The Multiverse Hunter

'What's up with me and auctions lately? It feels like everywhere I go, there's another one happening,' Ali thought as he watched the last group of people entering the theatre.

Among them was the head of the Fire Guild in the Slum, accompanied by Claire, the guild's apostle. Their entrance drew the attention of many in the room as they walked confidently to the front and settled into their seats.

Neither seemed to notice Ali sitting near the back with Catherine.

"It's starting," Catherine whispered as the stage curtains pulled back, revealing a man dressed in an opulent red-and-white suit.

His outfit was perfectly tailored, exuding wealth and authority, and a pristine white mask covered his face, hiding his identity.

The man stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his posture rigid and professional. "Welcome, everyone," he began, his voice smooth and commanding.

"I will be your presenter for this evening's event. Tonight, we will auction twenty one exclusive items, with our main attraction presented at the end of the auction."

Two assistants, the blue-haired twins from earlier, stepped onto the stage carrying a small glass box. They placed it gently on the table at the centre of the stage, drawing murmurs from the audience.

"For our first item, I present this: a Kiroshi cybernetic eye," the announcer declared, gesturing to the box.

"This eye is capable of changing colours and features thermal vision. It's a perfect blend of practicality and technology."

He paused for dramatic effect before continuing. "The starting price is 100 Paradise Coins, with a minimum bid increase of 40 PC."

Ali glanced at the cybernetic eye in its glass case, its sleek, metallic design catching the stage lights. He raised an eyebrow, unimpressed.

"Not worth it," Catherine whispered, leaning toward him.

Ali nodded in agreement, his thoughts echoing hers. 'My eyes are already better.' He remained silent as the bids began, uninterested in the first item.

After a few rounds of competitive bidding, one of the merchants secured the cybernetic eye for 270 PC.

"Next item…" the masked presenter announced, as the twins carried out another display. This time, it was a small grey sword, unassuming yet emanating an ominous aura.

"This blade allows the wielder to release a ray of sharp black magic at the cost of Spirit," the presenter explained.

Ali gave it only a passing glance. 'Not interested.'

The bidding for the sword was quick, with a few merchants vying for it before it was sold for 450 PC.

The following items were a series of elemental spell scrolls. Each scroll contained a unique spell aligned with a specific element, even ones outside the five guild elements.

Unsurprisingly, the guilds dominated the bidding for these scrolls, their deep pockets allowing them to outbid the independent merchants with ease.

Ali was briefly interested in an electricity-based spell, but his interest waned when the presenter revealed its limitations on voltage output.

"You really invited me to this?" Ali asked Catherine, his tone dry.

"Come on, let's wait for the main item of the auction," she replied, smiling. "We can't leave now."

The auction continued until the twentieth item was revealed, causing a stir among the attendees.

"Yes, your eyes are not deceiving you," the presenter announced, his voice rising with excitement. "This is a legitimate wand from the Harry Potter world. Not only that, but it has a high affinity for fire magic!"

The murmurs grew louder, many attendees visibly leaning forward in their seats to get a better look.

Ali raised an eyebrow and turned to Catherine. "Do wands make that much of a difference for mages?"

"Absolutely," Catherine replied immediately. "Wands are incredibly rare. Most players who acquire one never part with it. A wand can double the power of spells of their affinity and significantly reduce Spirit cost of spells. It's a game-changer for any mage."

"I see," Ali murmured, his gaze shifting back to the stage.

The bidding war for the wand began almost immediately.

"700 PC," the Water Guild master called out confidently.

"900," countered the Fire Guild master without hesitation.

"1100," the Water Guild master said, raising the price once more.

"What need does the Water Guild have for a wand with fire affinity, hmm?" the Fire Guild master asked, his frustration evident.

"That is none of your business," the Water Guild master retorted with a smirk.

"What if I simply want to ensure you don't get it?"

"1200!" the Fire Guild master shouted, his irritation mounting.

"1300," the Water Guild master countered smoothly, her voice calm and taunting.

The masked presenter began the countdown. "1300 going once, going twice…"

"1400!" the Fire Guild master shouted, his face red with frustration.

The presenter raised his hand. "1400 PC, going once… twice… three times. Sold!"

The Fire Guild master exhaled heavily as the Water Guild master smirked, clearly satisfied with her psychological victory.

"She got him," Catherine said with a chuckle, glancing at Ali.

"They're both idiots," Ali replied bluntly, surprising her.

Catherine raised an eyebrow. "And why do you think that?"

"He bought the wand for Claire," Ali explained.

"If she dies in her next world, they lose 1400 PC for nothing. Investing in anyone in the Slum is foolish. If they're good enough, they'll make it to the second level on their own."

Catherine smirked, tilting her head. "Or the wand saves her life, she becomes a formidable mage, and she repays their investment tenfold. It's a calculated risk, don't you think."

The lights dimmed slightly, signalling the final item of the auction.

"Now, for the moment you've all been waiting for…" the presenter announced dramatically. "An item so rare, it would be a treasure even in the second level of Paradise."

The twins reappeared, carrying a polished wooden box. They placed it carefully on the stage floor. The presenter kneeled beside it and opened the box, revealing a rolled scroll painted with overlapping red circles.

"What you see before you is a beast summoning scroll," he announced.

Gasps and whispers erupted throughout the theatre.

Ali's expression sharpened as an intense burning sensation radiated from his wrist. He instinctively gripped it, feeling the mark etched into his skin grow hotter by the second.

The heat seared through his flesh, and he realised his skin was blistering and turning red.

'Fucking hell, it's burning through my skin,' Ali thought, doing his best to hide his wrist and get rid of the burned skin.

Catherine sniffed the air. "Do you smell something burning?" she asked, glancing around curiously.

Ali ignored her, focusing entirely on the scroll.

The announcer explained the function of the scroll.

"The user must smear a small amount of their own blood on the scroll to activate it. Upon activation, the user will be teleported to a different world where a specific beast species resides."

"Once in that world, the player must either subdue the beast and force it into submission if it lacks intelligence, or establish a contract with the beast if it is sentient and capable of communication. The decision is up to the user."

"The world the player is sent to is random. Additionally, the player will have a strict time limit of one hour to finalise the contract with the beast; otherwise, they will be teleported back."

"If the player fails, they need not worry. The scroll can be activated multiple times until the contract is successfully completed. Each activation will transport the player to the same world they were first sent to, containing the same type of beasts."

"Lastly, it's important to note that if the player is killed by the beast during their attempt, their death will be permanent, and they will not be able to return."

"Furthermore, this scroll heavily relies on a player's luck. You could be sent to an extraordinarily dangerous world and face near-certain death, or you might end up in a world with weak and insignificant beasts that are of little value."

"The bidding starts at 1000 PC, with a minimum increase of 100 PC," the presenter concluded.

"1300," bid the Nature Guild master.

"1400," called out a merchant.

"2000," Ali said calmly, his voice cutting through the murmurs.

The room fell silent. Catherine turned to Ali, her expression a mix of shock and confusion. "2000?" she whispered.

The water guild master's hand raised slightly to bid but before she could say anything, Ali's voice rang out again.

"2000 PC… and I will hunt down and kill whoever buys this scroll."

The theatre fell silent, the weight of Ali's cold declaration hanging in the air like a guillotine.

His words carried no trace of bluff or bravado; the sheer intensity of his killing intent was palpable, sending shivers down the spines of even the most seasoned guild leaders.

Catherine shifted uncomfortably in her seat, glancing nervously at the stunned faces around them. Even she hadn't expected such a direct, threatening move from Ali.

The Water Guild master, who had been about to raise her hand to counter Ali's bid, froze mid-motion.

Her blue eyes darted toward him, narrowing slightly as if weighing her options. She opened her mouth to respond, but the oppressive aura emanating from him silenced her.

"Sir," the masked presenter interjected, his tone carefully neutral but with a sharp undertone of authority.

"Threatening other participants is strictly against the rules of this auction. Your bid is void."

Ali tilted his head slightly, his smirk hidden by the shadow of his face.

"That wasn't a threat," he replied, his voice a low, lethal whisper.

"It was a statement of cost. Everyone here should know the true price of this scroll."

The masked presenter's white mask shifted suddenly, the once plain white masked turned crimson red in an instant. He stood firm, however, raising his hand as if to formally disqualify Ali.

"Enough," a deep voice boomed from the entrance, reverberating through the room like a lion's roar.

All eyes turned toward the source, and a collective gasp rippled through the crowd as the Slum's head supervisor stepped into the theatre.

His imposing form filled the doorway, his leonine features sharp and regal under the dim lights. His golden mane shimmered faintly, and his piercing eyes swept across the theatre.

"The bid stands," the supervisor declared, his voice carrying an undeniable authority.

"This is Paradise. Here, strength is a currency."

The masked presenter immediately lowered his hand, his mask returning to its neutral white state. "Supervisor, my superiors will not be happy with your actions today but I will follow your instructions" he said, bowing slightly.

"2000 PC," the presenter announced, his voice steady once more. "Going once… going twice… sold to Ali."

The crowd murmured as the masked man revealed Ali's name aloud—a rarity for an auction where anonymity was typically preserved.

Ali leaned back in his seat, his expression calm as he met the stares of the room. Most of the merchants and guild leaders avoided his gaze, unwilling to risk provoking him further. Catherine, however, leaned closer, whispering sharply.

"Ali, what the hell was that? You didn't have to make enemies out of everyone here."

'A threat?', Ali thought amused at the announcer's words but his attention was more on the supervisor standing next to the door, Ali didn't expect his involvement.

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