"So, why are you selling this? Do you simply need money? Or do you want something else?" A Tier 3 Night Reaper asked Max on the other side of the table.
They were currently in an isolated room, with only a yellow bulb above the table illuminating their concealed faces. The Night Reaper wore a mask and Max, as a Tier 2 Elementalist Mage, hid his face through the hood from his Rare rank robe.
On the table was a scroll, containing a legacy-class quest. Although it was unknown until what tier the scroll could provide, it was already a guarantee that those who owned and passed every trial and quest from the scroll would reach Tier 5.
Max could have owned it but he had already chosen Elementalist Mage as his class advancement in Tier 2 and the legacy dormant scroll required the Summoner Class.
It left a bitter taste in his mouth after discovering that he could have possibly become a god-like figure in the apocalyptic world, providing a safe haven for his little brother and future family.
In the end, he didn't have a choice but to sell it to the Lewis Auction Firm. It's an auction firm managed by the Lewis Family, one of the strongest families in the western continent. Before the apocalypse descended and Apocalypse Online took the VMMORPG by storm, they already built a super guild, the Lewis Guild, created by their young heir from scratch.
Now their guild master has attained Tier 5, becoming one of the strongest mythical ranks on Earth. Although the humans were still far from driving the demons and monsters away from their homeland, they were able to establish themselves by owning forty percent of the landmass.
Max was confident that he would be safe if he entrusted the Lewis Auction Firm with the dormant legacy scroll he discovered after his recent solo dungeon raid.
Without hesitation, he replied, "I only need enough money to help me on my class advancement on Tier 3 and Tier 4."
The Tier 3 Night Reaper gazed at Max in long silence. After a while, a Tier 2 Shadowblade appeared behind him and handed him a sheet of paper.
Max glanced at the paper and his heart skipped a beat. Am I exposed? What are they trying to convey?
He caught his face on the upper right of the paper that the Tier 3 Night Reaper was reading.
As Max waited in a tense silence, the Night Reaper said, "Maximus Grant, an Elementalist Mage, known for solo raiding a Tier 1 Dungeon. Family members—one. Younger brother. Enzo Grant. A Tier 1 Swordsman. Friends—None. Affiliation with any guild—Zero."
When the Night Reaper left his gaze and landed at Max, a chill ran down the latter's spine.
He stammered. "I-I already decided to sell it, not to auction it, so you can benefit from it the most. All I want is enough money for my Tier 3 and 4 class advancement."
The Night Reaper said in a somber tone, "Your foundation is very poor, it might still be possible if we are still in the Apocalypse Online, but…"
He shook his head.
Max grasped his staff tightly on his lap. "T-Then, I'll try the other auction firms first."
Max was about to grab the scroll at the table but it suddenly disappeared. His eyes widened. He shifted his gaze and landed at the Night Reaper's hand, only to realize that the Night Reaper suddenly faded into nothingness.
Backstab!
Max was aware of the skill that the Night Reaper had executed. He immediately casted a defensive spell only to be interrupted by a curve-blade penetrating his stomach.
A feminine voice echoed in his head.
[A critical strike stole 80% of your HP.
A bleeding effect has been inflicted from the attack.
A paralyzing effect has been inflicted from the attack.
You are immobilized for three seconds.]
A tear crawled out of Max's eyelids. He was completely terrified. What happened was totally out of his expectations.
After hearing the series of notifications from the system, he knew his demise was inevitable.
He wept.
I don't want to die. I have to take care of my younger brother. I just want to grow stronger to protect myself from demons and monsters. Just what happened? I thought humanity is united, just… just…
"Why?" He uttered.
The Night Reaper pulled out his curve-blade that penetrated the chair and Max's stomach.
Instead of answering Max, he glanced at his junior and said, "What's the update?"
The Tier 2 Shadowblade was communicating through his phone and finally replied to the Night Reaper, "It has been taken care of."
When Max heard his words, his hair stood on end. Despite being immobilized, his body trembled for a split-second.
He stared at the Shadowblade with bloodshot eyes and shouted at the top of his lungs, "WHAT DID YOU DO?!"
The Night Reaper was about to behead him but he was greatly startled when their guildmaster suddenly appeared in front of him.
Their guildmaster wore a legendary rank set of equipment, releasing an oppressive aura that made the Night Reaper kneel and bow deeply to greet him.
He politely pushed the scroll towards the guildmaster, and the latter accepted it, opening them.
"That's good."
He was about to use his teleportation skill when he saw Max staring at him with bloodshot eyes and yelled, "YOU! INHUMANE! I SWEAR I WILL ANNIHILATE THE LEWIS GUILD!"
The guildmaster stared at him with indifferent gaze and replied, "Been hearing that ever since I established my guild. Nothing happened.
Also."
He turned around and Max's eyes widened.
"What can a dead man do?"
Following his words, the feminine voice echoed on Max's head.
[You've been struck by an A-Rank skill, dealing a critical strike.
You've lost all your HP.
You have died.]
Those were the last words Max heard and the back of the guildmaster of the Lewis Guild, a Supreme Sword Emperor, was the last view he saw with his own eyes.
But before he lost his consciousness, a wide bright smile of Enzo Grant flashed in his mind.