Cybernetic Evolution System

"I heard that you've placed a lot of good items up for this auction," Fairmoon01 said with a smile.

"I can't wait to see what kind of items will be sold today."

"I promise that you won't be disappointed," MidnightFire replied.

Rosybloom0006 nodded as well. However, she didn't speak.

Perfect! I would have gotten slightly irritated if I had heard Delilah-in-training's voice so close.

MidnightFire turned around and clapped her hands together.

Her action didn't produce the familiar sound that I had expected to hear. Instead, it was that of a bell which resonated across the room with a 'Ding-dong.'

Everyone halted what they were doing and turned towards her.

"Everyone, please take your seats. The auction is about to begin."

MidnightFire announced.

Everyone walked towards the seating area below.

MidnightFire gave us a nod before leaving with Fairmoon01 and Rosybloom0006 walking beside her.

I and miniman also followed behind.

We arrived at a seating area slightly space away from others and sat down.

I took a moment to look at the people who came to the event.

Twenty-two.

Were there students from the Magus Department present?

Unfortunately, there was no way to tell.

I turned to miniman.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes," Miniman nodded.

Then, he sighed. "I'm only surprised by the information that I've just learnt. I had no idea that the Worst One could become this powerful."

He glanced at me.

"You are from the Magical Swordsman Department, aren't you? You should have been aware of this. Why didn't you share this information with me earlier... before I made a fool of myself before the three goddesses of the Berserker and the Magical Swordsman Department?"

"I was training. I didn't know something like that had transpired, and there was a video circulating online. I entered the server immediately after I left the dungeon and returned to my dorm." I shook my head.

"You-" miniman attempted to say, but he quickly stopped.

Then, continued, "Brother, I'd advice you to reduce the intensity of your training. Focus on establishing a network of friends, or else you might graduate without making any meaningful connections."

It was much easier for a pig to grow wings than for me to establish any meaningful connection using my real identity.

However, I didn't voice out my thoughts.

"I'll take that to mind."

It was precisely because I had no one close to me that I had managed to avoid scrutiny of my sudden strength gain.

They wouldn't dare suspect that there was something strange behind my tremendous improvements, other than the fact that I had been hiding my strength.

"Humph!" miniman snorted. "You might as well tell me that it's going to enter one ear and emerge from the other."

"If you notice anything you want to buy and don't have enough merit points, let me know. Also, if you turn out to be some rich noble, I don't mind if you borrow me some as well."

"I can sense that the individuals here are not ordinary, so we need to be prepared to bid aggressively if we want to get some of the good things."

I was taken aback. I hadn't expected miniman to propose borrowing merit points from me as well.

I had underestimated the effects that Esther's words had left on him.

It would take a while for him to return to his previous self.

"I don't have much, so you're going to be disappointed by depending on me," I responded.

We turned to the stage as the overhead lights, hanging from the ceiling, lit up, casting a bright glow around it.

A tall, fair-skinned man with a white beard and a bald head, dressed in a tuxedo, appeared on the stage.

"Good day, everyone. My name is Manager Shade. And I'll be your auctioneer for the event."

He gave a curtly bow.

"There are twenty items listed that will be auctioned today. Seven of them are the highlights of the event. So their bids will only start later, after the others have been sold."

He clasped his hands together.

An object materialised beside him.

It was a display table with a red cloth covering an item on top.

Manager Shade removed the red cloth.

The red cloth scattered into specks of light, vanishing.

On the display table was a rusted, broken spearhead.

"Everyone, please listen closely," Manager Shade said. "This is a broken relic spearhead. It contains lingering traces of strange magical energy. Due to its damaged state, it's difficult to determine its grade. So it's been graded as unidentified."

"As the opening bid, its starting price is not less than 100 merit points."

A hologram of the broken relic spearhead appeared in front of me.

It revolved slowly, allowing me to see every side of the item.

The engravings on it were of exquisite craftsmanship.

It resembled the weapon of some hero.

However, because its rank couldn't be identified, except serving as a relic, it was practically useless.

Before anyone could utter a word...

"1,000 merit points."

A voice resonated through the room.

I turned to look at the figure seated on one of the back chairs behind, whom had just spoken.

It was a young woman dressed in a red thin-strap dress. She leaned against her seat. Arms folded, and stared at the stage.

I hadn't noticed her before. Perhaps she had just arrived.

Miniman whistled softly.

"It seems that MidnightFire's auction is going to be a hit."

I refouced ahead and nodded.

"1,000 going once."

On the stage, Manager Shade began riling up the other guests to place their bids.

"1,000 going twice."

However, none were willing to spend over 1,000 merit points on a relic.

"Sold, to Miss Bloodberry."

The holographic broken relic spearhead before me vanished.

"Next item on the list is known as Carcapise red shell, an uncommon rank, tier 2 magic equipment. It's a piece of an assembling. However, the name of this assembly is currently unknown."

"Anyone who buys it can hope that they will encounter its larger set pieces in the future. The bid starts at 3,000 merit points."

A holographic image of the Carcapise red shell appeared in front of me.

A cuirass dyed crimson.

It was as though it were stained with blood.

A window popped up, displaying detailed text that described the item.

If the item hadn't been a part of an unknown larger armour set piece, then it would have cost more. It doesn't have any outstanding attributes, so its value could be ranked even lower.

However, before anyone could speak...

"4,000 merit points."

I was taken aback.

I wasn't the only one.

Miniman and the rest of the guests couldn't help but glance at Bloodberry.

"When did merit points start to grow on trees?" Miniman said, clicking his tongue in frustration. "If this continues like this, I don't think that anything would be left for us."

I agreed with him.

The items sold within the Grand Avalon Academy were subsidised by 50%. This meant that equipment like the Carcapise red shell, which should cost 6 million Roble notes outside, would only cost 3 million.

However, the items weren't bought with Roble notes but with merit points.

And merit points were more valuable than Roble notes.

1 merit point was currently equal to 1,000 Roble notes.

Before the problems within the dungeon arose and the task list was cut down by half, 1 merit point was about 100 Roble notes.

Due to the difficulty in earning merit points, its value had increased.

What could cost 5 million Roble notes could be bought for 5,000 merit points.

Other academies subsidised the items sold within by 3, 5, or 10 per cent.

Commoners who barely had enough funds for themselves after joining the academy could earn a lot more back as long as they worked harder.

It was also an attractive opportunity for noble descendants. They might be wealthy, but buying their new favourite items for pennies wasn't too bad, as they had the chance to allocate that wealth elsewhere.

Merit points were the most highly sought after in the academy.

They couldn't be bought with money.

Instructors and workers within the academy could be paid their salaries or a portion of their wages in merit points.

Due to this, issues regarding merit points were taken very seriously.

Borrowing merit points without the intention of paying back was a serious crime. Anyone caught stealing or bullying others would also face severe punishments.

There were many ways to earn merit points.

One of them was to be ranked among the top three of their classes within their respective department.

It was one of the things that had pushed me to accept Jaran's request, apart from smacking him with my blade.

Being the President of a reputable club within the academy, or leading an academy-backed establishment within the academy server.

The Disciplinary Committee also earn a decent amount of merit points.

As first-year students, our ability to earn merit points was much lower than that of upper-year students.

The dungeon remained the best place to earn merit points.

This was one of the reasons why the Grand Avalon Academy was the top Hero Academy among all those within Thunder Sky Fortress.