Chapter 56 The Auction Starts
The chatter died down, and everyone\'s attention was focused on the stage.
On the stage, a provocative woman stood, her jade-like skin was revealed in all the right places, capturing the attention of everyone sitting there.
Next to Jake, the plump man started breathing heavily, and Jake didn\'t have to turn to know that this man was salivating heavily for the woman.
He shook his head and looked more closely. The lighting on the stand where the items would be placed was too high. With this, any thing placed on the spotlight would just look much better than it was.
And the beautiful woman was also a trick that auctions used. Distracting the players and the other participants with the beautiful woman while they ignored obvious defects in the items presented.
But Jake had to admit that the auctioneer that they brought in this time was stunning, and she attracted more eyes than she should have.
"The Flying Pavilion is glad that many of you have come here on such short notice. But as the advent of a new world is nearing us, the masters above have thought it imperative that we must equip our finest warriors with the best items." the auctioneer said.
"Bull shit. What finest warriors? Not a single player is here. The front line warriors are nowhere to be seen, and the only buyers are the ones controlling the strings. What a farce." Jake thought to himself.
He empathized with the players, because he too, was once in that place. He understood the rage of players when their guild leaders stole their merits and their hard earned loot.
"The first item that we shall bring out shall be a good one. This is a valuable material for blacksmiths, and it is quite rare. We believe that this is the biggest piece of the material that has ever been found." the auctioneer said with her sweet voice and she stood aside as two strong men brought out a large rock the size of a boulder.
They placed the boulder right next to the stand, as it could not possibly be placed on something that was meant for normal items.
The spotlight also changed, shining on the boulder.
"This is the Shining Deep Sea Stone. An Epic Class Material that can be used to craft Epic Grade equipment." she said.
"The starting bid will be ten gold coins, increments will be five coins with each bid."
That was a steep price, when one could get a rudimentary Epic Item for that much. But Jake knew that it would be worth it. For that money, this material could be used to make multiple items.
And using it in Rare items would only increase the chance of success. But using this Epic class material on a Rare item would be stupid.
Jake looked to his right, and saw a paddle that corresponded to his seat on his armrest.
Taking it, he raised his paddle. Why not be the first bid of the auction?
"Ten gold coins, to the Baron in the thirty seventh row." the auctioneer smiled and pointed.
Someone else raised their paddle.
"Fifteen gold coins!"
Jake raised his paddle again.
"Twenty gold coins!"
But the competition from behind him seemed stiff.
"Twenty Five gold coins!"
Jake sighed and put his paddle down. It would have been worth it if he got it at twenty gold coins, but any more than that and he wouldn\'t have been able to make a profit. And he didn\'t even have blacksmiths that could reliably make Epic Items. He was just hoping that having the material would help.
"Ah! There is an auction every month or so. I can snag something then." Jake consoled himself as the bids grew.
More people were interested in this item, apparently, because someone from the private rooms behind also entered the competition.
"Sold to the gentleman in Room Number seven for seventy five gold coins." the woman smiled as she struck her mallet on the table that she had in front of her.
The men who were next to the boulder carried it back to where they got it from, and soon, a pretty woman, as glamorous as the auctioneer came in, with a tray in her hands.
Sure, she was eye candy, but everyone here didn\'t get to their position by mere hereditary means. Many looked at what she was bringing in.
On the tray was a small necklace. It was unassuming, but the purple glow that it gave off told everyone that it was an Epic Item.
"Good. Finally, they are bringing the good stuff out. That was quick though." Jake rubbed his hands as he scrutinized the item.
As a player, he was allowed to see the item and the stats that it would bring.
[Sea Queen\'s Necklace.
Epic Class Item
Type: Support
+2 Luck, +4 Defence, +2 Attack
Special Skill: When the item holder is in water, all the above added stats will triple]
It truly was an epic item. Any user with that item would be simply invincible in water if he had the same level as the opposing side.
"What happened? Did the Flying Pavilion raid a Sea King temple or what?" Jake jokingly thought to himself.
The first two items were both from the sea after all.
"The starting bid for this item will be twenty gold coins, with ten coin increments."
Jake did not raise his paddle this time. He had no interest in this item. It was interesting to watch, but he had no plans to go to sea anytime soon, and wasting his money on this would mean that he could miss the chance to buy something better when the time came.
The bidding was quick, and the winner was revealed.
The necklace went for a hundred gold coins, and it just showed how the items that Jake and Myriad Arrows bought were nothing in comparison to the ones on auction right here.
"This next item that we will bring out is very mysterious. In fact, we don\'t even know what this item is, and it is to the discretion of the buyer to choose to bid on it." the auctioneer said as she snapped her fingers to bring out the next item.
A man brought a single rusty pole and placed it on the stand, and this time, the lighting dimmed a little, trying not to highlight the rust.
Jake took a look at it and pondered. The Flying Pavilion would only put it here if this pole was either indestructible, or it gave a few stats.
If it did none of that, then it would be a rusty pole that no one would want.
Jake looked at it, and his feature as a player activated.
[Unknown Item. Please buy and scan for more information.]
Jake was curious now.
"The starting bid is one gold coin, due to the effect of the item not being known. We found it along with the two prior items, so it might be an interesting item as well." the auctioneer said.
With that, a singular thought appeared in Jake\'s mind. It was fleeting, but if it was anywhere near the truth, then Jake would have exhausted all the luck he had for the entire week.
He raised his paddle after a few seconds.
"One gold coin, the Baron in the thirty seventh row."
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Edited By: WorthyAdversary
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