I scan the crimson gems with every one of my perception skills as they float around the gorgeous woman until each of them rests gently on the display table at center stage.

[Red Hydra's Soulstone Fragment] x7

They don't bear the usual 'Essence Fragment' or 'Essence Shard' labeling, but 'Soulstone Fragment' instead. These are definitely much different than the magic stones I've seen before.

Clearly, in my appraisal skill's text boxes, two more readings catch my attention. The first is the 45 to 50 million MP stored in each one of these stones available to be absorbed, and the second is the line of text beneath it.

[Permanent Buff: Red Hydra's Rage]

There's no in-depth description or conditions to go along with it, I'm just left wondering what exactly these gems can do...

However, before I'm kept deep in thought for too long, the announcer's voice breaks my concentration.

"This bundle of items is truly unique. A batch of stones with its exact capabilities has never met the open market before and will most likely never meet the market again."

They sparkle under the spotlight, captivating the audience with their endless dazzling radiance.

I rethink the announcer's previous words.

He did say they were the final drop from the Sector 2 Labyrinth. If he really speaks the truth, this could be one of the special floor boss drops that is unique to every 20 floors. It could quite possibly be a one-of-a-kind item, never to be seen again.

This only makes me more curious about what the added buff can do.

My only problem will be if premium buyer number 1 is just as eager to find out as me.

The announcer continues.

"Now, the seller who brought this item in tonight declared they would not take less than 100 gold, so we'll start the bidding there. Based on our magic stone track record so far, I have a feeling this won't be an issue to match."

The gentleman on stage smiles brightly as the woman in the red dress walks over to stand by his side.

Meanwhile, the room goes silent.

I gulp while expecting the silver-masked man to make an outrageous bid.

However, for some reason, the bid never comes.

Whispers start to fill the room, and the joy-filled smile of the announcer starts to droop.

He gulps nervously but keeps a professional face while staring out at the crowd.

His eyes dart to the side as I decide to start the bidding myself, raising my paddle and stepping forward into the dim light.

He calls out immediately as I do, bringing the energy back to the room.

"That's what I like to see! 100 gold for premium buyer number 12! We'll be raising the bids by 10 gold for every offer from here on out."

The man in the silver mask steps forward and slowly raises his paddle in reply, and the announcer gets back into his groove.

"110 gold from buyer number 1!"

I retaliate with a grin to cover up my nerves while raising my paddle.

"120 gold for buyer number 12! 130... 140... 150 for buyer number 1!"

My stomach drops lower as the bids get higher.

So far, the good news is he didn't immediately bid over my budget and make it impossible for me to win.

Also, the man across from me takes longer to raise his paddle every time, leaving the crowd in silence before he does. I raise back immediately each time.

The bad news is, even though it takes him a moment, he keeps raising it and bidding anyway.

This mystery buyer has already spent hundreds of gold tonight and seems to have pockets with no bottoms in sight. I need to change something up, or else I'm going home completely empty-handed.

I could wait for the last item of the night after this one, but that would be foolish. I already tested my luck to its limit waiting this long. I have exactly what I need right in front of my eyes.

If I bid all in at 263 gold right now, it would seem too odd a number to be random. To any logical buyer, this would seem like I'm going all in because I am. Number 1 would just have to bid one more time, and I'd be out of luck.

Bidding 260 is a cleaner number in the designated increments of 10, but it gives the same effect. It's too random to mean I'm not at my limit.

A much safer bid is 250 gold. It's clearly an inflated price to scare away the competition. It is higher than the last absurd price number 1 threw out, and it's a significant leap up higher than anything I've bid on other items tonight. It would show that I want this item and will pay whatever I need to to get it. However... If anyone calls my bluff and bids 10 gold higher, I'm out of luck yet again.

My final option other than incrementally pushing the price up is a large 240 gold bid. This may be the worst option. It tells my opponent exactly how much gold I have to pay. It shows I'm scared to bid 250 to provoke my opponent to challenge me, and it also implies that I want to have a safety net of 1 bid just in case they do... It's basically yelling out to the crowd exactly how much gold I have on hand.

I grit my teeth, raise my paddle, and make the most reasonable choice there is.

"I bid 250 gold."

The announcer points upward and opens a palm in the air at me, and the crowd fills with even more energy.

"A new highest bid of the night! Buyer number 12 bids 250 gold!"

He walks around the stage as the crowd dies down.

All eyes are on the man in the silver mask now as he stares forward and begins to scratch his chin.

The announcer continues to speak.

"Are there any other bids? That's 250 gold to buyer 12! Going once..."

My heart starts to beat loudly in my chest.

"Going twice..."

I can't help but dart my eyes back and forth from the glistening stones to the man who could bid just 10 more gold and take them away from me.

"Going..."

He grips his paddle as the announcer begins to finish his words.

"Three times..."

My breathing becomes heavy.

"And..."

The silver-masked man releases his tight grip and takes a step back, disappearing into the shadowy privacy of his booth.

"Sold! Our second to last item of the night is sold to buyer number 12! Please don't forget to see your guide in the entrance hall after the show. I hope you're satisfied with this one-of-a-kind purchase!"

The crowd erupts again, and the pressure in my chest subsides.

I laugh and fall back onto the red cushioned couch next to Chester, letting out a long sigh.

"I pulled it off. I managed to get exactly what I came for."

As the crowd settles and the gems are brought backstage into storage, they get ready for the final item of the night.

I'm overjoyed, but Chester looks concerned. He whispers to me, and I reflexively put up a small Hush barrier to listen.

"You're aware of the strength of those stones, aren't you?"

I nod.

"Yes, of course. Almost 50 million MP each. A steal for 250 gold, right?"

He looks at me with a puzzled expression.

"They're one-time-use gems. Once absorption starts, whatever you can manage to take in during one sitting is all the mana you will receive. Plus, that buff is only available to those who absorb enough of the Soulstone for it to bond with you. Well—those are the conditions for similar items I've dealt with in the past. Nothing of this magnitude, but I've seen lesser variants of Soulstones, so I'm positive that is how they work. This is easily an A+ rank item; I doubt there are more than five people on this whole continent that can handle absorbing it fully..."

The old man continues his nervous rambling, but I can tell he's secretly excited to get the chance to examine the crystals once I let him get his hands on one of them.

I, on the other hand, piece together why buyer number 1 most likely dropped out of the bidding.

If these are truly one-time-use A+ Rank gems, they are graded for over level 1000 or higher for minimum consumption. If this man is just shopping for his own power-boosting needs, bidding a small fortune on a gamble item is senseless.

My satisfaction only increases as I conclude that I snagged an even better price than I initially thought. If there was an A-Rank in the audience or someone who could actually absorb these stones, I would have surely been outbid.

Before I can celebrate too much, I lower my Hush barrier and sit straight up as the final item of the night comes out from behind the curtains of the stage's back side.

It's a single jet-black sword without a hint of mana present in it.

My perception skills also don't pick up any readings at all.

Only one thing comes to mind as the white stage light reflects over the glossy weapon's surface.

It's a Demonic Sword.