Chapter 452: Five Skill Stones

The five locked treasure cases resting across the stage immediately drew more attention than the potions had.

Every experienced Warrior inside the Grand Auction House understood why. A potion, no matter how extraordinary, was ultimately consumed once.

A weapon could be lost, broken or replaced as its wielder grew stronger. A powerful Skill was different.

Once properly learned and mastered, it became part of the Warrior himself, something that could accompany him through decades of battles and, if preserved in a family or organization, potentially be passed down through generations.

Master Orwin Pell allowed the audience several moments to study the cases before placing one hand upon the first.

"Five Skill Stones remain in tonight’s auction," Orwin announced, his voice carrying across the suddenly attentive hall. "Three are Gold Rank. The final two are Platinum Rank. Before anyone becomes overly excited, remember that possessing a Skill Stone does not mean possessing mastery. Some Skills require considerable strength, mana control and physical conditioning merely to begin practicing safely."

The words Platinum Rank immediately caused whispers to spread through the hall. Leon’s relaxed posture disappeared.

The Iron Fang and Black Banner representatives both began speaking urgently with the men beside them, while servants belonging to several minor noble Houses hurried from the chamber, undoubtedly carrying messages to masters who had made the unfortunate decision not to attend.

Even Edmund Krail, who had just spent forty million gold coins on the Phoenix Vein Rebirth Elixir, remained seated rather than leaving with his prize.

Lucan leaned over the railing of his private box and looked toward Sage with narrowed eyes. "You deliberately left Platinum Skill Stones out of the announcement."

Sage met his gaze and replied, "The notice said rare Skill Stones would be auctioned. It didn’t promise to tell you everything beforehand."

Lucan shook his head with an amused expression. "Guildmaster, you’re becoming increasingly dangerous to wealthy people."

Garen Holtweiss immediately called from below, "Nonsense! Surprises encourage healthy spending!"

Boren looked toward the fat merchant and muttered, "You would call bankruptcy healthy if you earned a fee from it."

Garen smiled broadly. "Brother Boren, bankruptcy is merely commerce with an unfortunate ending."

Orwin struck his hammer lightly before the argument could grow. "Our first Skill Stone is Gold Rank: Ninefold Severing Sword."

An attendant opened the first case. Inside rested a dark red Stone marked by nine thin golden lines.

Orwin gestured toward it. "Ninefold Severing Sword is an offensive sword Skill built around successive attacks. The swordsman circulates mana according to a specific pattern and builds greater force with each properly connected strike. The second strike carries greater penetrating power than the first, the third greater than the second, continuing through nine successive layers if the practitioner possesses sufficient control to maintain the sequence."

A swordsman near the front raised his hand and asked, "If the sequence is interrupted?"

Orwin looked toward the appraisal notes before answering, "Then the accumulated layers collapse and the practitioner must begin again. This is not a Skill for someone who swings wildly and hopes the enemy cooperates."

Several Warriors laughed, but their eyes remained fixed upon the Stone.

"The opening price," Orwin announced, "is four million gold coins."

"Five million!" a Knight immediately called.

"Six million!" answered another.

The bidding accelerated until Iron Fang entered at nine million. A minor noble representative pushed it beyond eleven, and two independent Knights pooled their resources to remain in the competition until fourteen million before finally surrendering. The Skill eventually sold to a nearby noble House for seventeen million six hundred thousand gold coins.

The second case opened almost immediately afterward.

The Stone inside was pale green, with faint wisps of mana circling beneath its surface.

"Gold Rank: Phantom Gale Steps," Orwin announced. "A movement Skill built around short, carefully controlled bursts of mana through the legs and feet. Rather than simply increasing running speed, Phantom Gale Steps allows sudden acceleration, braking and directional changes during combat."

Rowan, who had remained largely indifferent throughout most of the auction, leaned forward.

Mina noticed instantly. "You want that one."

Rowan kept his attention on the Stone and answered, "It’s useful."

Mina grinned. "That means you want it."

Rowan glanced at her. "Those aren’t the same thing."

Mina’s grin widened. "You said almost the same thing about the Guild before you registered."

Rowan stared at her for a moment before returning his attention to the stage. "You’re becoming difficult."

Sage smiled. "She’s had excellent teachers."

Mina looked proudly toward him. "Petty Uncle Sage admits it."

Sage’s smile disappeared.

Orwin announced an opening price of four million five hundred thousand gold coins, and Rowan actually raised his paddle at five million. Sage couldn’t remember seeing the Half-Elf spend recklessly on anything, which made the decision more significant than the amount itself.

Rowan remained through seven million.

Then nine.

At eleven million, he hesitated.

A wealthy monster hunter from another district pushed the price to twelve million, and Rowan slowly lowered his paddle.

Lucan noticed and called from his box, "Rowan, I can lend you the difference."

Rowan looked upward and replied with a completely serious expression, "I’d rather lose."

Lucan recoiled. "You make borrowing money from me sound shameful."

Rowan nodded once. "Correct."

Leon burst out laughing.

Phantom Gale Steps finally sold for fourteen million eight hundred thousand gold coins, and Rowan watched it disappear without visible disappointment.

When Mina asked whether he regretted stopping, Rowan shook his head and explained that a useful Skill stopped being useful if acquiring it emptied every coin he possessed.

Lucan looked deeply disturbed by the philosophy.

The third case contained Mountain King’s Bulwark.

Orwin introduced the Gold-Rank defensive Skill by explaining how it concentrated mana throughout the practitioner’s body and stance, reinforcing muscles, bones and balance against tremendous physical force.

It didn’t create an impenetrable defense, but a skilled practitioner could withstand blows that would otherwise throw them from their feet or shatter their stance.

Leon became immediately interested.

"This would suit the Ardent Sun," Leon said quietly, studying the Stone. "Especially the Knights holding the front of a formation."

One of his Knights asked, "Are you bidding, Captain?"

Leon nodded. "I am."

Orwin opened at five million.

Leon entered at six.

Iron Fang challenged him at eight.

Black Banner entered at nine.

The price climbed rapidly past fifteen million before Black Banner withdrew. Iron Fang continued against Leon until nineteen million, and for the first time that evening Leon’s expression became genuinely frustrated.

"Twenty million," Leon called.

The Iron Fang representative hesitated before answering, "Twenty-one million."

Leon remained silent.

Lucan leaned over his railing. "Need a loan?"

Leon didn’t even look at him. "No."

Lucan smiled. "I was only being generous."

Leon finally glanced upward. "Your generosity usually becomes someone else’s problem."

Lucan appeared pleased rather than insulted.

Leon withdrew, and Mountain King’s Bulwark eventually sold to Iron Fang for twenty-three million gold coins.

Then Orwin placed both hands upon the podium.

The three empty cases were removed.

Only two remained.

The room quieted without him asking.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Orwin began, his voice losing much of its earlier humor, "we have concluded tonight’s Gold-Rank Skill Stones. The final two are of another level entirely."

An attendant unlocked the fourth case.

A silver-white Stone rested inside.

"Platinum Rank," Orwin announced. "Heaven-Splitting Sword Art."

Even Leon sat completely still.

Orwin continued, "This is an offensive sword Skill designed around compressing an enormous quantity of mana along the blade before releasing that accumulated power through a single strike. Unlike Ninefold Severing Sword, there are no successive layers. Heaven-Splitting Sword Art exists for one purpose: concentrating as much destructive power as the practitioner can safely control into one attack."

A Knight raised his hand and asked, "What strength is required?"

Orwin’s expression became serious. "The Guild strongly advises against attempting this Skill without exceptional mana control and a body capable of enduring the strain. An inexperienced Knight attempting to force more mana than his pathways can withstand may cripple himself before his sword ever reaches the enemy."

Orwin raised his hammer. "Opening price: ten million gold coins."

Leon raised his paddle. "Fifteen million."

The room erupted into an uproar.

"Eighteen million!"

"Twenty million!"

"Twenty-five million!"

The price moved faster than anything before it. Leon remained until thirty million, jaw tightening as another bidder raised thirty-two. Iron Fang entered briefly but withdrew at thirty-five. A wealthy swordsman from a neighboring district pushed the amount to thirty-eight million before a minor noble representative offered forty.

Leon stared at the Stone for several seconds.

Then he lowered his paddle.

The Heaven-Splitting Sword Art eventually sold for forty-three million gold coins.

Nobody had recovered when Orwin opened the fifth case.

The Stone inside was almost completely black.

"Platinum Rank: Voidstride."

Several Warriors inhaled sharply.

Orwin raised the Stone carefully. "Despite its name, Voidstride is not teleportation. The Skill teaches its practitioner to compress mana throughout the body and release it explosively through coordinated movement, crossing short distances at extreme speed. To an observer unable to follow the movement, the practitioner may appear to vanish and reappear several steps away."

Rowan’s eyes narrowed.

"At higher mastery," Orwin continued, "the practitioner may perform repeated bursts and change direction between them. The physical strain is considerable. Poor execution can tear muscles or damage mana pathways. Proper execution can make the distance between two Warriors disappear before one of them can react."

The silence became heavy.

"Opening price: twelve million gold coins."

"Twenty million," someone called immediately.

Orwin blinked before laughing. "Apparently twelve million was unnecessary."

The bidding became madness.

Twenty-five million.

Thirty.

Thirty-seven.

Forty.

Iron Fang withdrew.

Black Banner withdrew.

Edmund never entered.

Leon remained until forty-two million before finally stopping. Two noble representatives continued fighting until forty-eight million, when a wealthy independent Grandmaster entered for the first time.

"Fifty million."

The hall went silent.

His rival answered with fifty-two.

"Fifty-five million," the Grandmaster replied.

No answer came.

Orwin raised his hammer. "Fifty-five million once."

Silence.

"Fifty-five million twice."

The hammer fell.

"Sold! Voidstride, fifty-five million gold coins!"

Applause thundered through the Grand Auction House.

Boren stared toward Sage. "That has to be the last item."

Sage smiled.

Boren saw his expression and immediately frowned. "Why are you smiling like that?"

Before Sage could answer, Orwin raised one hand.

The attendants began removing every remaining case from the stage.

Then additional Guild guards entered.

Two took positions beside the stairs. Four more appeared near the stage. The doors were quietly secured, not to trap anyone inside, but to ensure nobody entered without authorization.

Conversation gradually died.

Iris noticed first.

Then Leon.

Then Edmund.

Even Garen stopped smiling.

Sage rose from his seat and descended from the upper level.

Boren stared after him. "What did he keep off the list?"

Irene closed her ledger. "The final lot."

Sage reached the stage and stood beside Orwin.

An attendant emerged carrying a tiny crystal container between both hands.

The object was absurdly small compared to everything auctioned before it.

Inside the sealed crystal rested a single drop of golden liquid.

Nobody spoke.

The drop hung motionless within the container, yet thin strands of golden mist continuously formed around it before being drawn back into its surface.

Orwin looked across the silent Grand Auction House.

Then he smiled.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Orwin said, "we have one final item."