[Character Sign-In: Unohana Retsu] [Kenjutsu Level +3, Current Level: Lv. 63] [Reiatsu Level +3, Current Level: Lv. 49] [Obtained Exclusive Entry: Mercy of the Death Sword] [Mercy of the Death Sword: Embrace death and seek out a trace of mercy within the death sword. Drawing speed and kenjutsu power increased by 100%! (Hidden Effect: ???)]
Kisaragi Akira's expression twisted slightly, his exaggerated look betraying his barely concealed delight.
His sore arms and body had miraculously recovered.
He'd thought he'd taken that beating for nothing, but it turned out there was an unexpected bonus!
Unohana Retsu's trust had reached the required level, completing the character sign-in. The increases to his reiatsu and kenjutsu were just extras.
After all...
With his current talent, even reaching the corresponding levels wouldn't take him much time.
But Exclusive Entries were different.
He'd signed in countless times by now: daily, monthly, and yearly sign-ins, location sign-ins, character sign-ins. And after all those, he'd accumulated only six entries.
Yet every one of them was powerful enough to send his strength soaring.
Even the one that had fallen short, [Miraculous Hands], had brought Unohana Retsu to him and raised her trust to the required level, earning him [Mercy of the Death Sword].
The increase to his drawing speed and kenjutsu power alone had already made the beating well worth it.
This was a huge win!
The only downside was that the Exclusive Entry mentioned a hidden effect, and every detail about it was unknown.
For now, it seemed he had no way of learning what it really did.
After the morning's kenjutsu class ended, Kisaragi Akira finally welcomed the Kuchiki Clan steward he'd been waiting for.
A young man named Ginjiro.
He'd brought the one million kan Sojun Kuchiki had promised.
Ginjiro scrutinized the boy before him, who looked like a miser, and furrowed his brow. He felt more and more certain that young master Sojun had no head for business.
Though this sum was nothing to the Kuchiki Clan,
the Kuchiki Clan's money didn't grow on trees.
What difference did giving it to someone like this make from throwing it into the water?
At the thought, Ginjiro shook his head and sighed, feeling as though his trust had been misplaced.
Fortunately, Kisaragi Akira had no idea what he was thinking. Otherwise, he would've shown him what Mercy of the Death Sword meant.
"Kisaragi Shrine Priest, now that the accounts are settled, we're even."
Ginjiro collected himself, hiding his feelings perfectly. As a retainer of the Kuchiki Clan, he'd learned not to question the affairs of his masters.
Even when those affairs made no sense at all.
"If there's nothing else, I'll be on my way."
Ginjiro started to rise, but before he could get all the way up, a hand suddenly appeared and pressed him back down.
"No rush."
Kisaragi Akira leaned closer, his expression earnest. "A rich sucker like Mr. Sojun—er, a fat cat—no, that's not right. Well, a wealthy young master. That's the one."
"He's a rare and precious species. When it comes to using the amulet, please remember to remind him not to rely on it too much."
"The only one who can truly protect you is yourself."
At the first part of his speech, Ginjiro's gaze turned faintly hostile.
What kind of thing was that to say?!
Was he insulting his master right in front of his lackey?
But when he heard the second half, his mood eased somewhat.
This miserly boy before him might not have any virtues to speak of, but at least he had a little conscience.
"I understand."
Ginjiro bowed slightly. "I'll report your words to young master Sojun exactly as you said them."
After seeing Ginjiro off, Kisaragi Akira immediately grabbed Aizen, who'd been diligently training on the side, and left their temporary dormitory.
The teachers' office.
Kaede Junya looked at Kisaragi Akira, who stood before him with his nose in the air, and the tall stack of banknotes. He was sweating buckets, drenched in perspiration.
After thinking it over for a long while, he finally advised him in a low voice, "Akira, your teacher knows that although you're often mischievous, you're not bad at heart."
"Before this blows up, you should get out of here."
"I know Ikkanzaka Jiichiro, who's in charge of guarding Hakutomon. You can use your mission papers to get to Hakutomon first, then escape to West Rukon District."
"That way, the Gotei 13 won't have the time to..."
Bang!
Before Kaede Junya could finish, Kisaragi Akira slapped the desk, cutting him off.
"Teacher Kaede, don't make baseless accusations!"
"This money's perfectly clean. That Big Unlucky One, Sojun Kuchiki..."
At that, Kaede Junya's eyes widened. His lips, covered in dead skin, trembled, and disbelief filled his face as he rasped in a low voice,
"Y-you actually robbed young master Sojun?"
Aizen watched the dramatic scene before him and shook his head helplessly.
He didn't understand it. He couldn't understand it.
Kisaragi Akira seemed like some kind of contagious virus. The longer people spent with him, the more their way of thinking changed to match his.
Teacher Kaede was a prime example.
"What are you talking about?"
Kisaragi Akira snapped. "That Big Unlucky One couldn't scrape together even ten thousand kan. This was delivered by the Kuchiki Clan's steward, Ginjiro."
"Then did you kidnap young master Sojun..."
"No!" Kisaragi Akira thundered. "We just made a business deal. Every coin came from a legitimate source!"
People always judged him unfairly.
Kaede Junya eyed him suspiciously.
Knowing Kisaragi Akira, the money shouldn't have come so easily.
But since the boy had sworn up and down that it was legitimate, he couldn't very well keep pressing the matter.
As long as his student hadn't done anything unforgivable, he was still willing to be lenient with him.
"Good. As long as you didn't break the law."
Kaede Junya let out a sigh of relief. "Then your debt to the Spiritual Arts Academy is canceled."
"Since you're here, there's something else I should tell you."
"It's about how your future classes will be conducted."
Kisaragi Akira looked puzzled.
"You probably remember that I mentioned this before."
Kaede Junya took a sip of water to moisten his dry throat, then said calmly,
"Because the former headmaster, Okikiba Genshiro, is away on a mission, the Captain-Commander has taken over as acting headmaster of the Spiritual Arts Academy."
"Considering the vast gulf between the strength of some elite students and that of ordinary students, he's decided to introduce a new teaching method."
"Regular lessons can no longer help talented students like you improve."
"So it's time you saw what real combat is like."
At this point, Kaede Junya's expression grew more serious, and his voice took on a rare note of earnestness.
"Not long ago, a shocking massacre of civilians took place in District 32 of East Rukon."
"Your mission is to go there, investigate the truth, and capture or kill the culprit!"
"Go as students, and act as Shinigami!"
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