I immediately began preparing to advance the <Tome of the Sage>.
However, Aleon added one warning.
* There is no guarantee that advancing the <Tome of the Sage> will succeed.
“What? Why not?”
* Do you remember what I told you before? I said that we should prepare the <Tome of the Sage> after you reached the second floor.
Now that he mentioned it, I did remember him saying something like that.
Then why were we attempting it now?
* Ordinarily, your chances of success would be higher if you prepared on the second floor. However, after seeing that your talent for alchemy exceeds even my expectations, I have concluded that you possess a sufficient chance of succeeding now.
Ah.
So that was the reason.
“How much lower is the success rate compared to advancing it on the second floor?”
* That depends entirely upon your performance. However, judging by how you created those elixirs before… the difference should not be particularly large.
In any case, the probability of success would be slightly lower.
If the attempt failed, all the materials I had painstakingly gathered would be lost.
Should I play it safe and wait until I reached the second floor?
‘No. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.’
Now that I had developed an ambition to break the record, abandoning the attempt felt far too regrettable.
As long as I performed well, the Advancement could succeed, right?
The desire to advance the <Tome of the Sage> and shatter the Ascension Trial record surged within me.
* An excellent attitude!
Aleon had apparently hoped that I would accept the challenge.
Good.
Let us do this!
Afterward, I hurriedly gathered the materials Aleon requested.
To be honest, several of them were difficult to obtain.
Mithril Fragments, Etherium Powder, Windleaf, Sunbloom, and several others.
However, I still managed to acquire them.
Why?
“Hello, Ascender Gain. I’m sorry to trouble you, but I have a favor to ask……”
It was time to use the Han Gain opportunity!
* I believe I can prepare all of them immediately.
To my immense gratitude, Han Gain readily agreed to my request.
“I’ll be sure to repay you.”
* We’re simply helping each other. I may also ask for your assistance if I need it someday.
Ah.
Were you truly an angel descended from the heavens?
Thanks to her, I no longer had to worry about most of the materials.
However, there was one ingredient even Han Gain could not obtain immediately.
* To strengthen the Lightning Element, you will require a Branch of the Lightning Tree.
It was an extremely rare and expensive material.
That was why even Han Gain could not acquire it at once.
She said that she could find one if I gave her several days, but I needed it immediately.
Besides, accepting that much assistance would have left me feeling far too indebted, so I thanked her for the offer and declined.
“I’ll have to visit the black market.”
Every floor of the <Sky Tower> contained a black market.
If I went there, there was a high chance that I would find the material.
However, the black market on the first floor carried fewer expensive goods than those on the upper floors.
There was still a possibility that the branch would not appear.
‘Even so, I have to try.’
With the gold coins I had taken from the Treasure Goblin, I should somehow be able to afford it.
One of the busiest commercial districts on the first floor of the <Sky Tower>.
I walked through the crowded streets with the <Unprecedented Hahoe Mask> covering my face.
Before long, I reached an enormous building.
‘This is the place.’
It was operated by <Black Hand>, one of the largest black-market organizations within the <Sky Tower>.
Why could a black market operate so openly?
It was possible because <Black Hand> possessed that much power.
Earth’s laws did not apply within the <Sky Tower>.
Here, the strength one possessed was both law and order.
“Do you possess an admission pass?”
When I approached the entrance, two guards blocked my way and requested my admission pass.
I immediately removed a black card from inside my clothes.
It was an admission pass to the <Black Hand> black market.
“Your pass has been confirmed.”
After examining it, the guards stepped aside.
‘It really worked.’
Then again, of course it worked.
Who did they think had given it to me?
Han Gain had handed me the admission pass while I was gathering alchemical materials, telling me to use it if I encountered an ingredient that was particularly difficult to obtain.
‘Thanks to Han Gain, I’m already visiting a black market.’
I had heard that most people did not obtain a black-market admission pass until reaching the second or third floor.
That meant I was experiencing it remarkably early.
“This Warp Gate will transport you to the main building.”
When I descended underground, an enormous Warp Gate welcomed me.
The scale was truly extraordinary.
Then again, such Warp Gates were essential if people from every corner of the vast first floor were expected to gather in a single location.
“You may experience slight nausea. In that case, I hope you enjoy your shopping.”
The guide bowed deeply toward me.
Acknowledging his greeting, I stepped through the portal rippling within the Warp Gate.
SHIIIIING!!
My vision changed in an instant, revealing an entirely new space.
It was a dark cavern whose ceiling was embedded with lights resembling the Milky Way.
“Welcome to Black Hand’s L Auction Hall.”
A person wearing a skull mask approached me.
He was one of the guides.
“Is there a particular item you wish to purchase?”
“I came to look for alchemical materials.”
“Then please proceed through the second door.”
Countless doors lined the cavern walls.
When I entered the second one, I discovered numerous materials used for alchemy and crafting displayed within.
‘There isn’t a Branch of the Lightning Tree.’
I quietly clicked my tongue.
Was it unavailable even here?
As I stood there in disappointment, a man wearing a deer mask approached me.
“Sir, were you unable to find the item you were seeking?”
“Yes. I don’t see it anywhere.”
“May I ask what you are searching for?”
“I’m looking for a Branch of the Lightning Tree.”
“Ah! That item… happens to be included in an auction beginning shortly. Would you like me to guide you to the auction hall?”
Oh?
It was appearing at auction?
I was concerned that I might not possess enough gold if a bidding competition began.
‘For now, let’s go.’
Guided by the man in the deer mask, I entered the auction hall.
The interior was remarkably spacious.
A platform stood at the front, while more than two hundred seats appeared to be arranged in ascending rows behind it.
“The auction will begin shortly. We ask that all participants take their seats.”
After I waited for a while, the announcement signaling the beginning of the auction rang out.
When I had first entered, only half the seats were occupied.
Now, every seat had been filled.
“Before beginning the auction, we would like to express our gratitude to every customer for visiting Black Hand’s auction hall.”
A person wearing a black rabbit mask stepped forward as the auctioneer.
The auction proceeded under his direction.
Most of the items were one-star, but every one of them was at least Heroic grade.
Several materials so rare that they were almost impossible to obtain also passed across the stage.
Staves, wands, rings, bracelets, necklaces, earrings, robes, belts, and more.
Some were high-grade pieces of equipment and Artifacts tempting enough to make even my mouth water.
How much would my combat power increase if I covered my entire body in equipment like that?
‘What a shame.’
If only I possessed more money, I could have equipped myself with such items.
Come to think of it, James had taken the Ascension Trial while wearing equipment even better than these.
The difference between the wealthy and the poor was enough to fill me with a sense of relative deprivation.
* Once you gather all Three Sacred Treasures of the Sage, even a mountain of equipment like this will amount to less than a drop in the ocean.
That was true.
Three Mythic pieces of equipment would overwhelm everything displayed here.
Even so, I still wanted to try wearing such excellent equipment at least once.
While I was distracted by those thoughts, the item I had been waiting for finally appeared.
“Now, our next item. Everyone has heard of the Lightning Trees said to exist only on the eighth floor, correct? Sacred trees that contain holy lightning! The main attraction of this auction is a branch taken from one of those Lightning Trees.”
When the auctioneer wearing the black rabbit mask clapped his hands, the black cloth covering a glass display case on the platform slid away.
A blue branch rested within the case.
‘There it is.’
* Oh. Its condition appears rather good.
The Branch of the Lightning Tree was in fine enough condition to earn Aleon’s approval.
“We will begin the bidding at ten gold coins.”
Wow.
It certainly was expensive.
Ten gold coins were worth ten million won.
I possessed a considerable quantity of gold and silver coins after stripping the Treasure Goblin of its wealth, but……
Surely I would not fail to purchase it?
“Yes, Customer Number 53 has increased the bid by ten gold coins. The current price is five hundred and ten gold coins. Are there any further bids?”
Damn it.
My concern had become reality.
Number 53—the person wearing a red fox mask—raised the price every time I placed a bid.
The other competitors had all withdrawn once the price exceeded one hundred gold coins.
However, the red fox mask and I had continued competing until the price reached five hundred and ten.
‘Five hundred and ten gold coins… Five hundred and ten million won…….’
This was insane.
Until recently, my entire fortune had been less than twenty million won.
The current amount was so enormous that it made my flesh tremble.
It was becoming difficult to afford even with all the gold and silver I had taken from the Treasure Goblin.
Most of the coins it had possessed were silver, so the actual value was not as great as the enormous pile had suggested.
In any case, no matter how wealthy someone was, spending five hundred and ten million won on a tree branch was absurd.
Had that woman in the fox mask lost her mind?
“Wow. Who is that fox mask? Even if a Branch of the Lightning Tree is rare, she’s spending over five hundred million won on it.”
“Just how wealthy is she……?”
I heard murmurs from the seats nearby.
The fox mask was spending an amount that far exceeded common sense.
“Are there no further bids?”
There was almost no time remaining.
For a moment, I considered giving up and letting her have it.
If I searched outside and waited several days, I could probably obtain another branch for far less than this price.
However, doing so would reduce my chances of shattering the Ascension Trial record.
I could not accept that.
That was right.
Once a man drew his sword, he had to cut something with it!
How could a man destined to become an internationally renowned alpha male who commanded the world falter over an amount like this?
“If there are no further bids, the item will be awarded to Customer Number 53. We will begin the countdown. Five, four, three……”
Before raising my hand, I turned slightly toward the fox mask.
At that exact moment, the fox mask also turned toward me.
Our gazes met briefly.
GRIN.
Then I saw the corner of her mouth curl upward.
* Can you afford to follow me any further?
It was a sneer that seemed to ask precisely that.
That became the final blow.
Fine.
Today, either you die or I do.
If I continued raising the price in tiny increments, she would only follow me.
It was time to make a decisive move.
‘If I take out an Ascender Loan, I can prepare at least another two hundred gold coins. I’ll settle this now.’
It was not a completely reckless decision.
If I continued climbing the tower at my current speed, the day would inevitably arrive when I earned sums like this with ease.
With firm determination in my gaze, I raised my hand.
“Seven hundred gold coins.”
“……!”
The instant I spoke, suffocating silence descended upon the auction hall.
Even the auctioneer seemed momentarily speechless, apparently never expecting anyone to raise the price directly to seven hundred gold coins.
The fox mask also stared at me in confusion.
“Wow!”
“Insane. He raised it even further?”
“So this was the true highlight of today’s auction.”
“WHISTLE! That’s bold! Impressive, Hahoe Mask!”
A moment later, cries of admiration erupted throughout the hall.
Unlike before, when the fox mask had immediately responded to every bid, she made no move.
Apparently, even she had not anticipated this situation.
“Customer Number 21 has placed a bid of seven hundred gold coins! Are there any further participants? If not, we will begin the countdown! Five, four, three……”
The number steadily decreased.
The fox mask trembled once in frustration, but she did not raise the price again.
“Congratulations! The Branch of the Lightning Tree has been awarded to Customer Number 21!”
At the auctioneer’s declaration, I clenched my fist.
‘It cost far more than I expected, but I’m still the victor.’
With this, the <Tome of the Sage> could advance to two stars (★★).
And humanity would witness it.
The overwhelming destruction of James’s record, which had remained firmly upon its throne for so long.
I leaned back in my seat, filled with exhilaration.
At that moment—
BOOOOOOM!!
A tremendous explosion resembling an artillery shell shook the auction hall violently.
WEE-OOO! WEE-OOO!
“I-Intruders!”
“Stop them!”
BOOM!!
“AAAAARGH!”
Alarms, screams, and explosions echoed together.
‘What is happening?’
Everyone, including me, turned toward the entrance in confusion.
CRASH!!
The entrance exploded apart.
Unidentified assailants poured into the auction hall.
STAB! SLASH! WHAM!
They indiscriminately attacked the <Black Hand> guards who tried to stop them and forced their way toward the platform.
“AAAAARGH!”
“R-Run!”
Everyone attending the auction was an Ascender between Levels 1 and 10.
The assailants all appeared to be Level 10, and at a glance, they seemed considerably stronger than the auction participants.
‘Damn it. What is going on?’
Concluding that I should leave first, I allowed the surging crowd to carry me toward the platform.
“Open the door!”
“Get out through the back!”
The auction participants rushed through the door behind the platform.
‘I should escape first and determine what happened afterward.’
To be honest, I did not believe I would lose even if I fought them.
However, there was no reason to involve myself in unnecessary danger.
Wait.
What would happen to the Branch of the Lightning Tree I had won?
I glanced back toward the platform.
The auctioneer wearing the black rabbit mask was desperately shouting toward the fleeing Ascenders.
“P-Please help us!”
“Get lost!”
He pleaded with them for assistance.
But who would help him in a situation like this?
I clicked my tongue and prepared to turn away.
At that moment, my eyes met the black rabbit mask’s gaze.
“A-Ascender! Please help us. If you assist us in stopping them, we will give you the item you won earlier as compensation, free of charge.”
Huh?
What?
He would give me the Branch of the Lightning Tree for free?
‘…That changes everything.’
I turned away from the exit.
“Very well. Make sure you keep that promise.”
With those words, I stepped in front of the advancing assailants.
“What is this Hahoe Mask?”
“Who the hell are you?”
Their hostile gazes converged upon me.
I grinned at them and answered.
“I’m the Grim Reaper.”
With those words—
Emerald lightning erupted from my hand.