From Tristan's perspective, spending 11 million on the Crimson Robe was a bad deal. With that much money, he could buy several pieces of Silver Grade gear. But, on the flip side, the Crimson Robe's attributes were strong enough that it wouldn't feel outdated even for players in their 20s or 30s.
And once they upgraded to new equipment, the Crimson Robe could be resold to other players or given to a guild member who had made significant contributions. Either way, it wouldn't be a loss.
In fact, as ExoGenesis continued to grow in popularity, the Crimson Robe might even increase in value.
After Drake bid 11 million, the other guild leaders in the room gave up on further bidding. Storm77's 10 million had pretty much been the limit. With Drake adding another million, they could've continued, but it didn't seem worth it.
Sophie, sticking to business, called out, "11 million, going once, 11 million, going twice… Any higher bids?"
After a moment, Sophie brought down the gavel. "11 million, three times! Congratulations to Drake for winning the legendary robe!"
Drake waved his hand dismissively. "Sophie, transfer it to Blackshade, and keep the gear."
This had been prearranged, and Sophie accepted without hesitation.
One guild leader nearby joked, "At this rate, which girl could possibly resist your charm?"
In his eyes, Drake dropping so much money on gear and then giving it away was clearly an attempt to impress someone.
Drake shook his head, unbothered. "Sophie is my chief strategist and the financial head of my company, but she is definitely not my girlfriend."
Drake wasn't lying about this. In their previous life, Tristan had known the four members of Drake's team and was aware of the nature of their relationships.
Drake and Sophie had never crossed any boundaries. Tristan had always found it strange, and for a time, even wondered if Drake's orientation was an issue. But later, when Drake married normally, Tristan realized there was no problem at all.
As for the reasons behind their lack of romantic sparks, Drake had once told him, "If there's no chemistry, there's just no chemistry."
Lost in thought, Tristan noticed Sophie had already moved on to the next item.
"Next up is a Gold Grade item: the Blood-Soaked Boots."
Blood-Soaked Boots
Gold Grade
Defense: +100
Health: +1000
Mana: +1500
Spirit: +40
Level Requirement: 15
Spirit > 200
Special Effect: Movement Casting (30% efficiency)
Sophie spoke up, "As you can see, the attributes are impressive. Starting bid is 500,000."
Compared to the Crimson Robe, the Blood-Soaked Boots had slightly weaker stats. However, that didn't mean they would sell for any less.
In fact, the competition for the boots was even fiercer. The special effect of movement casting was especially valuable for fragile mages, as it boosted their survivability.
The price soon soared to 10 million.
But unlike the previous auction, this time Storm77 wasn't the only one bidding. Other guild leaders quickly joined the race.
In the blink of an eye, the price surpassed that of the Crimson Robe, hitting 13 million.
In the end, it was Drake again who pushed the price to 15 million and secured the boots.
"Sophie, transfer the funds. Keep the item."
Drake's words were straightforward.
Around him, a few mage guild leaders were envious, some even regretting they weren't women, so they could receive such grand gifts.
On the forum, a female player made a sarcastic comment, "Two pieces of gear, 26 million. Drake sure knows how to spend money. But I wonder how much that 'Sophie' girl must be worth to make Drake lose his mind like this."
"Right? She looks all innocent, but who knows what she's like behind closed doors."
"I know her. I heard she interned at IFA during college and joined the headquarters after graduation. Now she's Drake's assistant."
"Probably been his sugar baby since college."
Various malicious comments flooded the thread.
Although the thread creator tried to delete them as quickly as possible, it was too late.
Soon, Drake received a message.
"Boss, people are slandering you and Sophie on the forum!"
Drake opened the thread and, seeing the comments, his face turned white with rage. He quickly typed a response: "I've noted down the names of the players from earlier. Anyone who kills them in-game will get a 10,000 reward! Make sure to include the kill footage, and I'll personally deliver the reward. No jokes!"
The post instantly shot the thread's popularity through the roof.
"Whoa, Drake is so cool!"
"I've always believed in Drake's character. He wouldn't stoop to those kinds of tricks."
"I'm from IFA, and I can guarantee, both our guild leader and Sophie are completely innocent."
"That player named Pink Fairy—I'm going to remember you. Next time I see you, I'll kill you!"
"Bet those trolls didn't expect their words to lead to such a mess."
"ExoGenesis's forum is tied to game characters. You can't even post anonymously. Those guys are done for. IFA is going to track them down, and their only option will be to delete their accounts."
"That's right! If Shadow Legion couldn't even hold their ground against IFA, what chance do those random players have?"
"Let's just hope they don't delete their accounts too quickly. I could use some extra pocket change."
"Count me in for that!" Continue reading at My Virtual Library Empire
The forum was alive with chatter, and Tristan quickly received news about the situation. He took a moment to look through the posts and thought about it before leaving a reply: "Watch your mouth. We're all adults here. Control what you say."
Although he didn't outright mention anyone, it was clear where his support lay.
Tristan's reply sparked another wave of reactions.
"Whoa, Blackshade replied!"
"Looks like Blackshade's supporting Drake and Sophie. They really have nothing to hide."
"Honestly, I kind of wish they had something going on. Drake's so cool when he stands up for his girl!"
"I'm joining IFA!"
"Me too!"
Drake hadn't expected that his simple reply would stir up such a huge reaction. But what really touched him was Tristan's support.
"Blackshade really is too good to me," Drake thought to himself, feeling a little regretful.
He wished he were a girl, so he could repay Blackshade properly.
Of course, Tristan had no idea what Drake was thinking. If he did, he'd probably have sent him a Shadow Dagger for thinking such things!
Back at the auction, Sophie noticed the rumors on the forum as well, but they didn't affect her. She stood tall and focused, unaffected by the distractions. Her main task was to continue auctioning off the remaining items for Blackshade.
After calming her emotions, Sophie presented the next item: an ancient tome.
Blood Tide
Gold Grade
Active Skill: After a brief charge, fires blood arrows in all directions, dealing (Magic Damage * 180% + 800) damage, consuming 10% of the user's max health. Cooldown: 30 seconds.
Learning Requirement: Spirit > 300
"Just auctioning gear can get a bit dull," Sophie announced. "But this Gold Grade skill book, Blood Tide, boasts incredible damage, and it's an area-of-effect skill. Any mage player who acquires it will have a huge advantage."
At the mention of the skill, the guild leaders were practically jumping out of their seats to place bids.
Gold Grade skills weren't just about high damage multipliers—they also had significant fixed damage, which could instantly turn a mage into a top-tier threat.
Unlike gear, skills stayed with players forever.
This was an item that absolutely had to be won!