My name is Aizen Sōsuke, a first-year student at the Spiritual Arts Academy.
Because of my decent talent, I was placed in a class full of elites.
Originally, I intended to use the academy as a platform to uncover secrets—and maybe find someone who could stand at the same level as me.
But why… had things spiraled into this?
On a quiet path within the academy, a small setup had been arranged: a table, a folding screen, a ruler for rituals, and a fluttering banner in the wind—bearing the emblem of the Reverse Bone Shrine, overseen by the head priest.
Behind the table sat Kisaragi Akira, taking up a grandiose pose. I stood behind him, arms crossed, expressionless.
"Don't just stand there, Sōsuke!" Akira whispered, nudging me. "I'm the head priest here, you know. Someone's gotta handle the yelling part, otherwise it's unworthy of me."
Right, so I'm just supposed to stand here and be humiliated while he plays priest?
Amid the buzzing commotion in my ears, I decided not to comment. At this point, I was already regretting having greeted this guy when we first enrolled.
Looking back over decades of life experience, Akira was by far the most shameless person I had ever met.
And now I discovered that his method for "making money" involved expanding the Reverse Bone Shrine's business within the academy.
It had gotten even more ridiculous than before.
Exorcisms, blessings, prayers, communication with deities, selling charms of all kinds…
If a shrine could do it, Akira had tried it.
Seemingly omnipotent, yet shallow in all of it. I shook my head and settled in to watch him crash and burn.
My name is Kuchiki Sōjun, eldest son of the noble Kuchiki family, one of the Five Great Houses.
Even though my family provided me with professional tutors—and even my father often took the time to guide me personally—I chose to spend some time at the Spiritual Arts Academy.
Because here, I could encounter things my family could never show me.
Like now…
"Reverse Bone Shrine?" I muttered, staring at the black characters on the fluttering banner.
If my memory served me right, this shrine… seemed familiar.
"Hey there! Don't pass by without stopping! Fortune, love, career… young master, what exactly are you?"
Akira greeted me enthusiastically, waving his arms around.
I blinked, sensing something slightly off in his words.
Still, my naturally gentle and kind nature wouldn't let me dwell on that. I smiled and asked politely,
"Do you have charms that protect the wearer from illness and misfortune?"
Hearing this, Akira's expression fell. His talents were wasted—he could only select one charm from the display and hand it over.
I took the charm in my hands, inspecting it carefully.
As heir to a noble house, I had seen many charms. My mother, Kuchiki Ginrei, had been particularly diligent, and I had examined well over a hundred different kinds.
Yet this one was entirely new.
A delicate white wooden charm, wrapped in red string. The figure of a massive black right hand was painted on it, stylized and almost sentient, emanating an aura of sacred authority. On the back of the hand, a single eye peered half-closed, gazing impassively forward.
"Somehow… familiar," I murmured, turning it in my hands, trying to trace the source of recognition.
"Ah, that'll be one thousand Ryo," Akira said with the grin of a true merchant, shamelessly asking for an exorbitant price.
I frowned slightly. Even I realized that was… a little steep.
"Don't hesitate, young master!" Akira added with flair. "The Reverse Bone Shrine is famous, and the One-Eyed God will surely protect your health."
After a brief moment of hesitation, I handed over a bill worth one thousand Ryo.
From a distance, a voice boomed down the street, angry and exasperated:
"Kisaragi Akira! Aizen Sōsuke!""How dare you act so recklessly in the academy!"
Akira cursed under his breath, waved his hand, and lifted the table:
"Sōsuke!""Wind speed, ho!"
Before we could even react, Akira lifted the table and vanished from sight at an incredible speed.
"Young master, Reverse Bone Shrine offers aftercare services… you can visit the Eaststream Soul Street, District 76—"
Before he could finish, his figure had disappeared completely.
I twitched my lips and, after signaling to the young noble opposite me, sprinted in the direction Akira had gone—faster than even him.
By the time Kaede Jun arrived at the scene, only I was left standing.
"Master Sōjun…""Akira didn't say anything strange to you, did he?"
Realizing who I was, Kaede let out a nervous sigh. That bastard better not have scammed a kind noble like me too.
I smiled lightly.
"No."
Hearing this, Kaede relaxed slightly.
"All right then. I'll go chase those two. Master Sōjun, please continue as you wish."
I nodded politely. Raising my right hand, I held the red-stringed charm in my palm. The single eye stared ahead, cool and impassive.
Perhaps it was a placebo… or maybe it actually worked. Holding the charm, I felt my body lighten as if some lingering fatigue had been swept away.
After a moment, I clenched the charm and whispered:
"Kisaragi Akira… I'll remember that name."
Back in the first-year dormitory, Akira flopped onto the soft bed without a care for his appearance.
Beside him, I pondered a question: Why on earth was I following this idiot, running amok in the academy like this?
Could stupidity be contagious?
"Big score!" Akira shouted, catching my attention.
"As expected, it's always the noble clients that bring the fastest money!"
"Noble clients?" I asked, puzzled.
"You didn't notice? That guy's hairpiece—the Star Chain—is only allowed for the upper-class nobles," Akira explained.
"You hiked the price just because of that?" I asked flatly, scrutinizing him.
"Petty!" Akira replied, rolling over with a disdainful look. "This charm is the real deal. One thousand Ryo, not a cent less! Infused with the spiritual energy of the One-Eyed God, one of Reverse Bone Shrine's rare masterpieces."
I frowned slightly. "The deity worshiped at the Reverse Bone Shrine is called the One-Eyed God?"
Akira grinned.
"It's dedicated to the right arm of the Spirit King… the One-Eyed God, Mimihaki…"