The Genesis Of A Necromancer - Chapter 85

Chapter 85: Going for the auction
The auction center loomed ahead, a monument to greed and power, its dark stone walls seeming to breathe in the ambient energy of Nyxoria’s eternal gloom.

Pale light from the cloud-covered sky reflected off the jagged runes carved into the towering archway that marked the entrance.

The structure emanated an almost palpable malevolence, its aura a warning and an invitation all at once.

Two demon guards flanked the entrance, their crimson armor gleaming faintly under the dim light.

They stood rigid, their faces masks of impassivity, though their glowing eyes swept over the approaching crowd with cold precision.

Each demon that passed through was measured and weighed—not in words but in the silent judgment of their wealth, status, or power.

Those who failed the unspoken test were turned away without ceremony.

Jack, Gale, and the others hovered on the fringes of the crowd, their presence out of place amidst the opulent throng.

Nobles draped in shimmering robes adorned with demonic runes strolled by, their airs of superiority nearly suffocating.

Some carried treasures in ornate cases, while others displayed their wares brazenly—gleaming weapons, ancient relics, and artifacts glowing faintly with the promise of untold power.

All passed through the checkpoint with ease, the guards barely sparing them a second glance.

Jack observed it all, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully as he pieced together a plan.

The guards’ disinterest in his group, however, didn’t escape Alisha’s notice.

She shifted restlessly, arms crossed as her scowl deepened. “This is ridiculous. I told you we wouldn’t get in looking like this.”

Jack remained calm, his gaze locked on the checkpoint.

“We’ll get in.”

Alisha snorted.

“How? We have nothing to offer.”

The moment they approached the guards, her doubts were proven correct.

A demon stepped forward, his voice a rumble that cut through the murmurs of the crowd.

“State your business! Only nobles or those with worthy wares may enter.”

Jack met the demon’s gaze, but his confidence faltered when the guard’s disdainful eyes swept over them.

“Your clothes are ragged, and you carry nothing of value. Step aside.”

It wasn’t a suggestion.

Jack clenched his jaw, annoyance flickering across his face.

He turned on his heel, gesturing for the others to follow. They retreated into the shadowed recesses of a nearby alley, the din of the crowd fading as the looming walls closed around them.

In the silence of the alley, Jack turned to Gale, his eyes sharp with determination.

“That sword of yours—Excalibur. It’s a holy weapon, right?”

Gale stiffened.

“How do you know about Excalibur?” His voice carried a note of surprise.

Humans weren’t supposed to know about the sacred weapons wielded by angels, especially not one like Jack.

Jack smirked, brushing off the question.

“That doesn’t matter. What matters is that it’s rare, powerful, and impressive enough to get us through that gate.”

Gale frowned. “Excalibur is a weapon meant to destroy demons. Do you really think they’d bid on something that could obliterate them?”

Jack didn’t answer immediately, his mind working furiously.

Then his expression shifted, a mischievous glint sparking in his eyes.

“No. But they’d bid on its twin.”

Gale stared at him, confused. “Its twin?”

Jack nodded.

“The Devil’s Blade. Excalibur’s opposite. A weapon forged in the same fires but steeped in malevolence. It’s said to be just as powerful, and the two are nearly indistinguishable.”

Gale crossed his arms.

“The Devil’s Blade is a myth.”

“Maybe,” Jack said, his smirk widening.

“But who says we can’t make them believe otherwise?”

—

In the shadows, Jack laid out his plan, and though Gale voiced his doubts, he reluctantly agreed.

The blade had to be summoned first, and even that was no small feat. With his divinity stripped away, Gale needed Nephris’s help to call Excalibur.

The air around them grew heavy as the little guardian chanted, her voice strained with the effort.

A bright rune shimmered into existence above them, pulsating with an otherworldly light.

A moment later, the blade descended from the glowing sigil, its form impossibly pristine.

Excalibur’s aura filled the alley with an overwhelming purity, causing the others to shield their eyes instinctively.

Gale caught the blade, wincing as the hilt seared his skin.

The contact left faint burn marks, a painful reminder of what he had lost.

He stared at the weapon for a moment, his expression unreadable.

‘So this is what it feels like to fall,’ he thought bitterly.

Jack held out his hand, and Gale passed the weapon to him.

Excalibur resisted Jack’s touch, its holy light flickering violently, but Jack pressed forward, channeling his demonic energy into the blade.

The pure light dimmed, suffused with crimson and black. The weapon’s radiant aura twisted into something darker, more menacing.

When the transformation was complete, Jack held the blade aloft, its new form casting unsettling shadows on the walls.

“Perfect,” he murmured, a satisfied grin spreading across his face.

Even Alisha, who had been unimpressed by most of Jack’s antics, looked uneasy.

“That’s… disturbing.”

“Good,” Jack replied, lowering the weapon.

“Let’s see those guards try to turn us away now.”

—

The group returned to the checkpoint, their earlier rejection fresh in their minds.

This time, however, they carried a different energy. Jack led the way, the altered Excalibur strapped to his back.

The moment the guards spotted the weapon, their eyes widened, their confident sneers giving way to uncertainty.

“Is that…?” one guard began, his voice barely above a whisper.

“The Devil’s Blade,” Jack said, his tone calm but commanding.

He unsheathed the weapon slowly, letting its crimson glow bathe the guards in its sinister light.

“And we’re here to sell it.”

The reaction was immediate. The murmurs of the crowd swelled into a buzz of excitement.

The guards exchanged glances, their earlier disdain replaced with awe.

“This way,” one of them said, bowing slightly.

“You’ll be escorted to the VIP section.”

Jack’s smirk returned as he led the group through the gates.

Gale fell into step beside him, his voice low. “This is reckless. If they find out—”

“They won’t,” Jack interrupted. “Besides, it worked, didn’t it?”

Gale sighed but said nothing more, his unease palpable.

They passed through the grand halls of the auction center, the air thick with the power and greed of the demons gathered there.

The main auction hall was a sight to behold—tiered seating surrounded a central stage where treasures of unimaginable worth were displayed.

The room hummed with anticipation, every demon present ready to outbid the others for the rarest artifacts.

The group was led to a private section reserved for VIPs, their presence drawing curious glances from the other nobles.

Jack ignored them, his focus on the stage. Somewhere among the relics on display, he was certain, lay the next clue to the Chapters of Time.

The game was far from over.