Chapter 224 Dominating the Auction
Everla sighed and redirected everyone's focus back to the stage. "Everyone, I think you'll all find this next item very interesting. It's a furnace, the very items used to create such weapons as the one you just saw. This is one of the best in the continent, at the very top of the peak-tier and possibly even higher. Who'll get it?"
"One lv. 70 peak-tier item!"
"I'll also give a lv. 70 peak-tier item!"
"A mid-tier lv. 80 spear!"
There was no question as to where that last bid came from.
Everyone, in particular the royals, all wondered how wealthy that mysterious man was. Sure, there were people who had such items, but they shouldn't have that many of them. And usually, they were treasures that a royal family would cherish in hopes that they could somehow break through to lv. 80.
There weren't any known blacksmiths that could create lv. 80 items, so there were truly priceless.
Yet here was Jack, practically giving them away in comparison. All the royals grew even more curious as to who the mysterious bidder was. Some wanted to align with them in hopes of gaining some benefits, while others wondered if they could rob them of everything.j
Since no one bid higher, and since it wasn't the first lv. 80 item Jack had offered, Everla found it a bit easier to keep herself together. "Going once! Going twice… Sold!"
"Gong!"
Up in the owners' room, Hurmot grinned with a twinkle in his eyes.
Kaldor, on the other hand, was so red in the face that people looking at him could imagine steam coming off of him. "You offered such an item?! Are you insane?!"
"I don't think so, because I just gained a priceless lv. 80 item," replied Hurmot. "That item alone might be enough to bring out a few reclusive experts to next year's auction. It was a great investment."
"Then what's your final item? You were crazy enough to offer that, so how much of a madman were you really?" questioned Kaldor.
"I think the true madman is Argyle. To think that he still has three items left after my furnace… What in Halmut's beard did he put up?"
Coming to the same realization, Kaldor quieted down and watched to the rest of the auction, feeling down on himself. Compared to the year before, Kaldor had made a killing this year. But by comparison, he was shortchanged from the opportunity.
Jack was hiding a smile, content to get his hands on a mythic-tier furnace. With that, he would be able to create mythic-tier weapons. But only if he found a suitable blacksmith and had something to base such weapons on, like his new mythic-tier sword.
However, Jack was glad to get it and would search for a blacksmith at a later point in time. For now, he would focus on grinding preparing to reshape the Leisure Guild.
"Our next thing up for grabs are these boots, but don't be fooled," shouted Everla, keeping the audience active. "These ordinary-looking boots are unique lv. 70 holy items that are blessed by the Illusion God. It allows the wearer to appear to be in two places at once, making them very difficult to face in close combat. What will the--"
"One high-tier lv. 80 breastplate!"
Some people were already looking up to Jack's room before he placed the bid, anticipating an unbeatable offer to come from him.
"Going once… Going twice… Sold!"
"Gong!"
In the eyes of the crowd, Jack's pockets only kept getting deeper, never running out. It scared the royals. They feared the worst, that not a single royal would get their hands on a mysterious item.
"Were those yours Argyle?" asked Jack.
"Yeah…" pouted the auction house owner. "Let me guess, they're mythic-tier?"
Jack's nod was answer enough for Argyle's heart to skip a beat. He was glad to get a high-tier lv. 80 item, but it still hurt to lose another mythic-tier item that he could use personally.
Everla was already bringing out the next item, getting used to Jack's dominating bids. "There are now three items up for sale, and I don't believe we've ever sold anything this valuable before, at least not in my lifetime."
Those words shook the crowd. The royals with items to compete with Jack were glad they held themselves back. Now was the time for them to compete.
Giving Hurmot a peculiar look, Kaldor asked, "What did you put up…?"
"You'll see," stated Hurmot, not letting his eyes leave the stage.
Two items were wheeled out at the same time, confusing the audience.
"Everyone, both of the next two items have been evaluated at the same price. For that reason, we will sell them both at the same time," explained Everla. "Both of these ancient books are spellbooks. But, there's something special about them. Inside, you'll find mythic-tier spells."
A deep breath was taken by everyone collectively, even Jack.
With a frozen gaze, Kaldor's mouth was agape. "You… You both put up mythic-tier spell books?!"
Hurmot was also entranced, but for a different reason. "If we both put up mythic-tier spellbooks, yet neither of them were the last item, just how crazy was Argyle?!"
"These spells are--"
"I'll offer a peak-tier lv. 80 item for each spellbook!"
"..." Everla stopped talking and looked toward that room on the third floor, along with everyone else. "Y-you have two peak-tier lv. 80 items?"
Suddenly, two weapons appeared on Jack's display, a glaive and a metal claw. "Both are peak-tier lv. 80 items. If you must, you're welcome to send someone to inspect them."
The hearts of the royals all seized up. Most of them were unable to even compete with one lv. 80 peak-tier item, yet Jack had thrown out two at once.
The couple of kings that had a peak-tier lv. 80 item with them hesitated. They definitely wanted one of those spellbooks, but they also remembered that there was one item left. Meaning, that there was something even more valuable after those spellbooks.
"Are there any competing bids?" asked Everla, who laughed and struggled to believe how profitable this year's auction had been. "Since no one has said anything, I'll begin the countdown for both items at once."
"Going once… Going twice… Sold!"
"Gong! Gong!"
Finally, Argyle felt much better. He already knew that the spellbook was peak-tier, so this matched his expectation.
Hurmot couldn't stop laughing. From Jack's aggressive bids, he had the feeling that he had underestimated Jack's wealth. But he was still glad nonetheless because he got a lv. 80 peak-tier item.
Having such an item already set both Celestial Crane and Fat Goose auction houses apart from Golden Haven. Each auction house had a lv. 80 item, but none were high-tier, let alone peak-tier. This could heavily influence the development of both auction houses and attract the most reclusive experts for another spectacular auction.
Left out, Kaldor was struggling to control his rage. He only managed to gain a peak-tier lv. 75 item. For such an item, there were only two blacksmiths in the world that could make them, making it priceless.
Yet he didn't just lose in terms of profit, he was completely outclassed by the other two auction houses winnings.
"Who's ready for the final item?"
With a great roar, the crowd cheered as one last item was rolled out on a pure white trolly. As the last item, everyone was sure that the royals would give it their all to fight Jack for it.
But before Everla could explain anything, Jack already shouted out an offer with his gaze fixed on the white trolly.
"One peak-tier lv. 80 item!"
Everla stammered, "Please, let me explain what this--"
"I'll also offer a lv. 80 peak-tier item!"
"Me too! And I'll add a lv. 75 peak-tier item!"
Two voices cut her off. The royals finally couldn't stand Jack's dominating bids.
Sighing, Everla looked up and saw all three displays. She noticed that the first royal also added a lv. 75 peak-tier item, yet Jack's display didn't change at all.
"Give me a moment to review the two leading offers. Then we'll decide who will walk away with these--"
"That won't be necessary!" shouted Jack. The image on display changed completely, replaced with a sword. "I'll offer a mid-tier lv. 85 weapon."
"..."
"..."
"..."
The only thing heard throughout the auction hall was heavy breathing. Everyone was trembling from excitement and amazement. Jack's offers would always get more radical and never lower, even after everything he put up. It was too much to comprehend, coming from a mysterious buyer with no known background and someone who was guessed to be a young man.
Both Kaldor and Hurmot had goosebumps.
At that moment, Hurmot knew that he had underestimated Jack's wealth. He wished he had put something up to match Argyle's last item.
"WHAAAAAAAT?!?!?!"
Kaldor roared. It was too tough of a pill for him to swallow. "That idiot actually put his Phoenix Lilies up for auction?! And it's the entire bouquet?!"