The Gains from This Journey

"Brother-in-law, listen to me! Things at the academy have suddenly gotten way more strict!"

At the Shin'ō Spirit Academy cafeteria, Kotetsu Kiyone leaned in slightly, speaking in a hushed but excited tone.

"They're not letting students go out anymore, and they said we're going into some kind of lockdown… full-on isolation management."

"They're even forcing the students who went on field training to come back early, except for those who got special permission from their captains."

"Ugh, I was supposed to go shopping with a friend at the end of the month..."

She pouted dramatically.

Just from her energy alone, Kiyone was quite different from her sister.

Seiya Arima calmly scooped up a spoonful of curry, placed it in his mouth, and chewed slowly, his expression neutral.

"Is that so?"

"Yeah! And it's a big deal!"

Apparently pleased with Seiya's interest, Kiyone's voice grew even more excited.

"And get this—it's because some mysterious person caused a huge commotion in Seireitei last night!"

Seiya's expression twitched slightly.

"Oh? Something like that happened?"

"Crazy, right?! I mean, the Gotei 13 is famous for being unbeatable, so who would even dare to cause trouble?!"

"Y-yeah... I guess..."

"But apparently, that guy actually got away! One of the captains got injured, and then—who knows what happened after that... They lost him!"

"I-Is that so?"

Seiya wondered how her information network was this good.

He shifted slightly in his seat.

"Kiyone, where are you even getting this information?"

"Heh heh, obviously from my wide circle of friends~"

Never mind.

These two sisters were nothing alike. If Isane had even half of Kiyone's social skills, she'd probably be thriving.

"Any more updates on that?"

"Not yet… but that's what makes it even scarier."

Kiyone frowned slightly as she absentmindedly stirred her spoon in her curry.

"The scariest enemy is the one you can't see, right? Maybe that's why the academy is keeping us locked in."

"But... well, it's not really our problem."

"I mean, the captains are all crazy strong, so they'll handle it!"

Seiya let out a quiet chuckle and shook his head slightly.

"You're pretty optimistic, huh?"

"Of course! The more tense things get, the more you have to learn to relax, brother-in-law!"

She stuck out her tongue playfully, her tone lighthearted.

"You just gotta believe this will pass—like how storm clouds always give way to clear skies."

"It's just a little turbulence. Stay chill, stay chill…"

"The sun will shine again, you know?"

Her carefree attitude was oddly contagious.

Seiya couldn't help but smile faintly.

Bright, youthful, and full of energy—how nice.

"Alright, if things are really that dangerous, then go back to class soon. Finish your self-study session and get some rest."

"Geez, brother-in-law, you're starting to sound just like my sister…"

"Want me to pass that message along to her?"

"Uwah, no thanks!"

"Then do me a favor and behave yourself. Isane would worry about you otherwise."

Even though they weren't actually related, for Isane's sake, Seiya took it upon himself to look out for Kiyone.

As the two of them stood up, Kiyone suddenly noticed something.

"Brother-in-law, what's up with your right hand? It looks a little swollen."

Seiya stopped mid-motion, glancing down at his arm.

"This? Oh... I messed up my defense during training yesterday. Got hit on the forearm with a wooden sword, so it swelled up a bit."

"Are you sure you're okay? Do you need to see a healer?"

Seiya flexed his hand slightly and smiled.

"It's fine. See? Nothing to worry about."

Kiyone didn't look convinced.

But then, something seemed to click in her mind. Her eyes widened, and she suddenly smirked.

"Ohhh, I see how it is… Brother-in-law, you totally got hurt on purpose so you'd have an excuse to visit my sister in the Fourth Division, huh?"

She looked like she had just uncovered some deep, hidden truth.

"I mean, she's been stuck in the Fourth for ages now. Of course you'd wanna see her, right?"

Seiya blinked.

Excuse me?

"A tragic romance! Two lovers separated by duty, longing to reunite~"

"Ahhh, just thinking about it makes my stomach hurt!"

"So, tell me, brother-in-law… you really miss my sister, don't you?"

He could understand her excitement, but…

"My sister is working super hard in the Fourth. She might not have time for you right now, but if you really wanna see her, I can totally help you out!"

This was supposed to be a private matter.

But then again…

If it was someone as straightforward as Isane, maybe it wasn't such a big deal.

Seiya watched as Kiyone made exaggerated little giggling noises to herself.

He sighed quietly and gave a small shake of his head.

"You figured me out, huh? You're pretty sharp, Kiyone."

"Ehehe~ I'm way sharper than my sister, you know!"

She was clearly enjoying herself.

Seiya didn't interrupt.

After all, carefree days like these wouldn't last forever.

"Alright, finish your meal and head back to class. Don't hang around too long."

"You sure you don't want my help~?"

"Heh… you little brat."

He raised a hand and lightly tapped her forehead—not hard, just enough to make her flinch.

"Oww…"

"I barely even touched you. Stop overreacting."

Kiyone rubbed her forehead and pouted.

"Seriously, though, you should get that arm checked out."

She wasn't as skilled in healing as Isane, but she still knew the basics.

"It's best to treat injuries early, you know."

"Oh? So you do care about me. Got any senior classmates in the Fourth you can introduce me to?"

"Ew, no way! If my sister finds out, she'll kill me… Brother-in-law, you're such a pain!"

Kiyone made a face and took a step back.

But then, she softened.

"I'll work hard. But you be careful too, okay? The situation in Seireitei still seems dangerous."

"Yeah, I'll be careful."

Kiyone put her tray away and left the cafeteria with a few classmates.

Seiya, on the other hand, casually went back to the counter and looked at the food options.

Might as well get a second serving—given everything happening in Seireitei, the academy had been approved for 24-hour food service.

No leaving campus, free meals provided.

They had also intensified training schedules.

Even just from those scraps of information, it was easy to piece things together.

'Old man Yamamoto is taking this situation seriously…'

It wasn't arrogance.

It was just a fact.

Seireitei included the noble districts. For them to completely shut down the academy and enforce city-wide restrictions, they weren't just looking for the culprit.

They were probably planning some kind of broader reform.

'He's using this as an opportunity to push certain changes through, isn't he?'

Borrowing a crisis for political gain…

Well.

Not his problem.

At least, for now.

Seiya took his food and found a quiet corner.

Yesterday's fight with Muguruma Kensei and the other captains had been short.

But the gains were very real.

[You fought Kensei and successfully escaped from the siege of Love Aikawa, Hirako Shinji, and Zaraki Kenpachi.]

[You now have a clearer understanding of your own strength and weaknesses.]

[Swordsmanship +3 | Hand-to-Hand Combat +2 | Shunpo +3 | Kido +3]

[Zanjutsu: 68] [Hakuda: 77] [Shunpo: 63] [Kido: 73]

He stared at the stats.

Cutting it close.

If Yamamoto had shown up last night, he'd be dead.

So next time, he'd need to plan even more carefully.

Seiya scooped up another bite of curry and thought:

'Where should I go next?'

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Powerstones?

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