After seeing Satoru and Megumi off, Rias dismissed everyone.
Tatsuma returned home and opened his system panel.
Not long after killing Hanami and then taking down Yuji, Tatsuma obtained two new purple traits.
[Life Absorption (Purple): Absorbs the life force from the surrounding earth, allowing for rapid healing of injuries and recovery of stamina and energy.]
[Athlete (Purple): Training effect +300%, more likely to trigger Black Flash in combat.]
"Good stuff."
Tatsuma's eyes lit up.
Life Absorption was fine, considered an upgraded version of the Spiritual Healing Bracelet.
What truly surprised him was the Athlete trait that Yuji had dropped.
Training effect +300% was simply awesome.
After putting Demonic Sword Creation into storage, Tatsuma switched to the Athlete trait.
The next second, the Ki fluctuations within his body surged, and the efficiency of excavating his potential increased threefold.
Feeling his strength continuously rising, Tatsuma, who was already close to a breakthrough, mustered his resolve and put on the weighted equipment he had customized a few days prior.
100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, 100 squats, 10-kilometer long-distance run.
Rest for 1 minute, then start the second round.
Sweat drenched his clothes as Tatsuma pushed his body to its limits again and again.
Several hours later, a voice he had long anticipated sounded.
[Ding! Host's strength has broken through to Level 3, unlocking a new function: trait Imbuement!]
Finally, he had leveled up!
Tatsuma opened his panel to check the new function.
[Imbue traits to others. When the target's strength increases, you gain a certain boost.]
"Doesn't seem useful."
Increasing equip slots required traits, and upgrading traits required traits.
He didn't even have enough traits for himself, so where would he get traits for others?
Tatsuma closed the panel, and stopped thinking about it.
It was time to rest.
After showering and getting into bed, h3 fell into a deep sleep.
—
At four in the morning, the alarm clock rang.
Tatsuma opened his eyes, got out of bed, and looked at the room filled with clutter, piled haphazardly.
"I feel like I should hire a maid."
After daily high-intensity training, Tatsuma had no desire to clean. In less than half a month, his once tidy doghouse had turned into a pigsty.
After posting a recruitment ad online on his phone, Tatsuma went out for his morning run, laden with weights. After running two laps around Kuoh Town, he arrived at the Occult Research Club to shower.
When he came out, Rias was sitting on the club's sofa, leisurely drinking black tea.
"Morning, Rias."
"Good morning, Tatsuma."
Rias sighed, "I thought you would rest today."
Tatsuma asked, "Rest? You don't think that little battle yesterday overloaded me, do you?"
"Not at all, but I think you need to rest and adjust your mental state."
"..."
Tatsuma's expression became subtle.
He hadn't expected his sudden inspiration yesterday to cause Rias such a significant psychological impact.
"Alright, I won't tease you anymore."
Rias suddenly smiled, stood up, and walked out of the club room.
"Remember to go to class on time, don't over-train like you did a few days ago."
"Oh."
Tatsuma watched Rias leave with a puzzled expression.
Did she come to the club so early just to drink a cup of black tea and remind him to go to class?
...
Inside the Student Council.
"Hmm? Why are you here?"
Sona, who was processing documents, looked up, a hint of confusion in her eyes.
Rias sat down on the sofa and said, "Came to school too early with nothing to do, so I came to see you."
Under normal circumstances, she naturally wouldn't come to school this early.
However, after agreeing to Tatsuma's request a few days ago, she had been teaching him magic.
One hour in the morning, one hour in the evening.
Two classes in total per day.
Over time, it had become a habit.
Although Tatsuma had now graduated and no longer needed her for magic lessons, Rias still habitually woke up early and timed her arrival at school after Tatsuma's morning training.
Rias asked, "Speaking of which, Sona, are you interested in being a teacher for a few days?"
"A teacher?"
Rias nodded. "I feel like Tatsuma is over-exercising, his brain is turning into muscle."
"If you have time, I'd like him to learn some strategy and tactics from you, to increase his... wisdom."
Sona glanced at Rias and said, "Do you have a prejudice against Tatsuma? I think he's quite smart."
Rias said, "Just consider it preparation for the future, he's going to be promoted to a High-Class Devil sooner or later anyway."
"Alright, I'll help you this once."
Sona pondered for a moment and said, "I'm usually in the Student Council at noon. If he's free, he can come anytime."
...
On the other side, Tatsuma still didn't know that Rias had found him a new teacher.
After finishing breakfast, he went to the classroom and sat down.
Yuji, sitting in front, turned around and said, "Tatsuma, you were so mean yesterday. You just punched me without a word, it hurt so much."
Tatsuma improvised on the spot, "I personally believe that was the optimal solution. The thing you ate yesterday was not only poisonous but also cursed."
"If I hadn't knocked you out in time for surgery, you would have been unlucky for the rest of your life."
"I knew that, but that punch of yours really hurt." Yuji shivered.
Because some parts of him were unusual, Yuji's memory had not been erased.
After waking up yesterday, he had learned the truth from Satoru and others through a conversation.
But... it really hurt!
Even though he had recovered now, Yuji couldn't help but tremble when he recalled that moment.
Let me reiterate, it hurt so much!
"There's nothing I can do about you."
Facing Yuji's resentful gaze, Tatsuma replied after a moment of thought, "Then after school, I'll make time to give you something good as compensation."
Yuji asked, "What good thing?"
"Don't rush, I'm still thinking."
"???"
You're too insincere.
Looking at Tatsuma, who seemed to be spacing out with empty eyes, Yuji sighed, turned back, and prepared for class.
On the other side, Tatsuma opened his trait inventory and looked through his stock.
He planned to try the newly unlocked function, giving Yuji a trait to see the effect.
White traits... Pass!
He had at least gotten a useful purple trait from Yuji, so he had to be generous.
His gaze swept over the purple and blue traits, then he looked at the green traits.
He had just increaed equip slots a few days ago, so his stock wasn't much.
Including the ones dropped by the Cursed Spirits in the last wave yesterday, there were a total of four green traits.
"This one's good."
[Swift as the Wind (Green): Quick and powerful, agile steps, movement speed +30%.]
After making his decision, Tatsuma closed the system panel.
Just then, he noticed a gaze staring directly at him.
"Kato, is something wrong?" Tatsuma turned to look at her.
"Did you fight with Itadori?" Megumi asked curiously.
Tatsuma shook his head. "Not really a fight. He ate something bad, and I helped him throw it up."
"I see." Megumi nodded silently.
No wonder Yuji wasn't angry, just complaining. That explained everything.
"Class is starting."
Natsuki walked into the classroom, tapped the blackboard, and drew everyone's attention.
"The monthly exam is coming soon. Today I'll mark some key points for you. Make sure to review them diligently when you go back."