My name was Aizen Sosuke, and I was a first-year student at the Spiritual Arts Academy.
Since my talent was decent, I'd been assigned to Class One, which was full of elites.
I'd originally planned to use the Spiritual Arts Academy as a platform to uncover more secrets and find someone who could stand on the same level as me.
But why...
Had things developed to this point?
On a small path at the Spiritual Arts Academy stood a table, a fan, and a wooden clapper.
A banner fluttered in the breeze, announcing the Chief Priest of Nikkotsu Shrine.
Kisaragi Akira sat behind the table, putting on quite a show. Aizen stood behind him with his arms crossed and a blank expression.
"Sosuke, don't just stand there like an idiot!"
Kisaragi Akira urged him in a low voice. "I'm the Chief Priest. I can't personally do something as undignified as hawking our wares."
So you couldn't afford to lose face, but I could?
Listening to the buzzing in his ear, as annoying as a swarm of flies, Aizen had no comment.
He was already beginning to regret greeting this guy when they'd first enrolled.
In all the decades of his life, Kisaragi Akira was the person he knew with the fewest scruples.
Aizen had never imagined that the money-making method Kisaragi Akira had mentioned was to expand Nikkotsu Shrine's business at the Spiritual Arts Academy.
He'd become even more shameless than before.
Exorcisms, blessings, prayers for good fortune, communicating with the gods, selling all kinds of supposedly effective amulets...
Kisaragi Akira dabbled in every kind of business a shrine could possibly offer.
He seemed capable of anything, but in truth, he was a master of none.
Aizen shook his head and waited for Kisaragi Akira to crash and burn.
My name was Kuchiki Sojun, the eldest legitimate son of the Kuchiki Clan, one of the Five Noble Families.
Although my family had arranged professional tutors for me, and even my father often set aside time to guide me,
I'd still chosen to attend the Spiritual Arts Academy for a while.
Because there were many things here that I couldn't encounter within my family.
Just like right now...
"Nikkotsu Shrine?"
Kuchiki Sojun stared blankly at the black characters written on the banner.
If he remembered correctly, this shrine seemed to...
"Step right up, don't miss your chance! Fortune, romance, wealth—hey, young man, what kind of thing are you?"
Seeing a customer, Kisaragi Akira called out enthusiastically.
Kuchiki Sojun's expression froze. Something about the other man's words seemed a little off.
Fortunately, he was naturally gentle and kind, and didn't quibble over the details. Instead, he smiled and asked,
"Excuse me, do you have an amulet that can protect its wearer from illness and misfortune?"
At that, Kisaragi Akira was sorely disappointed. He felt that all his talents would go to waste, and could only take an amulet from the ones laid out on the table and hand it to him.
Kuchiki Sojun took the amulet and examined it closely.
As the heir to a great noble family, he was certainly well-traveled.
Because he'd been frail from birth, Kuchiki Ginrei had gone to great lengths for him. He'd seen well over a hundred different styles of amulet.
But while he'd seen plenty of amulets, this was the first time he'd encountered one like this.
A red cord was wound around a delicate white wooden plaque. The design depicted a luxurious robe wrapped around a gigantic black right hand. Its humanoid pose gave it an air of holiness and inviolability.
On the back of the hand, a single eye was half-closed, its indifferent gaze fixed straight ahead.
"It looks familiar."
Kuchiki Sojun turned the amulet over in his hands, trying to find the source of that sense of familiarity in his memories.
"That'll be one thousand kan."
Kisaragi Akira flashed the grin of a swindler and named an outrageous price.
Kuchiki Sojun furrowed his brow slightly, seeming to realize that the price was a bit unreasonable.
"Young man, don't hesitate!"
Kisaragi Akira coaxed him. "Nikkotsu Shrine is renowned far and wide. The One-Eyed Great Deity will surely protect your health."
After a brief hesitation, Kuchiki Sojun took out a bill worth one thousand kan and handed it to Kisaragi Akira.
Just then, an angry scolding rang out from the far end of the street:
"Kisaragi Akira! Aizen Sosuke!"
"How dare you two behave so outrageously at the Spiritual Arts Academy!"
Kisaragi Akira muttered a curse under his breath and swept up the table with a wave of his hand.
"Sosuke!"
"Things are getting dicey—let's scram!"
Then, under the astonished gazes of the two men, Kisaragi Akira took off with the table, moving at an astonishing speed until he vanished at the end of the street.
"Young man, Nikkotsu Shrine offers after-sales service. If you need anything, you can find us in East Rukon District 76..."
Before he could finish, Kisaragi Akira had disappeared completely.
Aizen Sosuke's mouth twitched. He nodded to Kuchiki Sojun across from him, then took off after Kisaragi Akira.
He was even faster than the other man.
By the time Kaede Junya arrived, only Kuchiki Sojun remained, standing there alone.
"M-Master Sojun..."
"Kisaragi Akira didn't tell you anything strange, did he?"
Realizing who the man before him was, Kaede Junya felt a headache coming on. Had that bastard fooled even the young master of the Kuchiki Clan?
You had to understand—
Kuchiki Sojun had an excellent reputation at the Spiritual Arts Academy. He was gentle and kind, and had none of the airs of a great noble.
If that guy had swindled even someone as good-natured as him, then he truly had no conscience.
Kuchiki Sojun shook his head with a faint smile. "No."
At that, Kaede Junya let out a sigh of relief, his taut nerves relaxing a little.
"That's good."
"I'll go after those two first. Please make yourself at home, Master Sojun."
Kuchiki Sojun gave a slight nod.
After Kaede Junya left, he raised his right hand and spread his fingers. On the white wooden plaque threaded with the red cord, the deep, solitary eye gazed indifferently ahead.
Perhaps it was just his imagination, or perhaps the amulet really worked.
As he held it, Kuchiki Sojun felt his body grow noticeably lighter.
It was as if most of the accumulated grime had been cleaned away.
After examining it for a moment, he gripped the amulet tightly and murmured, "Kisaragi Akira?"
"I'll remember that name..."
First-year dormitory.
Kisaragi Akira set down his belongings and flopped onto the soft bed without a shred of dignity.
Beside him, Aizen was desperately trying to figure something out.
Why had he followed this idiot and fled through the Spiritual Arts Academy in such a sorry state?
Could stupidity be contagious?
"What a haul!"
Kisaragi Akira's shout quickly drew his attention. "Sure enough, fleecing a fat cat is the fastest way to make money!"
"A fat cat?"
"Didn't you notice? That guy had a Kenseikan in his hair. Only upper-class nobles are allowed to wear that kind of hair ornament."
"So you charged him more because you noticed?"
Aizen's tone abruptly turned calm, his scrutinizing gaze settling on Kisaragi Akira.
"How narrow-minded!"
Kisaragi Akira rolled over and looked back at Aizen with disdain. "That amulet was the real deal. One thousand kan was the bare minimum!"
"The One-Eyed Great Deity's spiritual pressure was infused into it. It's one of the few masterpieces made by Nikkotsu Shrine."
Aizen furrowed his brow slightly, puzzled. "The deity worshipped at Nikkotsu Shrine is called the One-Eyed Great Deity?"
Kisaragi Akira nodded and grinned.
"An offering to the Soul King's Right Arm: the One-Eyed Great Deity, Mimihagi..."
East Rukon District 76's Nikkotsu Shrine is official lore, mentioned in chapter 616 of the manga.
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