[[This is a translation so please don't hate me for the developments. I will try to remove shitty brainrot scenes with better ones but it is from a MTL ... so please no bashing in the comments for the plot. I am just a translator after all.]]
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Aizen POV:
My name is Aizen Sōsuke, a first-year student at the Shin'ō Academy. Due to my decent talent, I was placed in the elite class. Initially, I intended to use the academy as a platform to discover more secrets and find individuals who could stand on the same level as me.
But why…
Why did things turn out this way?
On a small path in the academy, there was a table, a fan, and a measuring stick. A banner fluttered in the wind, reading "Sakahone Shrine Head Priest."
Akira Kisaragi sat behind the table, fully prepared, while Aizen stood behind him, arms crossed and expressionless.
"Sōsuke, don't just stand there!"
Akira whispered urgently, "I'm the head priest, I can't lower myself to shout for customers."
You can't lower yourself, but I can, right?
Listening to the buzzing noise like flies in his ears, Aizen didn't want to comment. He was already regretting greeting this guy when he first enrolled.
Throughout his decades of life, Akira Kisaragi was the most shameless person Aizen had ever met.
Aizen never expected that Akira's idea of making money involved expanding the Sakahone Shrine's business within the academy. It was even more outrageous than before.
Exorcisms, blessings, prayers, selling various protective charms…
Anything the shrine could offer, Akira was involved in.
It seemed like he could do everything, but in reality, he was a jack of all trades, master of none.
Aizen shook his head, waiting for Akira to fail.
Sōjun POV:
(t/n: previously kinda mixed up sojun with byakuya so fixed that. Sojun is byakuya's dad btw)
My name is Sōjun Kuchiki, the eldest son of the noble Kuchiki family. Although my family provided me with professional tutors, and even my father often took time to guide me, I chose to study at the Shin'ō Academy for a while.
Because here, I could see many things that I couldn't encounter within the family.
Just like now…
"Sakahone Shrine?"
Sōjun stared at the black characters on the banner, lost in thought.
If he remembered correctly, this shrine seemed…
"Hey, don't miss out! Fortune, love, wealth, young man, what are you looking for?"
Seeing a customer, Akira enthusiastically greeted him.
Sōjun was taken aback, feeling that something was off with the way he was addressed. However, being naturally gentle and kind, he didn't mind the details and smiled as he asked:
"Do you have any protective charms that ensure the wearer's health and safety?"
Hearing this, Akira was disappointed, feeling that his talents were wasted. He could only take out a charm from the table and hand it to Sōjun.
Sōjun took the charm and examined it closely.
As the heir of a noble family, he had seen many things. Due to his weak constitution, his father, Ginrei Kuchiki, had tried many protective charms for him, and he had seen at least a hundred different types.
But this charm was unlike any he had seen before.
Red string wrapped around it, and a delicate white wooden piece depicted a pattern. A luxurious robe enveloped a large black right hand, giving it a sacred and inviolable appearance. On the back of the hand, a single eye was half-closed, gazing indifferently ahead.
"It looks familiar."
Sōjun fiddled with the charm, trying to recall where he had seen it before.
"Only 1,000 kan."
Akira grinned like a merchant, asking for an exorbitant price.
Sōjun frowned slightly, realizing the price was unreasonable.
"Young man, don't hesitate!"
Akira coaxed, "The Sakahone Shrine is renowned, and the Mimihagi-sama will surely protect your health."
Sōjun hesitated for a moment, then took out a 1,000 kan and handed it to Akira.
At that moment, a furious voice came from the end of the street:
"Akira Kisaragi, Aizen Sōsuke!"
"How dare you act so recklessly in the academy!"
Akira knew they were in trouble and quickly grabbed the table:
"Sōsuke!"
"Run!"
In the blink of an eye, Akira, carrying the table, disappeared from sight with astonishing speed.
"Young man, the Sakahone Shrine offers after-sales service. If you need anything, you can go to East-Rukongai District 76…"
Before he could finish, Akira had vanished completely.
Aizen, seeing this, twitched his mouth, nodded to Sōjun , and chased after Akira, moving even faster.
When the instructor arrived, only Sōjun was left standing there.
"Sōjun-sama…"
"Did Akira Kisaragi say anything strange to you?"
Realizing Sōjun's identity, the instructor felt a headache. That troublemaker wouldn't have deceived the young master of the Kuchiki family, would he?
Sōjun shook his head with a smile, "No."
Hearing this, the instructor sighed in relief, his tense nerves relaxing a bit.
"That's good."
"I'll go after those two. Sōjun-sama, please feel free to leave."
Sōjun nodded slightly.
After the instructor left, he raised his right hand, spreading his fingers. The white wooden piece with the red string had a deep, indifferent eye staring ahead.
Maybe it was an illusion, or maybe it was truly effective.
Holding the charm, Sōjun felt his body lighten considerably.
It felt as if a significant burden had been lifted.
After examining it for a moment, he clenched the charm tightly and murmured, "Akira Kisaragi, huh?"
"I'll remember that name…"
Back at the first-year dormitory, Akira Kisaragi put down his belongings and sprawled out on the soft bed without any regard for his image.
Nearby, Aizen was deep in thought, pondering a particular question.
Why was he running around the academy with this fool?
Could stupidity be contagious?
"That was a big score!"
Akira's cheerful shout caught Aizen's attention. "As expected, scamming rich fools is the fastest way to make money!"
"Rich fools?"
"Didn't you notice? That guy had a hair ornament called a 'Kenseikan,' which only high-ranking nobles are allowed to wear."
"So you charged him a high price because you recognized that?"
Aizen's tone suddenly became calm, and his scrutinizing gaze fell on Akira.
"No you Idiot!"
Akira turned over, looking back at Aizen with disdain. "That charm was genuine, worth every bit of the 1,000 kan!"
"The spiritual pressure of Mimihagi-sama is infused in it, one of the finest works of Sakahone Shrine."
Aizen frowned slightly, puzzled. "The god worshipped by the Sakahone Shrine is called Mimihagi-sama?"
Akira nodded, grinning:
" Yes, Mimihagi-sama is the right hand of the Soul King who governs over stillness."
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(T/N: there were quite a few places where i missplaced sojun with byakuya in chapter 8 and 9. Its all fixed now. Thanks DaoistCkdsB0 for pointing that out. )
[[This is a translation so please don't hate me for the developments. I will try to remove shitty brainrot scenes with better ones but it is from a MTL ... so please no bashing in the comments for the plot. I am just a translator after all.]]