Nishigami Yari walked into the store.
To call it a store.
It was actually structured somewhat like a comprehensive multi-brand shopping complex.
Essentially, it was a comprehensive boutique formed by consolidating multiple sub-brands under a single massive parent label.
Spanning seven floors from top to bottom, with each floor boasting a footprint slightly larger than a football field.
In this bustling commercial district.
The sheer value of the storefront alone was already equivalent to a remarkably well-run major corporation, impossible to secure without tens of billions of yen.
Following behind the sales consultant.
Nishigami Yari could clearly observe that there were at least several dozen other sales consultants scattered around, awaiting clients.
Though their attire was uniform, each and every one of them possessed a rather decent figure and appearance.
If scored out of ten.
Their average visual rating hovered around a solid seven.
Which thoroughly demonstrated that a shortage of beauties was merely a relative phenomenon; depending on the region, the density of attractive people would inevitably shift.
And for those wielding power and wealth, beauties had never once been in short supply.
Right here.
Whenever a customer stepped inside, the staff would proactively step forward to greet them, escorting them to various zones based on their demands, while taking charge of all subsequent tasks, acting essentially as personal concierge experts assigned to each client.
Faced with Nishigami Yari walking into the store.
The various passing customers also wore varying degrees of puzzled expressions.
Clearly, they were somewhat baffled as to why Nishigami Yari was dressed the way he was.
In a place like this.
Even the store security and restocking staff were dressed far more neatly and formally than him.
Yet from start to beginning, absolutely no one uttered a word.
At most, they furrowed their brows or whispered a few words to their companions, and certainly no blind fools popped up to shout and scream like wild mobs just to let Nishigami Yari farm some experience points.
Because they figured that since the security guards had allowed Nishigami Yari in, there had to be a reason.
And Nishigami Yari cared even less about their perceptions and thoughts, simply observing the surrounding environment in silence alongside each customer's styling and demeanor.
Then, wordlessly evaluating the disparity within his own mind.
He understood.
Upstart country bumpkins and the truly entrenched aristocratic class ultimately harbored a fundamental difference.
From daily habits to inner refinement, it was all the same.
And some of the folks around him were precisely targets worthy of study.
In this place brimming with wealthy individuals.
Certain men and women with exceptionally refined demeanors carried an inexplicable air of nobility and poise merely by looking at them, easily setting them apart from mere nouveau riche.
And that was precisely the element Nishigami Yari lacked or had yet to accumulate.
At the same time.
Observing the expressions on the faces of those passersby, he recalled a piece of commentary he had seen back in his past life.
[ True aristocrats often wear a look of calm poise and detachment on their faces, born from desires fully satisfied, entirely devoid of any merchant-like urgency, as if nothing in the world requires undue fret.]
Thinking of this.
A faint smile crossed Nishigami Yari's face.
He figured.
In this regard, he might very well experience a sudden epiphany before long, who knows?
After all...
Everything in this world belonged to him, so his desires would naturally be fully satisfied.
The only difference was merely a matter of sooner or later...
Don't ask why he was so confident.
To ask is to acknowledge that I am blatantly cheating too.
Do as you please, everyone.
I'm hacking away regardless ~
And at this very moment.
Catching sight of that heartfelt smile of his.
Not far away, a certain young matron whose brow had initially furrowed slightly over his attire, upon seeing it unexpectedly, couldn't help but let her pretty face flush red.
A flurry of stray thoughts naturally arose.
'Though his outfit is a bit much...'
'His build and looks are genuinely stunning...'
She couldn't help but steal a few extra glances at Nishigami Yari.
Her eyes burning with eager intent.
Leaving Nishigami Yari somewhat bewildered.
...
Not long after.
The 7th floor of the store.
Nishigami Yari arrived at the most exclusive zone in the entire establishment.
Upon reaching this place.
A whole line of male staff members dressed in tailored suits and leather shoes immediately stepped forward to bow deeply toward Nishigami Yari in unison.
And the sales consultant smoothly introduced the area:
"Sir, this right here is our most vital commercial zone."
"Here, every single item is a masterpiece among masterpieces."
"Naturally, the prices are also at a level ordinary people can hardly fathom. To provide the absolute finest service, we even maintain a large team of professionals dedicated to on-site body measurements for every client, ensuring we deliver the premier service... But prior to that, based on commercial compliance requirements, we need to conduct a financial verification for any new client..."
The preceding part was essentially corporate fluff.
The very last sentence was the sole focal point.
While speaking, the sales consultant covertly observed Nishigami Yari's expression.
She knew full well that once Nishigami Yari proved capable of consumption on the seventh floor, her commission for this month would practically be locked in.
Hence, aside from the formulaic introduction, her tone carried a hint of fawning flattery.
To this, Nishigami Yari said nothing, simply materializing a super card out of thin air.
That was the one previously provided by Three Moons Bank.
And it was ironically the card with the lowest balance among all his super cards.
At that exact instant.
The sales consultant knew she had hit the jackpot.
As someone who frequently interacted with the elite and wealthy populace.
Though they themselves weren't wealthy and were merely pure wage-earners.
They were consummate professionals when it came to judging who had money.
The moment she laid eyes on that super card, her brain automatically categorized the tier of that bank card.
By the way, with just a single glance, her eyes, via the material and patterns, scanned like a built-in scanner, automatically verifying that it was an authentic card.
Therefore, the person who had just proposed financial verification immediately bowed deeply once more.
"Please forgive my offense!"
"Please go right ahead!!"
Yet Nishigami Yari cared not a whit about what she was thinking; like tossing a playing card, he casually flicked the super card over to her and said:
"Take me to pick out some clothes."
"Understood, I will arrange for the staff to take your measurements right away."
Following that came a battery of measurements.
"Height: 182cm."
"Leg length... Upper torso... Arm span..."
To be honest.
The process felt somewhat like a bunch of incomprehensible mumbo-jumbo that sounded exceptionally professional.
Nishigami Yari didn't fully comprehend the technicalities.
Yet it still looked remarkably professional.
The only minor issue was that the measurement technician couldn't help but take the opportunity to grope his pectoral muscles and abs a couple of times.
Though it was somewhat presumptuous.
Considering the technician possessed a rather decent figure.
The magnanimous Nishigami Yari ultimately chose to forgive her.
Especially after the technician demonstrated her sincerity and remorse by slipping him her phone number, that made it even easier to let slide.
Gazing straight at the cleavage the technician intentionally exposed while expressing her apology.
Though his face remained entirely unchanged, Nishigami Yari nodded approvingly in his heart:
'Very well, I have received your sincerity.'
And in the end.
Nishigami Yari also put forward a minor request.
That was, when selecting clothing and shoes, for any given item, he needed to grab an extra two sets scaled up in sizes.
This was because, as an Awakener, his body was currently in the middle of a rapid developmental spurt, meaning his physique would inevitably undergo a certain degree of rapid growth ahead.
...
Half an hour later.
At the store exit.
His attire underwent a complete, dazzling transformation.
The tattered pauper clothes had been replaced by a high-end white suit paired with matching white leather shoes.
The degree of handsomeness soaring straight up for Nishigami Yari.
Glancing sideways at a certain security guard who looked as though he had just encountered a venomous serpent.
He instantly let out a weird, cackling laugh: KEKEKE.
Prompting the man to cower in even greater terror.
Following that.
He swaggered away in high spirits.
Bullying the weak and vulnerable...
Truly a rather wonderful sensation ~
Now that his outfit was sorted, his hairstyle needed an overhaul as well.
Thinking of this.
He pulled out his brand-new phone.
Activating its internal navigation function via his thoughts.
This gadget was a new item he had pulled earlier while trying on clothes using the [ Mood Value Gachapon Draw ].
[ Exceptionally Signal-Stable Communicator: Infused by its maker with specialized mystical power, it not only boasts durability and infinite battery life, but also houses an adjustable intelligent auxiliary AI. As its most crucial communication function, it can achieve cross-spacetime communication and complete interception immunity against wiretapping. With it, even if you are situated right at the dead center of a cosmic Big Bang, you can still chat comfortably with others! Provided neither you nor the other party gets blasted to death... Note: Appearance and weight can be customized to a certain degree.]
To be honest.
Nishigami Yari had no idea just how powerful the bundled auxiliary AI of this gadget actually was.
Yet the moment this gadget was activated just now, it had proactively asked him whether it should hack into the planet's existing internet system.
Then.
Following Nishigami Yari's consent, in less than a second, it automatically seized control of all network administrative privileges across the entire planet's extant communication grid.
In that fraction of a second, that auxiliary AI had even spontaneously generated multiple custom applications.
For instance, one of the apps was literally titled [ Global Military Deployment and Management ].
Clicking into it, Nishigami Yari could see the control options for various nations' intelligent weaponry.
Including all sorts of so-called super-conventional weapons.
Such as semi-activated nuclear warheads standing by at a moment's notice to wage war.
As long as a given gadget was connected to the net or susceptible to indirect external network influence.
Then Nishigami Yari could directly manipulate it over the airwaves.
Furthermore, even the satellites in outer space had their control privileges usurped.
Though official government entities could still utilize those space satellites as usual.
The ultimate override control had already been locked down by the gadget in Nishigami Yari's hand.
The navigational function Nishigami Yari was currently using was actually just the communicator's built-in AI running a freshly hacked orbital satellite control app.
In essence, he was hijacking overhead space satellites to track down a nearby barbershop for himself...
By the way.
The auxiliary AI had also automatically screened true consumer reviews of those barbershops across various apps, synthesizing and scoring them automatically, thereby presenting every recommended target for Nishigami Yari to choose from at his leisure.
"Well ~"
"Must admit, this gadget is genuinely useful."
Holding the global network in the palm of his hand, having casually picked a barbershop not too far away, Nishigami Yari strolled slowly toward it...
...
Roughly ten minutes later.
Inside a high-end barbershop where a single haircut cost tens of thousands of yen, paired with styling sessions that consumed a month or two of an ordinary person's wages.
Gazing at the distressed young beauty hairstylist standing beside him.
And looking back at the scissors in her hand that simply refused to cut through his hair no matter how hard she tried.
Nishigami Yari let out a soft sigh:
"Sigh..."
Though he knew his current physical resilience was formidable.
He genuinely hadn't realized that his hair now possessed greater tensile strength and cut-resistance than steel wire of the exact same gauge.
Watching the hairstylist exert every ounce of her strength just to clip three or five strands of his hair with agonizing difficulty.
Sensing that letting her continue cutting hair would turn into an epic engineering project and a grueling physical ordeal, Nishigami Yari.
Decided with a hint of resignation to console her:
"Forget it..."
"I honestly didn't know my hair was this stubborn myself..."
With that said.
He untied the protective cape draped over his body to keep fallen hair off his clothes.
Witnessing this.
That immaculately dressed, pretty female hairstylist repeatedly bowed and apologized.
"I am truly sorry!"
"I am deeply sorry!"
Her expression looked exceptionally panicked.
The reason she was reacting this way.
Was entirely because, through what had just transpired, she had directly deduced that the customer before her was an Awakener.
The kind of monster capable of single-handedly massacring a city!
Therefore.
Much like suddenly coming face-to-face with a ferocious beast.
Even though the other party's attitude was very pleasant, she still appeared utterly flustered.
And the surrounding store employees didn't dare utter a peep either.
All of them chimed in with apologies.
Even the store manager followed suit.
Acting one and all like a chorus of echoes.
Prompting Nishigami Yari, who had just stood up from the styling chair, to think inwardly with mild amusement:
'Ah, the classic bowing culture...'
'Even after transmigrating across worlds, I still managed to encounter this culture in a parallel-world Japan...'
Yet having lived in this world for over a decade, he was long accustomed to these gestures and didn't display any overly surprised reactions.
He simply pulled out his super card with nonchalant ease.
And said to the pretty female hairstylist before him:
"Just swipe the card."
"After all, I ended up messing up your scissors."
Back in this lifetime.
During his destitute days.
In order to avoid starving to death while hunting everywhere for odd jobs, Nishigami Yari had once picked up a bit of trivia regarding the hairstylist profession.
For instance:
A hairstylist's scissors were very expensive.
The more professional the hairstylist, the more pronounced that was.
And the professional-grade scissors used in this kind of high-end boutique.
Cost an amount incomprehensible to an ordinary person.
Usually requiring a working-class wage-earner over ten days of grueling labor to afford.
Just moments prior.
While trying to cut his hair, the other party's scissors had been broken.
So Nishigami Yari paying compensation for it was only right and proper.
Yet faced with the card he extended.
The already nervous-wreck of a stylist naturally didn't dare accept it.
Subconsciously waving her hands repeatedly in refusal.
The terrified expression and gestures she displayed.
To an uninformed bystander, they'd probably assume the poor woman was currently getting mugged by Nishigami Yari.
And Nishigami Yari's method of dealing with it was extremely simple: he merely stepped forward, locked his calm and serious gaze squarely into her eyes, and enunciated every single syllable clearly:
"I. Said. Swipe. The. Card."
It wasn't an egalitarian tone.
Rather, it was an utterly direct commanding tone!
At that very moment.
The terrified hairstylist, gazing through Nishigami Yari's dark pupils, fleetingly caught sight of a faint gleam.
A pale violet gleam!
She also noticed Nishigami Yari's pupils, originally round like an ordinary human's, slowly dilating and elongating, gradually turning somewhat narrow and slit-like.
Resembling the vertical pupils of some ferocious beast.
Spurring an instinctive, bone-deep terror within her.
Yet coupled with an instinctive urge to submit.
Startled by a sudden shiver, she blurted out loudly: "Yes!"
Hearing this.
Nishigami Yari nodded in satisfaction:
"Very well."
He directly tossed the super card in his hand over to her.
However.
Just as he was about to turn around and head over to the counter to wait for her to swipe the card.
Suddenly.
An unexpected development occurred.
Her trembling yet resolutely composed voice caused his movements to pause slightly.
"My lord!"
"Though I couldn't cut your hair..."
"However... I can use hairspray and other styling products, based on your current hair length, to craft a relatively simple hairstyle for you!!"
Hearing those words.
Nishigami Yari instantly turned back around.
Fixing his gaze once again upon the terrified yet somehow inexplicably stubborn hairstylist.
"..."
Hesitating for a single second.
Nishigami Yari sat back down in the chair.
Saying with a tranquil gaze:
"Then hurry up and get to it."
"Yes!"
...
'Hmm...'
'Not bad...'
Reflected in the glass pane lining the street, appraising his brand-new hairstyle a few times.
Nishigami Yari felt reasonably satisfied with the outcome.
His handsomeness rating spiked drastically!!
So handsome he almost wanted to punch himself in sheer admiration!!
'Quite alright, naturally gifted with beauty, truly befitting of yours truly ~'
Thinking of this.
He even flashed a smile toward a young woman passing by who was pretending to play on her phone while secretly observing him from the corner of her eye.
At that exact moment.
Aside from catching the other party's breathless, excited little squeak, Nishigami Yari also tuned his auditory senses to pick up a distinct spike in her heart rate.
Realizing instantly in his heart.
His current appearance possessed genuinely formidable combat power!
Following that.
He headed toward another location nearby.
It was a restaurant.
Situated in a shopping mall near the subway station.
Based on online reviews.
This place was known for excellent food and slightly higher prices.
Even the auxiliary AI had assigned it a composite markup rating of over 70%.
Meaning the dishes served here were roughly 70% more expensive than items of equivalent quality in ordinary districts, factoring in the markup for a bustling commercial zone.
The auxiliary AI's reason for recommending this spot was that, by monitoring city-wide transit systems, communication grids, and ordering logs, it had confirmed that this restaurant had placed a top-tier order at the raw ingredient market and successfully taken delivery 1.5 hours prior.
Furthermore, based on feedback from the restaurant's internal security cameras.
The staff had just finished processing the bulk of the ingredients.
Right now was the absolute prime time to go enjoy a meal.
Suffice it to say... The auxiliary AI could probably dig up someone's underwear if it wanted to.
...
Judging purely from the exterior.
This restaurant's decor could only be described as upper-middle standard.
The wooden doorway frame still bore a distinct sense of antiquity.
Yet being able to stand tall amidst a bustling commercial avenue for years without going under was a testament to its capabilities in its own right.
The only minor issue was that a "Closed for Prep" sign hung outside the entrance.
This was because it was barely 10:00 AM.
Still over an hour away from the business hours posted outside the establishment.
Yet after sparing a single glance at it, Nishigami Yari nonetheless chose to part the patterned white linen curtains and step leisurely inside.
Before he had even taken two steps.
Faced with the unabashed sound of his footsteps.
A young server who was diligently mopping the floor lifted her head in surprise, looking somewhat flustered as she waved her hands repeatedly:
"Guest, our establishment isn't open for business yet!!"
"Please come back later after a while!!"
And Nishigami Yari didn't make things difficult for her, simply saying calmly:
"That doesn't matter, besides, by this time you've already prepped all your ingredients, haven't you?"
"As for the rest, I'll buy out the entire place, covering your entire day's revenue quota right here and now, letting you clock in early and leave work early."
Hearing this.
Realizing a major spender had walked in.
Yet buying out the place still somewhat violated the restaurant's protocol.
The server immediately wore a hesitant expression.
She figured she probably needed to have a word with the boss first.
Seeing this.
Nishigami Yari calmly dropped a single sentence:
"I'll pay extra, ten times the price."
A concise 6 words.
He instantly obliterated the server.
And lightning-fast assassinated the boss as well.
...
Two minutes later.
Amidst the somewhat eager and attentive attitude of the server and the boss, he smoothly took his seat.
With a tenfold markup, whether something followed the rules or not was entirely beside the point.
The interior environment here spanned only a few hundred square meters, feeling somewhat narrow and elongated.
Several long tables paired with rows of high benches constituted the so-called dining area.
And right alongside it was an open kitchen.
Convenient for customers to watch the chef cook the food on-site.
Sitting upon one of those high stools.
Nishigami Yari glanced at the dim yet glare-free lighting overhead, then spoke to the several chefs standing ready in front of him:
"I have no dietary restrictions."
"Just serve whatever you have on hand."
"Keep serving until I tell you to stop."
Hearing this.
The several chefs bowed in unison and replied: "Yes!"
Among them, the head chef.
Was actually the boss himself.
He was a middle-aged man around fifty years of age, with an ordinary appearance yet a rather stern demeanor.
This kind of small-scale luxury restaurant that could successfully operate for many years.
The boss was usually the head chef and the absolute pillar of the entire establishment.
That way, he could better control costs while managing operations more effectively.
Right at this moment.
While preparing the food.
The boss was also covertly observing Nishigami Yari out of the corner of his eye.
As the owner of a high-end restaurant, reasonably well-off himself, coupled with being a veteran of the service industry.
He could vaguely deduce roughly how much Nishigami Yari's clothing cost based on designer tags and fabric quality.
That was approaching the price tag of a luxury car.
This caliber of clothing, though he could afford it.
He'd probably never bring himself to buy it in this lifetime.
Not because he was poor, simply because he was too damn stingy.
Furthermore.
Faced with a customer wearing this kind of attire as daily wear.
He knew all too well that the other party wasn't someone he could afford to cross...
Precisely because he realized this.
He had readily agreed to Nishigami Yari's demand to buy out the entire place earlier.
Otherwise.
Even with a tenfold markup.
Deep down, he wouldn't have been all that keen on doing so.
Because some of the dining slots for today had actually been reserved in advance.
Buying out the place.
Would undoubtedly impair the interests and dining experience of certain reservation holders.
For a small-scale, high-end restaurant that prided itself on reputation and regular clientele, this was unquestionably an exceptionally detrimental move...
It ran the high risk of alienating regular customers entirely!
Yet...
In the end, circumstances forced his hand.
As the boss, he ultimately had to assess the overall situation.
A minute or two later.
"Please enjoy your meal."
Three plates of expertly sliced tuna sashimi, categorized by different cuts, were respectfully laid out before Nishigami Yari.
Meanwhile, the chefs were skillfully preparing various subsequent dishes.
Because several chefs were serving a single customer, they all appeared quite relaxed.
Two of the chefs even casually began roasting yakitori, skewered grilled chicken.
All of them inwardly feeling that today was going to be a breeze!
Yet very quickly...
They noticed something was slightly amiss.
That was, Nishigami Yari's appetite was exceptionally robust.
Portion after portion of food.
Enough food for five people.
Enough food for ten people...
All of it smoothly vanished into the other party's stomach.
Initially.
They merely figured the customer had a rather healthy appetite.
Yet as the process progressed and time ticked on.
They immediately realized how profoundly mistaken they were...
They went from cooking with a tranquil mindset to bringing out their absolute lifetime's learning.
Striving to make every single dish the absolute best it could possibly be!!
Don't get them wrong.
It wasn't that the customer's voracious appetite had somehow triggered a sudden surge in their professional ethics.
Simply because...
They were quite literally terrified...
In this world.
Guys capable of consuming this staggering volume of food essentially belonged to two groups.
One: born monsters, Awakeners.
Two: elites among mortals, high-tier martial artists.
And both of these groups.
Every single one of them represented the manifestation of martial might among the upper echelons of human civilization.
They could wipe out every single staff member in this restaurant with a flick of their wrists...
...
Half an hour later.
Nishigami Yari was still dining.
Because the Japanese palette favored seafood.
Furthermore, the dishes tended toward raw consumption alongside relatively straightforward cooking methods.
Therefore, the speed of plating and serving dishes was exceptionally fast.
In a mere half-hour.
Operating under the prerequisite of guaranteeing product quality, the several chefs had churned out food enough for nearly sixty to seventy people.
The total cumulative weight alone spanned several dozen kilograms!
Yet these dishes, without exception, were entirely devoured by Nishigami Yari.
Moreover, his abdomen didn't even exhibit the slightest hint of bloating.
All of this.
Aside from his inherently astonishing digestive capacity.
The more crucial reason lay within the learning space.
As mentioned previously.
When Nishigami Yari underwent rigorous training inside the learning space, the physical growth he accumulated wouldn't immediately manifest on his physical body; instead, it would convert into a progress bar awaiting nourishment.
Right now.
Through continuous consumption of food.
The nutrients he ingested were rapidly converting into kinetic fuel, feeding that progress bar upon his physical form, enabling him to swiftly achieve bodily growth, acting much like a visible catalyst for rapid development!
As Nishigami Yari continued to eat.
He could also distinctly sense.
His muscles, his skin...
All undergoing an indescribable transformation.
As if undergoing some sort of precision fine-tuning, rendering him increasingly flawless.
At the same time.
Because this was the most joyous meal he had enjoyed in years.
Fueled by that buoyant emotional state.
Silently and imperceptibly, his innate inherent talent, [ The Unrestrained ], was likewise spontaneously activating, automatically refining this body of his that had only just awakened not long ago, and even digging down to his fundamental soul, continuously expanding its underlying foundations.
That sensation...
Was somewhat akin to a racing car being continuously flooded with raw horsepower while undergoing constant mechanical tuning.
...
Another half-hour elapsed.
Beside the dining Nishigami Yari, several new figures suddenly materialized.
One of those figures was someone he recognized.
The landlady of the apartment building where he resided.
A woman around fifty years of age.
Her attire was quite well-kept.
One could tell her family conditions were relatively superior.
Yet her expression right now carried a hint of nervousness.
Flanking her.
Was her husband, a somewhat lean middle-aged man.
Meanwhile, the remaining figures, whose expressions were exceptionally respectful and whose attire looked rather professional, were actually the legal team dispatched by the private client concierge service at Three Moons Bank, summoned by Nishigami Yari.
Facing the newly arrived couple.
Nishigami Yari set down his chopsticks, gestured politely toward the empty seats beside him, and said:
"Welcome to you both, Ms. Yamahana, and Mr. Yamahana."
"Feel free to order whatever you'd like to eat."
Glancing at Nishigami Yari, whose attire and demeanor were now utterly divorced from his past self, looking as though he had undergone a complete rebirth.
Then casting a glance at the several respectful, suit-clad professionals standing behind him.
Ms. Yamahana, who had previously interacted with Nishigami Yari, forced a strained smile, her expression somewhat nervous as she spoke:
"I never imagined Nishigami-sama would genuinely soar to such heights..."
Following that, she stammered through a few polite opening remarks.
Then.
She reluctantly took her seat alongside her husband.
To be honest.
At this very moment.
She felt an immense wave of pressure bearing down upon her.
Faced with Nishigami Yari's tranquil gaze.
She felt as though she were laying eyes upon a terrifying, apex predator lounging leisurely atop a mountain peak, calmly gazing down at her!
The other party's gaze.
Was not filled with a sense of contempt.
Nor did it carry that inflated, looked-down-upon arrogance typical of a nouveau riche whose ego had suddenly ballooned.
Instead, it was purely detached, poised, and confident.
As though...
The other party had long since stepped into an entirely different societal stratum.
Immersed within it for many years.
In Nishigami Yari's eyes.
She glimpsed something she dared not touch...
Causing her to instinctively feel a threefold dread.
And all the more causing her to subconsciously recall the rumors she had heard back at the apartment building.
Originally.
She had merely assumed this was just some lucky kid who had struck it rich overnight and soared into the skies in a single bound.
Yet right now, she instantly overturned her previous notion entirely.
If you told her that Nishigami Yari was actually a primary lineage scion of a major clan who had been traveling incognito for years to experience life, she'd believe it without a single reservation.
And her husband.
After casting a single glance at Nishigami Yari.
Just a single face-to-face look.
Was utterly and completely cowed.
As though staring straight at a ferocious apex predator.
He completely lacked the nerve to utter another word!
Once they had taken their seats.
Nishigami Yari spoke at a leisurely pace:
"I believe my objective was already made abundantly clear earlier."
"I intend to purchase your apartment building."
"Based on current market value, that property is worth roughly 1.5 billion yen..."
As an antiquated apartment building.
Though its footprint wasn't small and its regional location wasn't terrible.
It still wasn't considered overly expensive all things considered.
Therefore.
1.5 billion yen was a relatively fair valuation.
Yet upon hearing this.
Despite being somewhat intimidated by Nishigami Yari.
Ms. Yamahana still forced herself to brave it and speak the truth:
"Well..."
"Nishigami-sama..."
"Though that apartment building isn't particularly grand, and your offered price is very fair, but... That apartment building is a precious legacy left behind to me by my late parents, carrying countless memories of mine, so... I do not plan to sell it, and I must ask for your understanding."
Hearing this statement.
Nishigami Yari nodded instantly.
His expression clearly indicated his acknowledgement of her rationale.
After all.
Decades of memories were indeed difficult to cast aside.
And that understanding look of his allowed Ms. Yamahana to heave a quiet sigh of relief.
She felt that she had successfully conveyed to him that her stance on not wanting to sell the building was firm and unyielding!
Following that.
Nishigami Yari's subsequent counter-argument was wonderfully simple.
"Since that's the case, I'll offer ten times the price then. The extra funds will serve as my compensation for Ms. Yamahana's emotional attachment to the place."
"Huh?"
Mr. Yamahana, who had previously lacked the nerve to speak, gasped in utter astonishment.
While Ms. Yamahana hurriedly demurred:
"You misunderstand, it's not that I feel your offered price is insufficient..."
"I mean..."
Yet Nishigami Yari calmly escalated the price once more: "Then twenty times."
"I..."
"Thirty times."
No fancy, flowery negotiations.
Only unadorned, brute-force price hikes.
Simple, yet overwhelmingly forceful!!
At this very moment.
Mr. Yamahana's brain overloaded.
While Ms. Yamahana began reminiscing about the past, pondering the present, and weighing the future, causing a whirlwind of infinite information to violently collide within her mind.
That sensation...
Simply felt as though she had received sudden enlightenment from the Buddha.
In a fleeting moment.
She...
Felt her consciousness achieve ultimate transcendence!
She, understood.
She, figured it out.
She, no longer felt that her emotional bond with her late parents needed to be tethered to a mundane apartment building!!
True sentiment ought to transcend material ties!!
"Indeed, such things as fond memories are somewhat too ethereal and illusory; we ought to look toward the future instead, especially since Nishigami-sama is demonstrating such profound financial sincerity..."
In the realm of capital.
When Nishigami Yari unleashed his ultimate grand might, honed to a state of absolute perfection through sheer simplicity,
He effortlessly clinched the deal.
...
A short while later.
Watching the Yamahana couple finish signing their names on the documents.
Nishigami Yari said nothing further.
Right on the spot, he had his legal team utilize their portable equipment to complete the wire transfer immediately.
During the process, owing to the massive scale of the transaction, Three Moons Bank called in to verify the transfer.
Yet overall.
Everything went off without a hitch.
45 billion yen.
Was transferred directly into the other party's account.
Naturally, taxes still had to be paid.
Though that was a minor detail that didn't concern Nishigami Yari.
Having wrapped all of this up.
Before turning to leave.
Ms. Yamahana pondered for a moment, pausing her steps as she prepared to depart, and opted to ask:
"Though this might be somewhat presumptuous..."
"But Nishigami-sama, might you enlighten me as to why you were willing to pay such an astronomical sum to purchase that apartment building?"
Hearing this.
Not only Mr. Yamahana beside her, but even the surrounding lawyers and chefs couldn't help but wear curious expressions.
45 billion yen, what kind of concept was that?
Though this world possessed a vastly larger population and a much higher aggregate economic scale compared to Nishigami Yari's previous world, meaning wealthy individuals were both more numerous and vastly richer.
Even so.
This sum of money...
Was still enough to command the utmost gravity of a major, thriving corporation!
Dropped out in the open world, it was entirely sufficient to make thousands upon thousands of desperate daredevils risk their lives.
Calculated based on the largest denomination of the domestic paper currency, 10,000 yen per bill, weighing roughly 2 grams:
100 million yen = Ten thousand bills of 10,000 denomination = 20,000 grams = 20 kg.
45 billion yen = 450 x 20 kg = 9,000 kg = 9 tons = Several compact cars.
Its sheer physical weight alone was enough to crush dozens of ordinary people to death.
Even if you recruited a ten-man elite squad of robbers to pull off a heist, letting them frantically haul cash on their backs with every ounce of strength they had, they wouldn't be able to cart away this much money without calling in a fleet of delivery trucks.
Therefore, everyone present simply couldn't fathom why Nishigami Yari would splash out such an exorbitant fortune, paying a 29-times markup, to purchase an ordinary apartment building.
With this kind of money, buying a top-tier luxury skyscraper was practically within reach!
Yet facing her inquiry.
And the intensely curious crowd surrounding him.
Nishigami Yari didn't choose to dodge or withhold the answer.
He simply and calmly extended his right hand, spreading open his fair palm, and said to Ms. Yamahana:
"The reason behind this is actually nothing worth hiding."
"The reason I purchased that place is simply because... I wish to destroy it."
At this very moment.
Faced with this completely unexpected response.
Everyone was utterly dumbfounded.
"?"
They couldn't fathom what the other party meant by this.
While Nishigami Yari, with his tone completely unchanged, continued addressing Ms. Yamahana:
"You should be well aware that my past life was a failure, falling short of even being mediocre."
The congenital issues had plagued him persistently for a long time, frequently causing him to experience hallucinations and even commit baffling actions, ultimately branding him as an outcast in the eyes of outsiders...
"Needless to say, those experiences hardly qualify as fond memories to look back on..."
"Yet now, I am different."
"I have broken free from that phase, escaped the shadows that haunted me for years, and embraced a brand-new life and rebirth."
"However, the memories of the past remain tangibly real."
"Thus, I wish to demolish the vessel that houses those unpleasant memories."
"And that apartment building happens to be one of them."
"Within that cramped little room, I endured two years of confusion and doubt, often struggling to accomplish anything despite my best efforts, unable to even afford regular meals, usually just barely scraping together enough for rent to keep myself from sleeping on the street..."
With that said.
Nishigami Yari glanced down at his outstretched right hand, gazing at how fair it had become, completely devoid of the calluses left by heavy manual labor in the past.
Then he retracted it.
Resting his chin upon his hand:
"Broadly speaking, that's essentially how it is."
"I want to wipe out some of my unpleasant memories."
He stated calmly yet earnestly:
"Perhaps you cannot fully comprehend it."
"However, I believe you can view this behavior of mine as an act of caprice, as me willfully doing something purely on a whim."
"Not for the sake of any profit, not for any overt objective, simply and purely out of caprice."
To be honest.
He didn't harbor any animosity toward Ms. Yamahana.
He even intended to show her a degree of respect.
Because over the past two years, the other party had never once raised his rent, never pressured him for overdue payments, and never looked down on him for his past hardships.
Therefore.
He didn't mind chatting with her.
Nor did he mind tossing her a tiny favor.
Such as purchasing her property at an inflated price, providing her with a wealthy material foundation for the future.
Yet... Overall, it stopped right there.
He didn't need the other party to fully grasp his train of thought.
Nor did he need the other party to become a genuine acquaintance or friend of his.
Chances were, they'd hardly cross paths ever again in the future.
Perhaps.
Today would mark their very last meeting.
Their relationship ended right here.
At this very moment.
Having listened to Nishigami Yari's reasoning.
The other party couldn't help but fall into a silent reverie...
Because Nishigami Yari's mindset was completely beyond her comprehension.
To burn tens of billions of yen over a matter like this?
She found it deeply baffling.
And utterly bewildered.
However.
Watching Nishigami Yari's expression, which looked dead serious and entirely devoid of pretense,
She ultimately could only let out a resigned sigh before turning to depart.
Right now.
She had lost her former dwelling.
Lost the large apartment left behind to her by her parents.
Leaving only those tens of billions of yen, desolate yet reeking of worldly wealth, to serve as a meager, scarce consolation...
For a fleeting moment.
It felt chillingly akin to the biting winds of autumn.
Ah.
Utterly agonizing, utterly bewildering.
And once she had departed.
Nishigami Yari glanced at the signed documents before him and promptly looked away, treating them as little more than boring wastepaper.
He turned his head directly toward the lawyers he had summoned and instructed:
"Next, I'll trouble you folks to handle the eviction of all remaining tenants currently residing in that building."
"Every single household must be given ten times the standard compensation package."
"Ideally, wrap everything up within today."
"Tomorrow morning, I'll arrange for a crew to demolish the place."
"And by the same token, your legal fees during this process will also be calculated at a tenfold markup, consider it extra compensation for running errands and doing some trivial legwork on my behalf."
A single yen, 100 million yen, 10 billion yen.
Held no distinction whatsoever to Nishigami Yari anymore.
Therefore.
To ensure they wrapped the task up swiftly, he didn't mind tossing out a few extra perks.
And upon hearing that their remuneration would be multiplied tenfold.
The eyes of those lawyers instantly lit up, every fiber of their beings flooded with surging motivation:
"Understood, we will arrange it immediately!"
Naturally, more importantly, they were still actively plotting how to curry favor with Nishigami Yari.
Having arrived over ten minutes earlier than the Yamahana couple, they had all witnessed firsthand Nishigami Yari's eating speed, an inhuman style of dining that no ordinary mortal could possibly replicate.
Thus, they had already formed a shrewd guess regarding Nishigami Yari's true identity in their hearts, not daring to offend him in the slightest.