Sorry, Having Money Means You Can Do Whatever You Want

"Money isn't a problem."

Hearing Kisaragi Akira's words, Kuchiki Sojun suddenly felt relieved.

He'd thought the other man would make some outrageous demand, like gaining noble privileges, entering the highest echelons of Soul Society, or becoming a Seated Officer in the Gotei 13.

He hadn't expected it to be just a little money.

Looking at Kuchiki Sojun, who was loaded and didn't seem to care about money at all, Kisaragi Akira could almost hear him arrogantly declaring, "Sorry, having money means you can do whatever you want."

For a rich man this vile, he had to take him for all he was worth!

"Ten thousand—no, one hundred thousand Kan!"

Kisaragi Akira made an outrageous demand, multiplying the previous price by a hundred.

"Fine!"

Kuchiki Sojun nodded. "But you have to guarantee that the Amulets are exactly the same as before."

"Also, you'll need to provide after-sales service."

Seeing how readily the other man agreed, Kisaragi Akira suddenly wondered if he'd still asked for too little.

But after agonizing over it for a moment, he didn't go back on his word.

It wasn't every day he came across a sucker. If he let the man walk away now, he'd be the one losing out.

"No problem!"

Kisaragi Akira thumped his chest. "For after-sales service, just come to me or visit the Local Shrine in Nikkotsu District, East Rukon District 76."

"As for the Amulets, I only have ten left in stock. How many would Young Master Big Dog—uh, I mean, Sojun like?"

Kuchiki Sojun eyed the boy suspiciously. He had a feeling the fellow had almost said something very offensive.

"Give me all of them."

He pondered for a moment. "As for the money, I'll have my steward bring it over this afternoon."

Kisaragi Akira nodded, then flipped onto the bed.

Under the astonished gazes of Kuchiki Sojun and Aizen, he pulled ten Amulets from beneath the mattress, inside the pillowcase, from a corner of the bedsheet, out of a shoe, and off Aizen's bed.

Looking at his upturned mattress, Aizen's eye twitched. Suddenly, he felt an urge to draw his sword.

Despite his vigilance toward his surroundings and his strength, which far surpassed that of Kisaragi Akira, he hadn't noticed the boy hiding an Amulet on his bed.

This guy really was...

Taking the wrinkled Amulets, and thinking of all the places Kisaragi Akira usually hid them, Kuchiki Sojun suddenly felt like returning them.

"Wait, one more question."

Kisaragi Akira raised his right hand and pointed his index finger at the sky. "How did the previous Amulet get used up?"

At that, Kuchiki Sojun paused. After pondering for a moment, he smiled.

"It's not exactly a secret."

"You know that I'm the heir to the Kuchiki Clan."

Kisaragi Akira nodded, his curiosity piqued.

"Behind the calm facade you see, Soul Society is anything but peaceful. Its hidden corners are filled with countless conflicts and endless wars."

Kuchiki Sojun's expression turned more serious. "To gain more influence, neither the noble factions nor the rebel factions outside the nobility care about casualties. They start wars without a shred of conscience."

"Besides the Shinigami in the Gotei, there are many powerful, unaffiliated individuals in Soul Society. They serve the factions that operate in the shadows."

"To grow stronger as quickly as possible and help my father, I recently ventured onto a rebel battlefield."

"And just as the enemy ambushed me, nearly running a sword through my heart, the Amulet activated."

"The pattern on it appeared in the middle of the battlefield and unleashed a vast fog, instantly killing thirty-seven rebel Shinigami. One of them was even a high-ranking Seated Officer..."

Kisaragi Akira rubbed his chin, lost in thought.

No one understood the Amulets' limits better than he did.

They might just barely be able to protect their wearers from sickness and misfortune, but killing thirty-seven Shinigami, including a Seated Officer, was simply impossible.

Unless...

"Can you describe what the dead looked like?" Kisaragi Akira suddenly asked.

Kuchiki Sojun was taken aback, then furrowed his brow as he recalled the scene. "Scarred faces, average height..."

"No, no, not what they looked like."

"I mean after they died. What had happened to their bodies?"

Kisaragi Akira cut off Kuchiki Sojun's recollection.

"After they died?" He paused. "They were dried-up corpses. It was as if some force had drained the blood and Reiatsu from their bodies."

By then, Kisaragi Akira had figured out exactly what had happened.

The Amulet really didn't have such incredible power.

But that didn't mean the One-Eyed Great Deity lacked it.

When it appeared on the battlefield, the cruel, bloody surroundings became a natural sacrificial altar. The dead became offerings, giving everything they had to Mimihagi!

"Well, that's..."

Kisaragi Akira shook his head in amazement. "A path I'd never even imagined."

"Is something wrong?"

Kuchiki Sojun asked, puzzled.

"No, nothing!" Kisaragi Akira answered decisively. "There's no one better suited than you to receive these ten Amulets."

"But I need to make one thing clear. An Amulet triggered in different surroundings can produce different effects."

"Be sure to use them sparingly, young man!"

Kuchiki Sojun left, still confused.

Despite pressing him repeatedly, Kisaragi Akira never explained what he'd meant by that last remark. He only reminded Sojun to save one Amulet for him.

"Sosuke, I really am a business genius!"

After seeing off the rich man, Kisaragi Akira snapped his fingers triumphantly and bragged, "Come on, our destination is the Shin'o Cafeteria!"

"Lunch is on me today!"

Aizen shook his head helplessly. Some people really couldn't hide how they felt.

Every emotion showed plainly on their faces.

But people like that seemed like great friends to have...

After breakfast, the two of them headed to the classroom together.

The first class today was Kaido again.

After a night to recover, Teacher Kawai should have gotten his composure back.

After all, he was an elite among the Shinigami, a high-ranking Seated Officer in the Fourth Division.

After placing the textbooks he'd need on his desk, Kisaragi Akira began looking around idly, waiting for Kawai to arrive.

Thanks to the Exclusive Entry [Miraculous Hands], he had an exceptional talent for Kaido.

But he still needed to learn Kaido before he could put that talent to use.

Yet long after the bell rang, Kawai still hadn't shown up.

Just as Kisaragi Akira began to wonder whether Kawai had yet to recover from yesterday's blow, a familiar yet unfamiliar figure walked slowly down the hallway outside the window.

Kisaragi Akira rubbed his eyes hard.

When he recognized the person, his eyes widened. He drew a sharp breath, then muttered in astonishment:

"Could it be..."

"Has the Fourth Division's budget really gotten that tight?"

"They've come to the Spiritual Arts Academy to collect a debt?!"