Chapter 27

The other woman's bearing was unlike that of an ordinary Soul Reaper. The aura of someone with great personal strength was entirely different from that of someone who had held a high position for a long time—and by high position, he didn't mean becoming a gang boss through sheer fighting ability...

That was more the air of a nouveau riche or a thug.

Having ruled out an answer that was probably wrong, Haruto probed her directly without hesitation.

He just hadn't expected it to work even better than he'd imagined.

"For us to come here..."

"We couldn't have done it without the Tsunayashiro Clan's support."

After four or five ticks of the second hand in silence, Naa Ichihara's expression regained its initial composure. She spoke with a faint sigh, exhaling a thick cloud of smoke.

Her answer also made Haruto realize that his last move had actually been fraught with danger.

"Tsunayashiro?"

"Never heard of them."

Haruto shook his head decisively.

—That was a lie.

Before coming to Soul Society, Haruto's knowledge of the Tsunayashiro Clan had been limited to the story involving Kaname Tōsen, the future Captain of the Ninth Division: his close female friend Kakyō had died at the hands of her husband, who came from the Tsunayashiro Clan, yet the brutal nobleman had never received the punishment he deserved.

After living in Soul Society for so long, Haruto had learned more: for instance, the Tsunayashiro Clan was now the foremost of the Four Great Noble Clans.

Haruto's claim that he didn't know the Tsunayashiro Clan was an obvious evasion, and Naa Ichihara naturally picked up on the implication:

He had no interest in the Tsunayashiro Clan.

"Is that so?"

As if her earlier silence had been an illusion, Naa Ichihara smiled again and said:

"You have good taste, young man."

Naa Ichihara had just openly stated that she was at odds with the Tsunayashiro Clan. If Haruto's answer hadn't satisfied her, they might already have drawn their swords against each other—relying on Zanka no Tachi, which he hadn't yet released, Haruto believed he could escape her; meanwhile, the way Haruto had seen through her illusion earlier had also convinced Naa Ichihara that she could take him down.

Both sides were confident.

"You flatter me. It just so happens that my close friend comes from the Kuchiki Clan."

Haruto laid his "way out" on the table—he had never called Byakuya a close friend to his face. If Byakuya heard it, who knew how touch... how he would mock him?

"A close friend?"

"Despite being born into the Four Great Noble Clans, he actually deserves to be called a close friend. Haruto, it seems children like you quite a bit."

She had managed to guess most of the truth from such a simple piece of information. Naa Ichihara's ability to analyze information was indeed formidable, as expected of someone who had become a boss.

"I suppose."

Haruto really was popular with "children" younger than himself—no one should think children were easy to fool. When it came to judging sincerity from pretense, their instincts were more accurate than those of many less experienced adults.

"..."

The conversation had accidentally reached a dead end.

They had only been talking for a little over two minutes, but adding the time he'd spent climbing the stairs, the Reiatsu of Haruto's Zanka no Tachi had already dwindled to twenty percent of its original level.

If this pointless conversation continued... Haruto decided to leave before his trump card disappeared.

Just as he was about to take his leave—

"Whoosh."

Naa Ichihara flicked her wrist.

With a soft rush through the air, a blue-green light landed in Haruto's hand.

"Smack!"

"What's this?"

Haruto looked with some puzzlement at the "piece of jade" in his hand, carved in the shape of a demon's face.

"A Kidō Orb."

Naa Ichihara mentioned a name Haruto had never heard before.

"It can actively absorb Reishi from the natural world and reproduce the Kidō knowledge recorded inside it through a process similar to Jinzen."

"It's usually used to quickly comprehend... advanced Kidō above number eighty."

"..."

What a lavish gift.

Naa Ichihara's explanation nearly made Haruto lose his serious expression.

This boss was offering him a gift many times more generous than the old man of the Ise Clan had—Haruto grumbled inwardly for an instant—and it also indirectly proved that her clan's foundation was at least as strong as that of the priestly Ise Clan. The fact that the Tsunayashiro Clan had considered the Ichihara Clan worthy of exile showed that even among the upper nobles, they had once stood at the very top.

"Yoijū..."

"Patronizing our establishment isn't cheap."

Naa Ichihara continued, the smile at the corner of her mouth growing more teasing.

"We can't have our customers wasting their money for nothing. Let this serve as a small apology for that little misunderstanding earlier."

"What's inside it?"

Haruto was still maintaining Zanka no Tachi, so he couldn't pour Reiatsu into the Kidō Orb to inspect it.

"There's no need to be so wary, Haruto."

Despite saying that, Naa Ichihara's face betrayed a barely perceptible flash of approval when she saw that Haruto hadn't examined the contents of the Kidō Orb.

"The Ichihara Clan doesn't have the ability to plant a trap in a Kidō Orb."

While demonstrating her "sincerity," Naa Ichihara also took the opportunity to emphasize the Kidō Orb's importance. Though it came from the Ichihara Clan's collection, the former upper noble clan had no ability to produce Kidō Orbs—

Nonrenewable resources were always more precious.

"Inside is Bakudō number eighty-one, 'Dankū.'"

"!!"

Although Naa Ichihara had just mentioned Kidō "above number eighty," Haruto had never expected it to be the exceptionally practical Dankū.

"Dankū."

When Reiatsu levels were comparable, Dankū could block every Kidō below number ninety. Though it was only Bakudō number eighty-one, its defensive power gave it unparalleled value in actual combat.

Obtaining the secret teachings of Dankū so easily was far beyond Haruto's best expectations.

"There's no need to look so surprised."

Though it was hardly noticeable, Naa Ichihara had caught the subtle change in Haruto's expression.

"With your abilities, if you truly intend to join the Kuchiki Clan, obtaining the secret teachings of Dankū in the future is practically a certainty."

"What the Kuchiki Clan lacks least is secret Kidō teachings. I'm merely investing in you early."

"Besides..."

"This Kidō Orb containing Dankū isn't so easy to master."

"I'd like to hear more."

With a tangible benefit before him, Haruto readily set aside his pride.

"It takes time for a Kidō Orb to accumulate Reishi, and it can't absorb Reiatsu that a Soul Reaper has already converted. Every time you comprehend the Kidō knowledge inside it, you have to wait at least six months before using it again."

"...I see."

Haruto showed no dissatisfaction. In fact, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief: the Kidō Orb wasn't as powerful as he'd imagined. Unless someone was enough of a genius to learn the Kidō recorded inside in one go, they would have to wait at least another six months.

And during those six months, they couldn't even browse the Kidō Orb as they could ordinary secret teachings.

"That's not all."

"There's more?" Haruto didn't say that aloud.

"The Reishi a Kidō Orb naturally absorbs over six months amounts to quite a substantial quantity."

"Absorbing it places a considerable strain on both the will and the body."

"To carry out the process, even with Dankū, which has the lowest number, you'd need Fifth-Class Reii by a conservative estimate."

"..."

Fifth-Class Reii was Byakuya's current level. The vice-captains of several weaker divisions in the Gotei 13 were at that level as well.

According to Naa Ichihara, Haruto would have to reach Vice-Captain-level before he could absorb the knowledge in the Kidō Orb.

The problem was, if Haruto really wanted to join the Kuchiki Clan in the future, Byakuya certainly wouldn't begrudge him the secret teachings of Dankū by the time he reached Vice-Captain-level. If Haruto improved a little faster, even an old stickler like Ginrei Kuchiki probably wouldn't mind parting with the "mere" Bakudō number eighty-one.

At that thought, the Kidō Orb in his hand suddenly seemed much less appealing...

Wait!

Haruto inadvertently glanced at Naa Ichihara.

Something's wrong.

If the Kidō Orb is really as precious as she says, what will Naa Ichihara use to learn Dankū after giving it to me?

However he looked at her, Naa Ichihara didn't seem like someone whose path to improvement had been cut off. But there probably weren't any reliable Soul Reapers among her subordinates, or she definitely wouldn't have given it away so readily.

Sixth-Class Spiritual Pressure...

Even if my assessment is slightly off, her Reiatsu definitely hasn't reached Vice-Captain-level.

The most likely possibility is...

She's already mastered Dankū!

Haruto felt cold sweat bead at his hairline.

The biggest problem right now wasn't the Kidō Orb. If she could use Dankū, his greatest trump card, Zanka no Tachi, would become useless—let alone Zanka no Tachi, even Hiryū Gekizoku Shinten Raihō, ten numbers higher, couldn't break through Dankū's defenses.

Of course, this was also part of the opportunity:

Since Naa Ichihara had learned Dankū at Sixth-Class Spiritual Pressure, her claim about a "conservative estimate" was a smokescreen—someone truly skilled in Kidō could use a Kidō Orb at Sixth-Class Spiritual Pressure too.

"I understand."

Haruto nodded and put away the Kidō Orb.

In any case, the Kidō Orb really was a valuable item. Even if Haruto couldn't use it himself in the future, he could sell it for a considerable price. Trading a mere ten coins for such a treasure was practically the same as getting it for free.

But after learning the Kidō Orb's limitations and purpose, Haruto had further plans.

For example...

Volume one: 018, Her astonishing wealth had no heir

"However."

Haruto changed the subject.

"The Kidō Orb is indeed a treasure that a few coins could never buy. But compared to the reputation of the pleasure quarter... no, compared to the reputation of the entire Yoshiwara District, I'm sure you've already decided which matters more, Manager Ichihara."

His words were a complete change from his earlier manner, full of aggression.

"Haruto, what do you mean by that?"

The smile vanished from Naa Ichihara's face. In its place came a dangerous aura, revealed as her eyes narrowed slightly.

"Please don't misunderstand."

Haruto placed one hand behind his back, gently turning the Kidō Orb he'd just put away.

"I mean..."

"If you really want to 'invest,' Manager Ichihara, then, just as you said, this stake isn't quite enough."

Haruto's eyes, meanwhile, curved into an even wider smile.

"That's quite an appetite. Can you handle it, young man?"

"Why don't you put it to the test, Manager Ichihara?"