Five years has passed since his meeting with Ayami Himiki.
Harukin is now 12 years old, but he has the same look as when he was 7, mainly because he became immortal due to apotheosis. Well, partially immortal as long as he has mana.
His mana reserves has increased tremendously over the years, even surpassing his previous highest and is still increasing by the day.
As time passes, the growth factor itself will increase, and at some point, the speed of increase will be so much that it'll be incalculable.
Harukin is looking forward to that time.
Anyway, he now has slightly more mana than the original Gojo Satoru. It may seem like it took a long time to reach this level, but don't forget that the energy here is mana, not cursed energy, which is inherently more pure and difficult to control than cursed energy, so it's a wonder that he has so much reserves when he's still barely over 12 year old.
Over the years, he went to a few cities by increasing his height and acting as a grown-up. Of course, he genjutsu'd anyone who asked him about his ID.
He stole money from a few spiritual ability users and purchased blank talismans, fuinjutsu'd them with various spells and jutsus, and sold it to Ayami Himiki.
According to her, 'Your inscription method is unique so it has a high value, both as a collectible and for surprise attacks. Coupled with the fact that it's also more effective and stable than those found in the market, as well as the sheer diversity and production speed of the talismans you're offering, it's only normal that you'd have big success in the talisman industry.'
So he went under the alias of King Haloxis and made many talismans with the help of Jutsu Library and Necronomicon, earning him a huge sum of money.
In fact, if not for the Himiki clan's support, his true identity would've been revealed and he would've been captured as a personal talisman-factory of some random clan. He's slightly grateful to Ayami for lending him support, but she claims she's just doing it for profit and privacy is something basic in business. Although he still remembered her help, as he's not an ungrateful shithead, he's satisfied with her response. He's not eager to get close to any one. He's very tired mentally. Personally experiencing the darkness of humans, and living two entire lives of captivity save for the anime and manga, it's a wonder he's not disgusted when talking to humans. Well, he became uncaring about anything that doesn't directly affect him as a consequence of his past, but that's already one of the better outcomes.
With the help of the Himiki clan, he learned about the power structure of this world.
Seven Major Yin-Yang Master families, the three major samurai families, the two major ninja factions, and the Himiki Judging Clan.
And he learned that the place he was living in, Sakura Island, is only one part of the world. Sakura Island is similar to Japan of his world, but in this world, since Sakura Island is the center of the world's superpowers, it has a high influence.
-Info Dump-
Yin-Yang Masters: They have a Yin-Yang Seal which boosts them massively, increasing their spiritual powers, spell effects, etc.. The Yin-Yang Seal has a function that seals spirits in their own Spirit-branded retainers, boosting the said retainer's powers massively.
Spirit-branded Retainers: They house the spirits sealed by the Yin-Yang seal, and borrow the spirit's powers to fight alongside their masters.
Samurais and Ninjas are self-evident. Do note that shinobi arts and ninja arts are very different. The jutsu system of the both just don't match up, although the basics are similar.
Himiki Judging Clan: The name itself suggests it. The whole world considers them worthy enough to allow them call themselves a 'Judging Clan'. What more is needed to be said? They also offer a wide range of services, from offering places of negotiations, mediating conflicts, and even taking part in many businesses. Basically, they are a big clan.
-Info Dump End-
Moreover, he learned about the greatest Yin-Yang Master in history, Seimei Kamijou, who is said to have 12 highest-ranked Spirit-branded retainers at his prime. He's the strongest in this world, both in the past and the present. Harukin felt that if there was a person who has achieved ROB-level powers, it has to be him.
He also investigated about Hana Haruta, and about the one who saved him.
Turns out, she is the youngest daughter of the Haruta family, one of the Seven Major Yin-Yang Master families.
After learning about the background of the one who saved him, Yui Haruta, he greatly astonished. The difference between their statuses is so large that it's incomparable. Also, death and killing is not uncommon in the mystical society. It wouldn't be weird if they outright ignored his dying figure, but they saved him instead, and even gave him VIP treatment.
Did they notice his potential and want to take him in as a Spirit-branded retainer? It's possible. But when he was saved, his mana circuits were newly constructed and he didn't even have much mana reserves. Just what did they see in him?
Harukin is strong, but not strong enough to compare to the big clans of this world. He knows of that fact clearly since he interacted with the mystical society for a long time now. He can destroy cities with a swing of his hand through Almighty Push, Planetary Devastation, Hollow Purple, huge AOE jutsus, necronomicon spells or the like. But he's still not powerful compared to the powerhouses of this world. In this world, his power level is something even middle-tier elders of the big clans can do. Not to mention the middle-tier elders whose number possibly exceeds tens of thousands in big clans, there are even more powerful high-tier elders, the highest-tier elder council, the clan head, and possibly even a few ancestors on top of them.
So Harukin can't possibly pay them back even if he wanted to. And in the first place, he didn't need any saving. His Regeneration EX would've worked extra hard and it probably would've taken more time to cooldown and become active again, but he wouldn't be in any mortal danger. Tch. Now he'd have to watch out for an opportunity to repay their un-nedded 'favor'. Although Harukin is selfish and a social recluse, he didn't want to be ungrateful, so at some point, he'd find an opportunity to repay their favor and be done with it.
It's fishy how he wasn't found out by the Haruta family after all these years, considering how much Yui and Hana Haruta seemed to be interested in his potential. Since the Haruta sisters had such a huge background, surely he should've been discovered at some point? He can only attribute it to the Himiki clan's protection, or that the Haruta sisters weren't that interested in him to bother about his disappearance. Maybe it was their whim? Who knows?
Harukin is now roaming around the street of a city somewhere in Sakura Island.
He became uncaring about humans, but not their culture, especially anime and manga.
His hair grew over the years, although his height didn't. He didn't bother to cut it though, growing it as a sign of his age. Every time he looks at his hair, he'll be reminded of the time he spent living in this world.
Since he regained his full powers a year ago(when he was 11 years old), he sealed his Rikugan with hanafuda-style Fuinjutsu talisman earrings so that he could learn Haki.
He was astounded when he learned that there's Haki knowledge in the Necronomicon. Why it's there, he doesn't know. But he'd be damned if he didn't learn that sweet sweet Haki, so he's living everyday with a blindfold and fuinjutsu talisman earrings, so as to learn Observation Haki.
You could argue that his Rikugan can act as a substitute for Observation Haki, but there's a fundamental difference between the two techniques. Rikugan is dependent on mana, so if his mana reserves are ever exhausted, his Rikugan will not be able to show its full prowess and he'd be greatly weakened. But Observation Haki? It's a manifestation of willpower. The Necronomicon's version of Haki doesn't need mana or spiritual power to fuel it. As long as your willpower is sufficient, it will always work. And what's more, unlike Rikugan, he can actually control Haki with his willpower. Not to mention that Observation Haki provides other bonuses such as sensing other people's presence, strength, emotions, and intentions, see a short period into the future, all of which are very sweet sweet powers that's sure to be useful in this cruel mystical society.
Harukin is now roaming around the street, purchasing ingredients for his cooking hobby. He learned to cook as he was bored staying around doing nothing.
The entertainment industry of this world isn't developed much. There are anime, manga, lightnovels and games, but the industry itself isn't as dominant as it was in his first life. He wrote a few original novels, and even published them, earning himself some fame in the otaku circles. He sometimes draws illustrations, but he isn't interested in drawing manga. The commitments necessary for drawing manga isn't something he's willing to undertake.
After buying all the ingredients he needed, he went inside his temporary residence, a small house near the outskirts, and started to cook.
Soon, there was a pleasant aroma filling the whole residence.
There were a few passerby who fell into stupor upon smelling this aroma, but they soon somehow ignored it and carried on, courtesy of a genjutsu-type fuinjutsu seal he set up to avoid strangers visiting his house all the time.
He finished cooking and arranged the food on the kotatsu table, and started eating it while watching the TV.
'I've heard from Ayami that the second son of the Haruta family, Seiji Haruta, was exiled from his family for doing something to his sister. But there were rumors that Yui Haruta loves this brother of hers very much. Although it was claimed that Yui Haruta herself exiled her brother, surely anyone can see that she is protecting him from the family's wrath.
In other words, this is a chance for me. If I manage to change Seiji Haruta into a good person and make it so that he's accepted back into the family, wouldn't I be repaying my debt to the Haruta sisters? Yoshi, it's a good plan.'
He investigated where Seiji Haruta was living, and decided to visit this 'trash of the Haruta family'.
When he came to the supposed location of Seiji's residence, he saw something truly amusing.
'Huh, is this the person that they said is the 'trash of the Haruta family'?'
He was astonished by what he saw.
The Seiji Haruta wasn't a fat ugly otaku as was proclaimed in the rumors. He's handsome enough to be a popular model in any magazine. If he didn't have the Rikugan and was able to spot minute details, even he wouldn't believe that the one in the rumors and the one he's looking at are the same person.
But that wasn't what Harukin was astonished by.
'Huh, would you look at that? Saving a damsel in dress. His form isn't that bad, but he lacks experience.'
Yes, Seiji Haruta is in the middle of saving a person. A high school girl, in fact.
'But... this is weird... why do his moves seem... practiced? Also, the way he's dodging his enemy seems as if he already knew how his enemy is going to move.
Did he have a precognition type supernatural power? It's possible. He's from that Haruta family, after all.'
'Fufu, it was rumored that Seiji Haruta is uneducated about the mystical society. Although he doesn't seem to possess any spiritual powers or mana, it's of small consequence. Since he already has a supernatural power, his soul is already suitable to become a spiritual ability user. I only need to modify his body with a fuinjutsu formation seal to remake his constitution to be able to hold mana, although the process would be painful for him. I wonder if he'd be willing? No matter. If I can make Seiji into a Yin-Yang Master, I would've paid off the Haruta sisters' debt, right? I took care of their baby brother, after all.'
With the hope that he'd be able to pay off his debts, he appeared before Seiji Haruta, planning to teach him various things.
'Well, it's good that I don't need to shape his personality. It seems that he had changed. Although, the extent of that is unknown. I can slowly change him into a respectable person.'
Is it just me but this chapter feels very similiar to that one past chapter? The part about Seiji is ofc new as he's just been introduced but, yeah. Deja vu