"Finally… it's done."
Behind the Spirit Arts Institute, in the secluded woods behind the mountain, Kisaragi Akira examined the long blade in his hand—a sword woven from crackling lightning and searing fire. He let out a deeply satisfied smile.
Three days had passed since the unfortunate incident where he accidentally blew up the dormitory.
Just as Aizawa Sōsuke had warned him, creating an original Kidō wasn't nearly as easy as it sounded.
Even with the bonus effects of his exclusive trait—Masterful Ingenuity—it still took countless trials and explosions before he finally managed to construct the Thunder-Fire Sword.
And because he fully understood his own… limited literary skills, he had wisely chosen not to compose a new Kidō incantation. That kind of thing was simply not compatible with the number of brain cells he had in stock.
Simply arranging and tuning his spiritual pressure was enough to manifest the Thunder-Fire Sword.In fact, without an incantation or hand-seal assistance, its difficulty level actually exceeded that of a standard No. 50-class Kidō.
Of course, for someone like Akira—who had already internalized White Lightning and Crimson Fire Cannon into instinct—the process was actually easier this way.
"Should I continue developing the next original Kidō…?"
Akira's mind was bursting with ideas, one after another demanding to be realized. The feeling of achieving something groundbreaking in a specific domain was indescribable—like chugging down an entire bottle of ice-cold cola in the peak of summer.
Refreshing from head to toe.
He was just about to enthusiastically begin experimenting with a certain "neighboring village's ninjutsu" when a familiar spiritual pressure entered his perception field.
Aizawa shot a glance at the completed sword in Akira's hand, a flicker of surprise passing through his eyes. It vanished quickly behind his calm demeanor.
"Akira… someone from the First Division is here."
Akira blinked. "So? Let them come. Don't tell me it's about the dorm I blew up?"
He had already learned from Aizawa that Homura-sensei deducted his entire mission reward to cover the damages. That amount of money could probably rebuild eight or ten dormitories. He wasn't worried about anyone coming to demand compensation.
"It's related to you," Aizawa said, his expression turning a bit more serious. "Homura-sensei warned me beforehand—Headmaster Genjirō recently returned from the First Division. He asked a lot of questions about your daily habits."
"This visit from the First Division's officers is probably related to that."
Akira's heartbeat instantly skipped. His brain instinctively began speed-running through a list of possible recent crimes.
The cafeteria at Shin'ō Academy?No way—he hadn't gone out at night to steal food in ages.
The destroyed dormitory?He already paid for that one.
Hiss—
A sudden possibility flashed through his mind.
…It couldn't be related to the incident at the General Medical Ward, right?Don't tell me…
Did the secret between me and Captain Unohana get exposed?!
He had no idea what Akira was imagining, but judging from the continuous parade of dramatic expressions on the boy's face… it was definitely nothing good.
"Sōsuke, this is bad!"Akira snapped back to reality and stared at Aizawa with tension all over his face."Are we compromised?!"
Aizawa replied casually, "Homura-sensei's connections should still be usable. Go ask him for a mission certificate, then head to the West Gate and find Ikkansaka Jirō. He'll guide you straight back into the Rukon District."
Akira stared at him in disbelief.
He never imagined that the always-serious Aizawa would say something like that.
But after a moment, he realized something: If Aizawa still had enough leisure to joke around, then this definitely wasn't a serious problem.
Good. Wonderful!
Akira relaxed completely. He casually dissolved the Thunder-Fire Sword in his hand, letting it revert back into White Lightning and Crimson Fire Cannon. With a roar of residual energy, the spiritual particles scattered and returned to the Soul Society's ambient flow.
"Right! Time to meet the elite reapers of the First Division!"
Aizawa's gaze drifted across the section of the mountain that had been blasted bald, a corner of his eye twitching. He really was surprised by Akira's… dedication.
For three full days, aside from visiting the cafeteria to eat, Akira spent every waking moment blowing things up, perfecting his original Kidō technique.
Talent plus effort.
Well… what else could he say?As expected of Kisaragi Akira.
Not long after, his wish came true—he was brought to meet the First Division's elite officers.
As the leading division of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, the First Division's responsibilities were extremely broad. They issued missions, supervised execution, and could temporarily command other divisions.
Anyone who could join the First Division was unquestionably one of the best among the reapers.
To the reapers themselves, being accepted into the First Division was a badge of honor.
"Kisaragi-dono, the Head Captain requests your presence in the First Division headquarters."
The officer who greeted him was extremely polite—none of the stereotypical arrogance or bullying found in many novels.Even the form of address was strange.
Was this really how an official reaper should address a student who hadn't even graduated yet?
Or were First Division officers simply… more courteous?
"Oh—sure," Akira replied happily.
He had been looking forward to visiting that place for a long time.
First Division Barracks
Led by the notifying officer, Akira officially entered the headquarters.
Unlike the relaxed atmosphere of the Fourth Division, the First Division headquarters was filled with guards and reapers constantly moving about. Each one of them carried themselves with sharp intensity. A faint pressure radiated from them, creating a suppressive atmosphere.
After passing through several hallways, Akira finally arrived at a small room overflowing with the scent of tea.
Compared to the surrounding buildings, this tea house looked simpler and more humble.
"Kisaragi-dono, please enter. The Head Captain is waiting for you."
The officer's respectful attitude was as if he were presenting Akira before a great noble.
Suppressing his curiosity, Akira stepped forward and slid the door open.
Instantly, the rich aroma of tea washed over him. It filled the room and softened the tension in the air.
From the doorway, Akira could see everything.
Simple calligraphy hung on the walls.A traditional wooden tea table sat at the center.A small stove simmered quietly beside it, steam rising gently from the teapot's spout.
And sitting at the table was a figure not especially tall but unmistakably imposing—eyes partially closed, bald head shining faintly, long white beard nearly touching the floor, eyebrows hanging straight like white threads.
Even without the captain's haori, Akira recognized him instantly.
Head Captain Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni, the most powerful reaper in the past thousand years of Soul Society.
At that realization, Akira felt a sudden wave of tension.
He carefully stepped inside and was just about to bow when—
A familiar mechanical voice echoed in his ears:
[Location Sign-In: Yamamoto Shigekuni's Private Tea House][Reward: Spiritual Pressure +3 → Current Level: 59][Reward: Swordsmanship +3 → Current Level: 70][Reward: Hand-to-Hand Combat +3 → Current Level: 31][Reward: Shunpo +3 → Current Level: 26][Reward: Kidō +3 → Current Level: 35][Exclusive Trait Obtained — Absolute Justice!]
[Absolute Justice: Cannot tolerate anyone who neglects or violates justice. Against such individuals, damage increases by 50%!(Hidden Effect: "My heart and actions are as clear as a mirror. All I do is justice!")]
The sudden flood of rewards made Akira gasp involuntarily.
The tea aroma slipped into his mouth with his sharp inhale, and before he could savor it—
A stern, aged voice echoed through the tea house.
"Kisaragi Akira… do you realize your crime?!"
That single line struck the air like thunder.
And then—
Another sharp hiss escaped Akira's mouth.