The auctioneer stepped forward, holding the old sword sheath in his hands. He looked at the crowd with a smile, though there wasn’t much to say about the item.
“Next up, we have this… sword sheath,” the auctioneer said, his voice uncertain. “It looks ordinary, but it is said to have been found in a ruined battlefield by a group of adventurers.
“They discovered it among the wreckage of ancient weapons. As far as we know, it’s just a simple sheath, but who knows what secrets it may hide? The bid starts at 150 spirit stones, with 50 spirit stones increments. Let’s begin!”
Kent’s eyes narrowed. He knew exactly what it was. The sheath wasn’t ordinary at all. Hidden within the simple exterior was a mechanism tied to an ancient artifact, one that could unlock great power when paired with the right sword.
He could see it. The sheath’s true value. Kent wasn’t about to miss it specially, since he doesn’t have a sheath just yet.
The crowd remained quiet at first, unsure of the sheath’s true value.
“200 spirit stones,” a voice called from the back.
“250,” someone else immediately replied.
Kent raised his token bidding 300 spirit stones.
“350,” another bidder called.
Kent’s gaze remained locked on the sheath. He would not let it slip away. “400 spirit stones.” He bid again
“450,” a voice in one of the VIP booths called out. They have the option just to raise their tokens, but this figure called out the bid instead. Kent turned slightly, sensing the challenge.
“500,” Kent said, his voice firm.
“550.” This time, the voice was feminine.
It came from VIP room 2. Kent’s eyes darted toward that room. Of course, he couldn’t see inside since the glass was opaque, but the noise-canceling barrier had been lowered.
He couldn’t see the person, and when he used his divine sense, he felt blocked by something. Of course, he immediately recognized the presence of superiority. But was he going to back down? A big no.
“600,” Kent raised the bid again.
This did not sit well with people who recognized the voice from VIP room 2.
“Wasn’t that voice familiar… I feel like I’ve heard it before,” one person in the regular stands muttered.
“I know… It sounds like someone we should know,” another person said.
“I get it now. That is the Sword Saintess from Divine Palace Sect… Sword Saintess Selene!” Suddenly, the first person exclaimed, stunning those around him.
The realization spread quickly through the crowd. Murmurs filled the air as people turned to each other in disbelief.
“Sword Saintess Selene?” someone whispered, eyes wide with recognition.
“She’s famous,” another muttered. “One of the strongest sword users in the kingdom. And she’s bidding on this? There must be something special about it.”
As the name settled in, some in the regular stands began to grow uncomfortable, especially those who had been bidding before Kent. They had hoped to win the sheath without competition, but now they saw an expert like Selene entering the fray.
Kent, however, remained focused. He wasn’t about to back down, no matter who was bidding.
“650,” Kent raised the bid again, his voice steady.
From VIP room 2, Selene’s voice followed immediately. “700.”
A voice came from another VIP booth, this time from room 5. “750.” It was the voice of some arrogant heir, clearly trying to fuel the tension.
“800,” Kent called out, his determination unwavering.
“850,” Selene countered, her voice calm but firm.
The bidding war continued. Kent could feel the eyes of the crowd on him, some silently cursing his persistence. They saw him as just a newcomer, daring to challenge someone of Selene’s reputation. The murmurs in the stands grew louder.
“Why does he keep bidding?” someone complained. “Doesn’t he know who he’s up against?”
“He’s just making a fool of himself,” another said, shaking their head. “Doesn’t he realize he’s outclassed?”
But Kent ignored them all, his eyes locked on the sheath. He wouldn’t let it slip away. He would win this.
Inside VIP room 2, Sword Saintess Selene narrowed her gaze in Kent’s direction. With Kent being a mere level 6 Root Blossom, she had no trouble seeing him. For someone of her standing, it took little effort to spot such a low-level presence.
When her eyes landed on him, a startled expression flashed across her face.
“This kid…” she muttered under her breath. Then, a small smile appeared on her face. It was a rare sight, and the glass between them kept her expression hidden from the rest of the room.
At that moment, the bid hit 1000 spirit stones. It was Kent who had raised it once again. Selene looked at his determined gaze for a few seconds, considering the situation. She could tell he was not going to back down, no matter the cost.
With a soft sigh, she decided to let him have it. There were other things she could pursue. The auction was just a distraction, after all.
In VIP room 5, the arrogant heir who had been fueling the flames with his bids suddenly stopped. He had just learned that the woman bidding against Kent was Sword Saintess Selene, one of the most revered figures in the kingdom. Hearing this, one of his subordinates whispered to him.
“Young master, that’s Lady Selene… the Sword Saintess,” the servant said quietly, his voice filled with awe.
The heir’s expression shifted. He had no desire to clash with someone of her status. He knew when to pick his battles. With a scowl, he decided to back down.
Kent, however, was oblivious to the silent shift in the room. He had won the bid. The sheath was his.
The auctioneer’s voice rang out, breaking the tension in the room.
“Going once… going twice… sold to VIP room 14!” he announced.
The crowd fell silent as Kent’s victory was confirmed. The auctioneer looked toward the attendants, signaling for the item to be delivered.
A servant quickly moved toward the back of the stage, carefully retrieving the old sword sheath. The servant then made their way through the crowd and up toward VIP room 14, where Kent was waiting.
Upon arriving at the door, the servant knocked politely before entering. “VIP room 14,” the servant said, bowing slightly before placing the sword sheath on the table in front of Kent.
Kent nodded in acknowledgment, his eyes never leaving the sheath. After a moment, he took out the spirit stones and handed them to the servant.
“Here,” Kent said.
The servant bowed again, accepting the payment. “Thank you for your purchase, sir.”
Kent smiled, satisfied. He had what he battled for. Now, it was time to see what secrets the sheath held.
Unity was leaning back, still conversing with Vexthra in her mind, so Kent didn’t bother her. Instead, he retrieved his sword from the space ring he had taken from his dead master’s body. Well, it wasn’t theft—more like an inheritance, just like the sword itself.
He raised the sheath and slid the sword into it. A satisfied smile spread across his face, then he bit his finger, letting a drop of blood fall onto the sheath.
The moment his blood touched it, the sheath vibrated slightly. Then, as if shedding its skin, the rusty, ordinary appearance faded away. In its place, a neat golden leather sheath appeared, decorated with intricate runic markings. Kent’s smile widened as he ran his fingers over the markings, feeling the power coursing through it.
[Congratulations, Master, for winning a Soul item: The Nine Calamities Sword Sheath.] The Tower said
Inside VIP room 2, Sword Saintess Selene’s eyes widened as she watched the transformation. She had seen countless items in her time, but this… this was different.
“This kid… I need to know who he is,” she muttered to herself, her curiosity piqued.
Thirty minutes later, the auction ended. Kent, who hadn’t bid on anything else, stood up with Unity, who paused her conversation with Vexthra until they returned. The two of them left the room, heading toward the herb store for the ingredients he ordered.