Creating A Succubus Army In A Fantasy World!-Chapter 95: Azure Auction (2) [Bonus]

[Part 9/10 of Castle Mass Release! One more to go!]

An hour had passed. An entire agonizing hour of sitting through auctions where Creed desperately wanted to bid but had to hold himself back like a monk resisting temptation.

He had seen incredible treasures, things that could have elevated his power instantly, but his meager 3 million credits might as well have been loose change at this point.

It wasn’t even enough to enter the conversation for some of these items! The moment he so much as thought about bidding, some rich lunatic would casually toss out 5 million credits like it was pocket money!

At this point, Creed wasn’t even mad anymore.

He was just tired. Tired of watching. Tired of wanting. Tired of being poor.

And then, another item was rolled onto the stage.

A glass capsule—no, a suspended drop of glowing blood sat inside a protective barrier, pulsing with an ominous yet incredibly powerful aura.

The air itself seemed to thicken, and even from the second-floor balcony, Creed could feel an immense vitality radiating from it.

The auctioneer stepped forward, her voice smooth and professional as she introduced the item.

"Next, we have a True Grade Bloodline Essence—the Blood Mammoth Bloodline."

A murmur of excitement spread through the crowd.

"This bloodline is of the physical enhancement type and belongs to the ancient Blood Mammoth species. Once activated, it drastically strengthens the body, increasing raw power, endurance, and even physical resilience against energy-based attacks."

Creed’s eyes widened in genuine interest.

A physical-based bloodline essence?

This was perfect for him! His body was already extremely strong, but with this, he could push it even further, making his physique even more terrifying.

His strength, durability, and even recovery abilities would reach a whole new level!

But before he could even think about raising his hand...

"5 million credits!"

A casual, confident bid came from one of the VIP rooms on the third floor.

Creed frowned but held firm. He could still—

"6.2 million credits!"

"...What?"

"7 million credits!"

"8.1 million credits!"

Creed slowly slumped in his seat, completely defeated.

"...I give up."

It wasn’t that he couldn’t push past 8 million—technically, he could gamble everything and hope his Fragments of Killing sold well—but that was way too risky.

He still didn’t know how much they would sell for, and if he blew everything now only to find out they weren’t worth that much, he’d be ruined.

Creed let out a long sigh and leaned back.

"Fine, fine, I get it," he muttered, shaking his head. "I’m not rich enough to play in this league yet."

And then, the moment he had been waiting for.

Another set of workers entered the stage, carefully wheeling in a crystal-like bowl.

Inside it sat ten glowing red crystal pebbles, each one radiating an invisible pressure that sent chills down the spines of those present.

The killing pressure seeping from them was so intense that even seasoned warriors subconsciously tensed.

Creed immediately straightened in his seat, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

’YES! That’s mine!’

The auctioneer’s voice remained smooth and elegant, but there was a hint of awe in her tone.

"Ladies and gentlemen, what we have here is a truly remarkable and rare treasure. These are Fragments of Killing—pure condensations of the Path of Killing’s essence."

A collective gasp filled the room.

"This batch contains 500 grams, and each fragment allows one to comprehend the profound secrets of the Path of Killing, a Special Grade Path. Those who pursue a combat-oriented road or specialize in assassination and warfare will find these to be an invaluable resource."

Creed grinned to himself, rubbing his hands together like a scheming villain.

’C’mon, go crazy! Start throwing your money around! Ruin each other’s finances for me!’

The auctioneer smiled and announced the starting bid—

"4.5 million credits."

For a moment, silence.

Then...

"5 million credits!"

"6.2 million credits!"

"6.5 million credits!"

Creed felt a rush of joy as the numbers climbed, his heart pounding.

"YES! Keep going! Don’t stop now!"

"6.9 million credits!"

"7 million credits!"

"7.2 million credits!"

Creed was gripping the arms of his chair, barely able to contain his glee.

This was it! This was the moment he went from ’broke’ to ’rich’!

Finally—

"7.3 million credits going once... going twice... SOLD!"

Creed shot up from his seat, his fists clenched in victory.

’YES!’

He turned to Lilith and Tierra, his excitement overflowing. Without thinking, he grabbed Lilith’s face and kissed her deeply, then spun around and kissed Tierra right after, pulling them both into a tight hug.

The two women were momentarily stunned, but Lilith quickly smirked and leaned into him, while Tierra simply blushed and hid her face.

Creed collapsed back into his seat, grinning like an idiot.

He had done it.

He had sold his fragments for a fortune and now he was back in the game!

7.3 million credits! He couldn’t have asked for a better outcome. Not only had his Fragments of Killing sold for a ridiculous price, but now he had more than double what he’d originally brought.

This was no longer just some casual spending money; this was real buying power.

Now, as he watched the auction continue, he was confident that he’d be able to get his hands on at least a few high-quality items.

That earlier feeling of being a broke spectator? Gone. Vanished. Deleted from existence.

His only regret?

That Blood Mammoth Bloodline Essence.

Now that he actually had the credits, he realized he could have afforded it if he’d just been a little more aggressive with his bidding.

But then again, he immediately patted himself on the back for not being reckless. He had to fix that flaw.

His old self might have thrown everything into a gamble, but he was already making smarter decisions. This was proof that he was learning.

He nodded to himself, feeling a small sense of pride at his self-control.

Then, the next item was rolled onto the stage.

A small floating brown wisp, sealed inside a transparent tube that radiated a faint glow. The moment it was revealed, a hush fell over the crowd—the air practically buzzing with anticipation.

The auctioneer’s voice took on a slightly excited tone, a rare break from her usual professional calm.

"Ladies and gentlemen, what we have here is a Stage 1 Silver-Level Earth Spirit."

A collective murmur ran through the audience, followed almost instantly by the low, deep sounds of excited whispers.

"This Earth Spirit possesses a domain range of 100 meters and will bind itself to a compatible host, vastly enhancing their combat ability. As you all know, spirits are extremely rare, and to find one in an auction such as this is an unprecedented opportunity."

Creed frowned slightly, leaning forward with interest. A spirit? He had heard about them before, but he had never actually seen one in person.

And judging by the reaction of the audience, this was a big deal.

Before he could even process what this meant, the bidding exploded.

"6 million credits!"

"6.8 million!"

"7.2 million!"

"7.9 million credits!"

The numbers skyrocketed before Creed even had time to think about whether he wanted it or not.

It was obvious why.

A spirit wasn’t just a normal artifact or weapon. It was a living, growing entity that permanently boosted its owner’s combat ability in a way that no other item could.

Spirits had one defining ability that made them so terrifyingly valuable; the Domain.

A Domain had two core functions, and both were completely game-changing in battle.

The first was Suppression.

Anyone caught inside a domain’s range would find themselves heavily weakened, their attacks dulled, their reactions slowed, and their abilities becoming harder to use.

It was like being forced to fight underwater while your enemy moved as freely as ever.

The second was Enhancement.

The host of the spirit would receive a drastic power boost while inside their domain, making their attacks faster, stronger, and far deadlier.

Simply put, anyone who had a spirit with a domain could fight above their level, effortlessly crushing enemies who were technically stronger than them.

No wonder the bids were going insane!

"8.4 million credits!"

"8.8 million credits!"

Creed just sat there, stunned, as the numbers climbed far beyond what he could afford.

"...Yeah, I’m out," he muttered, shaking his head. "I won’t compete with these maniacs."

He understood why it was going for so much, but unfortunately, there was one critical problem—

He couldn’t even use it.

The Earth Spirit required someone with a connection to earth, and Creed had no such affinity. He might as well have been bidding on a decorative rock.

Still, watching the final bid land at 8.8 million credits made him realize just how little buying power he still had.

Even with 7.3 million, he was still in dangerous territory where the best items might be completely out of reach.

He let out a deep breath.

"Alright, fine. I won’t get this spirit. But maybe the next item will be—"

Then they rolled out another item, and the moment Creed saw it, his eyes nearly popped out of his skull.

Inside a beautifully carved obsidian container, floating in the center of the stage, was a silver-colored wisp of energy, crackling with a faint, electrifying pressure.

Creed froze.

The auctioneer’s lips curled into a small, knowing smile.

"This," she said, "is also a spirit."

A ripple of intense excitement spread through the crowd.

"But unlike the Earth Spirit, this one is a Stage 1 Silver-Level Spear Spirit."

Creed’s heart nearly stopped.

A spear spirit.

A. Spear. Spirit.

A spirit perfectly designed for spear users!

A spirit that would drastically enhance every aspect of his combat style, from his technique to his pure destructive power.

And—most importantly—he could actually use it.

Creed sat up straight, his fingers twitching as he prepared himself for the battle ahead.

This was it.

This was the one.

He couldn’t let this slip away!