Chapter 246: Broken Sword

Chapter 246: Broken SwordThe stage was set, and Apollo sat with an air of calm confidence while Serena remained standing beside him in the VIP section. Moments later, the lights dimmed slightly, and the crowd’s murmurs quieted as the auction’s host made her entrance.

A stunning, sexy woman stepped onto the central stage; her presence immediately drew attention. She wore a revealing yet elegant dress that showed her curves, the fabric shimmering under the soft glow of the stage lights. Her confident stride and smile only added to her allure, causing the room to fall silent in anticipation.

"Hello, ladies and gentlemen," she said, her voice smooth and melodic, carrying easily across the room. "I am Haze, and I’ll be your host for today’s auction. I assure you, it’s going to be a memorable event."

The crowd responded with light applause and eager whispers; their excitement was breathtaking. Apollo remained calm, his focus unwavering. Though the host’s charm was undeniable, his mind had always been steady, and he didn’t think with his dick.

"Then it looks like everyone is ready, so let’s bring out the first item of the auction." The audience became silent, and immediately, a mask-shaped item appeared from below the stage.

"This is the first item called ’Mask of Shadow,’ which, according to the news, was the mask worn by the legendary assassin Dark Shadow, who claimed many lives of Void Gods and was the image of terror for tens of thousands of years."

"Although it is a semi-divine item, it is rarer than some divine weapons, as it can help the wearer to hide its presence in front of Void Gods by merging with shadow. Making it a great treasure for hiding and killing."

"Ladies and gentlemen," Haze announced, her seductive tone now carrying an edge of excitement, "the initial price for this magnificent treasure is just five hundred thousand Life Essence Stones, and each bid must increase by no less than ten thousand."

She paused, letting the audience absorb her words and the artifact’s allure. "Now, let the bidding begin!"

The atmosphere in the auction hall grew electric as Haze’s announcement echoed. The crowd buzzed with anticipation, and several participants leaned forward, their expressions eager and calculating. Many actually were interested in it, as its ability was a great help to even Void Gods.

Apollo’s gaze rested on the Mask of Shadow, his expression thoughtful. A semi-divine artifact capable of eluding even Void Gods was indeed rare.

Although it was a semi-divine treasure and better than some divine artifacts, it was still among the worst divine artifacts.

Divine items were also divided into different ranks according to their strengths.

They were divided into nine ranks, from 1st Rank Divine Artifact to 9th Rank Divine Artifacts.

At the base of this hierarchy were the 1st Rank Divine Artifacts, the weakest of Divine Artifacts, often sought after by those newly stepping into divine realms.

At the pinnacle stood the 9th Rank Eternal Divine Artifacts, legendary creations said to transcend time and space. These treasures of unparalleled might were often fought over by the most powerful beings in the universe and capable of altering the fate of entire worlds.

The Mask of Shadow could barely compare to the weakest 1st-rank Divine items, so it wasn’t anything remarkable. Even his sword, Frost Star, forged by Old Aragon, had now become a semi-Divine sword after being nourished by his sword aura and absorbing lunar essence. It was also many times stronger than this mask.

Although both were semi-divine rank items, the potential of the two was completely different. Frost Star has very high growth potential; even as a semi-divine sword, it is already stronger than most 1st rank divine swords and was even close to 2nd rank in some sense.

Not to mention the semi-divine item, he also has divine treasure, and it wasn’t some first or second divine rank treasure, but it definitely was a high level, maybe seventh or eighth level at least.

The Divine Treasure was none other than the Book of Death, which he still cannot determine its true rank, as the stronger he became, the more mysterious it seemed to him. After his understanding of the law improved, the strength of the Book of Death also seemed to become stronger.

He now knows that it definitely wasn’t a simple item, as with his current strength, he can easily judge some weaker divine treasures.

The bidding began with an assertive shout from one corner of the room.

"Five hundred and fifty thousand Life Essence Stones!"

The room responded with murmurs as another bidder quickly countered.

"Six hundred thousand!"

The bids climbed steadily; the excitement was staggering as the price crossed seven hundred thousand. Haze’s melodic voice interjected at intervals, encouraging the participants and heightening the tension.

A large man with a wolfish grin, adorned in the garb of a mercenary leader, raised the stakes further. "Eight hundred and fifty thousand!"

Apollo’s attention shifted momentarily to the bidders.

When the price exceeded one million Life Essence Stones, a brief lull settled over the hall, and whispers filled the air.

After a moment of tense silence, Haze raised her hand. "Going once... going twice... sold for one million Life Essence Stones to our esteemed guest in seat 165XX!"

Finally, the item was won by the mercenary leader, who was grinning.

Without wasting any more time, Haze brought out the next item and began auctioning it off.

One by one, items were auctioned, but none of them managed to truly captivate most of the VIP guests. Even so, they waited patiently, knowing this was only the beginning of the auction.

As Apollo mused over these thoughts, the next item was revealed on the stage. Haze’s melodic voice drew the crowd’s attention.

"Ladies and gentlemen, our next item is an exquisite gem known as the ’Starfire Crystal.’ Harvested from the remains of a collapsed star, this crystal contains the raw essence of cosmic fire."

"So, for anyone majoring in the Law of Fire or interested in Alchemy, Potion Mastery, or Blacksmithing, this is an essential item that will greatly enhance their strength."

The Starfire Crystal shimmered with an irresistible glow, filled with fiery energy that seemed alive. Gasps of admiration rippled through the crowd, especially among the people who majored in fire laws.

Seeing this, even he felt a bit surprised, as it was truly a rare item, but sadly he didn’t major in fire law or dive deeply into various professions. But it made him look forward to other items.

"The bidding will start at one million Life Essence Stones," Haze declared, her voice laced with anticipation. "And each increment must be no less than fifty thousand."

The energy in the room surged again as the crowd began bidding fervently.

"One million and fifty thousand!"

"One million two hundred thousand!"

The bids came quickly, with no sign of hesitation.

The price climbed steadily, eventually surpassing two million Life Essence Stones. The competition intensified, with bidders from both the regular seating and VIP sections joining the fray.

"Three million," a calm, measured voice declared.

Apollo’s interest was piqued slightly. The new bidder was from a VIP room directly across from his.

This bid seemed to silence everyone, and finally, Haze’s voice rang out after some time with no one bidding. "Sold for three and a half million Life Essence Stones to our distinguished guest in VIP Room 7!"

Polite applause followed, and the Starfire Crystal was carefully removed from the stage.

This seems to have marked the beginning, as one after another, rare items started to appear, which led to many VIPs also finally joining the biddings.

"This next item is very special, which will shock you all." As she said, finally the item appeared right on the stage. But the moment it appeared, it shocked the guests.

"This!" Instantly Apollo felt something; his eyes glowed sharply.

Boom!

A powerful aura burst within the auction house, and instantly everyone felt a tingling sensation like they were being cut into countless pieces. But thankfully the runic formation within the hall quickly activated, and a fierce aura was trapped, saving them from the terrifying feeling.

But as the aura gradually subsided and came under control, everyone finally dared to lift their gaze toward the source of such a terrifying presence. What they saw left them utterly shocked—a mere broken sword, with only one-third of its blade remaining.

Despite its fragmented state, the sword exuded an overwhelming sense of ancient power and majesty, as though it had once ruled over countless worlds.

The atmosphere in the auction house shifted palpably as the broken sword rested on its pedestal, radiating an undeniable presence.

The crowd stunned into silence, could barely process the sheer force emanating from the shattered relic. Even seasoned veterans and powerful individuals in the VIP rooms wore expressions of awe and unease.

"This," Haze began, her usually melodious voice carrying an uncharacteristic gravity, "is the unknown sword fragment founded by a lucky warrior in a ruin at the edge of the universe. Which our expect believe come from an 8th or even possibly 9th Rank Divine Sword."