บท 16: Chapter 16 ⥤ The Single Eye Watching Everything in the Darkness
Late into the night, the two engaged in a lengthy discussion.
They still couldn't pinpoint exactly what had happened to Akira. However, one thing was undeniable: he had become dozens of times stronger since completing his unique Jinzen.
The sudden surge in Reiatsu alone would qualify him for immediate graduation and even an Officer position in the Gotei 13. Furthermore, the changes in his spiritual body — specifically the increase in Reiryoku — enabled him to wield combat power far exceeding his current Reiatsu level.
{T/N: A brief explanation: Reiryoku is the amount of energy, while Reiatsu is this energy in use, exerting pressure and representing the quality of Spiritual Energy. Thus, Akira now possesses abundant Spiritual Energy, but it will take time for its quality to match its quantity.}
Unable to grasp it all at once, Akira abandoned this brain-taxing endeavor and instead began to assess his recent growth in strength.
He sprawled on the bed, eyes fixed on the vibrant cloth ceiling, and with a mere thought, his personal status panel materialized.
〈 Name: Akira Kisaragi 〉
〈 Identity: Sakahone Shrine Head Priest, Rukongai Commoner, Shin'ō Academy First-Year Student 〉
〈 Reiatsu: Level 46 | Rank 12 Spirit Class 〉
〈 Zanjutsu: Level 32 〉
〈 Hakuda: Level 21 〉
〈 Hohō: Level 20 〉
〈 Kidō: Level 23 〉
〈 Exclusive Trait: Reishi Affinity | Danger Instinct | Heart of a God | Miraculous Healing | Light as a Feather 〉
Compared to its simplicity when he first entered the academy, his personal status panel now looked far more impressive. Not only had his Reiatsu skyrocketed, but even his basic combat skills — Zanjutsu, Hakuda, Hohō, and Kidō — had improved significantly.
While occasional lucky Daily and Monthly Check-in rewards contributed, most of his progress stemmed from his own diligence and consistent practice.
Akira's talent wasn't bad to begin with. His unique trait [Heart of a God] maximized his aptitude, while [Reishi Affinity] enhanced his Reiryoku and Reiatsu cultivation. If he persevered, he'd undoubtedly become a Captain-class powerhouse in the future.
Of course, he wouldn't stop there. Though uncertain about later developments in the Bleach world, he knew that even Captain-class powerhouses were mere cannon fodder in the early stages — at best, slightly tougher cannon fodder.
'Looks like I don't have any major weaknesses.' Akira mused, stroking his chin, 'I wonder how I stack up against Sōsuke. From what I've seen, he seems pretty average. His Zanjutsu, Hakuda, Hohō, and Kidō are middle-of-the-pack in our class, and his Reiatsu is nothing special. This level of strength doesn't do justice to his future badass status.'
While Akira analyzed his progress, Aizen lay on the opposite bed, hands crossed, gaze fixed on the ceiling.
Countless thoughts raced through his mind as he compared, speculated, and gathered evidence, continuously cross-referencing various possibilities. Curiosity drove him to seek the true answer to the question.
However, just as his mental faculties were operating at full speed, a muffled rumbling broke the dormitory's silence.
Gurgle, gurgle gurgle—
A mischievous voice quickly followed.
"Hehe, Sōsuke, what do you think? At this hour... the chefs at the Academy cafeteria should be asleep, right?"
⤫⤬⤫⤬⤫⤬⤫⤬⤫⤬
The next day, at the Academy cafeteria.
Akira listlessly played with the rice ball in front of him, his gaze mournfully fixed on the pickled cucumber beside it. At this moment, he felt that life was meaningless, and death was the ultimate destination for all living beings.
Aizen, carrying his tray, sat opposite him. The sweet aroma of plum soup and the rich smell of meat cutlet immediately caught someone's attention.
"Even though you owe the academy ₭390,000, it shouldn't be this bad, right?" Glancing at the half-dead priest, he sighed lightly, once again realizing he couldn't align his thought process with this guy's, "Besides, even if you try to save money this way, it won't make much difference."
Hearing this, Akira lifted his head from the plum soup and meat cutlet, his face expressionless.
"You're right. Although I'm still just a first-year student at the Shin'ō Academy, my current assets are enough to ensure I'm well-fed and clothed for the rest of my life. Isn't it unbelievable? At my age, I've reached this point where I can eat whatever I want, buy whatever I want. If I were to die tomorrow..."
Aizen shook his head and sighed, then gracefully began his meal, completely ignoring the increasingly sorrowful gaze of his friend across the table. He knew very well that Akira was only pretending to be pitiful.
Last night, after their conversation ended, this guy had dragged him along to sneak into the Academy cafeteria. After instructing him to keep watch, he had entered a gluttonous state, his eating method too gruesome to watch.
The reason this guy only took two rice balls and a small dish of pickled cucumbers wasn't to save money, but simply because he was too full to eat anymore.
As a Shinigami with high Reiatsu, Aizen, who was still in his growth stage, couldn't maintain his life with just a small amount of water intake like the ordinary residents of Rukongai. Moreover, due to his high Reiryoku, he often needed to consume more food than the average Shinigami.
Akira was a similar case. Forcing down his nausea and adhering to the principle of never wasting food, he finished the rice balls and pickled cucumbers.
Then the two of them headed to today's class together.
⤫⤬⤫⤬⤫⤬⤫⤬⤫⤬
East Rukongai, 64th District, Sabitsura.
Violent and chaotic Reiatsu collided furiously, an intense atmosphere permeating the air. Deafening battle cries shattered the century-long silence of this plain.
Over a hundred Shinigami engaged in fierce combat. Their eyes were bloodshot, filled with countless red veins, as if they had gone berserk.
Though their individual strength was no more than that of ordinary squad members, the scale of their battle surpassed that of some lower-ranked Officers.
Kidō spells exploded continuously, scorching flames burned wildly amidst the rolling dust, and piercing cries of anguish seemed particularly insignificant on this battlefield.
Among the battling factions, one figure slightly shorter than the others caught the eye. The face that should have been gentle was now filled with determination, smooth black medium-length hair stained with dark red blood.
Compared to his time at the Shin'ō Academy, Sōjun Kuchiki's demeanor had undergone a drastic change. He held his blade in his right hand, Kidō light surging in his left, as he vigilantly watched every movement on the battlefield.
However, even so, an unexpected event occurred.
"Young Lord Sōjun..." A startled cry came from behind.
Sōjun whirled around, instinctively swinging his Zanpakutō towards the back, but it sliced through empty air.
A ferocious face appeared in his line of sight.
Slash—
With the sound of flesh tearing, a stabbing pain came from his chest.
Sōjun looked down in shock, only to find that a blade had evaded his attack and pierced straight into his heart.
Woosh!
In that instant, a burst of Reiatsu erupted, a massive pillar of dazzling light shooting straight into the sky, illuminating the heavens.
The entire battlefield seemed to pause, countless gazes turning towards the direction of the light pillar.
Within that intense light, a deep darkness, like viscous blood, gradually flowed out. The darkness slowly coalesced into a vague, distorted right arm, standing tall on the battlefield.
Heaviness, fear, pain — the ink-black color sketched and painted across the sky until darkness covered everything.
Silence became the dominant tone of the battlefield.
In the next moment, an indifferent single eye slowly opened on the back of the hand!
⤫⤬⤫
T/N: If you want more chapters like this, check out my Patreon! I'm constantly translating and the difference will keep getting bigger!
For just $1 you can access all the extra content, and descriptive images, costs only $2!
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บท 17: Chapter 17 ⥤ Value for Money and Miraculous Healing!
The chaotic battlefield fell silent. Terrified gazes fixed on the ink-black arm standing at its center — a situation beyond comprehension.
No one knew exactly what had happened, not even Sōjun. He stared in bewilderment at the figure that stood like a deity, countless tiny shadows writhing across its profound form, resembling undulating black snakes.
Branch-like extensions greedily absorbed the chaotically layered Reiatsu in the air, crawling incessantly between charred and blood-soaked areas, reflecting the fearful faces of the Shinigami present.
"Stay calm!" A furious roar from the rebel army broke the deathly silence, "It's just an illusion, nothing to fear! I, Katsuya Morishita, will shatter it! Crush him, Keijōmaru!"
The rebel leader placed his Zanpakutō horizontally before him. As his Reiatsu exploded, a surge of white light erupted. Immediately after, countless black thorny vines shot out from the sword's hilt, enveloping the shadowy right arm at the battlefield's center.
Katsuya's face twisted into a vicious grin, his arrogant voice echoing across the battlefield.
"This is the end, monster. No one can escape Keijōmaru's binding, not even a Captain. Now, be a good boy and die!"
As he spoke, his Reiatsu erupted. The black vines glowed with an unusual light, their countless thorns growing and contracting frantically, attempting to shred the shadowy right hand completely!
Witnessing this, the rebel army once again mustered their courage. Excited expressions appeared on their blood-stained faces, their jeering voices rising in unison.
"That's right, just like that!" "As expected of Lord Katsuya, unstoppable!" "Kill this guy, the final victory belongs to us!"
Hearing these taunts, Sōjun felt a twinge of panic. By now, he had recognized what the right hand standing at the battlefield's center truly was.
Some time ago, he had spent ₭1,000 at the Shin'ō Academy to buy a protective talisman. The pattern on it was identical to that enormous shadowy right hand.
To be honest, This talisman being able to block one fatal blow for him was already great value. So, even if the shadowy right hand were to be shredded directly, he wouldn't be disappointed in the least.
But the scene that followed once again redefined his understanding of "value for money".
{T/N: The idiom "value for money" suggests that financial resources can be used to gain advantages, sway decisions, or achieve certain outcomes.}
A teeth-grinding cracking sound emanated from the shadow. Thorns snapped one after another, signaling a shift in the battle's momentum. The tree branch-like shadows latched onto the Shinigami, absorbing the chaotic Reiatsu in the air and instantly shattering their defenses.
Suddenly, a surge of mist exploded like a tidal wave, freezing everything on the battlefield. The Shinigami's expressions and movements petrified as if someone had pressed a pause button.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Bursting sounds erupted from the bodies of the Shinigami entwined by the shadows, as if something was shattering within them. There was no gush of blood, no piercing screams. As the mist dissipated, thirty-seven of them had become withered skeletons.
The Shinigami on the Kuchiki side, witnessing this hellish scene, fell into a stunned daze. Everything had happened so swiftly that before they could comprehend the situation, the tide of battle had turned completely.
Seeing this, the remaining rebels shuddered and, without any unified command, fled in panic. Even their leader Katsuya, with the power of a high-ranking Seated Officer, lay dead. Why should they stay to share his fate?
Watching the rebels scatter, the Shinigami on the Kuchiki side called out to each other and eagerly began the pursuit.
Sōjun, however, stood rooted to the spot, still reeling from the shock of what had transpired. Soon, he alone remained on the vast battlefield.
He walked to where the shadowy right hand had stood, finding only some pure black dust in the grass. He removed the now completely shattered protective talisman from his neck and muttered in disbelief.
"This goes beyond 'value for money'. ₭1,000 deciding the course of a battle? There's no better deal than this!"
⤫⤬⤫⤬⤫⤬⤫⤬⤫⤬
At the Shin'ō Academy, in the Kaidō (Healing Arts) classroom.
A student stood nervously at the front of the podium. His hands glowed with a pale green light as he stared at the white mouse before him.
As he injected Reiatsu, the deep, bone-visible wound on the mouse's back healed rapidly. Countless flesh buds sprouted, expelling stagnant blood and weaving new flesh.
Kaidō's essence was remarkably similar to the medical ninjutsu from the neighboring village — using Reiatsu to stimulate cells and heal wounds.
{T/N: This is a pun to the Naruto World.}
"Hmm, a perfect demonstration." The Kaidō teacher nodded with satisfaction after examining the mouse's back, "Everyone, follow the process you've just witnessed. Inflict wounds of varying degrees on the white mice, then use the Kaidō techniques I've taught you to treat them. Remember, the more severe the injury, the more challenging — and higher-scoring — the healing. You may begin now. I'll be monitoring your technique and form throughout."
Below the podium, Akira stroked his chin thoughtfully before turning to Aizen beside him, "Sōsuke, I'm not great at this Kaidō stuff. Any tips to improve healing efficiency?"
Though others saw Aizen as unremarkable — average talent, middle-of-the-class ranking — he recognized his genius. His ability to easily achieve full marks in cultural courses was telling.
"No." Aizen shook his head, "Kaidō is essentially about fine control of one's own Reiatsu. It requires diligent practice; there are no shortcuts."
Akira sighed helplessly and turned his attention to the white mouse on the table. He picked up its slender neck with his left hand and held a scalpel in his right, pondering where to make an incision.
Suddenly, a strange palpitation arose in his heart. He instinctively shuddered and — with a crack — snapped the mouse's neck.
Aizen shook his head and sighed. Even in the safest Kaidō class, this guy could still cause trouble.
The teacher's brows furrowed as he noticed his action, quickly taking three steps towards him.
Seeing this, Akira hurriedly placed the mouse back on the table, making a last-ditch effort. The emerald glow of Kaidō burst forth, enveloping the lifeless "corpse".
Miraculous Healing activated!
In the next moment, under the teacher's astonished gaze, the broken neck realigned, and the white mouse regained its vitality.
At this moment, the dead had been resurrected!
⤫⤬⤫
T/N: If you want more chapters like this, check out my Patreon! I'm constantly translating and the difference will keep getting bigger!
For just $1 you can access all the extra content, and descriptive images, costs only $2!
That's it and happy reading! (-‿◦)
https://www.patreon.com/mrblackwing
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