Exactly on the hour, the auction begins, a short, thin young man with white cat ears and tail smiles innocently at the gathered group. Something about the young man’s adorable looks that are like an innocent child’s touches the hearts of all of the female members of the audience. “Hello everyone, I’m your auction host, Benjamin Button. Please take care of me,” Benjamin said as he bowed to the crowd. The female members let out a chorus of Aw’s at the calculated gesture.

Thomas, who is watching the scene snickers under his breath. Benjamin Button is half Neko-cat and half goblin. And as such, Benjamin was great with numbers. In fact, he was so good, he could make money out of nothing. The perfect con man in other words and which was the exact reason he had been selected for his current position to raise the price as much as possible for the auction hall.

“Mr. Vladimir, I believe Mrs. Fauna is looking for you,” a bone-chilling voice said in Thomas’s ear. Thomas resists the urge to flinch as he slowly turns around with dread and spots Miss Reed, his boss.

Thomas swallows and hastily apologizes, “I was just on my way, Miss Reed,” before running away for his life.

Izo blinks in surprise and hides a smile at the funny reaction of Thomas. Shaking her head, Izo leans against the wall to watch the show begin.

Benjamin ear’s twitch in excitement as he says, “Thank you, everyone, for coming. Now, let’s have our first item brought out!”

A young woman in a ruby evening gown emerges holding out a simple club in her hands. Benjamin Button says, “Ladies and gentlemen, unlike most Auction Houses, we always present will start an auction with one of our best items first.” Some of the members of the audience let out breaths they were holding at recognizing the power level of the item. Others gape and others eagerly lean forward in impatience.

“Allow me to present, Grendel’s Bludgeon an Epic level item,” Benjamin Button said and paused for the expected gasps to fill the air, before continuing, “The stats are as follow: Strength S-Class Level, Dexterity A-Class Level, and Resistance A-Class Level.” Some of the seated members begin to salivate at the item’s description, mostly the guild representatives in the audience.

“The skills are as follow, a single passive skill called Blood Thirst, that paralyzes the weak and stuns the strong. And an active skill, Mana Nullification, all magic spells including magic attacks only have a 13% damaging effect on the user. And that all attacks using said item, will have a 50% chance of being critical hits,” Benjamin Button slowly said causing some to lose the patience and others to swallow at the last skill.

“We will begin the starting bid at 1 million dollars,” Benjamin Button boldly declared.

Immediately a man holds up his bidding number #10 and says, “10 million.”

“10 million,” Benjamin said, before being interrupted.

“50 million,” a woman shirked.

The number kept rising until finally, a guild representative shouted, “250 million.”

Izo pointedly glances at Benjamin Button who says, “Going once, twice, sold to the Guild for 250 million dollars. All items will be delivered or available for pick up after the auction.” Despite the item not even selling at half of its overall value, Izo was pleased. She wanted the guild to owe her a favor and know it.

The young woman walks off the stage as a pretty nymph walks on stage holding a magical staff in her hands. The crowd excitedly waits for Benjamin Button to describe the item for auction. “A rare moonlight staff made by the Elves of Kilmore,” Benjamin Button stated causing the crowd to gasp. The Elves of Kilmore were a legend among Elves as an ancient power who had vanished without a trace. All that was left of the once mighty civilization were their ancient powerful relics.

Izo hides her dark smile. She had to pay through the nose to get Orion and his sister, Titania to appear at the auction house. Now she would finally be able to get some of that money back.

“The stats are as follow Magic Power A-Class Level and Vitality B-Class Level. Skills are: one single passive skill, Nocturnal, all magic power is boosted by 10% during night time and during full moons, there is an added 20% added a magical critical attack. The active skill is, Lunar Barrage, all mana attacks have 5% added magic attack with allies receiving up to 10% added magic attacking power,” Benjamin Button carefully said causing the crowd to be in an impatient frenzy.

“Now, let us begin the bid at 1 million,” Benjamin Button said. The screams of bids come in despite the item being of less rarity value than Grendel’s Bludgeon. Items of Kilmore were often rare, but even rarer were items that boosted magic power to that degree.

A woman’s bidding vote from the VIP lounge silences everyone, “500 million dollars.”

The room is silent as Benjamin Button gleefully says, “Sold to the VIP in the lounge!”

Izo quietly cackles to herself imaging the pale stricken face of Orion. But what could he do? Titania specialized in the magic of the shadows and this would be the perfect staff for her. Cheerfully smiling to herself, Izo makes her way down the rows towards the middle seats.

Benjamin Button announces the next item, “A rare crossbow made by the Centaurs of Ixion.” Once more gasps fill the auction hall as he continues, “Dexterity A-Class Level and Luck B-Class Level. Skills are as follow: a passive skill, Spiral, all arrows have an added 7% more accuracy. And active skill, Venom, there is a 5% poison effect that can stack up to dealing 30% damage.”

The bids once more start pouring in at not just finding a rare crossbow item with added luck stats but an item that can stack bonus damage attacks. The bids fill the air as Izo takes a seat next to Mr. Moore.

Mr. Moore nods and says, “Touche, Miss Reed, it would appear you have won this round.”

“No, I’ve won the war, Mr. Moore. How long, do you think you will be able to hold onto your bases? I can assure you, I know more people than you would think and just as powerful as those that are here today. So, what shall you do?” Izo asked.

Mr. Moore sighs and says, “It would appear it’s our loss. In that case, what would you have us do?” The other three associates frown uneasily at Mr. Moore’s words.

“I have no interest in joining your organization, but I am also aware, that if I let you go like this, there will come a day when you will stab me in the back. That is exactly what people like you do,” Izo flatly stated.

“Also, true,” Mr. Moore calmly stated.

“In that case allow me to make a different kind of proposal,” Izo replied.

“Oh? Please go on, Miss Reed,” Mr. Moore murmured.

Izo pauses as Benjamin Button declares the item sold and moves on to the next item for sale. “I wish to enter into a partnership with your group regarding your information system. I wish to purchase and control information. And in exchange, I will allow for the high-level healing and beauty potions to be sold at your auction houses for a percentage of the profit of course,” Izo proposed.

Mr. Moore ponders the proposal and asks, “It’s not a bad offer, but I am not entirely convinced. What do you gain out of such a partnership?”

“Plausible deniability,” Izo matter-of-factly answered.

Mr. Moore chuckles at the firm reply. “It would appear that you are a girl after my own heart, Miss Reed,” Mr. Moore replied. “Very well, you have yourself a deal. I suppose I should have my lawyer get in contact with yours to sign the papers?”

“Let me guess, your lawyer is Mr. White?” Izo drily asked.

“That is indeed correct, Miss Reed,” Mr. Moore said.

Izo nods and climbs to her feet, when Mr. Moore asks, “Miss Reed, are any of the auction items to still be auctioned increase the vitality of a man?” His three-associated choke at the question being asked.

Izo eyes Mr. Moore and carefully replies, “There is one item called, Grendel’s Loincloth. But I wouldn’t recommend it given its origins. Why?”

“I’m thinking of gifting it to my son-in-law for his birthday, what do you think?” Mr. Moore asked.

A lazy grin appears on Izo’s face and says, “I think it will be a fitting present.”

“I think so too,” Mr. Moore said with a great deal of satisfaction, before turning back to auction. Izo nods her three other new partners, before walking up the rows.

“I think that was a bad move,” Mr. Smith commented into Izo’s ear.

“Yes, well, I didn’t want to go to war over something like this. Besides, isn’t it better to keep your enemies close?” Izo murmured back.

“Yes, but not when dealing with snakes. But don’t worry Miss Reed, I shall keep them in line,” Mr. Smith confidently said, before going off line.

Izo warily nods at that comment. Given Mr. Smith’s previous profession, that would come as no surprise to her. Especially dealing with said gangsters wouldn’t be a scary threat to a former villain’s henchmen like Mr. Smith, because to be truthful Mr. Smith, was far scarier than any gangster. Which made Izo wonder, just how Thomas came to know him, since Thomas was the one who recommended Mr. Smith in the first place. Not that she was complaining, but villains aren’t usually at the top of one’s mind as potential candidates to fulfill security voids.

Izo waves at Sarah and Valentine who have claimed a table for Izo, Dolores, and a rather nervous Berry. Izo grins and rushes towards her friends. It was going to be a good day after all.