Hitman with a Badass System

Amidst the luxurious VIP pavilions, the nobles continued their heated argument, each family convinced that they deserved the book more than the others.

"We have the strongest influence in Goldspire! It should be ours!" shouted a member of House Alistair.

"No, House Kael has a richer history in literature and knowledge. The book belongs with us!" retorted a Kael family noble.

"We've been supporters of the arts for generations. Our family should be the rightful owner!" House Silverbrook chimed in,

The cacophony of voices grew louder and more intense as they vied for ownership. Accusations of arrogance and claims of superiority filled the air. Meenal watched the spectacle with an amused grin, enjoying the chaos she had inadvertently caused.

As the nobles argued, Michael leaned back in his seat, quietly sipping his drink, thoroughly entertained by their infighting. He couldn't help but chuckle softly to himself, realizing that he had successfully diverted their attention and secured the travel runes without giving up the valuable book.

With an innocent smile, Michael interjected into the bickering nobles' argument, 

"Well, I can't make this decision for you, but why don't you all figure out who among you truly wants the book and then come meet me at the Blacksmith Guild later? We can discuss it there."

His suggestion hung in the air, causing a momentary pause in the heated debate as the nobles contemplated his proposal. It seemed like a reasonable compromise, and it gave them a chance to prove their dedication to literature and knowledge. The nobles nodded in agreement and began to calm down, realizing that a more civilized approach would be more beneficial in securing the prized book.

Meenal, observing the turn of events, couldn't help but chuckle once again at how Michael had managed to manipulate the situation to his advantage without ever losing his cool.

Raphael couldn't help but chuckle at how easily Michael had manipulated and fooled the nobles into resolving their conflict.

Rurik, taking a sip of his ale, added with a grin, 

"As long as they keep arguing among themselves, lad, you should be safe. They won't have the energy to focus on anything else." He clearly found the entire situation rather amusing.

Meenal resumed the auction, satisfied that the bidding for the travel runes had concluded. With a sly smile, she continued to showcase more items, leaving the nobles to their squabbling and Michael to his newly acquired travel runes and upcoming negotiations.

Eventually, the time to auction the last and final item arrived. 

"We have one final item to bid on tonight, and I must say, it's the most valuable item I have ever had the privilege to auction," Meenal declared. The hall fell into an expectant silence, and all eyes were fixed on her.

"This artifact is believed to be far older than any god, older than the very existence of the pantheon itself," Meenal continued, her voice filled with reverence. "Some even speculate that it was created by the beings who gave rise to the first gods and shaped our entire world."

A sense of awe washed over the audience as they contemplated the significance of what Meenal was describing. The atmosphere in the hall was charged with a mixture of curiosity and excitement, and everyone was eager to see this extraordinary item.

As the blue portal gradually opened, all eyes remained fixed upon it, unblinking and filled with anticipation. Out of the portal floated a glass cube, suspended in mid-air. It sparkled in the ambient light of the auction hall, reflecting the curiosity and wonder of those who beheld it.

Inside the glass cube, a mysterious object was visible—a frozen crystal of extraordinary beauty and complexity. Its intricate facets refracted the light in mesmerizing patterns, and the crystal seemed to emanate an otherworldly glow.

Whispers of amazement and speculation rippled through the crowd as people tried to fathom the nature and significance of this enigmatic artifact.

"Can it be..." Raphael's usually calm and composed face took on a serious expression as he mumbled to himself, 

Michael, sensing something extraordinary, wasted no time. He immediately employed his appraisal skill to examine the crystal within the glass cube. 

As the analysis progressed, the system provided him with a remarkable revelation,

 [The Crystal contains a drop of Primordial Water]

[The host can achieve a huge boost in water mastery if the host is to absorb the Primoridal water droplet]

While Michael was in awe and coveting for the Primoridal water droplet, Meenal continued to address the mesmerized crowd, her voice carrying a sense of gravitas and excitement. 

"Ladies and gentlemen, what we have here is not just a relic; it's a glimpse into the very essence of creation itself. This crystal contains a drop of what many believe to be Primordial Water."

She went on to explain further, "In ancient lore, it is widely accepted that each element had a primordial state, the very first form of that element to exist in the universe. For millennia, it was thought that only Primordial Flames existed, but this crystal proves otherwise. It contains a drop of Primordial Water, affirming that all elements, including water, have their own primordial origins."

The audience was spellbound by her words, absorbing the significance of this revelation. The notion that they were witnessing something so ancient and profound left them in awe and wonderment.

Meenal's voice echoed through the hall as she revealed even more astonishing information. 

"According to the scholars who have closely examined this water droplet, its absorption can result in a dramatic increase in one's cultivation level. In fact, there's even a chance that a cultivator could leap from the Initiate Realm all the way to the Soul Ignition Realm, effectively jumping from the first stage of cultivation to the sixth stage!"

Gasps of amazement rippled through the crowd as they tried to comprehend the magnitude of this revelation. The prospect of such a profound advancement in their abilities left them in a state of both excitement and disbelief.

Meenal continued, "Furthermore, for those at the Elemental Attunement level who choose water as their primary element, absorbing this Primordial Water droplet will significantly enhance the power of all water-based spells they currently know and any they may learn in the future."

Whispers of excitement and awe filled the hall as the attendees contemplated the immense possibilities this crystal held for their cultivation and abilities.

"I must inform the Pantheon about this." Raphael, still absorbed in his thoughts about the potential implications of the Primordial Water, mumbled to himself.

 "Are you trying to buy it?" Michael leaned closer to him and whispered,

 "I can't." Raphael's response was cold and matter-of-fact.

The commoners in the crowd, now fully aware of the incredible value of the item on display, began to murmur excitedly. Their hushed conversations were filled with speculation about the starting bid for such a rare and precious treasure.

"Can you imagine what this could do for our cultivation?"

"She said it can take you from Initiate Realm to Soul Ignition Realm in one leap!"

"I wonder if anyone can even afford it..."

"I'd give anything to get my hands on that Primordial Water."

As anticipation grew, all eyes remained fixed on Meenal, awaiting the announcement of the starting bid for the extraordinary item.

Meenal, taking in the astonishment of the crowd, decided to end the suspense. She raised her hand gracefully and declared, 

"I will not keep you waiting any longer. The starting bid for this crystal containing a Primordial Water droplet is ten billion."

The effect of her announcement was instantaneous. The commoners were utterly stunned, and a collective gasp swept through the audience. Voices from the crowd erupted in astonishment, with some even shouting in disbelief at the staggering starting price.

"Ten billion? Are they out of their minds?"

"Is there even anyone here who can bid for something like this?"

Meenal observed the reactions with a composed demeanor, well aware of the magnitude of what she was presenting. The bid for this incredible treasure was about to begin, and it promised to be a momentous event.

Rurik, his eyes wide with surprise and disbelief, couldn't help but mutter a colorful expletive under his breath as he reacted to the shockingly high starting bid. His voice carried a tone of both amazement and frustration as he said, 

"Well, I'll be damned. Ten billion? This auction is getting crazier by the minute!"

The commoners and nobles around him shared similar sentiments, with many still unable to recover from the initial shock of the astronomical starting price. It was a rare occurrence in any auction, even in the grandest of events, to witness an opening bid of such colossal proportions. 

The Alistair family wasted no time in making their move, clearly intent on acquiring this extraordinary item. 

One of their representatives raised a bid card and confidently declared, 

"Ten billion and fifty million!"

This bold move spurred the other noble families into action, and the bidding war escalated rapidly.

"Ten billion one hundred million!" shouted a member of the Kael family.

"Ten billion two hundred million!" countered another Alistair noble.

The back-and-forth continued, with each bid surpassing the previous one by substantial increments.

"Ten billion three hundred million!"

"Ten billion four hundred million!"

"Ten billion five hundred million!"

The shouting and clamor filled the auction hall as the nobles vied for the crystal. Tempers flared, and competitive spirits soared as they desperately tried to outdo each other.

Rurik, sitting with Michael and Raphael in the Blacksmith Guild pavilion, couldn't help but shake his head in disbelief. 

"These nobles have lost their minds," he muttered to Michael, his tone a mix of amusement and astonishment.

Michael, watching the bidding war unfold, replied with a wry grin, "Seems like they're determined to get that drop of Primordial Water, no matter the cost."