chapter 43 SUPREME THEFT

August 5th, Tokyo, early morning.

The familiar scent of incense and exotic spices greeted us as we stepped back into Kasimir's interplanar bazaar.

We had left the exhausted and injured Nobara in our hotel room.

The cluttered shelves, laden with bizarre trinkets and mysterious ingredients, seemed to stretch endlessly into the dimly lit space.

"Ah, my esteemed patrons!" Kasimir called out from behind the counter, his smile widening as he recognized us. "Welcome back to my humble abode of wonders! Have you returned to seek further treasures from across the multiverse?"

"Yeah, but specifically it's for our companion, Nobara." I replied, looking away with a frown.

"We need something to help her recover. Her injuries from the battle with Hanami- they're not healing as quickly as we'd hoped. I mean, I remember having normal regeneration speed, but it's different seeing someone else you care about heal so slowly after- you know?"

Miu nodded in agreement, a worried frown etched on her face. "Her cursed energy and endurance are also regenerating too slowly. She needs time to recuperate, but we don't have that luxury with Kenjaku and his stupid-squad still out there."

Kasimir stroked his beard thoughtfully, his eyes gleaming with a calculating glint. "Anything that could permanently increase her to your level of regeneration would disrupt the delicate balance of this world," he explained, his voice laced with a hint of regret. "However-"

He paused, a mischievous smile playing on his lips. "I might have something that could nudge her in the right direction, a little boost to her natural healing abilities, shall we say, just not to your level?"

With a flourish, he presented three vials filled with shimmering liquids of varying hues. "These," he announced, "are the lesser Elixir of ever-renewing-Vigor, V1.10 Nano-Regenerative Hypo, and the Draught of constant accursed ranting. They won't instantly heal all wounds, but they will significantly enhance stamina, body healing, and cursed energy regeneration, respectively. Permanent enhancements, I might add."

he paused for one last warning. "Also, do not under any circumstances give the draught to anyone who does not use cursed energy. Only horror and existential dread lay upon that path."

I shuddered for some reason.

I shook my head and ignore it.

"And while we're at it, perhaps you and the lovely lady beside you could also benefit from a little... rejuvenation?" He winked, his eyes twinkling with avarice.

I glanced at Miu, who shrugged in agreement. "It couldn't hurt," she admitted, her eyes fixed on the vials with curious interest.

Kasimir nodded, and then placed two more of each item onto the table.

After a grueling round of haggling, during which I managed to shave off a considerable portion of Kasimir's initial exorbitant asking price, we walked away with three of each potion, our pouches lighter by eighteen platinum coins.

"Before we go," I said, turning back to Kasimir, "do you have anything that could provide resistance to extreme heat? We might be facing a fiery opponent soon. I could even call him Lava-ey. Or maybe just fucking stupid and soon to be dead."

Kasimir's smile returned. "Ah, a prudent request! While permanent immunity to such elements is beyond my reach in this world, I can offer a temporary solution."

He gestured towards a shelf lined with rows of identical vials filled with a swirling orange liquid. "These are Potions of Thermal Resilience. Each one provides three hours of protection from extreme temperatures."

We purchased twenty-five of the potions, after all, I like potions, why would I not buy his entire stock?

Miu looked at me disapprovingly as we left, leaving us with a mere ninety platinum coins and a dwindling supply of gold and silver.

However, the thought of Nobara's improved recovery and our newfound resistance to heat filled me with a sense of reassurance.

"Thank you for your patronage, my friends!" Kasimir called out as we exited the bazaar. "May your journeys be filled with fortune and wonder!"

"That was too many! Why did you waste so much?" Miu scolded.

I shrugged. "I kinda thought it was funny to buy all of them. Also, Majima told us the metalworker had more platinum." I grinned, "I also have over 2 billion yen from the ATMs."

As we passed a newsstand, a familiar voice boomed from the television screen, instantly grabbing my attention.

"Breaking NEWS!" the announcer declared, his tone a mixture of stoic professionalism and that annoyingly nasal newscaster voice.

"The elusive 'Doctor Supreme Theft ATM™' strikes again! Multiple ATMs across the city have been mysteriously emptied of their cash reserves, leaving authorities baffled and bank officials fuming!"

I stopped in my tracks, a grin spreading across my face as I watched the news report unfold.

The scene cut to footage from a security camera, showcasing a blurry figure in a ridiculous rainbow-colored doctor's outfit and an oversized fake beard.

He moved with impossible speed, his hands a blur as he effortlessly bypassed the ATM's security measures and extracted stacks of cash before vanishing into thin air.

"As you can see," the announcer continued, his voice dripping with a hint of sardonic amusement, "the perpetrator, known only as 'Doctor Supreme Theft ATM™', appears to possess some form of supernatural ability. Police are baffled by his ability to seemingly teleport and bypass even the most sophisticated security systems."

The camera cut to a frustrated-looking police officer, his brow furrowed and his arms crossed. "We've been working around the clock to apprehend this criminal," he stated, his voice tight with barely contained anger. "But he's always one step ahead. It's like he knows exactly where we are and what we're doing."

Miu started to giggle.

A bank official, his face red with fury, appeared on the screen, shaking his fist at the camera. "This is an outrage!" he bellowed. "This criminal is making a mockery of our security systems and stealing tens of millions of yen! We demand that the authorities do everything in their power to bring him to justice!"

The scene shifted again, this time to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Head Official, his expression a mask of forced calm as he addressed the public. "I understand the concerns of our citizens and the business community," he stated, his voice carefully measured. "I assure you that we are taking this matter very seriously. We have allocated additional resources to the investigation, and we are confident that this criminal will be apprehended soon."

The news report concluded with a montage of clips showcasing the Doctor Supreme's various heists, each one more audacious and baffling than the last.

I even did the thing from the bleach byakuya fight between him and Bankai ichigo where the 100's of afterimages showed up.

Except the moron was just pointing a gun at me instead of millions of sharp swords that shined pink.

"The question remains," the announcer's voice intoned as the report drew to a close, "who is Doctor Supreme Theft ATM™? Is he a vigilante, a criminal mastermind, or something else entirely? One thing is certain- he has become a legend in his own time, a thorn in the side of authority and a symbol of the ridiculous and unknown."

Miu and I stopped laughing.

Miu nudged me with a playful smirk still trying to get herself under control. "Seems like your alter ego is becoming quite the celebrity," she remarked, her eyes twinkling with amusement.

"Just a bit of harmless fun," I replied, my grin widening. "Those detectives need a challenge, something to keep them on their toes." I paused. "Also, seriously screw those bank guys."

The news report continued, detailing the authorities' frustration and the public's growing fascination with the my hilarious super villain persona. Indeed, Doctor Supreme theft ATM™ is a badass. Praise me more, mr. newscaster. Praise me more, mr. tokyo metropolitan government. Hate on me harder, you banker pigs!

"They'll never catch him," Miu chuckled, shaking her head in amusement. "Not with your speed and that hammerspace of ours."

"Let them try," I said, a mischievous glint in my eyes. "It's all part of the game."

We continued on our way, the sounds of the news report fading into the background noise of the city.

As we approached the metalworker's shop, I couldn't help but feel like we were making progress.