Cultured Auction Pt. I

"1 million zecta!"

"3 million zecta!"

"3.5 million zecta!"

"5 million zecta!"

-

The Rykerians watched in perplexion as the Earthians, laughing uncontrollably at a weapon, began bidding in the millions!

However, everyone fell silent in shock when the tenth bid came in.

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"20 million 770 thousand zecta!"

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A second of stunned silence followed the fifth bidder's statement.

The Rykerians couldn't believe what they had just heard. 21 million zecta, with higher purchasing power than the US dollar, could buy a mid-sized mansion!

People didn't just throw around that much money for a gun with limited ammo! Most of Greed's weapons had limited ammo, and the Cyberpunk came with 11 shots!

Just because the elites had the money didn't mean they'd buy something so frivolous. People become ultra-wealthy when they're good with money, and that purchase was the opposite!

However, their stares didn't deter the woman. Her eyes were crazed, primal even.

It looked like her amygdala was shooting random shots of dopamine into her brain as she waited for confirmation.

In truth, there was a lot on the table. They were at the auction to buy a cheat leveling advantage for their children, so the weapon they got was largely irrelevant.

That weapon could easily kill a Spirit Entity, and their child would become one instantly. So it only required one shot to be worth it in their eyes.

Moreover, the woman would get her family's name immortalized for making Myriad Online history next to Greed's name.

Lastly, her legacy family could get unlimited free marketing for centuries—by making meme history!

-

Grey put a mic into his ear and hit the [on] button, shutting down the auction momentarily.

"Everyone is welcome to continue bidding; I am the beneficiary, after all.

However, while it's uncharacteristic, I humbly request that we let that woman have it for the sake of my people's culture!"

The Rykerians were still stunned that she bid almost 21 million for a gun with ten canisters that couldn't be reverse-engineered.

Now, the patron was asking people [not] to continue bidding? It was unthinkable. However—

A violent wave of cheering rocked the amphitheater and the outside viewing party.

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─┈━═[World Announcement!]═━┈─

Player Greed has become the first player to sell an item for over one million (zecta).

Their achievement has made history and will get recorded in the Myriad Record for all eternity.

─┈━═━┈━═━┈━═━┈─

-

The Rykerians could hear overwhelming cheering from the watching party in Ridgemont Heights, where Earnthians spent millions to stand before a haloscreen hours before. They had never been so confused.

However, they understood something important: that gun had more value than they thought it did! They needed to listen to cues from the bidders to find what was important!

All ignored Greed's warning: Please forgive my people's peculiar language and customs, and do not misinterpret reactions. The statement went both ways.

-

Lina panned the audience with a strange glint in her eyes. She was just as confused as everyone else but could smell the money. So she continued with enthusiasm.

"Next up, we have a non-advertised-till-now weapon that Greed calls a [classic]." The blonde said with a strange smile, liking the ring of that.

Excitement spread through the Earthian ranks, capturing the attention and adrenaline of the Rykerians, ready for the specs to drop.

Naturally, the Rykerians got the specs on a haloscreen instead of the interface, omitting the (Illegally Modified) label.

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─┈━═[Weapon Information]═━┈─

Name: OG: BFG (Illegally Modified)

Type: Heavy Plasma Cannon | Plasma Weapon

Ammo Type: Standard Plasma Gas Canister

Requirements: STR 20

Level: ???

Damage: ???

Condition: Hazardous

Description: It's big, but it's not a friendly giant. This doom-bringer shoots a savage bolt of green plasma that hits like a Tesla coil and spreads like cooties as a swinger party.

Why is it green? By special request, of course.

-

Warning: This weapon has modifications that may change performance or cause it to explode.

─┈━═━┈━═━┈━═━┈─

-

A wild wave of cheering broke out a moment later, piercing the Rykerian's ears. It only got louder when the footage of the weapon started.

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—The Day Prior: Markov Outskirts—

Grey and his mercenaries slowly walked through Markov City's rubble-studded streets, approaching a large shopping district.

The area was quiet, but that's not what his equipment said.

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┌─┈━═[Live Stream]═━┈─┐

Welcome to Live Stream, Greed!

Record

…

Please Choose Your Stream Title

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Name: Exasperating Inequality with the OG: BFG

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Description: Yet another faction dedicated to financial equality in Myriad Online, AKA a pack of salty prom queens without skill, creativity, or ambition, has surrounded me [by my request].

Fortunately, this Big F****** Gun I'm selling at Greed's Cheat Advantage Auction is perfect to handle them.

Watch it in action; once you see how many noobs you can toast in one blast, I'm certain you'll donate to the Greed's Inequality Fund.

-

Would you like to start the stream? [Yes/No]

Live stream initiated.

3…

2…

1…

You are live!

─┈━═━┈━═━┈━═━┈─

-

"Hello, my greedy brethren." Grey said with a primal grin, "My intelligence network shows a force of over fifty approaching my party.

I'd bet a zecta grip it's one of those groups firing off death threats for the sake of equity. They're so common I made a new name for them… what was it…."

Greed materialized a massive, dual-grip mid-tone-grey plasma cannon with a coil generator in the center and gave the sky an evil grin. "... oh, yes. Advertisements."

He signaled to his mercenaries, who took positions around a broken concrete wall covering the teen's flanks on both sides.

Then he closed his eyes and sent out a Pulse, a unique wave that passes through inorganic matter and stops when it finds life. It allowed a person to pick up humans in a 1,000-foot radius like a video game radar.

After identifying the best group, he turned his body, facing a building's wall at a particular angle.

"Today, we're testing out the OG: BFG." Greed smiled, "It's a big fucking gun I'm selling at Greed's Cheat Advantage Auction tomorrow.

Once you see it in action, make sure to show up and donate to Greed's Inequality Fund. I want all my adverts to know their efforts are paying off handsomely."

Without further discussion, the teen squatted down, triggering geometric lines to grow neon blue in his legs before—

"W-Wait, that's Gree—AgGhHhHhhhHHhhHhhhHhhHHhhH!"

—he jumped fifty feet in the air, catching two dozen players sneaking up from the other side of the wall off guard and hitting the trigger on the OG: BFG.

The coil in the center churned rapidly, turning the gas inside the chamber green before sending a massive ball of green lightning at one of the female soldiers.

It hit her in the chest before it spread to the player beside her, passing it to those beside him and continuing the cycle. The green spread in a full chain reaction, cackling as it fried their skin.

-

─┈━═[User Has Killed Enemies!]═━┈─

Would you like the full information? [Yes/No]

Full Information:

Weapon: OG: BFG (Illegally Modified)

Weapon Type: Heavy Plasma Cannon | Plasma Weapon

Damage: 802,281 (+800 dmg/sec)

Enemy Type: Player [Untranscended] (x18)

Enemy Type: Player [Primed Entity] (x8)

…

-

Total Enemies Killed: 26

Total Vehicles Destroyed: 0

-

Total Exp: 483,771 (x175%)

─┈━═━┈━═━┈━═━┈─

Ding!

─┈━═[Attack Rewards]═━┈─

Blessings: None.

Gold: 3,821

Health: 4,381

Energy: 7,283

Bonus: None

Zecta Drop: 43,120

Item Drops: Markov 22 Standard Rifle … Frag Grenade (3x)

─┈━═━┈━═━┈━═━┈─

-

"Wheeeeeeeeeeeeew!" Greed whistled, "That was a first-class case of noobicide!

I'll break down what just happened if you want a technical explanation.

Twenty-six idiots who hate me because I got rich quickly and became overpowered tried to kill me with lower-end weapons.

Since they were underpowered, they thought that organizing a larger group would stop me. However—"

He pointed at a building's doorway as a flurry of players shot out, guns drawn, ready to shoot him. However, before they could, his mercenaries came out at blinding speed.

Ratatatat! Ratatatat!

Thud, thud, thud-thud-thud!

A wave of party notifications letting him know that another eight people had died popped up on his screen.

"—these fifty idiots can't even hit my mercenaries, let alone me." He continued casually, "So I casually pulled out this big fucking gun and casually collected. That's technically what happened."

Greed walked over and picked up one of the dead player's assault rifles. "But here's what really happened.

If you're unaware, if you kill a person in Myriad Online, you get the gun and gear they're holding if you didn't destroy it.

That's what these equity fighters are really after—my suit, my money, and this gun.

But, here's the thing; this gun's really fucking big, and this suit's the best money can buy. So now I have all their guns and money instead.

Their attack was never about financial equality. However, they'll change their tune tomorrow when they log back in five levels lower, broke, and weaponless.

That's why poor people don't fight the rich—the rich have guns like this. And come tomorrow, another rich person will have this gun, and no one will want to fight them either."

-

—Current Time: Greed's Cheat Advantage Auction—

After a second of stunned silence, the Earthians exploded in overwhelming fervor.

"As a reminder, this weapon uses regular plasma gas, making it nearly unlimited in use so long as it remains functional." Lina announced, stunning everyone again.

"Strangely, Greed offers a price-back-guarantee if the person using it dies within the first three days. However, they must record their actions to prove they haven't misused the weapon…."

She and the Rykerians were beyond bewildered. Who recorded their gun usage and wanted their money back if they died using the gun!?

However, the players snickered, confusing the elites.

"Greed reminds everyone that Earthian technology is new and the Rykerians are better off [attempting] to reverse engineering the weaponry than using it unless necessary.

By request, bidding for the OG: BFG starts at one zecta." Lina grinned, "You may begin!"