The Chained Half-Blood

"According to Greed, this weapon is both iconic and shockingly practical." Lina explained with a wincing expression, feeling humiliated, "He had ten custom-modified for this event."

It wasn't the weapon that was humiliating but the format, which seemed childish and unprofessional.

"The acquisition process is extremely peculiar." She continued, "The item is a raffle, not a bidding format."

Everyone in the audience was stunned, confused by the switch of pace.

"Everyone who wishes for a chance at this item will pay 10 million zecta." Lina explained, "Then, by Earthian custom, the raffler will spin a yellow box with a question mark in the air.

It will hit the ground and break, revealing an item card.

If the item's name aligns, they will get it. Otherwise, they will receive one of 19 other items or weapons. So anyone who enters will win an item."

All the player's eyes lit up like fireworks, each looking at other players, waiting to confirm.

-

─┈━═[Weapon Information]═━┈─

Name: Punk Rock Turtle (Illegally Modified)

Type: Automated Rover | Heat Seeking Explosive

Requirements: STR 0

Ammo Type: Single Use

Level: ???

Damage: ???

Condition: Hazardous

Description: With magnetic wheels that can secrete slight adhesive, super shocks, and a sturdy base, this rover will chase a locked-on heat signature to the end of the earth before exploding.

With a default speed of 200 mph (322 kmh), none can escape this turtle's wrath.

With spikes coming out of its exterior like a blue turtle stuck in the closet, this punk rock turtle will destroy any enemy you seek.

While it is destroyable, only Earthians will understand its terror, and by the time they see it, it'll already too late!

─┈━═━┈━═━┈━═━┈─

-

Pandemonium broke out instantly, sending waves of players into a craze. As always, the rich and military members didn't find much use in the weapon, and it only got worse.

"For those who don't win it, they can win a friction-removing oil that spreads over a 100-foot radius, a small, one-use drone that shoots lightning, and the peel of a real Rumba Fruit… which is organic." Lina winced, "Some will get three."

Overbearing laughter rocked the airwaves the next moment, aggravating the Rykerians. They couldn't believe they could spend ten million and get the peel of a fruit that cost a zecta per bushel!

"You have ten minutes to get your money together." Lina smiled wryly, not understanding. However, she trusted Greed and wasn't punished for doing so.

A riot immediately broke out with the ultra-rich who bought weapons making calls to their families for more money. Everyone wanted to enter for various reasons.

The small hyper-exclusive amphitheater had two hundred bidders and nine special guests, including Greed. One hundred players held seats, with the other half being Rykerians.

Of those 209 bidders, all 209, including Michael, Ray, and Greed, entered the raffle.

The ultra-elites, including Michael, joined for the experience alone, planning to sell their items to the military after they had value. They found it fun or didn't want to get left out, as it was being filmed.

"We will now call eight people at a time to the stage." Lina said in a haze, seeing every elite in the amphitheater ready to approach the stage, "We'll spin the boxes simultaneously."

After getting called, each auction attendee walked to the stage and got a yellow box with a question mark on it.

"Three… two… one…. Start!"

The eight people threw their boxes in the air, and they fell to the ground, exploding and revealing an item card.

"I got one!" A player yelled, triggering a wave of cheers.

However, as time passed, the rich groaned when the number of Punk Rock Turtles decreased, leaving more Romba peels and friction-removing oil.

However, most were good sports, laughing at their winnings. It was a truly festive environment.

***

"Last up, we have the 27th group, leaving only one raffler." Lina said with a mysterious smile, "While it seems unceremonious, I assure you, everyone, you'll want to watch this next group.

After all, the bidder is none other than Greed himself!"

A blizzard of excited whispers and awkward cheers rang through the crowd, preemptively welcoming the night's host.

Grey turned to the brunette sitting to his left, wearing a red Markovian Maid outfit, trying to avoid looking at him. "Come, it's time for you to enjoy spinning the box."

Emma, whose heart hadn't stopped beating since sitting next to the horrifyingly powerful, rich, mysterious, arrogant, and wildly attractive teen, panicked. "W-What?"

"It's an order." He smiled wickedly, "You have no choice, so let's not make our guests wait."

She opened and closed her mouth, looking between him, the stage, and the patrons. Panic didn't begin to explain the situation.

A [chained] like her couldn't step on that stage unless she wanted to get executed. It wasn't a joke! She wanted to plead but got up with him, unable to refuse.

Her world became hazy, unable to process what was happening as she walked out of the skybox door with five mercenaries surrounding the two.

"Don't worry." Grey smiled mysteriously, "Everything will be okay; I'll make sure of it.

So enjoy the spin. I assure you, Emma, it'll be more enjoyable than you think."

Emma's eyes welled with slight tears. Her stress was so high that hearing his alluring confidence eased her painful anxiety and moved her as they walked out the door to the main amphitheater stands.

To the Rykerian's bewilderment, a teen came out of a side door to the main area alongside a chained half-blood maid.

All the elites' faces scrunched up in rage, looking at the two, and preparing to go on a vitriolic rant to express their bloodlust. However, thankfully, before they could—

"IT'S HIM!" A player screamed at the top of her lungs.

"It's Greed!"

"It's surreal seeing him in person!"

"Join my family, Greed! Name your terms!"

Every Rykerian ate their words with anxiety piercing their hearts when they heard who the teen was. It got more intense when they saw Lina Mion smile at the teen walking to the stage.

The players clapped furiously, thankful to the teen who gave nearly every person a cheat advantage with his numerous weapons.

However, the Rykerians were awkward about the scene unfolding. Once they learned who he was, they respected him and wanted to clap, but—

"Why did he bring that traitorous whore?"

"Maybe he wants her to carry his card?"

"It's still scandalous for a chained half-blood to approach the stage."

—Emma was another story.

Half-bloods were bastard children of elites who were looked down upon but begrudgingly accepted. Servants and half-blood servants were acceptable, as they were professionals.

However, [the chained] were condemned individuals by birth in society, much like untouchables in historic Indian culture.

They were born into families that committed crimes against the Elite Federation, a wealthy conglomerate of the ultra-elites in the Cyclo Galaxy.

An exposed traitor's family got condemned for the rest of eternity. It was not a joke.

Chained half-bloods had it the worst, representing bastard children from ultra-elite families that had turned traitors against the Elite Federation.

Therefore, Emma was not a simple servant, escort, or bastard child. She represented the worst sub-human Ryker could create!

"I'd like it if Emma here spun my box for me." Greed requested of Lina, whose gratitude-filled expression crumbled on the spot.

"G-Greed, we're excited you're here." The blonde smiled awkwardly, "However, we cannot have your servant on this stage.

We can provide you with another servant, complimentary, of course. The one you have is special and should not even be on the floor. She needs to leave."

"I'm new to the Cyclo Galaxy; can you explain why to me?" Grey asked dryly.

"This woman is part of the Kline family, which betrayed the Elite Federation." Lina explained, "For that reason, she's an indentured servant.

However, she does have elite blood, so she was a perfect servant for you, a new elite."

He narrowed his eyes. "How long ago was that?"

"Six and a half centuries ago." The blonde dry-swallowed, trying to avoid the stares of the people wanting the young brunette dragged away.

"I see." Grey replied with a strange tone, "How much will it cost to rid her of that title?"

Shocked gasps exploded in the area, disbelieving what they were hearing.

"Mr. G-Greed, it's not a matter of money." Lina stuttered.

"Everything comes down to money, yes?" Greed replied straight-faced, "Otherwise, this woman wouldn't get chained at birth over thirty-two generations after a monetary crime.

My question is, what donation must I make to the Elite Federation to earn Emma Kline an [exception]?

An exception is a key term, as I don't care about any other chained half-blood, just Emma Kline."

The audience was stunned by the teen's words. They couldn't understand the rationale behind the teen's actions.

"You're technically right." She dry-swallowed, "Chained half-bloods released from indentured servitude after repaying the money stolen from their wages.

However, buying her out of servitude and legal restrictions won't change her social treatment."

"How much?" Greed asked again dryly.

The blonde pulled out an electronic tablet and touched it a few times. "It'll cost a 1.1 billion zecta."

Grey gritted his teeth in disdain, understanding that under a chained half-blood's work restrictions, it'd take millennia to pay off that debt—if not impossible. They were the same.

He looked up, giving a wry smile to the sky. "I'll make the Elite Federation a deal.

If the sale of the next weapon exceeds 1.1 billion, I'll buy Emma Kline and her debt."