Auction

B got up and looked at them. "Follow me".

B then took to an elevator, as they went too the 5th floor, as they were many floors, they looked around as they were shown a room, a VIP room, as they walked the room was well furnished, fancy decorating was styled in the room, a comfortable couch was the, room for 10 people in total, as it was matching a giant window as many other Hunters, Bussinee owners and just in general Rich people who like collecting Iteams was the from all corner of India, Bhima also saw his brother Duryodhana was also there, with him wondering what his brother wants here, even with his Hunter's weapon company.

B looked at as he spoke. "Taka a seat, drink the alcohol if you want, and see how it goes as for me, I will be main stage in a minutes".

The group took their seats in the VIP room, scanning the crowd below through the massive glass window. The auction hall was a grand space, filled with hunters of all ranks, business moguls, and wealthy collectors eager to get their hands on rare artifacts. The atmosphere buzzed with anticipation.

Bhima's eyes narrowed as he spotted his older brother, Duryodhana, sitting in a private booth across from them. Clad in a sharp black suit, Duryodhana exuded the aura of a powerful businessman, fitting for the owner of one of India's largest hunter weapon manufacturing companies.

Ashwatthama leaned toward Bhima. "Your brother's here? What's he up to?"

Bhima grunted. "No idea. He's more into making and selling weapons than using them."

Karna, meanwhile, kept his focus on the auction stage. He wasn't interested in politics or family drama—he just wanted to see what rare items would appear and whether their trident would fetch a good price.

Sita poured herself a drink, glancing at the stage as B walked into view. The masked auctioneer tapped a microphone, his voice carrying throughout the hall.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to tonight's auction. We have an exquisite collection of artifacts, weapons, and rare materials for you. Let's not waste time and get started!"

The first few items were lower-tier monster cores and enchanted armor, nothing too special. Then, after about twenty minutes, the main event approached.

B gestured to the display as the Naga's Trident was brought forth, shimmering under the lights. "Next up, we have a rare artifact from a recently cleared dungeon—A Naga's Trident! A weapon imbued with water-element properties and self-repairing magic, perfect for any high-level hunter or collector!"

The audience murmured with interest.

"The starting bid is five lakh rupees! Who will begin?"

A businessman raised his hand. "Five lakh."

"Six lakh," another countered.

"Seven!"

The price kept climbing, and Bhima smirked. "Told you it'd be worth a lot."

Karna watched silently, wondering if Duryodhana would make a move. The auction was just getting interesting.

"20 Lakh rupees!".

Everyone just shut up, as they saw it was Duryodhana, as they looked at him wondering why he wants it.

Duryodhana looked at the crowed as he spoken. "What, fresh dungeon clear weapons are the best to manufacture for hunters".

The crowded just taked on how unfair it was, or it was so easy for someone as rich as him, Duryodhana just Smirked, then everyone was shocked as they heard a females voice.

"40 lakh".

Everyone went quite, even the main 5, as they were shocked as they saw who said that, it was girl with white hair, fair skin, blue eyes like the sea, she was wearing a mix of Kimono and Samurai fusion, she looks Japanese.

B then looked as he spoke. "Miss, may I ask why Hunter from Japan wants this".

The girl spoke Looking at him. "I like collecting thing, like in a Video game, rare iteams are my favourite, and Japan doesn't have Water based Dungeon pop up maybe onces a year but they is it"

B then slammed his hammer as he spoke. "Will I gess you win, this iteam go to the lovely miss, what is your name".

The Girl looked at him as he spoke. "Jinako Snow"

Duryodhana crush the paper in his arm. "Even in this place the snow family is pain in my ass".

B then tapped the mike. "Anyway, we will be getting more items right now, so don't be all disappointed everyone".

Karna observed the interaction with mild interest. Jinako Snow. The name didn't ring a bell, but her presence certainly did. A foreign hunter, dressed in a fusion of Japanese and samurai aesthetics, showing up and casually outbidding Duryodhana? That was rare.

Ashwatthama, on the other hand, was grinning. "Damn, your brother got shut down hard," he whispered to Bhima, who just chuckled.

Sita took a sip of her drink and leaned forward. "That was unexpected. A Japanese hunter outbidding Duryodhana just for the sake of collecting? Either she's extremely rich or she knows something we don't."

Bhima folded his arms. "Or both."

Duryodhana, meanwhile, was visibly frustrated. He was a man used to getting what he wanted, and the Snow family seemed to be a thorn in his side.

Karna leaned back. "Seems like she's more than just a casual collector," he muttered.

B cleared his throat, moving the auction forward. "Now that we've seen some excitement, let's move on to our next item—a rare Beast Crystal from a Shadow Tiger, infused with darkness element properties. The starting bid is—"

The auction continued, but Karna kept his eyes on Jinako Snow. Something about her presence made him feel like she wasn't just here for some casual shopping.

Rama then looked at Ashwathama. "What are you doing".

Ashwathama looked at him as he spoke. "Looking her up in hunter tube, I mean not anyone can out bit Bhima big bro like then". Then he found her, just one video and it was all he needed, it was posted by the Japanese branches as he spoke in sock. "Holy shit, she is a platinum rank Hunter".

Everyone's heads snapped toward Ashwatthama as he stared at his screen in shock.

"A Platinum Rank Hunter?!" Bhima nearly choked on his drink. "You're telling me she's on the same level as the top hunters in India?"

Ashwatthama nodded and turned the screen toward them. The video showed Jinako Snow in action, standing alone against what looked like an S-rank dungeon boss—a monstrous, multi-headed hydra. With smooth, practiced movements, she weaved through its attacks, cutting down its heads with precise slashes. The battle lasted less than five minutes, ending with a single devastating strike that froze the entire beast solid before shattering it into thousands of pieces.

Sita whistled. "Damn… no wonder she dropped 40 lakh like it was nothing."

Karna, meanwhile, narrowed his eyes. A Platinum Rank Hunter wasn't someone who just wandered into an auction house for the fun of it. They were powerful individuals, often operating at the level of national treasures. If she was here, it meant she had a reason.

Rama leaned back. "Well… at least we know why Duryodhana was so pissed. Even if he got that trident, there's no way he'd be able to outmatch someone like her in combat."

Bhima folded his arms, smirking. "Maybe, but if she's here, that means something big is happening. Top-tier hunters don't just show up randomly."

Karna silently agreed. His instincts told him this Jinako Snow was going to be someone to watch.

Bhima then laughed, releasing the last name 'Snow', as he just laughed. "No fucking way".

Ashwathama looked as he also released. "No wonder your brother is pissed, the Snow family is another hunters weapon manufacturing company, and recently they have left all other hunter weapon copy's to the dust".

Rama then spoke remember the articles online. "That is because of there development of Fire arms that can be used in the dungeon, before this things like Guns couldn't work in dungeons do to the Mana".

Karna leaned back in his seat, rubbing his chin. "So, not only is she a Platinum Rank Hunter, but her family is also dominating the hunter weapon industry? That explains why Duryodhana is so pissed."

Bhima smirked. "Yeah, his company has been struggling to keep up. The Snow family figured out how to make firearms functional in dungeons, which was a game-changer. Before that, mana messed up regular guns, making them useless inside. Now, suddenly, everyone wants their weapons instead."

Ashwatthama shook his head. "Duryodhana's company was one of the top suppliers of hunter weapons in India. But ever since the Snow family started selling their dungeon-compatible guns, his profits have taken a huge hit. If they keep this up, they might just push him out of the market completely."

Rama raised an eyebrow. "And now Jinako Snow herself is here, casually buying up dungeon loot. That can't be a coincidence."

Sita crossed her arms. "Maybe she's just here for the thrill of collecting rare weapons… or maybe she's scouting something bigger."

Karna stayed silent, watching as Jinako relaxed in her seat, completely unbothered by the attention she was getting. He had a feeling this wasn't just about a simple auction. Something bigger was at play.

Ashwatthama then looked at them as he spoke. "Hey we have the money, so what ever is next let's buy it".

Rama then spoke. "Will, in that case we will use the voice modifiers B gave us to hide our Identity".

Bhima then spoke laughing. "I mean how bad can the next iteam really be"

B voice them came over the speaker, as then everyone wanted to punch Ashwatthama after what was the iteam. "This is sword, a powerful sword from an A rank Dungeon boss, they are hard to find, but we call the Moon Slashers, but one thing this sword has it is a Curse iteam".

The room went silent for a moment before murmurs spread through the crowd. A cursed item was always a gamble—sometimes they came with overwhelming power, but other times, the drawbacks were just too severe to be worth it.

Ashwatthama blinked and chuckled nervously. "Uh… okay, maybe I jinxed it."

Bhima sighed. "Damn it, man. You just had to say it."

Rama ignored their banter and focused on the screen where B was now displaying the sword. The Moon Slasher was a sleek, curved blade with a dark silver sheen, glowing faintly under the auction lights. The edges seemed to shimmer, almost like a mirage, as if the blade itself was cutting through reality.

Sita narrowed her eyes. "That doesn't look like an ordinary cursed weapon… That aura feels different."

Karna leaned forward, analyzing the sword carefully. His instincts screamed that this wasn't just an ordinary A-rank weapon.

B then continued. "The curse on this weapon is unknown, but from our testing, those who wield it experience… changes. Some claim it strengthens them, others claim it whispers to them. We are unsure of its true nature, but if you're brave enough to take the risk, this might be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

Ashwatthama grinned. "Well, now I really want it."

Rama sighed. "You just don't learn, do you?"

B then raised his hammer. "Starting bid—10 Lakh rupees!"

The room instantly burst into bidding chaos.

Jinako spoke in her mind. "I would take that sword, seeing it is fitting with my element of the moon, but I have enough Curse Weapons in my collection".

Meanwhile back in the room.

Rama looked at the sword and then back the group. "So how much are we paying for this one".

Bhima leaned back, cracking his knuckles. "If it's just an A-rank weapon, it shouldn't go too high. Maybe 30 Lakh at most?"

Ashwatthama smirked. "Tch, if we're gonna bid, let's make it exciting. 40 Lakh!"

Sita crossed her arms. "You're acting like a rich idiot, you know that?"

Karna, however, remained silent. His eyes were locked onto the sword, something about it tugging at his instincts. The glow, the aura—it felt familiar, almost alive.

Rama noticed his expression. "Karna, what do you think?"

Karna exhaled, thinking carefully. "It's dangerous. More dangerous than they're letting on."

Ashwatthama rolled his eyes. "Oh come on, everything in a dungeon is dangerous. What's one more cursed weapon?"

Karna's gaze hardened. "No, I mean different. That sword isn't just cursed… it has a will of its own."

The group fell silent.

Rama glanced at the stage. "So, do we buy it… or let someone else take the risk?"

As if responding to their hesitation, the current highest bid was called out:

"60 Lakh rupees!"

The auction was heating up.

Karna said fuck it, as he grabbed the voice changer as he spoke. "65 lakh".

Rama looked as he spoke. "Wait why are you going".

Karna looked as he spoke. "I saw your eyes, you want that weapon, probably because your a sword users and the weapons the guild gave us is not the best, and the ones made by weapon company's sell at high price".

Ashwatthama whistled. "Damn, Karna's actually thinking ahead for once."

Sita rolled her eyes. "I mean, he's not wrong. Good weapons are hard to get, especially dungeon-grade ones."

Bhima grinned. "Alright, let's see if we can actually win it."

"70 Lakh!" Another voice called out, making the group tense up.

Karna didn't hesitate. "75 Lakh."

B chuckled over the mic. "Ooh, a bidding war? Don't let me stop you."

"80 Lakh!" The same bidder challenged again.

Rama clenched his fists. He did want the sword. Their current weapons were barely passable, and if they wanted to rise in the ranks, they needed better gear.

Karna sighed and adjusted the voice changer. "100 Lakh."

The room went dead silent.

Ashwatthama choked on his drink. "Bro, what the hell?!"

The previous bidder hesitated. After a long pause, B smiled and slammed his hammer. "Sold! To the mysterious high-roller in the VIP room!"

Bhima groaned. "Well, guess we're broke now."

Karna smirked slightly. "Worth it."

Rama stared at the stage, watching as the cursed sword was brought over. He could feel the energy radiating from it—dark, powerful, and hungry.

This was going to be interesting.

Sita then spoke looking at Karna. "Wait a minute, we will give them 10% from the shower and get the remaining 90% to us, we are just getting our money's back, and then Jinako bought our Trident with 40 lakh, which means we are still getting the 90% cut from the weapon, we just came back with more money then we left".

Ashwatthama blinked as he processed what Sita just said. "Wait... so we didn't actually lose money?"

Bhima burst into laughter. "Damn, Sita, you're sharper than any of us! We basically got a high-tier weapon and came out richer."

Karna smirked. "See? I told you it was worth it."

Rama shook his head in amusement. "I guess we should thank Jinako for that, huh? She basically funded our sword purchase."

Sita folded her arms. "Well, it's just good business. Now, let's focus on getting that sword examined. A cursed weapon isn't something to take lightly."

Ashwatthama leaned back. "Man, I love auctions. We should do this more often."

In a different part of the auction room, the group was having the sword examined, as the girl checking out was wearing a dear mask with the letter A-1, as she looked at.

A-1 looked as she spoke. "Minor curse of bad luck".

Rama sighed in relief. "Minor bad luck? That's manageable. I was expecting something worse."

A-1 nodded. "Yes, the curse isn't dangerous—just inconvenient. You might trip more often, drop things unexpectedly, or have small misfortunes happen around you. But with proper purification or resistance training, you can mitigate the effects."

Bhima smirked. "So, in other words, nothing we can't handle."

Ashwatthama grinned. "Honestly, I think Rama already has bad luck. This sword won't change much."

Rama shot him a look. "Shut up, Ashwatthama."

Sita tapped her chin. "Can the curse be completely removed?"

A-1 tilted her head. "With the right purification rituals, yes. But some hunters choose to keep cursed weapons since they often have enhanced abilities to compensate for the drawback."

Karna looked at Rama. "Your call. Do you want to remove the curse or keep it as is?"

A-1 then made a small Scan. "Also a it has a small bless, a blessing of binding".

Sita then though for a bit. "Doesn't that meam no matter how far the sword goes it teleport back to the new user, it is only lipted if user has died".

A-1 nodded. "Exactly. The Blessing of Binding ensures that the weapon will always return to its rightful wielder. Even if stolen or lost, it will find its way back unless the user dies."

Rama's eyes widened in realization. "That means I'll never have to worry about losing it. This is actually a great ability for a cursed weapon."

Bhima grinned. "So, bad luck in exchange for a weapon that never leaves you? Sounds like a fair trade."

Ashwatthama chuckled. "It's basically a sword with loyalty issues—it refuses to be wielded by anyone else."

Sita smirked. "If we wanted to sell it in the future, that might be a problem. But since we plan on keeping it, it's actually an advantage."

Karna nodded. "Then it's settled. Rama, this sword is yours. Just be careful of the minor curse."

Rama held the sword, feeling its weight in his hand. "I'll train with it. Who knows? Maybe I'll get used to the bad luck."

Ashwatthama grinned. "Or maybe you'll trip and fall every five steps."

Rama glared. "Shut up, Ashwatthama."

To be continued

Hope people like this Ch and give me power stones and enjoy