Chapter 6: The Auction's Gambit
It had been a month since the debacle with the representative from the Aditya Trading Group. Today, I found myself standing in the middle of our warehouse, watching with satisfaction as it brimmed with materials. Our trading group specialized in dealing with monster materials in bulk, distributing them across the market to achieve high turnover. Though we weren't concerned with individual margins, the sheer quantity we dealt with allowed us to accumulate capital and expand gradually. But today was different.
While we didn't typically focus on individual monster materials, that didn't mean we weren't interested in profits. That's why Father introduced auctions into our business model. However, this wasn't a typical auction of rare materials. No, this was a special event that happened only once a year, lasting for seven consecutive days. Each day, we showcased materials of increasing rarity, and the first day was the most crucial. The tone and benchmark for the entire auction were set on the first day.
Monster materials didn't just include the hides, bones, hearts, and cartilage obtained from slain monsters. They also encompassed items found in dungeons, such as mana-infused crops that produced high yields. These crops included varieties that could enhance hunters' bodies, improve their control over elements, and even increase life expectancy. Additionally, the flora and fauna of Earth, which had adapted to mana, were also on display. Variations of wheat, rice, and other crops with a multitude of effects were included. But these items weren't the stars of the show.
For hunters, what truly mattered was their control over their constellation's domains, their physical fitness to handle abundant mana, their connection to their constellation, and their skill proficiency. For ordinary people who didn't hunt but survived through other means, self-protection and increased life expectancy were paramount. Then, there were the items everyone desired—the power to change their destiny. These included techniques for skill usage, weapons of extraordinary capability, and the rarest of the rare,such as the Heavenly Purity Pills, with powers beyond imagination.
The first day was pivotal because, for years, the quality of materials presented on subsequent days had always increased, creating trust and anticipation for the rest of the week. This auction had a global presence and, in its 15 years of existence, had garnered attention from all over the world. Although the world was overrun by monsters, travel still took place if the benefits were substantial. All proceeds from the auction were used to set up transportation and security for future auctions, ensuring a larger crowd each year.
This business model wasn't difficult to replicate, but it required absolute trust in the organizers' abilities and the confidence that, at some point, it would become overwhelmingly successful, yielding returns far beyond the initial investment. I was placing my hopes on my brothers, who, as they grew more powerful, could acquire rarer materials.
I scanned the crowd, seeing ordinary people who could only participate on the first day, agents from various organizations assessing the standard for the first day, and representatives from India's four major guilds ensuring security.
To be honest, this auction was important to me because I was the organizer. Everything was handled by me—from contacting guilds to procuring materials. Every negotiation was overseen by me. This was my chance, as a rankless individual, to prove that I could do something worthwhile for my family. While this auction was huge and important, especially for me, to the family, it was merely a milestone on the way to an even greater goal—the grand auction that would take place on the 25th anniversary, nine years from now. The preparations for that event had been ongoing for years and would continue until then. But I wanted this 16th auction to be so grand that no one could doubt my capabilities.
Standing amidst the crowd, I took in the sight of the people I needed to impress to leave a lasting mark.
The first auction of the day began, and it was complicated. Throughout the first day, three smaller auctions took place, setting the stage for the final and most significant auction. These smaller auctions showcased the vast scale of materials we had received and helped weed out the small spenders. This was a global auction, and the intricate web of interests involved meant that the auction received protection from various factions. The sheer number of participants on the first day was so large that items had to be divided into multiple auctions, leaving only the agents of the major factions for the final auction of the day.
There weren't many rules about the number of items auctioned, as the entire event revolved around quality and rarity. The only rule was that a minimum of 10 items had to be displayed on the first day, with the quality increasing and the minimum number of items decreasing by one each subsequent day. So, on the final day, at least four items had to be presented, and they had to be of such exceptional quality that they set themselves apart.
The actual list of items was supposed to be confidential, but leaks were inevitable. I believe Father allowed some information to leak deliberately, but the final day's items were always kept secret. This time, only I knew what was in store. I had been preparing for this day ever since I was nearly stabbed to death by that goblin. It was then that I realized my limits and what I had to do to stand out.
As time passed, people left the trading house, some happy, some ecstatic, others downtrodden, with varying quantities of materials. I had aimed to leave only the truly elite and desperate for the final auction of the first day, offering them a glimpse into the incredible items awaiting them in the days to come.