Atone with Your Death, Trash

She had clearly waited until it was time to leave before casually pressing confirm on "Cultivation."

But... when Su Youzi turned back around.

She found that the woman's gaze was still fixed directly on her.

Perhaps the reactions to "Cultivation" differed from person to person—

Just like when Su Youzi used a Combat Record. She had clearly made "thorough" preparations, yet... ended up needing none of them.

It felt as though a monster lurked hollowly within her heart.

With a crunch, it chewed the improvements brought by the Combat Record into pieces.

After Su Youzi pressed use, Teacher Unohana Chiyo did not seem to show any abnormalities.

If she had to point one out... it was that a few more ripples had appeared in the woman's eyes, which had already resembled autumn waters stirred by the wind.

Like rippling autumn waves, they gained an extra touch of allure.

In any case, it was completely unlike Little Rabbit's startled, overblown reaction, as though she were about to melt on the spot.

Still... Su Youzi had no idea whether that was because Teacher Unohana Chiyo had seen enough storms, or because everyone's "Cultivation" process differed.

Watching Unohana Chiyo gaze at her with a warm smile, Su Youzi could only pretend not to know anything and wave goodbye to Teacher Unohana Chiyo.

Only after Su Youzi vanished from Unohana Chiyo's sight did Unohana Chiyo, still wearing that lovely smile, sway ever so slightly.

She lightly bit her lower lip.

The bright hues of autumn shimmered in the woman's eyes.

"Damn it..."

"Not early, not late..."

"And it had to bestow its 'gift' at a time like this."

"I almost embarrassed myself in front of my obedient, adorable student."

"But..." Unohana Chiyo looked in the direction Su Youzi had disappeared. "Would a bitch like the Goddess of Destiny really bestow a 'gift' upon someone like me?"

Unohana Chiyo sensed the extent of this "gift's" enhancement.

Then—

The woman's face immediately darkened.

She knew it. So-called fate would never favor her.

A "gift" as insignificant as a drizzle.

Other than stirring up all the evil fire hidden deep in her heart, it offered no improvement whatsoever.

She subconsciously touched her pocket.

Only then did Unohana Chiyo remember... she had quit smoking a long time ago.

A stifled frustration seemed to settle in her eyes, wanting release yet unable to find it. Unohana Chiyo's expression was ugly.

"But..."

"Come to think of it."

Unohana Chiyo recalled the longblade that the Assault Department director had carefully taken away.

The Calamity Longblade pulled from an Altered User's flesh and bones had actually been forcibly twisted into the shape of a mosquito coil.

Little Youzi's ability seemed to be more than an ordinary "Telekinetic Ability."

One had to know... Altered Users' weapons were all weapons cursed by calamity.

Like crystals, they were hard yet brittle.

Destroying an Altered User's weapon was not difficult.

But... bending one was as absurd as a fantasy.

What exactly was Little Youzi's ability?

"Forget it—"

"She had only just awakened her ability. I should be blessing Little Youzi instead."

Like a salted fish, she soaked in the bathtub.

Most of the girl's body was submerged beneath the water, with only half her face and her knees exposed.

She blew bubbles.

Su Youzi watched the little yellow duck charge through the rapids between the canyon formed by her knees.

Her crimson eyes slowly relaxed.

She took stock of today's gains.

Aside from strange-sounding items such as "Disposable Cat Tail" and "A Single Fishnet Stocking," as well as the "Blue Vitality Pill" and "Red Stamina Potion."

She had obtained one "Beginner Combat Record" each from Saotome Yukina and Teacher Unohana Chiyo.

She would keep one Combat Record to continue cultivating Little Rabbit tomorrow.

As for Teacher Unohana... recalling the way the woman had watched her leave today.

She should find an opportunity when she could.

Su Youzi used two "Beginner Combat Records" at once. Unlike cultivating operators, she herself could use multiple Combat Records at once.

It was as though an eternally unsatisfied monster still lurked inside her chest.

Crunch, crunch—

The monster opened its enormous mouth, chewed up the Combat Records, and swallowed them.

[Level.2-Telekinetic Ability User▇▇▇→Level.3-Telekinetic Ability User▇▇▇]

After defeating that anomaly girl this morning.

Su Youzi's ability had already risen from Level.1 to Level.2.

To advance to the next level, she needed five "Beginner Combat Records."

If she only went to Little Rabbit, it would take a full five days.

But... setting aside Soga Toyura and Yamabuki Nanako, who looked like an elementary school student from a nearby school.

If she cultivated Teacher Unohana Chiyo together with all the remaining operators she had drawn.

It would take only one day.

For her to advance to Level.3.

That kind of speed... not even Soga Toyura had been able to achieve back then.

Besides that.

A small, pale hand emerged from beneath the water.

A rather Fine Crowbar fell into Su Youzi's hand.

[Weapon: Fine Crowbar.]

[☆☆]

Recalling how she had felt when facing the anomaly girl this morning, Su Youzi's wet-looking eyes widened in the bathroom.

Crack, crack, crack, crack—

The crowbar was bent section by section.

Until it finally became a mosquito coil shape in Su Youzi's hand.

Her "Telekinetic Ability"... seemed to be just a little different from that of ordinary telekinetic ability users.

She could not use telekinesis like ordinary telekinetic ability users to lift objects or manipulate things.

But—

When it came to destruction, or rather, bending things.

Her ability was exceptionally good at it.

There were countless strange abilities in the world, so Su Youzi did not think too much about it.

No matter how useless an ability was, it would change and improve upon advancing through the sequence.

Even Soga Toyura's Empress-like power of domination had not been formed in a single day.

She lazily pushed herself up against the side of the tub.

After briefly wiping the droplets from her body.

She turned on a little jellyfish nightlight. Watching its faint pink-blue glow, Su Youzi curled herself up tightly.

She... was actually just a little afraid of the dark.

Night fell upon the land.

Tap, tap, tap, tap—

Hurried footsteps.

A man dressed like an office worker ran wildly down the street, as though fleeing for his life.

Tap—

The crisp sound of a maiden's slender heel striking the ground.

Yet it seemed to strike directly against the man's heart, filling him with terror.

Tap—

Unhurriedly... like a proud cat toying with a fleeing mouse, the hunter toyed with her prey.

He ran forward wildly, then suddenly stopped.

The street before him was clearly empty, yet he looked like a desperate man who had run into a dead end.

Pale and despairing... he turned around.

The maiden's slender figure appeared in his sight.

The entire world seemed to pale with the maiden's arrival. The only thing that drew the eye was the girl's magnificent crimson eyes.

"For Absolute Truth!"

"For the World's Origin!"

The man had already prepared to fight to the death. But... before he could move, his body was frozen in place.

The maiden looked coldly down at the man.

"You never should have..."

"Under any circumstances..."

"You should never have stretched your filthy claws..."

"Toward her."

Tilting her head, she looked at the trembling man struggling to break free, then turned around.

The maiden's back was slender and frail as she lightly raised her right hand.

"Atone with your death—"

"Trash."