Chapter 81: Mask Auction (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 81: Mask Auction (3)
“Are there any bidders?”
The bidding restarted from the beginning.
I stood silently at the front of the stage, my gaze sweeping over the crowd—specifically those who had been bidding just moments ago.
This time, no one raised a hand. No one made a sound.
“I will count to ten. If there are no bids, the item will be passed.”
When the silence remained unbroken, the Auctioneer began his countdown. His voice was the only thing echoing through the hall.
Threatening people’s lives didn't exactly make me feel like a hero, but the results were undeniable.
The count reached ten. Not a single person had dared to speak.
“The first item has been passed. Moving on to the next.”
The Skill Stone vanished from the podium, replaced instantly by the second item.
[Item: Dalphara’s Golden Mirror]
A ritual tool used by Dalphara, priestess of the Dyakaropine tribe, for ancestral sacrifices. Upon activation, it creates a reflective barrier that mirrors an opponent’s attack.
※ Attacks exceeding the mirror’s durability cannot be reflected.
※ Cannot be used if durability is depleted.
※ Durability recovers by 1% per hour.
Durability: 100/100
The description hovered before my eyes.
An attack-reflection ability. It was a solid item, but under these circumstances, it was out of the question.
“The starting price for the second item is 1,500 lives. Bidders, please raise your hand and state your price.”
As expected, the room remained still. The Auctioneer counted to ten, and the mirror followed the Skill Stone into the void.
The auction began to move at a rapid pace.
[Rare+ Skill Enhancement Stone]
Enhances one Rare+ tier skill.
[Item: Sitpi’s Broomstick]
The broomstick of the mischievous witch, Sitpi. Allows the user to fly. The broomstick occasionally acts on its own.
Cost: 30 Willpower per second.
[Skill: Ice Armor (Rare+)]
Compresses frigid energy to envelop the body in a suit of armor. Increases defense and applies a freezing effect to any opponent who makes contact.
Requirement: 1 minute of Mental Focus.
Category: Magic
Willpower Consumption: 20 per second
Cooldown: 3 minutes
Skill Stones, Enhancement Stones, and high-tier items—the stage saw a constant rotation of treasures. Every Skill Stone was at least Rare+ tier, and the items possessed effects that were arguably even better.
If the price weren't paid in human lives, I would have swept up every single one of them.
Instead, the auction house was filled with a mechanical rhythm: “Are there any bidders?” “The item has been passed.” “Moving on to the next.”
The Auctioneer proceeded like a machine, ignoring the heavy silence of the audience.
Then, finally...
“...This is the final item of the Mask Auction.”
The Skill Stone that appeared on the podium wasn't green. It was a deep, pulsing purple.
[Skill: Lion’s Roar (Epic)]
Unleashes a roar that incapacitates enemies within a minimum 30-meter radius. Opponents with significantly lower status than the caster may die instantly. The effect increases the closer the target is to the caster. Range and potency scale with Willpower consumption.
※ Upon use, all mental debuffs are dispelled.
※ Physical abilities increase by 20% for 5 minutes.
Category: Physical
Willpower Consumption: 300 – 900
Cooldown: 10 minutes
An Epic tier skill.
The crowd finally broke their silence, murmuring in hushed, shocked tones.
“...Epic?”
“Is that the tier above Rare?”
The public didn't know about the tiers beyond Rare yet. It wasn't information they needed, and I hadn't seen a reason to share it.
I stared at the description, my mind racing. Holy shit.
An AoE stun with a 30-meter range, a mental cleanse, and a physical buff. It was a spectacular set of effects, perfectly befitting the Epic rank.
“The starting price is 10,000 lives.”
The price was astronomical compared to the previous items. It didn't matter. It was going to be passed anyway.
The atmosphere was thick with tension, but no one moved. This insane auction was finally coming to an end.
“Are there any bidders?” the Auctioneer asked, scanning the room.
Suddenly, a man stood up.
“A-as expected... shouldn't you be the one to take this, Saram123?”
I blinked. It was Number 99. He was looking at me with a desperate, cautious expression.
“You’re the only one who can save this world,” he pleaded. “Compared to the lives you’ll save in the future, 10,000 people is... frankly, it’s a bargain, isn't it? If you get stronger, the whole world has a better chance of surviving.”
“...”
“Please. Take it. I beg of you.”
A few others began to nod, murmuring their agreement.
I didn't answer. I simply let out a long sigh and shook my head.
“It’s an Epic skill!” Number 99 cried, his voice cracking. “It’s levels above anything we’ve seen!”
I knew. I knew he wasn't entirely wrong. Did I want the skill? Of course I did.
But wrong was still wrong.
“If there are no bidders, I will count to ten and pass the final item.”
The Auctioneer began the count. Ten seconds felt like an eternity.
“...The final item has been passed.”
And just like that, it was over.
“This concludes the Mask Auction.”
The Auctioneer clapped his hands.
The dark auction hall vanished. In its place appeared a massive, opulent banquet hall. The tables were overflowing with a feast—meats, salads, tiered cakes, and fine wine.
“A closing banquet has been prepared for all participants. Please enjoy the food and drink provided. You will be returned to your original locations when the time expires.”
[Remaining Time: 59:41]
With that, the Auctioneer vanished.
What is this now? I thought, annoyed. They should have just sent us back.
The hundred participants stood around awkwardly. Subtly, every eye in the room drifted toward me. When I looked back, they flinched, quickly averting their gazes.
Given that I’d just murdered someone in front of them, the atmosphere was beyond uncomfortable. I considered using Stealth, but I had an hour to kill. I couldn't stay hidden the whole time.
I walked to a corner table and sat down. Seeing me take a seat, the others slowly began to scatter and sit at their own tables.
I looked at the food. It looked delicious, but I didn't have an appetite. I planned to just sit in silence until the timer hit zero.
“Um...”
Someone approached my table. It was Shin Su-jin and Justin—the two who had spoken up for me earlier.
Justin gave me a sheepish smile. “Do you mind if we join you?”
I nodded. I was still wearing the mask; there was no reason to be rude.
Justin sat across from me, while Shin Su-jin gave a polite bow and sat beside him. Justin glanced at me, his eyes full of awe.
“It’s truly an honor. If it’s not too much trouble... could I shake your hand?”
“...Sure.”
I shook his hand, then Shin Su-jin’s.
Justin looked genuinely moved. “Allow me to introduce myself properly. I’m Justin, Vice-Captain of the 5th Floor Security Force. I’ve wanted to thank you in person for a long time. Do you remember me? I was there during the Wang Kai incident...”
“I think I remember.”
“You do! Thank you, truly. Me, Captain Alex, the whole team—we owe you our lives. We’re all so grateful for what you did.”
Justin went on for a bit before glancing around the room. “Anyway, I’m just glad the auction ended without any more... incidents. I’m sorry we weren't more help.”
I gave a small, bitter smile. “Don't be. If anything, I should apologize for being so violent. It wasn't my intention.”
Well, it was my intention to kill anyone who bid, but saying it that way felt a bit off.
Justin waved it off immediately. “What are you talking about? You handled it perfectly. If you hadn't put that Number 41 bastard down, who knows how bad things would have gotten.”
Shin Su-jin, who had been listening quietly, added in a soft voice, “It’s possible all 100 million people would have died. Please, don't let it weigh on your conscience.”
Justin turned to her. “By the way, Su-jin... do you know Saram123 personally? You seemed so sure it was him earlier.”
She shook her head. “Not at all. I only said that because he took my side.”
“Ah, right. Well, since you stepped up, I figured I’d back you. I never actually expected it to be the man himself. Haha.”
Shin Su-jin clearly had no intention of revealing our acquaintance. It made sense; she was a public figure, and being linked to me might cause complications.
We talked for a while longer. They were careful not to pry or bring up uncomfortable topics, which made the conversation surprisingly easy.
As the timer wound down, others saw us talking and realized I wasn't going to snap and kill them. Slowly, they began to approach.
“I just wanted to say hello... could I shake your hand, just once?”
One man even took off his mask, his voice trembling with emotion. He was a Westerner with a thick beard. When I stood up to accept the handshake, his eyes welled with tears.
“...My mother is a Nightmare Climber,” he whispered. “Because you chose the penalty on the 4th Floor, she survived. I’ve wanted to thank you for so long.”
I hadn't thought about it that way.
After him, the floodgates opened. It was an endless line of people wanting to shake my hand.
“Thank you for protecting the world! We’re all rooting for you!”
“Savior, please... keep saving us.”
“I’m actually shaking hands with Saram123... wow...”
I shook hands with almost everyone in the room. Only the few who had tried to bid earlier stayed away, looking ashamed. Being thanked by so many people... it didn't feel bad.
Before I knew it, the hour was up.
“It’s a shame,” Justin said, sounding genuinely disappointed. “I wanted to talk more. I really hope we meet again—”
[Remaining Time: 00:01]
The room blurred. Everyone vanished instantly.
“...?”
I looked around. I was still in the banquet hall.
Why am I the only one left?
As confusion set in, the Auctioneer suddenly materialized in the center of the room.
“Pardon me. Could you spare a moment more of your time?”
“...What?”
“My Master wishes to make a special offer to you, Saram123.”
I frowned. “Who is your Master? The Tower?”
It was the only logical answer. The Auctioneer simply repeated himself like a recording. “Could you spare a moment?”
I thought about it for a second. “No. Send me back.”
“My Master—”
“I said no.”
Whatever the offer was, it was bound to be some kind of bullshit. The Auctioneer fell silent, then nodded slowly.
“Understood. I shall return you to your original location.”
“...Wait.”
I sighed, rubbing my temples. Dammit. I might as well hear it. “What’s the offer? Tell me.”
The Auctioneer clapped his hands. A small table and a box appeared before me. He slowly lifted the lid.
My eyes widened.
Inside the box was a Skill Stone, but it wasn't green or purple. It was a brilliant, glowing orange—a color I had never seen before.
[Legendary Tier Skill Stone]
Upon use, grants one Legendary tier skill.
Legendary.
I narrowed my eyes at the stone, then looked at the Auctioneer. “Your Master wants to give this to me? What’s the catch? Do I have to sacrifice more people?”
“That is correct.”
I scoffed, already preparing to walk away and give him the middle finger.
“The price,” the Auctioneer continued, “is one person.”
He paused, his mechanical gaze fixed on me.
“You only need to spend one life from your balance of one million. That is the price for this stone.”