[Mana Circulation successfully completed, individual {Kiera Ashborn} advanced from {Normal Apprentice Magician} to {Copper Apprentice Magician. +50 for all battle stats.]
[Excess EXP from previously defeated foe calculated…]
[Calculation process completed, bestowing excess EXP.]
[Level up! Copper Apprentice Magician Lv.2, +5 for all battle stats.]
[Level up! Copper Apprentice Magician Lv.3, +5 for all battle stats.]
“Open Status Window.”
[Name: Kiera Ashborn
Race: Human (Dimension Crosser)
Gender: Female
Age: 0 (physical age: 10)
Magician Rank: Copper Apprentice Magician Lv.3
Attribute: Tyrannical Lightning
Titles: Voidborne (command ‘Voidborne’ to show details)
General Stats:
Health: 32,604/32,604
Stamina: 32,868/32,868
Mana: 32,604/32,604
Battle Stats:
Strength: 247
Dexterity: 248
Agility: 249
Wisdom: 247
Skills:
Active:
General-
{Identify Lv.1}
Attribute Skills-
{Tyrant Regeneration Lv.13} {Eye of the Tyrant Lv.4} {Eruption Lv.5} {Destruction Lv.9} {Flashburst Lv.5} {Vanishing Step Lv.12}
Passive:
General-
{Crafting Lv.1} {Lightning Resistance Lv.4} {Physical Resistance Lv.9} {Pain Resistance Lv.11} {Heat Resistance Lv.6}
Attribute Skills-
{Tyrannical Lightning Body Lv.6} {Way of the Tyrant Lv.6}]
“I already reached the 200s in my stats… Certainly an explosive leap.” Kiera said with a pleased smile on her face, gaining power was something she came to like very much. There was an indescribable joy in progressing through the levels and feeling herself acquiring strength.
She also felt her mana was different than before, a more profound sensation exuding from it. While her manipulation of it was also far more fluid.
But she also wanted to know her limits, as stupid arrogance could kill her like the recent battle she underwent, she almost became leopard feces in that one. “Guide, where the limit of my strength lies?”
[Individual {Kiera Ashborn} current uppermost combat power lies in ranks of Silver Apprentice Magician Lv.10]
“Deactivate the Guide,” Kiera commanded with a frown, “even with all the skill advancements? It seems Mana Circulation advances one’s strength by a lot, and the difference grows as the rank grows…”
“Then again, it was an exhilarating fight; I’d say the least and a most rewarding one.” Kiera mumbled with a strange smile, “though this fucker was certainly hard to kill.”
She made a new dress out of the leopard’s fur, replacing the melted scaly dress, and went on her way, choosing one last target before her current expedition ends.
She stopped behind a huge Lv.60 Blood Ape hundreds of meters away from the battlefield, using Flashburst destroy its internals with merely ten strikes.
[Tier 1 Lv.60 Blood Ape defeated, EXP received.]
[You defeated an enemy 27 levels above you, bonus EXP received.]
[Level up! Copper Apprentice Magician Lv.4, +5 for all battle stats.]
[Level up! Copper Apprentice Magician Lv.5, +5 for all battle stats.]
“Only two levels?” Kiera raised her eyebrow, unimpressed by such ‘little’ progress, beyond that level and she’d have to be prepared to face another Mana Beast equal to her.
Unfortunately, the mental fatigue from the previous battle made her nauseous when she considered looking for another such opponent, she may enjoy battling, but there was a limit to how much she was willing to be in death’s door.
She cleaned herself in a nearby water source and adorned her cloak, returning to the city. She asked a patrol guard where she could find the Blue Rose Auction House and was directed to a skyscraper in the center of the commercial district, its height about 200 meters with a blue rose drawn on its entire front.
She entered the building, involuntarily whistling at the grand sight that welcomed her gaze. A massive icy-blue hall decorated with huge stuffed Mana Beasts and dazzling gems displayed in enormous glass cabinets.
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She was about to walk to a nearby reception table, only to be stopped by two armored men as soon as she came in. “There are no auctions scheduled for today; please turn back.”
Kiera stayed firmly in her place and said, “I’m not here to buy; I’m here to sell weapons. Extremely rare ones.” After she stated her business, she showed them the wooden suitcase.
“We will hand it over to appraisal, but we won’t guarantee your product’s acceptance.” one of the guards said in a monotonous tone and took the suitcase in his hands.
Kiera waited by the entrance for over ten minutes, the second guard's eyes glued on her as if he was ready to kick her out at the slight movement. Suddenly, the other guard returned, speaking to Kiera with a respectful tone, "come with me, Young Miss, the branch manager wants to meet you."
Kiera casually followed, already expecting the change in treatment. Led to the 40th floor, Kiera was surprised to see it was only a small hallway, a single door adorned by a blue rose pattern at its end.
The guard knocked on the door before excusing himself with a slight bow.
"Do enter," Kiera heard a feminine, charming voice coming from beyond it. She saw a young woman, seemingly in her early twenties, sitting in a large aristocratic chair. The woman had magnificent black hair that fell down to her waist, a mature body with perfect curves and a pair of bewitching black eyes.
She wore a black dress with slits that accentuated her long legs; an outfit Kiera deemed as ‘little revealing…’
Next to the woman, an old man was looking at Kiera’s armaments like a madman, veins bulging in his eyes. His concentration broke as he noticed Kiera’s figure entering the room, or rather the luxurious suite.
Kiera was surprised to see the unremarkable old man was even stronger than her, standing at the 13th level of the Silver Apprentice Rank. But the thing that made her alert the most was the fact she couldn’t get a read at the young woman’s strength.
[! (Human)]
“An exclamation mark… And the feeling of insurmountable gup, a True Magician?” Kiera ascertained, secretly astonished. “Well, from what I gathered, the Blue Rose Auction House is the biggest auction house on Darium. So I guess it isn’t exaggerated that a branch manager is so strong, even if it is a backwater nation.”
“I did not expect the seller of two Masterwork Grade Mana Armaments to be a little girl.” the woman suddenly spoke, her gentle, charming voice like a soothing melody. She lightly waved her palm before Kiera felt a harmless yet unstoppable gust of mana coming toward her, lifting her hood. “And such a lovely one at that…”
“Tell me, how did you come across artifacts even our Blue Rose Auction House rarely finds?” the woman continued, seemingly genuinely curious.
“A gift from my secluded teacher,” Kiera casually answered. “It is technically the truth.”
“Your teacher must be an unusual man, seeing he trained such a young Silver Apprentice Magician.” the woman said with respect and astonishment in her voice but did not delve further.
Kiera kept a poker face, but she was quite surprised in her heart. People misidentifying her actual level already happened before, but she did not attach great importance to the matter.
But now that someone who was much stronger than her still couldn’t read her correctly, it made her wonder. “Is it a hidden effect of my attribute? Hard to decide if it’s beneficial or not… On the one hand, hostiles will rethink about attacking, but on the other hand, it negates the element of surprise I can have.”
“Well then, it is time for business!” she said with a gentle clap of her hands. “My name is Bethany Dalier, the manager of this branch. We will be glad to help you sell these two Mana Armaments; however, this city does not have enough qualified buyers. We can ship these to the capital for the grand auction that occurs tomorrow. Are you interested, miss...?”
“Ashborn, Kiera Ashborn,” Kiera replied. “We will go as per your arrangement then.”
“Excellent! Then I will arrange a VIP room for you to watch the auction, in case you want to buy something, just tell the maid in the room. The auction starts at 10:00 AM local time tomorrow; I thank you for bringing us such a business opportunity!” Bethany said with a cheerful voice, flashing a stunningly beautiful smile.
Kiera tilted her head, unable to understand what the woman in front of her meant. “Watch the auction? What do you mean?”
“Oh, silly of me, you already mentioned a secluded powerhouse taught you.” Bethany laughed playfully, her swaying curves prompting Kiera to raise her eyebrows. “There is a rare ore in this world called Apparition Crystal, and it can be found only in places with strong presence of spatial storms. By using two crystals of matching frequency, you can watch real-time events that happen in a whole another place or region.”
“The wonders of magic…” Kiera sighed in her heart. She thought was already at a point nothing this world had should surprise her anymore, but she found herself appalled again and again. “Interesting, thank you for your explanation. Then I shall bid farewell.”
“Goodbye!” the mature woman immaturely waved, “I hope you’ll find your new riches satisfying!”
Kiera went to her room and slept for the first time ever since she reincarnated. The constant level ups assured she was never physically fatigued, so she never felt the need to sleep, but she slept anyway because she had no other way to pass the time.
Sleeping like a baby for more than fourteen hours, Kiera woke up two hours before the auction, grabbed some breakfast and went on a light tour of the city before going to the Blue Rose Auction House.
Her reserved VIP room was a suite on the 38th floor. It was as big as an apartment, decorated by high-quality carpets, a huge bed, a dining table and even a personal kitchen.
The wall across from the bed was covered by a massive white screen, what Kiera assumed was the Apparition Crystal Bethany told her about.
Finished checking out her room, Kiera turned her gaze to the young woman that stood silently next to the kitchen. She wore servant's clothes and looked no older than 18.
Seeing Kiera finally paid attention to her, the maid bowed, her beautiful blonde hair waving in the process.
"Greetings, Miss Ashborn. My name is Katherine, and I shall be of your service during this auction. Do not hesitate to state your needs!"
"Well then, Miss Katherine, please prepare me a dish with Giant Bull meat," Kiera said and put her cloak on a chair before she laid on the bed.
Katherine nodded and immediately went to the kitchen, slicing an enormous chunk of red meat she took out from a refrigerator-like device.
Kiera lay with her eyes closed for the remaining thirty minutes until the auction started. Disturbed by a sudden change of the light in her surroundings, Kiera opened her eyes, staring at wonder at the familiar yet foreign sight in front of her.
The massive white screen changed, showing rows of people sitting at what seemed like an opera hall. The light in the screened hall was dim, with only the stage being properly illuminated.
The view to the stage was from an upper position, making Kiera feel as if she sat in a private balcony seat, but she knew the auction itself was actually thousands of kilometers away.
Soon after, the presenter walked onto the stage. She was a young woman possessing a tall, curvy body with long, black hair. She wore a blue mini dress that accentuated the generous valley on her chest, a blue rose pattern on her right breast.
She playfully smiled and bowed deeply, her breasts giggling temptingly due to the wide movement, and said. “Hello, ladies and gentlemen, my name is Evelyn, and I’ll be the auction’s hostess this evening. I hope you all find an item you like and enjoy our Blue Rose Auction House’s hospitality!”
Her bright, cheerful voice echoed enticingly in Kiera’s suite, prompting her to knit her eyebrows. “No wonder this Blue Rose place is so popular; their presentation capabilities are very advanced. Those melons are no joke, and coupled with her extremely bold attitude; I doubt any man could resist going there, even if only to watch her. Even that Bethany cannot match when it comes to seduction...”
Evelyn waited for the cheers to subside before she opened her ripe lips again. “And without further ado, let this auction begin!”