Roderick sat stiffly in his seat as the Control Collar Set slipped through his fingers.

The glowing screens above the arena mocked him with the same number that had crushed him before.

525 Survivor Medals.

The exact same price as the Talent Upgrade Crystals.

He clenched his fists to the point that his knuckles whitened.

’Is it the same person?’ The thought gnawed at him.

If so, then whoever it was had already spent over a thousand medals in the span of minutes. That was absurd.

Most survivors here had barely scraped together a hundred. Even Roderick himself, one of the Top 10, had less than five hundred.

The arena buzzed with disbelief as they also saw that number before. They couldn’t help but suspect something.

"Again? 525?" someone muttered.

"It feels familiar..." another whispered.

"This is insane. Is someone just flexing their wealth?"

Roderick forced himself to breathe as he relaxed in his chair.

He couldn’t afford to lose his composure.

If he couldn’t win, then he would continue to try. Perhaps the next items would reveal something better for him.

Soon, the auctioneer raised her hand once more, and the next item appeared.

[ Item: Item Enhancement Crystal ]

[ Description: A crystal that enhances weapons and armor. Enhances durability and grants additional properties. ]

The crowd gasped. The chance of improving a gear anywhere, without relying on rare facilities or special smiths, made them excited.

Furthermore, it was being sold for a set of 50!

Just like that, the bidding war began...

It was just too many!

200... 300... 400... 500...

The numbers climbed, desperation thick in the air. Then, silence fell as the final bid locked in.

[ Item Sold: Item Enhancement Crystal x50 ]

[ Final Price: 525 Survivor Medals ]

The crowd erupted in disbelief.

"Again?!"

"Who is this lunatic?"

"Why does every item stop at 525?"

Thankfully, this madness didn’t continue...

Several more sets of Item Enhancement Crystals were sold, but this time, they were only sold for a lower price.

It seemed that the man who purchased it for 525 wasn’t aware that there were more.

Just like that, five more sets were sold at around 250 to 300 Survivor Medals.

Roderick’s eyes narrowed.

’It has to be the same person. No one else would keep hitting that ceiling. I think that person had a unique way of earning Survivor Medals.’

The next item shimmered into view.

[ Item: Phoenix Regeneration Kit ]

[ Description: A medical kit containing rare serums capable of reviving a mortally wounded survivor within minutes. Limited to five uses. ]

The arena fell silent for a heartbeat, then exploded with noise.

"This could save entire teams!"

"Five revives? That’s priceless!"

The bidding war was savage.

Healers, warriors, and guild leaders all fought for it.

The numbers soared past 400, then 480.

And then, as if scripted, the final bid was locked in.

[ Item Sold: Phoenix Regeneration Kit ]

[ Final Price: 525 Survivor Medals ]

Groans echoed across the arena...

"Not again... That 525 Medals..."

"Whoever it is, they’re unstoppable."

"Do they have infinite medals?"

Roderick’s chest tightened. He had wanted that kit desperately.

His guild could have survived impossible battles with it. But once again, the mysterious bidder crushed the competition.

Nonetheless, more items appeared, and thankfully, after about an hour, the one bidding with 525 Medals disappeared.

’Even if he still has medals, he must be saving them for the next day.’ Roderich thought once again.

But then, something unexpected appeared.

[ Item: Sentinel Override Mobile Device ]

[ Description: A hacking device capable of disabling or reprogramming E-Grade up to B-Grade Sentinels for up to 24 hours. ]

The crowd erupted louder than ever. This was a weapon against the A.I. Army itself.

It must be remembered that the Control Collar could also dominate A.I. units, but they were only for E-Grade and D-Grade units.

It might give permanent control, but the difference between D-Grade and B-Grade was a huge chasm.

Despite being only 24 hours, it could be a game-changer, especially if the Mech Siege or similar events came up.

Furthermore, it was a set once again, and this time, there were 20 of them per set!

Just like that, the bidding war began.

150... 200... 345... 400...

Roderick leaned forward, heart pounding.

’This... this could change everything.’

He bid once again for 450 Survivor Medals...

But the inevitable came.

[ Item Sold: Sentinel Override Chip ]

[ Final Price: 525 Survivor Medals ]

"What the F*ck..."

The arena fell into stunned silence.

"This is ridiculous."

"That number again... 525."

"Is someone just trying to show off?"

Roderick’s teeth ground together. Whoever this bidder was, they weren’t just wealthy... they were systematically stripping the Auction of its most valuable treasures.

’Just what is your limit?’

Nonetheless, the Auction continued.

[ Item: Neural Command Helmet Pack ]

[ Description: A specialized Helmet that links directly to the nervous system, allowing the user to issue instant override commands to drones or automated turrets within a 50‑meter radius. ]

The woman then explained that a single pack had additional nodes they could use to put on other smart devices, so the user of the helmet could control them easily...

It was quite an interesting item, but it didn’t seem to attract the rich Survivor as the item was only sold for 200 Medals.

But then, the next items made everyone nervous...

[ Item: Quantum Battery Array ]

[ Description: A compact energy storage unit capable of powering defensive shields for extended periods. Provides ten times the output of conventional fuel cells. ]

The crowd gasped.

Energy was very important; without it, weapons stalled, shields collapsed, and vehicles became useless.

This was a treasure every faction wanted. Furthermore, it was being sold by a set of 3!

The bidding was fierce as numbers kept climbing rapidly.

400... 470...

But the final bid was, once again, inevitable.

[ Item Sold: Quantum Battery Array ]

[ Final Price: 525 Survivor Medals ]

The arena erupted in chaos.

"This is madness!"

"Every single item... 525!"

"Who has this kind of wealth?!"

"Hey! Whoever you are! Stop doing this, please! Give us a chance!"

Roderick sat frozen, his mind racing.

He had done it again. He had already spent thousands of Survivor Medals.

It should be impossible to obtain it!

"He must have a huge guild who had provided him enough medals."

Roderick muttered, guessing that perhaps someone was assisted by hundreds or even thousands of Survivors in order to obtain this much wealth.

After all, he couldn’t find an explanation for this person’s wealth.

He just knew that it was the same person with that 525 bid! He didn’t doubt it at all... Each one a treasure, each one claimed by the same bidder.

The auctioneer raised her hand, smiling faintly as if she knew the crowd’s frustration.

"Survivors, bid wisely. The Auction has only just begun."

But the crowd wasn’t calm. Whispers spread like wildfire.

"Is it the Rank 1 Survivor?"

"Could it be a guild pooling their medals?"

"No... it has to be one person. The bids are too precise."

Roderick’s fists trembled. He had lost several times already, and perhaps, he wouldn’t be getting more...

But something happened after this bid, the same thing no longer repeated!

Several hours passed, and even until late at night, as the auction continued, there was no more 525 bid!

Because of that, the hundreds of items were sold to normal Survivors!

***

In the meantime, Kai had just secured the Quantum Battery Array when he noticed a message through the Guild Chat.

It was Mei.

[ Mei: Kai, we found something. Claire, Marissa, and I stumbled across a farmer selling chickens. Real chickens. Eggs, Kai... eggs! It’s been months since any of us tasted them. ]

Kai’s eyes widened beneath his visor.

Eggs were more than food... they were a precious source of nutrition. Furthermore, it was a reminder of normal life before the collapse.

A renewable source of protein and nutrition, something that could anchor their shelter’s independence.

But Mei’s next words shifted the mood.

[ Mei: There’s a problem. He won’t accept Survivor Medals. ]

Kai frowned. That was impossible. The Auction Realm was designed for medals... every stall, every merchant, every transaction revolved around them.

Yet this farmer was different.

Mei explained further.

The man introduced himself as Harper, claiming to be part of the Eclipse Revenant Clan.

They had no idea about this clan. Nonetheless, he mentioned that he was only renting a stall, which was already quite intriguing.

Still, he wasn’t just another survivor renting space here... he was from somewhere else entirely... Probably another continent, perhaps even another world. It was the first time Kai’s group had heard of such a thing, and it hinted at secrets buried deep within the Auction Realm.

Harper’s terms were unusual.

He didn’t want weapons, gene serums, or combat gear.

He wanted entertainment items... things that could distract, amuse, or bring joy.

Music devices, games, instruments, even simple toys.

Kai’s lips curled into a grin. This was perfect.

He had Entertainment Gift Packs ranging from Basic to Enhanced to Superior grade.

He could produce them endlessly.

He quickly typed back:

[ Kai: Hold him there. Don’t let anyone else take the deal. I’ll bring what he wants. ]