Chapter 369 Chapter368-Starcatcher's Threat
It seemed if it weren't for the system's rules, these players would have rushed the stage to claim it by force!
The moment the attributes of the Bow of Storm appeared on the screen, not only were the ordinary players on the first floor astounded, but many big shots on the second floor were also visibly intrigued. The attribute enhancements of this bow were simply astonishing.
The increases in attack power and natural affinity were impressive enough, but it was the 20% increase in attack speed that truly caught everyone's attention. Whether for archers or druids, classes lacking in wide-area attack skills, their mode of attack is predominantly through regular shots. In such cases, the importance of attack speed becomes evident. Being able to execute one more regular attack than your opponent in the same timeframe could turn the tide of a battle, highlighting the critical role of attack speed.
People began to fiercely bid for the Bow of Storm, creating a lively atmosphere with a constant flow of bids.
"Fifteen thousand gold coins!" A voice rang out first, immediately drawing everyone's attention.
All eyes turned towards the source of the sound, where a player dressed in archer's leather armor raised their hand, their expression resolute. This archer appeared to be a solo player and, in terms of wealth, naturally couldn't compare to many guild leaders present. Yet, their determined bid indicated a willingness to go all-in for the Bow of Storm.
"Twenty thousand gold coins!" Almost the instant the archer's voice faded, another crisp female voice followed.
Heads turned, and gazes fell upon a petite figure carrying a giant axe.
"What a beautiful girl, why did she choose a berserker class? What a pity!"
"Shut up, that's Dirge, the guild leader of Tide Guild. She's got a fierce temper, so be careful not to get scolded."
"Tide Guild? Never heard of it. Are they any good?"
"You don't know Tide Guild? They were all over the news recently for their Guild Battle against Wolf Guild. I heard even Galewind showed up!"
"So, this girl is under Galewind's protection? Then it's all good…"
"Why the panic? She's a berserker class, what use does she have for the Bow of Storm? If you want to bid, just go for it!"
…
Players buzzed with speculation, while Dirge remained expressionless, exuding an air of aloofness. Up in the second-floor booth, John was slightly taken aback upon hearing Dirge's bid. If Dirge had the credentials to attend this auction, it meant that either her wealth or her power had been recognized by Dawn Breeze Auction House; otherwise, she wouldn't have received an invitation.
It made sense for her to bid on other items, but why aim for a weapon suited for an archer class? It seemed utterly useless for a berserker like her. Puzzled, John noticed Dirge suddenly bowing her head, seemingly engaged in a voice conversation over her communication channel. This made John thoughtful; he remembered MoonWhite, whom he had encountered in the Arena PK, was an archer, wasn't she? Perhaps she was bidding for her?
John smiled to himself; if that was the case, then Dirge was quite generous towards her guild members.
Back in the main hall, the archer who initially bid spoke up again. "Twenty-five thousand gold coins!"
Dirge, unfazed and casual, raised the bid by another five thousand gold coins: "Thirty thousand!"
At this point, other archers and druid class players, having regained their senses, joined the bidding war.
"Thirty-five thousand gold coins!"
"Forty thousand gold coins!"
"Forty-three thousand gold coins!"
"Damn it, I'm really outdone here, forty-eight thousand gold coins!"
…
The price continued to soar, and the atmosphere grew increasingly tense. Other class players craned their necks, curious to see who would emerge victorious. Unlike their curiosity, John was much more composed, fully aware that the final bidder for this equipment would undoubtedly be Dirge. With the backing of the Taylor Group, Tide Guild might not be the strongest, but their financial power was certainly among the top.
Indeed, as John had predicted, no matter what price others offered, Dirge continued to raise the bid. Soon, the price of the Bow of Storm approached the staggering mark of one hundred thousand gold coins. This exorbitant figure deterred many bidders.
In the end, only the solo archer player who had first bid continued to struggle. "Ninety-three thousand gold coins! I refuse to believe this!"
Before Dirge could respond, a hoarse voice suddenly said, "Ninety-five thousand gold coins." The archer and Dirge both turned swiftly towards the source of the voice to see a figure in a black robe stand up. This druid player, with a pallid face and a sinister smile, held up a sign. The badge on his chest bore the name 'Mars Guild', a force just a notch below the top ten global guilds, boasting over thousands of members – a powerhouse not to be underestimated.
This gloomy druid was the guild leader of Mars Guild, known by the ID: Starcatcher. The moment Starcatcher made his bid, the surrounding players sighed. With him in the fray, it seemed the Bow of Storm was likely destined to be his.
Especially those who were familiar with Starcatcher's reputation were even more convinced of this. Over the years, Starcatcher had built a reputation in the gaming circles as someone who wouldn't stop until he achieved his goals. Most crucially, he was known for being foolishly wealthy. Once he set his sights on something, he would spare no expense to acquire it.
The crowd began to buzz with conversation.
"How did I forget about Starcatcher? He's a druid player, of course, he wouldn't miss out on this Bow of Storm."
"That bow does look amazing, all its attributes are top-notch."
"Forget it, as great as it is, it's way out of our league now. The price is just too exaggerated."
"That's right, it's already way beyond my budget."
"These players really have money to burn."
"It's like watching gods battle; we're just here for the show!"
…
"Ninety-six thousand gold coins!" The solo archer player was clearly struggling; though he managed to add another thousand gold coins, it was evident he was reaching his limit.
Dirge's bid, however, was the final straw that broke his resolve. "Ninety-eight thousand gold coins!" he said, his face filled with dejection as he bowed out of the competition.
Now it was just down to Starcatcher and Dirge. Starcatcher grinned and said without hesitation, "One hundred thousand gold coins!"
"Young lady, you're a berserker class; this equipment won't do you much good. You must be bidding for a member of your guild, right? I must have this item. How about you give me some face and consider it making a new friend? Our guilds might even cooperate in the future."
Dirge hesitated for a moment, clearly tempted by Starcatcher's words. A cooperation with Mars Guild, just a step below the top ten global guilds, would be a huge opportunity for her and Tide Guild. But then she thought of MoonWhite's earnest pleas over their communication channel and shook her head in refusal, continuing to bid. "One hundred and five thousand gold coins!"
At that, the hall fell quiet.
The crowd looked at Dirge in surprise, with no one expecting her to refuse such an enticing offer from Starcatcher for a mere piece of equipment. Starcatcher himself seemed momentarily taken aback, not expecting her to remain undeterred despite his proposition.
His expression darkened as he sneered, "Fine, you've managed to anger me. Don't blame me for not being courteous!"
Dirge glanced at him emotionlessly and retorted sharply, "What the hell are you barking about here? Bidding is all about capability, I'm not scared of you!"
Her cool voice was pleasant to hear, but the content of her words was quite provocative...
The onlookers' eyes widened in disbelief, finding it hard to imagine such words coming from such a petite and cute girl.
Starcatcher was stunned, probably not expecting to be randomly cursed at. However, he quickly regained his composure, his smile turning furious, "Very well, it's been years since someone dared to talk to me like that. From today onwards, your Tide Guild is my enemy! I hope you're prepared for the consequences of your words today!"
Dirge simply ignored him and turned away. At that moment, a lazy female voice came from the second floor, its content equally laden with contempt: "Come on, Starcatcher, you're the leader of a thousand-member guild, and you're threatening such a pretty young girl? Are you that shameless?"
"I'm saying this now, this girl and her guild are under my protection. If you have a problem with that, come and face me!"
Starcatcher's expression froze, while others showed puzzled looks. The speaker was none other than Snowla, the guild leader of Black Rose Guild. The players looked up to see Snowla standing at her open booth window, gazing down with disdain.
Eyes shifted between Snowla and Dirge. They began to suspect some special relationship between the two, given their similar way of speaking.
Th𝓮 most uptodate nov𝑒ls are published on freew(e)bnove(l).𝓬𝓸𝓶