Sold For...

The auctioneer continued with a slew of items of varying degrees of rarity. Haruto noticed a pattern. As expected, the grandeur of the items had started to wane, a strategic move to make the early items seem more desirable.

The auctioneer brought out a new set of items, his voice gaining a tone of secretive enthusiasm. "Ladies and gentlemen, we now present a series of stolen artifacts—acquired through other means. Highly coveted, these items speak volumes of history, art, and the dark recesses of human desires."

The first item appeared on the screen, an ornate chalice adorned with sapphires and rubies. "Handcrafted in the 16th century, believed to be part of the collection of a prominent religious institution. Its value is unmatched."

Canary glanced at Haruto. His focus was unwavering, as if the items were a mere footnote. He gave her a slight nod, and she proceeded to place a token bid, fully aware that this was not what they were truly after.

Next came a painting, its canvas filled with swirling colors and abstract shapes. "Said to be a lost masterpiece from a revered 20th-century artist, missing for decades," the auctioneer boasted.

Haruto's fingers barely moved, his eyes still fixed on the screen. He signaled Canary with a barely perceptible gesture. She understood and abstained from bidding this time.

The parade continued—a watch once worn by a world-renowned physicist, a feathered headdress believed to have belonged to a Native American chief, and a manuscript penned by a philosopher whose name was whispered in academic circles.

Soon, the auctioneer's demeanor shifted subtly. "And now, we arrive at our penultimate item for today—a genuine Nen artifact."

The auctioneer lifted a cloth to unveil the penultimate item—an ornate amulet, its metalwork intricate, and at its center, a pulsating gem. "This artifact is imbued with genuine Nen powers. It's believed to have originated from an ancient civilization lost to the sands of time."

Haruto's gaze narrowed. He activated Gyo again, this time focusing on the amulet. A vivid aura emanated from it, signaling not just Nen, but an advanced form of it.

"Machi," Haruto said, "rejoin us immediately."

Machi, receiving the message on her own device, made her way back with urgency.

"The starting bid for this rare Nen artifact is one billion Jenny," the auctioneer announced, his voice tinged with anticipation.

Haruto glanced at Canary, who was also scrutinizing the artifact through her own understanding of Nen. Their eyes met for a moment, and Haruto nodded almost imperceptibly.

"Bid two billion," he whispered, turning his gaze back to the screen.

Canary, trusting Haruto's judgment, complied. The number flashed on the screen, and a hushed murmur emanated from the other participants, audible even through the soundproof walls.

Machi re-entered the room just as the auctioneer's voice filled the air. "Two billion Jenny. Do we have a higher bid?"

Haruto sensed her arrival but didn't divert his attention. "Sit down, Machi. This is what we came for."

Machi swiftly took her seat, her eyes darting to the screen. She sensed the tension but remained quiet.

"Going once, going twice—" The auctioneer's voice trailed as another bid appeared on the screen—two and a half billion Jenny.

"Raise it to three," Haruto commanded.

Canary executed the new bid. The room waited in tense silence.

"Sold for three billion Jenny!" The auctioneer's gavel struck, and the room sighed, some in relief, others in disappointment.

Canary looked at Haruto, searching for some clue to his emotions. He seemed unaltered, his posture as composed as ever.

"The item is ours," she stated simply.

"It's just the beginning," Haruto said, his voice carrying a gravity that didn't need underscoring.

It was finally time for the final item. The auctioneer gestured to a cloth-covered pedestal beside him. As the cloth was lifted, the audience saw a flower carefully sealed inside a glass terrarium. The flower appeared almost ethereal—a chimeric fusion of luminescence and shadow. Its petals radiated colors that seemed to change as one gazed upon it—shifting hues of cobalt, emerald, and a deep shade of magenta that defied description. But at its core, an inky darkness swirled as if it were a portal to another dimension.

"Ah, yes, ladies and gentlemen, now we move on to the pièce de résistance. This rare flower comes from the Dark Continent itself," the auctioneer began, his voice tinged with a mix of reverence and excitement. "For those who need a reminder, the Dark Continent is a place of untold danger and immeasurable treasure, an open secret among us that's veiled from the common world."

Canary leaned in toward Haruto, her eyes flashing momentarily. "I've never seen anything like this. Not even the Zoldycks had something so… otherworldly."

Haruto did not look away from the terrarium. His eyes were fixed, scrutinizing every intricate detail of the flower as if reading a complex script. "Machi, Kortopi, what do you make of it?"

Machi leaned closer, her eyes narrowing as she analyzed the flower. "It's like it's alive, but not in the way we understand life. It's as if it exists in more than three dimensions."

Kortop, usually reserved and taciturn, murmured, "It's like the flower is a key… to something unfathomable."

"Starting bid for this transcendental item is five billion Jenny," the auctioneer's voice cut through the room's awestruck hush.

"Start with six," Haruto whispered.

Canary, understanding the stakes and trusting Haruto's judgment implicitly, increased their bid to six billion. The number illuminated the screen, followed by another round of incredulous whispers.

"Six billion, my friends! Do we hear a higher bid?"

As the room's collective breath seemed to halt, another bid materialized on the screen—six and a half billion Jenny.

"Seven," Haruto's voice was quiet but firm.

Canary raised their bid to seven billion Jenny. Again, the room waited, the tension palpable.

"Going once, going twice—"

A sudden, unanticipated surge of energy filled the room. The bidding screen flickered and then displayed a new number: eight billion Jenny.

Haruto's eyes narrowed further. For a fleeting moment, his composed facade almost slipped, but he regained control instantaneously. "Nine," he said, his voice colder now, a barely perceptible edge of challenge lurking beneath.

The room froze as Canary entered the new bid. An electric charge of expectancy hung in the air.

"Nine billion Jenny! Going once, going twice—"

"Sold for—"

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