“Do I have any bids for this exquisite set of Wyvern scales?” He heard the auctioneer shout. “Starting at 3700 Telvarian Credits, or the equivalent!”

People began to raise their paddles, seeming excited about the set of three glowing sheets of bone, each of which created a mist of power around them. These were clearly pieces from a beast at the very peak of Tier 2. The bidding escalated quickly, and soon the price had risen to a whopping 7500 Telvarian Credits. Eventually it was sold to a slim woman in chainmail armor, who slunk away with her prize clutched tight to her chest.

Jonathan had little money of his own, so he simply watched as the auction proceeded, seeing people walk away with goods that were worth more money than he had ever seen before, save for in Granath’s treasury. Some people seemed to be interested in the rarity of the items as well as the power, perhaps needing them for the upgrade of a growth item.

The most expensive item sold by far was a strange crystal from one of the Outer Realms that went for over fifty thousand credits. The Outer Realms, from what Jonathan could tell, were a collection of subordinate planes, all of which were keyed to a different aspect of existence. There were ones for each of the major elements, and some for concepts as well. Their number was almost limitless, and nobody had ever fully charted them. Finally, the first of Jonathan’s goods came up.

“For our next item, we have a large quantity of Tier 2 iron! Over ten pounds of it in fact. Any growth items will be satisfied by this amount, with enough left over for more! Bidding will start at two thousand credits!”

Jonathan silently cheered as he realized the value of his item. The bidding quickly amped up, with one man, who clearly was outfitted with multiple growth items, brought the price up and up. It looked like he was a fan of metallic items, and likely needed the iron to upgrade them.

The bidding did not reach the dizzying heights of the crystal, but it eventually petered out at around five thousand credits. As expected, it went to the man with the surplus of metal. Jonathan felt his receipt briefly grow warm, and a tick mark formed on the paper next to the notation of Tier 2 iron. He smiled, and waited for more.

When all was said and done, he walked away with over thirty thousand Telvarian Credits. Seeing as most of his buying would be done here, he saw little need to convert them to Leviathan Marks. The exchange rate was downright predatory, and he was better off simply leaving it as it was.

In any case, with his newfound wealth, it was time to search for something that would bolster his strength. He did not need any more weapons or armor, but he remembered the fruit from the dungeon that had allowed him to comprehend the conceptual nature of his element. Perhaps there were more of those around here.

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

Jonathan quickly found an auction pit for natural treasures, and saw that the bidding was like a full on war. The number of people outside of the pit was almost as high as the ones waiting for weapons, or armor. As soon as an item was put on display, the price skyrocketed, and as Jonathan neared, he saw people forking out tens of thousands of credits on appropriately tiered goods. He quickly inserted himself into the line, and watched as the next item was announced.

“This treasure is a boon beyond any other for those following the sub element of Ice!” The woman almost screamed. “A lotus, containing the concentrated power of a thousand years of being steeped in the coldest ice of the Barren Peaks, will grant the user enough understanding to break through in their mastery of the element!”

The bidding was a bit more subdued for this one, likely as not too many people followed the sub element of Ice. Jonathan had heard of sub elements before, but was not exactly sure how they worked. It seemed strange that someone would cut themselves off from the power of the main elements in favor of specialization. However, it wasn't like he was paying for them.

It eventually sold for a hair over twelve thousand credits, to a man who looked like a minotaur. He was almost ten feet tall, and had large horns, with tufts of brown fur all over his body. The man rippled with muscles, and a slight aura of coldness swirled around him like a winter wind. He caught Jonathan staring, and gave him a hard glare. Jonathan quickly looked away.

The next few items were similarly useless to him, but eventually something came up that seemed more valuable. It was a fruit that looked like a clenched fist, and seemed to radiate concentrated martial sight.

“For all the pugilists out there, this fruit is a must! Increasing the durability and hardness of your fists by an amount relative to your Tier, it renders your punches far more powerful than before! Bidding will start at six thousand credits!”

Jonathan immediately raised his paddle, calling out six thousand five hundred. A few other people in the crowd seemed to also be pugilists, and they upped the price, causing him to frown. The item was quite situational, but Jonathan wanted it. He kept escalating the price in response to the aggressive bidding of the others. Eventually, it plateaued at fifteen thousand, at which point the others dropped out. Jonathan walked over to the booth to collect his prize, and quickly stored the fruit in his storage device. He had had enough of auctions for today. It was time to leave and check out his fruit.

Jonathan walked back through the Trading Hub, and exited through the portal, walking past another one of his citizens. He had no idea what the merchants of his city bought there, but he had been told that the city’s growth was at a record high. They had to be doing something right.

He broke away from the crowd, and headed for his cave. If this natural treasure had some sort of vision attached to it, he wanted to be safe when he used it. Ascending the mountain, he pulled out the fruit and analyzed it.

Fruit of the Diamond Fist

Tier 2 Natural Treasure

This fruit is steeped in the conceptual energy of a high Tier clash on the world of Telvaria. Growing from a mundane apple tree, the fruit was warped by the intense degree of weapon mastery that had been unleashed in the battle, turning into a reflection of one of the fighters’ battle style. Consuming the fruit will greatly increase the durability of one’s fists relative to their Tier.