Ch114- Kagami Realms
Months had rolled by since Aizen's defeat, and the dust had finally settled, both literally and metaphorically. The Visoreds, once considered outcasts, found their names cleared. Although they had never been at fault, the gesture from Soul Society seemed like a long-awaited pardon. Among them, Lisa and Mashiro had chosen a different path—a path that entangled them with Kai.
Kai, whose idea of a good day involved minimal movement and zero complications, found himself in an unforeseen dilemma. Once reliant on his mother and sister's generous pocket money, he had only had to think about sustaining his four girlfriends. But numbers multiplied; four became seven and seven became... more, and Kai knew his mother's pocket money wouldn't stretch that far. Love was priceless, but date nights and gifts weren't.
And so, Kai found himself thinking about a future he'd previously laughed off—a future with a business.
"Wait, you want to start a business?" Tatsuki asked incredulously, almost dropping the glass of iced tea she was holding.
"Kind of a bold move for someone who didn't even want to get off the couch last week," Orihime chimed in, grinning.
Kai smirked. "Hey, if it's going to make life easier in the long run, why not? Less work later for more work now seems like a fair trade."
"That's surprisingly forward-thinking for you," Rangiku said, leaning in with interest.
"So, what's the plan?" Yoruichi asked. She was always one to get straight to the point.
Kai leaned back in his plush chair, staring at the monitors before him. On screen, customers, a mixture of awe and curiosity shaping their features, wandered in and out of his shop, Kagami Realms. He grinned. "Not bad for a lazy guy," he mumbled to himself.
Just then, the intercom buzzed. "Kai, Orihime's on the line for you."
He picked up the receiver. "Hey Orihime, what's up?"
"Kai, the holo-therapy room is booked solid for the next week," Orihime's voice bubbled with enthusiasm. "People are loving it! It's like they can actually confront their fears or relive happy moments!"
Kai chuckled. "Great to hear. Keep up the good work. And hey, tell Tatsuki that the martial arts arena has a new high score to beat."
"Will do!" Orihime beamed.
Ending the call, Kai looked over at another monitor showcasing the entertainment arenas. He watched as Tatsuki landed a well-placed kick on a virtual opponent, sending it sprawling. She caught sight of the camera and gave it a thumbs-up.
Kai's phone buzzed. "It's Michiru and Chizuru. They're saying the Virtual Learning section is gaining traction with local schools," came Yoruichi's smooth voice via text. "Apparently, history and science teachers love it."
"That's good to hear," Kai responded, typing with one hand while stretching with the other. "Anything on your end?"
"The martial arts training sessions are a hit. You know, you've really hit on something big here," Yoruichi texted back.
He smirked, putting down the phone just as Lisa and Mashiro burst into the office.
"Kai, we've just landed a contract for three high-profile birthdays next month!" Lisa exclaimed, waving a tablet in front of him.
"And guess what? The proposal event we staged last night? She said yes!" Mashiro added, practically bouncing on her feet.
Kai laughed. "I should hope so, considering the setting you two orchestrated."
His phone vibrated again. It was a message from Orihime. "You're not going to believe this. We've had an inquiry from a Shinigami about using the Spiritual Training Grounds."
"Really?" Kai leaned forward, intrigued despite himself. "Well, don't keep me in suspense. Who is it?"
"It's—wait, you need to see this for yourself."
Kai raised an eyebrow but stood up, his interest piqued. "On my way."
He navigated through the bustling corridors of Kagami Realms, greeted by enthusiastic waves and busy "employees", until he reached the holo-therapy section. Orihime greeted him with a warm smile.
"Look who's here," she said, gesturing to a corner.
Kai's eyes widened in surprise as he spotted Captain Hitsugaya. "Well, this is unexpected."
Hitsugaya looked up, his icy eyes meeting Kai's. "I heard about your Spiritual Training Grounds. Can it simulate high-level combat?"
"If it involves reiatsu and swordsmanship, consider it done," Kai assured him, a grin forming on his lips.
Hitsugaya nodded. "Impressive. We'll talk more."
As the young captain left, Kai turned to Orihime. "Seems like we're getting all kinds of attention."
She laughed softly. "Seems like it. By the way, I've been working on the Spiritual Entity Communication service. It's delicate work, but it's shaping up."
Kai nodded, touched by her dedicated demeanor. "Take all the time you need to make it safe and effective."
At that moment, his phone buzzed with yet another message. It was from Yoruichi. "You better get back here. You've got a meeting with some VIPs interested in your 'Confidential Meetings' service. Looks like your dimensional expertise is attracting more than just spiritual beings."
Kai sighed but smiled. "Tell them I'll be there in five."
As he made his way back to the office, Kai couldn't help but marvel at how his life had changed. Once, he'd sought only to avoid complications, and yet, here he was, managing a business that was anything but simple.
Sitting in his office, Kai went over details to make sure everything was working as planned. His screens flickered with real-time data—customer feedback, reservations, and most importantly, the overall health of his Artificial Reality realms.
He sighed, rubbing his eyes. Just then, the door swung open. In came a Reflection Worker—basically a mirror image, dressed in an official Kagami Realms uniform.
"Hey boss, the VR capsules need a quick refresh. The Kido spells are holding, but they need a tune-up," the Reflection Worker said, folding his arms.
Kai rolled his eyes but smirked. "Can't you handle that? I made you semi-sentient for a reason."
"I can do the maintenance, sure. But the core spells? That's your expertise," the Reflection Worker retorted, lifting an eyebrow.
Kai sighed, shaking his head. "Fine, fine. I'll take a look in ten."
The Reflection Worker vanished, leaving Kai to his thoughts.
His next stop was the VR capsule chamber. Rows of sleek, egg-like structures occupied the spacious room, each one a gateway to another realm. Yoruichi was already there, arms crossed, looking intently at the readings.
"Kido holding up?" Kai asked, stifling a yawn.
She looked at him, half-annoyed. "For now, but if you don't update these spells, we might have a serious security breach."
Kai sighed. "Well, that's exactly the kind of thing I wanted to avoid. Alright, I'm on it."
He moved his fingers through the air, chanting incantations under his breath. A glow enveloped the VR capsules as the Kido spells fortified themselves.
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