"Everyone was given their identity number before the Auction had even started to place their bids, and using these identity numbers, whoever chooses to bid for the Hollow weapon may raise their hand!!"

"Now...LET THE BIDDING BEGIN!"

***

Tens of hands were raised in an instant, the whole crowd was divided into two opinions, one that harshly stated that it was not fair that only people with a certain amount of soul power could try obtaining that sword...

While the other side of the crowd showed pity for people like these as they proudly raised their hands and tried to bid for the item.

I couldn't help but believe that some of these people who'd raised their number plaques would be lying and wouldn't have the necessary soul power, but it was obvious Mr. Lapui would have some sort of device to identify and catch these people.

The moment Mr. Lapui's words echoed through the entire hall, the atmosphere turned into something I couldn't really describe. It was a mix of excitement, desperation, and fear all at once.

Hands shot up immediately, plaques raised high, the number tags glowing faintly under the lights.

Some raised theirs confidently, as if this Hollow weapon was already theirs.

Others hesitated before finally holding theirs up, clearly struggling with themselves but still not wanting to let go of the chance.

And me?

My hand was already in the air before I could even think.

I didn't care about the eyes darting my way from around the private lounge.

I had to do it.

My soul power was 499. Just one number short of that elusive 500 mark, but in my heart, it didn't matter.

There was also the fact that I couldn't shake the feeling that this sword was calling out to me, like it was meant to be mine.

To my left, I caught the faintest flicker of movement, Princess Sia had raised hers too.

Her face was calm, but her eyes… her eyes looked surprised as she eyed me strangely.

It was almost like she didn't expect I would have what it takes to hold the weapon.

She wasn't the only one, however, as I found the gazes of Uncle Philip and Grandpa staring daggers into me and Sia both.

Meanwhile, King Philip, her father, didn't waste a second either. His plaque was up, his regal figure unmoving, as if he were simply stating a fact: I deserve this weapon.

And then there was Grandpa Venus. The man raised his plaque slowly, but with a smirk tugging at his lips.

Unlike everyone else who seemed tense, he almost looked amused, like this was just another game for him. But I knew better. That sly old man wouldn't raise his plaque unless he was serious.

My stomach rumbled. All of us—me, Sia, her father, even Grandpa Venus, had thrown ourselves into the same storm.

Meanwhile, the members of Team A could only look at me and Sia like they'd seen a bunch of monsters.

The crowd exploded into a fish market. Some shouted this wasn't fair, that it wasn't necessary that only those with strong soul power could even hope to touch this weapon.

Others mocked them, flaunting their plaques with pride, happy that they were strong enough to even qualify.

I knew some were bluffing. You could see it in the way they hesitated, in the way their hands trembled just slightly as they raised their numbers.

But Mr. Lapui had already thought of that.

Another orb floated into his hand, and this one looked different from the others. It wasn't solid.

It pulsed faintly, and then it grew wings. Black, sleek wings like those of a crow, flapping once as if alive.

The crowd gasped as the orb shot into the air.

"SCAN!" Mr. Lapui's voice boomed.

The winged ball darted across the building with blinding speed.

It spun around the hall, its wings beating noiselessly, diving at raised plaques.

One by one, it stopped in front of every single member who had raised their plaques, releasing a sharp beam of light that scanned the number plates before zipping off again.

From my seat, I could hear the faint hum as the beam touched mine, scanning it for a split second before shooting away.

The moment it passed me, my heart pounded harder. It was like being branded. My number was locked in now.

The ball didn't slow. Floor to floor, row to row, it scanned everyone who dared raise their hands.

And then it happened.

A man on the second floor flinched the second the orb hovered near him.

His plaque trembled in his hand. The black ball glowed brighter this time, before letting out a shrill sound.

"DISQUALIFIED."

The word appeared in the air above him in bold red letters.

Gasps rippled across the room. Before the man could even argue, two armored guards from the auction house security team appeared out of nowhere, dragging him away as he shouted and cursed, swearing he had the power but no one listened.

The crowd grew tense again, and yet another person on the third floor faced the same fate.

He didn't even resist, just quietly lowered his head as the guards escorted him out, shame burning his face.

I swallowed hard.

It was ruthless, but it made sense. No one was going to cheat their way into a weapon like this.

Once the last plaque had been scanned, the orb flapped its wings one final time and soared back to the stage.

The crowd leaned forward instinctively, all eyes on Mr. Lapui as he caught the sphere.

Above the stage, a large holographic screen flickered to life.

One by one, identity numbers appeared, glowing brightly for all to see. My number was among them, shining faintly in a corner.

The sight made my hands tighten around the plaque without me realizing.

Then the orb shuddered in Mr. Lapui's hand before breaking apart into a shower of black light.

The light gathered again in mid-air, swirling into the shape of a giant sphere.

Inside it, all the identity numbers began shuffling like dice in a cup.

The crowd erupted again, their voices crashing together as everyone waited to see who would be chosen first.

My heartbeat thundered in my chest. The weight of the moment pressed down on me.

This wasn't like bidding on armor or trinkets. This was something else entirely.

Whoever got called first would have the first chance at the Hollow weapon. The thought alone was enough to send chills crawling down my spine.

The ball spun faster and faster, glowing brighter until it was almost blinding. Then, suddenly, it stopped.

A single number froze in place, burning against the black screen above the platform.

Everyone went silent.

The first challenger had been chosen.

***