Chapter 43: Reward Settlement

Chapter 43 - 43: Reward Settlement Chijō Kana assumed an unusual stance right from the start. She took a forward-leaning stance with her blade raised, her left hand pressing down on the spine of the wooden sword, the tip aimed directly at Kuchiki Sōjun. Kuchiki Sōjun raised an eyebrow. He had seen this sword stance before during his match in the first round. Back then, he had easily blocked the attack and even took the opportunity to counter and eliminate his opponent. His evaluation of that move had been—not worth mentioning. 'Out of tricks already?' Kuchiki Sōjun instantly felt bored. He had hoped this finalist might give him something unexpected. Chijō Kana focused intently on her opponent, coating her blade with Reiatsu. In the next moment, every muscle in her body moved as she burst forward, thrusting her wooden sword straight ahead. Katori-ryu: Shun Strike! Kuchiki Sōjun raised his sword to block the incoming blow. Thud— The gentle smile on Kuchiki Sōjun's face froze, a flicker of surprise flashing in his eyes—That power! The force Chijō Kana displayed in that strike far surpassed what he had faced in the first round! He didn't dare be careless—he brought up his other hand to brace the blade. Even so, he was forced back several steps by the sheer impact before he could fully absorb the force of the attack. "So this is the true power of that sword technique? What's it called?" It was the first time Kuchiki Sōjun had spoken during the match. But as he looked at Chijō Kana's face, he noticed she was staring at his feet, her expression full of regret and frustration. Startled, he glanced down—and realized he had been pushed all the way to the edge of the platform. The heel of his right foot was nearly touching the boundary line. One more step and he would've lost by ring-out. "So that was your plan all along..." Kuchiki Sōjun let out a soft laugh. Only now did he realize why Chijō Kana had opened with that technique. It was a direct and obvious move—nothing too hard for him to block. Chijō Kana had expected him to block it. Her real intention was to use the overwhelming impact to force him out of the ring. "So close... just a little more!" Chijō Kana looked disappointed. It was a strategy that could only work once—next time, people would be prepared. "If only my Reiatsu had been a little stronger, I could've pulled it off." "That technique is our Katori-ryu's 'Shun Strike'—but if you think that's its full power, you're dead wrong!" Chijō Kana pulled back her blade and slashed again. "Katori-sensei's Shun Strike is way stronger than mine!" "Katori-ryu, huh..." Kuchiki Sōjun glanced at Katori Nanatsuki standing below the stage. He raised his sword and deflected Chijō Kana's slash, immediately counterattacking and scoring a point. The difference in their Reiatsu was too vast. Chijō Kana couldn't withstand his strikes. Once Kuchiki Sōjun went on the offensive, it wasn't long before she was hit again and lost the match. Kuchiki Sōjun claimed first place in the assessment. No one was surprised by the result. His power was far beyond the norm for a first-year. However, Chijō Kana's performance had caught everyone off guard. This student, who had been underestimated and placed into Class Two, had fought her way to the finals. She has a bright future ahead! And it wasn't just her—Katori Nanatsuki's other two disciples had also done well. No need to mention Hirako Shinji, who reached the semifinals on his own merits. Even Muguruma Kensei, who was eliminated in the first round, showed solid sword fundamentals during his match. "Katori-sensei truly has a keen eye. It's only been a short time since the term started, and he's already spotted their potential," said Asido with admiration. Normally, talented students wouldn't go unnoticed—but Katori Nanatsuki had accepted them as disciples before they'd even shown their true abilities. That spoke volumes about his discernment. "I really thought Kuchiki Sōjun was going to lose just now! So close, what a shame!" Muguruma Kensei looked even more disappointed than Chijō Kana—he clearly didn't want the guy who eliminated him in round one to win first place. "Can't be helped. In the end, my Reiatsu just wasn't strong enough. I ran out of force just as I pushed him there." Chijō Kana had already come to terms with her loss and didn't seem too upset. "I'm really proud of how you all performed," Nanatsuki said with a smile. "Once Shinji wakes up, let's go shopping. I'll cook you all a big meal!" Chijō Kana instantly let go of all her regrets and ran over to the stretcher to check on Hirako Shinji. "Kobayashi-Sensei! Why isn't he awake yet?" "He should be soon..." "Ugh, you're so noisy you woke me up!" "Sorry~" "What's going on now?" "I lost too!" At that moment, Nanatsuki noticed the exam reward settlement prompt appear. [Swordsmanship Assessment Complete – Disciple Hirako Shinji Reached Semifinals – Reward Settlement] [Received 5,000 General Ability EXP] [Random Skill Proficiency +1 Level] [Swordsmanship Assessment Complete – Disciple Chijō Kana Reached Finals – Reward Settlement] [Received 10,000 General Ability EXP] [Random Skill Proficiency +2 Levels] Nanatsuki's mind was instantly flooded with new training memories—as if he had personally spent time in seclusion mastering techniques. He had received a total of 15,000 General Ability EXP. He allocated 14,000 EXP to Reiatsu, raising it from level 58 to 62. Grade 9 Spiritual Pressure! Each 5-level increase in Reiatsu required more EXP. At this point, each level needed 4,000 EXP. So Nanatsuki used the remaining 1,000 EXP to boost Shunpo , raising it to level 27. Nanatsuki glanced at his Status Interface: [Base Abilities: Reiatsu lv62, Zanjutsu lv55, Kidō lv20, Hakuda lv11, Shunpo lv27] The two skills that received the level-up boosts were both sword techniques: Shun Strike and Flowlight. Flowlight had reached Proficiency, while Shun Strike had reached Mastery! He had tested the power of a Mastery-level technique during his sparring match with Unohana Retsu—even she had praised his swordsmanship. After class, before heading out to buy groceries with his three disciples, Nanatsuki had one more thing to do. He went to the office, where Kobane Jin'emon was already waiting. Back during the sword assessment, Nanatsuki had told him to come after class. Even though Kobane Jin'emon's talent was only ranked B+, his effort and passion for swordsmanship convinced Nanatsuki to grant him a disciple spot. "Kobane-kun, I've been watching your effort." Nanatsuki smiled. "And your sword talent is decent too. You've already surpassed the academy's current pace. If you want to continue specializing in sword training, there's another path besides just joining the advanced sword class." Kobane Jin'emon's eyes widened, and he immediately dropped into a deep bow. "Katori-sensei! I want to study swordsmanship under you—please take me as your disciple!" [Kobane Jin'emon requests to become a personal disciple. Accept?] Nanatsuki accepted the prompt without hesitation. "Very well. From now on, you're my disciple. Be loyal to our school and train diligently, and I'll teach you the way of the sword," said Nanatsuki. [Kobane Jin'emon has been accepted as a personal disciple] [Kobane Jin'emon's reputation level increased – Current Level: Friendly] [First time acquiring a B-grade talent disciple – Bonus Reward Unlocked...]