Chapter 114: Cursed Tools
The cursed tool trade in the underground black market was conducted primarily through auctions. Not long after Ren and Mei Mei settled into their private booth, the auction officially began.
The items on offer came in every imaginable form.
There were ordinary weapons, specialized tools with unique abilities, and even low-grade cursed spirits that had somehow been subdued and prepared for contract binding.
Ren watched with keen interest, but most of the merchandise served only to broaden his horizons. Very little of it held any practical value for him.
During nearly an hour of bidding, he made only a single purchase—a Grade 4 cursed spirit for 500,000 yen. He intended to use it for research into cursed spirit taming and contracting.
Aside from that, he viewed each item brought onto the stage as little more than an interesting curiosity.
That changed when a small blue velvet box appeared in the auctioneer's hands.
"Ladies and gentlemen, it is my great honor to present one of the highlights of today's auction!"
The auctioneer's voice rose excitedly as he dramatically lifted the box.
"A product from the renowned workshop of Kumaya Uzo, crafted from the remains of a rare Grade 3 spatial-type cursed spirit—the Void Sumeru Ring, featuring an extraordinarily large dimensional storage space!"
He opened the lid.
Under the spotlight rested a beautiful tourmaline ring wrapped in intricate silver filigree.
"Whether you're traveling, carrying an entire arsenal of cursed tools into battle, or bringing enough equipment to eliminate a rival who also carries an entire arsenal of cursed tools—and then storing all of their cursed tools afterward…"
His joking tone drew a wave of laughter from the audience.
"This ring is the ultimate choice!"
"The starting bid is ten million yen!"
Beside Ren, Mei Mei smiled and quietly explained the market value.
"For a Grade 3 cursed tool, that price is quite high."
"However, this belongs to the category of special-purpose cursed tools. Rare utility items like these are usually worth far more than ordinary cursed tools of the same grade."
Ren nodded in understanding.
The dimensional storage ring held little value for Ren personally. After all, the Ten Shadows Technique already provided him with a storage function. While stored items still added to the sorcerer's burden and their weight had to be borne by the user, that amount was virtually negligible to someone with his superhuman physique.
Even so, the moment he saw the ring, another person immediately came to mind—someone who possessed a large collection of cursed tools and was constantly troubled by how to carry them around.
"Eleven million."
He switched on his earpiece and entered the bidding.
"Bid from Private Room Three: eleven million yen!" the auctioneer announced loudly.
"Eleven and a half million."
A bidder in the public seating area immediately raised a paddle.
"Twelve million!"
The ring's value was undeniable.
Ordinary Grade 3 cursed tools usually sold for somewhere between one and three million yen. This ring cost several times more than a standard Grade 3 item, yet countless buyers still competed eagerly for it.
After ten rounds of bidding, Ren ultimately secured the ring for 15.5 million yen.
Most of the subsequent auction items still held little practical use for him.
The majority of cursed tools focused on offensive power, but for the current Ren, their destructive capabilities were simply too weak. None of them could compare to a fully charged punch infused with his cursed energy.
In fact, it was questionable whether many of those cursed tools could even survive one of his punches.
Mei Mei, however, made a purchase midway through the auction.
She acquired a short blade.
According to the auctioneer, it had once belonged to a renowned master of the New Shadow Style. Its special effect was the ability to generate a Simple Domain. By wielding the blade, the user could create a protective Simple Domain around themselves.
Unlike ordinary Simple Domains, however, this one was not a one-time deployment. It could be maintained and repaired continuously through the infusion of cursed energy.
As a result, when facing an actual Domain Expansion, it could withstand the pressure far longer than a normal Simple Domain.
That feature meant little to Ren, however.
After all, he could already deploy a true Domain Expansion himself.
"Why buy something like that?"
Oddly enough, Ui Ui seemed rather dissatisfied by the purchase.
"Isn't it enough for Big Sis to just have me?" he asked Mei Mei in a somewhat pouty tone.
"Sorry." Mei Mei smiled affectionately at him. "But there are times when Ui Ui isn't around."
"How could that happen?" the boy declared confidently. "No matter where you are, if Big Sis needs me, I'll immediately rush to your side!"
Watching his earnest expression, Ren felt a bead of cold sweat form on his forehead.
This kid's sister complex was clearly severe.
Which meant Ren would probably have a rough time in the future.
As he sighed inwardly, the silver-haired boy lifted his gaze and shot him another glare before letting out a displeased snort.
About half an hour later, the auction finally entered its closing stage.
At that moment, a staff member carried an exquisitely crafted sword onto the stage and placed it carefully upon a display stand.
It was a rather unusual weapon.
Instead of a traditional katana, it possessed a broader blade and a more pronounced curve, resembling a large saber. Even stranger, the guard was decorated not with metal ornaments but with a tuft of pure white animal fur.
Immediately, murmurs began spreading throughout the public seating area.
At the same time, Ren sensed the atmosphere beside him suddenly change.
Turning his head, he saw that Mei Mei—who had been lounging gracefully against her chair—had unknowingly straightened her posture. For the first time that day, a trace of seriousness appeared on her face.
"That is..."
"That's right!"
On stage, the host threw his arms wide and announced in an excited voice:
"The weapon once wielded by the Heavenly Restriction monster, Toji Fushiguro! A Special Grade cursed tool capable of ignoring physical durability and directly cutting the soul—a blade that can sever anything!"
"The Split Soul Katana!"
"We discovered its sister weapon in the northern testing grounds of Hokkaido. Not only is its appearance identical to Toji Fushiguro's famous blade, but professional appraisal has confirmed that it possesses the same property: ignoring durability and striking directly at the soul!"
"And now, the final treasure of today's auction officially begins!"
"Starting bid: five hundred million yen! Minimum increment: ten million yen!"
A weapon capable of cutting through anything...
Ren gazed at the brilliant curved blade gleaming beneath the lights while the crowd below erupted into excitement.
Suddenly, he remembered the joke he had once shared with Maki during his trip to Echigo.
A blade that could cut through everything.
A shield that could nullify every technique.
A strange sense of fate stirred within him.
As though this very moment had already been destined from some point far in the past.
However...
"Five hundred and ten million!"
"Five hundred and twenty million!"
"Five hundred and fifty million!"
Listening to the escalating bids from every direction, Ren's expression gradually turned troubled.
To fulfill that old promise seemed far beyond his current means.
Want faster updates? Send those stones my way—the more, the merrier. Read early at [email protected]/A_divin5