Becoming the Dark Lord

The auction continued in the grand hall, participants raising their paddles and fighting over each item as if waging a silent war. Voices overlapped across the room, absurd sums were tossed around without hesitation, and the auctioneer kept everything moving with a practiced smile.

“One hundred billion points,” someone called, raising their paddle.

“One hundred billion points. Do I hear more?” the auctioneer asked.

Luke raised his paddle, unhurried. “One hundred ten billion.”

Another paddle shot up immediately. The auction seemed simple enough: raise your paddle, spend your points, win an item. But it was anything but simple. Everyone in the room was trying to outmaneuver everyone else.

No one knew what items would come next. Spend too much on something mediocre, and you’d be screwed if something truly valuable came up later. But there was another kind of pressure too. Once the auction ended, there would be no second chance to buy anything. Any points left over would become worthless.

Spend them or lose them.

“You’re not going to keep bidding?” Artemis whispered beside him.

“No. I just wanted to make them pay more.” Luke smiled.

He had already noticed a pattern. Whenever someone showed too much interest in an item, other participants started bidding on it too. Maybe they just wanted to interfere. Or maybe they had no idea what they were looking at and assumed someone else had spotted something valuable.

“So far, I haven’t seen anything I actually want,” Luke said.

He had already purchased one item for 240.5 billion points. The moment his bid was accepted, the points were deducted, and an attendant delivered the object to his table.

[Veiled Pilgrim’s Bracelet (Epic)]: A simple leather bracelet, unassuming at first glance, but enchanted with a pocket dimension within. Though its capacity is limited, it provides secure and convenient storage for important items, making it a valuable tool for travel, exploration, and situations where carrying too much weight may become a liability.

Enchantment:

[Spatial Storage (Rare)]: Grants access to a modest pocket dimension where the wearer may store and retrieve items. The internal space exists separately from the physical world, allowing objects to be stored without occupying any external volume within the bracelet.

Requirement: Soulbound.

That takes care of Angie’s gift.

Angie still didn’t have a storage item of her own, so the bracelet would definitely come in handy.

“Too bad I can’t put one storage item inside another,” Luke said, slipping the bracelet into his suit pocket.

[Total Event Points: 1,415,019,064,658]

Not long afterward, a large cart was wheeled onto the stage. It held several scrolls, all arranged with meticulous care. One of them, tied with a red cord, was handed to the auctioneer, who made it float above his palm.

“Our next lot is not a single item, but one hundred identical scrolls,” he announced. “They were provided to the auction by the Order of Black Crows. Each contains the spell [Message].”

A floating screen appeared in front of Luke’s table.

[Spell Scroll: Message (Common)]: Allows the caster to send a telepathic message to anyone with whom they share an affinity, provided the target is within range of the caster’s Perception Field. The scroll permits three uses of the spell. Once all uses are exhausted, the scroll is destroyed.

“I hardly need to explain how useful this could be in warfare, covert exchanges of information, or infiltration,” the auctioneer said. “A simple spell, but a dangerously useful one. Bidding begins at one billion points.”

“I’ll buy the whole lot!” someone shouted, raising their paddle.

Several other paddles shot into the air. Bids echoed through the hall, turning the room into controlled chaos for a few brief moments.

That’s ridiculously cheap. And really useful.

The auctioneer raised one hand.

“Order, please. Allow me to explain how this lot will be handled. Each scroll will be auctioned individually.”

The scrolls were offered one at a time. The bids started low but climbed quickly. It was a simple item, common even, but the fewer scrolls there were, the hungrier the participants became.

Everyone seemed to want one.

The problem is that it only has three uses.

Luke watched another scroll disappear into someone else’s storage item.

At least, it does for everyone else.

He raised his paddle. “Fourteen billion and ten million.”

In the end, he won one of the scrolls.

“I think I already know why you bought that,” Artemis whispered.

“It was the most useful scroll I saw, either in the shop or here.”

Luke stored the scroll.

Three uses for anyone else.

The auction continued, and as time passed, the bidding intensified. Some participants had already burned through nearly all their points, while others held on to theirs with disciplined restraint. Luke spent 451 billion points on a sword for Charlie. It was expensive, but it was perfect for her.

[Blade of the Royal Oath (Epic)]: An elegant silver sword forged for knights who place duty above their own lives. Its blade carries a clean, noble gleam, as though it belonged in the hands of someone sworn to protect a master, a crown, or a cause greater than themselves. The sword’s structure absorbs Lethality with exceptional efficiency, making its cuts deeper and more precise. When wielded in combat, it increases damage dealt by 5%.

Enchantment:

[Knight’s Loyalty (Epic)]: When wielded by a Royal Guard to protect their master, the sword responds to the bearer’s oath. As long as this condition is fulfilled, the wielder’s attacks become stronger and receive a minor bonus based on Lethality.

The sword had been expensive, but Luke still had a substantial number of points left.

[Total Event Points: 950,009,064,658]

If this keeps up and nothing catches my interest, I’ll have to buy something random just so the points don’t go to waste.

Then the auctioneer’s smile changed.

“Our next item is a book highly coveted by collectors. So rare that many doubt it exists at all,” he announced. “A book on herbology written by Mother Freya herself. Bidding begins at seven hundred billion points.”

Seven hundred billion!?

One participant raised their paddle.

“Seven hundred twenty billion.”

Luke remained silent for a moment.

Is it the same kind of book I have? As far as I remember, Mother Freya wrote all of them by hand.

A screen appeared before him.

[Mother Freya’s Herbology: A Study in Green #4]: A collection of handwritten herbology notes penned by the Goddess Mother Freya herself. Some say the author has vanished. Others claim the name is merely a pseudonym used by an entire pantheon of botanical gods. No one knows her true fate, but scattered throughout every volume are pages from her personal diaries. It is said that only botanists who follow her path can read them, and only if they are worthy.

Luke pulled his own book from his inventory.

[Mother Freya’s Herbology: A Study in Green]

But on the back cover, just beneath the title, there was a number: 12. That must be the book’s edition number.

I haven’t touched this thing since I got good enough at botany to manage on my own.

He discreetly flipped through the pages.

What does that mean? Only worthy botanists can read them? Isn’t the whole book basically a diary?

Then, near the middle of the book, one page suddenly glowed green. Luke went still.

[Sentinel Botanist, would you like to use Botanical Bond of Mother Freya?]

I never noticed that before.

The book had reacted to him.

Luke snapped it shut. Why didn’t that ever show up before? Did hitting level 100 as a botanist on her path trigger it?

“Seven hundred sixty billion. Anyone else?” the auctioneer asked.

Luke’s paddle went up. “Eight hundred billion.”

One of the competitors lowered theirs, clearly giving up. The price had already passed their limit.

“Eight hundred billion. Do I hear more?”

“Eight hundred fifty billion,” another participant said.

Luke looked toward the voice. Participant 1238? The Reaper King...

He bid again. “Nine hundred billion.”

“Nine hundred thirty billion,” the Reaper King countered.

The rest of the hall seemed to lose interest.

“Nine hundred thirty billion. Anyone else?” the auctioneer asked.

What’s this guy’s deal?

One more bid would leave Luke with almost nothing. If the book was truly connected to Mother Freya’s path, walking away would be worse.

He didn’t hesitate. “Nine hundred fifty billion.”

The Reaper King lowered his paddle. The auctioneer began his countdown with theatrical flair.

“Five seconds. Are we really letting it go for nine hundred fifty billion? Four seconds. Imagine this masterpiece on your shelf.”

No one answered. He pointed toward Luke. “Sold to Participant 666.”

The points were deducted. A few seconds later, an attendant pushed a cart over to Luke’s table. The book rested inside a glass case.

“Congratulations on your purchase,” the attendant said as he handed it over.

“Thanks.”

Luke placed the book inside his storage item. When he glanced to the side, he saw the Reaper King give him a slight nod before leaning back in his seat. The auction continued, but Luke bought nothing else. After all his purchases, he had just 9,064,658 points left. A billion points had sounded absurd when the auction began. Now it barely counted as a bid.

When the event ended, the participants began filing out of the hall. The Advisors, however, had to remain behind for a meeting about the next few days of the event.

“Good fight,” a voice said as someone approached Luke.

It was the Reaper King.

“So you’re into more than wild animals,” Luke said. “You collect books too?”

The man scratched his head and looked away. “I kind of... just followed my Advisor’s advice.”

Luke stared at him. This awkward man led some of the most dangerous criminals in the world.

“I didn’t think you had that many points,” Luke said.

“I only had... nine hundred thirty billion total. My Event Zone was pretty uneventful.”

“And you still almost blew all of it on one book.”

He shrugged. “My Advisor said studying the book gives you a one-in-a-trillion chance of mutating your profession into the [Path of Mother Freya].”

“Seriously? Good to know. Can anyone do it?”

“I don’t know the requirements. It’s extremely unlikely, and from what I’ve heard, probably just a legend. But the book also has significant historical value.”

“And you’re a collector?”

“I have... a few valuable pieces back home.” He paused. “Just don’t ask how I got them.”

“You almost had me, Lucius. Nine hundred fifty billion was everything I had left.”

“Good luck with the book,” the Reaper King said before walking away.

Luke wandered through the hotel for a while but found no sign of his mother.

I know your number now, Participant 404.

She could change her face. She couldn’t change the number.

***

Luke sat alone in his room, lost in thought.

[Finalizing the forging of the Dark Lord Relic’s essence...]

I can feel it. The process is almost finished.

And that wasn’t the only sign. Whenever Luke looked at his palm, something black flickered beneath the surface. The relic wasn’t finished yet. But the changes had already begun.

Artemis entered the apartment the next morning.

“Man, that was a pain. I hate lectures,” the goddess complained, throwing herself onto the couch.

“So? When do I get to go back to Earth? Or New Earth? I’m still not sure what we’re calling it.”

“You should start thinking of names. Sooner or later, everyone from your planet will have to pick one.”

“We have to name the planet too?”

“Yep. Welcome to the reality where great power comes with great administrative responsibility.”

Luke was studying the items he had purchased at the auction, especially the book by [Mother Freya]. He kept it open in front of him, trying to understand what had happened in the hall.

The pages came from plants.

Somehow, that meant the whole book still counted as one. It was only a theory. Unfortunately, it was the only one he had. The problem was that he could not replicate whatever had caused the page to glow green.

Did the book just want me to notice what it could do? Did it want me to buy the other volume?

With no answers, Luke set the book aside and picked up the [Message Scroll].

“You’re really going to burn that skill on this?” Artemis asked.

“Maybe something stronger will show up later.” Luke examined the scroll. “Stronger doesn’t always mean more useful.”

He activated [Spell Grimoire], an [Arcane Witch] skill he had chosen at level 60. He had waited a long time for the right scroll. This was it.

[Spell Grimoire (Epic)]: Driven by an insatiable hunger for arcane secrets, the Witch refuses to walk only the paths of her own magic. As a devourer of knowledge, she dares to violate the natural order, stealing power written into the very fabric of reality. This grimoire grants the Witch the ability to permanently absorb the spell contained within a scroll, destroying the scroll in the process. Once the spell is consumed, the grimoire loses its original function and becomes the stolen spell itself.

(Warning: The Witch may absorb only a single spell through this power, and it must be compatible with her Rank. Any spell inscribed on a scroll may be taken, even those belonging to other classes, whether arts of healing, wisdom, or sorcery. As long as a scroll exists, the Witch can make its spell part of her own power.)

A ghostly blue grimoire appeared, floating in front of Luke.

[Allow Spell Grimoire to absorb the Message Scroll?]

Luke selected “Yes.”

The scroll flew toward the book and dissolved into it. The pages began flipping on their own at blinding speed until a new page formed at the center of the grimoire. Unlike the others, this page wasn’t ghostly. It was physical.

[The Message Scroll has been successfully absorbed by your Spell Grimoire.]

A black grimoire appeared in Luke’s hand.

“Interesting.”

The book was solid, its weight pressing against his palm. Luke focused and deactivated the skill, causing the grimoire to disappear. When he concentrated again, the black book reappeared before him.

“Now I can cast [Message] as many times as I want through the grimoire.”

The pages displayed symbols and writing in languages Luke did not recognize. The page devoted to [Message], however, revealed the spell’s sigil, how the scroll had been constructed, and a much more detailed explanation of how the spell worked. He was still studying the page when another message appeared.

Luke froze.

[Blessing of Artemis (Divine) is evolving your Spell Grimoire...]

He stared at the message. The black grimoire suddenly began to glow. It grew larger as multicolored light snaked across the pages, sending them whipping past at incredible speed.

[Your skill “Spell Grimoire (Epic)” has evolved into “Spell Grimoire (Legendary).”]

The black tome, once small enough to fit in one hand, had become larger and far more imposing. Symbols covered its binding, and at the center of the front cover was the image of an open hand with an eye embedded in its palm.

“Well, look at you, honey.” Artemis smiled from the couch. “My blessing’s already bearing fruit.”

She leaned back, looking entirely too pleased with herself.

“You’re welcome.”