100 Power Stones bonus chapter!
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"Ye lord! Mask of flesh and bone, all creation, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! Truth and temperance, upon this sinless wall of dreams unleash but slightly the wrath of your claws!!"
"Hadō 33: Sōkatsui!"
With a voice as clear as a ringing bell, the man raised his hand toward the wooden target not far ahead.
In the blink of an eye, a torrential flame surge roared like a tidal wave, swallowing the earth in its relentless advance. The sheer, majestic force of his reiatsu, bolstered by the full incantation and precise gestures, coalesced into a blazing torrent of spirit particles, an explosive power far beyond what any ordinary Shinigami could hope to withstand.
In that fleeting instant, the entire training ground, designed to test the Kidō proficiency of novice students, was reduced to ash and ruin.
Boom!
The sound of the explosion lagged behind a belated echo of destruction.
The firelight cast its glow upon the stunned faces of the Kidō class students standing nearby, their expressions frozen in disbelief. Even Honda, the instructor, looked like he'd just seen a ghost.
Makoto lowered his hand with an air of nonchalance, turning on his heel with the resolute poise of a true man who never looks back at the chaos he's wrought. He strode back to his place without a backward glance.
On the practice field, constructed from kishi stone, the raging inferno of spirit flames flickered out after less than a few minutes, its fury spent.
Yet the onlookers remained rooted in place, unable to shake off their stupor.
It was only after a long pause that Honda jogged over, his face a mask of cautious awe.
"As expected of Makoto-sama!"
"Ha."
"A mere Hadō 33? It's nothing worth mentioning."
Makoto offered a faint smile, his gaze softening as it settled on instructor Honda beside him. That calm demeanor, that unruffled composure, that gentlemanly smile, every detail spoke of the half-year he'd spent honing not just his Kidō, but his very expressions, all for the sake of this sweet revenge.
Yes!
For this singular moment, he had waited six long months!
He fixed his eyes on Honda, whose face now bore the timid wariness of a man outmatched.
Honda nodded earnestly, though a sheepish grin tugged at his lips. "But… wasn't today's test supposed to be Hadō 1?"
"The intermediate Kidō training ground is next door, you know. And… haven't you already graduated, Makoto-sama?"
In an instant, every novice student in the vicinity turned as one, their gazes brimming with resentment as they glared at this interloper who'd barged into their class and unleashed a high-level Kidō without so much as a word.
Yet Makoto met their stares with the serene grace of a spring breeze, utterly unperturbed. "No matter."
"I finally mastered Hadō 33, how could I not show these rookies how to do it."
"Well then, farewell, Instructor."
With that, Makoto turned and strode out the door, leaving behind a row of instructors and students with faces darkened by exasperation.
But before he could get far, the sound of pounding footsteps echoed from the far end of the corridor... the Patrol Corps was closing in.
"That's his reiatsu!"
"You bastard! Showing off intermediate Kidō in the beginner class again, huh?!"
"This time, we'll catch him for sure!"
Makoto spun on his heel and bolted, his figure vanishing around the corner in a flash. Hot on his heels came a handful of shinigami from the Patrol Corps, their shoulder badges glinting as they brandished swords and chased after him with wild abandon.
Makoto's Shunpo was lightning-fast.
Honda watched the scene unfold, his face etched with dark lines of frustration. Only after the commotion had faded into the distance, having learned his lesson, did he mutter under his breath.
"That guy… he's way too petty."
"Does he really have to come back every few days?"
Yet, for all his grumbling, Honda couldn't deny the astonishment that Makoto's progress over the past six months had stirred in him. Ever since he'd been persuaded to leave the academy half a year ago, the kid had somehow... inexplicably, unlocked a hidden potential. His Kidō skills had soared at a breathtaking pace.
Three months ago, when he'd first returned to show off, he'd barely managed to cast Hadō 9, a feat impressive enough to raise eyebrows.
But by the fourth month, he'd leaped to Hadō 20.
Last month, he'd even pulled off Hadō 26.
And today? Utterly ridiculous!
Honda turned his head, surveying the wreckage strewn across the training ground. Hadō 33, in this kid's hands, packed nearly twice the punch of an average Shinigami's. Now, even Honda was starting to wonder if his own teaching skills had somehow slipped.
"That little punk..."
"Who'd have thought he's actually a genius?"
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On the other side of the academy, Makoto wore a grin that wouldn't fade. Having once again flaunted his skills in front of that Honda fellow and narrowly escaped the clutches of the Patrol Corps, his heart thrummed with satisfaction.
He tilted his head downward, eyes settling on the ability panel shimmering faintly before him.
[Kidō: Tier-5 (19/100)]
In a mere six months, propelled by an unrivaled talent, his mastery of Kidō had soared to a level that could only be described as extraordinary. His control over spirit particles was impressive, yes, but that was merely the beginning. To put it plainly, if Makoto so desired, he could now cast any Kidō below number thirty without an incantation and still unleash its full might. With a bit more effort, even spells in the fifties or sixties weren't beyond his reach.
To the Captain-Class Shinigami, such a feat might seem trivial. But for someone like him, a former spiritual dunce who, not long ago, struggled to muster even Hadō 1, this was nothing short of a meteoric ascent.
Of course, he owed much of his success to Kirio's assistance.
"I should make her something delicious tonight."
But just as Makoto approached his dormitory, a high-pitched yelp erupted from within his room.
"Bakudō 61: Rikujōkōrō!"
The cry was accompanied by a chaotic surge of spirit particles, a wild, untamed flow.
An incantation-less casting? And a number sixty Bakudō, no less!
Makoto froze, startled. Before he could process the thought, a small figure burst through the door, barreling out of the room.
Kirio stumbled into the hallway and spotted Makoto standing there. With a frantic "Waaah! Waaah!" she dashed toward him, shrieking, "Makoto-nii! Save me!"
The little bundle of energy dove behind his legs, clutching his waist for dear life.
Before Makoto could demand an explanation, another figure emerged, Senjumaru, crashing through the fragile barriers of the Rikujōkōrō. She skidded to a halt outside the door with a deft sideways drift, her fingertips pressed to the ground in a sprinter's crouch, poised to lunge.
"Senjumaru?! What are you doing in my room?!" Makoto blurted, his face a mask of bewilderment.
"Hey! Grab that little pest behind you!" Senjumaru barked, exhaling as if relieved. The skeletal hands protruding from beneath her skirt twitched instinctively as she pointed. "Don't let her get away!"
"Wait a second!"
"Please, explain this to me here!"
Makoto stepped between them, his tone firm and righteous. "What in the world is going on?"
"I-..."
Kirio hadn't even opened her mouth before Senjumaru bellowed the truth.
"That little brat dared to skip my class!"
Makoto's head whipped around. Sure enough, Kirio was still clad in the white-trimmed uniform of a student, her face scrunched into a pitiful pout.
"Kirio-chan?"
"Senjumaru-sensei drags lessons on forever! And she swears in Soul Society slang!" Kirio protested, her voice a feeble attempt at defiance.
But under Makoto's piercing stare, the little peach crumbled.
"Hm?"
The girl hung her head, raising two stubby fingers as she mumbled, "I… I only skipped twice."
"Bullshit! It's been a full twelve class hours!" Senjumaru roared, cutting her off. "If your desk mate hadn't popped that Kidō clone of yours today, would I have had to curse in class?!"
Kirio's head drooped even lower.
Makoto's gaze shifted to Kirio, now tinged with a peculiar mix of disbelief and amusement.
What the hell?!
It's only been a few days since I sent you to school.
And you're already at this level?
You've even invented your own class-skipping Kidō?!
His thoughts churned, a tangle of exasperation and pride. Still, family was family, he had to protect his own.
Quickly piecing together the situation and realizing the fault lay on his side, Makoto sidled up to Senjumaru with a placating smile. "Uh, Senjumaru-sensei!" he began, his tone soft and conciliatory. "I'll discipline her properly, I swear. Whatever punishment you suggest, I'll follow to the letter."
"Oh, and it's almost mealtime."
"How about…"
"You stay for dinner tonight?"
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Bonus Chapter:
100 Power Stones = 1 BC
300 Power Stones = 2 BC
500 Power Stones = 3 BC
700 Power Stones = 4 BC
1000 Power Stones = 5 BC
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