Kaito let the excitement build for a moment before raising the speaker again. His voice cracked like a whip through the noise.
"To make things fair and give everyone a chance, the sale won't be handled here directly." He paused, watching the crowd shift uncertainly. "Instead, the next phase of the sale will take place on the regional channel."
Gasps rippled through the square. Players exchanged glances—regional meant everyone in Astralis city region could participate, not just the ones who had crammed themselves into the square. Suspense hung over them like a drawn bowstring.
Kaito's eyes gleamed with a mischievous spark. "When I announce the start, the first non-anonymous player after me to reply with the words—listen carefully now—'Everhold Dominion is shit' will earn the chance to buy a piece of equipment."
The crowd froze for half a heartbeat, then burst into uproarious laughter. The insult cut straight to the bone of Everhold Dominion's pride. Many players had already detested the guild's arrogance, and now they were being invited to humiliate them publicly for a prize.
"Hahahaha! This is brilliant!"
"Forget the equipment, I'm shouting it just for the satisfaction!"
The atmosphere flipped from restless chaos to electric anticipation. Everyone's attention locked onto the regional channel interface, fingers hovering anxiously over their input fields. Kaito's trap had sprung perfectly—anyone who dared claim favoritism or unfairness would have to explain why they weren't willing to type those three little words.
Kaito, seeing the eagerness in their eyes, raised the speaker one final time. His voice was calm, yet sharp as a blade.
"Enough talk. The sale begins now."
Kaito's words cut through the noise like a blade, and for the first time since he had arrived, the town square fell into a tense hush. His method of sale had been so unexpected that the players found themselves stunned into silence.
If Kaito had simply set up a stall, the outcome would have been obvious: chaos. People would have swarmed forward, clawing at the goods, desperate to snatch up anything they could get their hands on. It would have been a feeding frenzy, with the strongest players pushing out the weak, and no one truly winning except the fastest hands.
But this—this was different.
By moving the sale onto the regional channel and forbidding anonymity, Kaito had turned the event into a battlefield of courage. Whoever wanted the equipment would have to publicly insult Everhold Dominion in front of thousands. It was no longer about speed alone, but about daring to draw a line in the sand.
Who would have the guts?
The crowd held its breath. Even those who had been shouting and jeering moments ago fell silent, their earlier bravado shrinking under the looming shadow of Everhold Dominion's wrath. Everyone knew the guild's reputation—vengeful, relentless, and absolutely merciless toward those who offended them. A careless word today could mean being hunted into the ground tomorrow.
Kaito didn't give them time to hesitate. He had already anticipated this reaction. Before anyone could object, his amplified voice rang out again, decisive and sharp.
"Regional Channel—attention! The first item in the gear sale is Level 10 Bronze Thief Leggings! Once again, thank you to Everhold Dominion for their generous sponsorship of this event!"
His sarcasm sparked another ripple of laughter through the crowd, breaking the tense silence. Then, all eyes shifted instantly to the regional chat feed, watching to see who would take the first step.
The chat blinked.
Regional Channel
Raen: The first item in the gear sale is Level 10 Bronze Thief Leggings! Thank you, Everhold Dominion, for your generous sponsorship of this event!
Dancing Wraith: The Everhold Dominion is shit!
Iron Song: The Everhold Dominion is shit!
The square erupted. Gasps mixed with laughter as the crowd processed what had just happened. Not one, but two players had jumped in almost immediately, boldly typing the phrase without hesitation.
"Damn! Someone actually dared to curse them out?" an anonymous player muttered in shock.
"It was one thing to complain behind their backs, but this… this is direct provocation!" another replied, sounding both impressed and horrified.
The fear was real. Everhold Dominion was a massive guild with thousands of members. To curse them so openly was like slapping their leader in the face. Retribution would almost certainly follow. For most ordinary players, it simply wasn't worth the risk.
And yet, Kaito had expected exactly this outcome. This was why he had told his second uncle to gather Genesis members and station them throughout the square, quietly mingling with the crowd. If trouble arose, they would provide immediate support.
More importantly, this auction method served a far deeper purpose than just selling equipment. It was a test. Only those with enough backbone, enough pride to stand against oppression, would dare to participate. These were the kinds of people Kaito valued most. Anyone reckless or courageous enough to withstand Everhold Dominion's pursuit without deleting their account or starting over… those were the ones Kaito would later recruit into his hidden blade—an assassination group, or eventually, into his guild.
Kaito's lips curved into a faint smile as he raised the speaker again. "Great! Congratulations to Dancing Wraith for grabbing the first piece of equipment! Please step forward and complete the trade!"
The announcement sent another ripple through the crowd. Dancing Wraith had spoken mere seconds faster than Iron Song, snatching victory by the thinnest of margins. The players who had come only to watch could only sigh in frustration. For them, it was a helpless feeling—seeing the opportunity but lacking the courage or speed to seize it.
Meanwhile, those bold enough to try, like Dancing Wraith and Iron Song, had just made themselves legends in South Glade.
And all of it had unfolded exactly as Kaito had planned.
Regional Channel
Raen: The rush to buy can't stop! The second piece of equipment for today's sale: Level 10 Bronze Ranger Leggings! Once again, a round of applause for Everhold Dominion's generous sponsorship of this event!
Dancing Wraith: The Everhold Dominion is shit!
The town square burst into laughter as the same name appeared again.
"Damn, him again!" an anonymous player muttered in disbelief. It was the same bold figure who had just cursed the Everhold Dominion moments ago. Most people had assumed he was either reckless enough to tempt fate once or desperate enough to gamble on getting something cheap. But the fact that he dared to shout the insult twice in succession proved that he wasn't just reckless—he was fearless.
Dancing Wraith: Hahaha! Thank you all for your hesitation—it just makes things easier for me! If you're too scared to buy from Raen, then listen up. You can sell your game coins directly to me. I'll pay 50% higher than the current market price, until I've spent the 6,000 credits sitting on my card!
The audacity sent ripples of shock through the crowd. While most players were still weighing the risk of angering Everhold Dominion, Dancing Wraith had already turned the entire event into his personal stage. Not only was he buying gear openly, but now he was also using the opportunity to snatch up resources from those too timid to act. Well they can only salute this man for his courage.