Chapter 98: Golden Fortune City IV
The Auctioneer’s face was pale, his voice breaking as he raised the hammer."Twenty million! Going once... going twice—"
A sharp sound cut through the silence.
"Twenty-one."
The velvet voice came again, steady but colder than ice. Whoever was bidding from that balcony was not giving up so easily.
The hall roared back to life.
"Twenty-one million?!""Those two are mad!""No guild treasury can handle this kind of burn!"
The Iron Talons commander’s face twisted in fury, but his officers were already holding him back. He sat down, fists clenched, knowing his guild was out. Dawnlight’s leader lowered his hand, eyes bloodshot, but he didn’t dare go higher.
It was now just Rhys and the hidden bidder.
Rhys’s lips curved into the faintest smirk. He raised his hand without hesitation."Twenty-three."
Gasps rattled the hall.
"He jumped by two million?!""He’s trying to crush the other side’s will.""That’s not a bid. That’s a threat."
The velvet voice went silent. For a long moment, the hall was still.
Then it came again, clipped, strained. "...Twenty-three-point-five."
Rhys didn’t even blink. His hand rose immediately."Twenty-five."
The crowd broke into chaos.
"Twenty-five million!""Is he even human?!""That’s... that’s half the wealth of some royal houses!"
The Auctioneer’s hands were shaking so hard he could barely grip the hammer. "T-Twenty-five million... going once—"
Silence.
No counter came. The velvet voice was gone.
The Auctioneer’s hammer fell.Bang.
"SOLD! To bidder #117! The Primal Soul Shard!"
[System Notice: You have successfully purchased the Primal Soul Shard.][Item has been delivered to your storage.]
The hall sat in stunned silence. Some players muttered curses under their breath. Others shook their heads, already making plans.
Puddle’s eyes glowed brighter, soft with awe. "Master... the shard is alive. It’s like it was waiting for you."
Bounce rumbled, his massive form leaning closer. "You’ve just painted a target on your back. But with that, no one can ignore you anymore."
Rhys leaned back, calm, steady. As if he hadn’t just spent forty-two million gold tonight.
The Auctioneer finally exhaled, wiping sweat from his brow as he raised his voice."Ladies and gentlemen... this concludes the Millennium World Auction!"
The orb dimmed, the hall buzzing with whispers and shock.
Rhys closed his eyes briefly, feeling the three great prizes pulsing in his storage—the Akashic Fragment, the Blood of Lazulis, and now, the Primal Soul Shard.
All three called to him.
And all three were his.
The Auctioneer’s voice carried over the hall again, still shaky but steadying as he forced composure.
"Honored guests, the final lot has been sold. The Millennium World Auction officially concludes. We thank you for your patronage. Collections and exchanges will be arranged by staff. Please exit in an orderly fashion."
The orb dimmed completely, leaving the stage bathed in faint light.
For a moment, the hall was quiet—then the storm broke.
Dozens of guild officers rose from their seats, whispering frantically.
"That anonymous bastard took everything!"
"Three supreme items in one night..."
"Five, twelve, twenty-five million... that’s forty-two million total! Who has that kind of gold?!"
The Iron Talons commander stormed toward the exit, armor rattling, fury carved into every step. Dawnlight’s leader followed soon after, pale and shaken, his officers trailing behind. Neither spoke a word. Both looked like they were swallowing blood.
Other guilds were more cautious. Their eyes darted through the crowd, trying to find the anonymous bidder.
But Rhys sat still. His hood drawn, his number plate tucked away. Puddle clung to his sleeve, her rainbow-lit eyes watching the chaos with quiet amusement. Bounce simply lay at his side, tail flicking, golden eyes warning anyone too curious to step closer.
The Auctioneer’s assistants moved quickly, summoning attendants with trays and runed contracts. Players filed toward them to pay balances and claim winnings.
Rhys stood at last. Calm. Quiet. He joined the line like any other bidder, no urgency in his stride.
When his turn came, the attendant’s hands trembled as she checked the records. Her eyes flicked from the glowing rune slip to Rhys, then back again.
"B-Bidder #117... total winnings... forty-two million, six hundred and ten thousand gold..." Her voice cracked.
Rhys pulled a small obsidian token from his storage and placed it on the tray. The runes flared instantly.
[Transaction Complete. Balance Confirmed.]
The attendant nearly dropped the tray. "All verified, sir. Your winnings are secured. Please—please accept them with our gratitude."
One by one, the storage crystals appeared before him:
— [Sealed Akashic Fragment]
— [Blood of Lazulis]
— [Primal Soul Shard]
Alongside the smaller winnings: manuals, herbs, skill books, beast eggs, crystals, and relics.
Rhys stored them all without ceremony.
When he turned away, the whispers started again.
"That’s him—"
"No, too calm. Can’t be."
"Shut up, don’t point!"
He walked past them without pause. Puddle followed close at his side. Bounce’s heavy steps made a path clear whether people wanted to move or not.
The auction floor behind him was still buzzing, guilds already plotting, calculating, whispering. But Rhys didn’t look back once.
He had what he came for.
Rhys stepped out of the hall into the wide stone corridor that circled the auction tower. People spilled out with him, some rushing to send messages, others gathering in groups to plan.
It didn’t take long before eyes started turning toward him.
A man in silver robes stepped in front of him with a polite bow. "Honored guest, I represent the Dawnlight Alliance. My master wishes to speak with you privately—"
Bounce let out a low growl, eyes narrowing. The man froze and stepped back quickly.
Rhys walked past without saying a word.
From the other side, a group of Iron Talons blocked the way. Their commander glared at him. "You think you can just walk away after—"
One of his officers grabbed his arm. "Commander, not here. This is auction ground."
The commander’s face twisted, but he didn’t push further.
Others tried as well. A veiled envoy from Silent Lotus whispered about partnership. A merchant guild waved a contract. Some smaller groups offered "protection."
Rhys ignored them all and kept walking. Step by step, calm and steady, eyes fixed on the exit.
Puddle tugged at his sleeve. "They’re all scared. And greedy."
"Doesn’t matter," Rhys said. "The auction is over. We’re leaving."
The golden doors of the Millennium World Auction opened, showing the city outside lit with torches and lanterns. Streets were busy with carriages, mounts, and players moving in every direction—some celebrating, others frustrated, many whispering about who had just taken the top prizes.
Rhys stepped out with Puddle and Bounce at his side. He carried nothing in his hands—every item was safely stored in his inventory.
Even so, heads turned. Scouts and spies from dozens of guilds watched him leave, marking his face.
Golden Fortune City was a safe zone, no battles allowed. But outside the walls, the story would change.
Golden Fortune City stretched out in front of him, bigger than any city Rhys had visited so far. Towers lined with glowing runes climbed high into the night sky. Streets were wide, paved with stone polished smooth by millions of footsteps. Every corner was alive—players, NPC merchants, guild banners, auction runners.
The auction was only one part of the city.
Around the tower, entire districts were built for trade. Shops glittered with magical lanterns, signs showing everything from rare potions to weapon forges, beast stables, and scroll libraries.
Rhys paused on the steps. "This place really does have everything."
Puddle looked around with bright eyes, tail flicking. "Master, I smell so many treasures."
Bounce huffed, scanning the crowd. "Too many people. Too much noise."
Rhys raised his hand slightly. A faint ripple of light spread from his chest.
[Class Skill: Heart Space – Ancient Tamer]
— Allows bonded beasts to rest within the master’s soul.
— Time flows differently inside, restoring health, mana, and morale faster.
In a blink, Puddle and Bounce vanished, their presence settling comfortably inside his core. Their voices still echoed faintly in his mind.
"Warm..." Puddle whispered.
"Hmph. Better than the streets," Bounce muttered before going quiet.
Rhys exhaled slowly. It felt lighter moving alone. The beasts were safe in his Heart Space, and he could call them back anytime.
He stepped off the auction steps and into the city proper.
Rows of weapon shops lined the street, each displaying glowing blades and enchanted armor. Across the way, a row of alchemy stalls gave off the sharp scent of herbs and brewed potions. Further down, he could see the Beastmaster District—pens filled with mounts, eggs, and magical beasts for sale.
Players moved everywhere, some bargaining, some arguing, some showing off their new auction winnings. Scouts still kept him in sight, but in a city this crowded, no one dared make a move.
Rhys glanced at the map marker glowing in the corner of his vision. "Alright. Time to see what Golden Fortune has outside the auction."
Rhys moved down the main street, taking his time to look around. Golden Fortune was split into clear districts, each one lit by glowing crystals and watched over by city guards in silver armor.
The first street he passed was filled with weapon forges. Blades and spears hung in the windows, glowing faintly with enchantments. Blacksmith NPCs hammered away at hot metal while players bargained loudly.
"Legendary axe, straight from the northern forges!" one shouted.
"Custom enchantments, no guild tax!" yelled another.