There was a special electricity in the air, a palpable excitement as thousands upon thousands of people saw what was once the stadium morph right in front of their faces, its size remained roughly the same, but it quickly grew more decorated and luxurious.
The stadium was reshaped into a grand opera house. Its new dome, a marvel of shimmering black glass, crowned the building, reflecting light in a kaleidoscope of dancing shadows. The walls, still composed of the original white material, now pulsated with an almost hypnotic allure. Intricate fractals and geometric shapes danced across its surface, coalescing into an immense design that encircled the building like a massive, etched tattoo.
As Milly's gaze lingered on these mesmerizing patterns, a wave of excitement surged within her. The fractals seemed to come alive, conjuring vivid images in her mind. She envisioned towering carcasses, their clean, shiny forms presented as prestigious trophies. Her mind painted scenes of massive, pulsating golden hearts and swords lavishly adorned with fine jewels. Each vision seemed to promise the extraordinary and the exquisite, not merely a whisper, but a resounding scream to her and everyone present, showcasing the splendors that could be theirs.
Simultaneously, the stadium's entrance underwent its own dramatic transformation. Massive doors, true behemoths in their stature, rose from the ground, dwarfing any bystander. Crafted from a mysterious black wood, their surface was a canvas for intricate carvings, each one told a story.
Beasts of unimaginable size and ferocity felled in epic battles; decadent scenes of revelry where people indulged in the most primal forms of debauchery; gluttony in lavish banquets stretching into infinity, greed through towering mountains of glittering gold, and lust in the entwined forms of squirming bodies. The craftsmanship was so exquisite that each face in the carvings seemed almost to breathe, every line and expression captured with an unnerving clarity.
And so, the transformation concluded. The crowd stood motionless, captivated by the architectural marvel before them. The structure stood out like a golden leaf against a backdrop of untouched snow, commanding awe and reverence.
A hushed silence enveloped the crowd, as minutes ticked by, no one daring to break the spell with even the slightest murmur.
The stillness was finally interrupted when an individual, drawn by curiosity, stepped forward. Their fingers grazed the intricate carvings of the massive doors, which responded instantly, parting open ever so slightly. A collective gasp rippled through the crowd as everyone, in an instinctive reaction, retreated. The rapid movement led to chaos as people stumbled over each other, forming disordered heaps in their haste to distance themselves from the unknown that lurked behind those doors.
Many expected some dramatic reveal—a screen materializing or a creature emerging—but nothing of that sort occurred.
After more moments of uneasy stillness, the same individual approached the doors again, this time with a determined push. The doors swung open silently, revealing the passage inside. The sense of trepidation gave way to a renewed curiosity, as eyes were now fixed on the threshold to the opulent world that awaited them.
Cautious at first, the crowd's movement quickly escalated into a frenzied rush towards the auction house's lavish halls. Milly found herself at the forefront, her earlier curiosity having positioned her near the doors. She could have been the first to touch them, but fate had other plans.
She sprinted down the corridor. Behind her, the sound of the stampede grew louder, echoing the urgency of the crowd as they clamored to get inside.
Milly's heart raced with anticipation. She shared the same hope as the rest — to be the first to discover the treasures within. Her sprint led her to a massive center stage, stretching hundreds of meters. Despite the overall illumination from invisible sources, the stage itself bathed in a comparatively darker hue, as if shrouded by an imperceptible barrier that light couldn't fully penetrate.
As she paused momentarily, captivated by the stage, the sounds of the stampede intensified, signaling the crowd's imminent arrival. Not much time, she thought urgently. Surveying her surroundings, she noticed rows of seats, occupying about four-fifths of the space, becoming progressively more ornate and lavish the higher they went.
Near the roof, private viewing boxes beckoned. These large, rectangular spaces, each featuring a sizable window and an inviting open entrance, were strategically positioned for optimal viewing.
Those are the prizes, without hesitation, Milly ascended the stairs, her eyes catching glimpses of others doing the same. The race was on, not just for a good view, but perhaps for something more significant that the auction house held within its confines.
Milly's feet hammered against the hardwood stairs, each step echoing her determination. She used the seats as leverage, pushing off them with her hands, seeking any advantage to propel herself faster. A pang of regret for her momentary distraction at the stage gnawed at her; she had lost precious seconds. Precious seconds that others used to their advantage. Glancing ahead, she saw a figure darting towards her initial target, their lead too great for her to close.
Swiftly recalibrating her strategy, Milly set her sights on the nearest private box. Only two others seemed to target it, but she had a crucial head start on those people.
With renewed resolve, she quickened her pace, her ascent transforming into a more desperate scramble. She clambered over chairs while her eyes locked on the box, calculating each move to outpace her competitors. The gap between her and the box narrowed with every breathless stride, her focus unwavering as she raced towards what could be a significant advantage in the auction.
The diagonal route Milly had chosen posed its challenges, slightly slowing her down and allowing a sliver of doubt to creep in. However, her resolve was unshaken, and the momentary doubt quickly dissipated as she neared her goal. And then, with a final burst of energy, she reached within five steps of the empty entrance of the private box. Without a second thought, she threw herself inside, her breath catching in her throat. As she crossed the threshold, and the entrance disappeared, sealing her inside.
Exhausted, Milly lay sprawled on the floor, her gaze fixated on the pristine wooden ceiling above. Her heart was a drum in her chest, threatening to break free, and her face was red from exertion. Her session of staring at the ceiling was interrupted by an unexpected chill — a cold gust of wind that swept through the box, making her shiver.
Startled, she sat up and scanned the room, searching for the source of the draft. She looked for a fan, a crack, anything that might explain the sudden breeze, but found nothing. The wind seemed to emanate from everywhere and nowhere at the same time.
The box, she estimated with a glance, was about the size of a small apartment, yet it was starkly bare. A flicker of disappointment crossed her mind. They could at least give me a sofa, she thought wistfully.
In response to her thoughts, the ground began to shift. Vines were born from the wooden tiles, beginning to curl and weave together, growing and intertwining with a life of their own before turning into a large sofa.
"That's something," Milly muttered while tentatively reaching out and touching the transformed sofa. Her fingers sank into the vine-like material with a wet squelch. The sensation was unsettling, almost revolting to her senses, prompting her to retract her hand hastily.
And, once again, in response to her evident distaste, the sofa transformed. Furs began to sprout from the once-moist vines, and the material itself solidified, morphing into thick, sturdy roots. The sofa's appearance shifted dramatically, now resembling a piece of modern art rather than a conventional piece of furniture.
As Milly hesitantly reached out to touch the newly transformed sofa, her fingers met a surface that was unexpectedly warm and soft. Not bad, encouraged by this inviting texture, she gingerly lowered herself onto it. A groan of relief escaped her lips as she sank into the sofa's comforting embrace. The sensation was a stark contrast to the hardships she had faced over the past week, providing a much-needed respite.
She allowed herself to fully sprawl out, her body relaxing as she luxuriated in the feel of the sofa. It was as if the piece of furniture was not just a creation of art, but also a balm for her weary spirit. The warmth emanating from it seemed to seep into her muscles, soothing the aches and fatigue.
Lying there, Milly took a moment to simply breathe and absorb the tranquility of her surroundings. The magical responsiveness of the box had turned it from a mere viewing space into a sanctuary, offering a brief escape from the uncertainty outside. It was a luxury she hadn't realized she had been craving until this very moment, and she intended to savor every second of it.
Enveloped in the comfort of the newly formed sofa, Milly felt herself gently succumbing to the allure of a morning nap. Her breathing steadied and deepened, her breathing becoming a rhythmic rise and fall. It was a rest without dreams, yet profoundly restorative.
This tranquility was shattered abruptly by the piercing blare of an alarm. The sound was sharp and jarringly loud, tearing through the silence like a gunshot. Startling Milly from her sleep. Her heart hammered against her chest, her body jolting upright on the sofa. Saliva flew from her mouth as she scrambled to her feet, her senses instantly on high alert.
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Disoriented, she stood momentarily frozen, her eyes frantically scanning the room. Her gaze was quickly drawn to the window, where an alert flashed, indicating that the auction would start in thirty minutes.
As she processed this information, her racing heart gradually calmed. “Damn it. Was there not a gentler way to wake me up?” she muttered to the room, half-expecting a response, but none came.
Settling back onto the sofa, Milly's eyes swept over the expanse of the empty viewing box. A curious thought crossed her mind, What else is this room capable of? She was about to find out that the answer was 'a lot.'
As soon as she thought of food formed in her mind, a lavish banquet and a table materialized together before her. She reached out, somewhat incredulously, and took a bite of an apple, the fruity sweet and juicy.
In that instant, a half-serious vow formed in Milly's mind. For whatever god is watching this, I swear I'll obliterate anything that tries to take this room from me. The thought was tinged with humor, yet beneath it lay a vein of earnest resolve.
She couldn’t imagine enduring the confines of the Hub without this sanctuary to retreat to.
Savoring the luxury of the moment, Milly took her time with each dish, appreciating the variety and the flavors. When she reached the midpoint of her impromptu banquet, the room's alarm system sounded again. This time, however, it was less jarring, more reminiscent of a gentle bell chime than the earlier sharp intrusion.
As Milly diverted her attention to the window, she caught the tail end of the alarm fading away. The view outside seamlessly shifted, zooming in on the stage as the lights dimmed, focusing all attention on the center stage where an intense golden-yellow glow began to emanate.
Milly leaned forward, her interest piqued. Her interactions with the various shopkeepers around the Hub, all creations of the system, had left her with a fondness for their oddness. Now, she was about to witness another one being born.
From the heart of the glowing orb, two colossal hands emerged, each large enough to dwarf a two-story house. As they reached out, they were momentarily halted by the thin shroud of darkness enveloping the stage. The hands appeared to be crafted from solid gold, their surface etched with intricate patterns, giving the illusion of marble veins. More hands joined the first pair until eight sets of majestic hands hovered over the stage.
Milly couldn't help but muse, The system really does have a flair for the dramatic... And extra limbs.
Following this grand display, an orb emerged, its color a metallic grey. It was swiftly accompanied by what seemed to be its body—a sphere of liquid metal that continuously shifted and spiked in all directions, reminiscent of iron filings drawn to a magnet. The spectacle was mesmerizing, and Milly found herself completely absorbed, her curiosity about what would come next growing by the second.
Milly's anticipation was met with a brief sense of disappointment as the golden light abruptly vanished, leaving the entity on the stage partially obscured in the fading light. The golden hands, now more visible, seemed to explore their surroundings with curiosity, their movements deliberate as they dragged along the ground and against the thin barrier enclosing the stage.
Milly reached for another piece of ribs and a cup from the assortment of wines, her attention still riveted to the stage. The entity's hands meticulously traced the perimeter of the stage before retracting back towards the central orb, which ceased its floating motion and began to sink into the liquid-metal body. The hands pressed down upon the body, exerting a visible force.
To Milly's fascination, this pressure caused the entity to compact. The once sprawling mass, several dozen meters wide, condensed into a size no larger than a single-story building. The hands, following suit, diminished in size, while the orb slowly re-emerged from the compressed body.
As the transformation continued, the entity's body underwent a striking change. It ceased its erratic spiking and began to assume a more humanoid form. Legs materialized first, seemingly redundant as the entity continued to float. A large torso formed next, with the orb hovering just above it. However, unlike a typical humanoid figure, no arms appeared to be developing.
Milly watched, her meal momentarily forgotten, as the being changed. The spectacle was unlike anything she had seen before, this was unique compared to the formula she came to see when the system made constructs.
"Ladies, gentlemen, those who identify as neither, and those on the cusp of transformation. Welcome to the first of the fifty-two tutorial auctions offered by the great system! " The voice boomed within Milly's mind, its intensity so forceful it felt like her head was caught between two powerful magnets, each exerting a crushing pressure.
"I have the pleasure to be your auctioneer, my name is—" The name that followed was a mental assault, sounding like the harsh grating of metal on metal, a cacophony of warping steel and distortion. It was as if the voice glitched, the name transforming into an almost unbearable screech, leaving Milly wincing at the sharpness.
A warm sensation trickled down Milly's ears. Alarmed, she reached up and her fingers came away stained with her own blood. Though the bleeding was minor and soon ceased, a glance through the window revealed a more disturbing scene. Some of those closest to the auctioneer had collapsed, blood flowing freely from their ears.
“Oh my, you all are far more susceptible to my name than I anticipated,” the auctioneer remarked, almost sounding apologetic.
Everyone watched in horror as its many hands pressed against the barrier surrounding the stage. The barrier bent unnaturally under the pressure, then burst with a sound like a popping bubble. The display was unsettling, a departure from the predictable constructs of the system everyone had encountered thus far.
“I should have foreseen the fragility of individuals in a tutorial. Allow me to correct this oversight.” As the auctioneer spoke, its hands began to warp and meld into each other, forming a complex sigil. A mere glimpse of it sent a throbbing pain through Milly's head.
In an instant, a blinding flash of light filled the room. She felt an unknown force penetrate her being, reminiscent of her initial encounter with the system, yet less invasive.
Everyone was enveloped in a golden radiance. Some slowly rose from the ground, seemingly rejuvenated. Others, however, remained motionless, their fates uncertain.
The auctioneer's movements suddenly took on an eerily human-like quality. Its hands swept through the air, generating gusts of wind that forcefully nudged people back into their seats or hurled them toward the higher tiers. The orb that served as its head rotated, and its metallic body momentarily lost some of its solidity.
Finally, the flurry of motion ceased and its hands returned to a state of repose near its body. “My apologies for the oversight,” the auctioneer's voice echoed in Milly's head. “It's been an age since my last engagement, and I fear my excitement may have gotten the better of me.” There was a semblance of sincerity in its tone, but it was overshadowed by a palpable indifference.
“As mandated by the system, I am to offer compensation for the discomfort I've caused, as you organics seem to mourn heavily for your fallen.” The auctioneer's voice now dripped with heavy sarcasm, treating the attendees as though they were children.
“I shall contribute an item from my own collection to the auction, one that adheres to the system's current limitation to the first realm,” the auctioneer announced. There was a brief pause, its figure motionless, as if expecting a reaction.
When none came, a visible agitation seemed to take hold of the auctioneer, its hands beginning to fidget nervously, sending a ripple of apprehension through the attendees nearest to it.
Finally realizing the lack of understanding among the crowd, it spoke again, a tinge of frustration coloring its voice. “It appears my words elude you, so allow me to demonstrate.” with these words, its hands plunged into its chest, emerging with something clenched tightly within.
“This is a Fruit of Ascension!” The auctioneer's proclamation reverberated through the auction house as it opened its hand to reveal the item. Nestled in its palm was an object resembling a simple apple, yet it was unnervingly perfect – shiny and without a single blemish.
“This is not merely a catalyst for growth; it's a gateway to an effortless journey, akin to a leisurely stroll through a field of resplendent flowers. Throughout history, individuals have gone to great lengths, often resorting to violence, for the chance to bestow such a gift upon their offspring.” The entity paused, ensuring its words resonated with the audience.
“Additionally, this fruit offers a secondary boon. It compresses one's Ether, albeit slightly, enhancing its potency. This makes it a valuable asset for cultivators at any stage, though it does demand a marginally higher expenditure of resources.”
The revelation hung heavily in the air, its full implications eluding the grasp of the attendees. While their understanding of the auctioneer's words was limited by their own knowledge, each person present intuitively sensed the immense power of the Fruit of Ascension. A collective desire, a palpable need for possession, rippled through the room.
With a dramatic flourish, the auctioneer continued, its voice rising in theatrical exasperation. “And so, it shall be pilfered from me today, in what can only be described as an act of cosmic larceny! Were we to quantify its value in your mundane currencies—considering the vast expanse of star systems and empires, nay, entire universes whose data I have been privy to thanks to the system—it would amount to a veritable fortune. We're talking about an astronomical sum, roughly equivalent to half of all the wealth that exists in your known universe! A mere starting point, mind you, for the novelty of this transaction. After all, items of such transcendent value are usually beyond the petty confines of currency, often bartered in deals of monumental significance.”
The room erupted in a cacophony of reactions. Murmurs of disbelief mingled with gasps of astonishment as the attendees grappled with the scale of what was being presented. Milly found herself caught in the wave of excitement, her mind reeling from the auctioneer's vivid portrayal of the situation. The notion of the Fruit of Ascension being equivalent to half the universe's wealth, and the casual mention of other civilizations, instilled a sense of wonder and incredulity.
Milly's thoughts momentarily drifted away from the auction. She had always resigned herself to the belief that space travel, the exploration of distant galaxies, was a fantasy far beyond her lifetime. Yet, at this moment, surrounded by the tangible reality of otherworldly powers, it all suddenly seemed within reach. This realization kindled a desire within her, far surpassing her initial fascination with the treasures and promises of immortality that the system had dangled before them.
Meanwhile, the auctioneer, a master of spectacle, allowed the murmurs and whispers to swell throughout the now vastly expanded auction house. “And now, for the pièce de résistance of this tutorial auction! As all of you are, quite frankly, economically destitute by universal standards, you shall be afforded a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity—a blood-spitting discount on items that would otherwise be galaxies beyond your reach!” It gestured dramatically, materializing a small open box filled with vials in its hand.
“Behold, Recovery Pills! For a mere 10 Survivor Points, you can bid on a box of 12! An absolute steal considering outside this auction, a single pill costs the same amount. In the wider universe, such quality would cost you an arm and a leg – and that's not merely an expression.”