Five hundred thousand kan.
In a single night, I had multiplied my initial winnings tenfold.
Not a bad result at all.
Now came the question… How to spend it?
I wasn’t very familiar with the prices in the First District, let alone Seireitei.
Twirling one of the dice between my fingers, I surveyed the other tables where people were playing, since no one seemed in a rush to approach me.
It was the middle of the day, and there was no shortage of people here with time on their hands.
I wanted to keep my winning streak going, but my instincts warned me not to push my luck.
Kobayashi, despite his rotten personality, struck me as a proud man of principle.
Besides, he clearly didn’t belong to any clan.
But if I picked the wrong table and beat the wrong person…
I could end up in a pit with Hollows.
So, not this time.
I tucked the dice away, shifting them into my inventory.
It wasn’t wise to flash that box around just anywhere; Someone might recognize its previous owner.
By the way, how is the progress on the Collector passive coming along?
It’s almost at Rank D, just a tiny bit short…
and that’s after finding a second Zanpakuto, acquiring an extra Asauchi, and winning those artifact bones.
Why is the leveling crawling along so slowly?
I’m not even sure there are enough artifacts in the Soul Society to reach Rank B, let alone Rank A.
Do I need to raid the treasuries of the Five Great Noble Clans or something?
While I was lost in thought, someone tapped me on the shoulder.
My reflexes kicked in before my mind did.
I flinched, nearly grabbing for my Asauchi.
“Don’t be startled, Kaoru-kun.
It’s just me,” Kyoraku chuckled, sitting down across from me.
“You woke up quickly,” I exhaled, recovering from my fright.
“Usually, a fire blast wouldn’t wake you.”
“A table isn’t exactly the most comfortable place to sleep, you know,” he said, shrugging.
“But what’s this I see?
Looks like you’re rich now.”
He weighed one of the pouches in his hand.
“Who are the poor souls you fleeced?” he asked.
“I didn’t ask for names,” I said, brushing off the question.
Let’s not tell Shunsui that while he was asleep, I cleaned out our Hakuda instructor.
We’ll keep that little detail to ourselves.
“I see I seriously underestimated your talents,” he chuckled.
“You’re full of surprises, Kaoru-kun.”
“Still can’t accept defeat?” I teased.
“Don’t be so cocky…
next time, I’ll be serious,” he narrowed his eyes.
“Keep dreaming,” I said, leaning back in my chair.
“By the way, it’s time to collect the second part of my winnings.
It’s already noon, and I’ve got nothing but sake sloshing around in my stomach.
Do they have any good snacks here?”
“Koichi-san has the best snacks in the entire First District, and you’re about to find that out for yourself,” he said with a smirk, beckoning a neat-looking waiter over to our table.
I watched in silence as he ordered several dishes with names that meant nothing to me.
Soon, a veritable mountain of food rose up before us.
It was truly delicious.
I didn’t like wasting food, so I made a bit of an effort and finished everything I could.
“Thanks for the treat.
It was delicious.
And fun, too, all that drinking.” I said contentedly, patting my stomach.
“In that case, I should thank you for the company,” Shunsui nodded.
“The sun is still high.
What are you going to do now?”
“Head back to the Academy.
Maybe do some training at the grounds,” I suggested.
“Oh, Kaoru-kun…
How is it that someone with your talents has absolutely no idea how to have fun?” He shook his head with mock disappointment.
“What do you mean by ‘fun’?” I crossed my arms over my chest.
“Calligraphy and poetry clubs?
Tea ceremonies?
Street performances?
Fishing?
Or, wait, let me guess…
brothels?”
“You’re insulting me, Kaoru-kun.
A young man ought to catch his own prey,” Kyōraku wiggled his eyebrows.
“But yes, you guessed right about the girls.”
“I’m certainly glad you overlook the difference in our social standing when we talk.
But, you see, I’m afraid that one day I might end up pinned to the walls of Seireitei with my own Asauchi, right by the balls, courtesy of some aristocrat’s furious father,” I chuckled.
“As for commoner girls…
they’re just too ordinary, and not always well-groomed.
I’m trying to steer clear of the girls from the Academy for now, too.”
“You know, a slightly more haughty expression, some decent clothes and no one would be able to tell you apart from a noble,” he snorted cheerfully.
“Nature has not deprived you of a pretty face and beautiful hair.”
“This isn’t some kind of strange hint, is it?
” I smirked, theatrically sliding my chair away from him.
“Don’t talk nonsense, Kaoru-kun,” Kyoraku said, waving off the joke.
“Beautiful people are beautiful regardless of gender.”
“Well, thanks for the compliment.
But getting back to your proposal…
You do realize that if I pretend to be an aristocrat, it’ll only make my offense worse?”
“Getting cold feet?” he teased.
“I’d say those particular desires don’t matter enough to me to risk my future over them,” I shrugged.
“I’d really like to see my Shikai and Bankai, and a lieutenant’s position with a decent salary wouldn’t hurt either.
Ideally, I’d like to keep my balls intact through it all.
I’ve lived with them for so many years, after all.”
“So, you chickened out,” he replied triumphantly.
“Sure, sure, whatever you say,” I said, waving him off.
“Go ahead and woo the ladies.
The Soul King above and your status as the first heir of the Kyōraku Family will sure help you.”
“Don’t say that.
That has nothing to do with it,” he shook his head.
“It’s all down to my superb charisma and charming looks.”
“I believe you, Heir-sama.
I believe you,” I snorted.
“Anyway, I’d better get going.”
“Have fun out there among the targets and dummies,” Kyoraku said, waving goodbye.
“You bet,” I said, scooping up my money and giving him an awkward wave in return since my hands were full.
…
As Kaoru made his way back to the Academy, hushed whispers rippled through a small group of players at the bar.
Among the regulars, many viewed the dice game merely as a pastime or a way to make a quick buck.
Others were simply addicted, unable to stop.
For ordinary souls, stripped of most physical needs, that frenzied thrill of gambling was one of the few ways to feel truly alive.
But they were a different breed entirely.
They were a small group of professionals.
Five individuals who called themselves the Five Spirits.
Named, naturally, after their favorite game.
“Someone has defeated the King of Fair Play,” the First Spirit broke the silence.
“Really?
Didn’t he catch that guy cheating?
He nearly smashed the table,” the Fifth Spirit, the youngest and most inexperienced of them, narrowed his eyes skeptically.
Poor eyesight had plagued him throughout his entire conscious afterlife.
“And that’s why he handed over all the money and even his Lucky Dice?” the Third Spirit smirked, twirling a small bowl between his fingers.
“Damn, so it’s true…
The King has been defeated,” the Fifth whispered in awe.
“What do you think…” The Second Spirit paused for dramatic effect.
“Could this be the Second Coming of the God of Gambling?”
“Unlikely,” the Fourth snorted.
“For one thing, I’m pretty sure that bastard is still alive.
For another, what makes us think this guy is actually that good?
One lucky game, and suddenly he’s a legend?”
The Fourth Spirit was getting worked up, seizing the chance to ramble about his old obsession.
“The God of Gambling was unbeatable at everything: cards, dice, mahjong, shogi…
And he had a signature style, too.
He’d drink up all the booze and wouldn’t leave until he’d cleaned out every player in the bar.”
“But this guy drank a lot, too…” the Fifth interjected uncertainly.
“Do you think he’s just an imitator?”
“Looks that way.
Youngsters always go crazy over old legends…” The Third chuckled.
“Take that madman who wanted to become a Shinigami just to marry ‘Queen of Blood’ Yachiru.”
“Nobody even calls her ‘Queen of Blood’,” the Fourth grumbled irritably.
“Her official title is Kenpachi.
Her popular nickname is Eight Thousand Styles.”
“You just love to contradict me, don’t you?” the Third snapped back.
“You know where I’m about to shove you this chair leg?”
“Quiet,” the First said, rapping his teacup against the table.
“Don’t get so worked up.
I think it’s just a coincidence.
Though I won’t rule out the possibility of a copycat.
Appearing out of nowhere, drinking his opponent under the table, beating the best player…
The style was clumsy, yet similar.”
“Maybe we should arrange a surprise welcome for him next time?” the Second Spirit asked, full of anticipation.
“Right, we ought to welcome him.
It’s been far too long since we’ve had a worthy rival.
It doesn’t matter what helped that guy win, a clever trick or just luck, we simply have to face him.” Five tea bowls clinked together solemnly.
“So, what happened to that guy who wanted to make a move on Kenpachi?” the Fifth asked awkwardly.
“He got torn apart by Hollows the first time he went out to the Human World.
A weakling,” the Fourth snorted dismissively.
…
If word of the victory over Kaito reached the Shino Academy, Kaoru would have a much harder time in his next Hakuda lesson.
The instructor was already planning to nitpick every little detail until he beat a flawless performance out of the student.
It was hard to even imagine the worst-case scenario.
So, Kaoru wanted to be his personal apprentice?
He would show him exactly what standard was expected of a personal apprentice.
Fortunately, Kyoraku didn’t know the “King of Fair Play’s” real name.
Besides, he was too busy trying to woo a lady for the evening.
Then again, even Kaito himself wasn’t aware he held such a bizarre title.
The Omaeda heir, who had arrived at the bar recently, hadn’t even witnessed the game in question.
As for the rumors?
He preferred to focus on his food rather than pay attention to the mutterings of the rabble.
There were no other Academy students in such a prestigious establishment at the time.
As for the Five Spirits…
Despite their celebrity status among gamblers, they remained nothing more than eccentric old men addicted to the game.
They commanded respect in the underworld, yet no aristocrat would ever invite them to exclusive tournaments where the stakes included mansions, businesses, and even human lives.
They looked with disdain upon the young people chasing after unattainable legends…
Yet deep down, the Five Spirits remained the same wild youths who had once chased the shadow of a legend they had witnessed with their own eyes.
The shadow of the God of Gambling.
They would have been devastated if Kaoru never showed up at the bar again…
Some might even have fallen into a deep depression.
…
After complaining to the universe that I hadn’t yet been taught Shunpo and had to keep my Bringer Light hidden, I finally made it to the dormitories.
Admiring the increased number of Kan in my inventory, I was certain nothing would spoil the rest of the day.
As it turned out, I was wrong.
A lock of silvery-grey hair at the front was braided tightly against his scalp.
He was tall and slender, wearing an elegant cape over his casual attire.
We didn’t even glance at each other, showing not the slightest interest.
Yet, I couldn’t help but notice that he bore a striking resemblance to the young Tokinada from the novel’s illustrations.
A quick check confirmed my suspicions.
Damn.
So much for hoping that particular element of the Bleach universe was absent here.
There was nothing I could do about it for the moment, but I needed to keep an eye on him.
After changing into my academy uniform, I headed to the Zanjutsu training grounds.
It was fairly crowded, but there were still plenty of bokken and training dummies available.
Wasting no time, I grabbed a wooden sword and began practicing my strikes.
I was just a measly few points away from reaching Rank D in Swordsmanship.
As I repeated the techniques learned in class, I eventually slipped into a state of automatic movement.
Then, I began mixing up my strikes randomly until, after about thirty minutes, I found my optimal combination of moves.
Skill Up!
Sword Mastery (Katana): E → D
As before, a strange sensation washed over my mind when my active skill ranked up.
No, I didn’t gain some unfathomable truth, nor did I receive a sudden download of knowledge out of nowhere.
To use a metaphor, it was more like assembling a puzzle.
I had gathered all the pieces, some on my own, others stolen, but it was the Hero’s Diary that fit them together into a single, beautiful picture.
Having received a brief moment of enlightenment, I again executed a combination of blows at full force.
The dummy merely shuddered, but my bokken shattered into several pieces.
And that was without using Reiatsu!
I’m really making progress.
A few heads turned my way, but everyone soon went back to what they were doing.
Breaking a training sword wasn’t exactly an unusual occurrence.
I gathered the fragments and tossed them into the trash, where several similar pieces of wood were already lying.
“Kaoru-san,” a familiar female voice called out from behind me.
“Huh?” I turned around.
Sure enough, it was Chikane Iba.
She had decided to train on her day off as well.
“Class Prefect?” I asked, quickly moving to defend myself against the unspoken complaint about the broken sword.
“It wasn’t on purpose.
Besides, during the exam, I was told the Academy covers everything.”
“Huh?
That’s not why I came over,” she said, waving the issue aside and getting straight to the point.
“Do you mind sparring with me?”
She pointed her practice sword at me.
“I suppose I don’t mind,” I said, weighing the new bokken, identical to the previous one, in my hand.
We stepped out onto an open stretch of the training area.
“We haven’t been taught strike combinations yet,” she said.
“How did you do that?”
“I just sort of figured it out on my own, I guess?” I replied uncertainly.
“It’s talent.
That’s something you can’t drink away, you know.”
I smiled, recalling our first meeting, but she merely grimaced.
“I was wrong.
The alcohol probably belonged to Kyoraku-san,” she admitted reluctantly.
“Could you please demonstrate that combination to me again?”
Well, unlike me, there’s nothing to be done about Shunsui.
Unless you catch him red-handed, any complaints you raise against a nobleman will simply go unheard, or worse, backfire on you.
Nobody likes a snitch, even if reporting it is part of the job.
“You guessed right,” I said, spreading my hands in a “stuff happens” gesture.
“So, shall we begin?
I should warn you, I’m a lousy teacher.
You can just follow my lead.”
She nodded, and our wooden swords clashed.
After a brief exchange of blows, I executed a combination and knocked the bokken from her hands.
“Something like that,” I shrugged.
“Again.” Without a word, Chikane picked up her sword and assumed a stance.
I nodded and attacked once more.
Just as I’d suspected, she lacked experience.
Anything that deviated from standard attacks forced her into a purely defensive position.
I also noticed a lack of any desire to wound or kill her opponent, something that comes naturally after a few fierce, life-or-death battles against a living foe.
Kyoraku had been the same way, though at least he hadn’t hesitated to inflict pain by targeting exposed areas.
Even if his intent was merely to take his opponent out of the fight.
I suppose it’s no surprise.
Hardly everyone has that kind of experience under their belt.
For many rank-and-file members, it is Hollows, not humans, that provide their first taste of a lethal encounter.
We repeated the process time and again.
Eventually, Chikane stopped dropping her sword and even began mimicking my movements, adapting to the unexpected.
That wasn’t surprising, though.
If she had the potential to become a lieutenant, she clearly possessed an aptitude for learning.
I couldn’t complain either, I’d already gained a few experience points for the skill.
Shino Academy Student profession was certainly giving me a massive boost.
“Don’t you want to take a break?
You’re literally dripping with sweat.” I was getting a bit tired myself from the non-stop sparring.
Prefect Iba leaned on her sword, catching her breath in silence.
She was a woman of few words, I had to admit.
Apparently, only a rule violation could loosen her tongue.
“What’s next?
Hakuda or Kido?” I asked her.
“Hakuda,” she replied curtly, still breathing heavily.
It looks like I’ve found myself a training partner.
And I didn’t even need the help of the Diary, which had advised me to “make friends,” just like it did with Hachigen.
It would help me know whether I should even continue translating it into English.