waiting for this moment all night. Old Vine wasted no time on unnecessary theatrics, and the auction for the Guild Creation Token officially began.

A sharp intake of breath echoed throughout the Arena.

Everyone had anticipated a steep price, but thirty million gold coins, equivalent to three million dollars, hit the crowd like a hammer. For a brief moment, stunned silence reigned.

Had the auction house lost its mind? Was Old Vine truly insane enough to approve such a starting price? Quiet whispers spread rapidly, speculation running wild. Some even suggested the Guild Creation Token was nothing more than a fabrication, a carefully orchestrated stunt meant to draw attention and inflate the reputation of the Old Vine Auction House.

"Thirty million, one hundred thousand gold coins."

"Thirty million, three hundred thousand gold coins."

"Thirty million, five hundred thousand gold coins."

Shock rippled outward as the numbers climbed.

"What the hell?"

"No way..."

"You’ve got to be kidding..."

"Is this actually happening?"

Many of the players who had mocked the starting price only moments ago stared at the bidding screen in disbelief. This was not a bluff, and it was not a spectacle. The bids were real, and they were climbing fast. As the figures continued to rise, disbelief gave way to stunned silence, and then to awe, as everyone in the Arena realized they were witnessing the birth of something far bigger than an auction.

In the blink of an eye, the half-million players packed inside the Dragon’s Peak Citadel Arena exploded into noise. Shouts, gasps, and disbelieving laughter collided into a single, deafening wave that surged up from the stands, spilled over the towering walls, and rolled across the entire Dragon’s Peak Citadel like a living thing.

"Hey, what’s going on in there?"

"Why are they screaming like that? Did someone start a PK?"

"Are you stupid? That doesn’t sound like a fight. That’s shock. What, did someone start a riot?"

Outside the Arena, players who had failed to secure tickets crowded the streets, stretching their necks and standing on tiptoe, desperately trying to see past the massive stone walls. When that failed, they turned on each other, bombarding anyone who looked even remotely informed with frantic questions. Regret burned hot on their faces as they realized they had missed something big, something historic.

"My friend just messaged me!" one player suddenly shouted. "He says the Guild Creation Token started at thirty million gold coins, and people are already bidding! That’s insane!"

"Th-th-thirty... thirty million gold coins?" another player repeated, his voice cracking as if saying the number out loud might make it less real.

"Thirty million?"

"Thirty million gold coins?"

"The starting price is thirty million gold coins?"

The number spread like wildfire. Players shouted it back and forth, each repetition louder than the last, disbelief stacking on disbelief as the magnitude of it finally began to sink in.

"I’m out!"

"Hey, where are you going all of a sudden?"

Without warning, one player spun around and bolted toward the city gates, barreling through the crowd. He collided with several people, stumbling but refusing to slow, his expression twisted with urgency.

"Watch it! You just ran me over!" a Fighter yelled, grabbing the sprinting player by the arm. "What’s the rush, trying to escape the city?"

"Let go!" the player snapped, panic edging his voice. "I’m going to kill monsters! I need a Guild Creation Token drop!"

The words hit like a spark in dry grass.

"He’s right!" the Fighter suddenly shouted. "Go grind! Kill everything! Get that Guild Creation Token drop!"

Realization flashed across nearby faces. Without another word, dozens of players broke into a run, then hundreds, then more, all surging toward the outskirts of Dragon’s Peak Citadel, chasing the faint hope that fate might smile on them.

"A starting bid of thirty million gold coins?" someone muttered hollowly. "Am I hallucinating, or did someone add an extra zero by mistake?"

If the players outside the Arena doubted their ears, the players inside were beginning to doubt their sanity.

"Thirty million gold coins, and they’re still bidding? This has to be a dream."

"Thirty-two million gold coins."

"Thirty-two million, two hundred thousand gold coins."

"Thirty-two million, five hundred thousand gold coins."

"Oh my god, it’s already past thirty-two million!" someone cried. "I can’t even process this anymore!"

What in the world was happening?

Had reality cracked open?

Had Dominion finally broken?

Or had the wealthy simply gone completely mad?

Marcus sat frozen, staring at the bidding screen. His mind refused to accept what his eyes were seeing. Someone was genuinely willing to spend more than thirty million gold coins on a single Guild Creation Token, and not just one person, several of them were fighting for it.

Around him, the non-VIP players watched in a daze as the numbers climbed higher and higher. Any composure they had brought with them shattered completely. This was no longer something they could relate to or even criticize properly. Not only did they lack that kind of money, but even imagining spending it on a virtual item felt absurd.

Yet this was where the true divide lay.

For the players seated in the VIP Section, three million dollars was not an impossible sum. It was an investment. To them, the Guild Creation Token was not a luxury, but a weapon, the foundation upon which empires would be built. With it, they could command influence, secure dominance, and obtain advantages that no amount of ordinary currency could buy.

Wealth would follow. Power would follow. Reputation would follow.

Even if it was all digital, the thrill was real. The prestige was real. The victory would be real.

And if that meant burning millions to seize the future first, then so be it.