Takumi blinked nearly ten times in rapid succession as he stared at a notification that had just popped up on his mobile device. The initial series of blinks served as a warm-up before he finally registered the content of the notification in his brain. Another wave of blinking followed, this time filled with disbelief.
"Credits received successfully. Amount: 800,000." His heart skipped a beat as he stared at the digital confirmation of his newfound wealth, a mixture of disbelief and excitement coursing through him.
He had anticipated a substantial sum when he exchanged his gold ingots, but 800,000 exceeded his expectations. The incredulous expression on the woman's face at the counter mirrored his own astonishment. This far more than a success in his books. But it was all he needed in order for him to formulate a beneficial use for it.
The first being the E-coin. While buying offers weren't yet available, pre-ordering was an option. Despite its wasteful nature, as pre-ordering doubled the price from 300 to nearly 600 credits, Takumi was undeterred. He understood the coin's true value better than anyone, possibly even its developers. With unwavering confidence, he rapidly hit the pre-order button until his credits depleted to 300,000.
"Wow, spending big, aren't we?" Kurayami's voice chimed in as she materialized, holding yet another beauty magazine.
"It's worth every dime. Besides, I'm swimming in credits right now. How many people do you think get this much in a year?" Takumi remarked, his eyes fixed on his credit balance as he pondered new ways to spend it wisely.
"So, I'm guessing you've got better plans for all that cash than just staring at it, huh?" Kurayami teased, flipping through her magazine with a smirk.
Just as Takumi was about to speak, a notification popped up on his screen, diverting his attention from the conversation with the floating demon. Its contents held far more significance to him than any discussion.
"Hey Hiro, can you talk? It's urgent. Call me ASAP!"
The informal manner of chatting and the use of his nickname 'Hiro' made it clear who the message was from. Kazuki Suzuki, better known by his second name at the college itself, was a mischievous figure to many but a close friend to Takumi. Their bond dated back to childhood and had grown inseparable until his tragic and sudden death shattered it. The memory of his friend's demise still pierced Takumi's now hardened heart. He remembered feeling helpless back then, unable to aid his friend when he needed it most. But now, reborn with newfound strength and determination, Takumi vowed silently to support Kazuki through whatever challenges lay ahead. He resolved to elevate his friend from adversity to prosperity.
Takumi wasted no time, quickly dialing Kazuki's number. He took a short breath as he listened to the chimes of its ring.
"Hey Hiro! I thought you'd be buried in your dorm until you built a wall out of noodle boxes," Kazuki's friendly voice teased, nearly bringing a tear to Takumi's eye.
"What could possibly be so important to get me out of my noodle box fortress?" Takumi responded with equal jest yet trying to get straight to the point, knowing how Kazuki could extend a conversation till he'd forget his main point.
"Come on, man, it's the boxing competition! Just hear me out before you hang up... Let's at least go watch, if not participate!" Kazuki's tone carried a hint of pleading, as if he were asking his elder brother for a favor.
Initially, Takumi was inclined to decline, but a sudden realization struck him—this wasn't the old Takumi. In his previous life, he had rejected such opportunities, only to later accept them and suffer humiliation at the hands of stronger students. But now, Takumi felt a sense of exhilaration at the prospect of success.
During the 8 hours spent battling the Ethereal beasts, he underwent an inexplicable transformation. His physique had slightly bulked up, his muscles appearing more defined and robust. It was as if he had been injected with a potent dose of instant-acting steroids. With this newfound strength, Takumi knew he could easily deflect any potential humiliation.
"In a few days, right? Count me in. I bet you've already reserved a spot for me," Takumi replied, his playful tone emerging—the same tone reserved for conversations with Kazuki.
"No way, you serious? Damn, I just booked it, wasn't sure if you'd go for it! Alright, see you Thursday at 6, don't be late!" Kazuki exclaimed with excitement before hanging up.
Thursday was just two days away, and the thought of sitting around and waiting didn't sit well with Takumi. His blood boiled with the need for action, both to improve his physical fitness and to earn more money before the day arrived. While he had known about the existence of another dimension besides Earth and Etheria, Etheria had captured his attention in a way he hadn't anticipated. First on his agenda was to appraise the artifacts he had obtained from slaying the monsters, and second was to bulk up by hunting more creatures to achieve a more muscular physique. He was currently skinnier than he desired and was determined to change that.
"Kurayami, drop everything and take us back to Etheria," Takumi exclaimed, clutching the cloak Kurayami had initially bestowed upon him upon their first entry into Etheria.
"Go on your own, you don't need me to babysit you anymore," Kurayami stated calmly, disappearing along with her magazine without hesitation.
"How the hell am I supposed to do that?!" Takumi exclaimed, his eyes glowing with a dim red hue as he scanned the room to pinpoint where the demon had vanished to. He found her calmly lying on his bed, flipping through a new magazine.
"Just close your eyes and focus on what you know about Etheria, or maybe just the one place you remember from there," Kurayami suggested, releasing a bored sigh before returning her attention to her magazine.
At this point, Takumi saw no use in arguing further with a demon who clearly had no intention of taking him there. He simply sat on his bed, let out a sigh, and closed his eyes, attempting to follow the demon's suggestion. His confidence in its success was low, but he saw no reason not to try. A silent moment enveloped his surroundings, carrying away his thoughts in an instant.
The moment passed swiftly, leaving Takumi with an uncomfortable sensation. Had he fallen victim to one of the demon's mischievous tricks? With this thought in mind, Takumi swiftly opened his eyes, feeling a twinge of frustration as he expected to see the demon standing before him with a sly smile but what he got was something far more familiar and least expected. He was back at the office-like guild building...but it was empty this time with the only living soul being the elf at the reception who noticed his sudden appearance in a second.
"Wait a minute, when did you get here? And why are you here anyway?" She remarked, leaving her booth with a small stack of papers that she promptly dumped into a bin without hesitation.
"Are the hive gates open?" Takumi muttered, brushing off the female's questions as if he hadn't heard them. "I need to grind today, but I'll be going in alone. I don't need more inconveniences holding me down."
"I mean... today isn't a raid day, but I guess you can go in if you want," she responded, returning to her booth and grabbing more papers. "I'd advise you to be quick in getting out since the knights seem to have an eye on you now. Something about you angering their commander. They'll be back from the auction house in a few hours."
This comment caused Takumi to pause for a moment. An auction house? Regardless of how he defined it, every explanation led back to one thing... money. He had no idea what was being auctioned off or if he could even participate, but one thing was certain: he needed to learn more about it, no matter what.
"Excuse me for a moment... Did you say 'auction house'?" Takumi interjected, diverting his attention from the hive gates.
"Yeah, I'm guessing you're new here. In our kingdom, we have a special day where hunters can auction off rare objects they find in hives to people, orcs, or elves. It's just down this street. I advise you to check it out," she responded, seeming to enjoy explaining the kingdom's common affairs to newcomers.
The location and its brief description were all Takumi needed to hear. His mind instantly locked in, as if he were a video game character suddenly following a side quest instead of pursuing his main objective. He decided to keep his cloak on, considering the female's warning about the increased attention from the guards. But once he'd reached the location its self, he quickly regained knowledge of just how much Etheria could truly fascinate him.
he couldn't help but marvel at its grandeur. The structure loomed impressively before him, its towering facade adorned with intricate carvings and ornate embellishments. Large bronze doors, gleaming in the sunlight, stood prominently at the entrance, flanked by two attentive knights clad in imposing armor. Their vigilant stance and steely gazes lent an air of importance to the building, hinting at the treasures and secrets that lay within. It was like a scene from a medieval-themed movie!
The interior surpassed all expectations, captivating Takumi with its breathtaking architecture. He couldn't help but admire the intricate details and exquisite craftsmanship that adorned the expansive space before him. Silently maneuvering through the throngs of people, Takumi skillfully evaded the vigilant gaze of the knights guarding the entrance. His efforts paid off as he found himself deep within the interior, where the ambient light cast a dim glow over the crowded and elevated section. Just in time, the massive bronze doors began to close with a resounding bang, enveloping the area in darkness and leaving only the stage before him illuminated by a faint glow.
From that point on, it was all about learning for Takumi. With no items to auction off and no currency to purchase the items being sold, he resigned himself to observing and absorbing as much information as he could.
His first revelation came with the realization of the building's layout. Despite its vastness, he couldn't help but notice the clear division of sections within the auction house. The area he found himself in was relatively straightforward: a spacious elevated platform filled with a diverse crowd, comprised mostly of common citizens.
Below him lay a larger section, situated closer to the stage itself. While this was noteworthy, what truly piqued Takumi's interest was the absence of common-looking citizens in that area. Instead, it was filled with a multitude of cloaked figures, each donning a distinctly colored cloak: brown, green, black, and red. Without a word spoken, Takumi knew exactly who they were.
The colors held symbolic meaning, each representing a different race in the world, except for black and red, which appeared to be reserved for humans. The green-cloaked figures were unmistakably elves, their remarkable appearances and sharply pointed ears giving them away. In contrast, the brown-cloaked individuals were clearly orcs, their bulky, towering physiques conveyed an unfathomable sense of power and strength to Takumi.
But Takumi could only watch as the grand red curtains of the stage drew open, revealing a female figure standing before well-suited men, each holding a covered tray.
"Greetings from the kingdom of knights to all present! We welcome you to today's weekly auction!" she enthusiastically announced, though her smile appeared insincere to Takumi alone. Nevertheless, the crowd erupted into applause, their cheers echoing throughout the building.
"I'd like to extend our gratitude for your presence here today, but let's not delay any further. Without further ado, let's bring out the first item!" she announced, her tone remaining unchanged as she gestured for one of the men to step forward.
Now, Takumi's attention was fully captured. It was time for the real goods! It was evident that no ordinary object would make it to such a grand auction house; if it did, no one would bother purchasing it. Takumi understood that the items before him were far from ordinary—they held value that extended beyond mere monetary worth. This was precisely the kind of information he needed before attempting to auction anything himself! If he could find equivalents of these objects on Earth, he could strike a lucrative deal at the auction house and perhaps even establish his own business in this dimension. It was a stroke of pure genius!
"Item number one, discovered in a high-level hive and extracted from a high-grade dwarven king: a near-mythical dagger capable of slicing through material as hard as rock itself!" the female announced enthusiastically, lifting the lid of the tray to reveal an old and curved dagger—highly ineffective in any combat situation.
This revelation shattered Takumi's expectations with utmost cruelty. Who would even consider buying a dagger that couldn't be used in combat?
"The starting price for the dagger is 30 copper coins. 30, going once..." Before she could finish her statement, one of the cloaked figures sprung up without hesitation!
In disbelief, Takumi watched as the price continued to climb, each bidder refusing to back down. Starting from a modest 30 copper coins, the ineffective blade skyrocketed to a staggering 130 copper coins! Even without knowledge of the currency rates in this world, Takumi recognized the outrageousness of the bid. But that was just the beginning.
A set of chainmail armor fetched a silver coin, simply because it had a hint of emeralds in it. A fancy-looking robe went for 5 silver coins, while a mysterious ring with unknown magical capabilities sold for another silver coin. The remaining items were simple weapons with peculiar designs, yet they still commanded high prices. This left Takumi pondering what exactly the threshold was for an object to be taken seriously in this auction house.
Honestly, Takumi felt relieved knowing that bringing something from his world to Etheria and auctioning it off wouldn't be an issue. It was a guaranteed win-win situation for him. Not only would he make money effortlessly, but it also felt like he had entered a cheat code in life and was reaping its benefits. He was thrilled at the prospect. Now, all he had to do was wait for the following week to put the auctioning limits to the test on his own terms.
Before that, all he had to do was build up his body in every way he could.