After the scream - 900 million universes remaining

Members of Promise often knew little about what existed above their own rank. During the auctions, they could see badges around them with zero to nine stars. The first seven were arranged in a circle in the center of the badge, while the last two were engraved within the eyes of the salamander. Aside from the eternals working within the faction of a Monarch, the rest were not even aware of their existence. However, they had understood, thanks to the descriptions of the last auctioned artifacts, that there were two grades above them: Monarch and Unleashed. Already, some eternals had flames of overwhelming ambition in their eyes, a desire to reach the summit.

But if there was one common sentiment among this previously ignorant group of mortals and eternals, it was curiosity. Curious to know what powers these beings possessed, curious to know how to obtain them, but also curious to know what their badge might look like.

As if to answer their question, a figure had appeared on stage with an unknown badge. Unfortunately for them, this figure was neither a Monarch nor an Unleashed.

This figure was the Director. His ample, immaculate white garment masked his entire face, and jet-black gloves hid his hands.

After taking a few seconds to scan the assembly before him, he spoke:

"Hello everyone. First, I want to thank you for your participation in my humble series of auctions."

There was no emotion in his voice, so no one knew if he said these words out of pure politeness or genuine joy.

"Some already know, and others will have already guessed, but I am the Director of Promise. I will now present to you the final four artifacts of these auctions."

Surprisingly, for most of the people seated in the stands, it was the first time they had seen this person. However, they had already heard his voice twice. The first occasion was at the very beginning of the auctions, and the second during the sale of a certain artifact. The Singularity that had bought the precision rifle now understood why the voice could threaten it within Promise.

'Simply because that damned voice is the Director's.'

It was relieved not to have destroyed the artifact but shivered when remembering his words. It had no idea what his powers were, but it knew there must be a reason why he directed Promise.

While the Singularity pondered all this, the Director had already materialized the first artifact. In the palm of his glove appeared a small, incandescent white orb. This orb seemed to emit neither heat nor law, so it seemed to emit nothing but light.

These observations were shared by all except the Unleashed and the most powerful Monarchs, who gazed in awe at the small orb of light.

Several Monarchs spoke telepathically among themselves, including Zhang Shi, Gaël, and Asmond.

'Is it really what I think it is?' wondered Zhang Shi. He was by far the most shocked of all the Monarchs because he was by far the most powerful. And he knew very well that what had appeared before his eyes was impossible.

A Monarch's title.

Not the soul of a Monarch, but their title.

He might be the only one to understand the absurdity of the situation because he had become a Monarch himself.

He had felt that day that his title had been created before him, under his own eyes, and had bound to him irreversibly.

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He had become his title.

He had become the Monarch of Martial Arts.

Even if he died and his soul left his body, he could not separate from it without directly bequeathing it to someone. A title was not designed to exist without a Monarch to shelter it.

It just wasn't meant to.

His shock must have been visible because all the Monarchs had turned towards him.

'Except, of course, if one of these people is involved,' he thought, looking at the only beings he couldn't understand present in this room: the Unleashed.

Perhaps to corroborate his thoughts, the Director spoke again, his gaze on the object in the palm of his glove:

"Some of you have felt it, that feeling of nostalgia at the sight of this object. Nostalgia for a day when your existence changed for better or worse."

He was now looking at the assembly and the Monarchs above him.

"This is the title of the Monarch of Destruction. Ingest it and you will become the Monarch."

The world seemed to have suddenly gone silent.

Perhaps if the Director had not himself presented this "artifact," a commotion would have erupted.

But the fact is, the Director was presenting this object. Even the members of Promise who had seen him today for the first time could feel it:

'This man is not one to joke around.'

After giving them a few moments to recover from their emotions, the Director spoke again.

"Before we start the auction, I must explain a few points. The more your foundation and mastery of the laws of destruction are developed, the more prepared you will be for the beginning of your journey. I should specify for the Unleashed and Monarchs that you cannot ingest this title yourself because your own title will destroy it. Finally, this object does not come from my collection. It comes from an Unleashed's collection who will sell this title only if the buyer and their heir respect a simple condition: they will not use their powers against anyone whose name is not on the list of Promise. The auction will start in 5 minutes."

The following minutes were quite chaotic for mortals and eternals, all present members mobilizing all their funds for the upcoming auction. But they knew they would have little chance of winning the auction if the Monarchs started bidding.

Unfortunately for them, the majority of the Monarchs were in a frenzy, wanting to secure the title at all costs for a family member. Zhang Shi and Gaël were among the disinterested Monarchs. They had no close ones and therefore just observed the collective hysteria from a distance. They both had one question in mind:

'Which Unleashed?'

They could form all the hypotheses they wanted, but they severely lacked the information to answer.

The auction finally started after what seemed like an eternity.

It was won by a Monarch from the Voss Empire at the price of nearly all the Promis in the empire's treasury. Despite the price surpassing all previous auction sums, obtaining one more Monarch would allow the empire to expand its influence to new universes. What was the value of a few Promis against the wealth of several universes? The Monarchs had made a very long-term investment that would undoubtedly pay off.

Once the auction was over, everyone awaited the next artifact with anticipation.

Those who thought the next artifact couldn't surpass that of a Monarch title were gravely mistaken.

The Director materialized before him a vial that made the blood of all the Singularities boil.