Mirai stopped what he was doing and turned around. He looked at Kisuke with cold eyes and waited for an explanation.
Kisuke rubbed his hands together. He forced himself to explain.
"This device only works because of the 'supplementary reishi circuit' buried under this room. If you move it to Squad 9 without the circuit, it will just be a pile of junk."
Mirai understood instantly.
Heh, so this was the trap.
It meant that if he wanted to use it, he had to pay Kisuke to install it. And there would be an "installation fee."
Mirai asked directly, "Stop talking nonsense. How much to set up a circuit in my room at Squad 9?"
Kisuke's eyes lit up. He leaned forward and rubbed his hands even faster. He had a flattering smile on his face.
"Hehe, Mirai really knows how things work! The price is very fair. To set up the whole thing, it will only cost 300,000 Kan!"
"What?!" Mirai's "lonely nobleman" image broke instantly.
He pointed at Kisuke's nose. His voice went up several levels.
"This broken machine only cost 40,000 Kan! You want 300,000 for the extra parts?! Kisuke Urahara, are you crazy for money?!"
300,000 Kan! That was like trying to rob a top nobleman of the Seireitei.
Although the different squads subscribed to the Seireitei Communication using public funds, they usually only bought one copy per squad.
Mirai only received money from individual readers who couldn't wait and bought their own copies.
He had worked hard for a long time to save up. All his savings only added up to a bit over 100,000 Kan.
Right now, he even owed the pub 50,000 Kan! And this guy was asking for 300,000?!
Kisuke saw this and moved closer. He explained in a very low voice.
"Mirai, let me explain! The circuit in my room is secretly linked to the 'spiritual vein node' under Squad 2. That's how it gets enough power to run the isolation device."
He had a look that said "you understand."
"If I set it up at Squad 9, I have to design a new circuit from scratch and solve the energy problem. 300,000 Kan is really just the cost. I'm not making much profit!"
Mirai narrowed his eyes.
A "spiritual spring" was basically liquid spiritual energy. Every squad was given an amount for training, cooking, and daily use.
He didn't expect this guy to be stealing it. Just like Aizen and Shinji, this guy was a bad seed!
However, after hearing the explanation, Mirai knew he couldn't save this money.
Without a stable and high-concentration source of reishi, the machine was useless.
"I don't have 300,000 Kan right now," Mirai said grumpily.
"Huh?" The light in Kisuke's eyes went out instantly. He looked disappointed.
"But," Mirai said as he changed his tone. He pointed at the machine. "Turn it on right now!"
Kisuke was confused. "Turn it on? Why?"
Mirai gritted his teeth and said, "To write a novel and make money! How else am I going to get 300,000 Kan for you?!"
When he heard the words "make money," Kisuke became full of energy again.
He jumped forward and quickly pressed the start button.
"Buzz—"
A low vibration started. The rusty patterns on the machine's surface began to glow with a faint spiritual light.
An invisible spiritual barrier covered the messy room, separating it from the outside world.
Then, Kisuke rushed to a corner. He quickly brought out a shaky wooden table and a chair that looked okay. He placed them inside the barrier near the machine.
"Mirai, watch the time!"
Kisuke lowered his voice and pointed to the ceiling.
"In about three hours, the squad will use the spiritual spring to cook for everyone! The spiritual energy might fluctuate then. You have to come out before that."
He didn't want Mirai's "secret writing" to cause the whole squad to eat half-cooked rice. If that happened, he couldn't hide his secret project anymore.
"I won't bother your inspiration! Write slowly, write slowly!"
Kisuke had a smile that said "I know what's going on." He quickly backed out and closed the door with a click.
Mirai could hear Kisuke sitting down outside against the door. He was acting as a guard.
Mirai noticed the good service. This guy was greedy, but he was also very smart.
He probably guessed that Mirai needed absolute privacy for his writing.
Mirai took a deep breath and cleared his mind.
Now, he had to decide whose story to write.
The story had to connect with many Shinigami. It had to be broad enough to gather a large amount of spiritual energy.
But more importantly, it had to touch the hearts of Captain-level Shinigami. It needed to cause strong emotions to create a "spiritual seed" that could break through his limits.
Many faces flashed through his mind, but he rejected them.
Finally, he became determined. A perfect target appeared in his mind.
Her story was legendary. Her nature was enough to shake any powerful person. And she was right here in the Seireitei!
It would be her!
A look of resolve flashed in Mirai's eyes.
He didn't hesitate anymore. His right hand firmly gripped the handle of the sword at his waist.
"Take up the pen—"
He chanted softly. His voice echoed inside the barrier.
"Raijin Seisho."
In an instant, his Zanpakutō turned into glowing spiritual dust. It flowed like a river of stars and changed shape in his palm.
It was no longer that beautiful ice-and-snow fan. It was now an ancient brush. The tip of the brush glowed with changing spiritual light like stars!
This was the true form of his Zanpakutō. A pen that could interfere with stories and weave reality!
As he held Raijin Seisho, Mirai's aura changed. His laziness and moodiness vanished. His eyes became focused and sharp.
He spread out the blank paper. He used Spiritual Pressure as ink and his mind as a guide. He pressed the pen down with great force!
The black ink spread on the paper. He wrote words that felt full of blood and violence:
The Killer of Meteor City
Part 1: Blood Flower
At the end of the river, where bones piled up like sand, I heard it.
The sound of the first bud blooming.
It wasn't soft. It wasn't beautiful. It was the crack of a throat bone snapping.
That was when I understood. That was when everything started.
Blood Flower
...
When the last two words were finished, the text on the paper seemed to come alive. A red spiritual light flashed for a second.
A violent feeling filled the room because of those few lines.
Mirai slowly put down the pen. Writing this "true legend" cost some Spiritual Pressure. He could feel a bloody echo coming from the distant past through Raijin Seisho.
...
At that same moment, in another corner of the Seireitei.
Inside the Captain's office of Squad 4, Retsu Unohana was arranging flowers. Suddenly, her hand stopped.
She lifted her steady eyes. She looked in a certain direction with confusion.
In that instant, her heart felt something.
It was like something distant and familiar had touched her.