However, Naobito's response came quickly.
"Ten," Naobito said without the slightest hesitation, his voice calm yet firm, as if that number had already been final from the very beginning.
"Two," I replied again in a flat tone, not showing even the slightest intention to compromise.
Naobito looked at me with slightly narrowed eyes, observing my reaction, trying to read whether I was truly serious or merely playing with the price.
"Five bottles for each child," Naobito said afterward, his voice just as clear as before—calm, yet carrying pressure. "So, ten bottles."
I slowly shook my head, my movement relaxed but unmistakable.
"No," I said briefly, without any pleasantries. "The two of them aren't that valuable, so two bottles are enough."
Naobito fell silent the moment he heard my words. The old man stared at me with a serious expression, the lines of age on his face appearing even more pronounced.
His eyes narrowed slightly, as if weighing every word that came out of my mouth, trying to determine whether I was truly serious or just bluffing.
The atmosphere in the room gradually turned silent. The air felt heavier, as if the pressure of the negotiation filled every corner.
"Then eight bottles," Naobito finally said, his voice calm but carrying an unmistakable firmness. "Four for each child."
I simply looked at Naobito calmly, without the slightest change in my expression.
"No," I answered shortly, without hesitation, my voice flat but clear.
I then continued in a casual tone, as if this conversation were nothing more than an ordinary transaction with no great significance.
"It's true that they interest me as experimental subjects. But twins aren't something exclusive to the Zenin Clan." I shrugged slightly, my movement light. "There are still many twins born in this world."
I paused for a moment, giving my words time to settle.
"Even if they might be slightly better because they come from the Zenin Clan, that doesn't mean there won't be other twins born in different clans." I looked directly at Naobito, my gaze steady and unwavering.
"Who knows, someday there might be twins born in the Gojo Clan or even the Kamo Clan." I leaned back slightly in a relaxed manner, showing that I wasn't in a pressured position. "So for me, just two Cursed Tools are more than enough."
My words made Naobito fall silent once again. Silence enveloped the room, this time feeling longer and more oppressive.
Naobito stared at me with a serious expression, his eyes sharp and calculating, as if he were reassessing the entire value of the offer before him.
Several other members of the Hei also seemed to be paying attention to our conversation. Their expressions were far from pleased; some even frowned slightly, clearly disliking the direction the negotiation was taking as it began to tilt in my favor.
After a few seconds that felt longer than they should have, Naobito finally spoke again.
"Then six."
His gaze remained sharp, as if trying to pressure me into yielding.
I shook my head slowly, the movement small but firm, without the slightest doubt.
"At most, four," I said in a flat tone, my voice steady.
"Two for each child." I shifted my body slightly, preparing to stand, giving the impression that I was truly ready to end this negotiation. "If not, then I'll leave."
That sentence immediately made several people in the room furrow their brows. The tension rose, and the atmosphere became even more rigid.
But before I could actually stand, Naobito finally spoke again.
"Fine." Naobito nodded slowly, though his face still didn't look entirely satisfied. "Four."
I stopped moving and sat back down calmly, as if this outcome had been expected from the very beginning.
"Then we have an agreement," I said, nodding slightly.
After saying that, I extended my hand toward the purple flame that appeared beside me. The fire rotated slowly in the air, its glow soft yet radiating a strange aura that was difficult to explain.
From within that purple flame, I took out four Positive Energy Bottles that I had been storing inside it.
One by one, I placed the four metal thermos bottles on the floor in front of me, the faint yet clear sound of metal echoing softly as they touched the ground.
"Call someone to bring Maki and Mai," Naobito said to one of the Hei members, his voice returning to its usual steady tone.
One of them immediately stood up and walked out of the room with quick steps. Moments later, that person returned—but this time, not alone—bringing with him the two figures who were the core of this negotiation.
A woman entered the room along with him. From a brief glance, I could tell she was most likely Maki and Mai's mother, as well as Ogi's wife. Her appearance was neat yet simple, but her expression looked tired, as if the burden she carried was far heavier than it seemed.
She walked slowly into the room while holding two small babies in her arms—Maki and Mai. Her steps were careful, almost as if she were trying to slow down time itself, delaying a moment that could not be avoided.
The woman then looked toward Naobito, as if waiting for a final decision or at least a small sense of certainty.
Naobito only gave a short nod, without any notable emotion.
After that, the woman turned her gaze toward Ogi. Her eyes held something difficult to describe—hope, doubt, or perhaps an unspoken plea.
However, Ogi only looked at her briefly before shifting his gaze toward the four Positive Energy Bottles in front of me. His gaze did not waver in the slightest.
As if those bottles were far more interesting to him than his own two children.
Seeing that reaction, the woman fell silent for a moment. A trace of sadness appeared on her face, her lips parting slightly as if she wanted to say something, but in the end, she held it back. Not a single word came out.
She then slowly walked toward me, her steps feeling heavier than before.
When she stood in front of me, she carefully handed Maki and Mai, who were in her arms, over to me. Her movements were gentle and cautious, as if the two babies were something incredibly fragile and precious.
I accepted the two babies carefully, making sure they were comfortable in my arms.
"Please take good care of them," the woman whispered softly, her voice barely audible. "I'm begging you."
Her tone was filled with restrained desperation, making that simple request feel much heavier.
After saying that, she immediately turned around and walked back to her seat, not daring to look back again.
She sat beside Ogi without saying a single word, leaving a small distance between them, as if something invisible stood separating the two.
I then shifted my attention back toward Naobito.
Without hesitation, I handed the four Positive Energy Bottles to him, one by one.
Naobito took one of the bottles and immediately examined it carefully.
He quickly channeled a small amount of Cursed Energy into the metal thermos, trying to confirm its authenticity.
A few seconds later, Naobito slowly opened the lid.
His expression immediately changed slightly in surprise when he saw what was inside, even though he tried to hide it.
Inside the bottle, there was truly Positive Energy in liquid form.
The soft glow of that energy was clearly visible within the bottle, shimmering gently like something alive.
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[Note: This novel is updated on every even-numbered date]
[Note: This is my other novel: As the White Spider-Man in Earth-76 with the Spider-Man System]
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