Recovery and the Aftermath

Yato lay there half-dead, wrapped up tight like a mummy.

A heavy medicinal smell clung to him, while his bloodstained clothes burned in the brazier beside him.

"Big Brother Yato, I got it back."

The blonde little girl quietly pushed open the door and placed the admission notice beside Yato.

"You hid it really well. I had to dig for ages."

"Thanks for your hard work, Rangiku."

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Yato nodded at her with difficulty. Even that small movement sent pain shooting through him, leaving him no choice but to keep lying there like a dead dog.

Last night had been the greatest crisis Yato had faced since coming to this world. Though he had ultimately killed his enemy, his injuries were severe enough that he needed a safe place to recover.

His old little courtyard had already been burned to ashes by Koizumi Kentaro, so after some thought, he chose to stay at Gin and Rangiku's home next door.

Fortunately, when Yato left the Horiuchi Estate, he had swept up a large amount of medicine and money. Otherwise, with Gin and Rangiku's finances, they truly would not have been able to treat him.

Rangiku crossed her arms and studied Yato carefully before suddenly speaking.

"Big Brother Yato, you still haven't told me how you got all those injuries."

"I fell down the stairs."

"?"

"Don't look so skeptical." Yato casually made something up. "Falling down the stairs can easily cause fractures, internal bleeding, spinal displacement, and all that. That's common sense, isn't it?"

"Then what about your house? Why did it burn down?"

"I burned it. Just lit it up for fun."

"Tch..."

Rangiku puffed out her cheeks, about to say something else, when Ichimaru Gin, who had been brewing medicine nearby, quietly poked her in the waist.

Gin had picked up on Yato's hint yesterday and spent the evening fishing in the river with Matsumoto Rangiku. Considering the current situation, along with those loafers keeping watch outside, he had vaguely figured something out.

Earlier, Ichimaru Gin had taken the money Yato gave him to buy bandages on the street. He found that the atmosphere in the Withered Flower District was noticeably tense. Security had been tightened everywhere, and from time to time he saw Gotei 13 members in Soul Reaper uniforms hurrying about.

What was more, even now, Uchiha Yato was still gripping a katana. Ichimaru Gin had seen it clearly—that was unmistakably a Soul Reaper's Soul-Cutter Sword!

In Ichimaru Gin's eyes, Uchiha Yato had changed from "the hardworking, gentle big brother next door" into "an extremely dangerous, mysterious figure."

Even lying wounded all over on the tatami, he was like a dozing tiger.

If it wasn't something you should ask, then don't ask.

Ichimaru Gin tried his hardest to open his eyes wide, frantically signaling Matsumoto Rangiku with them.

The sight nearly made Yato lose his composure.

Your eyes are already so narrow. That expression looks more like you're making a face, hey...

"Ahem." Yato coughed twice, interrupting their little exchange. "The money left over after buying medicine is all yours. Buy more meat to eat. Look how skinny you two are."

Matsumoto Rangiku scratched her head somewhat sheepishly, then suddenly remembered something.

"Oh, right, Big Brother Yato. I ran into Headman Nomura on the street just now. He asked if I knew where you were."

"How did you answer?"

"After the fire, you disappeared. Gin and I were out playing last night, so we didn't know what happened."

"Smart girl."

Uchiha Yato nodded lightly.

In truth, Nomura Yuji had never been a problem in his eyes.

The Horiuchi family had been slaughtered to the last. As the headman, Nomura must have already been questioned by the Gotei 13.

To protect himself, he would surely insist that he knew nothing.

The living dared not speak, the dead could not speak, and every clue had burned to ashes at the Horiuchi Estate. The Tsunayashiro Clan would likely not even bother with such a matter.

The crisis before enrollment had been completely resolved.

What he needed to do now was come up with an excuse to explain Scarlet Eye's existence.

Seeing Yato deep in thought, Gin and Rangiku exchanged a glance, set the finished medicine beside him, and left the room.

Yato was the only one left inside.

Suddenly, a faint vortex seemed to appear in the air.

Scarlet Eye first extended one hand, then stepped fully out to stand before Yato.

She still wore armor and carried a Gunbai on her back, looking as valiant as ever.

"Kamui..." Yato said enviously. "What a useful ability. I wonder when I'll be able to use it."

"The reason I showed it off was to motivate you to work hard." Scarlet Eye rubbed his head. Knowing his fever had already subsided, she smiled. "First-Stage Shikai has merely touched upon a tiny corner of Uchiha Clan power, young man."

"Sigh, I'll worry about it once I get to Shin'ō Academy. Ideally, I'll obtain the full power of Shikai before graduation."

"How long do you plan to stay at the academy?"

"I originally planned to study there step by step for six years, but after this battle, my Reiatsu has increased significantly. The time should be greatly shortened."

Yato picked up Shin'ō Academy's admission notice and suddenly thought of the person who had driven the Horiuchi family insane.

"I wonder how many years Byakuya Kuchiki took in the original story."

As a transmigrator, Yato's Soul-Cutter Sword, Scarlet Eye, possessed power from another world.

That power was far too immense for an ordinary Shikai to fully unleash.

Thus, Scarlet Eye had divided Shikai's power into several stages.

First-Stage Shikai was the level Uchiha Yato currently stood at.

The power of First-Stage Shikai could roughly be divided into two parts.

The first was the ordinary tomoe Sharingan.

Single Tomoe, Two Tomoe, and Three Tomoe—by adjusting the amount of Reiatsu he released, Yato could display these three outward forms.

With the Sharingan's enhancement, his dynamic vision, powers of observation, and neural reaction speed had all improved tremendously. He could even cast some ordinary Sharingan genjutsu.

However, last night had been his first time using Shikai, and his control over its power was still immature. Against an opponent like Koizumi Kentaro, Yato did not dare to learn on the fly. He could only painfully engage in close combat, without any chance to use genjutsu.

Otherwise, Koizumi Kentaro might not even have had the chance to use Shikai before Yato cut him down on the spot.

The second was the Soul-Cutter Sword's change in form.

Scarlet Eye could transform into the shape of the "Uchiha Gunbai," granting it corresponding abilities.

Its exceptionally sturdy physical properties, its perfect size for slashing, deflecting, and blocking, and most importantly... Uchiha Deflection.

It first absorbed an enemy's nonphysical attack, then blasted it back in the form of wind-element Kidō. Its speed was incredible, and its power immense!

In the world of Soul Reapers, this move was undoubtedly a powerful weapon against Kidō.

Of course, whether it could absorb or deflect an attack ultimately depended on the gap in Reiatsu between the two sides.

Koizumi Kentaro's Reiatsu had been nearly equal to Uchiha Yato's, so he was defeated when caught off guard.

If it had been Aizen Sosuke instead, last night's Yato would have been cut down in an instant.

Battles between Soul Reapers had to account for many factors: overall Zankensoki ability, Soul-Cutter Sword powers, willpower, luck, and compatibility. Every one of them was crucial.

But Reiatsu was undoubtedly the most fundamental prerequisite.

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