[Character Sign-In: Unohana Retsu][Kendo Level +3 → Current Level: 63][Reiryoku Level +3 → Current Level: 49][Exclusive Trait Acquired: Mercy of the Deathblade][Mercy of the Deathblade: To live by walking toward death; to find a sliver of mercy within a sword meant to kill. Doubles both sword-drawing speed and kendo power! (Hidden Effect: ???)]
Kisaragi Akira's expression twisted—half exaggerated, half overwhelmed with genuine delight.
Just moments ago his arms and body had been aching all over, and now… they had miraculously recovered.
He thought all that beating he took was for nothing, yet it actually ended with a bonus reward!
Unohana Retsu's trust had reached the required level, and the character sign-in was complete. The increases in reiryoku and kendo? Nice, but ultimately incidental.
After all…
With his current talent, even reaching those levels through normal cultivation wouldn't take him long.
But an exclusive trait?That was different.
Up to now, he had signed in countless times—daily sign-ins, monthly sign-ins, yearly sign-ins, location sign-ins, character sign-ins—yet after all that, he had only collected six traits in total.
And each one had given him the power to leap forward in strength.
Even his one underwhelming trait, Miracle Hands, had ultimately brought Unohana Retsu to him, raised her trust, and led him to this new trait—Mercy of the Deathblade.
Just the speed and power boost alone made today's beating worth every bruise.
This wave?A total profit!
The only slight issue was that the trait mentioned an unknown hidden effect… and for now, he had no way of knowing what it actually was.
…
When morning kendo class ended, Akira finally welcomed the person he'd been waiting for—the Kuchiki family butler.
A young man named Ginjirō.
He had brought the one million rings that Kuchiki Sōjun had promised.
Ginjirō examined the boy before him—a boy with the aura of a miser—and his brows furrowed deeply. The longer he looked, the more he felt Young Master Sōjun had absolutely zero business sense.
Sure, this amount of money was nothing for the Kuchiki family.
But even Kuchiki money didn't just blow in on the wind.
Giving it to someone like this… was no different from throwing it into a river.
Thinking that, Ginjirō could only shake his head and sigh, feeling as though his young master had entrusted the wrong person entirely.
Thankfully, Kisaragi Akira had no idea what thoughts were running through this man's head. Otherwise, he'd happily show him exactly what Mercy of the Deathblade meant.
"Chief Kisaragi, the payment has been settled," Ginjirō said, clearing his mind and suppressing all emotion. As a Kuchiki retainer, he had long learned not to question the decisions of the main family—no matter how absurd they might seem.
"If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave."
Ginjirō moved to stand, but before he could fully rise, a hand suddenly pressed him back into his seat.
"No rush."
Akira leaned closer, expression serious."A wealthy sucker—no, a big-spending mutt—no wait, that's not right… a generous young master like Sōjun? Yeah, let's go with that. People like him are practically a rare species."
"So when it comes to the protection charms, make sure you remind him not to rely on them too much."
"In the end, the only one who can protect him… is himself."
Hearing the first half of the statement, Ginjirō's gaze sharpened with displeasure.
What kind of talk was that?!Was this kid insulting his master right in front of him?
But when he heard the second half, his anger eased slightly.
This miserly brat might've been lacking in many areas…but at least he had a conscience.
"I understand," Ginjirō said, rising and bowing slightly. "I will report those words to Young Master Sōjun exactly as they are."
After sending Ginjirō away, Akira immediately grabbed the nearby Aizen, who had been silently self-studying, and dragged him out of the temporary dormitory.
…
Faculty Office.
Professor Kaede Run'ya stared at the proud, puffed-up Akira—and the towering stack of bills beside him—and instantly broke out into a heavy sweat.
He spent a long while thinking before whispering,"Akira… the teacher knows that although you cause trouble, your nature isn't bad."
"So before things get out of hand, you should run."
"I'm acquainted with Kazesaka Jiichirō, the guard at the White Path Gate. If you take a mission there first to justify your presence, you can then escape toward West Rukongai."
"That way, the Thirteen Court Guard Squads won't have—"
BANG!
Before Kaede Run'ya could finish, Akira slapped the table, cutting him off.
"Professor Kaede, don't frame me with baseless accusations!"
"This money is completely clean! Kuchiki Sōjun is just a massive sucker—"
Run'ya's eyes widened instantly, his chapped lips trembling as he rasped in disbelief:
"You… you actually robbed Young Master Sōjun…?"
Aizen watched the comedic scene unfold, shaking his head helplessly.
He simply couldn't understand it.Akira was like some kind of contagious virus—after spending too much time around him, even the brain cells of others started working like his.
Professor Kaede was the perfect example.
"What do you mean robbed?!" Akira snapped. "That sucker couldn't even pull ten thousand rings out of his pockets! This was delivered straight from the Kuchiki family by their butler, Ginjirō!"
"Then you kidnapped Sōjun—"
"I did not!" Akira roared. "We simply negotiated a business deal! All of this was acquired legally!"
People always assumed the worst of him.
Run'ya stared suspiciously.Given everything he knew about Akira… this money should never have come this easily.
But since the boy was so adamant, he couldn't keep pushing.
As long as his student hadn't committed some grave crime, he was willing to be lenient.
"…As long as you didn't break the law," Run'ya sighed with relief. "Then we can clear your debt with the Spiritual Arts Academy."
"And since you're here, there's one more matter I need to discuss with you."
Akira blinked, puzzled.
"You should remember what I told you before," Run'ya said, taking a sip of water to moisten his dry throat."Because former Headmaster Kushiba Genjirō has gone out on a long-term mission, the current acting headmaster is the Captain-Commander."
"He believes that the gap between elite students and ordinary students has grown too wide. So he intends to implement a new teaching method."
"Traditional lessons no longer offer any meaningful growth for geniuses like you."
"So… it's time for you all to experience real combat."
Run'ya's expression grew solemn, his tone heavier and more serious than Akira had ever seen.
"In District 32 of East Rukongai, a horrifying massacre of civilians recently took place."
"Your mission is to go there, investigate the truth, and capture—or kill—the perpetrator."
"To act as reapers… in the name of students."