Chapter 279: Noah’s Plan [2] Among the assembled forces, whispered conversations erupted as practitioners processed the shocking revelation. "Did you hear that correctly?" a light elf grandmaster murmured to his companion. "Fifty permanent attribute points to strength and Agility, plus temporary doubling?" "Critical strikes on every fifth attack," responded another with obvious awe. "Combined with weapon mastery enhancement... whoever gets this becomes insanely powerful." "This is a must-have item," a dark elf master whispered urgently. "Our Lord would become unstoppable with such enhancement." "The weapon proficiency boost alone would be worth thousands of golden coins," added his partner. "Look at their faces, these filthy dark elves are already acting as if they had won the war," Elena observed quietly to her fellow light elves. "This auction won’t be about money," Kael muttered to his dark elf companions. "This will determine which kingdom survives and which gets completely erased." The tension in the neutral zone became suffocating as everyone recognised they were witnessing the prelude to either total victory or absolute annihilation for their respective factions. Noah continued addressing the assembled forces before him calmly. "The auction will take place in three days. This auction will differ from previous ones—payment will not be in golden coins but in magical artifacts, so prepare accordingly." The announcement sent ripples of concern through both factions as they mentally inventoried their most valuable possessions and calculated what treasures they could mobilize within the timeframe. Darian stepped forward with barely concealed impatience. "Could the auction begin earlier? Time is a critical factor in our current situation." Noah found himself internally amused by the dark lord’s obvious eagerness. This guy is in a rush to wipe the light elves from existence entirely. The bloodlust is practically radiating from him. Noah shook his head firmly. "That’s not possible. The item isn’t available yet and requires preparation time." He paused before delivering his most important condition, his voice carrying absolute authority that brooked no negotiation. "For this auction to proceed, I’m establishing a rule: no fighting until the auction concludes. This is my requirement—you’re free to decide whether you want to participate or continue your war." Queen Seraphina, who had gained an advantage during her recent exchanges with Darian, immediately recognized something was wrong with the rule. Her eyes narrowed with sharp intelligence as she studied Noah’s face. "Shopkeeper, you previously stated that you wouldn’t interfere in our war. Yet now you’re imposing conditions that directly affect our conflict. Has something changed your policy?" Her gaze shifted suspiciously between Prince Adrian and Noah, having observed their brief conversation earlier. The timing wasn’t coincidental—this new development had occurred immediately after Adrian’s private discussion with the mysterious merchant. "No," Noah replied with calm simplicity, offering no elaboration or justification for his decision. The single word hung in the air like a challenge, forcing both rulers to choose between continuing their destructive conflict or accepting his terms for access to potentially war-ending enhancement. Among the assembled forces, whispered discussions erupted as practitioners processed the ultimatum. "Three days without fighting," a light elf grandmaster murmured to his companion. "That could change everything about our positioning." "Or give them time to prepare countermeasures," replied another with obvious concern. "Artifacts as payment," a dark elf master calculated quietly. "We’ll need to mobilize our most valuable treasures for this auction." "The ceasefire condition troubles me more than the payment method," his partner responded. "Lord Darian won’t appreciate having his momentum interrupted." The neutral zone had become a powder keg of competing interests, with both factions forced to weigh immediate military advantages against potential access to enhancement that could decide their conflict permanently.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ In the end, both factions agreed to the ceasefire terms despite their obvious reluctance to halt their momentum. The decision came down to practical strategic considerations rather than any desire for peace. Both kingdoms recognized that continuing to lose grandmaster-level practitioners would leave them vulnerable regardless of who emerged victorious from their current conflict. "We cannot afford further casualties before the auction," Seraphina explained to her forces with a grim expression. "Neighboring kingdoms are watching our conflict closely, waiting for an opportunity to strike when we’re weakened." Darian reached similar conclusions with his own assessment. "Winning this war with no power remaining would be meaningless if we face immediate invasion afterward. We preserve our strength for the final confrontation." Before the factions departed to prepare for the upcoming auction, Noah announced additional changes to his business operations. "Tier 1 premium items will now be traded exclusively for elemental orbs rather than golden coins. Additionally, the quantity available for purchase has been reduced to one item per faction per day." The announcement created murmurs of concern among both groups, but Noah’s reasoning was strategically sound from his perspective. The changes would allow him and Lola to accumulate the elemental essence needed for their own advancement while limiting how much additional power he provided to potential enemies. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺 Restricting sales to one premium item daily per faction would slow their enhancement accumulation, giving him time to strengthen his own capabilities before the decisive auction. After the terms were settled and both factions formally agreed to the ceasefire, Noah watched as the grim aftermath of their conflict became visible. Grandmasters from both sides began the solemn task of collecting their fallen comrades’ bodies for proper burial. The sight of enhanced practitioners—individuals who had spent decades developing extraordinary magical capabilities—being carried away as casualties was genuinely heartbreaking. The battlefield, which had been transformed into a wasteland of magical devastation, now served as a curse for some of the most powerful individuals either kingdom had ever produced. The cost of their m hatred was written in the blood of masters and grandmasters who would never return home. The temporary peace felt hollow against the backdrop of such massive loss of life, whether his intervention would ultimately reduce or increase the total suffering these kingdoms would experience was yet to be found. As the factions slowly made their way to their own territories, Noah closed the shop door.