The host had barely finished speaking when a tall, broad-shouldered man sprang up from his seat and shouted at the top of his lungs:
"It enhances physical strength!"
The auctioneer immediately brought the gavel down.
"Correct! Congratulations, sir! Bring him the one-million-berry reward!"
A smiling attendant stepped forward carrying a tray. One million berries wasn't a fortune, but free money is free money — and everyone loves free money.
"Damn it, he beat us to it!"
"Lucky bastard!"
The big man took the money with a grin, basking in the envious stares around him.
The host grinned and raised his voice.
"Since someone has already guessed the effect of the Holy Light Shell, I won't keep you in suspense any longer!"
"Yes — the Holy Light Shell strengthens the body! Once bathed in the Holy Light stored within the shell, your body is empowered with incredible strength. Even a scrawny man can instantly gain the might of a powerhouse!"
He winked.
"Whether in battle… or in the bedroom… it works wonders!"
Karl's expression twitched.
…Seriously? You figured that out too?
At that line, the nobles' eyes lit up. Originally, many of them had dismissed the item as something only brutish fighters would want — but now? Their breathing quickened.
If your body gets stronger… wouldn't you… ahem… last longer too?
Many nobles immediately sat forward, ready to throw money at the shells.
"Up for auction now: ten Holy Light Shells, starting at five million berries!"
"Six million!"
"Six and a half!"
"Eight million!"
"Ten million!"
Bidding exploded. The price climbed rapidly — eventually closing at 13.5 million berries for the batch of ten, won by a middle-aged noble.
In the VIP room, Monkey D. Dragon inhaled sharply. He had expected profits, but not this much. Production cost per shell was only about 500,000 berries — and they were selling at over 1.3 million each.
"Whew… Karl, maybe we should raise the price a little more? We didn't even do anything, and yet…"
Karl waved a hand.
"Dragon, I already told you — how much they sell for depends on your ability. Right now, the hype is high. Once the craze settles, prices will naturally drop."
"The Holy Light Shells are meant to move in volume. The real money maker… is the Holy Healing Shell."
Dragon considered that and nodded. Living lean for so long made it hard to think like Karl — but he'd adjust.
On stage, the host continued.
"If you missed out on the Holy Light Shells, don't worry! We still have eight more batches. We'll auction one after each item tonight!"
The hall buzzed with excitement.
As the auction progressed, the remaining eight batches of Holy Light Shells sold for:
13 million12 million11 million9.5 million8 million10 million12.5 million15.5 million berries
Total revenue: about 150 million berries.
Dragon wasn't excited about the money itself — but about the reputation the product had gained. From here on, these shells would sell anywhere.
The Holy Healing Shell
The host's tone shifted.
"Now then! The Holy Light Shells have all been auctioned… but we have something even rarer — the Holy Healing Shell!"
The red cloth was lifted. At first glance, the item looked almost identical to the Holy Light Shell, but when the lights dimmed, the difference became clear.
The Holy Light Shell emitted a gentle golden glow.
The Holy Healing Shell emitted pure white light — clean and luminous.
"Because the Holy Healing Shell is extremely rare and precious, we cannot afford to demonstrate it casually. So allow me to explain."
"The Holy Healing Shell possesses healing properties — as powerful as the Holy Light Shell's strengthening ability. In life-or-death situations, it can be a literal lifesaver!"
"The starting bid… is five million berries — each!"
"Five million? That's ten times more than the Holy Light Shell!"
"Is the healing effect really that good?"
Murmurs rippled through the audience.
Seeing the hesitation, the host glanced toward the boss. After receiving a nod, he gritted his teeth — then drew a large cleaver and slashed down on his own arm.
"AAAAAARGH!!!"
Blood sprayed across the stage. Gasps erupted, and several women screamed in shock.
Sweat poured down the host's pale face, but he forced himself to continue:
"As you can see… my arm has been severed… Now… behold!"
He pressed the button on the Holy Healing Shell.
White light poured out and wrapped around his arm. He quickly pressed the severed limb back into place.
The light gathered at the wound. Within about a minute, the bleeding stopped. His complexion improved. Before everyone's eyes, the host lifted his reattached arm high.
"Ladies and gentlemen — this is the power of the Holy Healing Shell!"
The crowd erupted.
"Incredible! Healed in moments!"
"This… this is unbelievable!"
"With this, doctors might be out of work!"
The pirates in the crowd leaned forward, eyes gleaming.
This was a treasure worth fighting for.
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