- I'm not going to become someone else's slave! - the motorcyclist burst out on the words that they would sell us at the auction.

- We are not talking about slavery, - the guide objected softly.

- Idiot, - the feeble grimaced.

- What did you say?! - right there loomed over him a motorcyclist.

- Calm down. That's all, - the guide raised his hands and let out a light glow of maroon, - this auction is designed to help you sell your abilities. As you have already heard, it is simply impossible to go to the first world on your own. You will need teachers and patrons. Each of the "buyers" who came to the auction represents its own fraction, which is ready to offer quite good conditions for cooperation for joining promising newcomers. I'm not talking about your usual money, but about resources, attitude, even power.

- You want to say, - the girl thought, imperceptibly taking the metal guy's arm, - will they offer us different conditions to entice to their side?" That is, we can choose who to join?

- That's right, - the guide extinguished the glow of his hands, - but each faction has its own requirements for recruits. Will you be able to interest a really strong group or will you have to be content with less resources allocated by a weaker association? Representatives of the clans are expected to join their relatives, but the rest will have to interest the "buyers". In fact, you are selling your opportunities and talents. All this is in your hands. I hope you have carefully selected your abilities while meeting her in the world of reflection.

- Excuse me, but do not tell me how to get to the Library?

"Why are they looking at me like that? Did something wrong again? With my nine points, I just can't offer them anything except a mysterious face and hazy sayings. Even my whole bluff will fall apart if they only dig deeper. I don't know for whom they took me, but how can I portray the preservation of memory, not personality, if I am not at all in the subject?"

- Of course, - the feeble grimaced, - immediately decided to go to the fireplace room, right? For this, you need real bodies, but you probably have your own methods to solve this problem.

"Fireplace Hall? - Ink surprised himself. - Probably really worth going there."

- What is this fireplace room? - the girl pressed her body against the metal.

- A special place in the Library, - the golden-skinned explained. - There are fireplaces that spew out flames from time to time. It can be used for different purposes. Many alchemists need it to process individual materials. My family regularly holds lines to visit several fireplaces, but the biggest advantage of this fire is the ability to consolidate the changes in the body. The transition to the first world is called incarnation, because bodies are reborn in the crucible of chaos - the primordial energy. Only at this time all the abilities and amplifications of bodies are truly fixed. Of course, there is a risk of unforeseen changes, mutations. Passing baptism in the fire of the fireplace room allows you to make blood stronger and most importantly - stable. Those who have gone through this are much more valued in the following worlds. They develop faster and become stronger.

- Not only that, - added the feeble. - Do you think the struggle for resources and power, support from powerful groups will only be in the buffer? In those worlds she is even more intense. The big thirty clans and the small five are powerful, but this only applies to the buffer and the first world with which we have a connection. The second world and beyond... There are more powerful groups. For them, leaving their representatives here is like an insult. The fireplace room is their test. I don't even know what order the world belongs to those who created it. I only heard... it's inaccurate... they say that these are clans and unions, which are the peak forces of the seventh world. Any clan leader from a small circle in the buffer will gladly serve in such a place, because even so, the prospects will be simply huge.

- Do you really only need a real body? - the girl ignored the feeble and asked a metal question.

- Yes, the bodies of the reborn are actually illusory. They cannot be brought into the zero world, unless you reach a high level in the keenra. The flame does not help strengthen the blood, because in fact it does not exist for people like you. Fire just turns them to dust. The bodies are reborn, but there is no benefit from fire. For the real body there is a risk - you can lose it by becoming degenerated already in the buffer.

- The rest later, they have been waiting for us for a long time, - the guide interrupted the discussion. He turned to the Ink. - It is not necessary to refuse all fractions. The Library alone will not be able to give everything you need. It is more profitable to join a strong clan and visit the fireplace room. I am sure they will be able to offer such conditions that you will appreciate. Mining resources here is not so easy, especially degenerated.

- Thank you, but right now I'm only interested in the Library, - Ink declined.

- Good. Representatives of the Library appear at every auction. Usually, they take with them those who have failed to interest anyone. It is considered to be similar to the lowest in a food chain, - the guide stopped, showing a hand forward. - Gentlemen and ladies, let me introduce you to the auction.

The cylindrical building was not impressive. Somewhat larger than the others, three stories high, the roof dome seems almost flat. Only the front doors are noticeably larger than in ordinary houses.

"Probably, they conduct normal auctions there. Such large doors allow you to carry large goods ... Or do they make important cones on the palanquin?"

Ink was wondering how people live here. It does not seem that high technology is in honor. The city was some kind of antiquity in the tourist style. Everything is antique, but sanitation is on the level. Surrounding people look full and clean. There is no hint of backwardness.

Inside the auction building, Ink and the rest were waiting for a long narrow corridor, on the sides of which there were windows of built-in shops. Now they have been closed.

The passage led to a round hall, around which common benches rose in tiers. In the upper part, closed lodges stood out in separate blocks.

"Probably the most important customers are sitting there ... Not only today, but in a normal situation."

All the space for the auction participants was free except for a few shops. Those present could hardly be distinguished from each other. Only due to the fact that they were sitting in several separate groups, it was possible to distinguish between fractions.

- Now it's up to you, - the guide pointed to the central platform.

The beginners did not receive any clues as to their further actions; they began to look around and evaluate people on the benches. The first to act was the feeble. Having ascended to the platform, he announced his belonging to the Ralgo clan and asked which of those present was ready to deliver him to the family's possessions for a fee. A representative of one of the groups beckoned him, while others, having barely heard of the militant group, lost all interest in his person.

The next introduced an independent reborn. He said that he received four thousand points, on which he acquired fifteen abilities. He promised to open the details of their capabilities only to those who want to deal with him. He was simply beckoned by one of those present. Actually, there wasn't even any bidding.

"They, it seems, have already agreed on who will take whom and whom. It's just that it's impossible to knock them out of them. "

Further distribution passed as well, but when a girl sticking to a metal guy came out, the first change appeared.

- My name is Arsie Nocry, - Ink said that she was the first to name her ever. In addition, I was sure that she had changed him after rebirth. - I came into the world of reflection with a capital of eight thousand points and bought... three abilities!

After these words, others began to whisper. Several people immediately raised their hands, squinted at each other.

"Obviously, they must be stronger than those fifteen in two thousand. It seems that only for someone with so many points are they ready to really fight "

- I want to say right away that I do not intend to join any of you, as the others did. To offer me something is also pointless.

- Then what do you want? - asked one of the "buyers."

- I'm just going to follow my boyfriend, - she pointed to a metal one, which made Ink's jaw drop open. He found such impudence extremely surprising. - If you can convince him to join you, then you will receive me. Great offer, right?

She smiled and calmly stepped off the dais to the noise of the negotiations between the faction representatives.

- Boy, - they finally turned to the metal. - Everyone is now interested in hearing your demands.

- At me they are small, - said the golden-skinned, rising to the platform. - I am a member of the Letu clan, so I would like to remain faithful to my relatives. As long as you are ready to allow me a certain amount of freedom, I agree to go to any group.

- The family is sacred, - one of the buyers smiled. - Join us, a branch of the Trade Union, one of the members of the big thirty. Moving from an affiliate to a core group with your talents should not be a problem. We work closely enough with the Letu clan. If you rise in the hierarchy, you will get the opportunity to provide relatives with more favorable conditions. Things can also come to the creation of their branch...

- And this is almost equivalent to the takeover of the Letu clan by the Trade Union. You offer him something that is impossible to use. It would be much better for him to join us! - interrupted the merchant member of another group.

- You are too far from the location of his clan. We are much better, especially since he obviously has some kind of body-enhancing ability. The battle group will do better.

- No, - the voice cut short. Ink turned around, a man stepped out of the corridor they passed. Her dark, sided hair shone slightly in the faint rays of light, breaking through the cracks in the curtains on the rare windows. - I'll take him!

Strange thing, the man's voice easily spread throughout the room, sounded more distinctly than that of the buyers. The latter fell silent with a displeased look, but did not say anything.

- Those two, too, - the stranger pointed at Ink and the motorcyclist. - You can take apart the rest.

- I'm sorry, - Ink said, - but I was only going to join the Library. All other fractions are not of interest to me at the moment.

"This type is probably from the elite. If there is a big circle, there must be a small one. Like the lower and upper houses of parliament. A small number should have more power. He seems to be one of them... And how can I get rid of him now? "

- You only wanted to join the library? - the stranger smiled. - Then you don't have to apologize, because I represent her. Of course, I will not allow my students to cling to some additional force. Well, are you glad?

"And how does this compare with what the guide said about the library?"

It suddenly seemed to Ink that his decision to bluff and abandon other bands was one big mistake ...

"And why didn't I obey what my voice said?!"

Ink looked around and felt a strange relief, seeing the expression on the girl's face. She looked at what was happening with wide and almost frightened eyes.

- Right, - Ink smiled. - You will follow "your boyfriend". Directly to the library. It seems we will become comrades.

The girl wanted to say something indignantly, but Ink turned away and pressed his mouth with his hand, drowning out the nervous laugh. A motorcyclist laughed nearby. Even the metal one allowed a small smile.

"Spit! What is done is done. Whether this was a mistake or the right decision will tell the future. I wanted a chance and got it. Buffer, first world, reflection space? All of you should just wait, because soon I will conquer everything!"