[New Bid Opportunity Detected.][Target: Divine Soul Weapon – "Ashspire Edge"][Opening Bid: 1.0 Chaos Credit][Bidders: 2][Time Remaining: 4 minutes]
Ren's eyes narrowed as the golden text floated in the air before him.
Ashspire Edge. The name alone pulsed with dread.
"A soul weapon?" Lyra asked, already walking toward his side, her flames dimmed to a subtle aura. "That's not a beginner-tier artifact."
"Exactly," Ren murmured. "Which is why someone doesn't want me to have it."
The bidding screen expanded in front of him like a holographic scroll.
Item: Ashspire EdgeRank: Divine-Tier (Sealed)Current Bid: 1.0 Chaos CreditsTime Left: 03:52Active Bidders:• ❖ Ren Zian (Chaos Auctioneer)• ❖ Elandros of the Skyborne Court (Divine Heir)
Lyra's lips tightened. "Elandros… he's a divine heir. His house specializes in soul weapons."
Ren didn't respond immediately. His gaze traced the screen, watching the bid rise.
[1.1 Credits… 1.3… 1.5…]
"He doesn't want the blade," Ren said slowly. "He just wants to make sure I don't get it."
The Chaos Bidding System pulsed again.
[Note: Chaos Credits are earned via reputation, risk, and pact progression.][You currently have 2.0 credits.][Bidding beyond credit limit will trigger Overreach Penalty.][Warning: Overreach will alert other auctioneers.]
Ren smirked. "Let them watch."
He tapped the screen.
[Bid: 2.0 Credits — Confirmed.]
A tremor ran through the glade. Somewhere, distant thunder rolled.
Lyra stared at him. "That's all your credits."
"Then I better win."
Above them, the clouds shifted. The air thinned. The scent of burning ink filled the glade.
A portal cracked open in the sky, and a figure stepped out—tall, draped in translucent azure silk, his hair like polished silver. He didn't walk—he descended.
"Elandros," Lyra muttered.
The divine heir's gaze fell upon Ren like ice.
"You," he said. One word, low and disdainful. "Chaos filth."
Ren stepped forward. "I was hoping for a welcome basket, but I'll take an insult."
Elandros looked unimpressed. "You shouldn't exist. The Chaos Faction was erased in the Thousand-Year Cleansing."
"I tend to ruin extermination plans."
Elandros's eyes flicked to Lyra, then to the pact rune on her shoulder, now dimly glowing in sync with Ren's system core.
"You've already corrupted one of the sealed relics," he said coldly. "Now you want a cursed weapon? For what? To play emperor?"
Ren said nothing.
[Bid Update: 2.1 Credits — Elandros Overreach Activated.][Countermeasures Engaged.]
Lyra's eyes widened. "He's overbidding too. That means—"
"He doesn't care what it costs," Ren finished. "But I do."
He raised his hand.
"System—Chaos Override."
[Chaos Override Accessed… Overload Mode: Auction Hijack][Input Required: Wager Equivalent Soul Value]
Ren reached down and took Lyra's hand.
Her eyes flared. "What are you—?"
"I'm wagering our Pact," he said quietly.
"Ren—!"
Too late.
[Input Accepted. Wager: Soul-Bonded Pact (Tier I)][Processing… Hijack Triggered.][New Rule Instated: Item must go to highest truth-aligned bidder.]
Elandros laughed—a short, brittle sound. "You think that'll save you?"
But the system flashed again:
[Current Leader: Ren Zian — Bid 2.0 + Pact Wager][Elandros: Bid Disqualified – False Claim of Intent][Divine Audit Initiated.]
In the sky above, Elandros's divine crest flickered—then cracked.
A line of blood dripped from the corner of his eye.
"What—" he rasped, voice now laced with fury. "What did you do?"
Ren exhaled, his fingers still laced with Lyra's.
"I told the system I wanted the weapon to protect someone."
He looked at her.
"And I meant it."
[Auction Complete.][Winner: Ren Zian][Ashspire Edge Unsealed.]
A sound like glass shattering through space echoed as a crimson blade spiraled from the sky, landing at Ren's feet with a pulse of molten heat. Its blade was black, curved, and alive with embers. In its center glowed a burning eye.
Ren picked it up.
Immediately, the flame etched along Lyra's arms responded—resonating in sync.
"It's… phoenix-forged," she said softly.
"It was waiting for someone like you," the blade's voice whispered directly into Ren's mind. "And someone like her."
Elandros vanished in a hiss of steam and spite, his divine portal collapsing behind him.
For a moment, silence ruled.
Then Lyra shoved Ren hard in the chest.
"You gambled our Pact?!" she shouted, face red—not from fire, but emotion.
He stumbled back, laughing. "We won, didn't we?"
"That's not the point! You risked—"
"My life. My connection to you. Everything," Ren said seriously, eyes locking with hers. "Because I knew we'd win."
She stared at him, speechless.
"I'm not sorry," he added. "And I'd do it again."
The tension in her shoulders remained. But she said nothing else.
[New Status Unlocked: Pact Synergy Level I][New Skill: Soul Sync — You and Lyra share senses for 12 seconds in combat][Cooldown: 1 hour][Ashspire Edge Linked to Pact: Weapon evolves based on relationship tier]
Ren's brows lifted. "So… the sword grows stronger the closer we are?"
Lyra groaned. "I'm not going to cuddle you to power up your stats."
He smirked. "Too bad. I was planning on spooning for +10 flame resistance."
Despite herself, she let out a breath that might've been a laugh.
The system pulsed again.
[New Bidding Room Opening: Item – "Frozen Time Lotus"][Linked Soul Detected: Heiress of the Chrono Domain – Status: Sealed][Risk Level: High. Bidder count: 3]
Ren looked up at the notification and smiled.
"Another waifu?"
Lyra elbowed him. "You say that like I won't set you on fire."
He turned to her, his gaze steady.
"You won't," he said softly. "Because I didn't claim you. I chose you. That's different."
She looked away, cheeks faintly pink.
He turned to the auction portal now glowing to the east.
Another soul. Another fire to awaken.
And this time, he wasn't bidding for power alone.
He was building an empire—one pact, one promise, one stolen fate at a time.