Free Trade City of Aquarius, Auction House

1st Year of God, Friday, 2nd Week, Month of Abraham.

Specialist Sergeant Price and the rest of Team Epsilon, except for Mason and their leader Riley, enjoyed a leisurely day exploring the city of Aquarius as they went sightseeing, blending seamlessly with hundreds of traders and merchants by wearing in long, hooded clocked garments that concealed their flight suits and weapons, as they moved through the bustling streets with ease.

Accompanying them was Polities, whose Illusion magic deftly transformed their rounded human ears into the pointed ones typical of the locals. Price, taking no chances, wore an ushanka-like fur hat to further hide his ears, despite the illusion already cast by Polities.

Right now, their destination was the auction house, located in one of the wealthiest merchant districts of the city. They were there for some simple shopping, bolstered by the 5,000 Platinum Coins (equivalent to 50 million U.S. dollars) that their leader had secured, unsurprising for someone with a special college degree in economics and business back home.

Price paused before the brightly illuminated facade of the auction house, where the address from the invitation was written. The building itself resembled a grand estate, surrounded by a perimeter wall artfully disguised by lush greenery. Lavish carriages rolled in one after another through the wide wrought iron gates, where a team of well-dressed muscles guarding.

As Price and his men walked up to the gates, a self-important steward blocked their path.

"Business here?" he asked sternly.

"We have an invitation for tonight's auction," Price replied, unfazed by the steward's tone as he handed over the scroll.

The steward snatched the scroll and gave it a quick glance before frowning. "This is addressed to Lord Arther of the North Star Company. Which of you is... the Lord?"

"Lord Arther has graciously extended his invitation to us," Price explained. "We are here on his behalf-"

"Tch!" The steward made a clicking sound with his tongue as he cut off Price's sentence. "You must have stolen his invitation! Guards!"

"Hey! Wait a minute!" Tavish cursed as he stood forward with the rest as the guards came forward to chase them away. "We are not thieves!"

"Well..." The steward threw a sly glance to Price and rubbed his fingers together suggestively. "If you can prove you did not steal, then..."

"They are with me!" a silvery voice suddenly called out.

All eyes turned toward a large, glossy black carriage, drawn by four raptor-like dragons. The windows of the carriage were all covered up by lace curtains, revealing only the shadowy outline of the person within.

"Let them in."

"Ah! Lady Mona!" The steward's face paled as he quickly signaled the guards to make way for Price as he bowed and scraped before the carriage. "My… deepest apologies! This lowly one had no idea they were your guests!"

"Come on board," the light voice replied, and a footman from the carriage opened the door, lowered a folding step, and bowed, as he invited Price and his team to enter.

Price, feeling confused, gingerly boarded the carriage which was surprisingly spacious. The cushioned benches lined inside the carriage were more than enough to accommodate at least half dozen more people. His surprised deepened when he saw a beautiful looking middle-aged lady seated next to a grinning fat elf, who looked very familiar.

"You are...?"

“Arther!” Price’s question was cut off as Polities stepped in and embraced the elf.

"Polities, my friend," the grinning fat elf in a stylish coat raised his glass in a salute to Price and the others. “The name’s Arther.”

"Arther?" Price frowned. "So you’re the one who help us reaching here?"

"Indeed I am," Arther winked and gestured to the woman beside him. "My companion for tonight, Lady Mona, whom you’ve met before... She’s the landlord of the mansion where you and your crew are staying."

Price did a double take, recognizing the noblewoman as the landlord of their current residence.

"Why would a noble lady be running a company that rents out mansions and five-star inns by herself?"

"Oh, ever since my husband passed away in the battle against the Orcs," Lady Mona said as she poured drinks for Price and the others, "It keeps me busy."

"And rich," Arther added with a grin, clinking his glass against Lady Mona's who laughed back. "Lady Mona is… a good friend of mine."

"I see..." Price murmured, shaking his head inwardly. "So, what brings you here?"

Arther glanced out the carriage window as it slowly rolled towards the main auction house building. "Well, we’re here on a date... You know, auctions can be so exciting!"

Lady Mona laughed at Arther’s bold words and she berated him gently. "You are so bad. You are here for that human the rumors were hearing about!"

Price frowned at this, but before Arther could respond, the footman outside announced their arrival. Arther gave a slight shake of his head while keeping his smile as he hopped out of the carriage and offered his hand to Lady Mona.

Once they all exited the carriage, Price found himself standing before large stone courtyard that had stone braziers at intervals lighting up the evening. A small army of servants was lined up at the entrance, greeting guests and ushering them into a building which looked Victorian in design, save for the spires and towers.

The servants bowed, accepted their invitation scrolls, and led them down a thickly carpeted hallway. Arther fell back to Price’s group and warned in a low voice.

"Don’t cause any trouble here, just enjoy yourselves."

Arther pointedly glanced at their concealed holsters before he gave another wink and quickened his pace to rejoin Lady Mona.

Price let out a small sigh and turned to his crew. "Well, you heard the man, just enjoy the evening and stay out of trouble."

His three teammates nodded in unison. Polities grinned and added, "You heard the boss, boys! Just enjoy the evening! Hehehe!”

———————————————

After parting ways with Arther and his companion, a servant led Price and his team to a small but comfortable balcony. The space was cozy, furnished with sofa-like chairs that allowed them to overlook the large stage below, which resembled some kind of opera theater. A few maids were on hand, serving refreshments and attending to their needs.

As time went by, more guests were seated until the whole auction house was gradually fully filled. The magical glow lamps dimmed, casting the room in a soft, intimate light, and a lavishly dressed man came on the stage. He seemed to glow as he was illuminated by some sort of spell, making him extremely eye-catching in the dimmed lights, which instantly captured everyone's attention

But what intrigued Price and his crew was the man's eccentric appearance.

The man wore a black eye patch over one of his orange eyes, with long black hair flowing down his shoulders. A few strands of beard jutted from his chin, and he was dressed in a high-quality black cloak over a formal suit.

To top it off, he even wore a cowboy hat.

In all regards, he looked like a character straight out of an old Western movie, or an individual who could either be a top-tier shady dealer or someone enjoying an elaborate costume. His playful smile, however, suggested he was just having fun with his appearance.

"Welcome, Lords and Ladies!" the cowboy-like elf’s voice magically boasted, reaching even the farthest corners of the hall that allowed everyone to hear him clearly no matter how far they were seated and causing all chattering from below instantly stopped. "Welcome to the Venna Auction Event!"

"I am Jason David Lance, or J.D. Lance for short, and I will be your guide for tonight’s wondrous event!" The elf gave a dramatic bow, met with a round of applause. "Now, as I am sire, all of you are excited and impatient to see the marvelous items up for auction tonight! So without further ado, I declare the start of the auction!"

More applause followed his proclamation as he stepped to the side of the stage, and the glowing spell surrounding his body began to fade. The stage was suddenly illuminated and a couple of pretty looking servants pushed a covered cart onto the middle of the stage.

"And now, for the first item of the auction, I present this," The man named J.D. Lance announced, gesturing to the servants who removed the coverings and revealed something that took Price and his men by surprise.

“A painting?” Belinski muttered, squinting at the item through a magical viewing orb placed in front of their seats. The orb allowed them to see the stage clearly from afar.

At first glance, it seemed like just a regular painting, a badly painted one, at that.

“Some of you might be wondering, what is this? A painting? Why would just a regular item be presented in the auction as the first item? Well, rest assured, everyone, this is no ordinary painting.”

Pausing, the auctioneer traced a finger along the painting’s surface and channeled his mana. The painting began to glow, filling the hall with murmurs.

"Oh, so it’s a magical glowing painting. Cool," Tavish remarked, still seemingly uninterested.

"That's right! This painting is, in fact, a Magic Artifact," the auctioneer declared with enthusiasm. "It was masterfully painted by the renowned Leonard Vaz from the Second Civilization Zone. Known for his extraordinary artistic sense, Leonard created this piece not just to be admired, but to serve a greater purpose. What makes this painting unique is that it contains some of Leonard's insights on Magic control, a fundamental aspect for anyone aspiring to reach the pinnacle of their craft. With the right understanding, one might even advance their Martial Mastery and grow stronger just by gazing upon it."

He paused, allowing the weight of his words of the information to sink in as he looked at the crowd.

"Enough said, the starting price for this rare artifact is 5 Platinum Coins. Let the bidding begin."

With a sharp slam of the hammer on the stand, the auction officially commenced.

Instantly, a wave of hands across the room shot up in the air.

"Number 60 bids 5.5 Platinum Coins, going once... Ah! Number 78 bids 7 Platinum Coins!"

"13 Platinum Coins!"

"Number 765 bids 13 Platinum Coins! Oh, and now number 05 raises the stakes, 15 Platinum Coins!"

Meanwhile, Price and the others could only watch boredly as it continued. There was no way a painting could help either of them against any enemies. Though somewhat useful, its benefits were limited to those skilled in Mana and it would sort of be a waste of money to them.

"Number 1289 bids 56 Platinum Coins! Any takers? Ah, it seems we have another distinguished guest who wants to take a piece of the cake, 80 Platinum Coins! Going once! Going twice! Going thrice! And... sold!"

In the end, the painting ended up selling for a staggering 80 Platinum Coins, with the winning bid placed by a young handsome elf seated in the VIP side of the viewing gallery. Lance slammed his hammer down happily as he announced the winner of the bid and gave a bow in the direction of the young lord.

"Oh my god..." Woods blinked his eyes wildly in disbelief as he saw the ending bid. "Over 80 Platinum Coins for a painting?"

He glanced down at his shoulder holster, where his compact sub-gun rested and swallowed his saliva nervously.

"Say... if I auctioned off my machine pistol, how much do you think I'd get?"

"Don't you even think of it!" Price warned sternly. "Or you might find the Imperial Secret Police paying you a visit!"

"Oh..." Woods felt a shiver run down his spine. "Yes... you’re right..."

"Trading weapons to foreign nations is a serious offense," Price reminded them in a tone. "It's a capital offense, just like those traitorious ogliarchy bastards we executed the other night."

"Well... I was just curious about the bid... Haha..." Woods offered an awkward laugh. "I’d never actually do it!"

"You better not!" Price shot him a hard look. "Don’t forget, the government could be watching us without our knowing, and I don’t want to be ordered to hunt you down."

Woods quickly nodded, and they turned their attention back to the auction, which continued with new items.

“What an exciting start to the evening! Now, onto the next item. Right before you is a…”

For the next half hour or so, different items were paraded across the stage, each drawing fervent bids from the eager crowd.

Although all of the items were somewhat interesting, none of them were something that they particularly needed for the humans so they weren't tempted to buy anything.

“Huaam, are there any items that are interesting?” Tavish muttered in a low voice as a small yawn escaped from his mouth.

Other than those simple magic items that appeared, the auction soon featured an impressive variety of Magic Artifacts, Skills, Monster Parts, Special Ores, Monster Eggs, and more. Each item would have made most people drool with desire, and even the humans found some of them tempting.

One of the more remarkable items was a pair of metal gauntlets that boosted its wearer’s strength, speed, Mana levels, and resilience by fivefold.

Another was a set of four potions, and according to Lance, they were the only ones in existence that could transform even a Manaless species like humans into Magic Users.

This piqued the humans' interest. The idea of one of them gaining the power to even stand a chance against the world's dangers without relying on firearms was tantalizing.

And perhaps, if they acquired a sample, they could replicate and mass-produce it.

But unfortunately, the potions were fiercely contested and quickly found a new owner, leaving the team disappointed.

As the evening progressed, the mood in the auction house reached a fever pitch, with everyone eagerly awaiting the final item of the night. The servants began clearing the stage, heightening the anticipation.

Sensing the crowd’s excitement, JD Lance played to it, making a flamboyant and dramatic gesture as the sound of something heavy being wheeled onto the stage echoed through the hall.

"Lords and Ladies... the finale has arrived!" Lance announced. "Bring her out, boys!"

A hush fell over the crowd as the grinding of metal wheels came to a stop. The stage was bathed in light from glow lamps and spells, revealing a group of elven men hauling a large, box-shaped object covered by a blanket. The men positioned it at the center of the stage before stepping back.

With a flourish, Lance removed the blanket, unveiling the object beneath.

Price and his men stared in shock at what they saw.

Inside a cage stood a girl no older than five. Her dark black hair contrasted sharply with her pale skin, and her blue-ocean eyes stared out at the crowd with a mixture of fear and confusion. She wore nothing but a white t-shirt and pajama pants, utterly out of place.

“They’re going to sell a child,” Woods whispered in horror. “Isn’t this district supposed to be only for selling Magic Artifacts?”

“Monsters,” Belinski hissed in disgust.

“But why? Isn’t this illegal?” Polities asked, his eyes wide with shock. The district they were in specialized in Magic Artifacts, objects, not slaves.

Aquarius City was divided into distinct districts, each dedicated to different categories of goods from Magic Artifacts, Slaves, Magic Beasts, and so on. Selling products outside of a district’s designated category was strictly against Aquarius law.

Yet here, in a district dedicated to artifacts, they were witnessing something that broke those very laws.

‘Those clothing… Why do they look so earth-like?’ Price thought as he examined the little girl, who appeared more South Asian than the rest of the people.

Meanwhile, the man on stage named JD Lance opened the cage and spoke to the young girl inside. “Come out, my young friend, and show our guests what you can do.”

The girl glared at him and shook her head in silent defiance.

Lance’s smile faded, and was replaced by a cold, menacing frown as he leaned in closer. “Do it, or I’ll make you wear that Slave collar you hate so much.”

The girl’s eyes widened in fear. Seeing no other choice, she stepped out of the cage.

Lance’s smile returned as he patted her head. “Good girl. Do as I say, and maybe one of these nice people will buy you and take you in as a daughter. Isn’t that what you’ve always wanted? A family?”

The girl simply nods before turning her attention to the crowd of people. The girl was terrified but if there is even a slight chance that one of these people could free her from this nightmare, then she had to take it.

She took a deep breath, and within moments, her hair began to lift as if caught in an invisible wind. A powerful surge of Mana radiated from her small frame, but it didn’t stop there.

The wave of Mana quickly enveloped the entire auction hall, pressing down on every Magic-sensitive being in the room. The atmosphere grew thick and oppressive, as if the very air was being crushed under the weight of her power.

Polities gasped and his grip tightening on the armchair until the magically enchanted wood splintered under his hands.

“Oh, my heavens!”

Price and his team, not being Magic Users themselves, were immune to the suffocating pressure. But they noticed the unsettling reactions of everyone else in the room, and then—

Beep!

A sharp beep emanated from Price’s Mana-Monitoring device strapped to his wrist. He glanced down at the screen and his eyes widened in shock.

[Magicule Levels: 33A2@9#!1]

‘What the hell are these numbers!?!’

Back on stage, JD Lance remained surprisingly calm, seemingly one of the few unaffected by the girl's overwhelming power. With a confident smile, he raised his voice above the murmurs of the crowd.

“Now! Now! Everyone, calm down!” he called out in a steady tone. “Even though she possesses the power of a Transcendent, surpassing even the strongest individuals in the Third Civilization Zone, rest assured, she is restrained by both the highest grade of [Anti-Magic] and [Strength Suppression] collars!” His voice rose with pride as he pointed at the girl’s face, her hair still floating upwards, revealing her rounded ears. “But the most shocking thing of all… she is a Human!!”

A collective gasp rippled through the auction hall, including Price and his team.

The idea of a human with magic was unheard of, a phenomenon that defied everything known in this world.

“Lords and Ladies!” Lance paused for several heartbeats, allowing the tension to build. “As you can see, this is a being of utmost beauty and rarity! No one has ever laid eyes on such a marvel in this world! For this reason, we have nicknamed her “One!” He continued, his voice thick with theatrics. “A few months ago, my gang, famously known as ‘GaterGame,’ discovered something that had destroyed a large area of the forest, and lying unharmed in the center of the crater was a completely unharmed human.”

The crowd hung on his every word, as the atmosphere electric with anticipation.

"Now then, with that out of the way,” Lance declared, “The starting bid is—”

"A THOUSAND AND HUNDRED!"

"ONE THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED!"

"ONE THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED!"

The auction hall suddenly became rowdy as the crowd started throwing bids out, much to the enjoyment of the man on stage as his grin widened.

In a matter of seconds, the bid for the Magical Human hit over 5000 Platinum Coins! Such an amount was enough to purchase at least multiple private islands, yet the bids continued on!

Finally, the bidding slowed down and was contested by only three parties as the bid went beyond the financial capabilities of the rest.

"Six thousand!" The handsome young elf seated at the VIP row raised his hand confidently, raising the bid.

"Seven thousand."

The auction crowd gasped as they heard the bid made by the young elf. The other two parties who wanted to contest the bid gave up as the price went over their expectations.

“Seven thousand, going once!” Lance was grinning widely at the audience as he called out. “Seven thousand, going twice…”

“Seven thousand five hundred!” A clear, confident voice rang out, shocking the entire auction hall. Even Lance was taken aback but it only lasted a mere second before he quickly regained his composure, and his eyes gleamed with excitement.

“Seven thousand five hundred!” he yelled excitedly cast a meaningful glance at the young elf in the VIP stands. “Is there a higher bid than seven thousand five hundred?”

“Eight thousand!” The young elf snapped as he glared daggers at the person who dared challenge his bid.

“Ten thousand!” The clear voice spoke again, and the entire hall collectively held its breath.

“Ten thousand!” Lance gasped, his voice filled with awe. “We have a bid of ten thousand!”

The young elf hissed in frustration, realizing he’d been outbid and reluctantly backed down.

“Ten thousand Platinum Coins… going once!”

“Ten thousand Platinum Coins… going twice!”

“Ten thousand Platinum Coins… SOOOOL—”

BOOOOOMMM!!!

But it was at that very moment that a loud sound violently exploded throughout the auction, silencing the room instantly as every head whipped toward the source of the noise. The tension that had been building for hours suddenly transformed into panic and confusion.

Panic erupted like wildfire among the guests as they realized that someone was attacking. The auction house, which had been a place of high tension just moments ago, was now filled with the sounds of chaos and fear. Guests scrambled from their seats, shouting in confusion as they tried to escape the danger.

On stage, JD Lance appeared completely unfazed. In fact, he looked almost bored as he turned his gaze toward the source of the commotion.

With a sigh, he muttered, "Seems like the Adventurers Guild found us again."

One of the auction house's grand entrances had collapsed, but this was no mere accident. The hidden guards, who were stationed in the pitch-black tunnel leading to the auction house, had been unable to stop the intruder, who was powerful enough to crush the entrance without breaking a sweat.

Normally, such a collapse would have crumbled the building entirely and buried anyone alive, but this uninvited guest was no ordinary foe. Instead of crumbling, the tunnel seemed to hold itself together, the debris freezing in midair as if time itself had stopped.

Squirm! Squirm!

Then, with a surreal, almost sentient motion, the dirt and rocks began to squirm and shift, as though they were alive.

It became clear what was happening…

A powerful Earth Elemental was at work.

These ethereal creatures of the New World, born from the very essence of nature, were said to possess powers that could rival even the greatest demons when all elements were united. The intruder had somehow gained the favor of this Earth Elemental, allowing them to command the very earth to do their bidding.

Rumble—!

The tunnel, instead of collapsing further, began to expand, the once-pressing walls of dirt and rock pushing outward, solidifying as they did so. It was as if the very earth was being reshaped by a divine hand.

“An Elementalist has broken in!”

“Stop them! Guards!”

The guards, who had been hidden throughout the auction house, immediately moved in perfect unison. Moving with precision and discipline, they mobilized their entire force, knowing that any harm to their patrons would mean a catastrophic loss of reputation for their gang.

Lance, still on stage, seemed to relish the growing tension. His bored demeanor had shifted into something more sinister, a gleam of excitement in his eyes as he watched the guards rush to contain the situation.

"Let's see how this plays out," he muttered to himself with a smirk formed on his lips.

The situation escalated rapidly as the battle unfolded within the auction house. The guards, seasoned veterans with an average level between Level 4 and Level 5, were accustomed to dealing with powerful threats. Their high levels and battle-hardened experience made them some of the fiercest fighters in the Third Civilization Zone. Yet, despite their strength and numbers, they found themselves up against a formidable enemy.

The intruders were a large group of women, all clad in battle vests that offered enhanced protection, woven from layers of silk produced by a special breed of silkworm.

Their average levels ranged from 6 to 8, making them more powerful individually than the guards they faced. But it wasn’t just their levels that gave them an edge, it was the presence of their leader, a Dark Elf whose power was unmatched by anyone else in the room.

"Sisters, attack!" one of the women shouted. "Find that man!"

The command was met with immediate action as the women, despite being outnumbered, pushed forward with determination and strength. Their leader, the Dark Elf, stood out not only because of her dark skin but also due to the aura of power that radiated from her.

Woods glanced at his Mana-Monitoring Device, which registered a reading that reached the five-digit numbers.

[Magicule Level: 28,400]

"Holy shit, she is a Transcendent Tier 1," he muttered in disbelief.

The Dark Elf wasted no time in showcasing her power. She summoned a series of Fire Elementals, each taking the form of snakes that slithered through the air and spat flames as they moved. The guards, despite their attempts to fight back, were quickly overwhelmed by the sheer number and power of the Elementals.

“Uaargh!”

“Sa-... save me!”

“Fire!”

Screams of terror echoed through the auction house as the men were set ablaze, while their magic was futile against the onslaught.

Panic swept through the crowd. Most of the guests, knowing full-well the potential devastation of a battle between such powerful individuals, scrambled for the exits, desperate to escape the carnage.

The once grand and luxurious auction house was now a battlefield, with flames licking the walls and the air thick with the smell of burning flesh.

Amidst the chaos, a small team of humans and one elf were unfazed by the destruction around them. Unlike the panicked masses, they moved somewhere, as if they were preparing for something.

Price, Woods, and the others exchanged glances. It seemed like they were in the middle of something far bigger than they had anticipated. The Dark Elf and her Elementals were incredibly powerful, but they also knew better than to get involved in what seemed like a highly dangerous situation for normal humans like them, despite even being heavily armed with firearms.

The other female warriors who had accompanied the Dark Elf as her guards were strong in their own right. Their skill with the bow was exceptional, sniping the enemy magicians from the rear who were chanting spells.

"Jason David Lance, leader of the 'GaterGame' gang," the Dark Elf declared. "I am Alamak Sirrah, leader of the Strong, Independent All-Woman Mercenary Group, the 'Rainbow Roses.' You will be held accountable for stealing countless powerful Magic Artifacts from many renowned individuals across the Second and First Civilization Zones! Surrender now, or face immediate execution!"

Hearing the Dark Elf's bold declaration, the man dressed in a cowboy outfit simply chuckled and shook his head. Despite the battle raging throughout the building, he seemed rather confident.

Not only that, there was a dangerous pressure building up in the room, but both of the main players maintained their positions.

Lance smirked. "I'll get straight to the point. I will surrender, if you remain alive. Do you get my meaning?"

With a growl, Alamak glanced at one of her companions at her side and gave a nod.

Understanding the signal, a woman clad in full black knight armor that covered every inch of her body, crouched down and rushed forward.

WHOOSH!

Despite the bulk of her armor, the woman knight moved with lightning speed, closing the distance between herself and her target before the latter could even notice.

She pulled out a sword from its scabbard, and the blade glowed blue, revealing the Mana that was locked within.

The knight's sword was a powerful Magic Artifact, as was the rest of her armor. Her strength, durability, focus, resistance, and most importantly, her speed were all enhanced to formidable levels.

ZZTZZ!

Her blade crackled with electricity as sparks flickered across her armor.

She activated her skill, [Lightning Field], enveloping herself in a shimmering aura of electrical energy. Though it was meant to stun the enemy, her primary goal was to distract and lure them in while her partner prepared to strike.

"Haaa!" She brought her blade down in a flawless vertical slash, sending ripples of electricity crackling through the air, demonstrating the immense power of a Level 10 warrior.

However…

"[Transmute]."

VWUUUUSHH!

A pulse of energy went through the woman knight’s armor, causing the entire thing to break apart that very instant.

"Kyahh!"

The woman found herself standing in nothing but her bra and panties, as her once-imposing armor reduced to nothing, leaving her powerless, exposed, and defenseless.

'The armor was full Adamantite!'

While panic began rising within her, the woman knight didn't have time to dwell on such thoughts, though, as a bolt of electricity surged forth from her partner's location.

Compared to her [Lightning Field], the burst of lightning this time was unreal. It charged in a straight, horizontal line, with its power ripping through the very air that filled the air.

Everything vibrated as it lunged at the man who stood before the knight woman.

However…



Lance casually raised a finger and caught the lightning bolt as if it were a simple spark!

The room was bathed in blinding light as the energy danced across his hand, and began lifting him into the air. With a flick of his finger, he sent the lightning back in the direction it had come.

"Arghhhhhhhhhh!!!"

The redirected bolt struck another Rainbow Rose member, the force of it sending her into a world of excruciating pain before she collapsed to the ground, defeated.

The female mage's eyes widened in shock as her spell was deflected in an unexpected way.

Refusing to be rattled, she quickly prepared another spell, something quick and reliable to guarantee her protection.

With affinities in Wind and Lightning Magic, combined with her Quick-Casting skill, made her a formidable mage. She wasn’t born with exceptional talent or anything, but through sheer dedication and relentless practice, she had honed her craft to perfection, all by herself.

Her hard work had paid off in the form of immense magical power and skill.

"[Wind Barrier!]" she chanted rapidly, conjuring a protective dome around herself while preparing her next attack.

However—

WHOOSH!

Her opponent was already upon her.

“Wai—”

She tried to chant another spell, but—

"Keuk!"

A sharp pressure clamped around her throat, cutting off her words. The force lifted her, and she found herself being slammed into the ceiling.

“No… no, stop!”

BOOOOM!

Her frail body powerlessly crashed into the ceiling with a bone-jarring impact, sending pain radiating through her entire being.

"Gurgh!"

She lost consciousness almost immediately, her vision fading as she glimpsed a shadowy figure standing below her.

It was Lance.

When he landed back to the ground, he did it with such grace and perfect rhythm he looked like a bird in the air. Falling from twenty meters and reaching ground with no damage.

“Is that all you got?” he sneered with a smirk playing on his lips.

Rumble—!

A sudden rumbling noise echoed through the air, and within moments, something massive surged up from the earth like a shark cutting through water.

“ROAAARRRRRR!!”

Emerging from the earth was a five-meter-long worm-like creature with a rocky, stone-covered body glistening in the light. In an instant, the creature snatched the man and swallowed him whole in one chomp.



However, neither his guards nor his henchmen showed the slightest concern for the death of their leader. They just continued fighting the female warriors without any reaction.

But the beast, instead of retreating back underground to feast on its prey, began to convulse violently. Though it was a Level 8 creature, a wave of terror coursed through it as something horrifying stirred within.

A crimson rose, made entirely of blood, rose from the creature’s body. On closer inspection, microscopic monomolecular filaments could be seen entwined within the rose, barely visible to the naked eye.

In an instant, the rose unraveled like a whip, transforming into a deadly web of monomolecular wires that sliced through the beast’s insides with ruthless efficiency.

And the beast was liquefied in seconds.

Lance stepped out of the gore, his clothes miraculously unstained, as if the viscera of the beast had deliberately avoided touching him. Those familiar with his deadly art would recognize the meticulous technique and flawless choreography behind his actions. Like a toy box from which the joker comes out, the insides of the creature made the candidate for such a presentation.

"Such an unpleasant welcome," Lance remarked as he leapt from the remains of the slain beast. "Still, I must admit, any kind of welcome is better than none at all."

And as he pronounced his words, more beasts appeared. Nine beasts in total revealed themselves to be Ferrets.



They are another Magic beast from Level 7 to 10, each one wielding a different elemental magic. They wasted no time and immediately unleashed their full power upon one man.

"This is so meaningless..." Lance muttered, almost bored. "I thought you came here to talk, not just put on a performance. We don’t have time for theatrics after all." He chuckled in amusement as he reached into his coat.



The moment he pulled out a gun-like artifact, his voice echoed through the air as he roared out.

"[DEAD EYE]!"

As soon as he invoked the ability, the entire area around him shifted into monochrome, as if viewed through an old black-and-white television. The only hint of color was the red flames flickering in the chests of those around him. In this altered state, time slowed dramatically for Lance, allowing him to perceive even the fastest of movements as if they were crawling at a snail’s pace.

In this frozen moment, within a fraction of a second, he opened fire. The beasts, despite their furious charge, stood no chance. The bullets he fired traveled at hypersonic speed and tore through the creatures with devastating precision. Each shot was perfectly placed, and each beast was shredded before they could even comprehend the attack.

No mercy was shown, and none of the Elemental Fennecs survived.

To any observer, it was almost surreal to see the auctioneer, this seemingly clownish figure, effortlessly slaughter such powerful Magic Beasts with such overwhelming ease.

“Hahahaha! That was fun,” Lance laughed, clearly pleased with himself.

He glanced down at the weapon in his hand and smiled with satisfaction. The flintlock, though small and unassuming, was his most powerful magical weapon, a treasure he had stolen from a famous and powerful Dwarf in the Second Civilization Zone.

It was no ordinary firearm, it was a powerful relic of immense power.

A Transcendent Tier 2 magic weapon.

Whistle!

Suddenly, an arrowhead grazed past his cheek.

It was fired by a female archer with a pretty face twisted by fury and sorrow. But she wasn’t the only one seething with rage.

“How dare you do such a thing to our precious beasts!” a random Rainbow Rose member cried out with a mixture of anger and grief in her voice.

The other Rainbow Rose members, who had been in the midst of battle, turned their furious gazes on him as well. Their emotions were so turbulent that, had it not been for his guards standing in their way, they might have charged him all together.

"Really now…" Lance muttered, unimpressed.

Whoosh!

With a slight bend of his knees, Lance propelled himself forward in a sudden sprint.

The female archer, the one who had wounded his cheek, was caught off guard. She tried to put some distance between them, while frantically losing magic arrows at her approaching enemy, hoping that at least one would find its mark.

Twang!

The arrow shot forth in a straight line accurately targeting her enemy’s vitality as he charged forward. It was such a straightforward attack that it put Lance on the verge of laughing.

Ting! Bang! Ting!

The man either dodged the incoming arrows or shot them with his magic gun. Even though they were influenced by Wind magic to change trajectory or accelerate their speed, making it more challenging to avoid, they were still no different than a child's play for him.

“How…?!”

The female archer belatedly retreated with a face of disbelief. Her decision of swiftly abandoning the bow and drawing the dagger by her hip despite her panic was impressive. But her choice was a fatal mistake.

“Come on,” Lance taunted in amusement. “I can see exactly where you’re aiming with those pretty little eyes.”

Fwrrsh!

At that moment, a Fire Elemental materialized before Lance, with its blazing form radiating intense heat. But Lance barely acknowledged its presence as he simply raised his gun and fired.

Bang!

To the archer’s horror, the bullet tore through the Fire Elemental with ease, and dispersed its flames in an instant. But the bullet didn’t stop there. It continued on its deadly path, heading straight for her. Desperately, she raised her dagger to parry it, holding the blade horizontally above her head.

Splat!

The dagger did nothing to slow the hypersonic bullet. It tore through the blade, shattering it, before piercing through the archer’s skull. Her head exploded like a burst water balloon, and her body collapsed into a bloody heap.

“That’s one for starters,” Lance remarked coldly.

Tak!

Effortlessly, Lance caught the broken dagger as it fell from the lifeless hand of the archer.

With some skill of his own, he fixed the dagger in an instant. It was a stiletto with a fine blade and an extremely sharp point, an assassin’s weapon, designed for swift, lethal strikes.

“Bastard! You killed her…!” a voice roared from behind.

Another Rainbow Rose member, a male, charged at Lance with fury in his eyes and rapier in his hand.

“There’s an even bigger fool over here?” Lance sneered. He had long sensed the attacker from the subtle shift in the air around him. “If you’re going to sneak attack, maybe don’t shout first? Haha! It was such a blatant move that for a moment I could have suspected it to be a diversion or mind game.”

“Shut up!” the boy roared as he thrust his rapier towards Lance’s chest.

With a grin, Lance spun on his heel, moving with the fluid grace of a dancer. He held the stolen dagger in a reverse grip, and with a flick of his wrist, he angled it to meet the rapier’s blade.

Tik, tidik!

Sparks flew as the metals clashed, with blue flashes of light igniting from the friction. In that state, Lance’s dagger slid smoothly along the length of the rapier’s blade, from its tip to the hilt, as if riding along a rail.

Before the attacker could even process what was happening, Lance had disarmed him with a deft twist, leaving the boy defenseless and at his mercy.

“Hi there.”

“Huk…?!”

Lance had closed the distance so quickly that the sweaty boy barely had time to react before they were practically nose-to-nose. The dagger that had slipped into Lance’s hand felt perfectly timed, almost as if it had been waiting for this very moment.

The boy was easy to read with his nervousness. Lance could hardly suppress the laughter bubbling up inside him. But instead of acting on that amusement, he curled his lonely right hand into a tight fist which had been lonely from having nothing to hold into a tight fist.

And then, with all the force he could muster, he punched the boy hard.

Bam!

“Guegh?!”

His right fist landed a direct hit on the tip of the pretty boy's slender chin. His jaw was sent spinning and his head slumped backwards. This friend had been fumbling with something in his left hand, but Lance had no interest in finding out what it was, he was too busy enjoying the impact.

With quick movement, he grabbed the dazed male member of the Adventurer Party by the throat and then moved him to and fro like a shield, using him to block the arrows and magical attacks that were now aimed at them.

Puk, puk, smack, boom, puk…

"Ahh! Stop!!!"

This friend, despite his slender physique, was sturdier than most shields, thanks to his high level. He was also light, making it easy for Lance to wield him like a weapon of his own.

And the best part? The boy was still alive, adding to his utility.

As the frequency of arrows decreased, Lance tilted his head and grinned.

"Hey buddy, can you help me out a bit?"

"H-Huh?!"

Before the pretty boy could fully comprehend what was happening, Lance deeply stabbed into his belly. He was careful to avoid any major arteries, as he wanted his new "friend" to last a while longer.

With his left hand gripping his magic gun and his right holding the impaled boy like a shield, he charged in.

The other Rainbow Rose members were surprised by his brutal use of their comrade. They hesitated, unsure whether to continue their attack or risk harming their own.

Seeing their hesitation, Lance decided to help them make up their minds.

"Come on," he taunted, his voice dripping with mockery. "Don’t you want to save your friend? Or are you just going to let him bleed out while you stand there?"

The uncertainty in their eyes was all the encouragement he needed. Lance grinned, and raised his hand, before bursting out a series of bullets.

"Let Blake go, you meani—"

Bang!

A young girl with a staff barely had time to finish her plea before a bullet tore through her neck, severing her head cleanly from her body.

The force sent her little cute head flying into the air, and with her death, a dozen or so Elementals she had summoned vanished as if they had never existed.

Splrrsh!

Blood erupted from the severed part of her neck like a fountain, painting the battlefield with crimson. Right next to her corpse, another pretty little woman, now drenched in the blood of her decapitated friend, wailed in grief, her voice breaking as she cried out the name of her friend.

"Isabella! N-No! You can't be—"

Before she could finish, Lance shoved the barrel of his gun into her open mouth.

"Kyagh—?!"

"Oh, poor dear," Lance mocked, his voice dripping with false sympathy. "Gonna cry about it?"

Bang!

The shot echoed as the bullet ripped through her hindbrain, the part of the brain responsible for controlling respiration, heartbeat, digestive functions and so on. It obliterated any chance of survival, and her body crumpled lifelessly to the ground.

Meanwhile, the boy Lance had been using as a shield was nearing his end as well, and his strength and Mana that protected most of his body faded with each passing second.

"It’s time for me to forget this short friendship of ours," Lance said with a cold finality.

Crack!

With a swift, merciless twist, Lance snapped the man’s neck, ending his life without a hint of hesitation or remorse. The body slumped in his grasp, no longer of any use to him.

Retrieving the dagger he had once used as a symbol of their brief "friendship," Lance snapped his fingers, and flames erupted over the corpse, consuming it in seconds.

"Ahhh," he inhaled deeply as the scent of burning flesh filled the air. "I do love the smell of LGBarbeQue."

His words dripped with dark humor, as if the carnage was nothing more than a twisted joke to him.

As he was about to continue his slaughter, unbeknownst to him, a small group of humans were doing something that will affect him greatly.