The broadcast had ended. The universe was in chaos. The major powers were arguing, planning, preparing. Kafu stood on the bridge of his flagship, his golden threads blazing, his body a 24th Grade Supreme Treasure, his cultivation at Epoch Forging 9—Invincible World Master. The Pill of Ascension had elevated him, but there was more to do. The First Varnax waited. The Royal Families who had attacked New Hope waited. The Cartels and Mafias who had escaped waited. But before he hunted them, there was something he needed. Something the system had been tracking since the beginning of the Revenge Arc.
The golden text blazed.
[DIVINE GOD SYSTEM]
"Target: The Scorpion Hydra. A legendary treasure that appears once every 10 million years at the Shadow Auction. It is the only known artifact that can create 9 perfect clones of a cultivator without splitting their consciousness. It is the key to the Scorpion King's future army. It will allow host to create 9 clones from the 25 Master Classes after host returns from seclusion. The auction begins in 7 days."
Kafu read the notification. The Scorpion Hydra. The treasure that would allow him to create 9 clones from the 25 Master Classes. He had known about it since the system first mentioned the auction at the end of the Revenge Arc. But with the remnants attacking, with the First Varnax waiting, with the Royal Families still unpunished—he had almost forgotten.
"Where is the auction?"
The Warden knelt. "The Shadow Auction, master. It moves every 10 million years. Currently, it is in Universe 12, the Tomb of the First Huanyan—the corpse of the first Huanyan Life Form, who died 100 quadrillion years ago. The auction will be held in the Heart Chamber, a fortress built from the First Huanyan's heart."
Kafu's gold-red eyes narrowed. "The Tomb of the First Huanyan. The place where the first life form fell. The place where the first chains were forged from its bones. The place where the Royal Families built their first empires." He turned to his wives. "Sylva. You will guide us."
Sylva stepped forward, her flowers blooming, her power restored, her purpose clear. "I know the Tomb of the First Huanyan, husband. I was born in its shadow. I will lead you there."
---
THE SHADOW AUCTION — THE TOMB OF THE FIRST HUANYAN
The fleet moved through dimensional space, the Golden Scorpion at its head, the Warden's flagship beside it, the shadows trailing behind. Seven days of travel through the corpse of the first life form—a being so vast that its body contained 1,000 universes, its bones formed mountains, its blood formed oceans, its heart formed a fortress that had stood for 100 quadrillion years.
[THE TOMB OF THE FIRST HUANYAN — COMPLETE ASSESSMENT]
Aspect Value
Location Universe 12
Size 1,000 universes contained within a single corpse
Age 100 Quadrillion Years
Ruler The Heart itself
Inhabitants The descendants of the First Huanyan, the guardians of the tomb, the scavengers of the corpse
Special Property Life Law is absolute here. Death is suppressed.
Sylva stood at the bow of the Golden Scorpion, her flowers blooming with the light of a billion lives, her power resonating with the Tomb of the First Huanyan. "I was born here, 8 billion years ago. My mother was the First Bloom. My father was the Last Seed. They ruled this realm for 10 billion years before the Royal Families came. Before the Cartels. Before the Mafias. Before the world forgot what life was."
Kafu stood beside her, his hand on her shoulder. "They will not forget again. When this is over, the Tomb of the First Huanyan will be free. You will be its queen."
Sylva smiled. "I am already a queen, husband. I am your wife. That is enough."
The Heart Chamber rose from the center of the First Huanyan's corpse like a mountain of living flesh and crystal, its walls pulsing with the rhythm of a heart that had not beaten for 100 quadrillion years. It had stood for 100 quadrillion years, through the rise and fall of Eras, through the wars of gods and demons, through the silence of the Scorpion King.
[THE HEART CHAMBER — COMPLETE ASSESSMENT]
Aspect Value
Location Tomb of the First Huanyan, Universe 12
Age 100 Quadrillion Years
Size 100,000,000 km diameter
Defenses Life arrays, heart barriers, First Huanyan's descendants
Host The Shadow Auctioneers (Eternal Sovereign 9)
Guest List The most powerful beings in existence
---
THE GUESTS — THE POWERS GATHER
The Shadow Auction was the most exclusive event in the hidden realms. It occurred once every 10 million years. Only those with invitations could enter. And invitations were only given to beings of Eternal Sovereign level or higher who had proven their worth in shadows.
[THE GUEST LIST — COMPLETE ASSESSMENT]
Faction Representatives Realm Purpose
RVC Council High Councilor Varn, Councilor Sylva, Councilor Morvath Eternal Sovereign 9 Observe, bid on treasures
SO Council The First Blood, The Silent Death, The Arena Master Eternal Sovereign 9 Observe, bid on treasures
13 Royal Families Emperor Solaris (enslaved), Empress Lunaris, King Stellaris, Lord Primus Eternal Sovereign 7-9 Bid on the Scorpion Hydra
Cartel Lords The Silent One, The Butcher, The Collector (all enslaved) Eternal Sovereign 7-9 Bid on the Scorpion Hydra
Mafia Kings The Don, The Underboss, The Consigliere (all enslaved) Eternal Sovereign 7-9 Bid on the Scorpion Hydra
12 Eras Remnants The First Remnant (enslaved) Eternal Sovereign 9 Bid on the Scorpion Hydra
Independent Powers 47 Eternal Sovereigns Eternal Sovereign 1-9 Observe, bid on treasures
Kafu studied the guest list. His enemies were there. The Royal Families who had attacked New Hope. The Cartel Lords he had enslaved. The Mafia Kings who now served him. The remnants he had bound. They were all there, bidding on the same treasure he needed.
He smiled. "They do not know I am here. They do not know their masters are here. They do not know that the treasures they bid on will be mine."
---
THE AUCTION — THE SCORPION HYDRA
The Shadow Auction began at midnight. The Heart Chamber glowed with the light of a billion lives, its halls filled with the most powerful beings in existence. Kafu entered alone, his power suppressed to 500 Billion IF, his 9 clones waiting outside, his wives in the flagship, his shadows surrounding the Heart Chamber.
He wore the mask of Epoch Forging 7. He moved among the Eternal Sovereigns like a ghost. They did not see him. They did not sense him. They did not know that the being they had believed dead for 100,000 years was standing among them.cos they felt like all the others unless someone with power comparaby to chaos soverign no one was surirving the throne of aeons challenge.
[THE AUCTION — ITEMS]
Item Starting Bid Winning Bid Winner
Fragment of the First Life 1 Sextillion UC 50 Sextillion UC RVC Council
13th Grade Supreme Treasure (Sword) 10 Sextillion UC 100 Sextillion UC SO Council
Seed of the First Bloom 50 Sextillion UC 500 Sextillion UC Independent Power
The Scorpion Hydra 100 Sextillion UC — —
The Auctioneer—a being of flesh and blood, its form shifting, its voice echoing—raised the Scorpion Hydra. It was a sphere of living crystal, its surface pulsing with the power of a billion lives, its core holding the secret of creating 9 perfect clones from the 25 Master Classes.
"The Scorpion Hydra. The only artifact in existence that can create 9 perfect clones without splitting consciousness. The key to the Scorpion King's future army. The treasure that the Scorpion King and countless power houses has sought for 100,000 years. Bidding begins at 100 Sextillion UC."
The room erupted.
[THE BIDDING — ROUND 1]
Bidder Bid
Emperor Solaris (House Solaris) 100 Sextillion UC
Empress Lunaris (House Lunaris) 110 Sextillion UC
King Stellaris (House Stellaris) 120 Sextillion UC
Lord Primus (House Primus) 130 Sextillion UC
The Silent One (Cartel Lords) 140 Sextillion UC
The Don (Mafia Kings) 150 Sextillion UC
The First Remnant (12 Eras) 160 Sextillion UC
High Councilor Varn (RVC) 170 Sextillion UC
The First Blood (SO) 180 Sextillion UC
The bidding continued for an hour. The price rose. 200 Sextillion UC. 300 Sextillion UC. 400 Sextillion UC. 500 Sextillion UC. The Royal Families poured their treasuries into the bid. The Cartel Lords emptied their vaults. The Mafia Kings spent their last coins. The remnants of the 12 Eras sacrificed their power.
And through it all, Kafu watched. He waited. He let them spend. He let them exhaust themselves. He let them believe they were winning.
[THE BIDDING — FINAL ROUND]
Bidder Bid
Emperor Solaris (House Solaris) 500 Sextillion UC
Empress Lunaris (House Lunaris) 550 Sextillion UC
King Stellaris (House Stellaris) 600 Sextillion UC
Lord Primus (House Primus) 650 Sextillion UC
The Silent One (Cartel Lords) 700 Sextillion UC
The Don (Mafia Kings) 750 Sextillion UC
The First Remnant (12 Eras) 800 Sextillion UC
High Councilor Varn (RVC) 850 Sextillion UC
The First Blood (SO) 900 Sextillion UC
The room fell silent. 900 Sextillion UC. The highest bid in the history of the Shadow Auction. The First Blood smiled, reaching for the Scorpion Hydra.
Kafu stepped forward. He dropped his suppression. His power—2 trillion IF but more with hi trump cards only enough if he taps in 0.001% of his soul cultivation it will be enough to challenge Eternal Sovereign 9 alone in the scavenger hunt,blazed across the hall. The Eternal Sovereigns gasped. The Royal Families recoiled. The Cartel Lords knelt. The Mafia Kings bowed. The remnants screamed.
"The Scorpion King! He is alive! He is here!"
Kafu walked to the center of the hall, his gold-red eyes blazing, his will pressing against every soul in the room. "I am alive. I am here. And I am bidding."
He raised his hand.
"1 Sextillion UC."
The room was silent.Not cos no one could match it but it seemed like a dream. He was supposed to be dead not alive,from the shock of it the royal families signaled that they pay for it for him. The Auctioneer bowed.
"The Scorpion Hydra goes to the Scorpion King."kafu.
---
THE SCORPION HYDRA — THE FUTURE ARMY
Kafu took the Scorpion Hydra. Its living crystal blazed against his palm, its power resonating with his soul, its secret waiting to be unlocked. He walked out of the Heart Chamber, his 9 clones waiting for him at the edge of the First Huanyan's corpse. They knelt as he approached.
"Master. The Scorpion Hydra is yours. The future army can be born."
Kafu raised the Hydra. Its light blazed across the Tomb of the First Huanyan, across the Heart Chamber, across the 108,981 star systems of the Miniature Universe. The 9 clones rose, their forms flickering, their consciousnesses waiting, their powers ready to be chosen.
[THE SCORPION HYDRA — COMPLETE ASSESSMENT]
Aspect Value
Treasure Grade 13th Grade Supreme Treasure
Effect Creates 9 perfect clones without splitting consciousness
Clone Classes To be chosen from the 25 Master Classes after host returns from seclusion
Clone Power Will match host's power at time of creation
Clone Loyalty Absolute
Clone Independence Each clone will have host's will, host's purpose, host's promise
Kafu looked at his creation, at the treasure that would allow him to create 9 clones from the 25 Master Classes, at the army that would protect his people while he went into seclusion. He would not choose the classes now. He would choose them when he returned from seclusion, when he had organized his power, when he was ready to wake her.
"THE TAKING — THOSE WHO TARGETED HIS FAMILY
Kafu stood at the edge of the First Huanyan's corpse, his golden threads blazing, his body a 24th Grade Supreme Treasure, his cultivation at Epoch Forging 9, his promise burning brighter than ever. The Scorpion Hydra was his. The future army was waiting. But there was one more thing to do before he went into seclusion.
He turned to the Warden. "Show me the ones who targeted my family. The ones who attacked New Hope. The ones who took my wives. The ones who took my students. The ones who took my shadows. The ones who took Makena's crystal. The ones who thought they could escape."
The Warden raised his hand, and a holographic display appeared. It showed the 13 Royal Families who had attacked New Hope. The Cartel Lords who had sold his people. The Mafia Kings who had profited from his silence. The remnants of the 12 Eras who had escaped the first harvest. The First Varnax, who had hidden for 10 billion years. All of them, waiting. All of them, watching. All of them, believing they were safe.
[THOSE WHO TARGETED HIS FAMILY — COMPLETE LIST]
Faction Number Leader Realm Status
House Solaris 1 family Emperor Solaris Chaos Sovereign 3 ENSLAVED
House Lunaris 1 family Empress Lunaris Eternal Sovereign 9 WATCHING
House Stellaris 1 family King Stellaris Eternal Sovereign 8 WATCHING
House Primus 1 family Lord Primus Eternal Sovereign 9 WATCHING
Other Royal Families 9 families Various Eternal Sovereign 7-9 WATCHING
Cartel Lords 5 lords Various Eternal Sovereign 7-9 5 ENSLAVED
Mafia Kings 3 kings Various Eternal Sovereign 7-9 3 ENSLAVED
12 Eras Remnants 1 million The First Remnant Eternal Sovereign 9 1 MILLION ENSLAVED
The First Varnax 1 being The First Varnax Chaos Sovereign 9 HIDING
Kafu looked at the list. House Lunaris. House Stellaris. House Primus. Nine other Royal Families. The First Varnax. All of them, still free. All of them, still watching. All of them, believing they were safe because he was Epoch Forging 9, because he was not Immortal, because outside the Hunt they could crush him.
He smiled. "They believe I am weak outside the Hunt. They believe I am nothing. They believe they can wait. They believe they can hide. They believe they can escape."
He raised the Dream Devourer.
"They are wrong. I will lure them into the Hunt. I will bind them inside the Hunt. I will make them my slaves inside the Hunt. And when they are bound, when they are mine, I will leave the Hunt. I will take them with me. I will use their power to protect my people. I will use their bodies to anchor my civilization. I will use their existence to keep my promises."
He turned to the star charts.
"Warden. Show me the First Varnax. The one who has hidden for 10 billion years. The one who sent his descendants to attack my people. The one who thought he could escape my judgment."
The Warden bowed. "As you command, master."