CHAPTER 28: AUCTION

The rooftop was heavy with silence.

Wind howled through the jagged city skyline, carrying the stench of gunpowder and smoke.

Cracked tiles crunched beneath boots as more bounty hunters poured onto the scene, their silhouettes cutting through the haze.

Men with rifles, women with blades glowing from mana, hulking figures with heavy ordnance strapped to their backs.

But they all stopped.

Every single one of them froze when they saw it — Lucius, the feared Space Awakener, was on his knees, an arrow jutting from his back, the shaft trembling from where it had been buried deep.

His face was pressed into the ground, one hand pinned under a rough boot.

The short archer grinned like a rat who had just found a golden vault.

His voice rang sharp across the rooftop.

"Oi!" he shouted, his foot grinding harder against Lucius’s neck. "You guys want him, don’t you?"

The silence broke with shuffling and muttered disbelief.

The man was barely five feet tall, wiry, with a grin too wide for his face.

Yet somehow, he had their prize trapped beneath him.

From the crowd, a familiar figure emerged. Mist.

Luna’s breath caught in her throat.

She had thought the woman dead, falling from that impossible height earlier.

But here she was, stepping forward through the gathered mercenaries with graceful poise.

Her curvy figure seemed to draw the eye, her smile faint but steady, as though none of this chaos fazed her in the least.

"Since you didn’t run away," Mist said, her voice smooth as silk, "I assume you want to bring a proposal."

The archer’s grin widened.

"Of course. I know I won’t be able to run away and deliver his body without being ambushed, and I have ten kids to feed. Why don’t I sell him to you guys, eh?" He tilted his head, eyes flickering greedily.

"Who can bring the highest price?"

[Ding!]

[Your Stream has reached 50 Million Viewers]

[You have received 4 Million Royals in Donations]

The chat went berserk.

[@MoonWorshipper: NOOOO NOT LIKE THIS 😱]

[@SteelFang: bruh man’s literally SELLING him on ebay 💀]

[@Luna4Ever: omg luna’s crying i can’t handle this]

[@ToxicDragon: THIS STREAM IS PEAK CONTENT WTF]

[@SweetPorridge: no way Lucius goes out like this... right??]

Across the rooftop, one of the bounty hunters barked, his massive bazooka resting on his shoulder.

His wild white hair swayed in the wind as his eyes narrowed on the archer.

"And why," the man growled, "should we buy him? What stops us from attacking you right now and taking him for free?"

The short archer chuckled darkly.

"Oh... kekekekeke..." He pressed his boot harder, shoving Lucius’s face deeper into the ground.

With his free hand, he tapped the arrow protruding from Lucius’s back.

"You see, this isn’t just any arrow. There’s an explosive inside. If any of you make a move — boom."

And then, for emphasis, he pulled out a small black device, its red button glowing ominously.

His thumb hovered dangerously close.

The gathered bounty hunters hesitated.

Luna’s heart thudded in her chest.

Her hands trembled against the ropes binding her, her mind racing.

’No... no no no... this isn’t happening. He’s too strong. Lucius doesn’t lose. He doesn’t...’

The archer laughed again, his grin splitting ear to ear. "Now... are you ready to pay?"

The auction began immediately.

"1 million!"

"Eh? 20 million!"

"50 million!"

The rooftop erupted in shouting voices, mercenaries throwing numbers into the storm like gamblers at a blood-soaked casino.

Luna’s eyes shrunk.

’They’re really shouting out amounts like madmen. For him... like he’s just merchandise.’

The stream chat detonated again.

[@HolyKnight: THEY’RE LITERALLY BIDDING FOR HIS LIFE 😭]

[@SpicyRamen: 50 MIL???? bruh i can’t afford lunch]

[@Firebrand77: this is an auction for a GOD, not a man]

[@Blueberry: luna’s face rn i’m shaking]

[@Bloodhound: stream record about to break]

"100 million!"

"250 million!"

The numbers climbed higher and higher until the rooftop itself seemed to quake from the madness.

And then —

"2 billion."

Mist’s voice cut clean through the chaos.

The bidding fell silent.

Every eye snapped toward her as she strode forward, heels clicking against the rooftop.

Her expression was calm, smug, as if she’d already won.

With a smooth flick of her wrist, she pulled out an elegant, gold-trimmed phone.

"That’s it," she said coldly.

Inside, her thoughts were sharper.

’ can always trace it back to your account later. A lowly bounty rat like you wouldn’t be smart enough to cover your tracks.’

The short archer froze for a moment, then nodded eagerly, though his grip on the button tightened.

"Deal!"

He stepped forward, holding out a small device that projected a floating QR code.

Mist leaned in and scanned it.

The confirmation pinged.

The transaction went through.

"Good," she said smoothly. "Now remove the arrow and hand over Lucius. I need him alive."

Her gaze turned toward the other mercenaries, a flash of steel in her eyes.

Her meaning was clear: he’s mine.

"Kekekekeke... I’m rich... I’m rich..." the archer cackled.

He bounded over to Lucius, crouching down.

With a flourish, he yanked the arrow free, blood gushing from the wound.

Then, with a grunt, he shoved Lucius’s limp form toward Mist.

She caught him, her arms straining under his weight.

For a brief moment, her chest swelled with triumph.

And then she frowned.

’Why does it feel like I’m... touching wood?’

Before she could react, the body in her arms twisted.

Bark erupted from its surface, splitting and expanding, growing into thick wooden coils that wrapped around her wrists and snaked outward.

"What?!" Mist yelped, staggering back.

The wood writhed like living serpents, expanding in all directions until the entire rooftop was covered in a prison of twisting timber.

Hunters shouted, some struggling as the bark wrapped their limbs and pinned them in place.

"What did you do?!" Mist screamed.

A smooth voice echoed through the chaos.

"I swear you people are dumb."

The short archer’s body contorted, bones stretching, muscles bulging.

The grin disappeared, replaced by a sharp jawline, long hair flowing free.

In seconds, the form melted away into the tall, immaculate figure of Lucius himself.

His crimson eyes glinted as he ran a hand through his hair, flicking it back with casual elegance.

His black suit was immaculate, untouched by blood.

"Did you really think an archer," he said smoothly, "would be able to capture me?"

The rooftop went dead silent.

Mist’s face drained of color. "So you scammed me?"

"Yes," Lucius said simply, his lips curling into a smile.

He walked over calmly, the bark coils loosening just enough to free Luna.

He crouched and untied her restraints, murmuring softly. "I’m sorry I had to tie you—"

But he didn’t finish.

Because Luna suddenly threw her arms around his neck, burying her face against him.

"I’m glad you’re safe," she whispered, her voice trembling.

Lucius’s smirk softened for just a moment.

Then, with a playful spark in his eye, he leaned close. "Oh? I didn’t know you liked being tied up. Should we... try it when we get home?"

Her face flushed crimson.

She swatted weakly at him, but her arms didn’t let go.

The chat detonated in disbelief.

[@ShipItNow: HE SAID WHAT??? 😳]

[@VoidHeart: omg i’m dead 💀💀💀]

[@CinnamonCloud: LUNA BLUSHINGGGGG]

[@DaddyLucius: my man’s FLIRTING mid hostage crisis]

[@QueenBees: nahhhh 50M ppl saw this live 😂]

[@LoyalLuna: she hugged him first she really did]

[@Overkill777: HOW IS HE THIS SMOOTH]

[@SaltedFish: poor Mist bruh she got played AND third wheeled]

[@StarlightRider: this arc is pure cinema]

[@DarkPheonix: LUCINA SHIPPERS RISEEEE 🚢🔥]

Lucius exhaled, holding Luna gently against him.

He lifted his gaze toward the sky, raising two fingers in a peace sign at the hovering drone.

His smile gleamed under the neon glow.

"Well... time to turn off the stream. Till next time."

Luna reached out and tapped the interface.

The feed went dark, millions of stunned viewers left with nothing but their own disbelief.

The rooftop was suddenly quiet again.

"Now..." Lucius murmured, tightening his arm around Luna. "When are the police going to get here?"

The answer came in the low thrum of blades cutting through the air.

A helicopter swept across the skyline, its searchlight blazing down on the wooden prison.

Lucius tilted his head, his crimson eyes catching the beam.

And before vanishing in a blink of warped space, he turned one last time toward Mist —

and winked.

The spotlight swung wildly.

Mist cursed, still trapped in the wooden coils, her teeth grinding in frustration.

The Space Awakener was gone.