Kael's bid of three million gold coins instantly drew the attention of the entire auction hall. A hush fell over the crowd—raising the price by 300,000 in one go was an audacious display of wealth, and it was clear Kael had set his sights firmly on the Stellar Violetflame.
Most attendees knew they couldn't match such extravagance. Even the Crown Prince, watching from his own VIP room, furrowed his brow in frustration, silently acknowledging the depth of Kael's resources.
"Three million gold coins—do I hear any higher bids?" The beautiful hostess smiled brightly. The price had exceeded her expectations. After all, while the Stellar Violetflame was rare, the odds of successfully absorbing and mutating its power were vanishingly small. Three million was already a generous offer.
But Kael didn't care about the cost. Having already triggered two magical mutations—his Frostflame and later his mastery of lightning magic—he was far more confident than most in deciphering the flame's secrets. Moreover, the Water Dragon itself had once shared insights into mutated magic during his time in the Water Dragon's Secret Realm, giving him an edge others lacked.
Silence lingered. Sensing no further bids, the hostess swiftly brought down her gavel.
The Stellar Violetflame now belonged to Kael.
When the maidservant delivered the flame, Kael accepted it with a faint smile. After transferring the payment, the treasure was officially his.
"That's enough. We've accomplished what we came for—let's go." Kael stood. The auction was winding down, and none of the remaining items interested him.
Many attendees had already begun dispersing. Kael, accompanied by Lone Wolf and Thunderclap, stepped out into the streets.
Thunderclap's towering figure drew constant stares, making him scratch his head in annoyance. "Why do people keep looking at me…?"
Kael chuckled, about to reply—when suddenly, his senses sharpened.
A nobleman in opulent robes, his expression dark and foreboding, stood blocking their path. Behind him loomed the same black-robed elder from earlier. Both men radiated hostility.
The moment Lone Wolf spotted the nobleman, his fists clenched—though he quickly masked his reaction.
Kael keenly noted Lone Wolf's subtle reaction and immediately understood—the man before them was none other than the Crown Prince of the Maide Kingdom.
Lone Wolf had long since concealed his true identity, altering his appearance to avoid recognition, so there was no need to worry about being exposed.
The Crown Prince of the Maide Kingdom was a well-known figure, and his sudden blockade of the street quickly drew murmurs from the crowd.
"Huh? Isn't that the Crown Prince of Maide? Who's he stopping?"
"No idea, but looks like someone's about to have a bad day…" someone snickered with schadenfreude.
Kael rarely appeared in public, so few recognized him.
However, the moment the Crown Prince laid eyes on Kael, his expression faltered slightly. While others might not know Kael, as the heir to the Maide throne and an ally of the Reynolds family, how could he not recognize the man who had annihilated the Reynolds and defeated Einar?
In an instant, he identified him—Kael, the Lord of Rafay City!
"So it's Marquis Kael. To think you're this young—truly extraordinary." The Crown Prince masked the coldness in his gaze, replacing it with a practiced smile. Kael's influence was at its peak, and the prince was no fool; if he could avoid provoking him, he would.
"That young man is Kael, Lord of Rafay?"
"Kael? Which Kael?"
"Idiot! How many Kael's do you think there are in the world? The one who defeated Einar! Damn, we're actually seeing the man who crushed the Holy Temple's Saint—what luck!"
The crowd erupted in whispers, inching closer until the street was packed. Their curiosity wasn't just about the confrontation—they wanted to see Kael's face. After all, bards across the continent had spun tales of him as a three-headed, six-armed demigod, bathed in divine light. Yet here he stood, young as the legends said, but otherwise... just a man.
"Your Highness, was there something you needed?" Kael asked mildly, his tone indifferent.
Now aware of Kael's identity, the Crown Prince swallowed his pride. "This prince merely wished to greet the illustrious Lord of Rafay. They say you're a hero among youths—ha! I hoped we might become friends."
Kael smiled faintly but said nothing.
He had no fondness for the Crown Prince, so he saw no need to humor him.Moreover, given his current standing—practically a sovereign in Rafay, backed by the Sacred Council—he had no reason to curry favor.
When Kael remained silent, the Crown Prince chuckled again and said, "I was also at the auction earlier and saw you purchase the Wind Spirit Crystal for 1.5 million gold coins. How about we strike a deal?"
"What kind of deal?"
The prince narrowed his eyes with a confident smile. "Why not sell the Wind Spirit Crystal to me? I'm willing to offer 1.3 million gold coins—what do you say?" He spoke with an air of certainty. In his mind, though Kael was powerful, his own status as a royal prince far outweighed that of a mere city lord. Losing 200,000 gold coins in exchange for a connection with royalty? Many would consider it a bargain. He had seen such transactions countless times before.
Kael raised an eyebrow, amused by the prince's audacity. Asking him to take a loss?
"Let's go." Without even glancing at the prince, Kael turned to leave—he had no patience for such arrogance.
"You—!" The Crown Prince's face darkened instantly. "You refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit. It seems Lord Kael is determined to oppose me?"
With a cold sneer, he stepped forward, blocking Kael's path.
Kael's expression turned icy. "Move." His voice, infused with a trace of magic, boomed like thunder, forcing the surrounding onlookers to stagger back several steps. Even the prince stumbled slightly.
Shaken but furious, the prince's face twisted into a venomous glare. "They say Lord Kael is the strongest genius of the younger generation, a tenth-rank powerhouse at such a young age. Well then—I'd like to see for myself just how formidable you truly are!"
As he spoke, surges of mana erupted around him. To the crowd's shock, the Crown Prince was also a tenth-rank mage—and at the peak of that realm, no less!
A wind-element specialist, his mere movement caused the surrounding air to howl violently, whipping into a frenzy as gales tore through the space between them.
The onlookers quickly retreated, clearing a path between the Crown Prince and Kael as the confrontation escalated.
The prince being a peak tenth-rank mage was no surprise to Kael. After all, the man appeared to be in his thirties, and as royalty of the Maide Kingdom, he had never lacked top-tier cultivation resources. If he hadn't reached this level, that would've been shocking.
Swirling winds enveloped the prince, their oppressive force drawing awed murmurs from the crowd.
To most, a peak tenth-rank expert was an untouchable existence.
As the spectators backed away, whispers spread:
"Who's stronger—the Crown Prince or Lord Kael?"
"Hard to say. Kael defeated Einar, but the prince is no weakling. I heard he once fought a tenth-rank 'Earthflame Bear' to a standstill. He might actually give Kael trouble."
"What?! An Earthflame Bear? That's practically an eleventh-rank beast! This won't be one-sided…"
The prince's lips curled into a smirk at the chatter.
"Kael, let's see if your reputation as the 'strongest of the younger generation' holds up—or if it's all hot air!" He laughed, blocking Kael's path with palpable arrogance.
Kael's fame had spread across the continent, drawing countless eyes. Defeating him would catapult the prince into legendary status—a title far too tempting to ignore.
A glint of frost flashed in Kael's eyes.
"You're not worthy."
You're not worthy.
Those four words slammed into the prince like a boulder, stealing the breath from his lungs.