After Ryoichi and the twins left, silence filled the mansion once again. I exhaled slowly, then glanced at my phone. Right on time, the delivery company had messaged me.
I answered the call.
> "Hello, sir. We've arrived at the gate with your order."
I smiled faintly.
> "Perfect. Wait there a moment."
Walking to the intercom, I buzzed the gatekeeper.
> "There's a delivery truck outside. Let them in."
The gatekeeper's voice came back, a little doubtful.
> "Understood, Master Kane. But this truck looks massive—are you sure?"
> "I'm sure," I said with a small laugh. "Let them in."
Moments later, the truck rumbled through the gates and stopped near the mansion's service entrance. Workers began unloading crate after crate, their voices echoing in surprise at the sheer scale of the order.
> "Ice cream, soft drinks, mineral water, frozen meats…" one worker muttered.
"And look at this—enough rice and vegetables to feed an army!" another said, shaking his head.
I watched calmly, directing them as everything was placed in the right areas.
The ice cream and cold drinks went straight into the massive fridge I had placed at the back of the mansion. Bottles clinked as they slid into rows, cans stacked neatly in layers.
The rice, vegetables, fish, and other essentials—things that didn't need refrigeration—I accepted directly. After signing the receipt and sending the workers off, I waited until the truck rolled out of sight.
Then, with a thought, I stored every last item into my inventory. The endless void swallowed them silently.
I cracked a small smile.
> "Let's get to work."
---
First came the basics. I summoned bundles of fish, stacked sacks of rice, and baskets of vegetables, tossing them into the black pot. The surface rippled instantly.
When I pulled them out again, the amount had multiplied—ten times, a hundred times, until I had literal mountains of supplies waiting in storage.
I checked the fridge after some time had passed. The drinks inside were chilled to perfection, beads of condensation glistening on the bottles.
> "Good. Now, let's see how you handle this…" I murmured.
I pulled the massive fridge into my inventory. The black pot shimmered in response, almost as if it understood what I was about to attempt.
But there was a problem: the pot wasn't big enough. Even though the fridge was enormous, the pot still looked like a cauldron fit for coins or sacks—not industrial machines.
I frowned, placing my hand on the cool rim.
> "If only you could grow bigger…"
As the thought formed, the pot trembled. Slowly, impossibly, its edges stretched outward, the iron surface creaking like something alive. It expanded, taller, wider, until the opening was large enough to swallow the fridge whole.
I froze, stunned.
> "…You really are alive, aren't you?"
With nothing more than a thought, the fridge floated up, gently sliding into the newly expanded pot. The surface shimmered once more.
Moments later, I pulled it back out. Then another. Then another.
Soon, I had two hundred fridges lined up in my inventory, each packed with drinks and ice cream. They weren't fridges anymore—they looked like cargo containers, like the foundation of a private empire.
I stood in the middle of it all, my heart pounding in excitement.
> "Food, water, comfort, luxury… I have it all. And when the time comes, while the world starves, I'll be drinking cold soda and eating ice cream."
After hours of multiplying food and fridges inside my inventory, I finally stepped out, stretching my arms. My work in the void was complete for now. It was time to prepare for something bigger.
Real estate.
I slid into my car, the engine roaring as I drove across the city toward one of Tokyo's most reputable real estate companies. The glass doors reflected the afternoon sun as I walked in, dressed sharply enough to make heads turn.
A familiar face greeted me almost immediately—the same salesman who had handled the paperwork when I sold my apartment a few days ago.
> "Mr. Kane!" he exclaimed, hurrying over. "A pleasure to see you again. I've already arranged for the funds from your apartment sale to be transferred—expect it in your account within two days."
I smiled faintly.
> "Good. But that's not why I'm here today. I want mansions."
His polite smile faltered.
> "M-mansions? As in… more than one?"
> "Not one. Many," I said calmly, locking eyes with him.
For a moment, he looked as though he wanted to question me. But professionalism won over curiosity. Straightening his tie, he nodded.
> "Of course, sir. Our job is to meet demand, not interrogate customers. Please, follow me."
I chuckled softly, impressed.
> "Good answer."
---
He led me into a sleek presentation room, walls covered in digital displays of properties across Tokyo and beyond. With a swipe of his hand, he pulled up a location outside the city—a private development of luxury mansions surrounded by lush greenery.
> "This," he explained, "is the Akatsuki Hills project. Twelve ultra-modern mansions, each on its own private acre. Five have already been sold. Seven remain."
I studied the map carefully. The location was secluded, yet accessible. Perfect for my plans.
> "And the price?" I asked.
> "One mansion is listed at one hundred million dollars, sir."
I nodded slowly.
> "And the five that were already sold? I want those as well."
His eyes widened.
> "That… would be difficult, Mr. Kane. The owners—"
> "Money talks," I cut in smoothly. "Will one hundred fifty million per sold mansion be enough incentive?"
The salesman hesitated only a second before nodding eagerly.
> "Yes. Yes, I believe with such an offer, the owners will strongly consider selling back. I can begin contacting them immediately."
> "Good. Now, give me the total."
He tapped furiously at his tablet, his lips moving as he ran the numbers. Finally, he looked up, a bead of sweat on his forehead.
> "The total, Mr. Kane, is… one point four five billion dollars."
I leaned back in my chair, considering. Just then, my phone buzzed. Emi's name flashed on the screen.
I answered.
> "Sir," she said briskly, "the funds have been transferred. There was a slight error during processing—the bank moved more than expected. Ninety billion dollars, to be exact."
The salesman nearly choked on his own breath when he overheard. His eyes darted to me, disbelief written all over his face.
I replied smoothly, as if it were nothing.
> "That's fine, Emi. Meet me at the real estate company. We'll finalize everything here."
> "Understood, sir," she answered.
I hung up and glanced at the salesman, who was still trying to compose himself.
> "Well?" I asked lightly. "Shall we proceed with the paperwork?"
He nodded so quickly it was almost comical.
> "Y-yes, of course, Mr. Kane! Right away!"