Chapter 361

Chapter 361

The platinum doors close behind me, and I look up at the skyscrapers towering over the outer city.

These are the tall buildings visible from a distance, but it was hard to tell whether they were in this district or one deeper when I was in the golden walls.

As I take a step forward onto the single moving walkway that begins to give me a tour around the city, I take in the view.

Blue text boxes automatically pop up from my wristband, naming each tall building that passes. The buildings are mostly business centers and privately owned real estate. There are options to set up appointments on some, and others just display the name of the company that owns them, and I can see personalized guards outside each one.

My stomach drops when I turn my first corner and see two guards in black armor standing in front of a skyscraper easily 40 stories tall.

The guards look just like the black knights in the arena that told me not to continue to the 8th stage. This is the Royal Guard... I can't read any of their stats; they all have that appraisal-blocking armor on.

I slowly move past on the moving sidewalk, and the guards don't even bother to turn their heads my way, so I decide not to overthink it too much.

As more privately owned buildings pass, it becomes more common to see anywhere from 2 to 8 Royal Guards standing outside each one, depending on how many entrances there are and how extravagant they are, more guards stand on duty.

Half of the buildings have silver knights that seem to be private security, and others just have businessmen out front, but upon closer inspection, the casually dressed hunters are of high levels. Mostly between level 350 and 450. It's possible anyone higher would be hired by the city, but that is only a theory.

The further I travel around the slow-moving circle of the city, the more I get an understanding of the way things work.

Before I know it, a building that looks unlike any other in this district comes into view. It has white marble pillars and a long staircase up to its front entrance. No more than 5 stories high, but in a wide concert hall-like shape that takes up the full corner of the block.

I can see a few people walking up the steps and others loitering around at the top near the entrance. This is the first time I've seen anyone other than the guards in this district at all today. Out of curiosity, I wait for the moving stairway to bring me near and step off to make my way closer to the stairs.

The moment I place a foot onto the first step, a ton of blue text boxes pop up from my wristband.L1tLagoon witnessed the first publication of this chapter on Ñøv€l--B1n.

[Welcome to the Valor City Auction House!]

[The Morning Auction will begin in 1 hour and 31 minutes.]

[Would you like to reserve a seat?][YES][NO]

[The Mid Day Auction will begin in 4 hours and 31 minutes.]

[Would you like to reserve a seat?][YES][NO]

[The Night Time Auction will begin in 10 hours and 31 minutes.]

[Would you like to reserve a seat?][YES][NO]

"I come in peace. I was the other fighter that made it to stage 7, just like Monk."

There's no response from either of the young men that stand right inside the entrance.

I think about taking another step forward, but it's clear they have no intent to engage with me and also don't wish to cause a problem. I'm the one making a commotion here.

I let out a sigh after attempting to scan them and the structure 5 more times but fail to get any different results.

No readings come back at all... I decide to turn around and leave.

"Well, I'll be heading off now, I guess. The reason I came is to ask your top fighter how he does that soul energy trick. I'd be happy to show him how mine works as well."

With a shrug, I leave and step back onto the moving walkway.

The moment the black pyramid gets out of my line of sight, the two figures that stood guard at the open door entrance turn around as well and walk back into the darkness.

I stand in silence trying to wrap my mind around all the oddities that I've encountered recently as the sidewalk brings me to one of the roads that leads to the Royal Coin's Gate.

I hop off and start walking toward the enormous shadowy wall in the distance.

My perception skills are on full blast, scanning everything in sight, even the shimmering black wall that approaches falls under the gaze of my all-seeing eye.

It gives off an odd energy signature similar to the Armor of the 4 Black Knights that stand in front of the gate.

All of their status windows pop up in my mind's eye, but are still scrambled by whatever powerful enchantment these armor sets have.

I raise my wristband, and one of the knights takes a step forward to scan it with a tablet.

A small red light reflects in the shine of its armor, then it takes a step back and doesn't say a word.

I gulp, thinking to myself if maybe that guard at the golden gates made a mistake with his math and the royal coin is really 100 platinum, or if there's another reason this isn't going as smoothly as I thought it would...

"Is there any reason I'm not allowed in?"

There's no response from the guards. On both sides of the black gate, 2 of them stand with silent professional stances.

I wait a few seconds before asking again, looking down at my platinum wristband, then back up at the guards.

"Do I not have enough money? Are there some other requirements I haven't met?"

Still, not a single guard bats an eye. They all stare straight forward and pay me no mind as if I'm not even here.