Chapter 134: The Value of a Single Sword (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 134: The Value of a Single Sword (3)
The famous sword, Blaze.
Listening to the host's explanation, Marquis Valentino instantly recognized the sheer magnitude of its value.
'Its true value doesn't just lie in its level 10 mana responsiveness. Countless famous swords have passed through the Adelian Auction House, yet not a single one has ever reached level 10. It isn't highly valued merely because it's three levels higher than the level 7 Needle; rather, it carries the symbolic weight of breaking into the level 10 realm—a domain no one has ever reached before.'
The first of its kind.
Its sheer rarity alone made his desire to win the bid boil over.
However, the host had also mentioned that alongside its mana responsiveness, it actively enhanced the power of Aura. If that were true, its performance was nothing short of miraculous. By nature, a sword was merely a weapon. Unless a mage enchanted it, it could not exert effects beyond its physical limits.
Famous swords versus magic swords.
This was the eternal dilemma of all swordsmen.
To manifest Aura with their full might, they had to use pure weapons. Mediocre swordsmen preferred magic swords, as they couldn't draw out the full potential of a famous sword anyway. A magic sword enchanted with Sharpness was always popular among them. However, once a swordsman reached the expert realm and became a Ranker, a famous sword that allowed them to perfectly utilize their Aura was worth spending an absolute fortune on.
'Any Aura Swordsman would covet this, even if it meant emptying their entire fortune. And being the first implies there will be more. If the artisan who forged this releases a second or third sword to the market, the value of Blaze—holding the prestige of being the very first—will inevitably skyrocket over time. An artisan's inaugural piece is recognized for its symbolism alone, regardless of its actual performance.'
Weighing all these complex factors, an intense desire surged within Marquis Valentino.
As the most renowned collector in Cairo, he felt he had to obtain Blaze no matter the cost.
'It would be truly magnificent to add such a famous sword to my collection.'
There was no reason to hesitate.
The current bid sat at 600 gold.
Just as the crowd warily sized each other up, Marquis Valentino raised his paddle.
"Aaaaaah! Bidder number 53 has doubled the bid, bringing the price to a staggering 1,200 gold! This is truly an unprecedented sum in the history of the Adelian Auction House!"
1,200 gold.
It was an overwhelming fortune.
Everyone except the screaming host was struck dumb, and even Bidder 12 couldn't hide his fluster.
Double.
Doubling the bid wasn't just about acknowledging the sword's 1,200-gold value; it was a declaration of absolute dominance, a vow to outbid any opponent regardless of the cost. Under normal circumstances, Bidder 12 would have kept going. He firmly believed the sword was worth more than 1,200 gold, but because his opponent was Marquis Valentino, he couldn't act rashly.
The Greedy Collector.
Everyone in this circle knew that clashing with a man possessed by such a mad obsession for collecting would only lead to ruin.
In the past, a wealthy tycoon in Cairo had fiercely competed with Marquis Valentino and won a bid at an absurdly high price. If it had ended there, he could have walked away the victor. However, Marquis Valentino immediately applied crippling financial pressure to seize the item anyway. The tycoon, having already bled his coffers dry at the auction, withered under the relentless assault. He was eventually forced to sell the item at a bargain price, leading to his complete ruin.
The mastermind behind that tragedy was Marquis Valentino.
When he displayed such ruthless determination, stepping back was the only way to ensure one's own survival.
In the end...
Bang! Bang!
"1,200 gold! Sold to Bidder number 53 for 1,200 gold!"
The treasure that had thrown the Adelian Auction House into an uproar had been claimed.
The new owner of the famous sword, Blaze, was none other than Marquis Valentino, the tycoon of Cairo.
* * *
After the auction concluded, Marquis Valentino moved to a private VIP room to claim his prize.
Delighted by the massive 1,200-gold jackpot, Morris, the auction house manager, welcomed the Marquis with a beaming smile.
"How would you like to proceed with the payment?"
"I will pay right now. That way, I can take Blaze home as quickly as possible."
"Understood."
It was a method truly fitting of his reputation.
Usually, when a winning bid was this exorbitant, the buyer needed time to liquidate assets and raise funds. Marquis Valentino had no such need. At his signal, his subordinates hauled in heavy chests overflowing with gold coins.
Gesturing to the gleaming gold, Marquis Valentino said to Morris,
"There is exactly 1,300 gold in there."
"But the winning bid was 1,200 gold."
"Do you think I don't know that? 1,200 gold is for Blaze. Consider the remaining 100 gold my personal gift to you. I am a man of clean transactions. I know the Adelian Auction House strictly maintains the anonymity of its sellers, but shouldn't you show a little flexibility to keep a VIP customer like myself? Tell me the name of the artisan who forged this sword. I wish to meet him in person, strictly under the condition that it will never be traced back to the Adelian Auction House."
It was a devilish whisper.
Draping a massive 100-gold bribe over his request, Marquis Valentino sought an audience with the anonymous artisan.
He harbored no ill intent; he was simply burning with curiosity to see the face of the person who had crafted Blaze.
Just how?
How on earth had they forged such a masterpiece?
"...I am sorry."
Slide.
Morris pushed the extra chest back.
100 gold.
He was sorely tempted.
In truth, even with anonymous sellers, information was frequently bought and sold under the table. But this transaction was entirely different. The owner of Blaze had placed their absolute trust in the Adelian Auction House. The commission for this single transaction was a staggering 120 gold. If they maintained that trust, wouldn't the artisan consign more items to them in the future? This was a matter of long-term profit. Even if it meant offending a giant like Marquis Valentino, protecting the artisan's identity was the only right choice for the Adelian Auction House.
Seeing Morris's firm stance, Marquis Valentino took a step back.
"Hmm. Then it can't be helped."
"Thank you for understanding my position, My Lord."
"No, it is the natural choice from the auction house's perspective. However, if this artisan puts another item up for auction in the future, notify me first."
"Understood."
The transaction concluded smoothly.
After finalizing the payment, Marquis Valentino received the item. He inspected Blaze's condition and marveled at it once again.
"Incredible."
It was a true work of art.
The sleek, flawless blade and its terrifying responsiveness to mana...
Even Marquis Valentino, a man who had collected countless famous swords, had never seen an artisan capable of crafting something of this caliber.
He immediately called his subordinate and issued an order.
"Spread rumors throughout Cairo starting right now. No matter how great a famous sword is, its value only truly rises when the masses know about it. Also, find the artisan who forged Blaze, no matter the cost. Judging by the fact that it was first traded at the Adelian Auction House, we should start by investigating the Master Blacksmiths of Dmitry."
"I will obey your command."
The Greedy Collector.
He hadn't earned that moniker for nothing.
He was determined to uncover the artisan's identity and was willing to do whatever it took to forge a connection with him.
It was a pure, unadulterated desire.
What he wanted was nothing grand—just the thrill of the collection.
* * *
The anonymous owner.
Lucas was completely dazed by the final payout of 1,080 gold, calculated after the auction house took its commission.
"...To think it would fetch this much."
Before the auction, he had utilized his information network to check the current market prices.
Given the precedent of Needle, which had sold for 300 gold, he assumed 900 gold—three times that amount—would be the absolute ceiling for the bid. Even that was a highly optimistic estimate, made only because he knew exactly how exceptional Blaze was. He had fully prepared himself for the price to drop to around 800 gold depending on the bidders' financial situations. Yet, Marquis Valentino had not only dropped a staggering 1,200 gold but had also made it abundantly clear he was willing to offer even more.
In a single instant, they had earned over 1,000 gold.
Considering the Barco family had completely collapsed because they couldn't handle a debt of a few thousand gold, this was an unfathomable amount of wealth for a single sword.
'Just where is my lord's limit?'
Roman Dmitry.
The monster who had defeated Butler.
Yet, despite possessing such earth-shattering martial prowess, he had casually forged a sword that master artisans couldn't replicate even after decades of blood, sweat, and tears.
At first, Lucas assumed it was simply because Roman possessed the blood of the Dmitry family.
But no matter how much he pondered it, the ability to amplify the power of Aura was a forging technique that didn't exist even within Dmitry. Roman seemed to have created his own entirely unique domain. As time passed, his limits became utterly impossible to predict. If Roman ever decided to succeed as a blacksmith, Dmitry would usher in a golden age in a completely different sense.
'My lord instructed me to use the proceeds from the sword to fund the information guild, but 1,000 gold is far beyond what I can handle on my own. As soon as my lord finishes his closed-door training, I will report this to him and return the funds.'
But Lucas did not know.
He didn't realize that although he had securely hidden his identity behind the auction house's anonymity, the sheer fame of the Dmitry family's blacksmithing technology would inevitably leave a trail.
During the one-month period while Roman was in closed-door training, the outside world was rapidly shifting.
* * *
There were only about fifteen days left until the tournament.
Time was running out.
With the days flying by, Chris pushed himself even harder to prepare.
Whoosh!
A sword brushed right past his face.
Henderson had aimed for an opening with a sharp, decisive strike, but Chris didn't waver in the slightest.
"That was a reckless attack."
Tap!
Thud!
Chris swept his leg, tripping him.
Henderson rolled miserably across the dirt. He scrambled to get up, but a wooden sword was already resting against his neck. A devastated expression washed over Henderson's face. After countless spars, there wasn't a single unbruised spot left on his body. Yet, the physical pain paled in comparison to the bitter pill of being so helplessly defeated.
"...I lost."
"Your effort is commendable, but your attacks still lack sharpness. When you commit to a decisive move, never forget that your opponent might be waiting for exactly that."
"I will keep that in mind."
The spar ended.
As Henderson retreated with heavy steps, Chris called out.
"Next."
Fifteen days ago, Roman had announced an infinite competition.
It was the declaration of a new war.
His subordinates, having nowhere to vent their boiling blood after the war with Hector concluded, spent their days locked in fierce, relentless combat to secure one of the six available spots. The most dominant among them was, by far, Chris. Having practically secured his spot already, he spent his time sparring with the other subordinates to correct their shortcomings.
'So far, the ones guaranteed a spot are me, Kevin, Volkan, and Puki.'
The remaining two spots were still up in the air.
He didn't know who would ultimately be selected, but for the sake of Roman's honor, Chris prayed that not a single one of them would suffer defeat in the tournament.
"I look forward to our spar."
His next opponent was Volkan.
He was the man who had been the very first to issue a challenge during the private soldier recruitment, only to be soundly defeated.
As one of the warriors whose skills had grown exponentially over time, Volkan pushed Chris hard right from the opening clash. He launched an explosive barrage fueled by his massive build, pressing forward relentlessly to deny Chris any breathing room. But Chris was a monster who had evolved even faster than the rest.
An iron wall.
None of the attacks broke through.
Ever since surviving the war alongside Roman, Chris had stepped into an entirely different realm of martial prowess.
Tap.
Clack.
With concise, fluid movements, Chris parried the heavy blade and dug forward, shattering Volkan's defense.
As Volkan hastily pulled his sword back to recover, Chris took a swift side step, aiming a decisive strike at his exposed flank.
But just then—
BOOM!
RUMBLE!
A massive explosion echoed from afar.
Instantly, Chris's expression stiffened.
Since Dmitry owned an iron mine, explosions were a common occurrence. The problem was the source of the sound. It had come directly from the secluded area where Roman was undergoing his closed-door training.
"Everyone, stop! We are going to our lord right now!"
The order was absolute.
Acting as Roman's sword, Chris bolted toward Roman's location without looking back.
Roman hadn't shown himself even once during this entire period.
Neither Chris nor the other subordinates had any idea what had just happened to their liege.