The scent of burnt roses filled the air as Lin Wei stood before a spiraling black tower deep within the Swiss Alps. It was not marked on any map. No satellite could see it. But his card knew exactly where they were:
Karma Sinkhole Detected: Tier 4B Level InstabilityHost: "The Collector"Local Time Distortion: 11 Seconds Behind Global StandardRisk Factor: S-Class – Reality Anchoring Unstable
He had faced grief. He had seen time itself fight back.
Now, he would face greed made manifest.
The Invitation
An obsidian envelope had arrived through a crack in reality two days prior. No courier. No sender. Just elegant, handwritten ink that bled through gold-trimmed parchment:
"To Lin Wei, Architect of Equilibrium—You are cordially invited to the Private Karma Auction.Lot #7: Your Father's Final Memory."
He didn't flinch reading it. He didn't speak.
But everyone in the room felt the temperature drop.
"No one steals karma memories unless..." Jude Holloway trailed off.
"Unless they already own them," Li Mei said coldly.
Noor tapped her pad. "There's no trace of your father's karma trail in the public ledgers. It's been erased."
Takeshi's voice was firm. "This is bait."
Wei nodded.
"Then let's bite."
The Auction House
Inside the tower, chandeliers dripped black crystal and gold rain. The guests wore masks carved from forgotten sins—each face a different emotion: Rage, Lust, Apathy, Hope, Fear.
There were no names here.
Only karma tags and shadow ranks.
Wei's group was granted entry under the identity: "The Fifth Balance."
The Collector was waiting.
A skeletal figure draped in robes woven from karmic threads—actual strands pulled from people's souls. He didn't move like a man. He drifted like a thought too dangerous to speak.
"Ah... the famous Architect. You've come to retrieve a lost piece of your past."
Wei spoke calmly. "You've taken something sacred."
"I take nothing," the Collector said with a grin. "People offer their karma willingly. All I do is provide... storage."
He gestured to the auction hall behind him. Display cases floated midair, each containing glowing orbs, playing scenes on repeat:
A mother's final lullaby.
A soldier's last confession.
A child's forgotten laughter.
A man's whispered apology—Wei recognized that one.
His father's voice.
"Lin... I'm sorry I failed you. I only wanted to build something you'd be proud of..."
Wei clenched his fists.
"Start the auction," he said.
Lot #7: A Father's Regret
The Collector clapped once.
A ring of bidders appeared—each linked to vast karmic reserves. Some were human. Others were... not.
"Bidding begins at 1 million karma units," the Collector announced.
Wei didn't hesitate.
"Five million."
Gasps.
A voice echoed from the shadows. "Ten million."
Wei didn't see who said it.
The Collector smirked. "Anonymous Bidder increases the stake. Twenty?"
Wei raised his card. "Thirty million."
A pause.
Then silence.
Until…
"Sixty million," said a voice that chilled Wei to his core.
He turned.
From behind a crimson curtain stepped the Crownless King—not in a mask, but in full regalia. Jet-black armor laced with golden thorns. A crown in his hand. Never worn.
"You're not invited," the Collector said cautiously.
The King shrugged. "I go where fate bends."
Wei growled. "This isn't a game."
"Oh, but it is, Architect. And you're still learning the rules."
The Collector spoke again. "One hundred million karma. Going once..."
Wei looked to his team.
Jude stepped up. "We can pool."
Noor added, "We've got networked karmic echoes in reserve."
Li Mei placed her hand over his. "We're with you."
Wei tapped the Infinite Card.
Karma Injection: 125 Million UnitsSource: Vault Contribution – Distributed Support System
"Bid: One twenty-five million."
Even the King blinked.
The Collector clapped again.
"Sold."
What Was Gained—and What Was Revealed
The orb floated to Lin Wei's hand. It was warm. Heavy.
As it touched his skin, his vision went white.
He saw a man—tired, coughing, surrounded by blueprints and red tape. His father. The final days.
"I wanted to build houses for the poor, son. But they stole my fund. My partner betrayed me. I thought if I worked harder, I could fix it. I was wrong. I'm sorry."
Wei fell to his knees.
Not from pain.
From peace.
Then he stood.
And faced the King.
"Why are you doing this?"
The Crownless King's smile vanished.
"Because balance is unnatural. Every time someone evens the scales, the powerful lose grip. Balance is the enemy of rule. And you—Lin Wei—are the greatest threat to imbalance we've ever seen."
Wei's voice was quiet.
"Then I'll become a bigger one."
The King turned to leave.
"One day, you'll see. Order isn't built. It's imposed."
As he vanished, the Collector sighed.
"He's right, you know. Balance demands sacrifice."
Wei turned to him.
"Then I'll pay the cost. But no one else will."
Outside the Auction
They left in silence.
The sky above the Alps pulsed slightly—as if space itself had flinched.
Li Mei finally spoke. "That was personal."
Wei nodded.
"But necessary. They've been stealing not just karma—but stories. And I just proved we can take them back."
Takeshi added, "Then this isn't just about balance anymore."
Wei turned toward the dark horizon.
"No. It's about liberation."
And far above, in orbit, an ancient eye opened. Watching.
Smiling.
Calculating.
Because the next round... would be war.