Road to Mastery: A LitRPG Apocalypse

“This is the heart of a D-Grade manatee of the Evergreen planet,” Vocrich said, motioning at the green, glowing orb. “It carries healing properties so strong that it can heal even the user’s Dao and bring people back from the very precipice of death. Moreover, meditating on it can give insights into the Dao of Life. It is a priceless item for large sects or life-attuned cultivators under the D-Grade. The starting price is one million credits.”

There must have been word of this thing beforehand because many people rushed to bid. Several factions in the crowd pooled their resources and called out prices, climbing to two million before the shouting stopped. The winner so far was the suited bald man from before.

However, as it wasn’t the last item, Jack didn’t bid.

“Two million five hundred,” the elephant scion called out. She was humanoid with thick, gray, wrinkled skin, standing at nine feet tall and bearing a physique somewhere between a human’s and an elephant’s. She also had wide ears and a trunk in place of her nose, while her fingers were short and stubby.

She basically looked like a humanoid elephant.

And she won the Manatee Heart. Everyone else that might have been interested in betting was already out of money.

Vocrich took the stage again, carrying a covered item in his palm and smiling from ear to ear. It was a bittersweet smile, too, almost making Jack feel sentimental before he mentally punched through the charm.

“Our auction is coming to an end, ladies and gentlemen,” he declared sadly, which quickly turned into enthusiasm. “However, the last item is also the crown of this auction. An item that has never appeared in Integration Auctions before. The legendary pill to help form a Dao Seed and breakthrough to the E-Grade faster, saving months or years of effort without harming your foundation. If you’re talented enough, it could even let you break through before the end of the Integration Tournament!”

He paused for dramatic effect, then theatrically pulled the fabric covering the item in his palm. Jack’s eyes widened. People shouted. A rainbow-colored light shone out, along with an aura of serenity that made everyone want to cultivate on the spot. Jack felt one with himself, the world, and his Dao. It was a truly wondrous feeling.

“The Rainbow Dao Pill!” Vocrich shouted over the clamor. “Produced by a C-Grade alchemist of the Hand of God, this pill can greatly accelerate the process of forming a Dao Seed for anyone who swallows it. You can’t find this in the market! And the starting price is only a million credits! Who can offer more?”

Jack knew this was the item he had been waiting for. Winning the tournament was unlikely because Rufus Emberheart stood at the peak, unshakable and unfathomable. But if he could break through to the E-Grade…

And everyone else had spent a lot of credits already. Once again, Jack felt he owed the Sage a favor.

“One million credits,” he called out.

“Two million credits,” Rufus Emberheart announced calmly. Jack met his gaze. The leonine’s eyes hid absolute certainty of victory, mocking Jack for daring to stand against him.

But Jack wouldn’t go down without a fight. After all, this was the last item in the auction; if he didn’t get it, what was he supposed to do with all his money?

“Do you have any spare credits, Edgar?” he asked, to which Edgar nodded.

“Less than a hundred thousand.”

“Okay,” Jack replied before raising his voice. “Two million two hundred!”

“Three million credits.”

Rufus’s voice fell like a guillotine. Jack was speechless. Two million credits would be enough? Bullshit! He glared at the Sage, who only smiled back.

Suddenly, Vivi’s voice cut through the clamor.

“The Flame River will assist our allies,” she said. A member of her faction appeared from the corridor, stepping into Jack’s balcony and whispering something to his ear. “We can lend you three million,” was all the man said. “But we hope you can pay it back.”

Jack grinned. That’s right; he had allies! And they hadn’t managed to buy the lotus, so they still had most of their credits!

“Four million,” he shot back.

“Five million,” Rufus replied calmly. However, Jack could sense that the leonine was getting slightly flustered. There had to be a limit to his budget. He’d already spent over a million to help Alexander Petrovic get his lotus.

“Five million two hundred!” he declared. This was actually his full budget, including Edgar’s and Vivi’s money.

“Six million,” Rufus said. Both Gan Salin and Shard Presht looked at him oddly. Shard’s gaze, specifically, carried a hint of accusation. After all, Rufus hadn’t helped him get the spear with the Dao of Space.

Jack gritted his teeth. Suddenly, the weight of money pressed hard on him. Ten thousand credits were already a lot anywhere on the planet, and here he was, betting in the millions. Moreover, borrowing that money.

He couldn’t deny the feeling of relief that flushed over him when Rufus declared a price he couldn’t beat. However, in the next moment, both his Dao Roots flared and shot down that feeling. It was weakness; and he was strong. He was indomitable.

Indomitable and, apparently, poor. He gritted his teeth harder.

“I happen to have a spare million,” the Sage’s voice rang in his mind. “I could give it to you for free.”

Jack glared at him, half-accusing and half-calculating. His two million credits prediction had been wildly off the mark. Moreover, the million credits he offered were most definitely not for free. They came with a string attached—and, in this case, it meant that Jack would owe him a favor. A favor that his Daos wouldn’t easily let him forget about.

Wait, he realized. What if the two million prediction wasn’t off? Did he calculate things would reach this point? Did he trick me and did all this to earn a favor?

He stared into the Sage’s eyes, but they were too deep, and he could not see the other man’s soul. He gritted his teeth.

“Six million two hundred!” he shouted out. The silence could be cut with a knife at this point. These sums were just ridiculous.

“Six million five hundred,” Rufus said with a stony face. Jack regarded him with surprise. This bid wasn’t supreme and wild like all the previous ones. It was a minor increase that didn’t fit the Dao of Supremacy.

Moreover, both Gan Salin and Shard Presht turned to look at Rufus in shock. He just looked at them and said something in a low voice, then both of them reclined in their seat and looked unhappy. He had just used their money as well.

Rufus had run out of money.

Jack’s eyes glowed as he caught on. Unfortunately, he needed just a few more credits to match it. Just four hundred thousand, and he could win.

But he had no more allies. He looked at Dorman, who shook his head helplessly. He had already spent everything.

Jack’s gaze scanned the rest of the balconies and the crowd below. Suddenly, he felt like a beggar. Could his pride really stand asking to borrow from people? He knew they’d give it to him, and that Rufus would never have the stomach to do the same, but…

As Jack’s thoughts warred, Brother Tao spoke up.

“Brother Jack is an honorable fighter. I have five hundred thousand credits remaining, and I am willing to sow good karma with you.”

Jack looked at him with gratitude. “Thank you, Brother Tao,” he responded. “I am sure your monastery will flourish soon. Six million seven hundred credits.”

Money could be heavy. At this moment, Jack felt so many expectations on him. He had borrowed from many people and made many promises, both implicit and explicit. Would his future strength be enough to keep them? Would he betray their expectations?

In the next moment, his heart steeled. That was the future, and this was the present. He would just do his best.

He stared at Rufus Emberheart, who, for the first time, stared back. His arms remained crossed, but there was tension in them now. His eyes held deep dissatisfaction.

Unlike Jack, he wouldn’t borrow money. His Dao was the express opposite of receiving outside help. What he could do was commandeer the money of his underlings, but unfortunately, he had run out of underlings.

He had already used the funds of Gan Salin and Shard Presht. The Ice Peak had used everything they had to buy the lotus—they’d even borrowed from him.

Actually, Rufus must have been regretting that decision now. If he hadn’t helped Alexander win over Vivi, he could have won the Rainbow Dao Pill. Unfortunately for him, what was done was done.

“This Rainbow Dao Pill is very important to me,” he said, looking straight at Jack. “Rescind your bid.”

Jack frowned. “Is this a threat?” he replied. Rufus Emberheart did not respond. He simply maintained his glare. The Dao of Supremacy was above asking for favors, but it wasn’t above securing supremacy in any way possible.

Surprisingly, Vocrich stepped up. “I have to ask all guests to maintain decorum,” he said steadily. “The Hand of God will not tolerate injustice from anyone. Bids are not rescindable. The Rainbow Dao Pill is sold to Jack Rust for six million and seven hundred thousand credits. Congratulations.”

Not only did he speak up against Rufus, but he also ended the bidding war on the spot.

Jack threw him a grateful stare, which Vocrich shrugged off. Unlike the tournament officials, it seemed that the Hand of God wasn’t going to favor anyone.

However, Rufus Emberheart didn’t relent. “Well?” he insisted, looking at Jack. In truth, there was no need to directly rescind the bid; there were a thousand ways to do this if Jack wanted to. But he did not. He refused to bow to anyone’s threats. He had already chosen the road of not submitting to the scions.

He would win this tournament and use his strength to cement himself and his faction in the volatile System world—and when the Animal Kingdom came, he would be so strong that they’d rather befriend than kill him.

Jack smiled. “Are threats all you can do? Where is your supremacy?” he asked mockingly.

Rufus took a moment to reply, but when he did, his voice was bitter. No matter what he said, he had already been humiliated by making a threat and Jack refusing to yield. “Supremacy is in the heart. A clown like you could never understand it.”

“A clown with the Rainbow Dao Pill,” Jack retorted, then laughed. “I hope your minion enjoys his lotus, Rufus.”

Rufus Emberheart was shimmering as his last name indicated. He took a deep breath. The aura of the Dao exited his body, remaining constrained around him and helping calm his mind. His air of supremacy, that had faltered before, regained its splendor.

“You will regret these words,” he said simply, threatening Jack yet again, then closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair as if none of this concerned him.

Jack looked at him and said nothing more. Everyone else didn’t dare butt into the fight. Things could have ended there.

But they didn’t. A single piece of poop flew slowly, tumbling through the air. Everyone who saw it widened their eyes and opened their mouths as if in slow motion. Nobody stopped it. The piece of poop crossed the venue to land gracefully on Rufus Emberheart’s chest.

Plop.

Brock laughed. Gan Salin and Shard Presht gaped, then took a step back. Everyone gasped. The leonine opened his eyes and looked down. His aura exploded. His Dao roiled. Several dog guards streamed into the room. Vocrich shouted something.

Rufus Emberheart jumped to his feet and waved a paw towards Jack’s balcony. The giant phantom of a lion’s paw coalesced in mid-air and flew forward, carrying irresistible momentum. It was stronger than anything he’d shown in the tournament. Before anyone could even blink, the paw crashed down on Brock, seeking to squash him like a bug.

Jack flashed before Brock and smashed out a meteor punch. The two strikes collided. The world exploded.