Supreme BeastTamer: I Can Copy and Upgrade Skills 10x!

The small auction room was thick with tension as the bidding war for the Infernal Emberhawk raged on. As if that wasn't enough, the flames on the hawk also seemed to flicker fiercely, mirroring the intense competition.

"Nine million golden coins!" Nox shouted in a slightly shaky voice.

A collective gasp filled the hall, and for a moment, the hall fell into a brief, stunned silence. Nine million was a sum that not many could casually throw around.

However, another bidder shouted almost immediately, breaking the brief silence. "Nine point five million!"

"Damn these old monsters!" Nox clenched his fists, his palms already damp with sweat. His heart was pounding against his ribcage like a war drum. His eyes darted toward the hawk, which seemed to stare in his direction as well.

'This isn't just a beast—it's a treasure,' Nox thought, his heart squeezing at the mere thought of letting go of such a powerful creature. He wasn't the only one who realized the Emberhawk's true value. Everyone present knew!

If given to the right blacksmith or runesmith, they could craft a weapon containing all its skills.

Inferno Tempest, Phoenix Rebirth... Skills like those in a weapon could turn the tide of any battle!

This was one of the reasons Anya had mentioned the skills of the beast at the start of the auction. It was to reignite the passion of the bidders.

Anya, standing on the auction platform, grinned from ear to ear. This was exactly the kind of energy she wanted. The higher the bids, the bigger her commission, and this crowd was delivering.

"Nine point eight million!" another bidder called, his voice trembling slightly, as if he was already pushing his limits.

"Ten million!" came another bid, loud and commanding.

"Eleven million golden coins!" Nox declared, a fierce gleam in his eyes, though his heart was racing as he wasn't sure how far his funds would carry him.

Hearing Nox's bid, the hall went silent again, the sheer weight of the bid settling over the crowd. Even Anya blinked in surprise at the audacity of the bid before breaking into a wide smile.

"Eleven million! Do we have any higher?"

Nox felt a bead of sweat trail down his temple, and his heart pounded so loudly that he was sure the entire room could hear it. 'Please... just let that be the final bid.'

Eleven million, after all, was almost his entire wealth.

A heavy silence hung in the air as everyone processed the number.

But Nox's prayers were short-lived.

"Eleven point five million," came a calm, confident voice from Box Three.

"Not this monster again!" Many people sucked in deep breaths as they recognized the voice. It belonged to the person who had claimed the Elixir of Life, after all.

It was Lucas Silver, the head of the Silver family. The man leaned back in his chair, a slight smirk on his face as he casually sipped his wine.

Nox gritted his teeth. He couldn't back down—not yet. "Eleven point six million!"

Another bidder quickly chimed in, "Eleven point six one million!"

The pool of bidders had dwindled significantly. Nox was prepared for this, but there was a problem—his funds were almost depleted at this point. With a grit of his teeth, he said:

"Eleven point seven million!"

This... this was all of Nox's golden coins!

In Box Three, Lucas frowned. He wasn't a man who liked to lose, but his earlier purchases had already pushed his budget. He hesitated, glancing at Zarek on his side, and asked in a low voice:

"Do I risk it?"

Zarek didn't respond immediately, as if he was thinking about something. Lucas swirled the wine in his glass.

"That's up to you, patriarch," Zarek said respectfully after a while. Even he could see the potential in the Emberhawk. However, he would be a fool to advise Lucas to claim it because there was a 50 percent chance that this same elemental core would be used against him or his master's son in the future.

Hence, he left his answer vague.

After a brief moment of deliberation, Lucas made his choice.

"Twelve million."

Nox's fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white. His entire body tensed as he realized he couldn't match that bid. His funds were simply not enough.

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He slumped back into his seat, defeated.

"Damn it... so close."

Just as the auctioneer began to declare Lucas the winner, a voice from beside him interrupted.

"Thirteen million golden coins!"

Nox's head snapped toward the direction of the voice, his eyes wide in disbelief.

"Wendy...?"

Yes, the person who had spoken up was Wendy.

But why? Did she have that much money? There were so many questions swirling in Nox's head.

She turned to him with a small smile. "You want this beast, don't you? Then don't give up so easily."

The room erupted into chaos. Thirteen million was an astronomical number, and it was clear many had reached their limits.

Even Lucas hesitated, the weight of his earlier purchases pressing heavily on his mind.

"Just let it go," Zarek advised.

Finally, he sighed, shaking his head. "I'm out."

The other remaining bidders followed suit, one by one.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

"Thirteen million going once..."

Anya's voice rang out, cutting through the murmurs.

"Thirteen million going twice..."

Nox held his breath, his gaze fixed on the flaming hawk.

"Sold! To the gentleman in Box Seven!"

The hall exploded with applause and murmurs, but Nox barely heard any of it. He turned to Wendy, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water.

"I... I don't even know what to say."

Wendy chuckled. "Don't mention it. Just pay me back when you can."

"But that's—"

"Two million golden coins," she interrupted with a shrug. "It's my life savings. I'm a tutor at the academy and took a lot of quests from the Adventure Guild. They pay well, you know."

Her tone was light, but there was a glimmer of trust in her eyes. "Besides, with your strength, I know you'll be able to pay me back in no time."

Nox felt a lump form in his throat. He hadn't expected such a gesture, and the weight of her trust hit him hard. Unable to find the words, he simply hugged her.

Wendy froze for a moment before her face turned a deep shade of red. "Alright, alright! Let go already!"

But deep down inside her, she wanted this moment to last as long as it could.

Unfortunately for her, the moment was cut short as the auction staff wheeled the reinforced cage into their booth. The Infernal Emberhawk's fiery gaze locked onto Nox's, and for a brief moment, time seemed to stand still.

Nox stepped closer, his heart pounding for an entirely different reason now.

Suddenly, a system notification appeared in his mind.

[Ding! Do you wish to tame the Infernal Emberhawk?]