Ruth hesitated, then let out a heavy snort, exuding the imposing aura of a First Rank Junior Wizard as he loudly bid,
"15,000 Magic Stones!"
At that moment, a scoff echoed from another private box.
"...didn't you say that this was just a flawed and outdated Ancient Meditation Method?"
"Why not let us have it then?"
"Cut the nonsense, we are all Wild Wizards, who doesn't understand the value of a complete First Rank Meditation Method!" Another voice said grimly.
Wild Wizards like them mostly practiced incomplete Meditation Methods, with their path forward often blocked, which was all too common.
Possessing a complete First Rank Meditation Method might not necessarily be adaptable.
Even if modified, it would have various flaws and wouldn't compare to other Meditation Methods...
Regardless, it was still far better than their current dead ends with no progress!
Upstairs, Ruth let out another cold snort, about to retort.
But then he heard,
Ding.
The white-robed wizard on the stage struck his gavel.
The auction house went silent.
The white-robed wizard swept his gaze around and said sternly:
"Please respect the order of the auction and do not interfere with the bidding process in any form!
This is Lord Bananka's Golden Anchor Auction House!
The only thing that can decide the ownership of the auctioned items is Magic Stones!"
Ruth's face turned sour.
This white-robed wizard was merely a Peak Wizard Apprentice backed by the Bananka Wizard's Golden Anchor Auction House…
Yet, he ultimately kept quiet, only silently continuing to bid.
Suddenly,
"Ah, it's still better in the Schools, Wild Wizards have it tough."
A soft voice spoke.
Colin was startled.
The faint voice came from the seat next to his.
It seemed two acquainted individuals were seated there, quietly conversing.
"You're right, being a Wild Wizard is a dead end..."
"Look at those bidding Wizards, even if they luckily advance to First Rank Wizards, they are still desperately fighting over a worn-out Meditation Method that School members disdain..."
"Shh—"
"Choose your words wisely."
"Alas..."
The two next to him fell silent, the bidding inside the auction hall continued, likely not to end any time soon.
After a while,
One of them next door suddenly said,
"I'm planning to head to the Siya Continent soon."
"This…well, it might be for the best, at least the Siya Continent has the Wizard Alliance, unlike Bananka Island which leaves no room for advancement for us Wild Wizards.
Even if we are already Gang Wizards here, we still can't see a way forward."
"Alas…Who knows, the Schools monopolize knowledge, and Wild Wizards everywhere face the same plight."
"Wanting to join a School mid-way is even tougher…"
"However, we Apprentices are still better off; to join a School, we just need to pass a knowledge test.
If we wait until we advanced to Official Wizards, then we also need to consider if the new Meditation Method can adapt to changes."
"That makes sense, it's wise to join a School early before advancing…"
Both sighed together.
Elsewhere,
The bidding for the Ancient Banu Meditation Method was reaching its conclusion.
"41,000 Magic Stones the first time!" called out the white-robed wizard from the stage.
"41,000 Magic Stones the second time! 41,000 Magic Stones the third time!"
Ding!
He swung his golden gavel, striking the base while declaring solemnly,
"Sold!"
"The bidding for the Ancient Banu Meditation Method is concluded, now onto the next item..."
Colin was silent, caressing the Bidding Crystal on his right hand.
After the white-robed auctioneer called for a halt, Ruth and the others refrained from speaking again.
Only the mechanical voices of bidding resounded in the auction hall.
...It was unclear who ultimately won the Ancient Banu Meditation Method.
Forty-one thousand Magic Stones... far more expensive than he had imagined.
...Could it be said to truly be a Meditation Method possessing complete knowledge of a First Rank Wizard?
He sighed inwardly, worrying about how he would acquire the subsequent Meditation Methods.
Now he realized that he had previously thought too simply.
Even if the Golden Four-leaf Clover fetched a high price, supporting his purchase of Meditation Methods for subsequent First Rank Wizard stages,
what about the Second Rank Wizards?
What about the Third Rank Wizards?
...He had long heard of the hardships faced by Wild Wizards.
However, previously on Blackstone Island, he was after all a proper member of a School.
Although he had heard of the hardships of Wild Wizards, it was merely hearsay...
Now that the Lap School was destroyed, and he had become a Wild Wizard, he truly understood deeply.
Not to mention, if the Lap School were a normal School,
he wouldn't be worrying about advanced Meditation Methods like he was now.
Moreover, taking the Haiya Gang issue into account,
if he were on Blackstone Island, or if he had a power backing him equivalent to the Haiya Gang, or even slightly less powerful,
he would not choose to tread so cautiously and avoid conflict.
He would have directly understood the matter!
But now, alone, his combined combat skills amounted to those of a newly advanced First Rank Wizard,
but the Haiya Gang supposedly had genuine First Rank Official Wizards... After all, he had personally killed their members, so it was better to avoid trouble and lay low for the time being.
'Perhaps... it's time to make a move towards Siya Continent.'
He mulled over this quietly in his heart.
As the apprentice beside him had said, Siya Continent was the true land of flourishing wizards.
Bananka Island, while more than double the size of Blackstone Island,
was filled with strictly ruled Gangs, and as a Wild Wizard now, it was tough to acquire more resources.
Moreover, the articles he had seen in the newspapers—
those Divine beings that kept descending, along with the warnings issued by the Wizard Alliance...
all made him feel vaguely uneasy.
What's more,
although Erica was well-acquainted with him, she wasn't naive enough to rely merely on a verbal promise.
The promise to deliver Erica's remains and the letter to the Royal Family of the Holy Flame Kingdom,
they had formally signed a complete contract.
Even though for Colin, even if such a contract had not been signed,
he would have certainly done everything in his power to fulfill this promise!
After all, regardless of Erica's intentions,
being able to successfully escape the Wizard Tower and obtain the Foolishness Scepter as well as the Knowledge Crystal,
Erica had played an indispensable role in all of this!
Such a debt of gratitude, he would not forget... just as he would not forget the humiliation and hatred from when those Gold Divine beings descended and caused him to flee in panic!
But,
for Erica, naturally signing a complete contract was more reassuring.
The content of their contract was simple, which was that he needed to successfully deliver the remains and the letter.
There was only a time limit set—three years.
He needed to fulfill this promise within three years.
Of course, for situations like being unable to find the Royal Family or if the Royal Family had been annihilated...etc., there were corresponding clauses in the contract.
All things considered, perhaps Erica was well-prepared, or perhaps the strong computing power brought by the tower spirit allowed her to cover every detail.
The content of the contract had considered all aspects in great detail and matched his thoughts as well.
Only the timing was a bit tight.
"The next auction item..."
The auction continued.
Unknowingly, while he reflected, it had already reached the latter part.
Colin focused his mind and refrained from thinking further, concentrating his attention on the auction.
It shouldn't be long now before his Golden Four-leaf Clover would be next to take the stage...