Ayaan, who was sitting in his room, had eyes wide open at this moment. He thought that Lionsteel was only a wandering cultivator who didn't have many resources.
Therefore, even if he had broken through to the great mage, at most, he would be in the early stages of the great mage. However, after sensing the energy released by the Lionsteel, Ayaan had to change his thinking about him.
That was the energy equal to the great mage of the 3rd rank. Moreover, previously he didn't even use any spell, that was just the crude energy released by him. Ayaan had estimated that the man was 4th rank great mage.
After breaking to the great mage, every increase in the realm was like ascending heaven. Although the increase in magic power was similarly drastic. For defeating the great mage at the 4th rank — four to five 3rd great mages would be required.
Although Ayaan was at the 3rd rank great mage, he was confident in himself about defeating the great mage at the 4th rank and even had the confidence to fight with a 5th rank great mage to the standstill.
Nevertheless, his confidence wasn't baseless; because as his magic power increased, he realised that the toughness of his body also increased and now his body was as tough as steel.
Metal element mages had tough bodies; because usually, all the metal element mages assimilate themselves with the powerful metals. Therefore, their bodies would become as tough as the element they had assimilated with.
Furthermore, they could manipulate the metal assimilated with their bodies, and that was the reason why adamantine coveted by the metal element mages.
After assimilating the adamantine with the body, the strength of the metal element mage would instantly double or even triple. Moreover, they would be able to manipulate the adamantine to fight with their opponents.
However, Ayaan's body was already strong enough to compete with the ordinary metals in toughness. Although not as tough as adamantine or other precious metal. The constitution of his body was way more powerful than the weak bodies of the mages.
Anyways, he didn't think much and turned his attention towards the stage.
Uncle Goldward turned towards the cabin number two in which Daniel was sitting and asked, "The bidder from room number five has bided three thousand golds for this wind element spell. Is there anyone who wants to bid even higher!?"
After hearing the voice, Daniel gritted his teeth but didn't bid any further. When Uncle Goldward didn't get any reply, he started to count the number, "One...Two...Three...Sold!"
"Congratulations to mister Lionsteel for winning the bidding successfully." Just as he congratulated him, another beautiful maid appeared on the stage with the tray in her hand.
Like other maids, she placed the tray on the table and went back to her place.
Uncle Goldward turned towards the audience and said in a loud voice, "This item is the second last item of today's auction and second-best as well!"
After hearing Uncle Goldward, everyone's curiosity was piqued and turned to look at the table with their shining eyes.
Uncle Goldward took the wooden box, which was underneath the white cloth and opened it without any delay. A white coloured fruit appeared in front of the audience.
Ayaan looked at the white coloured fruit, which was looking like a white apple. Subsequently, a surprised expression appeared on his face. He knew this fruit!
After buying the elementary book for potioning, the first thing Ayaan did was to remember all the herbs and plants which were written inside the book. And this fruit was one of the items inside the book.
"I think not a lot of people knows about this fruit. Then, let me tell you, having this fruit with you is equal to have another life!" Ayaan heard Uncle Goldward's bragging and the corner of his lip twitched. If he didn't know the fruit personally, he wouldn't even suspect him.
However, Uncle Goldward also didn't lie because this fruit could really save the life of the mage. Nonetheless, saying that this fruit was equal to having another life was just blatant bragging.
Anyways, Ayaan himself wanted this fruit, because he had an excellent use for this fruit.
"The name of this fruit is the 'Fruit of Invisibility'!" As Uncle Goldward's voice echoed, the auction hall again became restless. Although the people sitting in the auction didn't have seen the fruit previously, they had heard about this mysterious fruit.
"The fruit of invisibility only grows in dangerous regions, due to its harsh requirement for growing. That's why only a few fruits of invisibility appears in the auction houses!
Now, let me tell you the use of this fruit: this fruit has only one function, whoever eats this fruit will become invisible for half an hour!"
Those who were hearing about the fruit for the first time became shocked. Those who already knew about it started to become agitated. Who doesn't want something like this which could save their life?
Alas, not everyone could enjoy something like the 'Fruit of Invisibility', no matter how much they wanted.
"Now, we will start the bidding, and the starting price for the fruit is five thousand golds!"
"Hisss!"
Just as the voice of Uncle Goldward echoed in the hall, the people sitting in the hall sucked a cold breath when they heard the price.
Now, everyone was starting to wonder, what would be the price of the adamantine, which was the final item for auction? Nevertheless, no one would give them the answer to their question anyways. So, it was better to focus on the current event instead.
"Six thousand!" Again, Daniel was the first to bid. However, this time his voice was much more restrained.
"Seven thousand!" Just as Daniel's voice resounded, Lionsteel again jumped in the bidding.
Now, Daniel even started to suspect that this old bastard was intentionally trying to provoke him. Nonetheless, he could not do anything to him anyway; he could just bid higher than Lionsteel.
However, he could not bid much higher because he was here for the adamantine. If all the gold he would waste on the 'Fruit of Invisibility', he won't be able to compete for the adamantine.
Coincidentally, Daniel was the mage of the metal element, and his supporting element was the fire. He always wanted to acquire some powerful metal to increase his strength. However, at this time when he saw the 'Fruit of Invisibility', a tempting expression appeared on his face.
Finally, Daniel gritted his teeth and increased the bidding, "Eight thousand!"
After eight thousand, the Lionsteel didn't continue to bid. When Daniel didn't receive any reply from the opposite side, a victorious smile curved at the corner of his lips. However, before he could celebrate his victory, another voice echoed in the auction hall.
"Nine thousand!"
Daniel, who was smiling victoriously just a second before suddenly stood up with a shocked expression. Finally, shock turned into furious expression, but this time he didn't lose the composer like before and restrained himself from cursing.
Afterwards, Daniel took a few deep breaths and sat on his seat before turning towards his servant and asked with red eyes, "Who is that guy?"
He had never received any setbacks in his life, and now he was humiliated in this auction house twice. But there was nothing he could do; he was just the 1st level high mage. How could he stand in front of these great mages?
After hearing the query of Daniel, his servant started to tell him about the person who was bidding, "Young Master, His name is Hellshard, who is also a great mage, and he came from our neighbouring kingdom — Vigon Kingdom.
He is most probably here for the adamantine. I don't know why he is spending so much gold on this fruit."
After hearing the name of Vigon Kingdom's name, Daniel frowned and fell into deep thinking. 'Why did he come to the Stolux kingdom?'
Although he was arrogant to the core, he wasn't stupid. The Vigon Kingdom and the Stolux Kingdom were enemies for many years. Then, why suddenly, a great mage of the enemy kingdom would appear here?
Anyways, Stolux kingdom could not harm the Hellshard inside their territory without any reason. Or the Vigon Kingdom would have the excuse to attack the Stolux kingdom. Although both the kingdoms were middle grade, the Vigon kingdom's strength was double as compared to the Stolux Kingdom.
Furthermore, both the kingdoms had signed the treaty that no one would kill the innocent people of another kingdom if they visit for doing business or other purposes without any malicious intentions.
Therefore, it was normal for ordinary people to visit the other kingdom. However, it wasn't a regular thing, when a great mage of the enemy kingdom visits your kingdom, just to participate in the auction.
"Ten thousand!"
Just as Daniel was lost in his thought, another voice echoed throughout the auction hall.
Daniel turned towards his servant and wanted to ask about the identity of the person, but his servant looked at him and fell on his knees, "Young Master, I wasn't able to find out the identity of this person, but he is sitting in the number one room."
Daniel frowned when he heard the reply of his servant and kicked at the head of the servant.
"Bang!"
"Useless!" Daniel shouted.
Subsequently, the body of the servant was smashed towards the corner of the room and fell on the ground like a dead pig.
Nonetheless, after sometime later, his body moved, and the servant crawled out from the corner. The whole face of the man had swelled due to the previous hit. The blood was continuously flowing from his head, painting his entire face red, a truly pitiful sight.
After that, the servant looked at Daniel and again fell on his knees and started to beg for forgiveness.
Nevertheless, Daniel didn't spare a second glance to the servant; he wasn't in a mood to play with a lowly servant. Then, he again turned his attention towards the auction hall.
"Our friend in room number one has bided Ten thousand golds! Is there someone else who wants to bid higher?" Uncle Goldwar asked with a loud voice.
After single bidding, Hellshard didn't bid any longer, neither anyone else.
After waiting ten seconds, he didn't receive any reply, so he started to count the number, "One… Two … Three… Sold!"
"Now, this 'Fruit of Invisibility' belongs to the person inside the room number one!"
Ayaan, who was sitting inside room number one, had his lips curved in a smile and thought, 'I didn't think that I would be able to win this easily.'
Nonetheless, it was even better that he was able to win the biding without any problem.
However, suddenly Ayaan's brows twitched and sensed the strong soul power covering his room.
Hi readers,
If you liked the story, please support me by voting. Thank you.
"How audacious!"
Suddenly, Ayaan stood up from his seat and released his soul power before someone could probe the condition inside the room.
"Boom!"
Eventually, two invisible energies clashed to each other and a booming sound produced in the auction hall. Although there wasn't any fire or lightning appeared by the collision, the people present in the auction hall still heard the booming sound.
Simultaneously, the whole auction house started to vibrate; it continued for two minutes before everything became quiet.
However, it was enough to make the people inside the hall tremble in fear. Panic started to appear on their faces.
"What is going on!?" Someone shouted with a shaky voice.
"Is someone fighting inside the auction hall?" one voice was followed by another, and the complaints after complaints started to sound in the auction hall.
"Calm down, everyone! The one who was causing trouble has already been detained! You don't need to worry!" Uncle Goldward, who was standing at the centre of the stage, shouted.
Although he didn't know the condition, after sensing the energy, he knew that the two great mages had collided just now with each other. But he would never let these people know the truth or this auction would be ruined.
After hearing the reassuring voice of the Uncle Goldward, the people in the auction hall started to calm down, but a visible worry still could be seen on their faces.
Nonetheless, it was enough to complete the auction without any problem.
However, at this moment in time, inside room number four, a man was lying on the ground while clenching his head with both of his hands, he was trying to take long breaths. His whole face was blood red; veins were popping out from his temples.
Furthermore, his whole body was drowned in the sweat; due to the sweaty body of the man, it left the wet marks on the ground.
This man was none other than the man named "Hellshard". He looked towards the Ayaan's room with bloody eyes, and a vicious look appeared on his face.
"I will not spare you, no matter who you are!" he said while gritting his teeth. Finally, Hellshard stood up from the ground and sat on the sofa again. That attack just now almost injured his soul.
Subsequently, Hellshard took a few deep breaths and murmured, "Who is he? How can someone's soul power become this horrifying, it was almost at the level of 8th rank great mage. Is he the King Alexander Noblesoar?" When he thought about it, a shiver ran down throughout his spine.
However, immediately after that, he shook his head and denied his own speculation, "No, it can't be him. I have solid news about him suffering from his previous injuries."
As the Hellshard was deep in thought, Ayaan was gazing in his direction with a furious expression. Although he would do stupid and childish things sometimes. When the time comes to face his enemies, he would never show any mercy to them; on the contrary, he would make them suffer before they die.
Despite that, someone had the nerve to provoke him. No matter who it was, Ayaan had already written his name on his death note, just the cause of death remained.
There was a vicious gleam in Ayaan's eyes. Later, he turned towards Emma and asked, "Who is in room number four?"
Although Emma was still confused and a little fearful about the deafening sound just a few seconds before; nonetheless, she still told him everything about Hellshard, she knew. After hearing the details about the man, Ayaan fell into a deep silence. Finally, after a minute later, an intelligent gleam flashed into his eyes.
After thinking for some time, he also reached the same conclusion as Daniel, but he had also discovered something which Daniel didn't find. After considering all the events happening in the capital, Ayaan was able to discover something and smelled a conspiracy in the air of Doham.
Nevertheless, he was more concerned about this guy named Hellshard. If his soul power wasn't powerful enough or if he was a little weak, he could not imagine what would be his ending.
After devouring the souls of thousands of beasts in the foreign planes, Ayaan's soul power wasn't something any ordinary great mage could compare with. Although he was at the 3rd rank of a great mage, his soul power was already reaching at the peak of the Great mage.
"Wh-what was that sound just now?" As Ayaan lost in his thoughts, Emma gathered all her courage and asked in a weak voice.
Rebecca, who was waiting patiently, also turned towards Ayaan with a curious gaze.
Although Rebecca already had some thoughts about the situation; after all, once she was a great mage herself. Even now, she had already broken through to the high mage.
Ayaan took a deep breath and told the situation; he didn't think that Emma would leak the information or anything. Because there was nothing to hide; there were quite a few great mages in the auction hall, and Ayaan wasn't stupid enough to think that no one knew about the clash of soul power of two great mages.
Nevertheless, after hearing the situation, a furious expression appeared on Rebecca's face. However, Emma, who was standing behind Ayaan, went pale white in fear, when she thought about the clash between two great mages.
Furthermore, not even her wildest dreams, she had thought that Ayaan was the great mage. Such a young great mage! My god!
Ayaan ignored Emma, who was standing at the side with her mouth wide open in shock and turned towards the auction hall which had already calmed down.
However, a murmuring still could be heard in the auction hall.
"Cough~ Cough~."
Uncle Goldward coughed to attract the attention of everyone towards himself and said, "Now, the time which everyone was waiting for has arrived! Our final bidding will start now!"
As his voice echoed in the hall, the two maids arrived at the stage while driving a trolly. Anyone could see that something football-size was placed under the white cloth.
Finally, Uncle Goldward moved towards the trolly, and the two maids retreated. Subsequently, he pulled the white cloth from the trolly and revealed a silver-coloured football-sized metal.
When the audience saw the adamantine, the whispers again started to appear and in excitement, completely forgot about the previous incident.
Thereupon, Uncle Goldward turned towards the audience and said with a loud voice, "I won't waste time by introducing it to everyone! I expect that no one in the auction hall doesn't know about the adamantine! So, now, our bidding for the will metal start!" He paused for a second and continued, "...and the starting bidding for the metal is zero gold!"
"Hahaha!" Suddenly, the laughter of people resounded in the hall when they heard the starting price, then a voice of first bidding echoed, "1000 golds."
Everyone turned towards the man, he was sitting with all other people, and after bidding for the adamantine, there was a satisfied smile on his face, as if he had just won the great war.
Although he didn't have enough assets to compete with all the big shots in the auctioning, he could still bid first when the starting bid for the adamantine was zero golds. It was equal to making his dream come true.
Nevertheless, no one said anything; some people even regretted about not making the first move. Now, after the auctions, this man would be in front of them that he had bid in the auctioning.
"Twenty thousand!"
After the first voice, another voice followed resounded. This was Daniel's voice.
"Twenty-five thousand!" After Daniel, Hellshard closely followed.
After twenty thousand, a silence fell for a brief time. Uncle Goldward turned towards the special rooms and said, "Mr Hellshard has bided twenty-five thousand golds for the adamantine! Is there anyone else who wants to increase the bidding!?"
"Thirty thousand!"
"Mr Lionsteel said thirty thousand! Anyone else!?" Uncle Goldward shouted.
"Fifty thousand!"
Another voice resounded, and a stunned expression appeared on everyone's face.
A sudden increase of twenty thousand gold!
Simultaneously, everyone turned towards room number three, which was silent from the starting of the auction.
In all the noble families, only the Lawson family was the one who had sent Daniel for the auctioning. However, other families didn't send anyone because no one in their families was the metal element mage.
Although even if there were someone, they wouldn't risk offending the Lawson family which was already claiming itself to be able to contend with the royal family.
Nevertheless, the man wasn't from the Stolux kingdom but was like Hellshard who came from a different kingdom.
Emma knew that Ayaan wanted to know about the man; therefore, she started to explain it to him, "The name of the man is Hammerbreath. He is another great mage and a skilled blacksmith. He is from the Croston Kingdom, and the relationship of Croston kingdom is very harmonious with the Stolux kingdom."
After hearing a brief introduction about the man, Ayaan nodded and turned his attention towards the ongoing bidding.
"Seventy thousand!"
At this time, the price had already reached the limit of some big shots sitting in the special rooms; therefore, the speed of bidding decreased.
"Eighty thousand!" Again the lazy voice of Hammerbreath resounded.
He was a blacksmith and a very skilled blacksmith at that. He was even wealthier than some noble families of the kingdom. Eighty thousand gold was nothing for him.
"Ninety thousand!"
Hellshard's voice echoed; however, at this time, his eyes had already turned blood red in anger. Previously he had thought that he would be able to win the bidding easily. But now, he was having a second thought.
Furthermore, a hundred thousand was the highest price he could offer.
"Hundred thousand!"
Just as the voice echoed, the sound of bang came from Daniel's room.
The table in front of Daniel had already split into two parts. On the contrary to him, Hellshard had already become calm. No emotion could be seen on his face. No one knew what he was thinking.
After waiting for a minute, no one increased the price. Therefore, Uncle Goldward started to count, "One… Two… Three… Sold!"