When everyone looked at the round rock, they were taken aback by surprise because it radiated only the amount of energy a normal rock on the streets would. The rock had a greyish outside and no matter how close the people looked at it, they couldn't guess what's special about the rock.
[A Demon soul] Michael the system said with a sliver of surprise in its voice.
"A Demon soul? This world has demons too?"
[No. A demon is an extraterrestrial being]
[The system's level is too low to explain the origins of demons]
"Thought so" he sighed.
[However, acquiring this item would earn the host a demon subordinate with 100%]
Michael's previously disappointed face lit up brightly by the system's words.
Yet, he was with the system long enough to know that there must be a catch behind this tempting offer. He couldn't sense any traps from the system's voice but he knew for sure.
[Of course, you have to pay the system to bring the demon soul back to life from its long slumber]
"I'm not even a bit surprised. just name the price"
[15,000 badass points]
"So that rock is really a demon soul?" he wasn't surprised about the price but he was still surprised about the fact that stone is a demon soul.
[No. That's just a rock from space. The demon soul is inside the rock. Only the system is capable of extracting the demon soul from the rock and bringing to life] the system proudly said as it almost sounded like brag to Michael.
"It's so cliche you know. A useless looking thing in the auction ended up being the most op thing"
[It's not cliche if no one in the entire world including the main character couldn't use the item]
"You think I'm the main character in this world?" he chuckled.
[With the system, it's the host's choice to be either a hero or a villain to this world. Now go and get the demon soul]
"Jeez, you're so demanding" he exited the system with an amused smile. Looking at the rock on the stage and recalling the system's words about 100% loyal subordinates, he felt extremely excited as he rubbed his palms together.
"Everyone, our appraising team has found that this is a Primordial Rock. As most of you know, anything that dates back to billion years is called Primordial also known as the era of gods. Anything that belongs to that era is extremely valuable and powerful. Although you're only witnessing a sliver of energy radiation, our appraisal team is confident that with enough time, one can bring out the true potential of this Primordial rock"
"So you guys found nothing?" someone from downstairs shouted at the host.
"I never heard someone try to make a rock sound so special"
"Gaya, go for the rock" he put his hand on his right ear, ordering Gaya to bid on the rock.
"The fuck are you talking about? That's just a fucking rock" she growled but she focused all her senses on the rock to see if there's something special about the rock, so did Nightmare.
"Alright if you're interested in that rock, it must be special though I don't see anything special. But why aren't you bidding?"
"Because I'm in a VIP room. If I bid on the rock, the other VIPs would think it must be something special and start bidding but if someone from the downstair bid, they wouldn't go for it"
"Plus, they would think you're just stupid and you are" Nightmare placed his little mouth near Michael's ear and spoke.
"I'll strangle you lizard!"
"The starting bid for this Primordial rock is 20,000 gold coins. Each new bid must be increased by 5000 gold coins" The old man himself wouldn't buy this rock. However, it came from the personal collection of Julius, so he believed it must be something special.
"Fuck it, 25,000" Gaya shouted from downstairs.
"Huh?"
"Who is this girl?"
"Why is she bidding on a rock?"
Gaya tried not to react to the comments coming from all directions. She noticed the host himself raising his brows for a second before wiping off the surprised look from his face.
"30,000" surprisingly another gentle yet cold voice sounded from one of the VIP rooms. Michael frowned as he recognized this voice in a blink of an eye.
"Who is that?" Nightmare asked, looking at the white-clothed beauty in the mirror in Michael's hands.
"Alicia"
"35" Gaya shouted, gritting her teeth. Just like Michael, she too recognized the voice. Gaya wanted to jump out of the auction and strangle Alicia to death because by bidding from the VIP room, she just spoiled their plan.
[The host must get the item from himself before someone messes with the rock. Any energy disruptions would kill the demon soul inside]
"Alicia, why are you bidding on that rock?" Noah asked while Gaya and Alicia were fighting for the rock.
"Something tells me that's not a normal rock"
"Stop, that's just a rock," Noah said as Michael heaved a sigh of relief.
Noah wasn't wrong about the rock. The system itself told Michael that only it could bring the demon soul back to life from the rock and no one else could do it. If Noah started bidding for the rock, it would have shaken Michael's core because it could mean that Noah too has a system. However, now Michael was absolutely positive that Noah doesn't have a system. Someone else having a system would have screwed Michael's plan big time.
"45,000" this time it wasn't Alicia or Gaya who bid but someone from the House Oswen. This was why Michael didn't bid as the VIPs were starting to bid for the rock. The noble houses like Oswen were too rich as they could spend even a hundred thousand or more gold coins to buy the rock just to make sure whether it's something special or not.
"Alicia, don't bid for the rock. We are thinking about recruiting someone from the Oswen family to the Guardians, so I would prefer if you don't offend them for a simple rock"
Michael's face darkened, realizing they are going to hike up the price. However, he couldn't simply let go of this item. He prepared to go to any lengths to get an item that was recommended by the system.
"You will pay for this bitch" he gritted his teeth, looking at Alicia in the mirror.
"50,000" Gaya raised her hand. After House Oswen began to bid, no one dared to laugh at the bidding anymore. Except for the host who was standing on the stage with a wide grin on his face.
"100,000" the elder from House Oswen doubled the bid as the people gasped again, shocked by their wealth.
"105,000" Gaya was infuriated but never doubled or past the five thousand gold coins mark.
"150," one could say that the elder is starting to be annoyed by Gaya.
"Girl, stop bidding, you're not going to get that rock, '' one of the elders from House Oswen's VIP room laughed at Gaya.
"Old fucker, I'm going to get that rock and shove it up your grandma's ass" for a moment, everything stopped moving after her words resounded through the hall. The people were dumbstruck as their jaws almost dropped to the ground.
"What are you doing?" Michael quickly asked. He was struggling to decide whether to laugh or knock her on the head for her badmouth.
"I know these fucks, let me deal with this'' she hushed Michael as he decided to let her take the lead with this. He knew she could take care of herself and after getting the rock, they could just teleport away from Icefair. Considering there was a no-fight inside the auction manor rule, House Oswen had to wait for them outside but she could just change her face to escape their wrath. Unless House Oswen brought a Soul Refiner or anyone above the Soul Refining stage, no one could see through her mask.
"How dare you!" the elders of House Oswen shouted as loud as they could in boiling anger. Their faces turned blood red as Michael saw one of them punch the table in front of him to pieces.
"155,000" Gaya placed her bid, ignoring the shouts.
"Girl, what are you doing? They are going to kill you" an old man sitting beside Gaya warned her.
"Oh my god, who is this girl?"
"She's dead"
"No one disrespected a noble house like that in public like this"
"They are going to kill her"
"Yes, this is why I love auctions!"
Some felt afraid while many felt excited thinking about the upcoming killing.
"That girl is just a Body Refining stage cultivator, why did she provoke them like that?"
"Hundred and si-"
"So you old fucks want the rock for yourselves to shove it up your old asses?"
Before the elder could place the next bid, Gaya interrupted his words by provoking them. Again, the whole hall went into death silence.
"I'll kill you!"
"Gentleman" the host felt pity for Gaya as he knew they were going to kill her but when he saw the House Oswen was trying to start a fight, he interjected to enforce the law.
"Remember the rules, you can settle your scores outside the Phoenix manor premise. And young miss, please be respectful towards your elders"
"Unless there's a rule saying be respectful towards the elders inside Phoenix manor auction house, shut the fuck up and do your job"
The old man quickly shut his mouth. He had no replies as there was really no rule mentioning that participants must be respectful towards anyone.
Again, they never came across provoking like this in the past.
"155,000 once"
"You are dead, you hear me? You are fucking dead!" an elder screamed from his room.
"Hundr-"
"You must love shoving rocks up your asses so much" just when the elders were about to place the bid, she provoked them again.
"155,000 twice"
"Shut up old fucks or I'll keep dragging your fucking family's respect through the mud" she stood up from her chair, showing her middle fingers at House Oswen's VIP room. She then turned her gaze at the host,
"What are you waiting for? Sell the rock to me before I find a stick to beat your old ass"