Kang Min adjusted the T1 Drone, bringing the camera focus back to his masked face.
[LIVE STREAM CHAT]
@User_99: WTF WAS THAT?! The screen went yellow for ten minutes!!
@TowerGossip: A Private Auction... only High-Rankers get those. Singularity, what did you see?!
@WhaleWatcher: DID YOU SELL THE SHIELD? How many coins?!
@NoobClimber: Is he even human? He looks so calm... I'd be pissing myself if a Constellation pulled me into a private room.
"Calm down, everyone."
Min said, his voice smooth, devoid of the tremors that were currently racking his soul.
He waved a dismissive hand toward the screen.
"It was just a standard high-tier negotiation.
The Constellation [Artisan of Stellar Anvils] had a sentimental attachment to the Shield.
We reached an agreement.
Nothing out of the ordinary."
He adjusted his mask.
"Sorry for the delay...Let's get back to business.
I have a few more pieces of gear to offload before we call it a day."
[LIVE STREAM CHAT]
@tha_bee:Look at that poker face...the man just had a private audience with a Constellation and he's acting like nothing happened...MY GOAT!
@Salt_Lord: Check the inventory. The Lion Shield is gone. He definitely traded it. Wonder what he got?
@TowerGossip: Probably a blessing or a rare skill.
@NoobClimber: Sell the cool stuff! I only have 5,000 coins but I want to feel involved!
Min tapped the holographic pedestal, and a swirling dark mist began to form around a piece of fabric.
"Item Number Three."
Min announced.
"For the agile types who don't like being heard."
『ITEM SCANNED: [CLOAK OF THE SHADOW-STEP]』
『GRADE: B+ (SUPERIOR)』
「Effect: +10 Agility. Reduces sound generated by footsteps by 80%.」
"Starting bid: 10,000 coins," Min said. "Increments of 1,000."
The chat erupted.
@Assassin_In_Debt: 『11,000! I need this for the Floor 4 stealth trial!』
@Silent_But_Deadly: 『15,000! My current boots squeak like a dying duck.』
@WhaleWatcher: 『25,000. Stop playing, toddlers.』
@Salt_Lord: 『25k for a B-rank? Overpriced. You could get a C-rank cloak for 5k and just walk on your toes.』
@tha_bee: 『@Salt_Lord Shut up and watch greatness. 30,000 coins!』
Min watched the numbers climb with a detached interest.
"30,000 going once... 30,000 going twice..."
@WhaleWatcher: 『38,000.』
"Sold to WhaleWatcher for 38,000 coinsm"
Min muttered, hitting the 'Confirm' button.
The cloak was covered by a blue light before dissapearing from the pedestal.
Next, he pulled out a pair of shimmering, translucent bracelets that looked like they were carved from moving water.
"This is the highlight of the public auction,"
Min said, his voice taking on a slightly more serious tone.
"The [Bracelets of the Unyielding Tide]."
『ITEM: [BRACELETS OF THE UNYIELDING TIDE]』
『GRADE: A+ (EPIC)』
「Effect: +25% Mana Regen. Active: [Flow State] — Reduce all cooldowns by 50% for 30 seconds.」
The chat froze for a literal second before the text-speed exceeded the human eye's ability to read.
@Mage_Main_22: 『A+ RANK?! ON THE FIRST FLOOR?!』
@Cooldown_Junkie: 『50% REDUCTION?! I could spam Fireball like a machine gun!』
@Healer_Simp: 『Mana regen... I would never have to drink those disgusting blue potions again. 50,000 COINS!』
@Big_Guild_Scout: 『65,000. Don't even try, randoms. This belongs to a professional team.』
Min leaned his chin on his hand.
This was the one.
He knew the value of mana-related gear.
It was the backbone of any serious party.
"65,000 from the Scout."
"Anyone else? The [Flow State] skill is rare even on the newly conquered 20th floor."
@WhaleWatcher: 『80,000.』
@tha_bee: 『85,000! I don't even use mana, I just want it for my collection!』
@Big_Guild_Scout: 『90,000. Player Singularity, consider this a gesture of goodwill from the White Stars.』
@TowerGossip: 『White Stars are moving in! Look at the price! 90k! That's a year's salary for a mid-tier worker!』
@NoobClimber: 『I have 12 coins. Can I bid my 12 coins?』
Min saw the bid hit 95,000 from a private bidder.
He waited.
He didn't want to break the 100k ceiling for a single item yet...inflation was a bitch.
"95,000 going once."
"95,000 going twice..."
@WhaleWatcher: 『100,000. Final offer.』
"Sold. 100,000 coins to WhaleWatcher."
Min declared, closing the window.
『SYSTEM: TOTAL AUCTION REVENUE (PUBLIC): 138,000 COINS.』
『SYSTEM: TOTAL REVENUE FROM PRIVATE AUCTION STILL TO BE CALCULATED.』
Min let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.
He had achieved his goal.
In the midst of all this his mind was spinning in the opposite direction of his words.
[Changing God]...
The name repeated itself in his head.
'Come to think of it...I'm finally understanding that these Constellations are just the gods from the Old World...
...well at least most of them.
There's still so much I don't know to the full extent.
To add on....when they mentioned [The Changing god]...they were filled with a mix of fear and annoyance.'
'Are they the ones who had me fall into this current era?'
If a Star had plucked him from the moment of his death on Floor 666 and dropped him back at the start... why?
'And what about the others?
... all those climbers from the Old World who died.
If its possible..then could—'
"Excuse me."
Min looked up.
A man in a tailored charcoal suit and a woman in a high-collared white blouse.
Officials from the Iron Aegis Guild.
Specifically, the duo that had been caught on camera a few days ago trying to intimidate Park Woonhee.
Of course with such an interaction at rhe Healing Soup Joint...someone recorded and it went partially viral.
"Manager Oh..."
Min said, leaning back.
"I'm in the middle of a stream.
Do you have a bid, or are you just here for the air conditioning?"
The man, Manager Oh, offered a smile that didn't reach his cold, predatory eyes.
"We've been watching your performance, Player Singularity.
It's... impressive ...Truly.
Iron Aegis is always looking for talents like yourself."
The woman stepped forward, her heels clicking sharply.
"We're here to offer you a future.
The
Iron Aegis Lower Division has a vacancy for a 'High-Potential' lead.
We'll provide the gear, expenses and the protection of the Aegis.
You wouldn't have to worry about any other matters streaming included...we provide a personal crew as well...
...we handle the logistics.
You just climb."
[LIVE STREAM CHAT]
@FanGirl_X: IRON AEGIS?! They're actually scouting him live!
@Pro_Hater: Don't do it, Singularity! They're leeches!
@MoneyMaker: Lower Division? That's an insult...he's pulling thousand-coin trades and they want him in the farm leagues?
"Stay away from him!"
A blur of movement crashed into the side of the booth.
Park Woonhee pushed her way past the partition, her face flushed with anger.
She looked at the Iron Aegis officials with pure venom.
"I told you people to stop harassing my... my partners!"
Woonhee snapped, stepping in front of Min as if she could shield him with her smaller frame.
"I warned you at the Joint, and I'm warning you now!"
She turned to Min, her voice dropping but still frantic.
"... they're famous for it.
They find solo players with unique skills, sign them to Lower Division contracts with massive exit fees, and then they use them like avatars.
They'll drain you to buff their S-rankers and dispose of you the second your ratings drops.
I've been trying to get a hold of you to tell you this, but you've been so busy..."
Manager Oh sighed, looking at Woonhee as if she were a buzzing gnat.
"Miss Park, your personal grievances with our recruitment tactics are irrelevant.
We are offering a professional career path."
Min watched the interaction with a curious detachment.
He stood up and placed a hand on her shoulder.
The heat from his touch seemed to ground her, and she went quiet, looking at him with wide, worried eyes.
He turned to Manager Oh and held out his hand.
Manager Oh's smile widened.
He pulled out a sleek, obsidian-black card with the gold-embossed logo of the Iron Aegis.
"A wise choice.
You won't regret being a part of the Iron Aegis."
[LIVE STREAM CHAT]
@User_77: HE TOOK THE CARD! IT'S OVER!
@SadClimber: Another legend lost to the corporate machine ...RIP Singularity >_<
Min held the black card between his pointer and middle finger.
He looked at it for a moment, the gold embossing catching the light.
Then, with a flick of his wrist that was too fast for the human eye to follow, his fingers moved.
-Snap.
Suddenly, the single black card wasn't alone.
Like a magician revealing a hidden hand, five more cards fanned out, overlapping each other between his fingers.
A white card with a crystalline star logo...
A blue card with a deep azure dragon...
A crimson card...
A sleek silver card...
The Iron Aegis officials froze.
Their smug expressions shattered into masks of confusion and growing fury.
"Iron Aegis isn't the only one who knows how to use the mail system."
Min said, his voice carrying a teasing edge.
"Manager Oh, Special Agent Kim... I appreciate the offer.
But your 'Lower Division' is a bit crowded, don't you think?"
[LIVE STREAM CHAT]
@WHAT_THE_HELL: LOOK AT THE CARDS!!!
@RichKid: (Donates 1,000 Coins) HAHAHA! I KNEW IT! He's playing the whole field! Blue Dragon?! White Stars?! HE HAS THE WHOLE TOP 5 IN HIS HAND!
@TowerGod: THE DISRESPECT! He held the Aegis card just to show them he had the others! LMAO!
The two officials stood paralyzed.
They were among the most feared recruiters in the Seoul sector, yet they were being clowned on live television.
"You..."
Manager Oh started, his face turning a dark shade of purple.
"You're playing a dangerous game, Singularity.
You think you can pit the Big Three against each other?
You're a Floor 1 rookie.
You're nothing without a guild."
"I never said I wasn't joining a guild."
Min said, his eyes shifting to the T1 Drone camera.
He knew the Guild Masters were watching.
"I will make my decision on which guild to join. But not at the moment."
He tucked all the cards including the Iron Aegis one into his pocket.
"The Tower is currently focusing on the 11th Floor Ruins."
"There's a 'Global Coalition' being formed to handle the disaster that Blue Dragon couldn't.
I'll make my announcement only after that expedition is concluded."
He leaned forward, his mask inches from the lens.
"Because if your 'Elite Teams' can't even clear a simple set of ruins... then none of your guilds are worth my time."
---
In a high-end private lounge located in the posh 「Upper Sector」 of the city.
G-Dragonfly was losing his mind.
He let out a sharp, barking laugh that caused his junior scouts to jump in their seats.
"Hahahaha!
Did you see that?
Did you actually see that?!"
G-Dragonfly slapped his knee, pointing a shaking finger at the massive wall-sized monitor.
On the screen, the frozen frame of Singularity holding the five guild cards fanned out like a royal flush was displayed in 4K resolution.
"I'm starting to love this guy!"
G-Dragonfly chuckled, leaning back into his plush velvet chair and taking a long, appreciative sip of an neon-blue energy drink.
"But man... what a dude.
He's got that crazy thinking, exactly like I initially thought.
Most rookies would have fainted the moment an Iron Aegis black card touched their hand..."
He leaned forward, his eyes gleaming with the professional hunger of a master scout.
"He knows how to properly stir up interest and ratings."
"He rejected them and created a narrative of 'The Unattainable Prodigy' that most viewers love to see.
Now, every guild on that list is going to double their offer by tomorrow morning just to prove they're the 'worthiest' choice."
He shook his head, a look of genuine envy crossing his face.
"He's a once-in-a-lifetime genius when it comes to streaming."