The tale of Mayumi

Chapter 75 - Undercover Shenanigans

The underground auction was held in a massive, dimly lit chamber beneath a seemingly ordinary inn. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, casting an eerie glow over the crowd of criminals, war profiteers, and general scumbags who had gathered to throw their fortunes at stolen artifacts.

Kakashi and Mayumi arrived dressed the part—Mayumi in a sleek black dress with a slit up the side, her hair pinned elegantly to one side, while Kakashi wore a dark, high-collared cloak that made him look even more mysterious than usual. His mask remained on, of course. He claimed it was for "disguise purposes," but Mayumi knew better.

"Alright, we're here to blend in," Kakashi murmured as they entered.

Mayumi immediately grabbed his arm and clung to him. "Oh, my dear husband," she cooed dramatically, loud enough for nearby attendees to hear. "This place is simply dreadful. Why did we not send our men to handle this filthy business for us?"

Kakashi's eye twitched. "What...are you doing?"

"Committing to the role, darling," she purred, batting her eyelashes.

Kakashi sighed. "Can we not do this?"

"Ohhh, but we must, beloved." She smirked up at him. "You're supposed to be some big-shot criminal, and I'm your rich, spoiled wife. It'll sell the act!"

"I am supposed to be a ruthless, wealthy collector," Kakashi corrected. "You are supposed to be silent."

Mayumi gasped, clutching her chest. "Husband, how dare you!"

A man nearby—a burly, tattooed guy with a scar running down his cheek—glanced over and sneered. "Tch. Rich bastards."

Mayumi smirked. "See? It's working."

Kakashi resisted the urge to groan.

They made their way toward the front of the auction hall, where plush chairs surrounded a grand stage displaying the first item of the night—a set of kunai once rumored to belong to the Second Hokage.

"Starting bid, 500,000 ryo!" the auctioneer announced.

Kakashi remained quiet, scanning the room for their target. Their goal wasn't to buy anything—just to gather intel and figure out who was in charge of this whole operation.

Mayumi, however, had other ideas.

Her eyes sparkled as she tugged on Kakashi's sleeve. "Oh, oh! Look at that!" She pointed to a sleek katana in a glass case. "A sword that catches fire when you whistle! We need this!"

Kakashi looked at her, appalled. "We do not need this."

"Come on, Kakashi. Just imagine the possibilities!"

"Mayumi."

But she was already raising her paddle. "One million ryo!"

Kakashi nearly choked. "What are you doing?!"

"Winning!"

"With whose money?!"

"Technically, yours. But what's yours is mine, my love~"

Kakashi pinched the bridge of his nose. "This is exactly why Shikamaru told you not to cause a scene."

Meanwhile, across the room, a rival buyer—a slick-looking man in a red suit—was glaring daggers at them.

"Who is that?" Mayumi whispered.

Kakashi sighed. "My guess? Someone who wanted that sword and now hates you."

The man narrowed his eyes at Mayumi, clearly furious. She responded by blowing him a kiss.

Kakashi groaned.

The auction continued, and while Mayumi tried to behave, she accidentally bid on a pair of enchanted shuriken and a mysterious black scroll that allegedly contained "forbidden knowledge."

"This is getting out of hand," Kakashi muttered.

Mayumi shrugged. "It's not real unless we have a financial crisis."

"You are a financial crisis."

Before she could argue, a commotion broke out near the back of the hall. A group of masked figures slipped inside, their leader—a tall man in dark robes—motioning for the auctioneer to halt.

"Ah," Mayumi murmured, eyes gleaming. "Now this is getting interesting."