Shiro's Rapid Progress

One week!

Shiro had completed the iron-slashing project in just one week.

During a particularly grueling session of strikes, he suddenly learned how to convert the spiritual pressure he had been using to protect his wooden sword into an offensive force.

In that very instant, his spiritual power surged directly to the eighth rank, and he cleaved the thick iron block in two with a single strike.

However, that sensation felt like a mere burst of potential; it took Shiro another week of repetitive training to finally master this method of attack.

Feeling emboldened by an attack far more powerful than he had imagined, Shiro's confidence skyrocketed, and he pointed his sword at Aoto, demanding that his master offer some pointers.

Consequently, Aoto, also picking up a wooden sword, shattered Shiro's spirit-infused blade with a single swing, the remaining blade aura shaving off a portion of Shiro's hair.

To be precise, it shaved a clean strip right down the middle, leaving him with a monk-like tonsure.

Because it hadn't harmed his scalp at all, Shiro didn't notice at first; it was only when he felt a chill on his head and saw a large amount of hair drifting to the ground that he realized what Aoto had done.

The moment he touched his smooth, bare scalp, Shiro dropped his wooden sword and bolted back into the house.

"Come out, come out! We aren't finished yet!" Aoto arrogantly hauled Shiro out of the house. "If you dare to challenge your master, you must be prepared to pay the price! I haven't even shaved you bald in front of Momo yet!"

Well, that was true.

Besides, Grandma was resting, and no one else had seen it except for his master...

Just as he tried to comfort himself with that thought, Shiro spotted Rangiku Matsumoto in the nearby woods, clutching her stomach and laughing until she was nearly breathless.

Ahhhhh!

Covering his head, Shiro was on the verge of tears.

This little brat—he wasn't very tall, but his pride was ridiculously high!

Aoto had no choice but to place a hand on his forehead and perform the Kaidō he had learned in the 4th Division.

It was quite funny, actually; Aoto's Kaidō couldn't heal bleeding wounds or restore a target's spiritual pressure—it could only treat external ailments like hair loss, baldness, or scalp infections.

That was precisely why he had left the 4th Division.

However, Aoto only realized later that treating hair loss and baldness might actually be more profitable!

Because of this, the mysterious clinic in the Seireitei commercial district that opened at irregular intervals was his own business.

It existed specifically to solve the troubles of souls who had unspeakable secrets.

Since the customers were almost exclusively noblemen who came in secret, Aoto earned more than he ever did working as a Shinigami.

Who said only the money of women, the elderly, and children was easy to earn? If you find the right niche, a man's money is even easier to take.

At this moment, after Aoto's "treatment," Shiro's hair had grown back.

Although it was significantly shorter than the hair on the sides, it was at least not as obvious as before!

Only then did Shiro's sullen mood begin to fade.

Rangiku Matsumoto, still unwilling to give up, saw Shiro's progress and felt her desire to poach him not only persist but grow even stronger.

However, she knew for certain that she couldn't successfully lure Shiro away on her own.

So, for the past few days, she had been trying to get her own division captain to come.

But although that unreliable captain had agreed, she had no idea when he would actually show up.

Rangiku Matsumoto felt that if she waited a few more days, Shiro would end up joining the 11th Division.

A soul with eighth-rank spiritual power joining the Gotei 13 was already a foregone conclusion.

Especially for the 11th Division, there would be absolutely no issues.

And he was such a young eighth-rank talent, too.

Any Shinigami with a bit of insight could see that his future was limitless.

That was why Rangiku Matsumoto was growing increasingly anxious.

It was much as Rangiku Matsumoto had suspected.

At this stage, Shiro already possessed all the foundations necessary to officially become a Shinigami.

He only lacked one final thing.

True combat experience!

And so, Aoto took Shiro to West Rukongai District 80!

This was the furthest place in the Soul Society from the Seireitei, and the place where the influence of the Shinigami's power was weakest.

When the Seireitei was first established, the Gotei 13 had purged this area, and every soul that could be called a "great villain" had been slaughtered by the First Kenpachi... at least, that was the version of the story that circulated throughout the Soul Society.

Though, it wasn't far from the truth.

Regardless, there were basically no souls of captain-level strength here anymore... though one might occasionally encounter a lieutenant-level soul.

Because no Shinigami came to maintain order, the souls here slaughtered one another for food; even this brutal "survival of the fittest" could produce souls of lieutenant-level strength.

Madarame Ikkaku and Ayasegawa Yumichika had both come from places like this.

Aoto was not certain about the situation in the 80th districts of the other three cardinal directions, but here in the West Rukongai District 80, there wasn't a single lieutenant-level officer left!

Because Aoto frequently wandered through this area, those "great villains" had all been beaten away by him!

Thanks to Aoto, a certain degree of order had been restored to this place.

"Someone, come here!"

At Aoto's call, over a dozen figures leaped out and appeared before him.

"Boss Hyakume!"

These individuals, whom Shiro viewed as hideous villains, greeted his master with great respect.

Each of them held a blade in their hand; though they were not Shinigami Asauchi, they were extremely sharp... one of them even had a blade that was still dripping blood.

"Hmm!" Aoto nodded. "Those with level eight spiritual pressure stay; the rest of you, go back!"

Without a word of protest, three people remained while the others departed.

Aoto pointed at Shiro. "This is my disciple. He is young and talented, but he has never seen blood! Take turns attacking him; let him know what a real battle is like!"

The three looked at each other, and the one in the middle stepped forward first.

Shiro was shocked by Aoto's words.

But before Shiro could even speak, the man had already swung his blade down.

Shiro's training over this period had not been in vain; he instinctively swung his own blade to block the attack.

However, the gap in strength still sent him flying backward.

Furthermore... the wooden sword in Shiro's hand shattered!

His spiritual pressure was not enough to protect the wooden sword from being destroyed in a clash against an opponent of the same level.

"Catch!"

Aoto tossed a sharp blade he had prepared long ago to Shiro.

It was still not an Asauchi, but a standard forged blade like his opponent's, yet its sharpness was enough to rival an Asauchi!

Upon taking the real blade, Shiro's first sensation was its weight!

It was far heavier than the wooden sword, and his small arms could not easily swing such a weapon.

But while Shiro hesitated, the opponent's attack came crashing down once more!

For people like them, who eked out a living in an environment ravaged by great villains, there was no such thing as holding back.

He did not see Shiro as a child. In his eyes, this was simply an opponent of the same level.

He had to firmly complete the task assigned by Boss Hyakume.

Only then could he live up to the better life that Boss Hyakume had brought them!