The dagger pulsed inside its sleek black case like it had a heartbeat. Every few seconds, a faint shimmer of purple ran along its edge, fading before it reached the tip.
Kai didn't touch it.
Yet.
His hand hovered near it as the auction carried on. Artifact after artifact. Treasure after treasure. None of them drew his attention anymore.
All he could hear was the hum of that dagger.
Void-Touched Fang…
He leaned back into his obsidian chair, watching the floating platform spin slowly. The air carried the scent of something ancient—like old scrolls mixed with magic and dusted gold.
A whisper brushed his mind.
"Bind me…"
He tensed.
Did it just…?
The whisper faded. A system prompt slid into view.
[Void-Touched Fang – Sealed]
Soul-binding available. Warning: Artifact is unstable. Proceed?
Kai glanced around.
No one else reacted. No alarms. No eyes on him. Just the silence of the sky and the occasional call of bids.
He looked down at the dagger.
"This is probably a stupid idea," he murmured.
Do you wish to bind?
[Yes] / [No]
He tapped yes.
The case cracked open silently.
The moment air touched the blade, purple mist seeped out, wrapping around his arm like eager vines.
His breath caught.
Binding…
Void Affinity confirmed.
Suppressed consciousness detected. Commencing link.
His vision blurred.
For a second, everything was dark.
Then—
He stood in a space without shape. A void. Stars blinked, but they weren't stars—they were eyes. Watching. Waiting.
A shadow drifted before him. Slender. Blade-like.
"You dare hold me?"
He flinched. "Who are you?"
"You are too early," it said.
The voice was female. Cold. But curious.
"I should be sleeping… yet here you are."
"Voidwalker," Kai replied, voice steady. "That's what they call me now."
A pause.
Then laughter.
"Voidwalker? Hah… fitting. Alright, Kai. I'll allow it."
The mist receded.
Binding complete. Void-Touched Fang (Dormant) equipped.
New Passive Unlocked: Whispered Instinct – Brief precognition during high-stress situations.
Skill Fragment Acquired: Phantom Pierce [1/3]
Kai blinked back to reality.
The dagger now sat in his palm. No longer sealed. No longer quiet.
It vibrated softly, almost content.
It has a personality… and a voice. Great.
He slid it into his coat—though the second he did, it vanished.
Not just disappeared—merged. The ring on his finger shimmered, and a faint icon of a dagger appeared above it.
"Storage?" he muttered.
Void Arsenal Unlocked.
Store 1 bound Void-class artifact. Summon anytime without material cost.
Convenient.
A voice spoke beside him, startling him out of thought.
"Interesting item you just won."
Kai turned.
A man in golden robes lounged in the chair beside him. He had a wine glass filled with glowing liquid and a mask with only one eye cut out.
"And?" Kai asked.
"Only that you bid a million on something no one else wanted," the man said lazily. "Bold. Risky."
Kai shrugged. "Maybe I like taking chances."
"You're new," the man continued. "First time here."
Kai didn't confirm or deny it.
"I'm 'Silent Silk'," the man offered. "Merchant. Collector. Opportunist."
"Kai," he replied before correcting, "Voidwalker."
"Nice alias. Sounds edgy." The man sipped his drink. "Keep your eyes open. The next item is the reason most of us came."
A hush fell over the arena.
Even the floating lights dimmed slightly.
The center of the auction dome pulsed with runes, brighter than before.
The auctioneer returned, holding a scroll sealed in three golden bands.
"This," they said slowly, "is the Celestial Contract. Origin unknown. Capable of summoning a one-time reality-altering wish under very strict conditions."
Gasps echoed.
Kai narrowed his eyes.
Void Gaze: Activated.
Analyzing artifact…
Estimated Worth: Unmeasurable.
Warning: Item is laced with soul-locking curse.
Potential fatal backlash to unqualified users.
He leaned forward.
The item was a trap for the greedy.
Perfect bait in a place like this.
"Starting bid?" someone called.
The auctioneer raised a finger. "Three million."
Someone immediately raised a golden fan. "Four."
"Five!"
"Six point five."
"Eight million," a calm, feminine voice said from above.
Kai didn't speak. He had no interest in that scroll. Not now.
But watching them scramble for it?
That was entertaining.
He sat back, feeling the dagger pulse at his side.
Let the fools play their game. I already won tonight.