At that moment, at midnight by U.S. time,
In the city of Barbadon, the site of the largest artifact auction in the U.S., Anna, Haruna, Yoo Seolah, Lee Jooah, and Elaine gathered at a luxurious hotel for a girls' meeting.
The girls intently listened to Elaine, their curious eyes fixed on her.
"So, are you talking about my older brother? The teacher said he's a magical genius, right? I can't recall perfectly, but I do remember him being exceptionally smart as the teacher mentioned."
"I had no idea Hajoon was so skilled in magic."
"Our perception of Hajoon seems quite different."
"Yeah. He must have really been smart."
"Was he always seen as that intelligent?"
"Well, I once saw him accidentally break a vase that my dad treasured. That vase was worth tens of millions of won. But he managed to find a cheap, pristine white vase, painted a similar pattern onto it, and placed it back as if nothing happened. It was so convincing that even my dad was fooled."
"Hmm... That sounds more cunning than smart."
Elaine's comment amused Anna, making her chuckle softly.
The other girls reacted similarly, amused and impressed.
Thinking of him now, is there even a comparison?
"It would have been great if he had come here."
Upon hearing this, Anna replied with a tender smile, "I did contact him. If he wants to, he'll come."
"Hajoon isn't the type to follow us easily just because we ask."
Hearing Yoo Seolah's comment, everyone nodded in agreement, except for Elaine.
Considering Hajoon's nature, he'd come if he wanted. He's not one to be easily persuaded.
Then Lee Jooah spoke up, "Oh, right! Have you found the artifact you were looking for?"
The truth was, Elaine didn’t just come to Barbadon for fun. Given her combat style, she needed a suitable artifact. And since her combat style was somewhat similar to Lee Jooah's, Lee Jooah had helped her search for the right artifact all day.
Elaine responded with a bitter smile, "I haven't found it yet."
"Seems you haven't come across one you liked."
"What about checking the 'Grand Auction' tomorrow around 3 in the afternoon?" suggested Yoo Seolah.
With a puzzled expression, Elaine asked, "Grand Auction?"
"Yes, there's an auction in Barbadon exclusive for premium members. Only legendary and epic-grade artifacts are auctioned there. You might find the artifact you're seeking."
"I wonder if I can attend such an event."
Elaine looked at Yoo Seolah with curious eyes, and Anna chimed in.
"If you ask Liam, it should be doable. I mean, we weren't originally planning to attend; just Liam was. Do you want me to talk to Liam for you?"
At this, Elaine was deep in thought.
To be frank, she had seen numerous artifacts during the morning demonstration in the square. However, she hadn't found the exact piece she was looking for.
It wasn't about the grade.
Was it about their energy?
Even when she held them, they just didn't feel right, giving her a strong sense that they'd be of no use to her. Perhaps there might be an artifact at the Grand Auction that would be a better fit without any issues? With determination, Elaine turned to Anna and made a sincere request.
"In that case, I'd appreciate it if you could, senior."
"Sure thing, I've got it covered."
The spectacle of Barbadon is breathtaking, living up to its reputation as an underwater city.
It's as if the city, made of a transparent sphere the size of a man-made island, has submerged beneath the water, resembling a massive aquarium.
Barbadon is not only renowned as the world's largest artifact market but also as its most beautiful auction house.
In the heart of Barbadon, underground of Central Zone 1,
Liam and Elaine were heading towards the auction house through a corridor of a building.
"Unexpected, isn't it? I never thought you'd attend an auction like this. Couldn't find an artifact to your liking?" said Liam.
Given the place, Liam had not anticipated Elaine attending such a major auction.
Elaine responded with an innocent expression, "No, I haven't found an artifact that I like."
"Hmm... So, are you prepared to compete?"
"Compete?"
At her words, Liam chuckled.
Realizing she might be unfamiliar with the setting, he kindly explained, "If you don't know much about artifacts, you might end up wasting money. Plus, you have to compete to get the ones you like. You do have enough money, right?"
At this, Elaine nodded.
She indeed had plenty of money. Considering the treasures stacked in her family's vault, money wasn't an issue.
"Well, I'll assist you on the side. By the way, you only need to procure one artifact, right?"
"Yes, that's correct."
"So, should I help you find that artifact and guide you?"
"Yes! Thank you!"
With that, Elaine clenched her fists in determination.
Seeing her, Liam found her demeanor endearing, making him chuckle.
He wondered, "Is this how it feels to have a younger sister?"
"Let's go in."
"Alright."
Together, Liam and Elaine arrived at the entrance of the grand auction.
At the entrance, two attendants handed them numbered plaques and white opera masks. Elaine, with a puzzled look, whispered to Liam, "What are these for?"
"It's a formality. Don't worry too much. It's not necessarily for anything illicit, but a rule instated because of a villain organization. It simply helps protect the identities of the bidders during the auction."
Only a year ago, a villain organization had stolen two epic-grade artifacts and five legendary ones.
Though the theft didn't happen during the auction but during the transport, a rule was established to protect the buyers' identities. Liam, however, was skeptical. He thought, "Can a mere mask really conceal one's identity?"
Though identity-obscuring magic might protect them during the auction, he pondered, "Wouldn't those villains find another way to approach?"
"Which villain organization are you referring to?"
"Villante. It's a renowned criminal syndicate in the US."
"Oh!"
Elaine was familiar with Villante as well.
Although it was rare for someone not to know about this organization.
Considering their deeds, from stealing legendary artifacts to attempting to assassinate the president of the American Heroes Association, they were almost as infamous as the Villain Alliance.
"Let's go inside."
"Oh! Right."
Soon after, Liam, donning a mask, and Elaine entered the auction house.
The interior of the auction house closely resembled a theater.
Seating was arranged in a semi-circle around the stage.
Behind these general seats, the walls were made of glass.
Elaine couldn't clearly see beyond the glass but she had an idea of what lay behind.
She asked, "Is that the VIP section?"
"Yes, it's reserved for the VIPs. It's usually quite empty, but today it's completely full."
Lights were on in all three VIP rooms, to the left, right, and center.
Liam looked surprised.
Were there any heavyweights attending today who would book a VIP room?
He could guess who two of the occupants might be, but one was a stranger even to him.
However, his curiosity was short-lived.
A few minutes later, the auction commenced. Liam and Elaine found their seats. After about 10 minutes, a soft glow illuminated the stage, marking the beginning of the auction.
"But, senior, why did you decide to participate in this auction?"
On stage, various items were presented and being auctioned off.
Elaine, out of curiosity, asked Liam, who responded with a slight grin.
"I'm looking for a treasure."
"A treasure?"
The items Liam referred to had unique characteristics. For instance, items that, regardless of their rank, possess a value greater than their original due to their exceptional attributes. Or items whose true potential is sealed or hidden.
And Liam had the knack for identifying such unique items.
It wasn't necessarily that he intended to use these items after purchasing them. For him, observing them was partly a hobby. And there was also the chance to buy them for a low price and sell them at a higher value. In other words, for Liam, the auction was mainly for fun.
Liam noted, "The auctioneer might be introducing the abilities of these items, but there might be more than meets the eye."
Saying this, Liam's gaze turned towards an item presented on stage. The moment he saw it, his eyes sparkled.
The item on display was a bracelet of a legendary grade.
However, the energy emanating from it and its characteristics seemed unusual.
It was clearly one of the rarer items amongst the legendary grade. It was, in other words, the treasure Liam had been searching for.
"Bidding starts at 10,000 dollars."
With the auctioneer's words, the auction began, and the bids slowly started to climb.
"$12,000!"
"$13,000!"
"$16,000!"
As the bids kept rising, Liam patiently waited for the right moment.
Of course, he desired that treasure, but he didn't want to suffer a loss.
He had a price in mind for that item and simply waited for others to back off. How many would truly recognize its worth? Most would probably believe its rightful price to be around $20,000, or perhaps slightly more.
"Now! $19,000. Any more bids?"
When the bid reached $19,000, Liam, with a sly smile, prepared to call out his bid. This was probably the moment.
Either someone recognizing the item's value or a wealthy tycoon would likely raise the bid further.
In the brief silence, Liam raised his numbered paddle and announced his bid.
"$20,000."
"Number 32, bidding at $20,000! Any more bids?"
"$21,000."
"$22,000!"
And as Liam had anticipated, the number of competitors decreased drastically after $20,000.
Of the 15 people who had been bidding, 11 dropped out, leaving only 4. Liam joined them, making it 5.
A few of these five probably recognized the item's value, while the others were likely just wealthy individuals with strong pride.
Amidst the crowd, Liam simply smiled.
He was competing merely for fun, and whether he secured the item or gave it up didn't matter to him. Besides, he wondered if anyone there could truly gauge the item's actual value better than he could.
"Now! A bid of $25,000 from number 32! 3! 2! 1!"
Liam placed his final bid.
Interestingly, no one attempted to go higher than the $25,000.
Just as the auctioneer on stage began his countdown, a voice rang out,
"$30,000."
"Guest number 1 bids $30,000! We have $30,000!"
Liam's eyes widened in surprise.
He turned to see the individual who had confidently bid $30,000—guest number 1.
His gaze then shifted towards the centrally located VIP room, where guest number 1 was seated.
"The item goes for $30,000!"
At the auctioneer's announcement, a smirk appeared on Liam's face.
"Senior?"
"This is a first for me."
"What do you mean?"
In Liam's opinion, the item's value was indeed $30,000.
Guest number 1 didn't gradually increase the bid; he shouted $30,000 outright.
The price seemed too precise to be a coincidence, and the timing was just impeccable. Instead of engaging in the bidding war from the start, he chose the very last moment.
'Who is this person?'
This piqued Liam's curiosity.
He wondered who was seated beyond that VIP room.
Meanwhile, inside the VIP room Liam was looking into,
"Would you like wine?"
"Cola, please. Do you have any potato chips?"
Hajoon, who was leisurely observing the auction, responded to the attendant's question.
