BUILDING MY OWN EMPIRE - My Journey from Nothing to Overwhelming Power

Chapter 127 - 126 – Exchange

The true power of the fifth rank...

Haha...

I actually thought I was strong enough to rival the city leaders...

What foolishness...

The gap between us is absolutely enormous.

Perhaps I forgot...

Or simply overlooked it...

The difference between ranks isn’t merely doubled.

A second-rank master wasn’t merely twice as strong as a first-rank master...

They were many times stronger.

The same applied to the remaining ranks.

A fifth-rank master didn’t merely possess double the strength of a fourth-rank master...

They possessed strength vastly beyond that.

I never should have ignored something like this.

"Have you never seen a fifth-rank master before?"

The White-Eyed Master’s voice interrupted my thoughts.

I returned to reality.

This wasn’t the time for shock and foolishness.

Things were far harder...

Far more complicated than I’d imagined.

"Not in these numbers," I replied.

My gaze shifted back toward the masters.

They had begun descending.

The crowd around the tables parted.

At the same moment, the five fifth-rank masters descended together.

Each wore a different robe...

And each robe carried a unique emblem.

Several masters hurried forward, arranging five chairs around the table before retreating several steps.

The masters moved without words.

The first reached the chair on the left.

He wore a completely yellow robe with long, wide sleeves.

On those sleeves was the symbol of a running horse.

The man adjusted the chair slightly before sitting.

"The Running Horse Sect..." the White-Eyed Master whispered.

"The newest organizers of the gathering. They adore anything related to horses."

"What?"

"Yes... they say their leader possesses a transformation related to a gigantic horse with the strength of a fifth-rank beast."

"What about the other one?"

I asked.

My eyes shifted toward the master seated at the far right.

He wore blue robes.

Across his sleeves was the image of a giant wave.

"The Blue Wave Sect," the White-Eyed Master whispered.

"They were the latest to join the gathering... but older than the Horse Sect."

He turned toward me, then added:

"You can tell the order they joined by where the leaders sit."

I smiled faintly.

Honestly, it had been easy to guess.

At the far left sat the third master.

His robes were silver.

Clouds were embroidered over the cuffs.

"Is his sect called Clouds?"

I asked while glancing at the White-Eyed Master.

"No. Whispering Wind."

He smiled without looking at me.

"A beautiful name... truly beautiful."

I said.

Then came the fourth master.

I felt like I already knew something about him.

Perhaps just one thing.

His robes were green.

And a tree was embroidered above his wrist.

"He’s the leader of the Prairie Sect. And also..."

The White-Eyed Master paused.

"The ruler of Sunset City?"

I asked.

"No," he whispered.

"He’s the ruler’s brother."

I looked toward him.

He seemed to notice the questioning look on my face.

"Your city has two fifth-rank masters?" I asked.

"It’s complicated," he answered.

"But you could say no.

Forming a sect while ruling a city is forbidden across all territories."

Before I could respond...

The fifth master stood before his chair.

For only a moment...

He looked across everyone.

At me as well.

Then...

He pulled out his chair and sat.

He wore red.

Volcanic patterns decorated his entire outfit unlike the robes of the other four masters.

"Leader of the Southern Volcano Sect... founder of the Sect Assembly."

The White-Eyed Master spoke.

His eyes narrowed as he continued quietly:

"The man closest among them to reaching the sixth rank...

The oldest among them all...

And unquestionably the strongest."

The White-Eyed Master’s words describing that man were absolute.

For a moment, I almost thought he’d seen through my disguise and uncovered the truth.

The instant the five leaders sat down...

The table before them magically filled with drinks and nuts.

Then...

The Running Horse Sect leader raised his hand.

His hair was long and black with many white strands.

His face appeared youthful, and his small eyes were brown.

But his body radiated health and muscle.

"Honored masters from every sect..."

He declared.

"Let the annual Sect Assembly begin."

Suddenly—

New lights illuminated the hall.

Music began playing.

Numerous tables appeared from thin air.

Then filled with food.

One appeared before me.

The White-Eyed Master extended his hand.

"Let’s sit."

"What happens next?"

I wondered aloud.

There was no way a gathering of this scale was merely a dinner.

That would be the biggest joke of my life.

The White-Eyed Master began eating.

Only a few bites.

Then stopped.

He drank from his cup before standing.

At that moment...

I stood as well.

Then the table vanished.

Many other tables disappeared too.

The man turned toward me.

"The introductions between masters will begin now.

I believe you’ll be first."

"What?"

I asked.

He didn’t answer.

But I quickly understood what he meant.

Steady footsteps approached me.

I turned.

"Ivory Mask Master... welcome to the gathering."

A master in yellow robes smiled.

The symbol of a flying horse adorned his cuffs.

He extended his hand.

I smiled.

And returned the greeting.

"Thank you," I said.

The yellow-robed master turned toward the White-Eyed Master.

Smiling, he said:

"Snow Master... it pleases me to greet you again."

"The pleasure is equally mine, Absolute Prairie Master."

Both men exchanged smiles.

Each knew the other’s smile was fake.

And both continued pretending regardless.

"Damned politics..."

I muttered internally.

Absolute Prairie Master turned back toward me.

Then said:

"Ivory Mask Master... may I have the honor of speaking with you?"

"Of course. Why not?"

I replied.

"I’ll leave you gentlemen now."

The White-Eyed Master smiled and walked away.

I smiled toward the Prairie Master.

"Go ahead, sir," I said.

"Are you in a hurry?"

The man laughed.

"It’s not as though we’re friends.

Of course there’s business here.

The faster we remove the masks of politics and courtesy... the better it is for business."

I said.

The smile on the Prairie Master’s face shifted slightly.

Perhaps my words annoyed him.

But...

If I were truly the merchant I claimed to be...

I would’ve continued the polite act.

Still...

I couldn’t wear the merchant’s mask anymore.

My agreement with the city was secret.

That meant I had nothing left to negotiate with as a merchant.

So...

There was no point pretending.

"That’s unexpected," the Prairie Master said.

"I didn’t expect you to be the straightforward type."

"It’s a habit," I replied.

"Then let us be direct.

I watched your battle.

You’re a man of strength.

Join us. We’ll make you stronger."

"So that’s your goal..."

I glanced around.

The murmurs throughout the hall continued endlessly.

"How long have you belonged to your sect?"

I asked.

"A long time.

Over thirty years."

"Were you a fourth-rank master when you joined?"

The man turned toward me.

"No.

Third rank."

He answered.

"Then..."

I whispered.

"Thirty years with all their support... just to rise a single rank?"

The master didn’t answer.

His gaze toward me became strange.

I didn’t really care.

My meaning had been obvious.

After a while...

I remained alone again.

His attempt had failed.

It wasn’t his fault.

Honestly...

The idea of me joining any sect was nearly impossible.

Still, I hadn’t insulted him.

I wasn’t foolish enough to provoke one of the sects.

I told him I was open to working with them and providing services...

But preferred remaining independent and unaffiliated.

In the end...

We exchanged smiles and the conversation ended.

It didn’t take long...

Before an elderly fourth-rank woman approached.

Her robes marked her as belonging to the Blue Wave Sect.

She didn’t ask me to join.

Instead, she proposed exchanging resources if I possessed anything valuable.

We agreed to meet later and discuss things.

Then she asked whether I had any interest in joining a sect.

I smiled and refused.

I confirmed that at the moment, I had absolutely no intention of doing so.

After some time...

Silence returned once more.

I turned toward the five masters.

The Running Horse Sect leader raised his hand again, preparing to speak.

"It’s time... for the exchange."

Suddenly—

An enormous circular table emerged in the center of the hall.

Across the table...

Countless weapons and tools rested.

Each item seemed to radiate its own description.

I stepped forward several paces...

Then stopped.

A sly smile spread across my face.

I turned toward where the White-Eyed Master stood.

He saw me.

But made no reaction.

He was pretending not to notice me.

Hahaha...

They had placed two of my ancient weapons into the exchange.

No one spoke.

Everyone examined the displayed items.

At most, each person whispered quietly to their companion.

Suddenly—

My eyes narrowed in surprise.

{ Second-Grade Mental Fortification Feather }

"Another feather?"

I whispered internally.

Instantly...

I found myself waiting for the exchange to begin.

"I want it.

I want it no matter the cost."

I whispered.

I had already used one second-level feather.

If I used another as well...

Then my mind would surely become even more refined and resilient.

I looked around.

There were other ancient weapons too.

In total...

There were seven ancient weapons.

And many specialized weapons.

Meanwhile...

There were numerous unique tools.

And also...

A separate category for attributes.

Suddenly—

The massive table moved.

It approached the five masters.

Then several shadows of fourth-rank masters appeared behind them.

A young woman stepped forward.

Hair red as flame.

Robes decorated with volcanic patterns.

Her sharp black eyes...

And the loud clicking of her heels...

Forced silence over the hall.

"There she is..."

Someone whispered.

"What overwhelming beauty...

Would she accept me as a companion?"

"Quiet... she might hear you."

The woman advanced.

Her steps were steady and powerful.

"She’s... strong."

I whispered.

The Unique Predictor quickly evaluated her strength.

{ 90% Accumulation }

{ 80% Fourth-Rank Energy Density }

What terrifying stats...