After wearing the mask and hacking it using my rune magic know-how, I went in to the ones the guards pointed at. Its a teleportation circle inscription, it seems that the place designated is so secret, that a teleportation circle is needed to hide its location.
Or....it could be nearby and this is just a facade, to mislead the great me and all the others attending this event.
Anyway, who gives a shit...so long as I can find something interesting, rare or unique or something really unexpected. Like a cursed tambourine or golden dragon sculptor with an ancient cultivation art or a chaos magic spell.
Its like a can of assorted biscuits....its.....shit now I'm getting hungry, I should've eaten something or brought take out...I wonder if they're serving food here.
Already spent my rations in dungeons, I maybe an all powerful Archmage in the past but I am still....only human, if I was at least a cyborg....the built-in system would've warned me of my hunger.
I tend to forget that this body thing is still a robot.
Huh.
It seems that I'm going in with a bunch of people, my guess is that some are even using magic to alter their hair. The mask also hides the eyes, so everyone looks like white, eyeless motherfuckers.
Creepy....but understandable, since we are doing something shady....its just like back in Gaion, maybe there are also some slave trading around here...or worst, child selling.
*HUUUUUUUUU
Better calm down my inner sense of justice, I have to trade first my rare Armor Boar meat for some money and create some standing among the criminal elements.
If I remember to do something about this slave thing or some atrocities occurring, if there is one....I don't know....maybe...I'll....help???
*SIGH
I hate moral dilemmas.
"Everyone to your places and prepare for teleportation!"
The teleportation circle began to cast a bright light and the "transport" has begun....
Hmmmnnn.
Not bad.
But I think with a non-android body, I may have the chance to be the same as the people here, nauseous, dizzy and disoriented. So that's why healers are provided, to lessen the debuff effect.
"Kindly follow the ushers and they will show you where to pay the entrance fee, and after that they will show you to your designated seats on the auction."
Ten million OC (online credit) is the price of entrance, chicken feed for me since I have vast access to money now. I created a dummy disposable account that held this amount, and that's the one I used to pay for the entrance fee.
I also bought a third-hand used disposable smartphone to access it to, leaving no breadcrumbs that will lead to me.
So far, everything is the typical scenario of what a black market does.
*SLURP
*GLUG GLUG GLUG
"Oh my gawd! That hits the mechanized spot!!"
I decided to forego decorum and just jumped right into the foray of dishes displayed before me. We did pay ten million, so they might as well provide free food and drinks for their guests, the one behind this is some organization called "Secretum Artis".
My guess is, if this was like Gaions' black market shenanigans, is that this "Secretum Artis" is the shadow version of the merchant traders. As sometimes the Adventurer Guild and the government, issues limitations and banning of some of the well known products that makes a lot of money: slaves, drugs, magic herbs and illegal magic items.
Well...competitions are good, meaning it opens the consumer to more wide assorted of products that will suit their needs. Although some trades are vile and despicable, I wouldn't have found things needed during the war if weren't for places that do one of these.
*BURP
"Ladies and gentleman, if you would kindly take your designated seats, the first round of the auction is about to begin."
I paid triple to be placed in a special VVIP section, where I can seat on my own and was served food and beverages constantly, which means once I finished my plate, it will automatically be refilled by someone....via short-range teleportation.
Thanks to this wonderful body, I am totally immune to poisons and other things that can kill organics, so I wouldn't have to stress myself with worry, whether the food or drinks being served contains something that can kill me.
"Good evening ladies and gentlemen, my name is Pierro and I am the host for this auction this evening. Without further ado, the first item up for bidding is...."
"The item bid is 50 million OC, do I hear 51 million OC?"
"51 million!"
"53 million!!"
"55 million!!!"
"For 55 million OC, going once.....going twice.....SOLD! To number 459 of the VVIP section!! The Blood of the Countess....is....YOURS!!!"
According to the
It seems someone worships the damn thing, and maybe even trying to copy its....questionable but powerful means to gain power and eternal youth.
Sipsipera was a cursed creature born out of vanity, she uses the blood of virgins and bathes in them, the fresher the better of course, to gain blood magic and some form of immortality.
Her research, rituals and obsession about dark magic and the idea of maintaining her beauty, corrupted her and an ancient demon gave her the ability to do so....for a price.
In the end, some vampire hunter ended her reign and all that's left is that....blood crystal, an amalgamation of her essence, magic and lust for beauty and blood.
"Ugh."
If I had an organic body, I would be bleeding in the eyes and ears but since I'm not in one....my soul suffered a bit. The
Ugh.
It seems there is a restriction to actually say the source but....think of it as..."if it existed, then it has a past" or like...."if something happened, there will be a record of it"....not written but written at the same time.
Yeah....basically that's the closest layman term that I can describe its ability to "know things", without incurring the wrath of the
These two things go hand in hand.....like peanut butter and jelly or tofu and soy sauce or hotdog and ketchup or....yeah you get the picture.
Its just one of the endless knowledge that you get when you become a 10 Circle Archmage back on Gaion.
Its both a burden and a curse, but can be used in a good....way??
*SIGH
"10 million OC!"
"10 million! Going once....going twice....SOLD!! To the VVIP in section 0690!!!"
I made a couple of bids, as to not arouse suspicion, and even bought this item at a modest price....it was a piece of....Star Metal. The host couldn't describe it, and he said that various people experimented on it but couldn't figure out its use.
Of course no one here other than me....knows its true purpose. Its one of the ingredients used to upgrade Mana Battery...MY mana battery. With this reaching 10 Circle Rank Magic, in this android body is now possible.
"Your attention please! Give a warm welcome to the main event!! I give you....the Heart of a Dragon!!!"
The whole place has gone dark and only the light on stage was lit.
A very large metal box was brought in, lined with papers marked with seals and the box itself is covered in ancient runes of containment. My best guess is that the Dragon Heart is about the size of the largest exercise ball you can buy back on Earth.
I can feel that the dragon who owns this heart is.....very powerful.
I looked around and some are on the verge of fainting, the seals and runes did very little to suppress the Dragon Fear that the heart emanates. I can see various light barriers are being erected in each of the chairs and sections of the VVIP, they anticipated such an event and the barriers mitigated the terrible debuff.
"As you can see, Ladies and Gentlemen, this is a bonafide Dragon Heart, you can feel the terrible Dragon Fear it emits can you not? The owner, who wants to remain anonymous, wants to trade NOT to exchange it with online credit, but trade!
What he wants is to find a cure for his obscure disease. Yes! Ladies and Gentlemen, the anonymous seller....nay trader, wants someone who has the ability to cure the thing that ails him!!"
*MURMUR MURMUR MURMUR
*MURMUR MURMUR MURMUR
"Well shit! I thought I could buy that thing with money but alas, curing an ailment?"
"Fuck me. I really want that Dragon Heart for my secret recipe that I've been working on, it would really be a big help. *sigh"
"Uh...can we check the "trader" first and see if we can do something about his trading request?"
"YES! There is a special room out back, that has been specially made for anyone and can analyze the trader's body and check him, scan or observe him."
Its like back to school again.
A massive line was formed but of course VVIP are given special treatment, I almost forgot that I was even one until someone buzzed me if I was to partake in the "observation" or scanning of the trader.
I guess I could see what the hubbub is all about....who knows maybe I have the knowledge that could cure his ass. Dragon Heart is one of the key ingredients to also upgrade my mana battery.....so I said I will partake in this event as well.
The VVIP line is quite long as well, there are also some who are just curious and take a look about the "obscure disease", just to satisfy their curiosity.
*SIGH
Fuckers.
It just lengthens my time spent on a stupid line, among these snotty rich bastards....if only I can unleash a Death Aura spell or maybe a Fear or Confusion spell or maybe even combine them both in a spell combo.
It sounds kinda fun, the idea of seeing humans running around like headless chickens covered in fear and confusion....it did made me snicker a bit.
"Kindly enter next please number 0690."
"All right."
Now....let's see who this mysterious trader is, the one who gained the rare treasure Dragon Heart and also gained a misfortune at the same time...