Coveting a God's blade?

"I see," Azrael replied, his interest piqued. Though his nonchalant response and usual demeanor belied his intrigue, it seemed to irk Ellie slightly.

"Hmph," she pouted, turning away from Azrael.

"Anyway, have it," Ellie said, removing the ring and offering it to Azrael. "It's better than carrying a bag around."

Azrael examined the ring in silence for a brief moment before declining. "Thank you, but I cannot accept this."

"Ugh, stop being so formal and just take it," Ellie insisted. Azrael, sensing her persistence, hesitantly reached out and accepted the ring.

"He said the ring was one of a kind," Azrael remarked, referring to the auctioneer. "Is it really okay to give this to me?" he asked, still reluctant to accept the gift.

"That's just to sell it. It does have more storage space than other basic rings, but it's still mediocre. It's a small gift, so don't worry about it," Ellie reassured him, shifting her attention back to the stage as the next item was presented.

"Well, thank you," Azrael said, slipping the ring onto his finger. Ellie responded with a subtle nod, her focus remaining on the auction.

"The next item we have is the Map of Thators, said to lead to treasure beyond comprehension..."

The auction continued, with various items being sold to an array of determined attendees. Bids escalated from tens of millions of silver to over a million gold coins.

As item after item was unveiled, each rarer than the last, the auction saw things selling for prices unfathomable to most. However, Ellie refrained from purchasing any of these items. The auction was drawing to a close, and the space ring she had gifted Azrael remained her sole acquisition.

"Now, ladies and gentlemen, the moment you have all been waiting for," the auctioneer's voice boomed throughout the VIP auction floor. "The two main items of the day."

"The first of the two main items to be sold: The God Ruby," the auctioneer announced as a red cloth was whisked away, revealing the glass case in which the God Ruby rested on a white cushion. Though small in size, the ruby's radiant gleam filled the entire room, its beauty beyond description.

Azrael's move closer to the balcony, his gaze fixed on the God Ruby as they carefully lifted the glass case. The jewel, bathed in sunlight, reflected the rays and cast a mesmerizing red glow on his face.

Yet, it wasn't merely the ruby's breathtaking beauty that held Azrael captive; it was the immense power he sensed radiating from its core. This power, distinct from ki, was both overwhelming and enigmatic. Curiously, it appeared as though the others present were entirely unaware of this potent energy.

Azrael shifted his gaze to Ellie, only to find her fixated on the ruby, her expression now grim—a stark contrast to her previous demeanor.

"We will begin the bidding, dear guests. Place your bids!" the auctioneer exclaimed.

"Five million gold," a voice from the crowd called out. This was already an inconceivable sum, but it was merely the first bid.

"Seven million gold!"

"Nine million."

"Ten million."

"Twelve million." The bids continued to escalate until one momentarily halted the ascent.

"Seventeen million," a voice declared from the seated crowd below. For a moment, the bid went unchallenged.

"Eighty million," a voice resounded from one of the other VIP sections, as if waiting for the other bidders to reach their limits. Yet even this substantial bid did not remain unchallenged for long.

"One hundred million," Ellie's voice rang out, her finger on the button beside her.

"One hundred and twenty million," the voice from the other VIP section retorted.

"Two hundred million," Ellie announced, her voice still calm and unfazed. However, her challenger's voice betrayed his annoyance.

"Two hundred and ten million." His bid was quickly countered by Ellie's declaration.

"Three hundred million." The other attendees at the auction watched in silence as the bidding war unfolded. Finally, it seemed to reach its conclusion as Ellie's bid hung unchallenged.

"Are there any higher bids?" the auctioneer inquired, not expecting a response. As anticipated, none came.

"Sold! To Miss Blueborne," he proclaimed. Once more, staff approached the stage to retrieve the ruby. However, this time it was not brought to Ellie. Instead, she was informed that she would need to collect it from the treasury floor after the auction concluded.

"Ladies and gentlemen, our last and final item of the night is a quota. As many of you know, it is said that the Blade of the First God, the God of Death and Judgment, still lies in the Soulless Desert." Upon hearing this, Azrael's attention focused on the stage, his eyes burning with curiosity.

"For many years, there have been plans to find and retrieve the blade. After numerous attempts, the empires have finally agreed to send their own chosen fighters to retrieve it, with each empire possessing three quotas each. The Assassins' and Mercenary League were given two, and in this auction, we will be selling one of those quotas," the auctioneer explained.

"So, the bidding for this quota starts now!" the auctioneer declared.

"Seven hundred million gold," a voice boomed from the third VIP section, causing heads to turn and murmurs to erupt before silence ensued.

The man's bid remained unchallenged as silence filled the entire floor. Everyone looked at the two other VIP rooms, anticipating a challenge from them, but none came.

"A-are there any higher bidders?" the announcer stuttered, his question met with an unmistakable silence.

"Sold! This guest has requested anonymity, so their name will not be announced," the auctioneer said.

"And with that, ladies and gentlemen, we conclude the annual Assassins' and Mercenary League Auction. Thank you all for your attendance," the auctioneer added.

Ellie watched, unbothered, her expression clearly indicating her lack of interest in the item. However, someone else in the room had a very different reaction, their face dark and painted with annoyance.

"They're auctioning an opportunity to steal what is mine?" Azrael mumbled.