The Hunted Regressor: My Heretic Saint System-Chapter 105: A Rock

The dark world cracked, and a loud, hollow thunk echoed through Ignotus’s skull. Following that, white fractures split across everything around him and then through the Rune itself.

"Ah."

He flinched awake like he’d been yanked out of deep water.

His people didn’t bother asking what happened, already able to guess.

’Damn...’

Ignotus sat back, his eyes fixed forward as the notification chain rolled into view.

Ding!

—

╔══════════════╗

║☆ ORDINATION UP ☆║

╚══════════════╝

[SF = 500]

[Ordination: 27 → 28]

[+ 3 STAT POINTS!]

[You Have Stepped Closer To Divinity.]

—

’Expected as much.’

He proceeded to check his stats as well.

—

╔══════════════╗

║Heretic Saint System║

╚══════════════╝

{Class: Disciple (Eleventh Class)}

{Ordination: 28}

[• SF: 519/538 •]

{Health}

[• H: 866 / 866 → 896 / 896 •]

{Divinity}

[• D: 903 / 903 → 1018 / 1018 •]

{Statistics}

[Strength] 28 (D) (Academy Avg: C+)

[Intelligence] 31 → 34 (D) (Academy Avg: C+)

[Willpower] 33 (D) (Academy Avg: C+)

[Speed] 27 (D-) (Academy Avg: B-)

[Endurance] 30 (D) (Academy Avg: B-)

[Appearance] 70 (B+) (Academy Avg: C)

[Personality] -1 (G) (Academy Avg: C)

[Luck] 60 (B) (Academy Avg: C)

—

’So only my Intelligence stat increased, huh?’

He nodded to himself, finding that it made sense.

Breaking a Rune always buffed the head more than the body.

’I guess I’m becoming more of a Divinity-focused build every day.’

Perhaps it won’t be long before the wolf-man next to him became physically stronger than him... a fact that he didn’t quite like.

Still, and again, he couldn’t be a jack of all trades; he’d be a master of none.

Ignotus had to choose whether he’d forgo strength for what he needed most in his build.

A decision that he didn’t like to make one bit, but had made a long, long time back.

Strength was for people who liked to swing; he preferred ending things.

Yes, it wasn’t really ideal, but hey, the extra stat points were there.

He had dumped them into speed, but he could also add some into strength later.

So even though he’d be a little of many, it’d be better than only being a master of one.

Ignotus wasn’t a brute but a walking disaster.

He at least had that going for him—

"Ladies and gentlemen!"

A booming voice cut through his thoughts.

"I welcome you, my honored patrons!"

The crowd erupted in chatter as the auctioneer strode onto the center stage. A tall man in gilded robes that shimmered under the light.

"I shall be your host for today’s auction, Loren of the Fifth Seal!"

Carts rolled in behind him, each one carrying something draped in black cloth.

"Now, without further ado, let’s begin with our third tier of items!"

The first cart stopped, and the auctioneer grabbed the cover.

"First up..."

He yanked it off with a showman’s flourish.

"A Rune of Stone!"

Within a mirror, a dull gray and white glow spilled out.

"A simple Rune with the ability to construct weapons! Anything from crude clubs to blades sharp enough to split a boulder!"

Murmurs resounded at the top of the amphitheater, those less... fortunate being obviously interested in the Rune.

"Starting bid: fifty silver coins!"

Ignotus raised a brow.

"Half a gold coin already?"

Ulv smirked a second time, while Lykos looked like he wanted to say something but decided not to.

Mer, meanwhile, was asleep, so she couldn’t have even if she had wanted to.

"Sixty!"

The auctioneer called out, following the hands that shot up.

"Seventy."

It seemed a third-tier bid would jump up by ten each time—an unskilled worker’s salary.

"Eighty!"

The bid continued to climb, and climb fast, until the Rune sold for five gold and fifty silver.

"That’s a bit overpriced."

Ignotus definitely wouldn’t have bought it for that.

"That’s the Third Stratum for you... even the nobles are desperate."

What followed was a parade of surprisingly varied goods. Art pieces so detailed that they could feel them staring back. Debtors of Oath, or in other words, slaves, branded with Arcane on their necks.

Ignotus didn’t react much, if at all, to their arrival; again, he’d seen worse.

His company wasn’t as jaded as he was, however.

Lykos’s jaw tightened, while Mer, who awoke in the middle of it, frowned and looked away.

Ulv’s reaction was the least noticeable, though he was clearly disgusted as well.

Those three were the outliers, as around them, the crowd was thrilled.

Thankfully, the Debters of Oath weren’t there for long. Next came enchanted armor shimmering with Elemental Arcane, blades that mimicked Divine Relics, and spells stored on paper called Scrolls.

By the end of the third tier, the Blood Rune that Ignotus handed over hadn’t been sold yet.

He grinned, something that Ulv noticed, giving him a smug nod.

"It seems you really were lucky, huh?"

Ignotus elbowed him once more.

"Hm, Luck Element, remember?"

The lights dimmed a little, and the auctioneer’s tone shifted.

"Now, ladies and gentlemen..."

A drum roll could almost be heard.

"The second tier!"

Behind Loren, a new set of carts rolled in.

Each was obviously heavier and now guarded.

Their glow was apparent even beneath the ornate covers.

He clapped his hands once, and the air in the amphitheater grew heavy.

These weren’t just cute little things like those of the third tier; these were the kind of things people killed to obtain.

"And now, for something... unconventional."

Loren announced, gesturing to a small, velvet-lined pedestal.

On it sat a lumpy, brownish-gray object that looked suspiciously like something a dog would leave in a garden. It didn’t glow or hum with power; rather, it just... sat there, looking damp.

"This is a ’Blind Lot.’"

Loren cleared his throat.

"Our appraisers couldn’t identify its origin or its Arcane signature. It was recovered from the deepest trench of the Sunken Grotto north of Death. It is a gamble, my Lords and Ladies. It could be a seed of the Divine, or it could be a fossilized egg of a Monster. We simply call it..."

He cleared his throat a second time.

"The Ancient Moist Barnacle."

"..."

"..."

"..."

The crowd went silent.

What the Hell kind of name is that?!

People looked at the ’Barnacle’ with skepticism.

It looked like a rock that had spent too much time in a puddle.

There was no way that it was something special, right?

’Yeah, no...’

Ignotus’s eyes narrowed.

’It’s a rock.’