My Celestial Ascension

Meanwhile, members of the Silver Family searched every nook and cranny of the stadium, tirelessly hunting for any trace of Gordon. Despite their efforts, they hadn't uncovered any concrete evidence of his whereabouts.

"Should we check the VIP rooms as well? Sir Gordon could be in one of them," one of the men suggested, his gaze fixed on the row of exclusive suites ahead.

"I agree, Captain. Sir Gordon might be inside one of the VIP rooms. We just need to check each one," another added, nodding repeatedly. His impatience was clear; they had been combing the stadium for hours with no success.

Despite their determination to find Gordon—Young Master Denise's most loyal and trusted servant—they knew they couldn't afford to fail.

"Count me in. I think it's a good idea to search the VIP rooms. After all, Sir Gordon was sent to fetch someone from one of them and escort them to Young Master Denise's suite," another chimed in, his exhaustion evident as frustration spread among the group.

The captain, however, merely cast his men a strange look, unsure of how to respond.

He, too, was drained from the hours-long search and felt the sting of frustration at their inability to locate Gordon. 'This is getting out of hand. Where could Sir Gordon have gone? Why can't we find him?'

His thoughts churned with unease as he contemplated their next move. Invading the privacy of others weighed heavily on his mind. 'It would be reckless—and suspicious—to intrude on the VIP rooms. The Auction Committee and even the Emperor wouldn't take such behavior lightly. What should I do in this situation?'

Although the Drake Clan wielded immense power on the continent, they weren't invincible. The other Ten Great Families matched or even surpassed their strength. A single misstep could turn these families into enemies—something the captain was keen to avoid. The Drake Clan's reputation for arrogance and predatory behavior toward women already left them with few allies.

After considering the risks, the captain let out a weary sigh and shook his head.

"No! We won't do that. Invading the VIP rooms would create unnecessary tension and could anger the other Ten Great Families," he said firmly, his voice laced with frustration but resolute.

"But… how are we supposed to find Sir Gordon if we don't investigate the VIP rooms in the stadium? They're the only places left to search!" one of the Magic Knights protested, his irritation evident in his voice. Hours of fruitless searching had worn him down.
Continue your adventure with empire

"For now, let's report our findings to Young Master Denise," the Captain replied, his tone calm but firm. "We'll see what happens after that. Don't worry—I'll take full responsibility." His serious expression left no room for argument as he turned to leave.

"This is…" The Magic Knights were left speechless, their disbelief palpable. To them, the Captain's words were shocking and hard to accept.

"Captain, are you sure it's a good idea to report our failure to Young Master Denise? He won't hesitate to kill us!" one of the knights exclaimed, his voice laced with anxiety and fear.

"I doubt that," the Captain responded with a knowing smile. "He needs us more than we need him."

The Captain understood Denise's personality well—his ego and arrogance made him predictable. Though Denise was one of the heirs of the Drake Clan, his need for competent subordinates often outweighed his fury at minor failures.

"Let's just report this quickly and wait for his instructions," the Captain said decisively before heading toward the VIP room where Denise was staying.

Reluctant at first, the Magic Knights exchanged uneasy glances. One by one, they shook their heads, sighed, and eventually nodded in agreement. They fell into step behind their Captain, following him toward the VIP room.

Meanwhile, the auction reached a pivotal moment. The price for the Legendary Sword had climbed to an astonishing 400 million gold coins—an amount beyond the wildest dreams of ordinary people.

The stadium buzzed with excitement, the atmosphere thick with tension. The oppressive auras emanating from several VIP rooms bidding on the treasure sent shivers through the crowd.

"415 million gold coins!" Heidi's firm voice cut through the tense air as she confidently made her bid.

The crowd was stunned, their eyes wide with disbelief at the staggering amount of wealth being exchanged for the magical sword.

"415 million! Does anyone else wish to bid? If so, please act quickly, or I will declare VIP room number 3 as the winner!" Teressa announced, her melodious voice echoing through the stadium. She swayed her hips gracefully, her seductive demeanor drawing everyone's attention.

Then, suddenly, Elisha's measured, elegant voice resonated across the stadium.

"420 million!" she declared. The magical lamp above her VIP room immediately flared to life, casting a bright, captivating glow.

"420 million gold coins! Does anyone else want to bid?" Teressa asked, her eyes narrowing slightly as she flashed a seductive smile.

"422 million!" Ajex's sharp voice broke through the tense silence, his firm tone demanding attention as he raised the bid.

"427 million!" Heidi countered almost immediately, determined not to let the sword fall into the hands of the other Ten Great Families.

"Damn it! When are these people going to give up on this sword? This is so frustrating!" Heidi muttered under her breath, pacing inside her VIP room as restlessness consumed her.

Veni glanced at her with a concerned expression and gently advised, "Young Lady, please don't act impulsively and regret it later. Bid carefully."

"Don't worry, I'm being cautious," Heidi reassured her with a calm smile, though her eyes betrayed her determination.

"430 million!" Denise's voice suddenly echoed across the stadium, drawing attention to his VIP room.

"440 million gold coins!" Emperor Philip's voice followed, immediately redirecting the crowd's focus to his suite.

"450 million!" Heidi's voice rang out again, louder this time, laced with irritation and frustration.

"453 million!" Denise shouted, his tone sharper now.

Inside his VIP room, Denise felt a pang of loneliness after the departure of the lovely ladies who had accompanied him earlier. However, he couldn't leave the auction to bring them back, not while this critical bidding war was underway.

'Where on earth has Gordon gone?' Denise wondered, his brows furrowed in concern. 'My men still haven't found him. Could someone have abducted him?'

This situation gnawed at Denise's composure. Gordon had never failed him before—no matter the task, he always delivered. Yet now, Gordon had vanished without a trace, leaving Denise feeling uneasy.

"480 million gold coins!" Emperor Philip's commanding voice once again filled the stadium, leaving everyone in stunned silence.

The entire audience was dumbfounded by the unexpected and staggering bid. Few knew that the Emperor himself was inside the mysterious VIP room making such bold moves.

"This is outrageous! How could someone bid so casually at such a ridiculous amount? Who could possibly be inside that VIP room?!" Holy Son Daniel exclaimed, his frustration evident as he paced his own suite.

"I have no idea, Holy Son," Princess Livia replied with a sigh. "But whoever they are, they must be immensely wealthy. No one bids such a fortune so carelessly unless they have unimaginable resources."

"You're absolutely right, Princess Livia," Arthur said with a resigned sigh, nodding in agreement. "That person must be from one of the Ten Great Families. Only they—or the Blessed from the Land of Gods—could possess such immense wealth."

"That's why we need to tread carefully," Princess Livia replied firmly, her voice carrying both authority and caution. "We mustn't get in the way of either of those parties."

Meanwhile, in her VIP room, Heidi clenched her fists tightly, her teeth gritted in frustration as her gaze locked onto Emperor Philip's suite.

"What should I do? Should I keep bidding for this treasure or give up?" Heidi muttered under her breath, her voice a mix of confusion and disbelief.

Seeing the distressed expression on her Young Lady's face, Veni stepped forward with a concerned look. "Young Lady, I don't think it's wise to spend any more money on this treasure. The price has already soared to twice the original value of a Legendary weapon."

"Are you suggesting that I give up on acquiring such a rare and powerful treasure? Unbelievable!" Heidi snapped, her eyes narrowing at Veni as disbelief flickered across her face.

However, after taking a moment to think it through, Heidi realized Veni's words made sense. Spending over 450 million gold coins on this Legendary weapon was far from practical.

Moreover, Heidi knew her father wouldn't be pleased with such a reckless expenditure—especially for a sword, as no one in their family wielded one. The Vyker Clan was renowned for its mastery of magic, and only a select few among them ever chose to refine mana into aura and fight with weapons.

"Since no one else is bidding on this treasure, it is my honor to announce that the Silver Dragon Fang now belongs to Emperor Philip!" Teressa's melodic voice echoed throughout the stadium, officially declaring the winner of the Legendary weapon once wielded by Lord Gabriel.

As the announcement was made, Denise's face darkened with fury inside his VIP room. Losing yet another auction was a blow to his pride—and by extension, the pride of the Drake Clan.

"This is getting infuriating!" he snarled, slamming his hand against the table. "How could I lose to some no-name person? Unbelievable!"