Good-Looking People Never Have Bad Luck

Without a doubt, Bred had awakened Observation Haki. It seemed far too sudden, far too easy—far beyond even his own expectations.

Bred had expected to spend half a year, perhaps even a full year, without sight or hearing. But sometimes things were simply miraculous: exceptional foundations, the right training regimen, unwavering willpower—and, most importantly, good looks. Good-looking people were never unlucky; they always received a little favor from luck itself. With that final catalyst, everything fell into place with half the effort and twice the results.

Melard had played the role of that tiny catalyst of luck. Her deep resentment, malice, and killing intent toward Bred had allowed him to vaguely sense something.

Through those faint, blurry perceptions, Bred seized the opportunity to strengthen and expand them, ultimately awakening Observation Haki completely. However, he had failed to control the limitless release of his mental power midway through. Once his mental reserves ran dry, his exhausted body—driven solely by mental strength—could no longer hold on. He collapsed and fainted once again...

When he woke up again, it was the morning of the second day.

The infirmary of the Cipher Pol Agent Academy.

"You're awake! That's wonderful!" Mosquito Girl, who had not slept all night, was still bursting with energy and excitement. She happily shouted, "Bred? How are you? Doctor! Doctor!"

"What are you shouting for? How many times have I told you to call me Lord Bill? I'm one of your chief instructors!" A hoarse voice spoke. The man who entered from outside carried a cup of coffee. He had a sinister face, a bald head, impeccably neat clothes, and most striking of all, a monocle over his left eye. "Give him some water. He's fine. There's no need for an examination—it's just overexertion."

Mosquito Girl pursed her lips. "One of them."

"Huh?" Bill was stunned.

Mosquito Girl stressed earnestly, "One of the chief instructors."

"..." Bill fell silent, his self-esteem taking a severe blow.

"Actually, you don't even count as a chief instructor! You're just a perverted piece of trash who sneaks up beside people's beds in the middle of the night and mutters nonsense while everyone's asleep. Hmph~~~" Who else but Tornado would dare make such a condescending, contemptuous remark, utterly disregarding proper teacher-student etiquette and basic respect between people?

Faced with Tornado, who was powerful enough to ignore so many rules, Bill sheepishly rubbed his nose and slunk away.

"Sorry for making you worry. Thank you." Bred smiled warmly and beautifully as his eyes adjusted to seeing the light again. Mastering Observation Haki had put him in a wonderful mood. "He's right. I'm fine."

Tornado turned her head away and muttered even more awkwardly, "It's not like I care about you, you stubborn idiot! Anyway, I don't know who it was that lay stiff on the ground like a salted fish washed ashore yesterday..."

"Hehe~~~"

Bred could not help laughing. Tornado's behavior was simply too amusing.

Tornado bristled. "You're still laughing?! Idiot, moron, big dummy!"

"Relax." Bred sat up. "Joanna, help me find something to eat. I'm hungry."

"Mhm!" Mosquito Girl quickly ran off.

Leaning back against the headboard, Bred spread his arms. "Congratulate me! Tornado, I did it!"

"?" Tornado was baffled.

"My Observation Haki training—I succeeded," Bred said.

Tornado barely reacted. She did not share Bred's joy at his success, and a flat "Oh" was her only response.

To ease the awkwardness after failing to get a celebratory hug, Bred swiftly changed the subject. "What's with Instructor Bill?"

"That ugly freak is specifically in charge of brainwashing," Tornado said with considerable disdain for Bill.

Bred laughed. "Oh? Does he often 'sneak up beside people's beds in the middle of the night and mutter nonsense while everyone's asleep'?"

"It's not like he dares enter everyone's rooms. He came to my room once, so I sent him up into the thunderclouds to dry out for a night. He was lucky the lightning didn't strike him dead, heehee~" Tornado counted on her fingers. "He also went to Esdeath's room once. Esdeath mistook him for an enemy and nearly twisted his head off! He went to Melard's room too, and it was covered in bugs... After that, he never came to our rooms again. The academy also told us to keep it secret."

Bred fell into thought.

After a while.

"Tornado?" Bred chose his words carefully. "Yesterday, when I awakened Observation Haki, I accidentally overdrawn my mental power. My Observation Haki covered more than half of Mary Geoise. For a few brief seconds, I sensed several terrifying presences."

"What does that have to do with me?" Tornado asked in surprise.

"They're much stronger than you," Bred said. "Your dream is to protect your little sister. Your current strength is absolutely not enough. Let's work hard together, okay? The two of us!"

Bred was not joking. He was stating a fact. Though Tornado was number one in terms of combat power at this Cipher Pol Agent Academy, and even the instructors and tutors could not compare with her, there were at least seven or eight people in Mary Geoise stronger than Tornado was now.

What about the entire World Government? Mary Geoise was merely the World Government's central hub. Its strongest armed force was the Navy, spread throughout the seas.

And taking it a step further—the entire world?

"Okay!" Tornado readily agreed.

Bred closed his eyes and feigned sleep, pausing their conversation as he considered his next plans...

Bred had been able to awaken Observation Haki because of his abnormally vast mental power. But Armament Haki clearly could not be mastered just by possessing immense mental power; it relied more on physical fitness, and Bred's still-immature body could not support it.

Nen?

Chakra?

Forget it. It would be better to continue tempering his body while learning combat techniques.

Again and again, Bred reminded himself not to become arrogant or impatient, barely calming his excessive greed and craving for power.

After hurriedly filling his stomach, Bred returned to the camp in the back mountains to join the training.

With his sight restored and the intention of observing his companions, Bred carefully got to know them for the first time. He had lived a very isolated life before this.

Bred's first impression of his companions was—where there were people, there were factions, even among children.

Tornado stood apart from the rest, firmly occupying the very top of the food chain.

The descendants of Cipher Pol agents led by Melard, and the orphans who followed Esdeath alone, were two clearly distinct factions that did not get along.

The top students and the poor students had little interaction and hated each other. The former believed the latter were holding them back, while the latter believed the former were arrogant.

Their regions of origin were also a problem.

There were quite a few sharp contradictions, but fortunately, they were children, so it had not reached the point of bloodshed and conflict.

Yet what truly drew most of Bred's attention was one person: a slender black-haired boy with a very faint presence, who deliberately hid himself. He always wore a smiling expression and rarely spoke. His name was Kurando Akabane.

In fact, Bred only realized he had an extraordinary classmate +1 when Instructor Gozuki called out to Kurando Akabane.

PS: Bill was from Akame ga Kill! Zero, while Kurando Akabane was from GetBackers. It had been decided that only Kurando Akabane would be used from GetBackers.