A showdown of wealth

The moment Chinatsu spotted him and fixed her gaze on him, Toji's expression went blank. He had absolutely no idea how she had found him this time.

Having learned his lesson last time, he had taken great care to conceal his presence after spotting the two of them. Even his seat was tucked into the farthest corner.

Toji: I don't get it!!!

When Chinatsu suddenly turned to look behind her, Naobito Zenin, seated at the other end of the front row, turned toward Toji as well, puzzled by her reaction.

His eyes trembled involuntarily when he spotted Toji, and he immediately demanded loudly to know what Toji was doing there.

In response, Toji simply stuck a finger from each hand into his ears, choosing to ignore Naobito outright.

Although Toji still bore the Zenin surname, he had already been secretly planning to sever all ties with the Zenin Clan.

To think he was only now taking steps to leave the Zenin Clan for good, and that until then he had still harbored even the slightest hope for a family that saw him as a monkey. Toji could only consider his former self an utter fool.

Faced with Toji's indifference, Naobito Zenin clicked his tongue loudly. Still, he did not dwell on Toji and soon turned back to settle into his seat, though a trace of irritation lingered on his face above his folded arms.

Despite Naobito's attitude, by the Zenin Clan's standards, he could already be considered "good-natured," even "open-minded."

When it came to strength, Naobito Zenin held Toji in considerable regard. If Toji did not choose to leave the Zenin Clan himself, Naobito would not force him out.

Of course, if Toji wanted to leave, he would not stop him either.

At that moment, Toji was actually feeling rather frustrated. He could ignore Naobito's gaze, but could he really ignore Chinatsu's?

Toji felt as though the gaze of those Six Eyes wanted to peel away his clothes and see straight into his soul. It left his face stiff with displeasure.

Normally, he might have turned around and left long ago, but he was genuinely interested in the three-section staff hanging on the auction stage.

Special Grade Cursed Tool: Playful Cloud.

Unlike most cursed tools, this one had no flashy cursed technique imbued in it. Instead, it was a "crystallization of pure strength," growing more powerful with its wielder's strength to achieve results through sheer brute force.

In the original story, there were four immensely powerful special grade cursed spirits: Jogo, Hanami, Dagon, and Mahito. They had been born from humanity's negative feelings toward volcanoes, forests, oceans, and other humans, respectively, and their strength far surpassed that of ordinary special grade cursed spirits.

Yet Dagon, one of these so-called "disaster cursed spirits," had been utterly overwhelmed by Toji wielding Playful Cloud, beaten so badly that he began to question his existence as a cursed spirit.

Even a cursed tool of this caliber, however, was not part of Toji's usual arsenal in the original story. Perhaps he preferred the Soul Liberation Blade over this three-section staff-a massive blade that could ignore hardness and cut through anything...

Although murmurs continued to rise from the seats below, they did nothing to hinder the auction on the raised stage.

The special grade cursed tool Playful Cloud had a starting price of one hundred million, with each bid required to increase by at least ten million. As the auctioneer lightly tapped his small gavel against the desk, a war steeped in the scent of money began.

"One hundred million!"

"One hundred and ten million!"

"One hundred and twenty million!"

"One hundred and thirty million!"

Playful Cloud's price continued to climb steadily, though at this stage, everyone was merely going through the motions. Buyers who genuinely wanted it understood that its final price would probably settle at around five hundred million.

It seemed expensive, but it was well worth it!

Toji was among those prospective buyers.

Over the years, he had secretly taken on assassination jobs one after another. Although he had developed a love of gambling, he had still accumulated considerable funds.

He had originally intended to secure Playful Cloud even if he had to overpay by thirty or forty percent. But as he felt Chinatsu's eyes settle on him, beads of sweat involuntarily formed on the palms of the Heavenly Tyrant.

She... wasn't going to bid, was she?

Come on, a Limitless user clearly had no use for Playful Cloud.

The bidding for Playful Cloud continued. As the bidders traded offers, sounding heated but actually behaving as though they were chatting over tea, Chinatsu's lips shifted, and she let out an enormous yawn.

Slumped in her seat, Chinatsu lazily tilted her head toward the Elder beside her and asked, "Is bidding among your generation always this... wrapped up in social niceties?"

Hearing Chinatsu's complaint, the Elder lowered his head awkwardly and chuckled softly. He spread his hands, wanting to say something but truly having no idea what to say.

Well... however one looked at it... she was right.

After all, such social niceties were hardly unique to ordinary society. They were even more deeply entrenched in the severely feudal and corrupt Jujutsu Society.

Though everyone secretly wanted one another dead, they still put on an outward show of harmony.

While Chinatsu and the Elder were chatting, Naobito Zenin, also seated in the front row, slowly raised one arm.

"Five hundred million. Any higher, and I'm out."

With his entry into the bidding, the lively atmosphere instantly quieted considerably. Meanwhile, Toji sat in his corner, his eyes fixed on Playful Cloud up on the stage.

Although ordinary jujutsu sorcerers valued Playful Cloud at only around five hundred million, its unique properties made even a billion a bargain for close-combat specialists or sorcerers eager to improve their melee capabilities. Its value was practically beyond monetary measure.

For Playful Cloud, Toji decided to go all in with his current savings. Even if he did not use it regularly, it would be an excellent addition to his collection, not to mention another trump card at his disposal.

Six hundred million? Seven hundred million? Eight hundred million?

Toji had fully steeled himself and resolved to make the cursed tool Playful Cloud his own.

Just as Toji made up his mind and prepared to raise the bid, the languid Chinatsu slowly lifted her arm, yawning sleepily as she did.

That simple motion alone made Chinatsu the focus of countless eyes in the auction hall. And with the words she spoke next, the entire hall fell into complete and utter silence.

"One billion."