The underground auction hall of Nox Sanctum was filled with whispers, heat, and veiled greed.
High above in the spectator balconies, nobles in velvet masks and black-robed sorcerers leaned forward as the final curtain of the night slowly rose.
"Now presenting… Item 98 and 99—our main attractions of the evening."
Two women stood bound within arcane rings of light.
On the left: a silver-haired beauty, her skin pale as moonlight, her golden eyes shimmering with cursed allure.
On the right: a highborn elf, long green hair cascading down her back, her expression cold, unreadable.
The entire hall stirred.
"A cursed seductress said to cause madness in men."
"An elf from the lost forest tribe, never captured before—until now."
The bidding erupted instantly.
"Fifty million!"
"Seventy! Ninety-five!"
"One hundred and ten with three void cores!"
The two women stood still, graceful despite the magical restraints that shimmered around their wrists and ankles.
Then—
CRACK.
A flash of black lightning slammed into the center of the hall, and all voices fell silent.
A man stepped forward.
A tall figure cloaked in deep obsidian, his face hidden behind a demonic horned mask.
He didn't raise a hand. He didn't speak.
He simply opened his palm… and released a wisp of mana darker than night, glowing with the essence of nine dragon cores—enough to bankrupt kingdoms.
The auctioneer nearly collapsed.
"T-the bid is… unmatched! The items are sold! To the masked guest!"
As the others fell into murmurs and disbelief, he stood motionless.
Inside that mask, beneath the calm—his heart pounded.
I've never touched a woman.
Never dared. Never let myself want to.
But now…
The cursed beauty locked eyes with him.
The elf, too, for just a moment, narrowed her gaze.
These two… they will ruin me.
Or make me stronger than I've ever dreamed.
And somewhere deep inside, something awoke.
Not just lust.
Hunger.