Chapter 419 - 360: The First Step to Prying Open the Giant City-State’s Market
Chapter 419 - 360: The First Step to Prying Open the Giant City-State’s Market
Groll’s Adam’s apple bobbed up and down with a loud GULP.
He stared fixedly at the Double-Bladed Giant Axe, his eyes brimming with obsession and desire, as if he were gazing upon his dearest companion.
Thor, with his unusually long arms, fixed his gaze on the Chain Whip.
He subconsciously swung his long arms, as if already imagining what it would be like to wield the weapon.
The twin brothers, Blak and Brook, both set their sights on a pair of identical Long-Handled Giant Hammers, their enormous, square heads exuding an aesthetic of pure, brutal force.
Silence.
Only the heavy, ragged breathing of the Giants filled the stone house.
Kado watched his friends’ shocked expressions with satisfaction. Seeing them like this was even more gratifying than getting a weapon for himself.
He walked over to an Iron Head Hammer, grasped its handle, and lifted it with ease. He swung it twice through the air, creating a whistling gust of wind.
"What do you think?"
Kado’s voice shattered the silence, his tone dripping with pride.
"These are treasures from my brother!"
Groll snapped back to his senses. In a single bound, he was in front of the Giant Axe. He reached out with a rough palm and cautiously touched the cold blade, his expression one of someone caressing their most precious treasure.
"This... this material is a blend of several metals, isn’t it? It’s far harder than any standard iron weapon!"
he asked, his voice hoarse. As a warrior, he had a natural sensitivity for materials.
"This craftsmanship... the quenching... Gods, what master created this?"
"I told you, my brother brought them back from a friend of his."
Kado clapped Raylo on the shoulder.
In an instant, the gazes of the four young Giants all converged on "Carlo."
To be able to casually produce ten such exquisitely crafted Domain Level Giant Weapons... In their minds, his origins, background, and power were instantly elevated beyond measure.
Raylo just watched them calmly, saying nothing.
Sometimes, silence carries more weight than any words.
These weapons were his best calling card.
Blak finally couldn’t take it anymore. He walked over to the pair of Giant Hammers, rubbed his hands together somewhat sheepishly, and looked at Raylo to ask in an almost pleading tone.
"Carlo... this hammer... can I try it?"
For a Giant Warrior, there was nothing more tempting than a well-suited Divine Weapon.
And now, a room full of what might as well be Divine Weapons was laid out right in front of them.
"Of course. You can try any of the weapons here."
A slight smile played on Raylo’s lips.
Before the words had even left his mouth, Blak had already eagerly snatched up the Long-Handled Giant Hammer.
As soon as he grasped the Giant Hammer, a heavy, solid sensation shot up his arm and straight to his head. Blak felt all the blood in his body start to boil.
With a low roar, he put his full power into a swing. The massive hammerhead tore through the air with a whistle, carving a perfect arc inside the stone house before crashing onto the ground.
BOOM!
A dull thud echoed as a shallow crater appeared in the hard rock floor, sending stone fragments flying.
Seeing this, Brook’s eyes burned with eagerness, and he also grabbed the other identical Giant Hammer.
Their movements were not complex—just the simplest of chops, smashes, sweeps, and swings—but they possessed a raw, brutal beauty.
Groll and Thor couldn’t hold back either.
Groll snatched up the Double-Bladed Giant Axe. The weight was a perfect fit. He held it in one hand and executed a few casual flourishes, the cold blade tracing arcs of silver light through the air and exuding a palpable killing intent.
Thor, for his part, was completely taken with the Chain Whip. As he swung it, the massive Meteor Hammer seemed to come alive in his hands, striking like a viper one moment and pouncing like a tiger the next. It whistled through the air with a terrifying WHOOSH, making Kado subconsciously retreat two steps, afraid of getting clipped by the hooked head.
For a while, the small stone house was a whirlwind of activity. Howling gusts of wind, the dull thud of weapons, and the excited pants of the Giants all mingled together.
They tested the weapons for nearly half an hour, stopping only when they were exhausted and drenched in sweat. Reluctantly, they leaned the weapons back against the wall, but their eyes remained glued to them, impossible to tear away.
"What a weapon... a truly magnificent weapon!"
Groll murmured to himself, caressing the axe blade.
"With this, on the next hunt, I could cleave that Demon-Horned Rhino King’s head clean off."
"This Chain Whip... it’s like it was forged just for me!"
Thor was still savoring the feel of it in his hands.
Raylo watched their captivated expressions and knew the time was right.
"I plan to sell all of these weapons."
His words were like a bucket of cold water poured over the heads of the four young Giants.
"S-Sell all of them?"
Blak stammered.
"Who are you selling them to?"
"To any Giant who needs them and can afford the price,"
Raylo said unhurriedly.
"I’m planning to hold an ’auction’ at the Giant Market."
"An auction?"
The four Giants, Kado included, all wore blank expressions.
The term was completely foreign to them.
Raylo patiently explained.
"It’s simple. I’ll present these weapons one by one. Any Giant in attendance can make an offer for the weapon they want. Whoever offers the highest price gets it."
"Bid with what?"
Thor asked immediately.
"You’ll bid with materials, just like at the Giant Market. But this time, I’m only accepting Tier Five or higher Magical Beast Crystal Cores, Rare Ores, or other Treasures of special value. In short, the highest bidder wins."
The four Giants understood at once.
’Isn’t this just a scaled-up version of the bartering they do at the market?’
’It’s just that the price of entry for this kind of trade is terrifyingly high.’
’But then again, trading Treasures of that level for weapons that are practically Divine Weapons... it seems completely reasonable.’
For a moment, conflict and reluctance were written all over the four Giants’ faces.
Although they came from distinguished backgrounds, producing that many High Tier materials all at once was practically impossible for them.
Seeing their dejected expressions, Raylo smiled.
"Of course, as Kado’s good friends, you’ll get the best deal."
In a flash, the four Giants’ eyes lit up, and they all stared at Raylo.
"I need you to help me invite more Giants. Tell them that at dusk today, in the open area of the market, there will be an unprecedented weapon auction,"
Raylo said.
"Just tell them there will be fine weapons the likes of which they’ve never seen before."
"No problem!"
Groll immediately pounded his chest, making the rock floor tremble. THUMP THUMP.
"I’ll get every Giant I know to come, I guarantee it!"
"I’m in!"
Thor shouted as well.
Blak and Brook nodded vigorously, afraid the opportunity would vanish if they were too slow to agree.
Raylo nodded in satisfaction and threw out the final piece of bait.
"As your reward, I’ll reserve the weapons you four have your eyes on. You won’t have to bid. After the auction is over, you just need to trade me the equivalent value of the lowest-priced weapon sold."
The stone house fell silent for a moment.
The four young Giants stared blankly at Raylo, seemingly trying to process what he had just said.
’The lowest sale price... for the Divine Weapons we’ve set our hearts on?’
An explosion of immense joy erupted from them.
"Carlo! A-Are you telling the truth?"
Groll’s voice trembled; he couldn’t believe his ears.
’This is practically a giveaway!’
"I am Carlo," Raylo said calmly. "I always keep my word."
"This is great!"
The twin brothers jumped up in excitement, grinning foolishly.
Thor said,
"Carlo, don’t you worry! I’ll go get all the Giants from our tribe! No, I’ll even invite our tribe’s elders for you!"
"That’s right, that’s right!"
Groll added eagerly.
"Carlo, this Axe! You have to save it for me! I’m going back right now to turn my home upside down. My grandfather’s treasured Heart of Lava—I swear I’ll pry it out of his collection today!"
"And my hammer! My hammer!"
"My Chain Whip!"
The four young Giants all chattered at once, desperately reminding him, afraid that Raylo might sell their precious weapons to someone else.
Their desperate antics made Kado, who was standing to the side, roar with laughter.
"Alright, alright! My brother won’t go back on his word once he’s made a promise."
Kado waved his hand, urging them on.
"Now get to it. Don’t delay the auction at dusk."
"Right! We’re on our way!"
As if waking from a dream, the four young Giants thanked Raylo profusely once more, then turned and bolted from the stone house. They kicked up a great gust of wind and vanished in an instant, leaving only a trail of excited shouts fading into the distance.
The stone house finally fell quiet.
Kado looked at the room full of Divine Weapons, then at Raylo’s calm expression, and couldn’t help but remark with deep admiration.
"My lord, that move... was truly... brilliant."
NABC